Kids’ Korner

Meet Renbaudus, a child in 1079

July 9, 2009 By Administrator

Do you want to learn how children lived and thought in 1079?

For authenticity, life, and color, look no further than this work of love by Jean-Philippe Touzeau. It’s for children everywhere to learn about medieval life, family, education, religion, insight, and humor.

Here’s what Touzeau says:

The codex Renbaudus was found in 1962 in Southeastern France. It contains the memoirs in Latin of an 11th century Norman knight, Renbaudus of Bernay. The codex mainly narrates his pilgrimage to Jerusalem between 1095 and 1099.

Even though many pages of the codex have been lost, it is now understood that it originally contained different sections. In one of the few surviving ones, Renbaudus describes his childhood and the lessons he learned from the Benedictine monks who raised him at Cluny abbey.

As a codicologist, my aim is to translate and share with you what he wrote more than 10 centuries ago, hoping these timeless lessons will be useful. I have taken some stylish liberties and you can find a glossary at the bottom for place names, difficult words and Latin words.

Patches, the cat that loves bike rides

July 1, 2009 By Administrator

Hannah (left) and Bekah of Mossyrock, Washington, take their beloved cat, Patches, on a little summer bike ride. Who ever heard of a cat liking to ride a bike?

A strange day in July

June 27, 2009 By Administrator

By Amy, age 9

He threw with all his might, but the third stone came skipping back. Zack called his grampa. All of a sudden a goblin popped out of the lake and chased Annie, Zack’s sister. The goblin was green, hairy, fat, and only had one eye! The green hairy dude ate Annie. The goblin started speaking, “This does taste like chicken.” The goblin yelled and skiped back in the lake.

The next day Zack and his grampa went to Annies funeral. It was Zack’s turn to look in the case that Annie was in. Zack saw her. She started blinking and breathing. Then she popped out of the case and hunted Zack. She was a ghost! She was no where to be found. She walk right through the door and never caught Zack.

A couple more years had passed. Zack was 13 now. Zack missed his sister he was the only child. The next summer came; he went to his grampa’s cabin. This summer his grampa said, “let’s go fishing.” Zack answered, “I thought that we were going to skip stones.

Oh, I forgot to tell you, I like to go fishing now!” said Grampa.

“Of course I would go fishing with you but what about Annie,” said Zack

Grampa replied, “Oh, forget about her!”

Zack mumbled, “ok then let’s go.”

Zack and his grampa walk to the lake. They finally got there. Zack and his grampa sat down and put a worm on the hook and waited….Zack caught something! He pulled the fishing pole up. And you guess it was ANNIE! She had long, dark, black hair in front of her face. Zack let go of the fishing pole and fan! Annie got out of the water and started chasing Zack.

Zack yelled out, “Please don’t kill me,” and started praying

Annie said two words, “Get up!”

Annie said it again, “Get up!”

Zack got up and asker her, “Why are you doing this to me?”

Annie answered, “Well, cause you’re my brother and I wanted to do a pranck on you.

Zack laugh and said, “Siriesly!”

Annie smiled and mumbled, Uh yeah!

Zach said, let’s go to the beanch and talk.”

Annie laughed, “OK”

Zack said, Ok then this was all a joke?”

Annie said, “YES”

Zack smiled, “You know it’s been boring without a sister?”

Annie said, “yeah right!”

Zack replied, “but how did you become a ghost?”

Annie said, “Magic.”

Zack laughed, “funny!”

Zack took Annie by the hand and went to there grampa.

Zack called his grampa and said, “look who I found?”

Granpa replied, “your girlfriend”

Zack laughed, “very funny”

“Who then?” said grampa

Zack replied, “My sister!”

“Oh, Annie nice to see you again where were you?” grampa asked

Annie chucked, “long story!”

“Well, your parents are going to glad to see you!” smiled grampa

“Here they are right now” said Zack

“Mom, Dad! Guess who I found?” smiled Zack

“Who, your girlfriend,” said mom

Zack laugh, “Nice!” But no it’s Annie

Oh, hi, hunny, I missed you so much!

Annie smiled, “well, should we go home!”

Zack laugh, “OK bye grampa.”

Everyone said, “BYE”

Annie’s parent drove them home. I mean “home”

THE END!