Dear Jessica de Lange,
[Host's Note: At de Lange is a frequent contributor here; He sometimes
writes about his grand daughter Jessica. ..Rick]
I must apologise two times, once for not learning well enough Afrikaans to
write you a letter public or private in your mother language. I will find
someone as soon as possible to help me learn. Maybe you and I can do that
'off line'? Then when we have practised a little we will combine for a 'duet'
here...let's wait and see.
Second for not having a story for you yesterday when I wrote to Oupa and
other learners. I was with Anona this lunchtime and driving past the field
that abridges the donkey sanctuary she spontaneously started to
giggle...always a good sign. I asked, "What is it?" "- I heard a lovely story
today...would you like to hear it?" Well, ever open to a good story I said,
"Yes, please, I would." So she began...
" There was this tiny mother mouse who lived with her little children
just the other side of the skirting boards that abridge the wall to the
rooms, safe in the cavity. Inside this small safe place she brought up her
children. One day she saw a lovely large chunk of cheese in the middle of
the room. So tempting. Just one problem, in the shape of a large and
rather terrifying cat, with talons and teeth as sharp as knives, and mad
eyes like whirligigs going round and round. Oh dear...what to do.
Inspiration. "Children, look, listen and learn." She lifted up her
petticoats (mice mums in England always wear petticoats) walked out of her
refuge, walked right up into the cat's personal body space, she raised
herself up, stood as tall as she could on her toes which were, of course,
hidden from the cat's gaze underneath her petticoats (pink and white) and
with a terrifying volume cried into the very face of the cat, "BARK,
Grrrrrr HOWL Grrrrrrr SNARL HOWL and BARKKKKK." The cat, now terrified in
shock turned tail and scampered (ran off all-akimbo) leaving mum mouse
triumphant. She returned to the happy and astonished children giving them
each enough cheese for a week. "There, she said, I just knew learning a
foreign language would pay off one day!"
I will gladly learn with you Jessica, though I cannot learn for you. Learn
to watch with an OPEN eye, you will have found a great teacher. Let us
learn together deeply out of our 'deep' and legitimate difference and
someday we can collapse into a far greater understanding than words can
convey. The dance of dances commenced a while ago little miss 'twinkle
toes;-)'
Jessica, I have some English words written out of nothing by an American
man, can you, I wonder with your learning friends translate these words
into Afrikaans for Andrew? Here are the words.
There was a child went forth every day,
And the first object he looked upon and received with wonder or
Pity or love or dread, that object he became,
And that object became part of him for the day or a certain part of
the day...or for many years stretching cycles of years.
I wonder who that child could become?
Rick, in one way this is your school...may we, Jessica and I ask...who
could this child become...may I ask everyone as anyone...who could this
child become...
Love to you Jessica ***becoming kid****
Love - Liefde
Andrew x & Anona x
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