Flair For Writing- Lochness Monster

Flair For Writing Newsletter
Editor: Megan Rose Princess Megan Rose 10 Years
Assistant Editor: AngelAngel


Greetings, Everyone!
Megan and Angel here. How is everyone? Angel and I are surviving the heat and thunderstorms. We live in states that adjoin each other, Indiana and Illinois. We get the same weather. Angel is busy with her Art Classes and still making beautiful Art pictures. I am waiting for news about my second novel, Princess Of Scruples to be accepted.

This month's newsletter is going to be different. We are going to write about Nessie, the Lochness Monster. I have always been curious about her. I would like to think that she exists and is friendly. Maybe Angel and I could have her for a pet! Here is some info about her that I found on Goggle. She is an interesting creature. Angel and I hope that you will enjoy reading about her.

The Lochness Monster suppossedly lives in Scotland's Loch Ness. "Nessie" is the best known cryptozoological creature in the world.

There are carvings made of her made by ancient inhabitants.She looks like a strange acquatic creature.

St. Columba says in his autobiography in 565 AD that a monster killed a man who was swimming in the River Ness. {I have read other reports that "Nessie" never harmed anyone.

In August 27, 1930, 3 fishermen reported seeing a 20 foot creature approach their boat throwing water in the air. The creature caused the boat to rock violently. After this, several people claimed to have seen a strange creature in the Loch.

In 1962, The Lochness Investigation Bureau was formed to research the possible existence of the Lochness Monster. Searches were conducted using submarines, infrared night time cameras, sonar scanners and hot air balloons. Cinema cameras with telephoto lenses were used also. There were pictures taken but there is no concrete evidence has ever been produced to prove her existence.

Lochness is located in the North of Scotland and runs along the Great Glen. The Great Glen is more then 70 feet deep. It is fed by the Oich and other streams and drained by the Ness to the Moray Firth. It forms part of the Caledonian Canal. Lochness is the largest freshwater lake in Great Britian.

"Nessie" is believed to be 40 to 50 feet long. {The pictures that I have seen, she resembles a dinosaur.} She is a major tourist attraction. It is also believed that she lives and hides in under water caves. She is described as having two humps, a tail and a snakelike head. A V-shaped was described as well as a gaping red mouth and horns or an antennae on top of the creature's head. Films have been studied and photos analyzed to determine what Nessie might be.

There are numerous therories to Nessie's identity, including a snake like primitive whale known as zeuglodon, a type of long-necked aquatic seal, giant eels, walruses, floating plants but many lake monster researchers seem to favor the plesiosaur theory. I have always enjoyed hearing about "Nessie" I have a Scottish friend and she, too thrives on "Nessie."

If you have any views or have found "Nessie" E-mail Angel or myself. I love fantasy and I have even mentioned Nessie in some of my medeival stories.

For centuries, there have been reports of giant squids and giant octopuses plus other sea monsters. There is also the Great White Shark. How creepy is he? Dragons were believed to have exosted years ago. They are my favorites along with Nessie.

I hope that you would like to read.

ID: 898922   (Rated: E) Dragons  All about dragons. by Princess Megan Rose 10 Years

Johnny Mac sent me this to use in the newsletter. He is a Dear friend of mine and Angel's. He gave me the idea to write about Nessie. Here is the story submitted by Johnny. This is a good one.

The Marvelous Swim of Hine-Poupou

This is the tale of the Chieftainess "Hine-Poupou" which means "Porpoise Woman."

Hine-Poupou lived on an island named Rangitoto. It was here that she was married to a man named Manini-Pounamu. He had his eyes set for another woman and wanted to get rid of his wife. He arranged a canoe trip to a deserted island called Kapiti, which was a native bird sanctuary some fifty miles. It was his intention to leave his wahine there.

On this fateful day, Manini-Pounamu collected a crew of his clan and along with Hine set off for the distant island. Once there,they made camp at the south end of the island where Manini knew that a certain kind of sweet smelling moss named Kopuru grew and Hine loved to spread this across the matted floors. She went high up into the Bush Clad Hills gathering the moss. When she was out of sight of the camping ground and canoe, Manini and his crew left in the canoe leaving Hine here. Hine sat and wept as she was scared and all by herself on this deserted island. She had been deceived by her evil husband.
She pondered on how to cross the sea to get back to her family and friends in the south island. She decided that the only way that she could return was to swim straight to Arapawa Island which was the nearest part of the southern coast where she may be able to pick up a canoe to return her to her home.

Although Hine knew that this swim was beyond human endorance, she knew that she was an Akri-Taniwha{a chieftainess of sea monsters} and could summon up the sea Gods to help her.
First, Hine resorted to divination, after the ancient manner of the Marois, in order to discover what her fate would be. Going to a flax bush, she carefully pulled up the heart stalk at the root of the plant. If it broke off short, it would be a bad omen. If it came out whole, indicating that her path lay clear and safe before her.

So, with the utmost confidence in the Gods, the deserted Hine-Poupou took to the sea. She recited an ancient chant, an invocation to the Gods for aid to cross the sea and for strength to help her with the swim.

She appealed to the sea ruler, Tangaroa and to the embodiment of storms Tawhirimantea. Confident that the Gods were on her side, she jumped into the sea from the rock that she stood on and began her swim to the southern side of the Cook Straight. This was a swim from the North Island to the Southern Island. She mentally appealed to the porpoise like fish, her sea guardian that lived in a cave near the entrance to the Pelorus Sound. It was the famous "Gray-Dolphin." He was an ageless creature. No one knew how long he had lived.

Hine swam along easily, strong in her faith and swim like a porpoise up and over the waves.

She receited chants of the canoe men and the sea, she had no fear. The sea-God came to her aid: he found her and buoyed her up and like the mermaid on a dolphin's back, in "A Midnight's Summer Dream," she went across the straight.

She rested at The Brothers Islet and then she swam to the main land and then found her way to the village of her people. Hine told her story of the decitful husband and his men. She was taken by canoe back to Rangitoto Island. On reaching there, she didn't confront her deceiving husband, she hid in the home of her friends until the hour of utu or "payment" came. The husband and many of his tribe went out in their canoes to fish.

This was the opportunity for Hine, the Sea Queen." She again invoked her Gods, as she stood on a cliff over looking the sea. She poured forth her soul in vengeful appeals to the deities of the ocean and winds. She appealed to the rulers of the deep and the sky to send a mighty storm and over whelm the deceiving Manini. The curse fell. A gale of wind and and furious sea arose aqnd the fishing canoes were over turned before they could reach safety and every man was lost.

Near the sea where Hine had stood, were two dogs shaped out of rock. They are called "Nga Kuri" A Hine-Poupou. The chieftain's two dogs had been turned to stone. They had been howling for their owner as she cast herself into the sea. Hine's swim is believed to have been 30 miles. This had truly been a marvelous swim for the heroine with the help of the "Gray Dolphin and Sea Gods."
This was taken from "Tales of the Maori" By: James Cowen

Thanks, Johnny Mac! This was delightful!

Angel and I hope that you have enjoyed this issue. We hope to write about fantasy next month. Have a safe and happy August! Until next month, Love: Megan and Angel

All Beautiful Sigs were done by Angel!