I woke up groaning, a drum beating painfully inside my head. Tongue thick and dry, body drained - not unusual for a Saturday morning.
I wanted to return to my dreams, but imagined I smelt coffee. Thirst winning; I dragged myself out of bed, donned my threadbare maroon toweling robe, pushed my feet into my old-flapping carpet slippers and set off to investigate the unexpected aroma.
In Remembrance of Sammy. "The intelligent pink-eyed representative of a persecuted (but irrepressible) race. An affectionate little friend and most accomplished thief!"
Once upon a time there was an old cat, called Mrs. Tabitha Twitchit, who was an anxious parent. She used to lose her kittens continually, and whenever they were lost they were always in mischief!
Many years ago in ancient times, as children played on the dew kissed emerald hills of Ireland, a great dark shadow fell upon the earth. As the villagers ceased in their daily labours to peer up into the sky their very hearts also ceased to beat in their chests. There, in the once crystal sky, a great black cloud was descending and upon it stood a terrifying glimmering army of soldiers too many to number. As the great cloud molested the earth, the very ground shook as the glimmering army set foot upon the land.
Thus begins the Irish legend about the Tuatha De' Daanan.
Once upon a time there was a prince who wanted to marry a princess; but she would have to be a real princess. He travelled all over the world to find one, but he couldn't find what he wanted anywhere. There were princesses enough, but it was difficult to find out whether they were real ones. There was always something about them that was not as it should be. So he came home again and was sad, for he would have liked very much to have found a real princess.
Hans had served his master as an apprentice for seven years, and so he said to him, "Master, my time is up. Now I would like to go back home to my mother. Give me my wages."
The master answered, "You have served me faithfully and honestly. As the service was, so shall the reward be." And he gave Hans a piece of gold as big as his head. Hans pulled his handkerchief out of his pocket, wrapped up the lump in it, put it on his shoulder, and set out on the way home. As he went on, always putting one leg before the other, he saw a horseman trotting quickly and merrily by on a lively horse.
Once upon a time there was an old woman who lived by herself in a little house. She grew a bed of beautiful multi-coloured tulips in her garden, which she would cut and bring into the house, to cheer herself up.