The Three Candles of Little Veronica: The Story of a Child's Soul in This World and the Other

By Manfred Kyber

Book Overview

"A fortunate few carry with them through life the vision of the innocent years. The rest of us must work hard to retrieve the light that is so freely given to us at birth. But if, in reverence for all life, in patient observation, in sorrow, and in compassion, the veil of darkness falls from our eyes, then it is we who are the lucky ones. For in full consciousness we have reached back into Paradise before the Fall. We have earned that which every child inherits unearned."

--Rosamond Reinhardt, from the introduction

Who with the eye of reverence may discern
How crystals form within the soul of the Earth,
Watch in the quickening seed the clear flame burn,
In life see death, and in decay new birth ...
He who has found his kin in man and beast
And in that kinship God's own Brotherhood,
At the High Table of the Grail shall feast,
Sup with the Lord of Love, taste holy food ...
He, seeking, finds (God's promise shall suffice)
The pathway to forgotten Paradise.
--Manfred Kyber

Manfred Kyber's classic Three Candles of Little Veronica is now available again in English. For generations, readers have loved this story and discovered its ability to guide us to the magic of nature and to a deeper understanding of human relationships and karma, reminding us of our responsibility to protect innocent creatures.

The excellent translation and exquisite illustrations combine to produce a first-class edition that you will want to read, reread, and pass on to friends. More than any treatise on the environment, this book speaks to the reader's heart and awakens a sense of caring and responsibility for the world around us.

This is a remarkable and enduring story in the Grail tradition. The author begins with Veronica's early youth, when she can see beyond the physical appearance of things and can converse with a hedgehog, a blackbird, and other residents in The Garden of Spirits. Accompanied by her cat Mutzeputz and guided by her wise Uncle Johannes, Veronica grows beyond innocence and into the life of the House of Shadows, the Baltic town of Halmar, the cursed Castle Irreloh, and the people whose destiny intersects hers.

As the story unfolds, Veronica learns--through a playful elemental and with the help of Uncle Johannes Wanderer--that only a veil separates us from the spiritual world, "and it lifts more often than people today believe." The events of joy and terror in her life lead her to a beautiful reconciliation with this duality and to true understanding of the meaning and mystery of the three candles that mark the turning points in her life.

The writing style of The Three Candles of Little Veronica is unique and idiosyncratic. Kyber's earnestness and deeply held spiritual values, as well as his profound concern for the well being of animals, are evident throughout. His greatest wish was to open the hearts of readers drawn to his work.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0913098841
• ISBN13: 9780913098844
• Release Date: January 1972
• Publisher: Anthu
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.92 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 9 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 4 and higher

Customer Reviews

The Three Candles of Little Veronica: The Story of a Child's Soul in This World and the Other (Paper

This is an engrossing and colorful story, but it's the rich lode of spiritual truth in The Three Candles that brings tears to my eyes whenever I reread it. For those who feel not quite at home in this world - who sense that they have one foot in this world and a least a toehold in the other - this book offers affirmation and consolation. It begins with a delightful and wry description of our lost abilities to perceive the essence of nature, and proceeds to illuminate with love and hope the beauty and tragedy of this world. It reminds us of the profound consequences of mundane choices we make. It addresses how we enter and leave this life and what occurs in between. It indicates how the most difficult acts of service arise from the joy of love. As with all great children's books, it is profoundly moral without being at all moralistic. It is also for those adults who would "become again as little children."

a sweet story and a lot more

This book can be seen as a simple fairy tale or much more. If you've ever wanted to escape your normal or boring life, simply turn to the first page. Veronica encounters fairies, demons, sylphs, ghosts, all during her seemingly normal life. This book is a gem and should be on every bookshelf. It is beautifully written and oh-so-inspirational!

Favoite book of my childhood

My mom gave me this book when I was a child it was by far my favorite, the story and the illustrations are rich and beautiful. I had been hoping to share it with my children (my copy has long since dissapeared). This is a book that should never be out of print it has far too much to offer to anyone who has children or not.

much more to this book than you have any idea..JGA

This was the favorite book of all people associated with the Garden City, L.I., N.Y. Waldorf school (perhaps the flagship school at that time for the U.S.) in the school's 'heyday'.. I graduated from there in 1966 when John F. Gardner was headmaster, and Dr. Franz Winkler was Chairman. This book should never be out of print.. it has too much in it for those that wish to follow a spiritual path. If you seek the Holy Grail, read this book; and no, I am not kidding. John G. Aughenbaugh .