Excerpt

GRANDMOTHERS MAGIC STEW
By Joan Dixon

Once upon a time, there lived a little old woman in a little old village far, far away. She was a wise and generous woman, but no one remembered her birth so no one remembered just how old she really was. It was rumored that she had magical powers.

One day the little old woman was napping after an early breakfast of toast and tea in her favorite rocking chair. As she slept, she dreamt of wondrous adventures. And as she dreamt, an angel appeared gently waving a wand over her head. She awoke with one clear thought, I must make bean and vegetable stew today! She went into her cozy little bed room with brightly colored quilts and opened the dresser drawer. Sorting through carefully, she picked out several things and placed them into her embroidered bag. Then satisfied with her choices she put on her cape and grabbed her cane. With her bag slung over her shoulder she headed out the door.

Her first stop took her east in the early morning sunshine. There she went to the shop of the village blacksmith. Good day, Grandmother, the blacksmith addressed her kindly and respectfully as all the villagers did. What can I do for you so early this morning?

Well, today I must make bean and vegetable stew, its very clear and I have a problem. My old pot has sprung a leak, so Ill need a fine new stew pot, she answered.

I have just the one for you, he said and dug around in his pile of finely crafted wares to pull out a shiny new pot. Grandmother smiled as she took her special bag off her shoulder. Carefully opening it she reached deep inside. I have this to offer you in return, she announced holding up a glistening round stone. The blacksmith thought to himself, Oh my, what will I do with that? I need coins to buy more metal and coal, but Grandmother is old and I am the only one who has what she needs and I cant let her go hungry, and so he accepted the smooth white stone. The old woman hurried home and filled her new pot with well water and carried it in to her hearth. She skillfully fanned the warm coals into a sizzling flame and hung the pot over the fire to heat. Then she headed back into town.

This time she ventured south where the warm sunshine was brightening up the day. Villagers passed her calling out cheerfully, Good Morning, Grandmother. She smiled and patted the children on the head. Curious eyes turned to follow her as she passed by.

She came to the fields of the bean farmer who was out working his land in the warmth of the sunshine. Good Day, Grandmother, he called from his field.

Good Day, dear fellow, she chorused back. Have you any beans to spare for my stew? Now the farmer was working hard and his next crop needed planting and he had only enough of his precious beans to plant one of his fields as it was. But the farmer knew the villagers often sought counsel from this wise elder and he was appreciative and wanted to be helpful, so he agreed to give her a pound of his beans for her stew.

Grandmother reached into her mysterious bag again and pulled out a key. A key? thought the farmer, What in the world will I do with that, I dont even have a lock on my door? But, he was an honest man and kept to his word, so he accepted her payment and on she went with the beans. When she got home she found the water just perfectly ready for the beans. She carefully washed them and dropped them.