Whootie Owl's Newsletter April 2007 Scroll to Whootie's "New Story of the Month"!

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WHAT'S NEW WITH WHOOTIE   • Whootie Owl's New Story of the Month. "The Wise Judge" is a         folk tale from Turkey about a judge's bizarre prosecution of...a door?         Theme: justice.   • Quick Click Stories on theme of Justice.  Whootie Owl's unsurpassed          collection of folk tales and fairytales with a theme of justice.  Free!   • Kids Whisper to Whootie - Last Month   • Adults Whisper to Whootie - Last Month

 Whootie Owl's New Story of the Month
"The Wise Judge"  (Turkey)

                    EARLY ONE MORNING as Adulla, the wise judge, was just stepping from his house to the stree, a well-knkown goldsmith of the town rushed up to him in great excitement

                    "O wise and honorable one," he cried, "I have been robbed! Last night a thief broke into my shop and carried away my all - all my gold, silver, jewels and money - everything that I possessed! Men say that you are a just, far-seeing judge. I beg of you, give me justice!"

                    "You shall have justice," replied Adulaa. "I promise you that I will discover the thief. If possible, your goods shall be returned. At any rate, the wicked one shall be punished."

                    Much comforted by the judge's words, the gold-smith prostrated himself before Adulaa, touching his forehead to the earth. "Thanks, most merciful one, for your heaven-sent words," he said.

                    After the goldsmith had departed, the judge sent for the town crier. "Go through all the streets of the town. Ring your bell, and cry with a loud voice, 'All who love strange sights come to the goldsmith's shop this afternoon four hours before sunset,' " he commanded.

                    Long before the appointed hour, the street before the goldsmith's house was packed with people. When the judge and his soldiers were seen approaching, a way was made for them to the goldsmith's door.

                    "My people," said the judge, "I have promised justice to all, and I mean to keep my promise. Every evildoer shall be punished. Behold this door. It was placed here to keep thieves out. It shall therefore be punished for failing to do its duty. Soldiers, a hudnred lashes for the door!"

                    While the hundred lashes were being bestowed, the people were looking at one another in astonishment. "A wise judge?' "The man is mad!" "What can it mean?" they whispered.

                    When the punishment was ended, the judge again addressed the door. "Now you shall tell us who entered here last night!"

                    As the door gave no answer, the judge ordered another hundred lashes in punishment.

                    "Now," cried the judge, "are you willing to tell the name of the thief? If you are afraid to speak it aloud, you may whisper it in my ear."

                    The judge bent close to the door and listened. "Nonsense!" hew cried, "this door is talking nonsense! Another hundred lashes, soldiers."

                    After the third beating, the judge again listened for the door to name the robber, while the people shrugged their shoulders and laughed at his folly.

                    "The same stupid tale," cried the judge at last. "This door will persist in telling me that the thief is present in this crowd of honest people. Moreover, it says he still has some of the dust and cobwebs from the shop on his fez."

                    At this a man was noticed hurriedly to brush his fez. The judge, on the lookout for just some such action, had him arrested at once. He proved, indeed to be the thief. The judge kept his word. The had the goldsmith's goods returned to him and the thief punished.



SOURCE
Folk Lore from Foreign Lands, by Catherine T. Bryce, published by Newson & Company, Publishers, New York, 1913, pp. 50-54.  Retold by Elaine L. Lindy ©2007. All rights reserved.

QUICK CLICK STORIES
Whootie Owl's collection on themes of justice & honesty.
Little-known gems in one easy click between the two light blue arrows below.  Compliments of friendly Whootie Owl.
                                                                                



KIDS WHISPER TO WHOOTIE
*from MARCH 2007*

Gabrieyl, child under 13:
"You have a great selection!  Thank you for your great convenience."

Angel, child under 13:
"I love your site."

Ali, child under 13:
"Hi, I love stories."

Morgan, child under 13:
"This site is pretty fun, but there needs to be more games to play."

Taylor, child under 13:
"Awwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!   So cute!!!!!!!!!!!"

Brianna, child under 13:
"I like your site a lot. One thing you need to do is make it so you don't have to print out the games to play them."

Momo, age 11, about the audio story Fur & Feathers
"I think it was trying to teach us when to just keep your mouth shut. It was marvelous!!!!!!!!!!!!!! =) =0 **** "

Jessica, age 9, about the audio story Fur & Feathers:
"This story is about a mother lion who stole two chicks from a mother ostrich. I think it was a bad idea for her to do that because she is lying in front of a lot of animals and she can embarrass herself, and I think that she only wanted them to eat them."

Kameron, age 8, about the audio story The Talking Eggs:
"I think the story is good and it was entertaining and was a really cool story and I wish I had the Talking Eggs so I would get the rich gold and the pretty jewelry and be the richest person in the world and the funniest."

Christianna, age 8, in answer to the question about the story Fur & Feathers "What do you think the story was trying to show you?":
"That you should always be stronger than your death and never give up on hard tasks."

Delores, age 10, in response to the same question above about Fur & Feathers:
"I think the story was trying to tell me to do good in school."

Giorgia, age 11, in response to the audio story The Fairy of the Woods & the Fairy of the Water:
"I only think this story is great because it's in ITALY please please please add lots more stories about Italy and maybe about SANTA MARGERITA DI BELICE!!!  IN SCICILY!!  Thank you, if you would!!  xxx luv ya xxx"

Amanda, child under13:
"Ok, so I am supposed to find a fairy tale for my class and I went on that choose a story thing and it didnt have comedy or canadian people at the things... and then when I just picked some things they said 'sorry no story from your description' or something like that and I think that this thing should find anything because what is the point of having a lot of things on there if you only know half the things? Anyway, gotta run. Bye."
Note to Amanda: Good idea about adding "Comedy" as a new category! Thanks for the suggestion! - Whootie Owl

Brooke, child under 13:
"Hey, Whootie Owl."

Alyana, child under 13:
"Nice webpage!  I hope I can learn to be a writer in here!"

Hannah, child over 13:
"i love ya site"

Louisa, child over 13:
"Love this site."



ADULTS WHISPER TO WHOOTIE
*from MARCH 2007

Lisa Williams, parent:
"Brilliant web site."

Catherine, teacher:
"It's a great resource for students & teachers alike... well done."

Doree Despain, teacher:
"I enjoy the stories, especially those that deal with building character in the individual. Thanks, you're great."

Jana Southwick, teacher:
"I am excited to see more of what this site offers!"

Irini Haritou, teacher:
"I AM INTERESTED IN READING ABOUT THE STORIES YOU PROVIDE AS WELL AS THE EXTRA TEACHING MATERIAL BY WAY OF READING COMPREHENSION TASKS."

Joy Ritchie, teacher:
"I teach ESL (English as a Second Language). I love your resources for my culturally diverse children!  Thanks!!!!!"

Camilla, teacher:
"It will help me in finding stories."

Hoo Fu, teacher:
"Your site make learning fun for kids of all ages."

Lin, parent/caregiver:
"I find the site very interesting."

Karan Tomashunis, teacher:
"Keep up the good work."

Lisa, teacher:
"Your play A Native American Cinderella will be an asset to my classroom after my Special Needs students have spent two weeks learning all the elements and listening and reading various versions and now finally writing their own Fairy Tale. They will be just as excited to read a play and act the part of some of their favorite characters. Thanks for the free script, it is so rare that teachers get anything like this in New York City."

Betsy McDougal, teacher:
"I was happy to come across your website through goodcharacter.com. I am a Violence Prevention Educator who works with the schools to encourage healthy relationships among the students. I anticipate this will be a great source of information for me. Thanks!"

Deborah Salas, grandmother:
"I love it for my grandson."

Shirley R. Harper, teacher:
"Just read The 12 Wild Ducks.  I was fascinated by the story."


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Hoots from Whootie Owl!
Absolutely Whootie: Stories to Grow By
"Where Education & Inspiration Intersect"
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Recommended to our nation's teachers by DISNEY
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