The big dipper

Once upon a time there was a cottage, built at the edge of a forest, in which lived a woodsman, his wife, and their three little girls. Every morning the woodsman would go into the forest, to work. And the mother would go to the market, leaving the three little girls alone, to play in their yard.

One morning the eldest girl saw an ugly old woman coming down the narrow dirt road that passed their house. At once she put her two smaller sisters into the house, while she stood watch, holding their big dog. The ugly old woman stopped in front of their house, and came to the gate. The eldest sister let go the dog, who ran to the gate, barking. The old woman turned away, and went on, into the forest.

The next day the woodsman took the big dog with him, when he went to work. And the mother took the eldest child with her, to help her in the market. While the two younger children were playing in their yard, they saw the ugly old witch coming down the road. The second sister put the little one in the house, and gathered stones. The old woman came to the house, stopped, and went to the gate. The second sister threw her stones, hitting the wicked old witch. The old woman turned, and went on, into the forest.

On the next day the woodman took the doggie with him, into the forest. And the mother took the two elder girls with her, to help her in the market. The youngest child, only six years old, was left to take care of the house.

And she saw the ugly old woman coming down the road! She ran into the house, and locked the door. The woman stopped, and came to the gate. There was no dog to bark at her. And no one throwing stones. She opened the gate and came down the stone pathway to the house. The six year old was terrified. The old woman sat down, on the steps in front of the house.

Peeking through the curtains of their front window, the little girl noticed that the old woman seemed to be very tired, even sick. She watched her for a while, then opened the door and went out to her. She said to the old woman: "Could I help you? Do you need anything?"

The ugly old witch looked at the little girl and said: "Well. . . . .I am very tired. . . . .And I still have a long way to go. . . . .Could you give me a drink of water?"

The little girl ran into their house and got the bucket. She lowered the bucket into the well, and pulled it up, overflowing with cold water. Then she took their old tin dipper, filled it with water from the bucket, and gave it to the wicked old witch.

The woman drank the cold water from the old tin dipper. And then she shivered, and stood up, and changed into a beautiful fairy Princess! She had been bewitched, and transformed into an ugly old woman. And she had to remain an ugly old woman until someone was kind to her. The little girl was the first one who was kind to her, giving her the drink of cold water from the old tin dipper.

She wanted to show her thanks to the little girl. So she took the old tin dipper and changed it into diamonds! And then she threw it up into the sky!

It is there, until this day. If you go out tonight, and look up you will see it. Seven beautiful stars, twinkling in the sky, reminding all of us that we should be kind to one another!

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That story, of course, is a fairy tale. But sometimes the fairy tale teaches us deep, beautiful truths. That big dipper is a blessing for all the ships at sea. By it, the sailors can determine exactly where they are, and can chart their course across the great oceans. Those seven stars show our ships how to carry cargo from one people to another, sharing, caring, being kind.

Bishop Benny Tudtud, with his "Dialogue of Life", was probably the best bridge that the Philippines has ever had, between the Christians and Muslims. He believed that the whole Gospel could be summed up in one word: "Give!"

Saint John of the Cross believed that the whole Gospel could be summed up in one word, also. But his word was: "Love!"

Bishop Tudtud and Saint John of the Cross were saying exactly the same thing. Because "Giving" in the Gospel means giving as Christ Our Lord gave. He did not give things – like money, possessions, the wealth of this world. He gave himself. And when you give yourself, that is love.

And that is what the Big Dipper is reminding all of us, as we look up at the peaceful stars. It is the message of Christ Our Lord, written in the sky, in beautiful twinkling diamonds:

"Little children,

love one another. . . . .

as I have loved you".

* * *

Muldoon lived alone in the Irish countryside with only a pet dog for company. One day the dog died, and Muldoon went to the parish priest and asked, "Father, my dog is dead. Could ya’ be sayin’ a mass for the poor creature?"

Father Patrick replied, "I’m afraid not; we cannot have services for an animal in the church. But there are some Baptists down the lane, and there’s no tellin’ what they believe. Maybe they’ll do something for the creature."

Muldoon said, "I’ll go right away Father. Do ya’ think $5,000 is enough to donate to them for the service?"

Father Patrick exclaimed, "Sweet Mary, Mother of Jesus! Why didn’t ya tell me the dog was Catholic?"

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