Book Illustration-chapter end-2

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Plums and Orchids-watercolor

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‘Skutje’ -flat bottomed boat-water color

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Jack and the Beanstalk retold-illustrated

Jack and the Beanstalk ©

Jack was a boy of 12 and he lived with his mother in a cottage. She being a widow thought Jack would make life easier for her. But Jack spent his day tied to her apron. ‘Jack, you got to do the chores around the house and help me.’ She would often remind him.

Jack would answer ‘I hear you loud and clear,’ but whatever he did was not good enough. Jack was what you call a simpleton.
After a severe winter Jack noticed that the cow acted strangely and knew she would die soon of foot and mouth disease. Jack told his mother that sooner they got rid of her they would be better off.
‘Yes, with some money in our hands.’ His mother reminded him. He laughed and said, ‘We are on the same wavelength then.’
There was something about him that seemed to tell his moment to prove himself was nigh. ‘But who shall buy a sick cow on her last legs?’ His mother was skeptical.
‘If I am Jack and the town is named UFOria I shall make some one less euphoric.’
‘We shall soon see about that’ his mother said still not convinced at his abilities.
Jack led the cow to the market and sure enough found a butcher who fancied the cow that acted rather strangely.
The butcher held out some beans. ‘Wonder beans’ exclaimed he. Jack knew something about beans since he had a patch of beans that he tended himself. His eyes widened to see them glow with strange fires and he said, ‘It is a deal!’ The butcher gave the beans and took hold of the sick cow.

The butcher picked out a butter bean from his pocket and said ‘ET’? The cow ate it. Instantly she jumped as though given a high voltage of electricity. She was completely cured. The butcher took her to his stall and the folks exclaimed, ‘Poor Jack!’ They knew for sure Jack was a dunce beyond saving.
But Jack was in euphoria and he took the beans to his mother. When told there was no money from the sale she slumped on the floor and threw her smock over her head and sobbed. Jack could not understand. He threw the beans out of the window and said,
‘These beans are wonder beans!’
His poor mother cried louder this time.
That night mother slept in despair. Next morning an excited Jack woke her up. He tugged her hand and said ‘Look Ma, what the magic beans have done!’
His mother rubbed her eyes and saw a strange sight. It looked as though the beans had grown tall and the creepers had knotted all together into some sort of ladder.
‘I told you Ma, beans would make your eyes pop.’
His mother could not believe. She tweaked his nose and pulling by his ear she took him outside and pointed to the ground. ‘Look, you good for nothing Dunce!’
Yes the beans were all there on the ground. They were as ordinary as beans.
Jack patiently told his mother to look up. As sure he said there was a strange ship above and it looked as alien as those who manned it.
‘UFO’ spluttered the mother.
‘Brought on by magic beans.’ Jack explained that magic was in the signals that the beans could emit. It gave the correct coordinates to guide the flying saucer to pick him up.
Jack was in his element. No more shuffled he like a simpleton, as he was wont before. In high spirits he ascended to the flying saucer. No sooner had he reached inside than the hatch closed. The many lights flickered and silently the space ship lifted.
Jack from within could see the butcher coming in a huff. He was pointing to something and Jack could see it was his cow. The butcher had cured and sent it flying! But a cow jumping over the moon was nothing new to him.
Jack signaled to the wonder-struck mother, ‘Don’t feel bad, you are an earthling.’
His mother seemed to catch his words. She stood there muttering, ‘So I am not his mother in the biological sense.’ Of course in a town called Euphoria a mother not knowing her own child is no strange than a cow jumping over the moon.
Jack had in a sense stepped into another dimension using some beans.

benny

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birdwatching for the beginners-3: grey heron

latin name
Ardea cinerea
Family
Bitterns and herons (Ardeidae)
Overview
Grey herons are unmistakeable: tall, with long legs, a long beak and grey, black and white feathering. They can stand with their neck stretched out, looking for food, or hunched down with their neck bent over their chest.
Where to see them
Around any kind of water – garden ponds, lakes, rivers and even on estuaries. Sometimes, grey herons circle high up into the sky and can be mistaken for large birds of prey.
When to see them
At any time of year – our grey herons do not migrate.
What they eat
Lots of fish, but also small birds such as ducklings, small mammals like voles, and amphibians. After harvesting, grey herons can sometimes be seen in fields, looking for rodents.
Estimated numbers
Europe UK breeding* UK wintering* UK passage*
- 14,200 nests - -
(ack: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide)
benny

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A Pair of Red Crowned Cranes-2

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art-crane series

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The Merchant and the Jinn-9

The merchant continued,’Upon return I did not find my son or his mother. So I asked my uncles daughter what happened in my absence. It struck me strange in her irritation and said,’In your absence the slave had other ideas. So she took her son to seek new pastures.’Upon asking further she made a grimace to indicate she had nothing more to say.
The Great Feast was upon us and my cousin-wife said it was necessary to get ready for the celebration. She wanted me to kill the heifer that was tied in the stall.So I asked my attendant to bring the heifer from the stall and the butcher was called in. At this the heifer started wailing as though it had human voice. More strange it seemed to me that it sobbed and real tears were pouring copiously.
The attendant went pale and said,’ Master, cry of the heifer harrows me to the soul.’ I assured him it was indeed so. I asked,’Master does it not affect you?
”Oh no’ answered he,’I am affected if I cut meat badly.’
He slaughtered efficiently and I heard his exclaim,’By the beard of all houries, I am affected.’ He held up his handiwork and said,’Look what this heifer carried merely a bag of bones. He picked a bone and said with a groan, not even an ounce of marrow!’ He was sure the world had come to a bad end.He said in despair. We butchers have nothing more to do if fat heifers end up like this.’ I told him to take his hire and leave.’
I called my cousin wife to show the carcass. The woman made a face to spite me. This cannot be helped. Have the calf killed instead.’
‘Oh no! I replied, seized with emotions of the heifer’s fate.’

(To be continued)
benny

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The Merchant and the Jinn-2

O Great King! there was a merchant who did lend money to many merchants and kings in the foreign lands. He found that day of reckoning was due and he set out sufficiently in advance to meet his debtors in time.
After calling on his clients one after the other he thought it was time for pause. Collecting his satchel with his accounts and monies he went to a secluded part and sat down. He washed himself and from the bag took out his lunch box. He was in the middle of a garden and sat under a shady tree and thought he was the most lucky to have had no cares in the world. He ate his fill and took out some dates. He ate them one after the other and flicked the stones as his happy frame of mind gave a license to do whatever fancy took him. He flicked the last one and lo, he heard a deep blood curdling cry. He was most perplexed.(To be cont’d)
benny

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lily 2000- watercolor sketch

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