Table of contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS
A SPECIAL STORY ABOUT FAMILY 16
WHEN ACTION IS CALLED FOR 18
THE STORY OF THE CROW AND THE RABBIT 20
LISTENING IS BETTER THAN TALKING 21
THE ROOSTER AND THE GOLDEN NUGGET 22
THE LION’S FRIEND WAS CALLED MOUSE 23
RESPONSIBILITY 24
JUDGING PEOPLE 25
THE PICANIKI 26
FANCY PANTS 27
PICK YOUR FRIENDS 28
EARNING YOUR KEEP 29
DECIDING WHEN TO WIN AND LOSE 30
BE CAREFUL WHO YOU ASK FOR HELP 32
WHY YOU HAVE TO GO TO SCHOOL 34
HOW TO ATTRACT BEES 36
THE LEGEND OF THE OLIVE TREE 39
THE REWARD 40
WHEN A RESPONSE IS REQUIRED 42
EACH PERSON HAS AN OPINION 43
A TIME TO BUY AND A TIME TO SELL 44
IT IS DIFFICULT TO PLACE A VALUE ON THINGS YOU DO NOT POSSESS 45
LIFE 46
PAYING FOR MISTAKES 46
WISDOM VS. STRENGTH 47
LOGIC 48
THE EFFECT OF POOR LEADERSHIP 49
LEARNING . . . 50
THE GIFT 51
THE QUESTION OF WOLVES 53
THE PRICE OF FREEDOM 54
CUNNING AND WISE 55
SELF DESTRUCTION 58
WHY SOME BIRDS HAVE LONG BEAKS . . . AND CHICKENS DON’T 59
TOO LATE TO BE SORRY 61
SUFFERING 62
“WHEN DONKEYS FIGHT IN THE FIELDS, FIELD MICE SUFFER.” 62
DON’T LET YOUR EYES BLIND YOU 63
LUXURY CAN BE TOO EXPENSIVE 65
A STORY ABOUT WAR AND HOPE 66
WHY THE WOLF HOWLS 67
PATIENCE 68
PATIENCE 69
THE MISER AND THE PRIEST 71
HOW TO MAKE A FRIEND AND OTHER STORIES 72
THE DEAD MULE AND THE MAN FROM SPARTA 73
GOD HELPS THOSE WHO HELP THEMSELVES 74
DON’T BE GREEDY 75
THE LESSON 76
THE KINGFISHER AND THE ANTS 77
OLD AND MODERN VERSIONS OF AEOSOP’S FABLES
THE BEAR AND THE TWO TRAVELERS 79
TWO YOUNG MEN 80
THE ANT AND THE DOVE 81
THE YOUNG MAN AND THE OLD TREE 82
THE DONKEY AND HIS PURCHASER 83
AT THE BEACH 84
THE DANCING MONKEYS 85
MONEY FOR WINE 86
THE MILKMAID AND HER PAIL 89
WAIT UNTIL THE GAME IS OVER 90
THE ANT AND THE COCOON 91
SOMETHING TO GIVE 92
THE RABBIT AND THE HOUND 94
GETTING HELP WITH MATH 95
THE FOX AND THE LIONESS 96
THE FASTEST CAR 97
“A BAD PEACE IS BETTER THAN A GOOD WAR.’’ 98
“PROVERBS ARE THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.”
FOR A MAN TO BE CONTENT, HE NEEDS THE LOVE OF A GOOD WOMAN 109
HAVING FUN WITH ENGLISH 110
STORIES FOR OLDER PEOPLE AND STORIES OF TODAY
EVEN DEMOCRACY HAS ITS PLACE 115
BARBIERI, THE BARBER 116
TOO MUCH PRIDE CAN BE A TERRIBLE THING. 118
CHOOSING AND CHOICES 119
FOOLS KEEP PRACTICING MISTAKES 120
WHAT MAKES WINTER 122
THE BOX 124
HOW TO MAKE A PROFIT 125
HOW TO DEFINE PROFIT 125
PAPOU’S METHOD OF PORTION CONTROL 126
COMMON SENSE AND MARKETING 126
THE UNDERWATER FLASHLIGHT 127
PAPOU ON SELF-EMPLOYMENT 128
THE SNOWY EGRET AND THE WATER BUFFALO 129
YIAYIA’S RECIPES
TRACHANÁ (PASTA) 131
SUPA TRACHANÁ (PASTA SOUP) 132
PHAKÉS (LENTIL SOUP) 133
AVGOLÉMENO (GREEK CHICKEN SOUP) 134
KOTÓPOULO PSITÓ (GREEK-BAKED CHICKEN) 136
STEFÁDO (BRAISED BEEF WITH WHOLE ONIONS) 137
DOLMÁTHES (STUFFED GRAPE LEAVES) 138
FASÓLIA TOURLOÚ (GREEK GREAN BEANS) 140

KAPAMÁ (BRAISED LAMB) 141
YIAYIA’S DESSERT RECIPES
RIZZOGALO (RICE PUDDING) 143
BAKLAVÁ (WALNUT PASTRIES) 144
KOURABIÉDES (SWEET COOKIES) 145
CARVED IN STONE: A GREEK HERITAGE 146
ROOTS OF THE BLACKTHORN TREE: THE IRISH HERITAGE 147

Index……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………148

Introduction Comments

Tales from Papou and Yiayia
© 2004



By Basil Douros





Copyright © 2004 by Basil Douros. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner
whatsoever without written permission, except in the case
of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.





































INTRODUCTION


The Greeks call grandparents Papou and Yiayia; the Germans call them Opah and Oma; the Americans say Grandpa and Grandma; the French Grandpere and Grandmere; and the Italians refer to them as Nono and Nonna. This book is dedicated to all of these very special people.
Grandfathers tend to share their knowledge with grandchildren and tell them stories that are remembered and retold many times over. The message of this work is more than just one grandfather’s contribution. In this book, Papou becomes a wonderful, wise, and lovely person—bigger that any individual grandfather—who has many sayings that help explain the complicated world we live in.
Yiayias, too, are especially resourceful because they hold the family together, cook ethnic food, takes the children to church, and above all talk constantly to their grandchildren. Papou and Yiayia are not always perfect (in fact, they’re never perfect!), but are always special. That’s what makes their philosophy of life, as told in these sayings and stories, a treasure we cannot afford to lose.
Papou and Yiayia would often share their tidbits of wisdom and recipes in the Greek language. The translations, though not always precise, carry the basic intent of the old sayings, and he wisdom passed down from one to yet another generation. The words in this book are an effort to document the philosophy and way of life of many papous and yiayias.