Clay Lane
Posts in The Copybook credited to ‘Clay Lane’
Peasie wants to visit her lonely father, but she can’t get her sister Beansie to come along with her.
This story comes from a collection of folktales from the Punjab, as told by Flora Annie Steel (1847-1929) who spent twenty-two years in India. It reminds us that little acts of kindness bring their own rewards, so long as the rewards aren’t the reason that we do them.
Jonah is sent to Nineveh to decry the wickedness of the city, but the prophet is more worried about his reputation than their cure.
In the synagogue, the Book of Jonah is read in its entirety on the Day of Atonement. It is a tale about repentance and forgiveness. It is a tale about the intrinsic value of all life, even that which seems worthless. But above all it is a tale about doing the God of Israel’s bidding whatever it may cost, because although he is infinitely merciful his arm is very long.
Jonah grudgingly fulfils his calling to preach repentance in Nineveh, and God tries to make him as comfortable as possible.
After the famous incident of the whale, a much chastened Jonah agreed to fulfil his commission and go to Nineveh in Assyria. His task was to upbraid the people for their wickedness and prophesy certain destruction, but he suspected that God would not actually do it, and harboured regrets for the effect this would have on his reputation.
Lakshmi and her sister Parvati enlisted the help of the British Resident, Colonel Munro, to steady the Kingdom of Travancore.
At the very moment Napoleon Bonaparte was trying to bring Continental bureaucracy to Britain, Queen Lakshmi brought British commonsense to Travancore (now the State of Kerala). She and her sister Parvati weeded out corruption, promoted education and healthcare, and gave stability to a realm troubled by invasion and bad government.
The young Christian from ancient Northumbria was healed of a lame leg in a manner that reminded Bede of the archangel Rafael.
As a small boy, Cuthbert had been approached at playtime by a toddler who told him in the most grown-up fashion to cultivate mind as well as body. Some years later, though long before he became a monk, another unearthly visitor came by.