Saturday, 08 September 2007
Chandra and Her Georg – Part I
One of my two godmothers, given to me in my birth year, 1941, was a friend of the family named Dona Palmer. I hardly know anything about her. But in 1927, long before I was born, she and a friend, Keith Ward, produced a little fairy tale titled, Chandra and Her Georg.
The story was never published. It is contained in a little, six-ring, black binder measuring 4.5 x 6.25 inches that I have carried with me from home to home for decades, spending an evening every year or two reading it through and savoring the illustrations.
Dona wrote the story. Keith penned the text by hand in old-fashioned script and illustrated it with brilliantly vivid watercolors. It is so charming and beautifully done that I have decided to publish it here at The Elder Storytelling Place as a serial.
Each weekend day, Saturday and Sunday, there will be two or three pages of Chandra and Her Georg including the illustrations. The text pages are discolored a bit – but after all, the book is 80 years old.
The pages will sometimes end mid-sentence and you will just need to wait until the next day or the following weekend to find out what comes next.
Here then is the title page and the first illustration.
Posted by Ronni Bennett at 02:30 AM | Permalink | Email this post
Comments
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You could always publish it yourself on Blurb.com.
Posted by: Grannymar | Saturday, 08 September 2007 at 04:26 AM
Beautiful script and a lovely illustration. I am looking forward to 'Chandra and her Georg'. If the story matches the title page I am sure it will be charming.
Posted by: Darlene | Saturday, 08 September 2007 at 07:41 AM
This is
~EXTRAORDINARY~
All of it...the fact that you included a picture of the binder...the feeling it gives...quietly there, holding a story for 80 years for us.
The look on Georg's face and then
then...our first glimpse of Chandra.
The mysteriousness of this, her gesture toward Georg.
I don't read blogs...have an old slo mo computer, but Marti has spoken about this one many times and
now this.
How amazing and truly a gift that you will share it this way. Just love this.
Posted by: grace Maestas | Saturday, 08 September 2007 at 07:47 AM
This is so wonderful. I can't wait for the next installment.
Posted by: Virginia | Saturday, 08 September 2007 at 08:40 AM
Do you think Dona or Keith ever thought for one moment when they wrote this story, that 80 years later so many people would read and enjoy their tale? It's positively inspiring.
I eagerly await the first chapter of "Chandra and Her Georg".
Thank you for taking such good care of this story for so many years.
Posted by: Nancy | Saturday, 08 September 2007 at 12:26 PM
Ronni, I haven’t read it yet (I will) but wanted to quickly echo ‘Grannymar’.
You could publish this yourself at www.blurb.com. Just download their software which only takes a couple minutes. Then either scan each page, if you have a scanner, or take a good digital photo of each page. Then upload those files into Blurb, tweak as much or as little as you like, and hit the PUBLISH button and they’ll turn it into a hardcover book! (Or soft, but I recommend only the hard.)
I’ve used it a lot (I have tons of photos) and it’s an absolutely wonderful gift to give someone! Just now I’m making a book of 60+ years worth of the annual (and usually goofy) Christmas cards that my dad made. But it would be a perfect way to share a cherished book such as “Chandra and her Georg”.
(You could even hit another button and it would be for sale. Although I know that’s not why you’re telling us about it.)
Now excuse me while I read a story… :)
Posted by: Nikki | Sunday, 09 September 2007 at 01:17 AM
Ronni,
You must be so full of joy. You have given a gift of great meaning to all of us in setting up the Elder Storytelling Place. Thank you.
David Wolfe
Posted by: David Wolfe | Sunday, 09 September 2007 at 02:07 AM
This is wonderful! I can see why it survived your travels!
Posted by: Kay Dennison | Sunday, 09 September 2007 at 08:12 AM
I'm so glad I found you..our four year old grandson Noah just left. He spent the weekend with my sister on Friday and Joe and I on Saturday. We tell old fairy tales every time we're together. His favorite is The Three Little Piggies.. go figure with all the toys and high tech stuff; we play tell stories. We use place mats, napkins, for capes, tents, pillow cases to hop around. All the stuff that's free and around the house.
My husband and Noah have been painting a $5.00 wooden bird house for at least 6 visits now. Next time they hang it....
I'm going to love reading the stories..I'm so glad there are more of us around..to enjoy what often in life is free....
Dorothy from grammology
http://grammology.com
Posted by: Dorothy Stahlnecker | Sunday, 09 September 2007 at 01:31 PM
I haven't read this story yet, but have been quite intrigued since you first mentioned it. Perhaps I can read it with my granddaughter when we're together this coming holiday season. Seems quite perfect to share with my dear 11 year old. Too bad it isn't available in book form.
Posted by: joared | Monday, 26 November 2007 at 06:35 PM
Found your blog recently and just discovered Chandra and Georg. So glad that you published this and am delighted that I was able to read and view this delightful story. How fortunate that you have shared this with your readers. Thank you!
Posted by: Sidney Thompson | Thursday, 13 June 2013 at 08:47 AM