Word of the Month

trapezoid

1. A quadrilateral having two parallel sides.

2. A small bone in the wrist, situated near the base of the index finger.

Thanks to http://www.thefreedictionary.com/.  

CONTENTS

STORIES

The Adventures of Juniper Silverheel - Part 8

The Hunters - Part 1

Orchestral Instruments - Strings

Poems

Quote

The Adventures of Juniper Silverheel

Part 8

Star (13) and Nova (12)

A moment of silence passed as I took everything in.

“So …” I said slowly. “Elvena isn't really any use to them? They'll just … dispose of her?”

Loom looked away, obviously she didn't want to answer that question, but I didn't need an answer; I already knew what she would have said.

“Why are we resting then?” I almost shouted. “We need to get her!”
“Shhh!”
 I looked at my feet feeling like I was ten.
“Listen”, Loom said harshly. “If we rush out there now we'll get captured then we're all doomed!”
“And, anyway”, added Kanoko. “If we're exhausted there won't be the slightest chance of rescuing her. We need clear minds”
“I suggest we stay here for the night, and catch up with them in the morning”, Loom sighed, sounding really sleepy.
I nodded, lay down on the branch, and, despite my worry, fell straight to sleep.

When I woke Loom and Kanoko were already awake. I sat up and blinked, adjusting to the bright light that shone through the gaps between the bright green leaves.

“Why didn't you wake me up?!” I demanded.

“You need all the sleep you can get. There's a long day to come”, Kanoko said, without looking up from what he was doing. He was packing our supplies into a bag made out of a leaf.

“You'll need to track them. So when I bring some other fairies we know where to go”, said Loom.

“You'll? But you're coming with me, aren't you?” The sudden thought of being alone worried me.

“Kanoko is”, said Loom. “But I have to go and report to the Imperial court”

“Why?” I unruffled my hair and stood up.

“Because we cannot possibly hope to get Lux and Elvena from the clutches of the Abydusses without help.”

I sighed. She was right. She was always right. Well, most Eventides were right most of the time, but she just never seemed to be wrong. I nodded in defeat; she had already won.

“Well, I'd better go”, she said. “We don't have much time to lose.”

“Right”, I murmured. “So I have to ... what?”
“Track the Abydusses”, she said, spreading her wings.
“Of course. Track the Abydusses”, I repeated. She just raised her eyebrow at me and flew off.  

To be continued ...

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The Hunters

Part 1

Roania Pulchera (9)

PROLOGUE - Reena

I crouched down and hissed at the three burly men. They were well muscled and armed. One was short (relative to the others) and almost dwarf like in the muscles he had compared to his height. He was in the middle. The one to the left of him was tall with more flexible looking stringy muscles. The one to his right was the average knight. They all wore armour and carried swords. I backed away slowly and unslung my bow, crouching still.

“Wow!” said the average knight. “Steady there we don't mean any harm. Just wondering what a little girl is doing out here alone.”

My eyes flickered. Humans! I thought. Always not meaning any harm. Almost all of them are a lot of liars, if you ask me. Especially the knights. I looked at them. What if some others had attacked camp? Like they had attacked my home. Better go and see. So I ran. They wouldn't catch me. I could blend into the surroundings as easily as they could walk. I must have been preoccupied with my thoughts, and, though it had never happened before, I walked straight into a trap.  

To be continued ...

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Orchestral Instruments

Eva Marlie

Instruments are very interesting things, and it is amazing the sounds and tunes they can make when played well. So for each of the next four issues I will tell you about one of the instrument families in the orchestra. This month I will explain the string family.

Violin

The violin is the smallest string instrument. There are more violins than any other instrument in the orchestra. There can be up to 30 (or sometimes more!) in a single orchestra. They produce high sweet sounds.

(Picture: http://www.eemusings.wordpress.com/) 

Viola

The viola is like a violin, but larger. It is also played by the player resting it on their shoulder and placing their chin on the guard.

It produces mid-range sounds.

(Picture: http://www.musiced.about.com/) 

Cello

Next comes the cello, which, because of its mass, is placed on the ground when played, while the player holds the top and uses the bow like with the violin and viola.

It produces mid-range to low sounds.

(Picture: http://www.cicmusic.com/) 

Double Bass

The double bass is like a cello, but again, larger, and has a slightly more pear shape than the smaller three string instruments. It is also placed on the ground when played, and has a lovely deep bass sound (hence it’s name).

(Picture: http://www.tmo2000.com/) 

Harp

The harp is very different from the other four string instruments (as you can see from the pictures!). While the violin, viola, cello, and double bass are all played by pressing the strings down and using a bow over the strings to make the sound, the harp can only be played by plucking the strings.

(Picture: http://www.telynauteifi.co.uk/) 

So, there! Now you know about the members of the string family. Next up will be the woodwinds.

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Poems

Mr. Nobody

Anon

I know a funny little man,

As quiet as a mouse,

Who does the mischief that is done

In everybody’s house!

There’s no one ever sees his face,

And yet we all agree

That every plate we break was cracked

By Mr. Nobody.

‘Tis he who always tears our books,

Who leaves the door ajar,

He pulls the buttons from our shirts,

And scatters pins afar;

That squeaking door will always squeak,

For, prithee, don’t you see,

We leave the oiling to be done

By Mr. Nobody.

He puts damp wood upon the fire,

That kettles cannot boil;

His are the feet that bring in the mud,

And all the carpets soiled.

The papers always are mislaid,

Who had them last but he?

There’s no one tosses them about

But Mr. Nobody.

The finger marks upon the door

By none of us are made;

We never leave the blinds unclosed,

To let the curtains fade.

The ink we never spill; the boots

That lying you see

Are not our boots – they all belong

To Mr. Nobody.

The Modern Hiawatha

Anon

When he killed the Mudjokivis

Of the skin he made him mittens

Made them with the fur side inside

Made them with the skin side outside

He, to get the warm side inside

Put the inside skin side outside

He, to get the cold side outside

Put the warm side fur outside

That’s why he put the fur side inside

Why he put the skin side outside

Why he turned them inside outside

Quote

“To love is to suffer. To avoid suffering one must not love. But then one suffers from not loving. Therefore to love is to suffer, not to love is to suffer. To suffer is to suffer. To be happy is to love. To be happy then is to suffer. But suffering makes one unhappy. Therefore, to be unhappy one must love, or love to suffer, or suffer from too much happiness. I hope you're getting this down.”
 

- Woody Allen

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Thanks for reading the eMag. Hope you enjoyed it and are looking forward to the next issue!

And remember, keep your nose open and sniffing for more juicy news!