Our first Michaelmas!

We had our first Michaelmas celebration! We kept it very simple, but it was so nice to feel like we are starting some new family traditions. I told Owen a brief gentle version of the St. Michael and the Dragon story, and we had a special dinner - chicken (apparently duck is traditional, but chicken was easier to get my hands on), carrots in an orange juice glaze (carrots are also traditional), and a loaf of bread, my nod to the dragon bread we will make together another year. Crispy, cheesy zucchini slices just because we had the veggies and they are yummy!  

Michaelmas Story of the Star Children

By Corinne Batzell, Ann Arbor, Michigan

(The teacher is wearing a golden yellow silk cape every day while telling the story.)

Once upon a time there were 20 (# of children in the class) beautiful children who lived in the stars. One by one each of these children took a long, long journey over a rainbow bridge and down to earth. They brought with them from the stars, seeds and bulbs and roots to plant in the earth to make it a good and beautiful place. They dug down into the earth and planted their seeds and bulbs and roots. They watered them when they were dry and watch that no one stepped on the places where the seeds and bulbs and roots were planted. They made sure that the weeds didn't push their way over, crowding the plants and blocking out the sun's light. As the little shoots of green poked their noses out of the earth the sun warmed them and the Star children watched over them with loving care.

But there was a terrible dragon who roamed the earth and one day he came to the garden where the Star Children had planted their seeds and bulbs and roots. The dragon didn't like to see such beautiful things coming to the earth. He felt very angry and he began to breathe red flickering fire all around the garden. The little green stalks and shoots that were growing up so carefully and beautifully began to dry up and wither and turn yellow and brown. The Star Children did not know what to do. They were so very sad that these gifts which they had brought to the earth were being destroyed by the dragon.

Suddenly a golden light filled the garden. It was a knight in shining armor riding on a beautiful white horse. In his hand was a golden sword. It was St. Michael. The knight charged at the dragon and fought him until the dragon was so worn and weary that he fell at the knight's feet and promised to be his servant.

St. Michael turned to the Star Children and smiled on them and on the garden. The plants began to grow new green shoots and leaves and the children ran to get water for them. 

St. Michael gave each child a golden cloak. These golden cloaks," he said, "will protect you always so that you may work on the earth to help all growing things."

And so the Star Children put on their golden cloaks and watched over their garden. The plants grew and there were flowers and the flowers were just the shape of stars.

(At the end of the story on the last day each child is presented with a bulb wrapped in yellow and red tissue paper and a cloak of golden yellow.)