((My entry into theme week))
(( Illustrated version here: Fowwow Fwuffy tu Sketti-wand (story book version by Chikahiro) ))
And finally on NPR’s Morning Edition:
Dr. Patrick Morita, author of the children’s book, “Follow Me To Sketti-Land” has passed away at the age of 73. He was a veterinarian with brief stints in acting, but is most known for the 20XX book he wrote after one of his grandchildren’s pet Carpdime fluffies died in an accident during playtime.
“It was very hard, you know, trying to explain to these little boys and girls that death happens. They’re all very sad. So I called my friend Frederick Rogers, and he said, ‘The world is not always a kind place. That’s something all children learn for themselves, whether we want them to or not, but it’s something they really need our help to understand.’”
“Now, he’s a Presbyterian priest and I grew up Bhuddist. One thing we both agreed on was something after life. Maybe you go to heaven, maybe you reincarnate, our atheist friends would say there’s nothing after. But, at least, at that point there’s not the suffering, you know? Sometimes it’s a cold comfort, but its there none the less.”
It was after this talk Dr. Morita began writing the book. “The one thing with fluffies is at each stage of life they have wants and needs. And things they’re afraid of not having. Children can understand this. The children would be sad still, yes, but I wanted them to hopefully empathize with those things. And maybe think about them. And the needs of their brothers and sisters. In the end, I wrote it hoping to give comfort while teaching empathy.”
His greatest surprise was when the Japanese animation legend, Studio Fluffy, asked to make an animated short of the book. Only five minutes long, they turned the book into a song, following Cotton Fluffs flying through the night sky. As the Cotton Fluffs sail through the darkness, spirits of fluffies that had died perk up and begin following them. At the end of the short film the Cotton Fluffs are leading a parade of spirits to the fabled “Skettiland," disappearing into the starry sky.
Fowwow fwuffy tu Sketti-wand babbeh, fwuffy show yu way
Nebah cowd or scaweh thewe, fwuffy waugh an pway
Babbeh see Mammah sing mama song, hab miwkies fo yu
Babben see Daddeh, daddeh hab huggies fo yuFowwow fwuffy tu Sketti-wand mammah, fowwow fwuffy
Nu cwy cuz woneweh, nu monstahs, nu babbehs saeh bai-bai
Speshul fwen wid yu, babbehs gwow big un stwong
Pwentie nummies fo miwkies, smeww pwettie, tashte pwettieFowwow fwuffy to Sketti-want daddeh, famiweh heaw tu staeh
No moa stompies or huwties, no meanie, no need wun away
No hab be scawed or scaweh, can be good fwuffy aww day
Speshul fwen an babbehs happeh gib heawt happies if fowwow fwuffyJus wake up foweba sweepies an fowwow fwuffy to sketti-wand
"Hayao-san really liked the idea of the Cottonfluffs being the ones who lead the way. He very much loves nature you know, and to know how short their lives are? Seeing a child blow a Cotton Fluff into the air, its squeal of joy, takes on a melancholy beauty.
“I didn’t want it to be about sketti, as tempting as it was. And we all know how much fluffies and children like sketti! The sketti is assumed. Ask any fluffy or child if there will be spaghetti at Skettiland and they’ll just look at you wondering how you don’t get it. Its in the name! But maybe, just maybe, the children will think about what else fluffies, and other people, really need."
This is NPR.
