The Nutcracker Ballet - Russian Tale

The Nutcracker Ballet was composed by Russian composer Peter Tchaikovsky. It was based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King story written by German writer E.T.A. Hoffmann. In 1954, the renowned choreographer George Balanchine staged his own production of The Nutcracker Ballet. It has become the basis for the productions we see today and for the story adaptation below. The Nutcracker has become a special part of the Christmas holiday tradition worldwide.

On December 24^th, the Christmas Eve, magic happens all over the world. Inside one house, a brother and sister by the name Clara and Frits stood behind the closed door and peeked through the key whole. Their cousins shoving behind them giggled.  

When the door opened, the kids spilled into the parlor. A green fragrant tree stood in the corner of the room. Sweets and lights hung from the branches. “Whaaa” yelled the grandpa hiding behind the door. He was always full of magic, bringing the most unusual gifts.

This year, he brought three tall boxes, each wrapped in bright red paper tide with even brighter red ribbon. He opened the first box. A soldier outfitted in green regimental dress stepped out. When wounded, he saluted and clicked his heels. Harlequin and Columbine stepped out of the next boxes. When wounded, he jiggled and she danced like a ballerina.

When the kids thought that all their presents were unwrapped, the grandpa raised his eyebrows saying, “Aaaah, I think there is one more box to be opened.” He pulled from under a tree, a small box. Out of it appeared a wooden soldier. The grandpa opened the soldier’s mouth and placed a nut inside them. Crack!

“Aw, that’s a nutcracker,” said Clara.

The grandfather handed the Nutcracker to Clara. She didn’t have time to take a good look at the Nutcracker, when Fritz grabbed it from her and pushed a nut into his mouth. Snap! With a careless tug, Fritz broke the Nutcracker’s jaw.

The father scolded Fritz and the grandpa repaired the soldier’s mouth the best he could.

The same night, when everybody was tacked in bed and deep in sleep, Clara’s eyes were wide opened. She crept back to the parlor and cradled the soldier warmly in her arms. She drifted into a sleep on the sofa. Bong! A clock stroke midnight. Clara rose up from the sofa and couldn’t believe her eyes. A mouse scurried across the room and commended an army of mice. Frit’s toy soldiers marched out in tight formation. They charged against the mice. A fight broke out. The mice led by the Mouse King were winning. The Nutcracker charged in and led the toy soldiers to victory.

The Nutcracker placed a crown on Clara’s head. At the same time, Clara found herself standing at the foot of a snowy hill and in front of her eyes, the awkward wooden figure turned into a handsome prince. He bowed deeply before her and led her to the edge of the ice-covered shore. They stepped onto a sleigh-bow, whisking them into his kingdom.

As they stepped out, Clara noticed that the ice was behind them, but in front of them stood the most colorful and the sweetest land.

“Welcome to the Land of Sweets,” spoke the prince. “I rule from the Marzipan Castle.”

Clara and the prince were led inside the castle, where a banquet was awaiting them. High-stepping Russians kicked up their heels across the banquet hall. Flower girls danced and whirled around the room. Finally, the fairies buzzed around. It was all so colorful echoing with cheerful music.

When music faded, Clara knew it was time to return home. As the prince said his goodbye, he promised Clara, “We would see each other again.”

On Christmas morning, Clara awoke in her warm bed. As she held the Nutcracker in her arms, she recalled the adventures of last night and knew instantly a secret of Christmas – that magic is the best present of all.

Source: The Nutcracker Ballet by Vladimir Vagin. The author is also an award-winning illustrator of Russian Folk Tales. The illustrations of this book fill each page transporting readers to the ballet story. At the same time, the story brings a tribute to the Russian heritage of music, painting, and dance.

Mexican Christmas Traditions

The colorful city of Oaxaca located between high mountains in southern Mexico honors its traditions and its people with celebrations starting on December 12 with a series of festivals and ending on January 6 with the arrival of presents.

On December 12 the festivities start with Fiesta of the Virgin of Guadalupe. According to Mexican legend, Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus in Christian religion, appeared to an Aztec Indian who lived during the 1500s, a simple peasant named Juan Diego. She announced that she had come to help Mexican Indians, giving hope and peace to many people. The Virgin of Guadalupe is the name given to Mary as she appeared to Juan Diego. Each Christmas season starts with a celebration in her honor. Boys dress as Juan Diego, and girls dress as

an Indian woman of his time. Children come to church to be blessed by a priest and to have their picture taken in the nearby park. After church, they celebrate with family and friends in the park.

On December 16 nine nightly processions start. Two children are chosen to lead the first procession. It begins with children acting out the story of Mary and her husband, Joseph, on the night of Jesus’ birth. The two chosen children pretend to be searching for an inn to spend the night. They lead their group to a neighbor’s house, where they are invited and the celebration begins. Processions take place at different homes on each of the nine nights before Christmas.

On December 18 Fiesta of the Virgin of Soledad follows. Soledad is the Spanish word for “solitude.” The Virgin of Soledad represents the Virgin Mary after the death of her son, Jesus. This parade is a serious event, where girls and boys dress in angel costumes, riding on a float and honoring the Virgin of Soledad. Tall figures with huge, colorful heads march and dance past the parade floats. A tower of fireworks is built and late at night, the fuses are lit. Back at home, families set up Christmas displays called nacimientos, showing nativity scenes with figures of Mary, Joseph, and animals. The baby Jesus is missing as it awaits his birth on Christmas Day.

Many parts of Mexico have unique Christmas fiestas. On December 23 Oaxaca celebrates the Night of the Radishes. This tradition began more than one hundred years ago. Every year at Christmastime, Indian farmers came to the city to sell vegetables. To make their stands more attractive, the farmers carved radishes into interesting shapes. Over time, radish carving became an important art of Oaxaca, leading to a fiesta. Nowadays, children and grown-ups enter the contest. At night, the city square fills with people. They admire the radishes carvings. Later in the evening, judges award the prizes. After the contest, children enjoy a dessert called bunuelos, sugary fried tortillas served with honey. After eating, children take part in another Mexican tradition, making a wish, while tossing bunuelo bowl to the ground, where it shatters. Breaking old pottery at the start of the New Year is an ancient custom of Mexican Indians. It began thousands of years ago. In modern times, the smashing of the bowls celebrates the birth of the baby Jesus.

On December 24, the Christmas Eve, thousands of people come to the city square for parades. After which, many families go to church services. Then they share a large Christmas meal with grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. At midnight, families place the missing figure of baby Jesus in their nacimientos. Some children receive presents on Christmas Night; some have to wait a few more days.

January 6^th the last day of festivities is marked with the arrival of the Three Kings. Those children, who had to wait a few more days for their presents, set their shoes outside by the door a day earlier on January 5^th. They hope that the Three Kings will remember them.

Presents and treats are important parts of Christmas in Oaxaca, but so is honoring the traditions of Mexican culture. Being with friends and family is the best of all.

 

Source: A Mexican Christmas by Michael Elsohn Ross

Tuko and the Birds - Filipino Folktale

The Philippines consists of 7,107 islands spread in the western Pacific Ocean of Southeast Asia. According to legend, a giant once hurled a huge rock into the sky. It fell into the Pacific Ocean and broke to bits, creating the Philippine Islands.

The tokay gecko, a large lizard found throughout Southeast Asia, is called a tuko in the Philippines. Legend says that whenever a tuko swallows anything, it calls its name five times. This fable of tuko is still favorite tale of the Filipino people.

Once on the Philippine island of Luzon, a little house stood on top of Mount Pinatubo, overlooking the bay and its city of Maynilad. Over the years, its thatched palm roof blended with growing trees. All the people forgot about the house except the birds, which used it to practice singing.

The people living by the water enjoyed evenings with birdsongs, carried down the mountainside. The children playing with sand, the women washing the cooking pots, and the men fishing with nets upon hearing the birds, they knew it was time to go to bed.

One night, the birds were awakened by an ear-shuttering sound of “TUKO! TUKO! TUKO! TUKO! TUKO!”

“What was that?” They chirped all at the same time.

Suddenly, something dreadful crouched by the door. The creature was the size of a young crocodile, similar in looks as well, except it was covered with orange-spotted scales.

“What are you?” trembled the pigeon.

“I already told you five times,” snapped the creature. “I am Tuko the gecko, and I’ve come to sing with you.”

The birds looked at each other, “How did you find us?”

“My ears followed your singing,” responded Tuko.

“Can you sing for us?” asked robin.

“TUKO! TUKO! TUKO! TUKO! TUKO!” a dreadful sound pierced the birds’ ears.

He screeched all night. The sleepless birds collapsed in the morning.

He continued his screeching for the whole week. The weary birds couldn’t sleep or sing. The people of Maynilad were tired, too. Without the birds’ singing, they didn’t know when to go to bed.

“He needs to go,” whispered the talon.

“But how will we make him go?” chimed in the parrot.

“We’ll think of something,” responded the eagle. He spent the morning circling the island of Luzon until he spied a wasps’ nest dangling from a branch of a tall tree. “This might be Tuko’s favorite snack.” He snipped the hive and carried it back to Mount Pinatubo.

“Tuko I brought you something,” called the eagle.

The creature woke up from its nap and his tongue flicked, “Zap! Zap! Zap!” All wasps were gone.

“I see that wasps must be your favorite food,” said the talon.

“Oh, no,” responded gecko. “I like rhinoceros beetles best. They’re nice and chewy.”

“Good to know. I may get you some,” replied the eagle with a sly smile. He knew exactly what to do and where to find it. He flew to the other side of the island to a gum tree. He pecked the trunk with his beak. Sap oozed from the holes in the bark. He caught the milky liquid in half a coconut shell. With the shell full of sap, he returned to Mount Pinatubo and formed the rubbery sap into five rhinoceros beetles. He lined them on the stump and called for Tuko.

“Beetles! Beetles!” yelled happy gecko. He popped one beetle after another. When he pushed the fifth beetle, he mumbled something. His tongue was stuck to his teeth with getah gum. Tuko tried to dig with his feet, but they stuck to his teeth, too. He tripped and tumbled down the hill. He rolled faster and faster down the mountain. And never was heard from or seen again.

The same day, in the evening, the birds opened their beaks, and rejoice to sing. Down the mountain, the people were happy to hear the birds’ singing again. They knew when to go to bed and get a good night sleep.

 

Source: Tuko and the Birds by Shirley Climo