Traditional tale of Chania - Crete
"The riddle"
4th class Primary School DDMN – Crete Narrated by grandma Kate Alexis
Chania, 2014-15 Teacher: Stavroula Lada
Greece – Crete - Primary School DDMN – 4th class Our school is located in Chania, Crete, in the settlement of the Naval Base. There are 190 students. We have a computer room, a library, a music room, a gym and an all day care class.
In our class there are 16 students, 8 boys and 8 girls. We publish and distribute a two-month newspaper. We have designed a website blog and a web page in the Greek School Network. (http://blogofmarytomson.blogspot.com and http://blogs.sch.gr/pde4424/)
The students of 4th class 2014-15 Stamatis Lidia Panayiotis Alexandrianna Vasilis Dimitra Stratos Elpida Yiannis Kiriaki Kostas Evaghelia Elias Katerina Nikolas Agheliki Vaghelis Teacher of the class : Stavroula Lada Music teacher : Maria Platsaki The narrator of the tale : Grandma Kaeti Alexis
Red string tied reel wrapped. Give kicking turn Fairytale begins
Tzampio who lived in a village of Apokoronas in Chania, Crete, used to say. I am certain that people in nowadays are more intelligent than the old ones. People call me stubborn because I don’t admit it, but I do not mind whatever they tell me. I can see what is right. I gaze upon the most correct is. I will always tell the truth of God and I do not mind if this bothers some people.
So I remember my grandfather, Mastromarkos, who, even if he were illiterate, he was far too smart from the others. He knew by heart the mass in church and helped the priest. Anyone who knew him lived with an open mouth of the brilliance of his mind. Once, therefore, his best man from another village came and found him crying and saying.
- Captain Mastromarko, I’m relying on you. I played dice, the wretched man, and I lost all my property. A doctor took it from me. However, my dear Mastromarkos, that person felt sorry and saw how I cannot feed my wife and my children. He also told me that I will get my property back if I can give him an answer to a riddle. He gave me a three days deadline. I am trying to find an explanation to that riddle but it’s impossible for me. That is why I came to you, orelse my family will starve to death.
- I'll tell you mate, says the Mastromarkos, those games are really very dangerouw and you shouldn’t have joined in. Those games are not for people who are smart. But since the doctor wants to give you back what you have missed, I will help you for the sake of your wife and your children. Remember that in the future. Now tell me the riddle. - Well, Mastromarkos, the man told me: - Two are those that stand and two are those that move Two are those that look the same but cannot get along Two are those that are not similar and two are those that are separate. Mastromarkos laughed said to his best man’s wife: - Go and set the table ready. Your husband will take his property back. His best man said with a happy face: - God bless ,*sintekne. But, tell me, which is the explanation of the riddle? Did you find it? What is that easy for you?
Well, yes, syntekne. This is what you are going to tell to that man who took your property. The two which stand, are the sky and the earth. Those which move are the sun and the moon. The two that look the same but are totally different are the sleep and the death. Those that do not match are the day and the night. Finally, those that are separated are the sea and the land.
-Thanks you, Mastromarkos. You became my savior. How can I repay you for saving me?
- I will tell you, syntekne. You can repay me by swearing in front of me and your family, especially them, that you will not gamble again and you will not play dice again from now on. You saw for yourself in what you can get to. Your children will be naked, hungry and barefoot. Especially my godchild. - Ok, Mastromarkos. I swear ... I swear not to even catch the dice ever again in my life.
So the poor man left, h got his property back and he never gambled again.
And they lived happily ever after.
*Sinteknos= In Crete people use that word for the person who has baptized a child, so he and the father share it. Synteknos has the child as his very own.
Grandma Kaeti Alexis in our classroom
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