MARGARET HURDMAN
A selection of three short stories for children.
Edition One: They include: -
The Mermaid’s Pearls – a fantasy story about a young fisherman who falls in love with a Mermaid.
Puss Cat of Drury Lane – a wonderful tale of a curious cat who saved the Drury lane Theatre from disaster.
The Way it Was – an interesting family drama on the Home Front during the First World War.
About the author:
Margaret Hurdman is a well-known, and internationally acclaimed psychic medium with nearly thirty-five years experience. Her unique gift of being able to bring forward evidence from the spirit world has brought her international recognition as a brilliant and devoted medium.
Margaret now travels globally bringing people into contact with their loved ones from the spirit world and helps police in serious investigations as well as appearing on numerous TV and radio programmes. She has brought comfort and hope to the young and old, and has eased their loneliness and pain by proving beyond doubt that there is life after death, and that love endures beyond the grave.
Margaret Hurdman has now written three books including – Margaret the Person – Living a Spirited life; A Little More Time; and Walking in Two Worlds. A fourth book is now currently being prepared.
She has also written a number of meditation stories and children’s short stories are also available on audio CD.
1. The Mermaid’s Pearls
Many years ago in a little Cornish fishing village lived an old man and his only son. His son was a stubborn, headstrong lad and he thought he was the cleverest of all the fishermen. Silly, proud and arrogant he ignored his father’s advice in nearly all things.
The day of the big storm was his day of destiny. All fishermen knew of the dangers that the sea it held, and this day a terrible strong gale blew. The young man in question would not listen to his father’s pleas not to set out in this terrible weather he thought he knew best. He wanted to catch the largest fish that anyone had seen and he felt today was the day. Silly stupid boy He would show the other entire fisherman how clever he was.
As in most things, pride comes before a fall, and no sooner had the young man sailed into the deep waters, the storm became stronger than ever. The wind howled and soon the boat began breaking up. He soon began to wish that he had listened to his father and not been so stubborn.
The frightened young man realised that he was going to drown, and he had no one to blame except himself. Whilst he was desperately trying to bale out water from his boat, he was unaware that a lovely mermaid was watching him. She loved him at first sight and when he did notice her, he thought she was the most beautiful being he had ever seen.
The mermaid decided that this young man would be her husband, and he did not protest as he had also fallen in love. Please come with me, she asked, you and I will be happy together down in the depths of the deep blue sea.
They swam away together, they were so happy. She sang to him the love songs of the deep. He was sorry that he had caused his father so much grief and he would ask the seagulls to send him his love and take care of him. One day he was very sad to hear from the seagulls that his father was very ill.
Since the boat had been lost the father had no way of earning any money and he was now very poor, and he missed his son dreadfully.
The mermaid was upset that her husband was so sad about his father, and she sat at his side wondering what they could do. Suddenly she had a brilliant idea. They would go and see King Neptune and ask him for his help, as he was a very wise man.
They arrived at King Neptune’s castle, which was guarded by sea horses. They explained why they were there and asked for an audience with the King.
The sea horses swung the gates of the castle wide open and they were led into a large ornate hall. It was a very grand place and they stood there in awe. From the ceiling hung huge drapes of gossamer silk, at the windows there were curtains made of glistening pearls, and in every corner there were harps being played by the King of Neptune’s daughters, and the music was hauntingly eerie, and definitely soothed the soul.
As they approached the throne the King smiled at them and asked them to tell him of their problem. King Neptune thought for a long time, and then spoke to the young man and told him that if his mermaid wife agreed he could visit his father back on the land as long as he obeyed the rules of the sea and returned within seven days. He said that he would give treasure for him to take which would help his father and make him rich.
The young man and the mermaid thanked the King for his kindness and returned home to make preparations for his departure. The next day when he was ready the mermaid led her husband to the shore and said that she would be there waiting for him in seven days time. She handed him three rare pearls that glowed with the colours of the deep blue sea.
She explained that if he were to forget her love for him one of the pearls would dissolve. If he did not obey rules of the King and the rules of the sea a pearl would turn green.
If he did not return at the given time then the other pearl will fall to pieces and he would know that the mermaid’s heart was broken and she would surely die.
The young man kissed the mermaid wife farewell and walked towards his father’s cottage. He turned to look back and his lovely wife was sat very still on the rock-watching walk away.
The King’s treasures were tied firmly in a sack on his back, and he held the pearls from his wife in his pocket. The young man opened the door to his father’s cottage and saw the old man lying e on the old wooden bed, he looked very sad.
His father turned and saw him and he could not believe his eyes, he thought he must have been dreaming to see his son that had drowned. The young man hugged his father and explained why he was there. He was sorry that he had caused him so much hardship and grief, but that he would try and put things right, but he would have to return to his mermaid wife in seven days time.
The news soon spread round the tiny fishing village and all came to greet the young man. The old man was looking better than he had for a long time and he was very happy to have this time with his son.
The village organized a large party and the young man and the treasures he had brought with him were the centre of attention, although he would not tell them where he had been.
All the time the young man kept feeling the pearls that he held in his pocket, he was missing his wife and his home in the depths of the deep blue sea. He decided that he would look for a better place for his father to live. He found a lovely cottage with roses around the door, and a good kindly lady to look after him.
He explained to his father that he must soon return to his home in the deep, and that his father should not be sad, as he was happy with his new life with his mermaid wife. His father was very grateful for his son providing him with a good life and he wished his son a happy future and explained that he was happy to know that all was well with him.
The young man said his farewells to every one and wished them all goodbye. It took a long time saying goodbyes, as everyone was sorry to see him go. It was breaking dawn when he realised that he should be at the seashore before the tide turned, he held tight to the pearls in his pocket and knew he would have to hurry.
He rushed to the sea just as his wife was slipping from the mermaid rock. He called for her to wait for him.
He quickly left his shoes at the edge of the sea and swam out towards her. They embraced and then, holding hands they slipped out to sea back to their home in the depths to live a very happy future together.
The three rare pearls were given in turn to each of the three daughters that they were blessed with. Upon their marriages giving proof of their parents joy, telling them of their parent’s great love.
2. PUSS CAT OF DRURY LANE
It was a cold November morning, the chill of London streets touched your bones, on this particular day, the streets were just coming to life the barrow boys were preparing their stores and the hustle and bustle of Drury Lane was afoot in a dark alley prowled a local resident.
Puss Cat lived rough, she had neither home nor anyone to love her and she was forever on her guard against a heavy boot or a stone this was her treatment. She was ready to search for breakfast. She slept wherever there was warmth any doorway would do she had no choice she stretched arched her back and was ready to find breakfast. Was today to a good day she thought? Lucky days crawling under the fishmongers cart, sometimes were? Would it be a bit of fish, or even a Mackerel head she hoped her luck was in. It looked as if it would soon snow. Puss shivered. She was not looking forward to another cold night, and less still to being hungry.
Seemingly another cat had beaten her to it so she had to look further field.
As she was prowling, a noisy coach drew up it was the lovely actress who appeared on stage for Drury Lane Theatre a grand place indeed, all the gentry came to see the famous actress dance and sing. The coach stopped and the carriage door opened.