This morning I brought my little one to Festilou, a Festival de contes pour la jeunesse held at Théâtre de l’Esquisse on rue Marie-Anne.
The piece we saw, entitled Petites sagesses, had three different storytellers, each as unique as their stories: Éric Michaud, Éveline Ménard and Saulo Olmedo Evans.


We heard a story about a family with twelve children who, hating bathtime, were attacked by a dirt-feeding monster in the mountains. A second one about a little boy travelling the world, learning to open up his heart and push away his fears. And a third one about a panther stealing fire from villages in the deep of Panama.

When the stories ceased, we walked Mont Royal Avenue and stepped into O Petit Paris for some coffee + croissants.




We finished off by admiring Marie-Anne some more…


Of course, this song came to mind as it always does when I stroll Marianne, this time pushing his stroller through the heavy Montreal heat:
So Long, Marianne
[Verse 1]
Come over to the window, my little darling
I’d like to try to read your palm
I used to think I was some kind of Gypsy boy
Before I let you take me home
[Chorus]
Now so long, Marianne, it’s time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
[Verse 2]
Well you know that I love to live with you
But you make me forget so very much
I forget to pray for the angels
And then the angels forget to pray for us
[Chorus]
Now so long, Marianne, it’s time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
[Verse 3]
We met when we were almost young
Deep in the green lilac park
You held on to me like I was a crucifix
As we went kneeling through the dark
[Chorus]
Oh so long, Marianne, it’s time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
[Verse 4]
Your letters they all say that you’re beside me now
Then why do I feel alone?
I’m standing on a ledge and your fine spider web
Is fastening my ankle to a stone
[Chorus]
Now so long, Marianne, it’s time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
[Verse 5]
For now I need your hidden love
I’m cold as a new razor blade
You left when I told you I was curious
I never said that I was brave
[Chorus]
Oh so long, Marianne, it’s time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again
[Verse 6]
Oh, you are really such a pretty one
I see you’ve gone and changed your name again
And just when I climbed this whole mountainside
To wash my eyelids in the rain
[Chorus]
Oh so long, Marianne, it’s time that we began
To laugh and cry and cry and laugh about it all again