Stories – Alex Mabbs

Fire Bird

What flashed through my mind as I fell was the image of a bird, plummeting down from the sun, its feathers like fire, with all the colours of the rainbow in those flames as it soared through the sky. When I came to, the world had gone black. I could feel hundreds of legs andContinue reading “Fire Bird”

And there was a shepherdess

Here’s this year’s Christmas story for you… You say that it’s a fairy story for children, but while it’s true that I was a child, there were plenty of adults present who saw what I saw. What’s more, those were angels, not fairies. You say the facts don’t add up and that the dates don’tContinue reading “And there was a shepherdess”

Ukulele

Here’s a story that didn’t make it into the bible. I’m sure it must have made the short-list, though. When Noah was loading the animals onto the ark, he made sure he took as many as the ark would hold, and then some. That meant that there was very little space for any personal possessions.Continue reading “Ukulele”

Saving Santa

Nicholas stared out of the window at the night sky, unable to sleep. “How did it come to this?” he wondered. It had started out so well – being nice to children, giving them little gifts, bringing a bit of magic and joy into their little lives. The big mistake was teaming up with thatContinue reading “Saving Santa”

The Little Hen’s Egg

I’m going to tell this story to the pre-school children tomorrow. Against the background of my current reading about a Steady State Economy (“Enough is Enough” – Rob Dietz & Dan O’Neill), it feels appropriate. So – are you sitting comfortably? Then I’ll begin … Once upon a time, there was a little hen. SheContinue reading “The Little Hen’s Egg”

Reindeer

Here’s this year’s Christmas story … You know Dasher & Dancer, Prancer and Vixen, Comet and Cupid, Donner and Blitzen. But do you recall Robert the Reindeer? No? Well there’s a very good reason for that. . . Robert the reindeer was out with the herd in Lapland, grazing on some lovely moss. The snowContinue reading “Reindeer”

The Christmas Wolf

There’s a little voice in my head asking what’s wrong with the Christmas stories in the Bible, that I feel the need to write new ones. But I can hardly hear that little voice, because of a much louder voice howling like a wolf – “Aarroooooo!” Here’s this year’s story … (The biblicalContinue reading “The Christmas Wolf”

Elijah’s Christmas

This is golden oldie, written in 1997. The bible background is 1 Kings 19.1-18. Elijah’s Christmas The prophet Elijah was sitting in his cave, feeling sorry for himself. An angel appeared to him and said, ‘Cheer up. God loves you.’ Elijah said to the angel, ‘That’s easy enough for you to say. You don’t haveContinue reading “Elijah’s Christmas”

Santa the Wise Man

This was a skit I performed (with the Big Man himself, of course) at our Christmas Eve fancy-dress crib service in 2010 (and repeated at our monthly cafe service, The Junction, last Sunday evening). I thought it might be appropriate to post it on St Nicholas’ Day today. Conversation between Father Christmas & AlexContinue reading “Santa the Wise Man”

The Old Woman and the Tree

Once upon a time an old woman moved into a new house. She wasn’t a very nice woman. She was rude and unfriendly and didn’t have any friends. Her new neighbours soon gave up trying to be kind to her, as she was just mean and nasty in return. In the garden of the woman’sContinue reading “The Old Woman and the Tree”