ISSN: 2397-9607 Issue 273In this 273rd issue of the Baba Indaba’s Children’s Stories series, Baba Indaba narrates the Greek tale of “THE FAIRY WIFE.”ONCE upon a time, long, long ago and far, far away Greece, Demetros the goatherd, lived alone with his mother on the Keafa Hill. Near his hut and the strounga, a shed for the goats, was a spring named Neraidovreshe, or Fairy Spring, for the fairies that had been seen there. Usually Demetros’ mother went to this spring during daylight hours with her great earthen jar to get their water, but one day she fell ill and Demetros had to go for it at night after his goats were driven home.Since it was a moonlit night, he could see clearly, when he reached the Neraidovreshe, he saw three maidens in white sitting on the stones at the edge. Supposing them to be shepherdesses who had come a long way for water and had stopped to rest, Demetros paid them no attention until he had filled his jar. At that moment a cock’s crow sounded across the valley and, without a word, the maidens rose, joined hands and danced westward across the hills, singing and whirling around, faster and faster, until they disappeared in a wisp of fine white smoke.Demetros watched them go, wondering who they were, why they had come and where they had gone. He said nothing about these strange maidens, but he could think of nothing else all the next day. When night came he went again to the Neraidovreshe. It was about the same time, the moon was shining, the maidens were there; but now in addition to the first three there were three others. Just as the cock crowed the maidens rose, danced over the hills, singing, and vanished as before. And on the next night there were nine.Unable to think of anything but the maidens, Demetros kept on visiting the spring at night. Unfortunately he did not heed his mother and went to the spring on the night of the full moon.This was the night that maidens made contact with him and invited him to their home lands. Unable to help himself he agreed and the fairy maidens whisked him away.Now, we all know that once a mortal visits fairyland they can never return to the real world. If they do return then they forever wish they had not. Such is the nature of mortal souls.Well, what did happen to Demetros? Did he return to take care of his sick mother, or was he lost to her forever? You’ll have to download and read this story to find out – wont you?Baba Indaba is a fictitious Zulu storyteller who narrates children’s stories from around the world. Baba Indaba translates as ‘Father of Stories’.Each issue also has a ‘WHERE IN THE WORLD – LOOK IT UP’ section, where young readers are challenged to look up a place on a map somewhere in the world. The place, town or city is relevant to the story. HINT – use Google maps.33% of the profit from the sale of this book will be donated to charities.INCLUDES LINKS TO DOWNLOAD 8 FREE STORIES
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