Author: lazaruscarpenterauthor

A TALE FROM THE WOODS

Once upon a time, in a magical forest hidden deep in the heart of Ireland, there lived a mischievous leprechaun named Lazarus. Lazarus was a tiny creature, measuring only two feet tall, with a pointed green hat, a bushy red beard, and a pair of twinkling emerald eyes. He spent most of his days playing pranks on the other forest creatures, stealing their food, and causing general mayhem. Despite his reckless behavior, Lazarus was well-liked by the other inhabitants of the forest. They knew that beneath his playful exterior, he had a kind heart and a generous spirit. And so, when Lazarus found himself in trouble one day, they were more than happy to lend a helping hand. It all started when Lazarus stumbled upon a hidden grove deep in the forest. The grove was unlike anything he had ever seen before.

The trees were taller, the flowers brighter, and the air was thick with magic. As he wandered deeper into the grove, he felt a strange energy wash over him, filling him with a sense of wonder and awe. But as he was about to leave the grove, Lazarus realized that something was wrong. He felt a sharp pain in his leg, and when he looked down, he saw that his foot had turned a sickly shade of green. He tried to walk, but his leg gave out, and he collapsed onto the ground. Lazarus knew that he was in trouble. As a leprechaun, he was immune to most forms of magic, but he had heard of a powerful curse that could affect even the strongest of his kind. The curse was said to be cast by a powerful witch who lived deep in the forest, and it could only be broken by a rare herb that grew in the heart of the grove. With no other options, Lazarus called out for help. His friends, a group of forest creatures including a wise old owl, a brave fox, and a kind-hearted deer, rushed to his side. Together, they set out to find the herb that would break the curse.

It was a perilous journey, filled with danger and adventure. They had to cross treacherous rivers, avoid giant spiders, and outwit cunning trolls. But eventually, they reached the heart of the grove, and there, they found the herb they had been searching for. With the herb in hand, Lazarus was able to break the curse, and his foot returned to its normal color. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he thanked his friends for their help and promised to be more careful in the future. From that day on, Lazarus was a changed leprechaun. He still loved to play pranks and cause mischief, but he did so with a newfound sense of respect for the magic of the forest. And whenever he found himself in trouble, he knew that he could count on his friends to come to his aid.

HUNTING THE WILD MEGALITH – REVIEW

Review – ‘TOM MEETS THE KING’ by Rachie

Earlier this year I posted a copy of ‘Crach Ffinnant – The Prophecy’ to young Prince George for his birthday. In my innocence and generosity, I felt this was actually appropriate for a young man of his age as it is a novel speaking to the magic of an ancient prophecy. Well, three months down the line, I have not received either an acknowledgment or thanks from the Royal Household. I am aware it is a matter of protocol for all gifts to at the very least, receive a note of thanks from a secretary to the Prince. It is only the fact the Coronation of his Grandfather King Charles III is next week, that made me remember.

Perhaps, it was thought that such a story should be kept from the young eyes of a future Prince of Wales, and King. I know not and merely beg the question. But as I ponder, I am reminded of his Grandfather’s investiture as Prince of Wales on 1 July 1969 and his father, Prince William who was made so on 9 September 2022, with no plans for a formal investiture but a stated intent on “deepening the trust and respect of the people of Wales.” Quite rightly it has long been considered that the last true Prince of Wales was indeed, Owain Glyndwr, and has long been a bone of contention as indeed King Charles III experienced in 1969. Of course, Caernarfon Castle was built by King Edward 1 in 1283 at the end of the Edwardian Conquest of Wales which began in 1277. This was a pivotal time in the history of Wales as it greatly reduced the territory of Llwelyn ap Gruffydd (Llwelyn the Last) followed by the rest of Wales. Owain shared ancestry with the Gwynedd Royal House of Llwelyn the Great, and the Princes of Deheubarth on his mother’s side in addition to being a direct descendant of the Princes of Powys on his father’s.

For over 123 years under the rule of the English monarchy Wales, experienced terrible atrocities leading to the Rebellion of 1400 led by Owain Glyndwr, who as we know disappeared from history never captured by Henry IV or his son Henry V. Much water has gone under the bridge with yet more atrocities through the centuries far too numerous to write about here, but never to be forgotten. I believe the monarchy would like to cast back into the mists of time such a history, not wishing young Prince George, to be truly educated. Frankly, I think it is just bad manners his gift was not acknowledged.

I can’t help feeling as a Yorkshire man with a love for all things Welsh, the guardians of the young Prince are being just a little overprotective. Of course, in 1400 my head would have been on a spike on London Bridge. Furthermore, as there are moves currently for the monarchy to acknowledge their links with slavery, perhaps it should start with Wales, enslaved by the English for centuries.

Storytelling originated with visual stories, such as cave drawings, and then shifted to oral traditions, in which stories were passed down from generation to generation by word of mouth. There was then a shift to words formed into narratives, including written, printed, and typed stories. This book is dedicated to all storytellers who have walked the earth from the beginning of time, and into our future.

It has been an absolute pleasure and honor to facilitate the Creative Writing Group every week. Over the months, membership has increased bringing yet more talented folk with their individual unique imaginations. No two stories are the same, yet all are imagined from one image in each chapter. Their short stories are printed in this collected work.

          Creating a story limited to five hundred words is no easy task but there are sound reasons behind the weekly exercises. Storytelling is a skill that if honed, and directed can result in stunning portrayals with words, and images leaping from a page like a mini film. Each week the group shared an image then in their own time, wrote a story to reflect their ideas about how the picture spoke to them.

          The completed stories though limited to five hundred words, excludes the word count of a title. Many writers have issues keeping a story on track as ideas keep coming to mind during the creative process, and blurring an intended storyline. Initially, this exercise assisted members of the group to stay on track with their stories, moreover, to spark an intuitive drive.

          In the beginning, I was not overly concerned about spelling, punctuation, or the finery of presentation, these things can be learned easily, but good storytelling cannot. So directing the writers to limit their word count for a story encouraged them to be careful around structure whilst maintaining an emphasis on an intuitive theme. My only guidelines were to study the image, leave it alone for a few minutes perhaps whilst having a coffee, then revisit it, close one’s eyes, and then write everything coming to mind stimulated through intuitive thought.

          When folk were happy with their story it would be emailed to me for viewing, formatting, and editing. In the early days, there was a lot of editing offered, and there would be learning points to share with the writers. At the next meeting of the group, members read their stories out loud in order to encourage feedback which in turn slowly increased their confidence in storytelling.

          The publication of these collected works is intended to increase their confidence as writers even further. Nothing is finer for a storyteller than to see their tale and name in a book. Our writers have achieved this, and it is with pleasure and bated breath I await more stories and possibly even novels from them.

          I hope you as a reader enjoy the tales as much as I enjoyed witnessing their growth as storytellers.

Lazarus Carpenter

April 2023