Why the Bear is Stumpy-tailed is an old Norwegian fairy tale that was gathered from Norwegian folks by Jørgen Moe and Peter Christen Asbjørnsen in their fairy tale book Norske Folke-eventyr 1843.

One day the bear met the fox, who came slinking along with a string of fish he had stolen.

“Whence did you get those from?” asked the bear.

“Oh! my Lord Bruin, I’ve been out fishing and caught them,” said the fox.

So the bear had a mind to learn to fish too, and bade the fox tell him how he was to set about it.

“Oh! it’s an easy craft for you,” answered the fox, and soon learnt. You’ve only got to go upon the ice, and cut a hole and stick your tail down into it; and so you must go on holding it there as long as you can. You’re not to mind if…

« Quoi de plus fatal que de traiter en ennemis et d’envoyer à la mort des hommes qui n’ont commis d’autre crime que celui de penser avec indépendance ? »

«What, I ask, can be more fatal than that men should be considered enemies and condemned to death, not because of any wickedness or crime, but because they have a mind worthy of a free man? »

Baruch Spinoza (1632 – 1677), in Traité Théologico-Politique, 1670, est un philosophe néerlandais dont la pensée se rattache au courant rationaliste. Cette dernière aura une influence majeure sur la pensée des autres auteurs de son époque.

Many of you have heard of a Wishing Well, have you ever heard of a Wish Tree?

A Wish Tree may be a specific tree that is noticed by its form, position or location. It is used by folks to make a wish sometimes including an offering. Pagans such as the Druids in the past would consider a specific tree such as an Oak as a sacred tree to revere. Other religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism and Christianity consider certain trees as hallowed or Holy such as the Banyan tree or the tree of life.

In Pre-Christian times German and Celtic pagans believed a sacred tree or sacred groves was home for tree spirits and nature spirits. In Norse Mythology the Giant Ash Yggdrasilhouses the 9 worlds. The Yule Treewhich is an evergreen tree was considered sacred and offerings and decorations placed on it was to evoke…

 A la cour, mon fils, l’art le plus nécessaire N’est pas de bien parler, mais de savoir se taire. »

Traduction approximative :

“In court, my son, the most necessary art is not to speak well, but to know how to be silent. “

François Marie Arouet dit Voltaire (1694 – 1778) est un écrivain et philosophe français majeur du siècle des Lumières. IL a également écrit des pièces de théâtres, des contes, des poèmes et des œuvres historiques.