Hortensio and the Magic Stories

By Elena Daniela Calin

The first story, 'Cloudy,' depicts a cloud who befriends a bird while overcoming self-doubt. The Storyteller shoots the entire story with a camera and is also a character within it. Cloudy, a melancholic cloud, becomes joyous at the story's end after seeking advice from his newfound bird friend.

The second story, 'The Stone, Peli and Pag,' follows a pelican, a parrot, and a talking stone. The pelican and parrot are best friends and decide to land on some rocks during their flight, unaware that those rocks are the prized possessions of a mighty power.

In the third story, 'The Boy and the Laughing Owls,' a red-haired boy who enjoys writing and experiences occasional anger encounters magical owls while seeking solitude in the forest. They spend time together with the goal of writing a book collaboratively. By the end of the story, the boy learns the importance of friendship.

The fourth story, 'Shiny and Goldy,' centers around a golden grain and a diamond grain. The story explores the time when the diamond grain polishes itself like its golden counterpart. However, diamonds shine much brighter than gold, leading to comical situations. Eventually, the golden grain realizes that family warmth is of utmost importance.

The fifth story, 'The Nerd Dragon,' revolves around a dragon, a hippopotamus, and a colored bird. The dragon's desire to read an encyclopedia leads to him losing the book in the forest. Unbeknownst to him, the hippopotamus finds and keeps it. Along his journey, he meets the colored bird, and all three become close friends by the story's end.

In the sixth story, 'Cups of Ice Cream,' two cups of ice cream, one natural and one made of plastic, live together as friends in a house. The natural cup sells ice cream to moody kids who prove difficult to please.

The seventh story, 'Flamingo,' features a dancing flamingo and three frogs observing him in a swamp. At one point, the flamingo receives a package that brings him great joy. Overall, the flamingo is naturally happy, singing and dancing all the time.

The eighth story, 'The Magic Girl,' centers around a kingdom, a King, a Queen, and their newborn baby girl. The main plot revolves around the search for a name for the princess, which is revealed to them at the last moment.

In the ninth story, 'Susan and the Butterfly,' an immortal butterfly becomes fond of a black-eyed Susan flower. However, in that particular year, the flower blooms in a different part of the field, making it challenging for the butterfly to find her again.

The tenth story, 'Hortensio the Colored Snail,' gives the book its name and tells the tale of a vibrantly colored snail living in a gray world. Hortensio's mother sends him with Clara's help from their village to the big city, with the expectation that he will achieve something significant in his life. By the story's end, Hortensio fills the entire gray world with his magnificent colors.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Elena Daniela Calin
• Release date: Dec 15, 2012
• ISBN: 9781301116485

Elena Daniela Calin

Indulge in the enchanting realm of happiness through the pages of my books. "Magic Sparkles of Happiness" will transport you to a world where abundant joy and miracles happen. Discover the secrets to unlocking true happiness and embrace a life filled with positivity and fulfillment.In "Leader Versus Manager," embark on a transformative journey of leadership. Learn how to inspire and motivate others, foster a collaborative environment, and make a lasting impact as a leader. Unleash your potential and discover the power within you to create positive change.Join Hortensio in "Hortensio and the Magic Stories" as he embarks on a whimsical adventure filled with magical tales. Immerse yourself in a collection of heartwarming stories that ignite imagination and instill valuable life lessons. Let your imagination soar as you delve into wonders and enchantment.And coming soon, "Positive Words" will guide you to cultivating a positive mindset and empowering self-talk. Discover the transformative power of language as you unlock the secrets to building resilience, overcoming challenges, and embracing a brighter future.By supporting my books, you not only embrace a journey toward happiness but also contribute to the realization of future literary gems. So, dive into a world of joy, inspiration, and personal growth, and let the magic of my stories illuminate your path to a happier, more fulfilling life.

Book preview

HORTENSIO AND THE MAGIC STORIES

Elena Daniela Calin

Copyright 2012 by Elena Daniela Calin

All Rights Reserved

Smashwords Edition

All rights reserved. No parts of this book may be reproduced, copied, stored, or transmitted in any form or by any means – graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval systems – without the prior written permission of Elena D. Calin, except where permitted by law. The information contained in this book is intended to be educational and not for evaluation of your professional abilities. The author and publisher are in no way liable for any misuse of the material.

Contents

HORTENSIO AND THE MAGIC STORIES

Epigraph

Acknowledgements

Introduction and Book Description

First Story: Cloudy

Second Story: The Stone, Peli and Pag

Third Story: The Boy and the Laughing Owls

Fourth Story: Shiny and Goldy

Fifth Story: The Nerd Dragon

Sixth Story: Cups of Ice Cream

Seventh Story: Flamingo

Eighth Story: The Magic Girl

Ninth Story: Susan and the Butterfly

Tenth Story: Hortensio the Colored Snail

About the Author

Epigraph

The book is dedicated to people of any age who have a sense of humor and enjoy reading magical stories.

Acknowledgements

I extend my deepest gratitude to all the individuals who made valuable contributions to the final version of this book. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the following people, whose contributions I cherish the most.

To Oana Livia APOSTU, the inventor of fantastic worlds and tamer of colorful creatures, for creating the captivating cover image of my book featuring Hortensio. Explore more of her delightful creations at her website: www.oanalivia.info.

To Manuela Stancu, my editor, I express my heartfelt thanks for her passionate and meticulous editing approach that has elevated this book and made me a better writer. Connect with Manuela for editing, translations, or proofreading services at: http://www.iTranslate.ro.

A special personal thank you to Ana-Maria, my best friend for over twelve years, who has been a constant source of inspiration.

Last but not least, I want to express my deepest gratitude to you, the current reader of this book. Thank you all so much.

Introduction and Book Description

Is this book too funny for you? It might be. Be cautious when reading it aloud to your child. If you find it difficult to remain calm and continue reading, I suggest asking your child to read it on their own. If you initially bought this book for your children and now find yourself reading it, don't worry, it's normal. Your soul resonates with mine to some extent.

I thoroughly enjoyed writing these stories because they made me laugh so much. Now, whenever I want to read something that guarantees happiness, I read my own stories. I have my personal favorites, and I'm sure you will too.

Enjoy this collection of ten funny and magical stories, intended primarily for children but enjoyable for grown-ups as well. People often ask me about my inspiration for these stories and when it strikes me. To be honest, and I do like to be honest, most of the time (and now, I am certain), I never know how the story will unfold. I don't have names or scenarios for my characters. I simply choose some characters and begin writing. My inspiration develops as I progress with the story, and I have an incredible amount of fun while writing. I immerse myself in the playfulness of my heroes.

So, enjoy the book; it was crafted to make you laugh. The second series will be coming soon.

First Story: Cloudy

Once upon a time, in the vast blue sky, a cloud floated lazily. Its name was Cloudy. This cloud was small and, to be honest, quite thin—almost invisible. Its skinny appearance was a result of its own ungratefulness, although Cloudy wasn't aware of this just yet. However, life had a surprise in store. Let's continue our story to discover what this surprise would be.

One day, as Cloudy floated along, it heard a voice saying, 'Out of the way! I want to pass! Go away, can't you hear me?' Well, okay, perhaps the 'please' at the end wasn't very sincere. Let me try again—big PLEASE!

Cloudy: 'Where should I go?'

The Voice: 'What do you mean, where? Get out of the way from this spot!'

Cloudy: 'Which spot?'

The Voice: 'This is too much; I can't just be a voice. I need to be a real character in this story.'

The Storyteller: 'But we agreed in the contract that you would only be a Voice.'

The Voice: 'But I'm not just a Voice. In fact, I'm a bird.'

The Storyteller: 'Yes, but we need a Voice in the script; that's why I hired you.'

Cloudy: 'Change the script.'

Narrator: 'Great, now she has supporters. Well, fine, come in front of the camera.'

BAM! The bird appears in front of the camera, looks at the cloud, and smiles. She resembles a nerd, with large glasses perched on her nose due to her nearsightedness. She is plump, with shaggy feathers that appear as though they haven't been washed in a long, long time.

The Storyteller, ironically: 'That's why she was just a Voice.'

Cloudy: 'What? You can see me?

The Bird, full of herself and trying to resemble a movie star, says, 'Hmm! What on earth do you mean, my dear? Of course, I can see you!' (She quickly adopts a humble attitude and becomes serious.) 'I don't look bad with glasses, do I? I'm considering switching to contact lenses. I'm sure I'll look much better. I'm imagining it right now.'

In her imagination, the Bird appears with contact lenses, looking worse than she did before, with a crooked face and eyes unnaturally close to her nose.

Cloudy: Hahahaha! You're funny!

The Bird: Yeah, I'm Fanny. How did you know?

Cloudy: Hahahaha! Hello, Fanny. I'm