Thursday 1 July 2021

Prince Adam and Princess Adora

Many years ago, twins were born to Randor, King of Eternia and his Queen, Marlena. Those babies were Adam and Adora. To have two such fine children brought great joy to the King and Queen. But that joy was soon to turn to sorrow and the cause of that sorrow was a force from another dimension - a force known as the Horde.

Led by a vicious tyrant called Hordak, the Horde attempted to conquer Eternia but they were no match for the King's soldiers and the magic of Castle Greyskull. So Hordak hatched a vile plot. He knew you were both destined for something special, though he did not know exactly what. So he crept into the palace determined to steal you both away. With him was his favourite pupil, Skeletor.

Hordak had just lifted Adora from the cradle and was about to take Adam too when Man-at-Arms entered the nursery. Man-at-Arms tried to stop him but Hordak escaped with Adora. To save himself, Skeletor betrayed his teacher and told them the way to the Horde's secret base. Man-at-Arms and the Sorceress went there hoping to rescue Adora but they were too late.

They searched for Adora for many years but they could not find the dimension in which Hordak had escaped. To spare Adam the pain of Adora's loss, the Sorceress casted a spell that wiped all memory of Adora and the Horde from the people. Only the King and Queen, Man-at-Arms and the Sorceress knew the secret.

Now that Adora had gained the sword of protection, and became She-ra (as she was always meant to do), the rest was up to her and whether she wishes to leave Etheria and return to Eternia.




He-Man, and the Masters of the Universe

I am Adam, Prince of Eternia and defender of the secrets of Castle Greyskull. This, is Cringer, my fearless friend. Fabulous secret powers were revealed to me the day I held aloft my sword and said: "By the Power of Greyskull!". I have the Power!

Cringer became the mighty Battle Cat and I became He-Man, the most powerful man in the universe! Only three others share this secret: our friends The Sorceress, Man-at-Arms and Orko. Together we defend Castle Greyskull from the evil forces of Skeletor!



She-Ra, Princess of Power

I am Adora, He-Man's twin sister and defender of the Crystal Castle. This is Spirit, my beloved steed. Fabulous secrets were revealed to me the day I held aloft my sword and said "For the honour of Greyskull!". I am She-Ra!
Only a few others share this secret. Among them are Light Hope, Madame Razz and Kowl. Together me and my friends of the Great Rebellion try to defend Etheria from the evil forces of Hordak!





Black & Bianco's Childrens' Book

Age range: 3-6 years.
Number of pages: 1030.

Characters/plot:

~ The academic: who survived the Stalinist purges and is now having flashbacks to that time. 

~ The academic's daughter: whose long, bitter marriage is collapsing around her.

~ The journalist who is investigating the academic because he suspects he was never in Russia at the time and then he falls obsessively in love with the daughter and sacrifices his whole career to become a lens grinder in Omsk.


Revised version of the characters/plot:

~ Instead of the academic and the journalist's daughter, it is about an elephant.

~ Instead of the Stalinist purges and the divorce and the investigation; it is about losing a balloon.

In essence: An elephant loses his balloon.

Title: The Elephant and the Balloon
Written by: Bernard Black
Illustrated by: Manny Bianco

"There's the elephant. 
He is happy with his balloon. 
Oh no! It's gone!
Where is it?
It's not behind the rhino.
Look in the alligator's mouth.
It's not there either.
Oh! The monkey's got it in the tree!
He brings it back.
They all drink lemonade.
The End."



* Information derived from Black Books S3:E2 *

Danny and William go Pheasant Hunting

Secret methods to catching a pheasant

Method number 1: The Horse-hair Stopper

Take a few raisins and soak them in water overnight to make them plump, soft and juicy. Then cut good stiff horse hair into half inch lengths. Push one of these lengths through the middle of a raisin so that there's just a tiny bit of horse hair sticking out on each side. The horse hair makes the raisin stick to the pheasants throat and tickles it. The pheasant would be rooted to the spot and won't move it's legs.


Method number 2: The Sticky Hat

Dig a little hole in the ground. Then you twist a piece of pair into the shape of a cone and you fit this into the hole, hollow end up like a cup. Then you smear the insides of the paper cup with glue and drop in a few raisins. Leave a trail of raisins on the ground leading up to it. The pheasant comes pecking along the trail of raisins and when the pheasant gets to the hole, they pop their head inside to gobble up the raisins. The next thing they know is a paper
hat is stuck over their eyes and they can’t see a thing. 


Method number 3: The Sleeping Beauty

Soak a raisin until it swells. Make a small slit on the side with a razor blade. Hollow it out a little. Pour in some powder from sleeping pills. Then using a needle and thread, very carefully sew up the slit. Enough to put any pheasant to sleep.


 
* Information derived from Danny the Champion of the World, written by Roald Dahl *