Thursday 30 July 2015

Otters on Lindisfarne

I may have told this story before, but there you go - we're keen on recycling at The House of Stories, and a good story can always bear a re-telling. I was telling this one to some children yesterday, and it went down rather well with them.

The Isle of Lindisfarne lies just of the Northumberland coast within sight of Bamburgh, which was the seat of the kings fourteen hundred years ago. It's a tidal island, which means that when the tide is out you can walk or drive to it. There's a causeway, and also the Pilgrim's Way across the sands. When Oswald became King of Northumbria in the seventh century he invited Aidan and a party of monks from Iona to share the Christian faith, and they began a monastery on Lindisfarne. Sometime after the death of Aidan, Cuthbert became the abbot of Lindisfarne.

Why Cuthbert is not the patron saint of the UK, I have no idea. Home grown and a thoroughly good guy, humble and spiritual with a respectable tally of miracles. I like him because he was animal friendly, too. On this coast there are eider ducks, which are not a bit like your average ducks. They are black and white (Newcastle United ducks) and they don't quack, they hoot. They are also the source of eiderdown, but Cuthbert wouldn't have had an eiderdown. Sacking and straw were more his sort of thing. And if anyone thought that eider duck would be nice for dinner - no chance. Not with Cuthbert around. They were under his protection. When he sat by the shore teaching, it's said that the eider ducks would gather round him. He was a man who respected all living creatures, and they accepted him.

'Tell us about the otters!' you cry. Here they come! One of the novice monks noticed that Cuthbert would leave his cell at night, and was curious to know where he went. One night, he followed him. Cuthbert walked down to the sea. (This was the North Sea at night, and believe me, it's freezing.) To the astonishment of the novice, Cuthbert waded up to his neck in the sea and stood there saying and singing his prayers as the waves washed around him. At last he came back to the shore and stood on the sand, dripping wet in the cold air.

Two otters ran along the shore to greet him. They rolled over his feet. They rubbed up against his legs and put up their paws for a cuddle. When they'd got him thoroughly dried off and warmed up, he blessed them and they ran away across the shore.

nd remind me to tell you, one day, about the time when I found that I needed otters on Mistmantle.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello there! I tried to leave a comment on your previous post but it never showed up :/ I won't take it personally but will just assume it's Blogger being shoddy XD Anyway; I'll essentially paraphrase what I tried to say in my original comment: Many years ago my mother bought me the first Mistmantle book; Urchin of the Riding Stars, and I absolutely LOVED it, though it wasn't until a few years later that I found out there were sequels and I plan to read all of them :)

Margaret, I really have to give credit where credit is due; you're one of the people who first inspired me to become a writer in the first place and for that I cannot thank you enough. I also love your character blog posts!

I'm sure you must be quite busy in your day to day life and wholeheartedly understand that; but would you mind if we were to correspond via email?

:) cheers from the US

margaret mcallister said...

Hello, chocolate foxglove, and welcome to The House of Stories! I'm absolutely delighted to know that you enjoyed 'Urchin' so much, and glad that you went on pushing through the mists to get your comment published. I hope you enjoy the rest of the series.

And I inspired you to become a writer? Oh no, I feel all responsible now! Of course you can e-mail me and tell me more. margimistmantle@tiscali.co.uk


Unknown said...

So, is this how you decided to add otters on Mistmantle?

Choclatefountion-- I'm a writer, too. What do you like to write?

Unknown said...

Ooops, im sorry, I thout it was choclate fountion, opps. :)

Anonymous said...

Samantha: No offense taken! :) the name is chocolate foxglove ;) a foxglove is a plant with poisonous properties.

continued- I'm currently working on a romantic comedy novel (with some high fantasy elements) in which an anthropomorphic mink- you know, an animal who is humanlike, walks erect, etc.- falls in love with a human woman; except it's in a world where anthros don't exist! :) if you'd like to know more about it I'd be more than happy to tell you :D

Unknown said...

Ooooh, sounds super cool. I'd like to know more. Im writing a story about shapeshifting and mutation. It's science fiction/fanasty.

Do you live in the US? I do.

Well, choclate fountion sounds better than choclate foxglove. At least you won't be poisoned by a choclat fountion! :)

Oh, and antros are awesome. :)

Songmorning said...

Hello, kindred spirit! It seems we both discovered Mistmantle in the same way--"Urchin of the Riding Stars" was a gift from my mom too, one Christmas. :) I'm pleased to meet you. I write stories too, and owe part of that inspiration to Mrs. McAllister.

You and Samantha and I should form a club or something--the Mistmantle-Inspired Authors. XD Hahaha
We should at least get in touch. :)

Unknown said...

yeah, we should get in touch :) Foxglove and I met on a writing website.

Im a writer? Are you?

Unknown said...

Margaret and I have been good friends for years. :)



Im in the process of writing a story right now.

Unknown said...

We should skype each other. I do skype. love it. or email...

Songmorning said...

Am I invited too? ^^"

Unknown said...

yes, your invited, too :)

margaret mcallister said...

Good heavens, the House of Stories is full of Sams, Songs, and Foxgloves! Find a seat, say hello to Hamilton Bear, and make yourselves at home. In fact, make yourselves a hot chocolate. And one for me too, please.

Songmorning said...

Samantha, Chocolatefoxglove - My email address is justsongmorning@yahoo.com. You could probably find me on Skype with the name "Songmorning" too. I'm Songmorning everywhere on the Internet--except one account, where I'm Faith Candleflame (Whitewings priests, much?), but I don't use that one anymore. It's Songy, for short.

Songmorning said...

Isn't nice we're all making friends now? :)

How about a hot chocolate eggnog?

1 egg
1 cup milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp hot chocolate mix

1. Whisk egg in a small saucepan until bubbly (do not turn on the heat yet).
2. Add milk and sugar and whisk until creamy.
3. Add hot chocolate mix and turn on the stove to medium-low.
4. Heat while whisking constantly until hot.

-Makes one serving.

Beatrix Potter showed me how to make this in a dream. No joke. It was one of the funnest dreams I've ever had.

Unknown said...

lol.


What do you write,song?

Unknown said...

Where do you live, song? Currentaly, I am living in Arkansas.

Unknown said...

we should meet up on young writers socity. its a website and they have a chatroom, too. Im a member, so is foxglove.

Songmorning said...

I joined the Young Writers Society and posted in the "Welcome Mat" :) See you there!

Unknown said...

super cool.

my screen name is queenofscience