THE WALDORF FESTIVAL OF MICHAELMAS
So it is that awesome time of year again, the Festival of Michaelmas. I want to share this week with you so that you can maybe get some ideas, or some resources that may make your Michaelmas a bit easier and richer. It’s often the planning which can be exhausting and it takes a lot away from your enjoyment so here goes….
First as always the chalkboard drawing for the week…
Firstly we did an hour of form drawing and then had a break and spent about half an hour singing our Michaelmas Song, which this year is Battle Hymn of the Republic. You can download it here!
We also ran around the garden, with StJohn being St George and trying to fight 2 dragons at the same time (Juliette and I) as we licked him with our dragon fire. Okay, our dragon fire was the ribbon at the end of our ribbon wands, but still he sure fought it! It was so much fun. I never thought I’d be running around the garden roaring, singing, marching and just having an awesome time…
We started off the week with an African myth, set in the Drakensberg, which when translated into English means, Dragon Mountain.It is a story about a little boy who has to fight a dragon that torments his village throughout the rainy season, with the lightening flashing from his eyes and the huge roar he makes. Needless to say this little boy dug down deep and defeats the dragon using his courage, strength and might.Of course he also used a large stone and a drum. The dragon is then transformed back into a beautiful lady who had been bewitched and gives the small boy her teeth as a gift. He then plants them in the ground as instructed and beautiful sunflowers grow. Each year at this time (Spring) these flowers blossom again. Our flowers for this week in our home are sunflowers. The theme of sunflowers (the warmth of the sun), courage, strength and might permeate everything we do this week. You can get this amazing tale here!
Though Juliette definitely gets a deeper meaning from this week, most of what we do is aimed at StJohn, as he studies the Saints this year. He is captivated by StGeorge and we’ve only been busy with him for 2 days! He is using an old blanket as a cloak, a wooden sword (a bit the worse for wear) to fight dragons, which are all over the house and garden. This is his drawing of yesterdays lesson…
And Juliettes’ drawing of this lesson…
We then ended the day with more singing. The poem that I gave both of them to write out is an old celtic poem about conquering the dragon. For us this means not only the dragons all about us, but the more difficult dragon to conquer, the dragon within us all…
Forge me with fire
A sword for my smiting
Fright to my foes
And flames for my fighting
Shape me a shield
Both Forceful and Fierce
Stalwart and Shapely
To fend against fears
Many blessings to you all this week as we all celebrate Michaelmas throughout the world.
May Courage, Strength and Might be your gift this year.
Filed under: Festivals, Verses, Waldorf Grade 2, Waldorf Grade 5, Waldorf Homeschooling on September 29th, 2009
Hello! Here is a Michaelmas story. I hope you like it!
: ) Christine
The Strong Boy
by
Christine Natale
Once there was a little boy who was growing bigger and stronger every day. This little boy liked to play games with the other children, but he did not like to lose. He had a quick temper and he would hit or kick the other children, even when they accidentally bumped into him or tripped him. The other children didn’t like this but they let him play anyway.
The boy grew a little bigger. Soon he was so big and strong that he could get his way in anything just by being mean and hurting the other children. He liked being so strong. But the other children did not like being hurt, so they stopped playing with him. If he came outside when the other children were playing a game and they saw him coming, they would run away home as fast as they could. The strong boy was left all alone every day. Deep in his heart he was lonely and unhappy but he said to himself, “ I don’t care! I can do anything I want to and no one can stop me!”
One day the strong boy found a smaller boy playing with a ball.
“Let me play.” said the strong boy.
“No. I don’t want to play with you – you’re a bully!” answered the smaller boy. The strong boy grew angry and he hit the smaller boy and took away his ball. The smaller boy ran home crying.
The strong boy walked off with the ball. Part of him was glad that he had gotten his way but part of him felt very bad, for deep in his heart, he knew that no one liked him. He had no friends and he was all alone and very lonely.
He took a walk out past the village to a far meadow. There he saw a most amazing sight. A snow white horse was standing in the meadow. The horse was so pure and white and shining in the sun that the boy could hardly look at it. The horse had a saddle and bridle that were beautifully decorated with gold and jewels. As the boy gazed at the horse in wonder, a man came up beside him and laid a gentle hand upon his shoulder.
“You look like a fine strong young man.” spoke the stranger. The boy looked up into the man’s strong and beautiful face and said, “Yes, I am.”
“That is a fine thing, “ said the man, “but I can see in your eyes that you have sometimes used your strength to hurt children smaller and weaker than yourself. That is certainly not the right way to use strength.”
Now the boy felt ashamed and he did not know what to say.
“Come with me.” said the man, who was dressed in a fine suit of armor that shone like gold, “Let me show you what real strength can do.”
The knight took the boy by the hand and they walked to the next field. In the middle of the field was a boulder, a very large rock. The knight bent over the rock and began to push on it. The boy could see that it was very heavy and stuck in the ground. The knight pushed and pushed and soon he was able to rock the boulder a little bit. He rocked it and rocked it and suddenly – it rolled over! Right out of the ground. Then the knight stood up and drew his iron sword. With one swift and sure stroke of the blade the knight cracked the boulder in two! The boy saw that the great rock was hollow, like a cave and lined with shining and sparkling crystals! It was the most beautiful thing that the boy had ever seen.
“Do you see?” asked the knight, “Strength can reveal beauty.”
They walked farther. They came to another field in which a large flock of sheep were grazing. They soon heard a terrible sound. A mother sheep was bleating pitifully, “Baa – baa!” The boy saw that a great grey wolf was coming out of the forest at the edge of the field and that the lambs were in great danger.
“Stay here!” commanded the knight. He drew his sword a second time and rushed into battle with the wolf. It was a terrible battle, such as you would not like to see. When it was over, the wolf lay dead. The knight washed himself and his sword at a crystal clear stream. He dried the sword and slipped it into its scabbard.
When he returned, he spoke,
“Even a wolf must eat. But this wolf was very sick and he killed all of the time, even when he was not hungry. The flocks were in great danger and also the villagers. I had to put a stop to it. Do you see? Strength can save. Come, there is one more thing that I wish to show you.”
They returned to the white horse. The knight lifted the boy onto the horse’s back and mounted himself. Then, quite magically, the horse unfurled beautiful white wings. The boy turned his head and saw that the knight was really an angel with wings as well. They flew into the air. Higher and higher they flew until they came to a lovely country above the clouds. The boy could see golden castles shining in the distance. He also saw what appeared to be a huge green and red and brown mountain. But soon he realized that it was not a mountain at all, for it began to move! It lifted a great, scaly head and uncurled a long, spiky tail. It was a dragon! The dragon began to breathe out fire and smoke!
The knight dismounted and told the boy to stay on the horse and he would be safe. Then he drew his sword for the third time. He waved it in the air and it shot out sparks of lightning through the sky. From every direction came hundreds of angel-knights. They were dressed in golden armor and they carried shining swords. They made a circle around the dragon and they all pointed their swords at him. The dragon lowered his head and slowly slithered far, far away. The knight returned to the boy, joined by several other angel-knights.
“Why didn’t you kill the dragon?” asked the boy.
“I have killed many dragons, my boy.” answered the knight, “But only when others are in danger. Today it was unnecessary and the dragon has gone back to his cave. Still, another time it may be necessary.”
“ And we shall be there to help.” said one of the other angels, who had a lily-flower in his hand.
“Yes, whenever Lord Michael calls, we are ready.” spoke another angel.
“Who are you?” asked the boy.
“ I am Gabriel, the angel of love.” answered the one with the flower.
“I am Raphael, the angel of healing.” replied the one who spoke second.
“We are the companions of Archangel Michael, the angel of strength and freedom.”
“Whenever strength and freedom are joined with love and healing, all evil can be overcome and great things can happen!” added Gabriel.
“We need to join with others to fight real enemies and overcome real dangers.” said Lord Michael, “ A good knight should never fight with his friends.”
“I understand.” said the boy. “Whenever strength is joined with love and healing – great things can happen! I won’t forget!”
Then Lord Michael mounted the winged horse and they flew together back to the earth, to the boy’s own home. Lord Michael bade the boy farewell and the boy promised to remember the angels’ lesson.
“When you have learned to use your strength wisely and well, you will have a golden sword of your own.” said Lord Michael.
“ I will try.” promised the boy.
After that day, the boy learned to use his strength wisely and well. He asked the other children to give him another chance. He played the games fairly and kept himself under control. He did not hurt anyone. If someone bumped him hard, he held his hands tightly and did not hit back. And if someone tripped him accidentally, he held his feet and did not kick back. Soon the other children began to trust him.
They played many happy games together and the strong boy had many friends. He was quick to protect those who could not protect themselves and the smaller children loved him. Other boys and girls soon joined him and they did many good deeds all through the village, helping people in every way that they could.
Many years later, the boy and his friends grew up into fine men and women. They traveled far and side, doing great deeds and bringing much peace to the land. They were famous for their good deeds and their battles against evil. You may hear more stories about them when you are older. The boy found his own golden sword and he slew many dragons. And he always taught his knights,
“When strength and freedom are joined with love and healing, all evil can be overcome and great things can happen!”
Wow! As I read that story, my skin prickled. There is so much beauty and pure truth in it – It’s beauty filled.
That’s a great story, especially for choleric children. I have a sanguine son, that has a choleric side that raises it’s head every so often, so I may change the story slightly to include fighting with your sister!!
Thanks for sharing Christine…Have an blessed Michaelmas!
Christine, your name looked so familiar and I couldn’t remember why. Then it hit me…I used your stories last year during advent for StNicholas! They were perfect for us as well.
We gave our kids a small hand made gift (until 24th) or a crystal or other small gift each day in a matchbox painted with a sign that matched the window of their advent calendar ending the week with the last story of yours around the fire. The children were captivated.
Thank you for all of these you add so much to these special days…
If anyone wants to read those as well, here is the link…
http://www.stnicholascenter.org/Brix?pageID=441
Hello Sue,
Thank you for the compliments and I am really glad you enjoyed the stories. I do have quite a few more. Just not sure how to get published.
Here is another one for the Michaelmas and Pleadian season!
Love, Christine : )
The Shooting Stars
Once upon a time, at the very end of summer, three little stars looked down upon the earth and they became very distressed, for a change was taking place below them.
All summer long, people had been spending many warm nights looking up at the beautiful stars, dancing around bonfires and singing around campfires. But now the nights were growing colder, because King Sun was spending less and less time on his heavenly throne and the people on the earth were beginning to stay indoors at night. The animals were put in the barn and the household pets often slept on their owner’s feet at night.
A change was happening in the plant kingdom, too. Many of the flowers, the stars’ little sisters, began to droop their heads and call to the Earth Mother below to take them to their winter beds. And the little gnomes woke up from their summer sleep and began their journey into the mountains and canyons. They began to be very busy turning the sunlight, moonlight and starlight into gold, silver and jewels.
The earth was breathing in and all creatures nestled into her and began to forget about the stars. Then the little stars grew very sad and three of the youngest ran to their Seven Sisters, the great Pleiades, who watch over the little stars until they are fully grown.
The little stars cried, “All the earth is turning away from us!”
“Yes,” said the Great Stars, “That is the way of the Earth.”
“But they will forget all about us down there!” cried the little ones, trembling with sadness.
“That may be, “ said the Great Stars, “But it cannot be helped.”
So the little stars turned away, come with tears in their sparkly eyes. Then one little fellow, quite fiery and red, who showed great promise to grow up into a beautiful red star declared,
“Well, I’m not going to let this happen! I’m going down there!”
“What!” cried the others, “Stars cannot live on earth! That would be the end of you!”
“I’m not so sure about that,” said the fiery little star, “But in any case, I shall make a great blaze as I go and the people will surely see me and remember to look up into the heavens again.”
“I will go with you.” sang a sweet little blue star, who was still quite small, but unusually brave for her size.
“Me too!” piped a sparkly yellow star, “I want to go too!”
The other stars hung back, still afraid of what might happen. Then, before the Seven Sisters could see to stop them, the three little stars made a great leap and began to fall right out of the sky – first the red, then the blue and right after, the yellow. Down, down they fell, trailing star-fire behind them. It seemed to take a long time and it was a glorious ride while it lasted. But when they fell to earth, all their star-fire had burnt out and they lay on the ground in small holes, quite black and lifeless. And so, it seemed all over with them, even though they had accomplished what they wanted to do, for many people had come out into the night to watch the stars shooting through the sky.
Soon afterward, something wonderful happened. A young prince who had watched the stars fall, from his high tower, rode out to find what had come down. He found the little red star, red no longer, and carried it back to the castle.
There the smith put it back into a hot fire, which of course did not hurt the star one bit. Then he took a mighty hammer and beat it into a brilliantly shining iron sword, so sharp and true that it threw sparks when waved through the air. With this mighty sword, that gleamed with a reddish glow, the young prince rescued many people in danger and with its help he became a strong and good king.
The little blue star was found by a doctor who took her home and used little pieces of her to make a medicine which gave strength and courage to many people who had been weak.
The little yellow star was picked up by an artist who ground him into his paints. The paints began to shine with a heavenly light and the artist painted many beautiful pictures with them. When people saw these pictures they were reminded of things they had long forgotten about the world of the stars. It gave them great joy to remember again.
After the stars in heaven saw what had become of their brothers and sister, several more hurled themselves to earth to be of good service to people below. But the Seven Sisters watched over the rest who were needed in heaven.
And so it is every year at the end of summer, always some brave little stars manage to slip away and come shooting to the earth to bring people strength, courage and love.
Christine Natale 2003 All Rights Reserved
I normally dont stop to write a comment, however it is difficult to find good information on this topic today. You did a great job in this blog post and I think I’ll check out your other articles as well. Keep up the good work!
Thank You forrrr this article ! Keep It Up posting posts like that