(at the workbench) - the woodcutter's story

i love a good story... even as my daughter grows tall ... we love reading stack upon stack of old picture books and fairy tales...

hidden in these stories are truths so old and deep that their meanings continue to reveal themselves as we grow older. if you are not familiar with this lovely site- SurLaLune Fairy Tales-  take a look. you will find a beautiful collection of fairy tales, illustrations, annotations and similar stories found across cultures.

here are a couple of favorite stories about the brave, and honest woodcutter's journey:
~ the golden goose 
~ the honest woodcutter

 
and of course there are these old folk tales:
 ~ brave Jack of "Jack and the Beanstalk"
~ little red riding hood



my sick little girl woke up early this past wednesday morning and from another room I heard:  "Wha-ching, watching, wha-ching". there in her hands was the happy discovery of the woodcutter's ax - a new tool I made late the night before while she slept. perhaps this may sound funny, but some how wooden toys feel honest; they are earthy and wonderful to touch and hold. Because wooden toys have this quality they become tools for the imagination.

this woodcutter's ax - as quickly as it was finished, made it's way to a little boy's hands for his fifth birthday. No sooner was his present unwrapped and there he was "ka-chink, ka-chink, ka-chink"!  It's always so wonderful to see a child at play!

well, I am back to the workbench to finish today's many projects - there will certainly be a couple more wooden axes in the works. one that will have to make it's way back to my daughter's hands!

PS. If you or a friend are a lover of fairy tales - I would love if you could share a comment about your favorite woodcutter's story. Thank you!