Gerald or Professor Whiskers

I don't know why, but this current holiday season has left me feeling like I'm walking in high heels with one heel broken off! Even a group I was truly looking forward to doing a Christmas program was cancelled for bad weather. I was glad I didn't have to try and reach them on a day that would have been truly awful for driving, but hearing my next program there would be winter instead left me thinking of the many stories that only can be told at Christmas. One of them, Helen Hunt Jackson's tale from her childhood,  "A Christmas Tree for Cats", comes from my love of cats that nowadays no longer permits my living with a cat. My allergies improved immensely when I accepted this. Fortunately I am able to visit homes with cats. 

On Facebook a friend highlighted a story worth following that tale by Jackson. Jibor Camavin told this tale of his cat, Gerald, or as Jibor says his grandkids call him, "Professor Whiskers."

They told me at the shelter he was twelve years old and "not very adoptable." His face is lopsided, one ear flops weird, and he's missing half his teeth so his tongue kind of hangs out permanently. The volunteer said he'd been returned twice already because people thought he looked "off" and I stood there looking at this beat up tuxedo cat thinking about how I've felt pretty unadoptable myself since my divorce.

I'm 52 and I went in looking for a kitten, something cute and normal that my grandkids could play with when they visit, but this guy was sitting in the back corner wearing a little bow tie someone had put on him and I just couldn't leave him there. His name was Gerald. They said he'd probably only have a year or two left and he'd need special food and monthly vet checkups. I took him home that afternoon and my sister said "you adopted the Walmart clearance version of a cat" which honestly made me love him more.

Gerald has one speed and it's judgmental. He sits on the cat tree by the window and stares at me like I'm failing an exam only he knows about. When I'm on the couch he jumps up and positions himself so he's looking directly into my soul with those huge uneven eyes. My neighbor came over for coffee last week and actually got uncomfortable, she said "why is he looking at me like that, does he know something I don't?" I told her Gerald judges everyone equally, it's his gift.

I started making him different bow ties because the shelter one was getting ratty and I found this amazing seller on Tedooo app who does custom pet accessories. I sent her Gerald's measurements and now he's got seven different ties, one for each day of the week. She told me she'd never made anything for a cat described as "permanently disappointed looking" before. People on my street have started asking about them when I post pictures and I ended up opening my own little shop on Tedooo app selling pet bow ties and bandanas because apparently there's a whole market for judgmental animal fashion.

My daughter says Gerald looks like he's perpetually asking to speak to the manager and she's not wrong. But here's the thing, he sleeps on my chest every single night and purrs so loud it sounds like a motorcycle. When I had that terrible week last month where I couldn't stop crying about everything, he didn't leave my side. Just sat there staring at me with that crooked face like "yeah, life's hard, get it together."

I've had him for eight months now and the vet says he's actually healthier than they expected. My grandkids named him Professor Whiskers because they think he looks wise. He's become the neighborhood celebrity, people stop me on walks asking about "that cat with the face." Gerald doesn't care what anyone thinks. He just exists exactly as he is, taking up space, demanding respect. I'm trying to learn that from him.

 

* * * 

I haven't been able to "Message" Jibor, but I'd love to tell him we had a cat live to be 24! May this cat live a long, long time. Pets truly are family. (Fortunately I can have a dog in our family.) It is said that Christmas pets often don't work out well, but maybe those adopted after Christmas are a better match. So many pets are waiting for adoption. Here in my area I especially support K9Stray Rescue, but rescue groups are everywhere as the need for "furever" homes is great. If there is room in your heart for a new family member, please check your local shelter.

Aesop and Joseph Jacobs - Four fables on Peace - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Photo  by Disha Sheta of India on Pexels

Sometimes the news goes against everything that seems right. 

Before giving a story and wishing holiday greetings, I want to extend condolences to my friends and readers in Australia. I celebrate Christmas, but dozens of my friends celebrate Hanukkah and Kwanza and I wish only the best for all of them.

If ever there seemed to be a time when Peace is needed, but missing, it seems to be now. 

Perhaps it is time we look at some of the world's attempts at wisdom concerning Peace since we so desperately need it. Many of these efforts can be found in fables.  

Joseph Jacobs, in his book, The Fables of Aesop, admits that many attribute fables to "Aesop", but  as a result he "felt at liberty to retell the fables in such a way as would interest children, and have adopted from the various versions that which seemed most suitable in each case, telling the fable anew in my own way." 

We are in good hands with his efforts, so I went there for a few brief stories on Peace. His versions follow the older, more traditional idea of including the moral after the story.  Fables nowadays usually take the view of letting the audience form their own conclusion. How you tell it is up to you as a storyteller or teacher. As a reader you may feel free to skip to the next fable or read what Jacobs says is the lesson the story tells.

The Dog and the Shadow

It happened that a Dog had got a piece of meat and was carrying it home in his mouth to eat it in peace. Now on his way home he had to cross a plank lying across a running brook. As he crossed, he looked down and saw his own shadow reflected in the water beneath. Thinking it was another dog with another piece of meat, he made up his mind to have that also. So he made a snap at the shadow in the water, but as he opened his mouth the piece of meat fell out, dropped into the water and was never seen more.

Beware lest you lose the substance by grasping at the shadow.  

The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse

Now you must know that a Town Mouse once upon a time went on a visit to his cousin in the country. He was rough and ready, this cousin, but he loved his town friend and made him heartily welcome. Beans and bacon, cheese and bread, were all he had to offer, but he offered them freely. The Town Mouse rather turned up his long nose at this country fare, and said: “I cannot understand, Cousin, how you can put up with such poor food as this, but of course you cannot expect anything better in the country; come you with me and I will show you how to live. When you have been in town a week you will wonder how you could ever have stood a country life.” No sooner said than done: the two mice set off for the town and arrived at the Town Mouse’s residence late at night. “You will want some refreshment after our long journey,” said the polite Town Mouse, and took his friend into the grand dining-room. There they found the remains of a fine feast, and soon the two mice were eating up jellies and cakes and all that was nice. Suddenly they heard growling and barking. “What is that?” said the Country Mouse. “It is only the dogs of the house,” answered the other. “Only!” said the Country Mouse. “I do not like that music at my dinner.” Just at that moment the door flew open, in came two huge mastiffs, and the two mice had to scamper down and run off. “Good-bye, Cousin,” said the Country Mouse. “What! going so soon?” said the other. “Yes,” he replied;

“Better beans and bacon in peace than cakes and ale in fear.”  

The Bat, the Birds, and the Beasts

A great conflict was about to come off between the Birds and the Beasts. When the two armies were collected together the Bat hesitated which to join. The Birds that passed his perch said: “Come with us”; but he said: “I am a Beast.” Later on, some Beasts who were passing underneath him looked up and said: “Come with us”; but he said: “I am a Bird.” Luckily at the last moment peace was made, and no battle took place, so the Bat came to the Birds and wished to join in the rejoicings, but they all turned against him and he had to fly away. He then went to the Beasts, but soon had to beat a retreat, or else they would have torn him to pieces. “Ah,” said the Bat, “I see now,

“He that is neither one thing nor the other has no friends.” 

The Fox, the Cock, and the Dog

One moonlight night a Fox was prowling about a farmer’s hen-coop, and saw a Cock roosting high up beyond his reach. “Good news, good news!” he cried.

“Why, what is that?” said the Cock.

“King Lion has declared a universal truce. No beast may hurt a bird henceforth, but all shall dwell together in brotherly friendship.”

“Why, that is good news,” said the Cock; “and there I see some one coming, with whom we can share the good tidings.” And so saying he craned his neck forward and looked afar off.

“What is it you see?” said the Fox.

“It is only my master’s Dog that is coming towards us. What, going so soon?” he continued, as the Fox began to turn away as soon as he had heard the news. “Will you not stop and congratulate the Dog on the reign of universal peace?”

“I would gladly do so,” said the Fox, “but I fear he may not have heard of King Lion’s decree.”

Cunning often outwits itself. 

***

Personally I look to the book of John, chapter 14, verse 27 when Jesus said,“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

However you celebrate, may you enjoy the season and have a good rest of 2025 and may 2026 be the best yet. 

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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, “Keeping the Public in Public Domain.” The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated. I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20^th century. My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them. I hope you enjoy discovering them.

At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.

See the sidebar for other Public Domain story resources I recommend on the page “Public Domain Story Resources."

Santa Visits the Moes

Clifton Johnson's The Oak-Tree Fairy Book is described in Google Books as " culturally important" with both familiar American tales forming roughly one-third of the book and the other two-thirds unusual stories that my Dover edition says are "drawn from a wide variety of sources. All 54 stories are told in terms that retains the charm and the interest fairy tales should have, but that avoid savagery and excessive pathos." 

I'm not sure that 1968 description of this 1905 book would be true today, but this past  week I had a last minute Christmas program booked and needed several stories FAST!

Over on  the sidebar you will find Public Domain Story Resources. 

One of the best resource is the late Jackie Baldwin's Story-Lovers site with suggestions from fellow storytellers on the email listserv, Storytell. There were several quick ideas including taking a well-known story, "The Twist-mouth Family" and having Santa Claus be the one who solves their problem of blowing out the candle. Of course when I tell it I like to have my audience blow like each character does.

This is how I changed it to "Santa Visits the Moes."

There once was a family named Moe who had their mouths twisted out of the usual shape. When Santa Claus came to visit, he found their candle burning and they were wide awake. 

"You need to got to sleep so I can deliver your presents", said Santa."Mr. Moe, blow that candle out so you can all go to sleep."

"Yes, I will," was his reply. 

"Well, I wish you would," said Santa. 

"Well, I will," he said. 

So he blew and blew, but his mouth was twisted and he blew upward, this way ---- and he couldn't blow out the light.

Then he said, "Mother will you blow out the light?" 

"Yes, I will," was her reply. 

"Well, I wish you would," said Santa. 

"Well, I will," she said. 

So Mrs. Moe blew and blew, but her mouth was twisted and she blew downward, this way ---- and she couldn't blow out the light.

Then Santa spoke to the daughter and said, "Young Miss Moe, will you blow out the light?"  

"Yes, I will," was her reply. 

"Well, I wish you would," said Santa. 

"Well, I will," she said. 

So she blew and blew, but her mouth was twisted to the right and she blew out of the right corner of her mouth, this way ---- and she couldn't blow out the light.

Then Santa spoke to the son and said, "Young Master Moe, will you blow out the light?"  

"Yes, I will," was his reply. 

"Well, I wish you would," said Santa. 

"Well, I will," he said. 

So  he blew and blew, but his mouth was twisted to the left and he blew out of the leftt corner of his mouth, this way ---- and he couldn't blow out the light.

"Then I guess I better blow out that light", Santa said . . and he did!

The light was out and all the Moe family went to bed and to sleep.

So Santa was able to deliver their presents and go on to other houses like yours! 

*****

As it turned out, a snow storm blew out the program after all my preparation. They plan to have me come in January instead for a program on Winter. We'll see if Winter lets me do it! You never know in Michigan. 

In the meantime, let this and other stories fit in your pocket to tell wherever you may be this holiday season! 

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This retelling is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, “Keeping the Public in Public Domain.” The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated. I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20^th century. My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them. I hope you enjoy discovering them.

At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.

See the sidebar for other Public Domain story resources I recommend on the page “Public Domain Story Resources."

 

Fyleman - Peppermint and Pear-Drops - Keeping the Public in Public Domain

Photo by lilartsy on Unsplash

 

A friend and storytelling colleague was grousing recently about in his childhood being told that the candy cane is shaped like a “J” to honor Jesus. He was correct that the facts are far more complicated, but still interesting. 

It's a story that has some interesting twists (pun intended), but the simplest, most fact verified I've found is at https://www.rd.com/article/origin-of-candy-canes/.  

Personally I think Christmas is a perfect time for legends. I find I've posted about it 33 times so far here at this blog. There are both shorter ones and some are multi-part stories. 

Of course I went looking to see what stories might be beyond the link I gave at the start of all this. It's not really about candy canes, but about their flavor -- Peppermint.  It also mentions a candy I'd never heard about <GASP!> the Pear Drop. Apparently it's a popular British sweet.

English author and poet, Rose Fyleman, within her book, Forty Good-Night Tales, includes a multi-part group of stories she calls "Bag of Goodies" about various sweet ingredients. This is the fourth of six. 

peppermint and pear-drops

There once lived a Prince and Princess who loved one another dearly. But the parents of the Princess wanted her to marry some one else.

The Princess was very fond of peppermint and the Prince was very fond of pear-drops, and they always sent them to one another on their birthdays. But the mother and father of the Princess were so determined that their daughter should not marry the Prince that they sent her away into a distant part of the country and fastened her up in the dungeon of a great tower; and there she sat all day sewing and reading and thinking of the Prince, with nothing to console her but a large tin of peppermints which he had sent her for her last birthday.

And the Prince was so miserable when he heard she had gone away that he wandered all over the country with nothing to console him but a packet of pear-drops which the Princess had given him on his birthday.

He carried them in his satchel and ate one now and then in order to keep up his spirits.

And one day he came by chance to the foot of the very tower where the Princess was imprisoned.

And as he passed by, the wind carried a whiff of pear-drops (you know how strong they are) through the high window into the dungeon where sat the Princess.

Hope sprang up in her heart.

"Can it be my Prince come to seek me?" she thought. The window was, as I have said, very high up, and it was heavily barred, so that she could not see out of it; but she quickly wrapped up a peppermint in her handkerchief and managed to throw it out. The Prince saw something white fall into the bushes, and wondered what it could be. Suddenly a whiff of peppermint reached him. "Can it be," he thought, "can it be that my Princess is near?" He searched in the bushes until he found the peppermint in the handkerchief, and then he knew for certain that the Princess was in the tower. He dared not shout, for fear he should be heard by the guards; but he waited till night fell and then came again with a ladder and a stout file. He climbed up the ladder and filed through the bars and got the Princess out and carried her away, to his own land, where they lived happily ever after.

But if it hadn't been for the peppermints and pear-drops he might have been searching for her to this very day.

***

It's a bit Rapunzel-ish, but with an interesting twist. Rather like the many twists in the story of Candy Canes.

I also found another story, "The Story of the Candy Stick" by Carolyn Sherwin Bailey.  She can usually be counted on for an entertaining story, but this one didn't do it for me. At first I was worried by the book's title, Stories for Sunday Telling, but it really was all about the stages involved in making a candy cane.

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This is part of a series of postings of stories under the category, “Keeping the Public in Public Domain.” The idea behind Public Domain was to preserve our cultural heritage after the authors and their immediate heirs were compensated. I feel strongly current copyright law delays this intent on works of the 20^th century. My own library of folklore includes so many books within the Public Domain I decided to share stories from them. I hope you enjoy discovering them.

At the same time, my own involvement in storytelling regularly creates projects requiring research as part of my sharing stories with an audience.  Whenever that research needs to be shown here, the publishing of Public Domain stories will not occur that week.  This is a return to my regular posting of a research project here.  (Don't worry, this isn't dry research, my research is always geared towards future storytelling to an audience.)  Response has convinced me that "Keeping the Public in Public Domain" should continue along with my other postings as often as I can manage it.

See the sidebar for other Public Domain story resources I recommend on the page “Public Domain Story Resources."