MELTA MOSCOW ENGLISH LANGUAGE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION

There was a small island named Tanaiya. In the middle there was a beautiful lake of crystal clear water. By the lake there was a small hut in which lived a girl whose name was Aina.
Aina loved nothing more than swimming in the lake all day long. One day, while swimming, she felt something passing by, touching her body. She got such a fright that she stopped swimming, jumped upon the bank and ran towards her hut. Next day it happened again and she saw that it was a water snake.  But Aina wasn’t scared this time and went on swimming. It became a daily practice. After a few days both of them started swimming side by side upon the blue lake. One day, after a long swim, when she came out of the water and sat upon the beach, the snake also swam out of the lake. Aina’s eyes opened wide in astonishment. The snake changed its shape and within moments there stood before her a man. So handsome was he that she was wonder-struck and could not speak!

Read the rest of «The Story of the Coconut Tree» by Lida Shemarova »

In commemoration of Ray Bradbury

Outside, the last tree is dying. There is nothing anyone could do. It is simply old and sick. It couldn’t give life to other trees. Genetically diseased trees died out without offspring. Forests had been wiped off the planet’s surface long before I was born.

It’s freezing here. No wonder. I live in Winterville. Who can remember what the city’s name was when Winterville had trees? Our vast plains used to be fertile and gave food in plenty. But now you can see gardeners watering vegetable patches only in the pictures displayed in the National Gallery.

It was really hard work to grow crops and raise animals. Who wants to be farmers now? People want to be millionaires! Or they want to experience what they believe only millionaires can buy – ski chalets, bungalows, yachts, football teams, exotic travels – you can finish with the picture as you prefer… Sounds nice. But relaxing in a hammock and listening to the sound of waves is also in the past. Greenhouse gases have changed the climate. Now we have to deal with mutation, abnormality and contamination. Read the rest of «Winterville» by Marianna Maksimova »

THE MISTLETOE’S SECRET

I want to tell you a very sad story. It’s also a very old story that can be found in Norse mythology. I want to tell you about the god of light Balder, who was the son of the chief god Odin and the goddess Frigg. It’s the story how the weakest thing destroyed the most noble of all gods.

 So Balder was the most noble of all gods. He was loved and admired by all, except the wicked god Loki. Loki was jealous of Balder’s popularity. And Loki plotted his death. Read the rest of «The Mistletoe's Secret» by Ivan Mulenkov »

HOW I PREPARE FOR STORYTELLING

Poetry Festival and Storytelling Festival 2013 are not my first competitions of this kind. I have participated in five festivals so far. And it has always been a great fun to prepare and then perform.

How do I prepare? First of all, it is important to choose a story that you really like, a story that is close to your interests or hobbies. As for me, I am interested in History and Biology.  I can make up a story about animals and plants or tell about some historical facts. I like ancient mythology. Read the rest of HOW I PREPARE FOR STORYTELLING »