January Material 2023
Story: “The Star Children”
This story is my own fusion of three related folk tales from Bavaria, Italy, and France. While the stories differ in many ways, they all involve three children, usually two brothers and a sister, who are somehow celestial in origin and bear a mark on their bodies that reveals this (sometimes it is golden hair that sheds jewels when brushed, sometimes a star-shaped birthmark on their foreheads). These three celestial children then find themselves in earthly surroundings and have to pass three magical tests in order to reclaim their birthright. The two oldest children fail the test (sometimes turning to stone in the process, or otherwise falling under a spell of imprisonment), but the youngest child succeeds and rescues them, they return to their rightful place, and all is well. In my own simplified version I suggest that the “dark land” into which the star children descend is a cold, still, wintery place awaiting the awakening of spring.
January Circle
- ‘Twas On a Cold and Wintry Morn (unknown origin; adapted)
- Wood Chopping Chant (unknown origin)
- I’m Going to Build a Little House (by Dany Rosevear)
- Cross Patch (an adapted nursery rhyme)
- Tiddley Pom (traditional Catalan tune; words adapted from Dany Rosevear)
- Star Children Verse (adapted from Elsa Beskow’s Around the Year)
- Over the Rainbow Bridge We Go (Waldorf verse; melody by Teacher Caitlyn)