Betty MacDonald fan Club honor member, artist and writer Letizia Mancino
shares her delightful story THE SECOND PARADISE. Betty MacDonald fan club honor member Mary Holmes did such a great job in translating THE SECOND PARADISE. Thanks a million dearest Mary. We are really very grateful.
I'm one of Letizia
Maninco's many devoted fans.
Letizia Mancino sent this connecting piece to " The Second Paradise".
DEFIANT AS A COCK
Copyright 2011/2016 by Letizia Mancino
translated by Mary Holmes
All rights reserved
That
was how my friend Hilde Domin was, dear Betty! You would have liked her
so much. She had also been in America. At that time you were a famous
author but she was still unknown.
-Did she love cats like you do?
-Yes Betty, she sure did!! Otherwise how do you think she could have been a friend of mine?
-Oh Letizia, don’t boast! Hilde was famous!
-It’s all the same to me, Betty, whether a person is famous or not but that person must love animals
-Why was she as defiant as a cock?
-Well Betty, she was simply so!
-Like a pregnant woman in my “Egg and I”?
-No not so! Betty, Hilde was a whole farm!
- A farm, how was that?
- No Betty, Hilde was more! Almost a zoo! Even more. She was all the animals in the world!
-You loved her very much.
-As I love all animals.
You Betty, if I had known you, I would have loved you exactly so because you loved animals.
-But as defiant as a cock from my Bob-farm!
-Yes
and no! (Hilde really loved this double form of answer). Listen Betty ,
I’ll tell you a story about how Hilde was. You would certainly have
loved her. I’ll call my story “The Second Paradise”.
THE SECOND PARADISE
Copyright 2011/2016 by Letizia Mancino
translated by Mary Holmes
All rights reserved
The Lord God, one day, met Adam in Paradise and saw him lying under a palm.
And God spoke to him: Adam, my son, are you happy, are you content with Paradise ?
Adam answered: Oh Lord, it is wonderful!
And God said: But I will create a second Paradise and give you a wife.
Adam answered: Oh Lord, that is wonderful!
And God said: I will create the wife according to your wishes.
And Adam stood under the palm and thought hard.
And God said: Adam, are you ready?
Adam
answered: My wife should be as lively as a bird but she should not fly.
She should swim like a goldfish but not be a fish….. She should be as
playful as a cat but not catch mice….. She should be as busy as an ant
but not so small.
And God said: So shall she be: Like a bird, a goldfish, a cat, an ant…
Adam answered: Oh Lord, that is wonderful, but she should be as faithful as a dog.
And God asked: Adam, have you finished?
Oh Lord, cried Adam. She should also be as delightful and gentle as a lamb and as defiant as a cock!
….She should be as curious as a monkey and as pampered as a lapdog.
And God said: So shall she be.
And Adam said: My wife should be as courageous as a lion and as headstrong as a goat…
And
God said: So, like a bird, a goldfish, a cat, an ant, a dog, a lamb, a
cock, a monkey, a lapdog, a lion, a goat… and slowly and surely he
wished to begin creating…
But Adam stretched himself under the palm and called:
Lord, Lord, she should be as adaptable as a chameleon but not creep on four feet.
She should have sparkling eyes like, like… real diamonds. She should be as fiery as a volcano
But … she should have crystal-clear thoughts like a mountain spring.
God, the Almighty, was speechless…
And Adam spoke: Also she should be as quick as lightening…
And God said: Man, have you finished????
No, said Adam! She should be as strong as a horse, as long living as an elephant but as light as a butterfly!
God
found Adam’s thoughts were good and said: So, bird, goldfish, cat, ant,
dog, lamb, cock, monkey, lapdog, lion, goat, chameleon, genuine
diamonds, volcano, mountain spring, lightening, horse, elephant….
butterfly…
God wished at last to begin creating her…
Lord, called Adam… she should be as stable as steel, but as sweet as three graceful women in one…
And God asked: Should she also be a poet?
Yes, called Adam from under the palm…
And God said: Adam have you finished?
Lord, I wish that, in the second Paradise I shall be one and doubled:
So God according to Adams last words created:
HILDE PALM DOMIN
Very best wishes
Letizia Mancino
Letizia Mancino is an outstanding writer and artist. I know you will enjoy this very charming and witty story the same way I did! Thanks a Million, dear Letiza Mancino! You made my day!
As you know I'm very interested in pets and excellent literature.
The
amazing, very witty, charming, intelligent story written by our
brilliant Betty MacDonald Fan Club Honor Member - artist and writer
Letizia Mancino.
WHEN YOU DREAM, DREAM BIG
Copyright 2011/2016 by Letizia Mancino All rights reserved Translated by D. Tsiaprakas
Betty,
I love you! Your books „Anybody can do anything“ and „Onions in the
Stew“ are really outstanding! I take them into my hand, and at a stone's
throw I am right away in America ! Columbus and the egg: The great
discovery!
Your bestseller „The Egg and I“ the greatest
discovery. And you and I! I know America: It's true what you are
writing: That's America: Absolutely right! No, even to the least detail!
The landscape and the passion: Do you know the country where pistols
blossom? Brava, Betty, you are describing the Americans vividly,
genuinely, insufferably, brushed upon paper. If I like to read your
works? To read doesn't even express it! I can even hear and see
everything: Nature, culture, subculture.
America has almost
remained unchanged! O those cool Americans! Calculating, stockmarket,
Wall Street, the financial crisis (even back in 1930), the gamblers, the
bankruptcy of companies! The swarming of dodgers and cheaters. People
left without money. Dispair und hunger! A terrible „Worst Case“ (when I
knew but little English I thought it is sausage with cheese).
Still
how impressive is the ability to adaptone self of the Americans: They
know how to enjoy life, acrobats of survival! In the twinkle of an eye
they achieved to adapt themselves and effect the work of pioneers: In
the morning you are a cleaningwoman, in the evening a brothel woman! No
problem!
„The insufficient, here it's becoming an event; The
indescribable, here it's done;“ Mary Bard Jensen, your sister, was the
treasure trove of procuring work: My word, what a power woman with
unlimited imagination! She has recommended you everywhere: Betty can do
everything, also write novels! Go ahead, sister, hurry up! The editor
wants to see your manuscripts! Up to that point you had not written a
single line! Wow! And if still everything goes wrong? No problem: When
you dream, dream big!
Just look, you have become famous.The Egg
and I You know that, Betty? I'll slip into „The Egg and I“ and come and
be your guest! I want to get to know your chickens. I hate chickens!
I'm a chickens slave from North America! O Betty, without these damned
animals, no chance of you becoming famous! „The Egg and I“ you would
never have written! How many readers you have made happy!
Your
book is so amusing! Your witty fine (almost nasty) remarks about your
family members and roundabout neighbours made me laugh so much! You have
been born into a special family: Comfort was not desired: I can't but
be amazed: What did your father say to your mother? After tomorrow I am
going to work elsewhere: Thousands of miles away...He sent her a
telegram: LEAVING FOR TWO YEARS ON THURSDAY FOR MEXICO CITY STOP GET
READY IF YOU WANT TO COME ALONG – That was on Monday. Mother wired back:
SHALL BE READY, and so she was.That's America! Improvisation, change,
adventure. You show no weakness: Let's go! Your descriptions, Betty,
about the tremendous happenings in nature have deeply frightened me.
Continent
America, I'm terrified by you! I feel so small and threatened like a
tiny fly before an enormous flyswatter! Your novel is very many-sided!
The reader may use it even as a cook book! „The Egg and I“ starts
straight away with a recipe: „Next to the wisdom that lamb meat doesn't
taste good unless it has been roasted with garlic“. Do you enjoy the
American food?
O Betty, it's too fatty for me and I hate garlic!
(Betty is presently cooking lunch for Bob. She's continually talking to
„STOVE“: STOVE is Bob's rival; in the beginning I thought it was being
himself). She turns round and says: Well, so no garlic for you. No lamb
either, Betty. I don't eat any meat! I'd actually prefer only fried
eggs. Betty, let me make them myself. Then you try it!
Blow!
„STOVE“ out of order! I don't succeed in turning it on! Damned! It's got
more of a mind of its own than „STOVE“ of my friend, Hilde Domin! Bob's
coming! He must eat directly! „Men eat anything, the swines! Says your
grandmother Gammy“. Is it true? Do you like my chickens? Bob asked me
without introducing himself. Yes, Bob (rude) I love them! I'm
vegetarian. Do you want to clean the henhouse with me tomorrow? A,
you're always getting up so early at four o'clock! Bob, that's not a job
for me! He looked at me disdainfully! A Roman cissy! You need a
reeducation at once! Help, Bob's attacking me! I rather change the novel
immediately and move to the „Island“!
Hillary Clinton wins decisive victory over Bernie Sanders in New York primary
Democratic frontrunner victorious, as Trump sweeps to victory in
Republican race, reviving his hopes of winning nomination outright
Hillary Clinton
clinched a decisive victory over Bernie Sanders in New York on Tuesday,
crushing hopes among his supporters that a recent winning streak could
change the direction of the Democratic presidential race. In the Republican race, Donald Trump swept to victory in his home state, reviving his hopes of winning the Republican party nomination outright. Clinton’s projected win by the Associated Press came 45 minutes after
polls closed and suggested a commanding performance that could see her
take a clear majority of the 291 delegates on offer and extend her
national lead. Appearing at a victory rally in Midtown Manhattan, the former
secretary of state said: “Tonight, the race for the Democratic
nomination is in the home stretch and victory is in sight.”
However, she stopped short of calling on her leftwing opponent to
drop out, adding: “I am going forward because more voices remain to be
heard,” and telling his supporters: “I believe there is much more that
unites us than divides us.”With over 98.4% of the votes tallied, Clinton led 57.9% to 42.1% and
was ahead in New York City. With more than 1.7 million Democratic votes
counted, Clinton held a lead in excess of 280,000. By midnight local
time she had won 135 delegates to 104 for Sanders.
With almost 100% of the votes in from the five boroughs of New York
City, Clinton was winning everywhere, 20 points ahead in Kings County,
which covers Brooklyn, and 39 points ahead in the Bronx, which has the
highest proportion of black voters in the city. In Manhattan, Clinton led by 32 points, by 21 points in multicultural Queens and by a narrower seven points in Staten Island.
Sanders lost the block in Brooklyn where he grew up by 36
votes to 19, but in a sign in his dominance in rural areas upstate he
beat the former secretary of state in Clinton County. A series of exit polls had suggested a closer race, with CNN putting
Clinton’s lead at a much tighter margin of 52%-48%. However, while exit
polls indicated Sanders won comfortably with under-40s and white men,
Clinton was ahead with older voters, women, and black and Latino
supporters. A packed ballroom at the Sheraton New York Times Square hotel erupted
into cheers as the race was called for Clinton. The crowd, in a
jubilant mood throughout the evening and entertained by a live band,
immediately broke into chants of “Hillary! Hillary!” as Celebration by
Kool and the Gang boomed out. Their mood soured just once, when the live newsfeed on a giant screen
mounted behind the stage cut into Donald Trump’s victory speech. In the
Republican race, Trump secured a massive home-turf victory, confirmed within seconds of the polls closing. With over 98.4% of the vote counted, Trump was on 60.5%, with John Kasich on 25.1% and Ted Cruz trailing with just 14.5%. The billionaire businessman was always expected to thrive in his home
state and there was never much doubt that he would defeat Cruz, the
Texas senator whose brand of conservatism went down badly here, and Ohio
governor Kasich, who struggled to make an impact. “It’s just incredible,” Trump told a crowd at Trump Tower in
Manhattan. “I guess we’re close to 70%, and we’re gonna end at a very
high level, and get a lot more delegates than anybody projected, even in
their wildest imagination.” “It’s impossible to catch us,” declared the Queens-born tycoon,
surrounded by brass, marble and a big TV showing Fox News. “Nobody
should take delegates and claim victory unless they get those delegates
with voters and voting, and that’s what’s going to happen. And you watch
because the people aren’t going to stand for it. It’s a crooked system,
it’s a system that’s rigged and we’re going to go back to the old way:
it’s called you vote and you win.” Clinton, who appeared for a victory speech shortly after 10pm, said:
“Today proved once again – there is no place like home. New Yorkers, you
have always had my back and I have always tried to have yours.” After an acrimonious Democratic contest in a state where both
candidates have strong personal roots, the former secretary of state is
expected to call on Democrats to begin the process of unifying against Republicans, even though Sanders may continue campaigning until July.
But bitter wrangling over alleged voting irregularities and strict registration rules may fuel anger among Sanders supporters who argue the system favours establishment candidates.Earlier Sanders had criticised closed New York primary rules that
require voters to register their party affiliation up to six months
before the election. “Today, 3 million people in the state of New York
who are independents have lost their right to vote in the Democratic or
Republican primary. That’s wrong,” said the Vermont senator. Most polling leading up to Tuesday’s primary showed Clinton
comfortably ahead of Sanders in her adopted home state, which elected
her to two terms as a US senator and also chose her over Barack Obama in
2008.
Clinton
had cautioned her supporters against complacency while barnstorming the
state in the days prior to the election, emphasising repeatedly that
she was “not taking anything for granted” and nor should they. Her whirlwind schedule included retail stops all across New York
City, from Queens to the Bronx to East Harlem, where her campaign hoped
to boost turnout among the African American and Latino voters who have
overwhelmingly gravitated toward Clinton over Sanders in other contests. Although Clinton came into New York with a sizable delegate lead over
Sanders, a decisive win in the Empire State should help her lock up the
Democratic nomination both mathematically and in narrative. She
achieved a victory despite an onslaught of attacks from Sanders, whose
campaign grew increasingly sharp in tone in the past few weeks. On the eve of the New York primary, Clinton campaign manager Robby
Mook told reporters that the math did not add up for Sanders, and argued
that the senator had “a very steep and close to impossible path to the
nomination”. “We expect that Secretary Clinton will be the nominee, particularly
after tomorrow,” Mook said on a conference call with reporters. “Senator
Sanders and his campaign need to decide if they’re going to continue on
this line of attack. He needs to decide if he wants to continue making
attacks on the Democratic party itself and on allied groups like Planned
Parenthood.” The Sanders campaign, meanwhile, had been playing down expectations
of pulling off a surprise win in recent days, but it is likely to focus
on the sizable delegate haul from New York as a justification for its
strategy of giving of all American voters a chance to express their
preference in the Democratic primary.
Before
the New York polls closed on Tuesday, he had already moved on to one of
the next battleground states, insisting Clinton was getting “nervous”
as he took to the stage at Pennsylvania State University. However, his remarks appeared aimed at managing expectations about
the scale of her anticipated victory. “We’re going to do a lot better I
think than people thought we would,” he said. “We’re going to do just
fine tonight in New York.” The Vermont senator reserved his strongest language for a blistering attack on New York’s voting process after reports of widespread irregularities and missing registrations. “We are deeply disturbed by what we’re hearing from polling places
across the state,” the campaign said in a statement. “From long lines
and dramatic understaffing to longtime voters being forced to cast
affidavit ballots and thousands of registered New Yorkers being dropped
from the rolls, what’s happening today is a disgrace. “We need to be making it easier for people to vote, not inventing
arbitrary obstacles – and today’s shameful demonstration must underline
the urgent importance of fixing voting laws across the country.” The Clinton campaign had little sympathy for complaints about New
York’s closed primary system, which has been in place for many years.
“We didn’t set the rules here. We came here to compete,” campaign
manager John Podesta told CNN, arguing Clinton did not complain when she
lost states.
One hundred years ago today, Vashon Island's own Betty MacDonald was born. The author of The Egg & I, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle, and many other books, MacDonald garnered a worldwide following and still has millions of fans today. Why do I care? Number one, if you can't celebrate your local heroes, what the F can you do? Number two, my grandfather Don Woodfin
had a chicken farm in Lisabeula (an area on Vashon) in the 1940s and
'50s, and was a good friend of Betty and her family. He built them a
barn,
chicken coup, and caretaker house, all of which are now recognized
National Historical Landmarks. Don was immortalized as "the
unforgettable Marine" in Betty's book Onions in the Stew,
her story of life on Vashon. After 9/11, many members of the
international Betty MacDonald Fan Club e-mailed me to offer their best
wishes and let us know that they were thinking of us, all because he had
built her barn. It was really nice.
