39 - Cachalot

Our beautiful little yacht

bounded over the water gaily

Bright sunshine and a delicious sea-breeze

Putting us in high spirits.

The Archway was in sight

when suddenly

I saw a dark and shadowy mass

a catastrophe seemed inevitable!

We surged ahead, the danger passed!

Where but a moment

before I had distinctly seen

a great green shadow - Nothing!

Another!

Moving!

And a great black body

emerged from the sea,

from the upper extremity rushed

a column of water,

which, with a mighty noise,

rose upward.

The mystery explained

as the great beast emerged

yet further from the water,

i recognized, from its enormous size

and great length of head

the cachalot!

Apparantly enraged, the monster

meditated a rush upon us

savage temper apparantly

lashing the water violently for a few seconds

plunged beneath the surface

and disappeared.

pg 254 - 255
Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

38 - Warthogs

Going quietly along

when suddenly

there was a rustling

and snorting close by.

A great boar

broke through the bushes.

A huge boar

with fierce eyes

monstrous tusks

and a snout as

broad as my hand!

pg 248 - 249

Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

37 - The Corridor

I pursued my way

through this vaulted cave

or corridor, which,

presently turning,

opened into a very lonely bay,

so calm and lake-like,

although of considerable size.

It's shores, beyond the rocky boundary

through which I penetrated

extended in fertile plains

towards what seemed

the mouth of a river

beyond which  lay rough

and probably marshy ground,

and a dense forest of cedars

which closed the view.

The water beneath me

was clear as crystal

an, gazing into its depths and shallows

I perceived beds of shell-fish

like large oysters,

attached to the rocks

and to each other

by tufts of hair filaments.

pg 242 - 243
Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

36 - Three Froggies

Recovering their feet,

sat squat before us

swelling and puffing

with a ludicrous air

of insulted dignity.

Handsome young specimens

of famous frog.

Their talent for music

has brought them

precociously into public notice.

Their general color was greenish brown

mottled and spotted

with reddish brown and yellow

the sides green and black;

the under part yellow

mottled with orange.

The eyes were positively beautiful

a rich chestnut hue

covered with golden white dots

which shone with metallic lustre.

The skin of the body was puckered into longitudinal folds.

pg 236 - 237
Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

35 - The Elephant

The evening was calm and lovely.

The sea murmured in the distance,

and the rising moon shed a beauty

over the landscape.

The summer night closed around us

in all its solemn stillness,

and our deepest feelings were touched.

From the hills echoed

the mournful howl of jackals.

Far away sounded unearthly

hollow snortings and neighings,

reminding one of the strange

cry of the hippopotamus;

above these, occasional

deep majestic roarings

made our hearts quail

with the conviction

that we heard the voices of

lions and elephants.

pg 230 - 231
Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

34 - Walrus and Storm

Prodigious weight

among the rocks

grand snow-white tusks

the walrus

an animal peculiar

to the arctic regions.

Black clouds

gathered thick and fast

around us

and a tremendous storm

came on.

The horizon was shrouded

in darkness,

fearful gusts of wind

lashed the ocean into foam,

rain descended in torrents

livid lightning

glared athwart the gloom.

The tempest swept on

and my whole agonized heart

arose, earnest for our deliverance

pg 224 - 225
Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010



24 Gift Cards

My newest "thing" ... making some gift cards... The photos still don't turn out that well... I will continue to update this blog post. 

Four Hummingbirds

33 - Kangaroo (acrylic)

We resolved

to be up betimes

the following morning.

The number of creatures

an agreeable

array of animals.

In blank amazement

the kangaroo

declared silently,

"What a splendid plan"

pg 218 -219
Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

32 - Kayak

The mother

who was never happy

when we were on the sea,

declared that our chances

of drowning were,

With the pinnace and canoe

already great.

Her fears were speedily allayed

The boat I intended to construct

should be no flimsy cockleshell

But as safe and as stout

a craft as ever

floated upon the sea.

pg 212 - 213
Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010



31 - Sunset

The day was far advanced

a herd of antelopes

had taken up their abode

in the neighborhood

We saw the beautiful animals

browsing amongst the trees.

pg 206 - 207

Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

30 - Two Eland

At last the tramp and beat

of hooves struck our ears.

Crossing the open ground

before us at a sharp trot.

The morning was so

cool and fresh

the top of a grassy hill

from whose summit

we saw herds of animals

antelopes, goats, or gazelles

grazing by the side

of the stream.

pg 200 - 201

Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

29 - The Tortoise and the Hare

In the vast sandy desert

where nothing grows

what can these find to live upon?

It would be hard to say

if the desert was utterly barren

and unfruitful

but over these sandy wastes

plants of wild melons

which absorb

and retain

every drop of moisture

and which quench the thirst

as well as satisfy the hunger

of the inhabitants of the wilds.

A tortoise! I declare!

Perhaps there has been a tortoise shower?

pg 194 - 195

Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

28 - Lion and his Secretary

Inspection of the Learned

Remarking

With the liveliest satisfaction

We commenced

directing our course

to a point

where the Boa Constrictor

Rustling

and Rattling

Through the thicket

of canes

Until a herd of creatures

Like little pigs

Issued from the thicket

and made off

single file

pg 188 - 189

Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

27 - The Swamp

Much anxiety

lest another serpent

might have

entered the swamp

Thorough examination

of thicket and morass

Through which

the arch-enemy

could have entered

our territory.

Nothing discovered

beyond the creature's lair

but

rushes, grass, and bog-plants.

pg 182 - 183

Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010

Additional note: Here I am preparing to create this painting.... Jack-The-Accident-Prone-Kitten is assisting me.

26 - The Snake and the Ass

In another moment

the ass was close

to the thicket,

and with a cold

shudder of horror

we beheld the snake

rear itself from its lair

with fiery eyes

glanced round

the dark deadly

jaws opened widely

the forked tonuge

darted greedily forth.

Swift and straight

as a fencer's thrust

the destroyer

was upon him

wound round him

entangled

enfolded

compressed.

pg 176 - 177

Swiss Family Robinson

by Johann Wyss

Altered by Sasheena Kurfman 2010