Bedtime Stories for Little Children

Nu cred ca exista om care, dupa ce a rasfoit macar o data aceasta carte sa nu se fi indragostit iremediabil de ea, sa nu o fi recomandat prietenilor, cunoscutilor.

Noi am primit-o cadou direct din Taramul povestilor, de la insasi Zana cartilor (multumim din suflet, Laura!), iar bucuria M-ei la vederea ei a fost uriasa.

Bedtime Stories for Little Children (editura Usborne) e o carte mare (250 x 250mm, 136 de pagini), cu coperti brosate si un delicat si frumos semn de carte din satin.

Cele cinci povesti cuprinse in carte, ‘The Mouse’s Wedding’, ‘The Reluctant Dragon’, ‘The Tortoise and the Eagle’, The Ant and the Grasshopper’ and ‘The Owl and the Pussycat’, sunt adaptari adorabile si profund educative ale unor povesti, respectiv fabule scrise de Esop. 

Cea de-a cincea poveste e scrisa de Edward Lear, de scriitura caruia M. s-a indragostit atunci cand am citit Edward Lear’s Book of Nonsense.

Desigur, primul impact puternic asupra cititorului il au ilustratiile si textura paginilor groase, lucioase, parca satinate. Ele merg atat de repede la sufletelul micutilor nostri, dar nici pe noi nu ne lasa indiferenti!

M. se topeste dupa “tablouasele” minutios realizate, dupa scenele aduse la viata de catre mainile iscusite ale ilustratorilor, iar aceasta carte este pentru ea impecabila, frumoasa pana peste poate, plina de umor si invataminte.

De cum am terminat de parcurs cele cinci povesti, s-a si avantat catre masa si s-a pus ea insasi pe imaginat, prin desen, episoade preferate:

Sunt convinsa ca va doriti sa aflati si cum “suna” textele, prin urmare, cred ca cel mai potrivit ar fi ca in continuare sa citez fragmentele din fiecare poveste in parte:

Chiar daca toate sunt superbe, mie The Mouse’s Wedding mi-a placut ceeel mai mult! 

Tatal-soarece hotaraste ca fetita lui draga a ajuns la varsta la care trebuie sa se marite si ca ea merita cel mai bun sot si lume, deci pleaca impreuna cu ea si Mama-soarece in cautarea acestuia:

“You must have the best, most powerful husband in the whole world!” said Father Mouse as they set off. […]

“Mr. Mouse,” said Father Mouse. “We hear you’re the most powerful person in the world…”

“I wouldn’t say that,” the mouse began.

“But you’re more powerful than the wall,” said Miss Mouse quickly.

“… and the wall is more powerful than the wind,” added Mother Mouse.

“… and the wind is more powerful than the cloud,” continued Father Mouse.

“… and the cloud is more powerful that the sun!” finished Miss Mouse triumphantly.

M. il adora pe acest dragon sovaitor. I se spune “reluctant” deoarece, atunci cand satenii, terifiati de prezenta lui prin preajma satului lor, doresc sa scape de el si il provoaca la lupta, nu stie ce scuza sa gaseasca pentru faptul ca nu isi doreste confruntarea cu acestia.

Lui ii place sa povesteasca si isi doreste, mai mult decat altceva pe lume, sa scape de singuratate si plictiseala:

The feast went on until the stars came out. Everyone was happy. 

The boy was happy because his plan worked.

The villagers were happy because they’d seen a fight. George was happy because he’d won.

But the dragon was happiest of all. He had lots of new friends … and a very full tummy.

Din aceasta fabula a lui Esop, copiii invata ce inseamna sa nu fii multumit cu ceea ce ai:

It was a perfect summer day in the orchard. The sun shone and the wind whispered softly in the trees.

But Tortoise wasn’t happy.

“Oh!” he sighed. “It’s just terrible being a tortoise.” […]

All day long, he watched an eagle in the sky.

She swooped down low…

… and soared up high. Her golden feathers shimmered in the sun.

Tortoise watched in wonder.

“I wish I could fly,” he said.

“I wish I could soar in the sky.”

The Ant and the Grasshopper, alta adaptare dupa fabula lui Esop, este preferata M-ei. Ea seamana, pana intr-un punct cu celebra disputa dintre greiere si furnica, pe tema proviziilor pentru iarna (doar ca aici avem de-a face cu o furnica si o lacusta):

It was a glorious summer’s day. Grasshopper sang in the sun. Ant was working. He huffed… and puffed… and he g-r-o-a-n-ed… as he gathered food for his winter store. Grasshopper grinned. He lay back and enjoyed the sun on his face.

Pisica si bufnita doresc sa se casatoreasca, insa au nevoie de verighete:

They sailed way for a year and a day,

to the land where the Bong-tree grows.

And there in the wood a Piggy-wig stood, 

with a ring at the end of his nose, his nose,

with a ring at the

end of his nose.

“Dear Pig,

are you willing,

to sell for one shilling,

your ring?”

Said the Piggy, “I will!”.

Mult spor la citit si la visat copilareste va dorim!

(5 ani si 9 luni)