as related by Sugi.
Sevi and I went to a storytelling evening on Tuesday in the renovated barn that some VT neighbors have turned into a magnet for earthy cultural events such as reviving the tradition of storytelling. Sevi was riveted by all three storytellers, and I think it went on for about two hours. At the end, Jan, one of the hosts and storytellers, said that they would like to do it again, and they would like others to tell stories, too, if they wanted. Sevi belted out “I do!”
Last night at dinner we were talking about how you can see the lightning but only hear the thunder. She figured out a way that she could see the thunder by putting on her “fairy eyes.” I asked her if she would like to turn this into a story, and she said yes, and that it would be called “When I Saw Thunder.” She dictated it (not all at once) this morning. We’ll see how she feels about it come the next storytelling, but I think it’s too much for her to remember to tell. Perhaps I could read it and she could act it out.
When I Saw Thunder
Everyone said I can’t see the thunder. But I wanted to. I put some magic in my throat. I used my fairy wings to fly up to the clouds. I put my fairy eyes on top of my turtle eyes so that I could see inside the clouds. I flied to south and north and then I saw the thunder. The thunder looks like a big cloud. It had the rainbow on it. I see all the rainbow colors. I jumped over the rainbow and into the house. And I walked upstairs and I fell asleep. I didn’t take off my fairy eyes and my fairy wings because I wanted to wear them in the morning. So I could do some magic. I wanted to turn Papa’s toilet kit into a rat.
The End
Sevi Burget-Foster, July 8, 2004