Podcasting: Blog Posts

Source: Podcasts for Educators - Weblog

MP3, MP4, MOV, M4A and M4V format information

One of the more interesting aspects of educational podcasting is the variety of different formats used. In addition to the ubiquitous MP3 format, there are also audio/enhanced formats such as M4A and M4B as well as the MOV, MP4 and M4V video formats.

We have updated the podcast channel listings to include information about the format of every podcast listed, making it much easier to see "at a glance" the format used for a particular format. This is most useful where some podcast channels incorporate every format in their RSS feeds!

For every item listed in our podcast directory, we are using one of the following symbols:

for podcasts using the original MP3 format

for podcasts using the AAC format for audio/enhanced podcasts

for podcasts using the AAC format for audio/enhanced podcasts

for video podcasts using the new codec

for video podcasts using this general format

for video podcasts using this traditional format

We hope this much requested information is useful for users of our educational podcast directory.

Where's that podcast channel?

• the podcaster has ceased to provide/update the podcast channel
• there may be technical problems associated with the RSS feed
• the content of the podcasts no longer meets our criteria
• the podcast channel was never listed in the directory
• the podcast channel has been removed for another reason

Validating RSS Feeds

Source: Hillside FLaT Project

Final post - Sustainability

As the formal part of Hillside's Future Learning and Teaching project draws to a close (January 2005 - January 2007), this post will outline the plans for 2007, ensuring that ICT (including social software) and Multiple Intelligences developments continue, allowing teachers and pupils opportunities to access information and learn in new ways, and for pupils to show that they meet assessment criteria for National Units in meaningful settings (ie relevant, contextualised, audience).

Key commitments for 2007 include:

• Video blogging (intranet only) - this will allow pupils to generate evidence for a range of Access PSE units. This will be done via laptop with built-in camera, and on-screen prompts/questions. Pupils will have the opportunity to give opinions on their care package via this method, prior to a Looked After Review meeting
• After-school Computer Animation club based around creating an animation using Mediastage
• Creating a bank of mp3 files for Access German, using some of Accelerated Learning theory
• Offering pupils Video Conferencing facilities, based on learning opportunities via the Global Leap database, and possible eTwinning link-ups
• Pupils leaving at the end of Fourth Year will continue to have the opportunity to 'burn' work onto CD-ROM, to take with them
• Fourth Year pupils who participate in our Parenting programme (based around our Real Care Baby II), will be encouraged to blog their experiences
• Some homework will be provided on mp3 files, with pupils allowed to take an mp3 player overnight with them to their unit
• Continue to work with Fionna Balfour (CALL) and hopefully other agencies and 'edubloggers' to develop an online resource which supports those interested in Learning 2.0 and Assessment 2.0 (for want of a MUCH better phrase). This includes providing advice on the amending of National Assessments (NABs)
• If possible within pupil internet access constraints, provide a class with the opportunity to build up an RSS-feed home page eg Netvibes
• Collaborate online with educators, via Skype, Google Documents etc to create content useful in the delivery of Personal and Social education
• Provide school staff with twilight CPD opportunities eg RSS, Social Bookmarking
• Encourage classes to create audio and visual content via podcasting, and contributing audio to the freesound project and images to Flickr (under Creative Commons license)
• Work with care staff in the school to develop DJ/mixing facilities, for pupils to utilise as part of their 24-hour curriculum.

This is the final post on this blog. For reference, however, it will not be deleted. From January, all updates, experiences, opinions, links etc will be through my fortnightly podcast, Booruch, available via iTunes or at http://booruch.libsyn.com/.

Technorati Profile

Project update - October 2006

As we approach the last term before the end of the formal period of the FLaT project, I thought that a brief review and next steps would be useful.

The Craft teacher has finished working of his amended assessment (NAB) and this will be used with my class in the new term.

I had a further meeting with Fionna at the CALL Centre. We looked at each other's ideas of resources for amending materials and assessments, and how our ideas for sharing what can be done, or is happening in centres throughout the country rough outline, could compliment each other.

By January, an interactive website will be up and running, which will contain resources, links, case studies (audio/video), opportunities for educators to add their experiences, and support for those interested in amending materials. Further details will follow after the October break.

Class 3 took part in a Victorian Child Criminal Video Conference with The National Archives in Kew. Pupils examined documents and photos from 19th Century London, and then constructed some metaphors which they then incorporated into a poem. Each pupil produced a poem, which was emailed to Eukaria, in Kew.

Global Leap and JVCS continue to provide excellent Video Conference support, therefore we have booked a further session where we delve back to the First World War and converse with someone on 'the front'.

Based on podcasts that I have reviewed for my Booruch podcast and that pupils have listened to in their studies, I and primary teacher John Johnston have constructed (and continue to update) an education podcast directory, giving educators and students access to useful audio and content.

I am very interested in Joe Dale's PowerPoint advice. He fights the 'death by Power Point' groan by taking visitors to his site through tutorials on how to add 'drag and drop' and 'triggers' to slide shows; transforming the software. I am particularly interested as I have experimented with assessing via Power Point. The advanced techniques (with Joe's 'hand-holding') will be part of what I produce at the end of the project.

Media Studies at Access 3 has been introduced into Class 3's curriculum, as we strive to be in a position to potentially offer each of the Access clusters. Learning will form the basis of a media production in terms 2 and 3.

I am regularly meeting with care staff at the school as we integrate music into the 24-hour curriculum. We have identified staff with DJing/production experience and are currently considering which additional resources (compatible with the iMac/Garageband) are needed. It is expected that initially, pupils will have an after-school opportunity to work with staff who are trained in using the equipment based in the Multimedia room.

Next month, a company (working with the Partners in Learning fund) are sending their 'Diary Room in a Box' for staff and pupils to record their experiences of the Podcasting project. This resource, or a similar use of the iMac (and iSight camera) appears to me to be a way of recording pupils 'Leisure Time Activities' out-with the formal curriculum, thus illustrating objectives and outcomes from the residential units' numerous positive, educational evening activities. Further details to follow.

July 2006 - update

I continue to work with the Craft instructor to amend NAB materials. We are working on an assessment item within the Working with Craft Tools unit (Access 3). We are focusing on using ICT to enable 'drag and drop' matching tasks, which are more easy to access and respond to (while ensuring that Performance Criterion remains unchanged). These assessment tasks will be up-to-date and should promote pupil independence. Time constraints are worked around by meeting during time set aside for the monthly ICT drop-in session in my classroom.

We plan to make use of of time during the cross-curricular Activity Week to provide an option which utilises Garageband, iRiver, Logo, Comic Life, Audacity, Digital Camera etc. The pupil group will be challenged along the lines of:
""Your group are going to produce a 30 minute Radio show. In it will be your top 5 songs at the moment; your news, views and interviews; and a song or track that your group have produced. You can use the digital camera to shoot some video that will go along with the audio. You can keep a photo-diary of the day, which will be turned into a humourous comic strip."

We have used the Simply VR software to attempt to produce 360 degree Art and Craft images in order to allow pupils to showcase their efforts and to build up examples of work for their personalised S4 leavers CD-ROM. Unfortunately, the images taken by the digital camera are too large and I can't seem to reduce it. Therefore we will try to apply our animation skills (using StopMotionPro) to achieve a 360 image.

Our Radiowaves station (Hillside Beatbox) has a couple of new stories on it. Pupils worked in English to write a match report on our recent cup final. Our Green Team (Eco Schools) recently visited Craigencalt Ecology Centre. Upon return to the school, Class 3 decided that some follow-up questions were necessary in order to inspire the group for next sessions environmental activities. Therefore we set up a Skype call to Ronnie at Craigencalt. All questions were planned and sent to Ronnie in advance. The Skype call was recorded using Hot Recorder. After the call, pupils were then able to use Audacity to carefully select the key parts of the conversation, which was then uploaded to our Radiowaves station, where it remains one of the 'Featured Stories'.

Pupils in Class 3 continue to be encouraged to search for appropriate educational podcasts during their studies. Recently, during some Social Subjects research (Marine conservation) and pupil went into iTunes and searched for this term. They then selected two shows from the ten listed (DiveFilm podcast) for listening to in the coming weeks. As usual, they will be encouraged to give feedback to the producers in terms of production values, and any follow-up questions.

One of the static class teachers spoke to me about the challenge of teaching Long Division. We searched on the Web for examples of good practice. One of the strategies that we agreed to try out was to use the enhanced podcasts produced by Millthorpe School. These podcasts have audio and video, and are humorous and in a context. In August we will allow the class to access the Long Division show, evaluate its impact, and feed-back to the producers along with some follow-up questions from the pupils.

During a separate Social Subjects project, myself and a pupil visited the Royal Museum in Edinburgh. We took photos of relevant Ancient Egypt artefacts, which the pupil then tagged, commented on, and added notes to using the class Flickr account, when back in the classroom. The pupil was 100% on task, and became aware that using social software (where anyone on the Web can see the photos and his comments/interpretations etc) means taking care over content. The Flickr task helped to reinforce his learning (in a sense helping anonymous, future learners searching Flickr using Ancient Egypt related tags). I plan to explore the potential for using Flickr tasks like these as assessment tools. I discussed assessement options with the pupil and he agreed that I would contact a History teacher, who will be asked to visit the class Flickr page and 'mark' (comment) on the pupil's work ie accuracy of notes, appropriateness of tags.

After our recent success in Video Conferencing with The National Archives in Kew, we have used the booking system at Global Leap to once again engage with their staff (in September), this time as we learn about Victorian Child Criminals' Poetry. Having an event like this in the diary helps to sustain a positive, focused ethos in the class. It reinforces that staff are committed to creating enhanced learning opportunities, and builds upon previous success (both academically and socially ie being able to interact purposefully with a 'new face'. I'm aware of new technology (particulary associated with the new Macs) which means that soon the bulky equipment needed for good quality Video Conferencing may no longer be necessary. With the support available, I'm confident that at least one other teacher will make use of the booking opportunities available at Global-Leap.

The last Access Network meeting (held at the end of June) continued to provide support to those who are considering amending NABs. One influence on future direction (of amending NABs) is that a number of SQA subject reviews are taking place, therefore I will focus on those units which we currently deliver that are not currently subject to review. For example, Social Subjects NABs have been rewritten and show a great improvement; although I'll still be giving advice on alternatives as Social Subjects assessments, in particular, can be made more accessible and meaningful through, for example, blogging or the creation of a podcast. By the start of September, those pupils who are working on an Independent Study Contract will be discussing with me how they will show that they have met the evidence requirements of an Access 2 or 3 Social Subjects unit. This approach remains intensive. For example, I've noted that pupils need to set themselves a couple of targets towards the end of the previous lesson (in the day). Often this means that they have break time to consider their work so that a productive 45 session follows. The class is typified by movement, discussion and drafting, and although often appearing like a booruch; pupils remain 'on task' for the lesson, have clear ownership of resources and learning, and appear to learn more (with some freedom to move there learning in different directions).

During Independent Living (PSE) we continue to use a Rogerian, person-centred approach. The current unit is entitled 'My Home'. Pupils worked together to choose the order in which the 7 sections would be tackled, and then chose 2 learnings styles/modes for each section eg 'Moving On' was selected first, to be studied primarily via discussion and a visitor to the school. This continues to be very labour-intensive, though you learn to make the most of resources and external links. I believe that this element to Class 2's ethos is only sustainable with classroom support, good health, and receiving all 'Preparation and Correction' periods. Over the summer, I will consider one more subject that this approach could be realistically used with (eg Media Studies). The Rogerian approach was 'done to me' during a Masters unit at Moray House; delivered by tutor Richard Hendry. I decided to try it out with PSE, as pupils require a degree of ownership of a life skills programme and due to the existing programme being well structured, though 'dry'. Class 5 have started work on a whole-class animation in French which will allow them to script the language that they have learnt during Unit 1. Set in Paris, the characters are ... snowmen.

For the 'Where I Live' section, pupils were to dream of their ideal living environment (lead-up work had been done by immersing ourselves in the excellent The Real Game). The chose to each produce an animation. Therefore, I gave them the following task: Produce >30 second animation (with £0 budget) entitled, "Welcome! Let me show you around my new home." This block of animation (where the classroom assistant and myself are now comfortable with this media) was noticeable by pupils improving their planning (storyboarding), selection of resources, and control/manipulation of filming.

My weekly podcast has just reached it's summer holidays (21 episodes in 6 months). Show 21 gives an overview of what's best in the Web 2.0/new media world at present and also sees me reflect on podcasting within Hillside. Of note, my colleagues now have access to the database of educational podcasts that I've built up during this year. This will go live on the Web at the end of the summer (as a result of collaboration with a fellow Scottish 'edublogger'). The second batch of Independent Living podcasts are booked in for recording during August and September, for release at http://independentlivingpodcasts.blogspot.com during October. ETwinning, RSS, and the edublogger community help me to keep an international focus. Relating this to my conviction that genuine collegiality and collaboration is central to 21st Century teacher professionalism, I will continue to host a fortnightly Skypecast over the summer ('Podcasting in the Classroom'). So far, the 3 conversations have covered resources, benefits/constraints, project ideas, and sharing of best practice.

One focus for the FLaT project has been to offer pupils and class teachers the entire range of Access 3 clusters. Media Studies (Analysis and Production units) has been introduced to Class 3 during the last term. The key textbook is GCSE Media Studies (OCR) by Longman; ironically a bit out-of-date as it has nothing on social/new media, although any text over 6 months old would probably suffer in this respect.

Recently, I met with an Enterprise in Education representative. We sketched some plans for the year ahead and discussed appropriate Enterprise packages and contacts. It is expected that myself and our Craft teacher will develop a couple of links from next session. Two classes have worked on Enterprise activities this term, without any FLaT support, so I'm considering how we can collaborate with external organisations to enhance the experience for pupils and build on the toehold within our curriculum. The Food and Drink Challenge would enable us again to work with local business and possibly Further Education.

Learnng via interactive 'off-timetable' events will continue into session 2006/7. The Teenage Health Promotion morning is booked to take place at the school in September, and The RealCare Baby and parenting programme looks likely to be funded, and find its way into our PSE/after-school curriculum from October. This report (and a previous introductory programme run at Hillside) has convinced me that pupils will benefit from this kinesthetic approach.

Class 5's Maths class in the school benefits from a high level of team-teaching. One period a week is given to 'ICT Maths'. As the term drew to a close, I decided that a way to 'cement' the pupils' learing of multiplication by 2 digits would be for them to collaborate to produce a 2-page comic, using Comic Life (bundled with new Macs) which in a fun way would teach the reader how to tackle such a calculation. The pupils were given a 10 minute tour of Comic Life, and as 'digital natives' (well, 2/3rds were) spent the next 30 minutes genuinely collaborating on a meaningful task. Two of the boys were particularly encouraging of the classmate who wasn't too confident with the technology. The task was fun (making me do silly poses and making daft statements) and it brought the step-by-step process alive. The end result was produced within a period; though as all of this should be about the 'teach' and not the 'tech', it is important to consider, in advance, WHY the technology is being used and if it an efficient use of time and resource. I regard Comic Life as another tool in the toolkit. It is not 'the answer', but there will be a time-and-a-place (particularly in Modern Foreign Languages).

Source: Storynory Free Audio Stories For Kids

The Wild Man

Download the audio (Click to Play, Right Click to Save As)

It takes insight to understand the suffering of wild or strange creatures.

The hero of this tale is a boy who takes pity on a Wild Man kept in a cage in the courtyard of a castle. He risks his life to set him free, only to meet him later on, alone, in the woods.

This story has been told many times, in slightly different ways. The Brothers Grimm called their version “Iron Hans” and and Andrew Lang called his “The Hairy Man”. This is Bertie’s version, which follows the original plot, but which puts a little more emphasis on the themes – such as the indignity of the captive Wild Man, and the boy’s initial panic at the moment of success.

Read by Elizabeth. Version by Bertie. Duration 18.43.

There are many curious things in nature, and outside it. Take for example the Wild Man of this story – the scientists said he was a relic of a past age, the soothsayers that he was the creation of an evil wizard, but the peasants saw him simply as a devil. He was kept in the courtyard of the Prince?s castle. The people from the towns and villages around about came to see him. Some bad boys prodded him through the bars of his cage with sticks, but the wild man was no longer ferocious. He sat in a daze, with his back straight, and his great hairy arms hanging by his side. He did not even snarl, as he used to, he merely grunted when he was particularly bothered by flies or fleas, or the poking of sticks. One or two ladies of the court remarked how strange it was that his dark, deep-set eyes seemed almost thoughtful at times.

He had not always been held captive in a cage. He had lived in the forest, where even the wolves were wary of him. He ate berries and fish, and never harmed a human being, except when he accidentally scared the wits out of a poacher, or when he was attacked. His harmlessness did not stop the rumours about him. The villagers claimed he stole their goats and hens, and even that he took babies from their cribs. At first the Prince dismissed these reports for what they were – the superstitions of the simple-minded. But then one day a royal huntsman cornered the wild man in a cave. Instead of killing his quarry, the hunter received a terrible mauling with tooth and claw. He barely made it back to the castle alive. After that, the Prince had to believe in the Wild Man.

The Prince offered a fair reward to anyone who might capture the creature, dead or alive. Many tried to trap, shoot, or spear him, but for a long time no one met with success. Eventually, one night, the ferocious fugitive fell by chance into a bear pit. It had been dug a long time before by a circus performer, who had hoped to capture a cub and train it for his act. The wild man hurt his ankle in the fall, was caught up in the net at the bottom of the pit, and struggled in vain to climb up its steep walls. He remained there several days, while he grew weak and weary. Eventually he was found by an old peasant, who immediately called his four sons. They hurled rocks at the Wild Man to make sure that he behaved, and then they hauled him up in the net, before binding him further with rope. That was how this curious captive came to be caged in the courtyard of the prince. The old man?s family received a rich reward, though it brought them no happiness, as they quarrelled violently over how to divide it amongst themselves.

Few took pity on the Wild Man. Why should they? Most found their own lives to be hard enough, without worrying about a devil in a cage. Besides, it is not natural to pity what you fear. But a boy who worked in the palace kitchens looked into the eyes of the beast and saw sadness there. He could not read, and therefore did not understand the sign that warned ?Keep back or be bitten.? He reached through the bars of the cage and held out a piece of sweet meat. The Wild Man, who had seemed almost asleep, immediately seized the l boy?s hand, and yanked his arm until his shoulder was hard up against the bars. But his grip, although firm, did not crush the boy?s bones as it could have done. And his claws did not break his fair skin. His powerful jaw swiveled, his thick black lips curled, and the boy saw his yellow teach and fat red tongue far closer than he might have wished.

And then, the Wild Man said, in a low rough voice:

?You are the only one with a heart. You are my only hope. Bring me the key to this cage.?

The boy could do barely more than nod, and was immensely relieved to receive his hand back. He ran off, not knowing what he intended to do. He had heard it said that the key to the cage was kept under the pillow of the princess. He could not imagine an opportunity to steal it from such a place, until a few days later, he was sent on an errand to the private quarters of the castle, and as he passed the royal bedroom, he decided to sneak inside. If by chance he was caught, he would say that he had a message for the chamber maid. He was in luck. Nobody was in the room. He slid his grubby hand beneath the silken pillow, and felt the key.

This is how the boy freed the captive: He walked by the cage in the courtyard with his hands behind his back tightly holding the key, and, making sure that nobody was looking, he turned round and dropped it through the bars onto the straw. In the morning, the Wild Man was gone.

The boy had not anticipated the scandal and the furore that the Wild Man?s escape would unleash. Everyone in the castle was gossiping about who might have been the thief and the traitor who had stolen the key from under the pillow of the princess. The prince announced that each and everyone of the servants would be questioned by the soothsayers, and if their magic suspected a lie, there would be a further test by torture. The boy grew greatly afraid for his life, and at the first opportunity, he ran away to the forest.

But the dark forest was hardly a less threatening place than castle. If the wolves did not make short work of the boy, then the cold and the rain would surely do for him before too long. He crawled into a hole between some boulders for shelter, and in the morning he awoke to find that entrance to his cave was being watched over and guarded by none other than the Wild Man himself.

?Friend,? said the beast, ?You have helped me, and now I shall help you. I have a store of secret treasures, and I shall give freely from them. But first you must pass a test to prove that you are pure of heart.?

He led the boy to a spring, and told him that he must spend the day sitting by it. On no account, no matter how hot or thirsty he became, should he touch the water in the spring. Anything that came into contact with the liquid would turn instantly into gold. And when he had given these instructions, the Wild Man left him.

For most of the day, the boy did exactly as he was told. But towards evening, as he placed a berry in his mouth, a wasp stung him on his finger. The bite burned like fire, and the boy instinctively dipped it into the cooling water. That instant, his finger became gilded with gold. In panic, he ran his hand through his long hair, and some drops sprinkled it, and that too turned to gold.

When the beast returned, he saw instantly that the boy had broken his word.

?I am disappointed,? he said. ?You must go out in the world by yourself. But if after a year has passed, you are in need of my help, you may call for me.?

The following morning, the Wild Man escorted the boy to the edge of the forest and set him on his way along the road. The boy tramped on wearily but safely until he reached another castle. There he applied for work and was granted a job in the garden.

The boy always wore a bandage on his hand, and a scarf around his head to cover his gilded affliction. One day, the daughter of the prince of this castle was passing through the garden, and said to him.

?Do you not know that you should take your hat off in my presence??

The boy bowed and apologised to the princess, saying that he could not bear his head because it was scabbed terribly.

?Never mind,? said the Princess. ?Bring me flowers to my room every morning.?

And so every day, the boy chose the most beautiful flowers from the garden and delivered them to the room of the princess. He had special dispensation not to remove his head-gear as he entered her room.

A year went by, and the princess viewed the boy with great favour, and thought it a pity that his head and hand were so afflicted that he did not dare show them to the world. And the boy with the golden hair beneath his scarf began to regret that he was too lowly to befriend this beautiful young woman.

At that time, a war broke out with the neighbouring princedom, which happened to be where the boy had come from originally. Now he saw his chance to distinguish himself, and to advance his position. One day, at sunrise, as he stood alone in the garden, he called out:

?Wild Man, if you can hear me now , help me as I once helped you.?

And in an instant the boy saw that a dark horse was champing the grass on the lawn. As he lifted his foot to walk towards it, his leg felt stiff and heavy, and he realised that he was wearing a suit of black armor.

In this guise, the boy fought with the prince?s army, and distinguished himself in battle for his conspicuous valour. When the fighting was over, the prince commanded the mysterious black knight to come forward and to receive a great reward. He had in mind the hand of his daughter, the princess, in marriage. But when the opportunity for honour arose, the boy felt shy and afraid. He could not believe that such good luck should happen to him. He felt a terrible foreboding that he would be exposed as a lowly gardener and punished, and with sudden panic in his heart, he dug his spurs into the side of his charger and rode off. He returned to his station in the garden. Only the princess noticed that he had ever been away.

The prince celebrated his victory with a great banquet for the knights who had fought for him. At the height of the feasting, he called all to order. He announced that he was about to throw a golden arrow up into the air, and any bachelor who caught it would win the the hand of his daughter. It so happened that the boy was helping the servants at the table, for they were especially busy that evening. When the prince threw the arrow, it flew over the heads of all the knights, and straight towards the boy. He caught it. He only intended to be helpful, but in doing so, he committed a grave offense. The prince bellowed:

?How dare such scum lay claim to the hand of my daughter,? and the guards came forth to seize him.

The boy called out, ?Oh Wild Man, help me now as I once helped you,? and that instant he was again clothed in the black armor of the knight who had won the battle. His horse came into the the banqueting hall, and the boy climbed up onto the table, and mounted his charger. He took up the reigns and was about to clatter out of the castle and to make his escape, when the prince called out:

?Wondrous and mysterious knight, do not leave, stay and marry my daughter.?

And this time the boy did not run away from good fortune. The guards helped him down from his charger, and he knelt before the Prince and his daughter, removed his helmet, and his long, glittering hair fell down over his shoulders. The wedding was announced for the following day. But the boy did not forget his wild and strange helper. He called out to him:

?Wild Man. Come now and be a guest at my wedding, for it is to you that I owe all my happiness.?

And an hour before the wedding, a strange, hairy, and ferocious beast turned up at the gates of the castle. The boy gave orders that he was to be treated as his best man and guest of honour. And for the rest of his life, good fortune smiled upon the boy, who later became the Prince of that land, and who lived and reigned in great happiness along side his wise and fair princess.

Little Red Riding Hood

Dear listeners

I was wondering if you’d like to share any thoughts on this classic fairytale, that I’m adapting for Storytelling audiences?

Did you know it was written by the Classic French Author Charles Perrault, and has roots in folk law and music  of Nordic Countries and Scandinavian languages..

 

bye for now

Natasha*

The Christmas Beauty

Download the audio (Click to Play, Right Click to Save As)

The Michaelmas (Christmas) term at Waverley College has come to an end. Sally is about to go back to her family, but her neighbour, the mysterious Princess Talia, has no home to go to. At the last moment, Sally calls her mum and asks if she can bring her friend home for Christmas.

Talia proves to be an illusive guest, who comes and goes without warning, causing worry and annoyance in the O’Brien family. As ever, the explanation for Talia’s behaviour is somewhat strange and possibly supernatural.

Read by Elizabeth. Text by Bertie. Duration 20 minutes. Sponsored by CGMS

The Christmas Beauty

Sally’s first term at Westerly college had come to an end. As she stuffed the last few books into her bags, she listened to the sound of harp music filtering though the wall of her room. The clear notes rang out with a lonely and melancholy quality.

?Ugg… I can?t leave Talia here alone all Christmas like a lost puppy,? said Sally to herself.

She picked up her phone and pressed the speed dial that was labelled ?Mum?.

?I?m just setting off now, darling,? said a familiar parental voice.

?Mum, I know this is a bit last minute, but can I bring a friend home for Christmas??

?Oh, how exciting darling. You kept that quiet, what?s his name??

?Her name, is Talia, Princess Talia. ?

As soon as Sally had uttered the word ?princess? she knew she had made a mistake. Her mother would go into paroxysms of anxiety about the house being far too humble to receive such an elevated person.

?Why, hasn?t she got a palace of her own to go to?? she wanted to know. And Sally had to explain at length that she was an orphan all alone in the world. Mum, as mums do, caved into her daughter?s wishes with an air of weary resignation.

Sally sprang round to her friend?s door with the invitation. The princess who opened the door had a look of innocent astonishment on her face, as if she had just woken up and seen the world for the first time. She quite often looked like that. That was when she was at her most charming. At other times she looked at you quite blankly, as if she saw you, but her mind was completely elsewhere.

?Our house isn?t exactly a palace, ? said Sally warmly, ?But Christmas at home is always kind of special, and you?d be really really welcome.?

Talia reached out and hugged her friend. This was highly unusual, as she hardly ever even touched another person. Sally was almost surprised to feel that her body was warm and human. She seemed like such a ghost at times.

?Oh Sally, I?m so terribly moved by your kindness, but I couldn?t possibly impose on your family.?

?Don?t be silly, of course you must come,? assured Sally, patting her friend on the back, and then wondering if that was just a bit too familiar with a princess. Talia stepped back, and looked brighter.

?Well… it would be nice… I?ll have to make arrangements….. perhaps I?ll come in a few days time.?

Sally felt slightly disappointed that her friend wasn?t driving back home with her. For far too much of the journey home, her mother grumbled about not knowing whether to make a bed ready for her princess friend or not. Sally felt like it was she who was being ticked off, not the absent Talia. And all the feeling of grown up independence and confidence that she had acquired over the ten weeks away from her parents was left behind in Oxford.

When they arrived home, in a suburb of South East Liverpool, her front door looked eerily familiar, as if she had remembered it from a vivid dream. She hauled her suitcase up the stairs to her room. Her bed, which was only just long enough to fit her feet in, looked ludicrously childish. Her mother had placed a much loved, worn and chewed cuddly toy on the pillow. She quickly stuffed Aliosha the Bear into a cupboard. One wall was still adorned with a poster of a boy band that she had pinned up when she was twelve. While she had been at home, the poster had somehow become part of the wall. She had stopped noticing the dreamy faces, slick hair and designer stubble of the teenage idols. Now she thought: ?What would Talia say if she saw the The Backstreet Boys hanging above my bed ?? and a minute later the poster lay scrunched up in her litter bin.

She heard her little brother come into the house with her Dad. They had been to Saturday football. She came down to greet them. The sight of the fourteen year old Tim reminded her how recently she had been a child. But her father?s familiar ?hello love? and warm hug soon cheered her up. He whispered,

?Your mother?s not stopped fussing about you catching your death of something since you?ve been gone?.

Almost two week?, Sally?s mum answered a ring at the door. A tall, broad shouldered man in a sharp suit asked her if this was the O? Brien residence. Instead of answering his question, she said:

?We haven?t done anything wrong have we?? The man coughed.

?No Madame. Princess Talia is in the car. She asks, is it convenient for her to come in??

?Well, er no, I mean, yes, ah, …. Sally ! Come and look who?s here!?

Mrs. O? Brien checked her hair in the hall mirror while the be-suited attendant returned to a long black limousine that was parked across the close. He opened a rear door of the vehicle. The elegant figure of a princess swiveled herself out, in the manner that a debutante learns to leave a car at a Swiss Finishing School. She wore a long satin dress and her shoulders were wrapped in an ermine tripped jacket. As Sally came downstairs and saw her friend?s arrival, she could feel at least a dozen pairs of eyes peeping out of windows up and down the close.

On the doorstep, Talia addressed Sally?s mum: ?You must be Mrs. O? Brien. It was so kind of you to invite me to your home for Christmas,?

Sally?s mum was so flustered that all she could say was, ?Come in and have a cup of tea, dear, er, your highness.?

Princess Talia drank chamomile tea at the breakfast bar in the kitchen while her attendant carried her many suitcases up the narrow staircase. Mrs O Brien was horrified that her daughter was serving tea in the kitchen, instead of the living room, and in her embarrassment, she hovered around gesturing to Sally to use the best china.

?We thought you?d never come,? said Sally to her friend.

?I said I would come, and I am a woman of my word.? replied Talia.

?Well I hope you don?t mind the humble surroundings. The spare room is quite small, I?m afraid.?

?Your parents? house is quite charming, Sally.?

It was difficult to see what was so charming about the perfectly ordinary kitchen from the Swedish furniture shop, Ikea, but Mrs. O? Brien, who was now busy wiping surfaces, was pleased by the remark, until Talia added thoughtfully:

? To speak plainly Sally, it?s a relief for me to see you so comfortably housed. Where I come from, the common people live in far humbler circumstances.?

Mrs O?Brien couldn?t suppress a gasp of astonishment, and Sally couldn?t quite hide a slight smile. She was used to Talia now, you see, and was more amused than shocked by her odd remarks.

When Talia went upstairs to her room, Mrs. O?Brien said in a low voice:

?Well we do move in elevated circles now, don?t we? Soon your parents wont? be good enough for you.?

?Oh Mum! I wish you could see my other friends. They?re all perfectly normal. Don?t mind Talia. She?s a one -off.?

?Well what country is she?s princess of, for goodness sake??

?She?s never quite said.? Sally knew that this sounded a bit feeble, but she really did believe that her friend was a true princess. She had learned not to mistake Talia?s mysteriousness for insincerity. Her mother said:

?It?s probably some phony continental title. They?re six a penny over there.?

It was shepherd?s pie for dinner. Talia tasted it, praised, her hostess?s cooking lavishly, and didn?t eat any more. Mrs Brien asked the Talia what her family ate for their Christmas meal at home, and the princess slipped into her astonished and just-woken up look. She spoke dreamily of oysters, and cockle st. Jacques, of smoked salmon pancakes and goblets of champagne, of partridge, cuts of venison, wild boar sausages, roast chestnuts and parsnips, followed by 13 sweet deserts to represent Christ and all the apostles.

Given that Talia was so thin, and rarely more than picked at her food, it was surprising to hear her describe a banquet with the relish of a confirmed glutton, but Sally realised that her thoughts were travelling back with nostalgia to Christmases past with her own family, in her own home.

Mrs. O? Brien asked meekly if they ever ate turkey for Christmas. in her own country Talia was puzzled by the question. She didn?t seem to know what a turkey was, and Mrs. O?Brien seemed almost offended by her ignorance of turkeys.

Fortunately, the Princess got on with Sally?s father just fine. His hobby was Medieval history, and that was something the princess was well versed in. He lent her two of his books, and she showed him her necklace which she said was Anglo Saxon gold. He was perfectly purring with admiration, and Sally noted that the princess had made a conquest.

At 9 o?clock, the family sat on the flowery three piece suit in the immaculately tidy living room and watched a television programme in which a modern English poet retraced the haunts of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table. It ended amid the mist-entwined ruins of Glastonbury Abbey where the semi-mythical king is said to be buried with Queen Guinevere.

After it was over, Talia sighed and said: ?Uncle Arthur was such a dear,? and Sally could see that her father wasn?t quite sure if he had misheard the remark, or if she was referring to some other Arthur who happened to share the king?s name.

The next morning was Christmas Eve. It was almost lunch-time, and Mrs O’ Brien noted, “Evidently, princesses aren?t early-risers” – for nobody had seen Talia yet. Sally went up to knock lightly on the guest room door. There was no reply. She knocked a second time, and gently pushed it open: She saw an empty bed – and as the door opened wider – an empty room. Even the suitcases had gone.

For the rest of the day, Sally felt quite disjointed. This wasn?t at all what she had been expecting. If somebody just ups and goes without saying goodbye, it leaves you with a feeling of incompleteness. That parting well-wish, which literally means ?May God go With you?, is a sacred ritual, and it?s a sacrilege not go through it, far worse than not saying ?thank you?.

Besides, she had to put up with the inevitable barrage of remarks from her mother.
that the royal guest did not consider that the food, the house, or the company, was good enough for her, and that she might be a princess, but she had no manners. The commentary became so intense that Sally had to get away. She took a bus into the centre of Liverpool and walked through the crowds of last minute Christmas shoppers, but she couldn?t help wondering all the time if her friend would suddenly turn up again while she was out.

The absent Talia even cast a shadow over lunch the next day. Sally?s mother twittered on rather too much about how there was nothing like turkey and Brussels sprouts for Christmas, and when they all put paper crowns from the crackers on their heads, Sally thought how embarrassing it would have been to have done this in front of Talia.

At three o?clock, the family settled down in front of the television to watch the Queen?s Christmas speech. Sally felt crushingly bored, but unable to go and do anything else without offending her mother. Just as the National Anthem was playing, the door bell rang. Her brother sprung up and went to answer it. A minute later, Talia stepped into the living room holding a basket of beautifully wrapped presents.

?Happy Christmas ! ? she en-toned, and started distributing the gifts almost like Santa-Clause. Dad reached for the remote control and turned the Queens? volume down. Mum moved her chair closer to the screen, straining to hear the monarch?s commentary on the year gone by.

?May we open them now?? asked Sally.

?Oh pray do, I insist,? said Talia.

The gifts were as exquisite as they were lavish – pearls for Sally, an emerald broach for Mrs. O?Brien, a golden goblet for Mr. O?Brien, and a jewel encrusted dagger for Tim. All Sally had bought for Talia was a book with Latin inscriptions from around Oxford.

But Sally had never seen Talia smile so broadly, or so beaming with obvious delight. ?Oh do let?s put some music on,? she said, ?Tim show me how to operate this thing I?m no good with modern technology? – she meant the CD player – and she chose a disk at random. It was the The Searchers :

?Sweets for my sweet, sugar for my honey
Your first Sweet Kiss, thrilled me so?

They were 1960s band from Liverpool, and Sally?s Dad rather liked them. Tallia took him by the hands and pulled him up to dance. This was not at all the Princess that Sally thought she knew.

?May I ask my driver in, he?s a bit lonely out in the car?? Talia asked when the track came to an end. Soon the driver was playing a video game with Tim, and Mr. O?Brien brought him a beer. Mrs O?Brien spoke to the princess

?We?ve been so worried about you Love. You shouldn?t have gone off so abruptly without warning us.?

?I was called away rather suddenly,? she replied abruptly.

And then she took her friend on one side and held her by both hands. ?Sally, I?m so excited. I was in Glastonbury for Midnight mass. Afterwards, as I was walking among the ruins of the Abbey, I met my uncle and Aunt…. I haven?t seen them for simply an age, I mean to say,? and she whispered the last words ?Arthur and Guinevere.?

And that was the story, of the Christmas Beauty .

I do hope that you are enjoying our Awaking Beauty series. You can always let us know what you think by leaving a message on the story?s page at Storynory.com.

I?ll be back with some more stories soon. For now, from me, Elizabeth, Bye Bye !

Source: The Kedou News Quicky

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Too many pets are abandoned each day, so our little bear would like to help in his tiny way, by sharing how to look after his Golden Retriever buddy, Kiyo. Join them in the on-going "Adventures of Kedou and Kiyo"!

New Adventures at The Kedou Kids 27 Sep 2008

Our little bear's been really busy settling in his new buddy, Kiyo. Read all about their new adventures! Of course, it's not all work and no play for our little bear and his friends. Kedou wishes his friends from around the world, "Happy Children's Day" and "Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri"!

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