On the Road to…

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Milo is the bored Youth in Norton Juster’s fantasy adventure ‘The Phantom Tollbooth’. Magically transported to the Kingdom of Wisdom, Milo learns a great many things, namely, to pay attention to his own state of mind. If he doesn’t like what he sees, he should take the reins and engage with his situation.

Disconnection is seldom experienced by Rhinos in the Wild. Still, it is a fun Quest with Milo. We Rhinos understand Quests, big time.

The illustrations are by Jules Feiffer, whose work is sourced for today’s YIR post.

Beyond Us

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Antoine de Saint-Exupery wrote and illustrated ‘The Little Prince‘ in 1943. A quote from it: “The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or touched, they are felt with the heart.”

It is a tender and poetic story, impossible to describe. It is hard for Us to believe it was not written by a Rhino, but We are assured it wasn’t.

Touching, and just a bit disturbing.

Twelve Dancing Princesses

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This story deals with a bunch of sisters slipping away for a good time in the middle of the night while everybody else is asleep. For Us, it is puzzling, since in the Wild, you can’t slip away anywhere; Privacy doesn’t exist. Still, it is perfectly possible for Us to imagine twinkly frocks and illicit frolics. Oh yes, indeed.

As you probably expect, Twelve is a non-concept for Us Rhinos. It’s more than Three, We know that. It is also less than a Zillion. It is a modest Muchness. Or an enhanced Three.

That old Ounce of Prevention

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Mr. H. Dumpty (featured in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass) discusses matters with Alice while he is perched on a wall. As you may know, things do not work out for him, though up to that point he seems to feel he knows it All.

Any Rhino would point out that wall sitting has related concerns. Walls come in many sizes and feature two sides. To avoid accidents, inspect both sides of the Wall in Question.

When did you last hear of a Rhino falling off a wall? That’s right.

In an old house in Paris…

by in R Mindset, Rhino Nifty | 4 Comments

Mr. Ludwig Bemelmans’ heroine, Madeline, has numerous adventures. He wrote and illustrated them himself. Children’s classics ever since 1939.

Madeline is popular with young Rhinos because she is full of applesauce and ginger. Among young Rhinos, she has many fans.

We have changed a line from Mr. Bemelmans, which in our version now reads:  To the Rhino in the zoo, Madeline said, “How do you do?”. You see, being spunky does not preclude civility. Rhinos like respectful exchanges.

The Impossible Mr. Pine Eye

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‘Pinocchio‘ was created by Carlo Collodi in 1883, in a series of tales, each featuring the mischievous puppet. Pinocchio’s goal is to become a Real Boy, but he is dedicated to his own amusement, so it takes a while to achieve his dream.

Whenever Pinocchio tells a lie, which is often, his nose grows. RhinoTots are fascinated by this concept. Wild stories then abound, in the hopes that there will be nasal developments.

That Mr. Collodi has much to answer for with RhinoMoms, you may believe.

(For related illumination, see Jan. 11, 2015, via the Archive button.)

True Blue

by in Plain and simple, R Life Lessons, R Outlook | 2 Comments

H.C. Andersen’s tale ‘The Nightingale’ tells Us of an Emperor who replaces a plain little singing bird with a techno-bird, radiant in gems. The Nightingale flies away. In time, the Machine breaks, and in mourning for song, the Emperor pines. But the Nightingale returns, and the soul-beauty of its song turns Death from the Emperor’s door.

What’s not to like about this?

Right. Nothing.

Gadabout

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Baba Yaga is a Russian folk character of long standing, a traveling hag, riding in her mortar. She lives in an unusual hut with goose legs. RhinoTots tend to fear her, with good reason.

However, Baba Yaga is also a Wise Woman, and can tell futures. Obviously a gal with Aspects to her.

If you should run into her, We warned you.

Tales of Wonder

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‘Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp‘ is one adventure in the “1,001 Tales of the Arabian Nights”. (That means a lot, if you don’t count, which Rhinos don’t.) Aladdin ranges the known Islamic World, Africa to China. Cosmopolitan. Very Rhino.

Aladdin gets trapped in a magic cave, but he happens to have a magic ring, served by a Genie. Rhinos are always on the lookout for such jewelry, for tight spots, which We attract.

“By Genie” is a fine Exit Strategy. Or so it seems.