Week 13 Storytelling: The Two Friends Who Had a Drink

The sound of the young man's steps echoed through the deserted cemetery as the crisp breeze whistled through the trees. Flashes of dim light from the full moon peered through the branches and illuminated the gravestones so that he could see the names on each. He hastened to the newest tombstone where his very best friend in the world lay. He stared at the name carved in the stone and fought back tears as he knelt in the grass.

"Hi... I miss you... I know we promised we would never miss each other's birthdays so here I am... all by myself in this graveyard at night..." the young man spoke aloud as he looked around the cemetery in anxious curiosity and fear. He did not like being in such a place at night and he wished more than anything that his friend could join him.

(The graveyard at night while the young man was visiting)

As soon as he had finished speaking, he felt the ground rumble beside him and separate as the lid to a coffin flung open. Grass and dirt flew as the earth re-settled with the coffin now lying wide open and a corpse slowly rose into an upright seated position. The young man could hardly speak or turn his eyes away from the sight of his dead best friend rising from the grave. The two stared at each other for what seemed an eternity before the corpse erupted into laughter and tackled the young man with a giant hug. Their embrace wore away the shock and the two excitedly began talking and catching up on all that had occurred since the death. After several minutes of conversation, the corpse reached into his coffin and removed a bottle of liquor and two gauntlets for them to drink and reminisce. The corpse poured mighty portions for each and the earth seemed to spin around them while they drank. The young man wondered what sort of liquor he was consuming but he knew his friend would never lead him astray so it must be safe. They both quickly finished their first cups without hesitation.

"Quaff another cup, dear friend!" the dead man exclaimed as he refilled each cup and returned one to the young man.

Accompanied by good conversation, they finished the second cups of liquor and looked around them. The world looked eerily different and the graveyard appeared to be in much greater degradation. It did not fully process for the young man what was occurring so he agreed to a third glass of the mysterious liquor. The young man and dead man enjoyed themselves so heartily that at the end of the third glass they drank, they both drifted off into a deep sleep.

The young man jolted awake several hours later by the bright light of the day and the chirping of birds. He slowly sat up and looked to the gravestone where his friend had been, only to see the ground undisturbed and the gravestone intact. He wondered by what magic he had been able to see his dear friend seemingly alive and in person and regretfully realized that he had not had the chance to say goodbye after such a fun night of merriment. He rose to his feet, feeling a pounding in his temples, and wandered to the entrance of the graveyard. He again noticed that it was in significantly poorer repair and grass and vines had grown up over many of the gravestones. He exited the gate and looked to his left and right, met with giant creatures made of some sort of metal and four round legs sitting in the grass. He shook his head in confusion and carried on to return home.

As he walked, he saw a giant, winding black object pass through the grassy field and when he stepped on it, he realized it was not a snake as he had initially thought but a hard, flat surface. He heard a rushing sound and looked behind himself just in time to leap out of the way as another metal creature rolled by at a high speed. He threw himself to the ground and hid, thinking it was coming for him, but it simply passed along and disappeared into the distance. The young man was absolutely bewildered at this point so he ran in the direction he remembered his town being in. 

When he reached his hometown, he stopped in his tracks and stood still next to a statue of a man as hundreds of the motorized creatures spun around him on the black surface and blaring horns filled his ears. He saw multitudes of people walking along streets carrying small tablets with bright screens and chattering at fast paces. He whirled around trying to keep up but only become more disoriented. Finally, the young man grabbed the attention of a young woman who seemed pleasant and willing to help.

(The statue where the young man stood looking at all the people pass by)

"Excuse me, miss, can you tell me where I am? And... what year it is?" he hesitantly asked, embarrassed by his apparent lack of knowledge.

"Well, it's the year 2017 and you're at the University of Oklahoma! How did you not know that?" she quizzically asked with a puzzled look on her face. The young man stood still for a second, wondering how to even begin telling her that his dead friend had risen from the grave and given him a drink that had somehow made thousands of years pass without his realizing. So he decided to skip that part and, since he did not know anything about the town or year he was currently in, to see if this beautiful young woman would assist him.

"It's... a long story. But I'm here now and I can't seem to go back so do you mind showing me around this... university? Is that what you called it?" he said with a hopeful smile.

The pretty young lady smiled at him, clearly interested in his offer and handsome looks, and agreed before turning to walk down the street and begin her tour of the greatest university on earth.


Bibliography: Russian Fairy Tales , a collection of Muscovite folklore by Ralston

Author's Note: To be completely honest, this story did not quite turn out how I wanted but I decided to follow through with it. I liked the premise of the original source story with two friends drinking the night away and many years passing by because everyone can relate to that, can't they? Only one of the friends was dead and had risen from the grave for such a fun night. I decided to make many thousands of years pass instead of only three hundred so that the young man could end up in modern times. While I was thinking of that and picturing the only cemetery I've ever been to being in Norman, I decided to place him on OU's campus. The thought of him stumbling upon the business of the south oval made me laugh and fit the idea I was searching for perfectly. While I didn't this because I liked the mystery of it, I formulated the idea of the dead man caring enough for the young man that he sent him into the future because he knew he would have a better future there and would find the woman of his dreams. Similarly, the original story had the young man traveling to find his bride when he found the grave but I wanted to remove that portion so that the beginning could simply focus on their deep friendship.

Week 12 Storytelling: The Three Little Pigs' New Houses

Once upon a time there was an evil and vicious wolf who made rounds prowling the lands once a month looking for little pigs to swallow whole. Every pig was so afraid of him that they each made a house out of what they thought would be the strongest material to keep them safe when the wolf came by looking for his next meal. No one ever knew when he would be coming next so they always had to make sure they were prepared. When each pig was old enough to move out of their parent's homes, it was exciting and ceremonious for all of the other pigs to see what material they chose. On their eighteenth birthday, each pig entered the magical woods and whatever material they first laid eyes on was theirs for the taking. Some hoped for wood, some for stone, others for twigs and tall blades of grass. Each was different and the community of pigs eagerly awaited at the edge of the forest to see what the pigs chose.

However, in some ways, it was a competition to see who chose most wisely and those who felt certain of their choices knew that their houses would withstand the big bad wolf and thus did not fear his return. Growing up, every little pig dreamed of what they would one day build their house out of and the three little pigs, Ted, Stan, and Glen, who were all best friends, were no exception. All three of their birthdays were on the same day and they spent all night thinking of what material would become available to each of them when they entered the woods. When the sun rose on the morning of Ted, Stan, and Glen's birthdays, each shot up in their beds and eagerly rushed to the forest with a satchel where a crowd was gathered to cheer them on. Each took a deep breath, excitedly smiled at each other, and set off into the forest. The crowd hushed into a silence to await each pig's return.

 (Left to Right: Ted, Stan, and Glen on their birthdays)

Ted ran as fast as he could to separate himself from his friends and acquire what he believed would be the best material for his home. He searched and searched and suddenly beheld in front of him a pile of colorful and dirty plastic. The light reflected off of the material, beckoning Ted closer. He had never seen such an amazing matter in his life and knew that he would surely have the sturdiest house of them all if he chose the plastic. He scooped the plastic into his satchel and with an enormous grin on his face, walked back to the crowd at the edge of the forest. He passed Stan and Glen still running around frantically searching for their predestined material source. Stan looked under bushes and inside of hollowed trees before a glistening reflection of light momentarily blinded him. He stepped closer to investigate and realized it was a large heap of aluminum, just waiting for him to claim in his satchel. He shouted for joy at his excellent find and ran back to the edge of the forest to share in his excitement. with his friends.

Only Glen remained and he was quickly becoming frantic that he was the only one out of the three who had not yet found his future home materials. As soon as he had begun to lose all hope for his safety against the wolf, he stepped into a suspiciously malleable substance. He looked down to see orange putty sticking to his feet and he sighed in relief. It was the perfect material for him and he could build his house however he wanted. He scooped up all of the putty he could manage and flung it into his satchel before running back to the edge of the forest. Since he was the final pig to return, he was greeted with cheers and hugs from his fellow pig friends. They were all mesmerized by the colorful and beautiful finds each pig returned with and they all knew that the neighborhood of homes would be much brighter with the new homes of Ted, Stan, and Glen.

All of the pigs worked tirelessly over the next week to build the sturdiest, safest, and best-looking houses all in a row for Ted, Stan, and Glen to move into just in time for when they saw the wolf slowly approaching their neighborhood one day.  Each pig rushed into their own home and the three friends were eager, though afraid, to see if their houses would withstand the wolf. The wolf huffed and puffed and blew the first house made of sticks that he encountered down, sending the pig squealing away in fright. He then blew the second house may of hay down and snatched the pig up before it could escape. This continued until the wolf had blown down all of the houses in the village because they were not as sturdy as the three young pigs'.

(Photo of Ted's house made of plastic)

When the big, bad wolf reached Ted's house made of plastic, he huffed and puffed and tried to blow the house down but it did not budge. He quickly rushed to the next house, made of aluminum, to hide his embarrassment from his inability to blow Ted's house down, but alas, he was not able to blow down Stan's house either. So he rushed to Glen's, took one look at the mysterious putty molded into a little townhouse, and ran far away in an attempt to preserve his dignity. The pigs reluctantly exited their houses to survey the damage and were surprised to see that their houses were the only ones that had withstood the wolf. As sad as they were about the houses that had been lost, they smiled at each other with pride and rushed to the forest where they searched for more plastic, aluminum, or putty to rebuild the other pigs' houses and protect them from the wolf if he ever dared return.

Bibliography: English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs, published in 1890, about folktales and fairy tales that are considered native to England and the lowlands of Scotland

Author's Note: I had fun this week taking a story that everyone is familiar with and putting my own twist on it! Originally, the houses that the three pigs made were of sticks, straws, and brick and the wolf was unable to blow the last one down. So I took the liberty of changing the materials that the three pigs used for their houses by making it a contest to see who had the best houses as well as having them use ridiculous, manufactured goods that are basically trash and would never withstand the wolf. It was funny to imagine them building houses out of plastic, aluminum, and putty and so I decided to make them actually take the wolf's huffs and puffs. I also gave the pigs generic and silly names as well as made them three young pigs who were friends. I liked the idea of a pig community that they lived in, so I expanded on that so there could be traditions and customs they have for coming of age.

Week 11 Storytelling: The Summoner and the Fiend

Hi, my name is Steve and I am who they call the Fiend. My dwelling place is in hell and I walk around on earth to collect what is mine each day. I bring those whose time has come back to hell with me at the end of the day. Some people have long been awaiting their day of departure while others are ripped from their lives before they are ready. I bring them home with me nonetheless. I receive a list each day of who and what are to become mine and I ensure that I get them. I also look like a normal human man so many do not even notice what I do and I would like to keep it that way.

However, today is different than other days however because I have stumbled across a summoner, an official of the court, who has decided to befriend me. He did not know at first that I am the Fiend so for some reason, he instantly swore to be friends with me forever and offer our houses to each other should we ever need them in the future. I have never had a friend before so I wasn't sure how to turn him down, but I greatly regret it now. He's very enthusiastic. He has been following me around on my mission since noon and asking many questions about my trade of bringing people and belongings to hell. He said he thought I was a yeoman at first so he desires to see what I actually do instead and learn from the great Fiend himself. How does he even know who the Fiend is? I thought I had been quite discrete over the years but perhaps my name has spread.

My list today is not long so it unfortunately leaves much room for conversation. As we walk to the nearby village where I will take an old lady and her twelve pence, the summoner and I come across a man yelling at his two donkeys and cursing them, wishing the Fiend to take them from him. I force myself to turn my eyes away so that I am not tempted to get off schedule and take the donkeys before it is time. The summoner looks excitedly at me, neither subtle nor inconspicuous in the slightest, to see if I plan to take the donkeys from the man. He does not seem to understand that I have a strict checklist that I adhere to each day and I would never take a life before it is time. I ignore him and continue walking, in hopes that he will settle down and the man will not think anything of my presence.

We enter the town gates and head straight to the house of the old woman whose time has come. The summoner's excitement grows with each step and he energetically quizzes me about how I plan to persuade the lady to come to hell with me. I try to satiate him with half-hearted answers so that he will shut his mouth, but he is seemingly unaware of the dryness in my voice. My annoyance at him grows by the minute and I look forward to getting the old woman and her money so I can be on my way.

I decide to let the summoner help me so that he will bother me no more. I tell him to knock on the woman's gate and tell her to come outside. He does so but she resists and stays inside, so I tell him to threaten her with a bill requiring her presence at the archdeacon's court tomorrow to answer to charges against her. She resists again on the account of her sickness, which I am highly skeptical of, and requests for someone to appear in her place, even though she does not know what the charges against her are for. The summoner, who is clearly enjoying this exchange far too much, turns to me in eager anticipation of my approval. I roll my eyes and nod my head yes, allowing him to accept this proposal. He offers to appear in court for her for the price of twelve pence and she agrees, saying she will be right out to give the money to him in person. The summoner and I wait in silence until she steps outside with a small purse of coins. I whisper that I'll show him how it's done and step forward to accept the money from the woman. The second my hand touches hers, she instantly vanishes and is transported to hell where I will shortly join her.

The summoner stands in such awe of the task I just performed that he can't help but have the largest grin on his face. So I figure that I owe him at least a firm handshake, to which he is delighted. I then wave and with coin purse in hand, I step over to the same spot in which the old woman disappeared and do the same myself. Thankfully, I never saw the summoner again after this moment but I hope that he went about the rest of his day and life normally and does not still search for me from time to time.

(Hell, where Steve is from as well as where he takes people)

Bibliography: Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in a modern adaptation called Chaucer's Story Book by Eva March Tappan (1908).

Author's Note: In the original source story, the summoner encounters a man who he thinks is a yeoman but discovers he is the Fiend that roams the earth and takes people and things to hell when it is their time. He is curious about this and so he follows the Fiend as he goes to the town village to take twelve pence from an old widow and the Fiend even lets him be a part of it by talking to the old lady and convincing her to give up her money. I wanted to rewrite this story from the point of view of the Fiend himself, who I gave the harmless name of Steve, and share the perspective I imagined him having while I read the original story, which was that the summoner was very annoying to the Fiend and that he was frustrated with having him tag along and try to learn from him. I chose not to include any direct dialogue so that it could convey how disinterested the Fiend was in the scenarios before him since it is merely an everyday task he is completing. I felt sort of mean making him ignore the summoner but it was necessary for the mood I was trying to create. I hope it was an enjoyable read!

Week 10 Storytelling: How Fire Was Stolen from the Pine Trees

I feel so guilty. It's so cold outside and here I am safe and warm by the fire. There are animals out there who are freezing and even dying because they don't have the secret of fire. No one has the secret of fire except for us. We won't even share it with other trees who aren't Pine Trees. My father, leader of the Pine Trees and the tallest of them all, had just called a council of all the trees to discuss our secret. Some of the other Pine Trees wanted to help the other animals since this is the coldest winter we've ever had, but my father says no. He wants to remind everyone in our community that sharing our secret is not an option because it has been ours for many generations and our ancestors entrusted us to guard the secret with our lives. They wanted us to live on in history as the only ones who ever knew how to make fire.

 (The council of the great Pine Trees in the dreadful winter)

So I feel guilty. I have been sitting near this fire for two hours now, listening to the conversation of all the Pine Trees in our great council and trying not think of the miserable animals that we are selfishly hurting with our secret. As I look across the meeting of all the tall Pines stretching to the sky as they listen, a small flash of color catches my eye at the edge of the circle of trees near the bank. I squint and peer closer to tell what the strange object is when I realize it's a small, furry animal hiding underneath a log and staring at the fire. There are guards stationed all around our encampment so I don't know how such a creature managed to hide from all of the trees and I am certain I'm the only one who's noticed it. The glow from the fire glimmers in its eyes and I can see that it is hurting, cold, and starving, staring desperately at the fire.

 (The fire that the Pine Trees gathered around and kept secret)

Upon closer inspection, I realize it it's a beaver lying in wait and before I can do anything, it pounces toward the fire. It grabs one of the small coals from the fire and runs off, quickly weaving between the Pines who stare in astonishment at what is occurring before their eyes. No one moves for a minute and then I jump to my feet to run after the beaver so that I can direct it out of our encampment and help it return home safely. Being the smallest of the Pine Trees, I am also the fastest as I chase after the beaver and I quickly create distance between the other Pines and myself. I quickly catch up to it and gesture for it to follow me. I lead it through the winding trail through our encampment, veering sharply left and right every few feet, until we reach the edge of the forest and the beginning of the flat plains of land where I can no longer lead.

(The brave Beaver who stole the fire from the Pine Trees)

It continues running but looks back at me with a grateful look in its eyes and the coal still wedged firmly in its large teeth. I sigh with relief and smile that it made it safely away until I hear the pounding of the pursuit of the angry Pines behind me before they swiftly pass me. They follow the beaver but it is much farther ahead of them and I know it will escape. But my smile quickly fades as I feel a tap on my shoulder and I turn around to see my father disapprovingly shaking his head at me. He turns and motions to me to follow him back to the fire of the council where he will certainly discipline and chastise me. I can handle whatever my father says as long as I made a difference by helping, though I know he'll remind me of our ancestors and our many years of tradition that I just ruined. I don't care. I look back one time at the beaver far off in the distance and smile, knowing that I truly helped make a difference and that the secret of fire will soon help many others.

Bibliography:
Pacific Northwest Unit is an anthology (by Judson) of stories from a variety of tribes such as the Klamath, Kwakiutl, Shasta, and Nez Perce. 

Author's Note: 
In the original source story, it tells of how the beaver stole the fire from the Pine Trees at their great council meeting and ran far to bring it back to the animals, all the while the Pine Trees were chasing after it. The trees followed in pursuit and stopped at random places across the river when they were tired, thus there are trees along the Big Snake River. I wanted to tell the story from the point of view of one of the Pine Trees because it drove me crazy that they were so selfish to keep the secret of fire from everyone else during the coldest winter. So I created a character, the narrator, that felt bad and wanted to help in some way and told of its interaction with and assistance to the beaver. I imagined these trees as moving around like Ents from Lord of the Rings but I could not find any images of them to include in this story. However, that it how I hope the Pines are perceived by readers as they were roaming the earth before there were humans. This was difficult for me to write in the present tense but I wanted to challenge myself and had fun writing it. 

Week 9 Storytelling: Atdlarneq Eats Himself Sick

One fine day, the fine and handsome young man, Atdlarneq, was venturing through the dense forest hunting for his dinner when he stumbled across a little house in an open field just beyond the trees. He peered at it for some time, debating whether or not to try his luck and enter. He was feeling quite hungry since he had not yet caught any game for his meal that night after several hours of hunting and he supposed he ought to try. He cautiously approached the door and seeing that it was slightly cracked open, entered the small house. He was met by a small old man, grouchily sitting in a cushioned chair and glaring into the fireplace. His eyes slid to the side to meet Atdlarneq's curious gaze and he gritted his teeth before speaking.

(Grumpy Old Man)

"Who goes there?" the old man grumpily implored. Atdlarneq was taken aback by his curtness and stood still for a moment before speaking.

"Um...it is Atdlarneq, kind sir. I have been hunting for my dinner for several hours now and have not found anything... but I am very, very hungry, sir. Do you have any food you could spare before I make the dreaded walk back to my village? Please, sir, I am begging you. I am worried that my hunger will make the journey back very difficult. Please help me," Atdlarneq explained.

"Well...sure, I suppose. I was just about to eat. Tungujuluka! Prepare a hearty meal for my new friend Atdlarneq and me....Bring the food at once!" the old man grunted as he hobbled with his cane to an old and beaten wooden table. Atdlarneq cautiously followed suit and joined his new acquaintance at the table, unsure of what he had gotten himself into.

Tungujuluka. the old man's maid, quickly rushed two overflowing plates of fish and blubber to the table for her master and Atdlarneq. Both of the men's mouths watered before they gobbled the food down as quickly as they could. Between bites, they drank great amounts of water from the pitcher on the table and were very full after eating. The old man leaned back in his chair and eyed Atdlarneqwith with an intimidating and confusing look.

"Another round for my friend, Tungujuluka!" he yelled far too loudly as Atdlarneq was filled with excitement at the prospect of another plate of delicious food. His hunger had faded away into a distant memory and he was grateful to the old man for his generosity.

The next plate of food Tungujuluka brought was overflowing with Halibut, Salmon, Cod, and even more blubber, which Atdlarneq scarfed down immediately. He sat there satisfied, finishing with a large glass of water, while the old many peered at him even harder with his small beady eyes.

"Give him some more to eat." Tungujuluka rushed back to the kitchen and returned with another packed plate, only this one was stacked with ten pancakes, seven scrambled eggs, fifteen pieces of bacon, and fifteen pieces of sausage. Atdlarneq's eyes widened and he excitedly devoured his third plate of food before he began to feel overly stuffed.

The old man called his maid yet again and when she brought a fourth plate to Atdlarneq, he challenged him saying "Eat that up too". Atdlarneq hesitated for a moment because he had eaten so much in such a short period of time, but he did not want to disappoint the old man who had graciously shared his food with him. So he guzzled down six steaks, eight baked potatoes, seven corns on the cob, and twenty rolls. He began to feel ill at this point but the old man called for a fifth plate to be brought out to him full of a spaghetti with meatballs and five loaves of Italian bread.

(Overflowing Plates of Delicious Food)

This manner continued for several more hours until Atdlarneq had eaten ten plates of food. He could not longer eat anymore, yet the old man was still calling another over. When he denied the eleventh plate, the old man flew into a fit of rage at Atdlarneq's ungratefulness and cast him from his home, sending him hobbling down the sidewalk sick to his stomach with all of the food he had consumed. The old man stared from the porch and laughed at Atdlarneq's terrified expression and hurriedness to get away before sitting back down in his cushioned chair, comfortably full from the one plate of food he had eaten. He had had enough entertainment for the day with Atdlarneq's tenacity and desperation and Atdlarneq learned his lesson that day to never wish for something so badly from a stranger.

Bibliography:
The Eskimo Folk Tales are Canadian Inuit stories recorded by the explorer Knud Radmussen in the 20th century.

Author's Note:
The original story about Atdlarneq tells of his hunt for seals and how he stumbles upon the small house and when he enters, he meets three lovely ladies waiting for their master. When the master returns, he insists that Atdlarneq eat many plates full of fish and blubber as well as an entire frozen seal until he is absolutely stuffed, although he does not feel sick (because he swallowed a small stalk of grass beforehand) and he never ventures southward again, having learned his lesson. This story made me giggle picturing him devouring so much food that he does not want, so I decided to expand on that and make it even more ridiculous just how much he ate. I added modern day foods such as pancakes, steak, and pasta that also gave a more tangible feel for just how much he consumed. I felt sick just thinking about it! I also wanted to give the old man more of a role in that he was senile and honestly crazy, just seeking entertainment and simply curious at how much Atdlarneq would actually eat or just how far he would go to seem grateful to the old man. His character is pretty crazy and I wanted him to be confusing and even scary to Atdlarneq.

Week 7 Storytelling: The Story of the Playground Bully

There once was a mean young Jackal who bullied all the animals in the land on the playground at school. He always pushed them into the mud when it rained, popped out of corners to scare them, and stole all their food at lunch. The teachers never saw it happen, so they always let Jackal get away with everything- especially because Mr. and Mrs. Jackal were very prominent and wealthy in the community. Jackal was a notorious bully and some of his classmates- Lion, Baboon, Leopard, Hyena, Hare, and Mountain Tortoise- were simply tired of it.

(The playground of the animals)

One day, at recess, Hare, Leopard, and Hyena discovered delicious berries from a bush near the swing set on the playground. They quickly called the rest of their friends over to gather them up and take them to the giant blue slide where they always liked to meet during recess. As soon as they had set the berries down and begun to snack on them, Jackal swooped in from the top of the slide where he had been hiding and snatched all the berries up into his mouth in one smooth motion. He laughed as he ate and even dangled several berries in front of the animals to taunt them. The animals cried out in horror that Jackal had gotten to benefit from all of their hard work and eat the berries himself.

Hare, Leopard, Hyena, Lion, Baboon, and Mountain Tortoise huddle around each other, each furious and fuming, to decide what must be done to punish Jackal. He couldn't get away with his trickery and bullying any longer- they had had enough. Lion was the strongest, so he offered to eat Jackal up with his sharp, enormous teeth. Leopard was the stealthiest, so he proposed sneaking up behind Jackal and pushing him off the slide. Hyena was the ugliest, so he offered to jump in front of Jackal and make the most hideous face to scare him. Baboon suggested screaming in Jackal's face to deafen him and Hare recommended kicking Jackal with his powerful hind legs. Only Mountain Tortoise remained silent during their discussion for he knew none of those ideas would work. Jackal was too quick to be caught by any of those ideas, so he stepped forward to offer to snatch the Jackal himself and show him off. The other animals laughed until they realized Mountain Tortoise was serious and then they gathered close as he whispered his plan.

  (Jackal looking for animals to bully)

The next day, Jackal arrogantly pranced around the playground pushing aside and taunting all of the animals in his class as he usually did. As soon as he reached the top of the slide, he saw Mountain Tortoise sitting at the bottom, seemingly asking for Jackal to prance on him. With a smirk, he hurried down the slide at top speed and jumped high in the air to violently slam his paws onto Tortoise's back and push him into the ground. Much to his surprise, the second his paws touched Tortoise's back, they were instantly stuck to a dark, sticky, glue-like substance. He soon realized Tortoise had borrowed "shell shine" from his father the night before and smeared it across his shell to play this trick. Jackal strained and fought to remove his paws from Mountain Tortoise's back, but they were firmly stuck without budging. He heard snickering off to the side and looking to see Lion, Leopard, Hyena, and Baboon eagerly watching and giggling to themselves at Jackal's plight.

 (Moutain Tortoise waiting at the foot of the slide)

Suddenly, Hare and three of the animals' favorite teachers appeared standing over Jackal during his distress.  Hare had summoned the teachers as part of the plan to help them catch Jackal in the act. Mountain Tortoise recounted the whole ordeal and they were surprised and quite disappointed in Jackal for treating Mountain Tortoise so poorly. Another dismayed teacher soon arrived with adhesive remover to free Jackal from the shell and take him to detention, where he would be scolded and punished for bullying his classmates. Lion, Baboon, Leopard, Hyena, and Mountain Tortoise all celebrated and thoroughly enjoyed the rest of recess.

Author's Note:
I wrote this story because I was so frustrated in each of the readings with how often Jackal bullied all of the other animals without ever experiencing any sort of punishment. The original story dealt with water that the animals had worked hard to discover and how Jackal drank it all for himself, upsetting the other animals, so I changed it to berries that they worked hard to pick to give them something they were upset to lose. I decided to alter the ending so that he is punished so I thought it would be funny to place him in detention for all of his horrible bullying. Then I had the idea to place all of the animals in school on the playground so I took the approach of writing a children's story. I wanted Mountain Tortoise to seem like the wise one of the friends so I tried to ensure he had a large role and had the best plan to catch Jackal, which made it fun to imagine the ridiculous plans of the other animals. Overall, I had fun writing this short story and I hope it was fun to read!

Bibliography:
South African Folktales by the nomadic and San people (bushmen) of South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe

Week 6 Storytelling: The Diary of Dschou Tschu

Dear Diary,Today, I got into another fight! And of course, I won. We were drinking beers at the tavern all night and some old man looked at me in an odd way from across the room, which I didn't like one bit, so I through my beer mug at him. It hit him right in the forehead and he came charging at me, throwing punches left and right. I easily picked him up by the collar of his shirt and took one swing at him, which knocked him straight out. Everyone at the bar was really upset that I hit the old guy so they were all crying and yelling, but no one kicked me out or anything. They were probably just overreacting but I knew it wasn't a big deal. I get into fights all the time... and at least I always win! The people in this town just don't appreciate me or my strength.

Dear Diary,
Tonight, as I was walking home from drinking at the tavern, there was a man crying on my doorstep. I was in a good mood so I continued singing loudly and flinging my sword around until I was close enough to him that I could not bear his foolish crying anymore. So I asked him who he was and he told me that he was saddened because of the people's distress. I had no idea what he was talking about, so I laughed in his face and told him of the abundant harvest and how happily people lived in our village. He then told me that the people claimed there were three evils in the land: the dragon (understandably scary), the tiger (which didn't really seem all that scary to me), and me (which is ridiculous). He told me I had to take care of all three evils and then left... I know people here think poorly of me and that I am always causing fights, but I had no idea they considered me the third evil of the land... I must leave tomorrow morning to kill both of these monsters and then I should exile myself to a far away land where I can never bother anyone again.

 (The evil tiger in his cave)

Dear Diary,
I am briefly pausing on my journey to write that I have killed the tiger. I hunted him out of his cave and fought his savage claws and teeth before I threw his neck to the ground with my left hand and beat him with my right. He died before me and I carried him home on my back to show the people that the tiger is no more. Now I am about to embark on the second part of my journey, which is killing the dragon. I am more nervous about this part of my commission.

Dear Diary,
I have slain the dragon. I walked on the long bridge and dived into the water in which I encountered the dragon sleeping peacefully. I grabbed him by the neck with my mighty hands and we wrestled beneath the water for some time, both taking turns with the upper hand. Eventually, the dragon's strength began to fade and he realized he was no match for me and my own supernatural strength. The dragon flapped his wings desperately in a last attempt to get away, which sounded like the hooves of a thousand horses galloping around me. Finally, I cut the dragons head off and rose from the waves out of the water that was turning red with the dragon's blood. I then took the dragon's head, along with the tiger, to the man and told him that I had accomplished what he asked of me. He then told me to travel far from here and leave him to rule the people. This saddened me because I have lived in my village my entire life, but I knew I had to do it.

 (The evil dragon that Dschou Tschu killed)

Dear Diary,
Now I am sitting on a rock, overlooking the ocean at sunset, writing this and deciding where to travel next. I suppose I will wander until I find a country that will allow me to use my strength to fight as a soldier for the people. I will use my talents for good rather than for my own enjoyment now. And perhaps people will like me and I will never be banished again. I will write again when I have enlisted as a soldier and fought my first battle.

Author's Note:
For this story, I kept the entire plot the same but focused on telling the tale from the perspective of Dschou Tschu himself, rather than the mandarin. As I was reading the source story, I imagined Dscou Tschu as a brute who is not very smart and had no idea that the people disliked him so much for his eagerness to start fights and cause trouble. I wanted to highlight how he must have felt hearing the news of the evils and his adventures during the battles he fought and it made me laugh to picture him sitting down to journal the events that unfolded each time. I have never written in this style before and it was fun to try something new. However, it was difficult for me to decide what language style was best since it needed to sound personal because it was a diary entry, but I wanted it to be understandable and still convey the story appropriately. So I settled on a slightly modern take and I am not yet sure if it worked. Another thing I had difficulty with was finding images to illustrate this story because there were none available of the actual fights with the tiger and dragon. Regardless, I liked writing this piece and hope it was enjoyable to read!

Bibliography:
The Chinese Fairy Tales are a selection of stories from Wilhem's Chinese Fairy Book.

Week 5 Storytelling: The Snake, the Nobleman, and His Horse

[The scene is set in an open field with a nobleman who is hunting with his favorite companion, his horse. He heard several strange noises, something moving in the tall grass, and immediately reached for his arrows. His horse neighed as he whirled around to see a frightened snake hurrying towards him. Alarmed, the nobleman jumped back from the snake.]

(The nobleman and his horse hunting) 

SNAKE

Please, oh my lord, allow me to hide! An enemy with a stick is pursuing me! He wants to kill me!

NOBLEMAN

Oh yes, kind friend, conceal yourself in my shirt sleeve. No enemy will reach you there, for I will protect you!

[Just then, a devious looking man holding a sharp stick ran towards the nobleman and his horse. The nobleman double-checked his sleeve to make sure the snake was still hidden.]

MAN

You haven't by any chance seen a sneaky snake slithering around here, have you? I have been searching everywhere for him because he bit my dog and the poison killed him!

NOBLEMAN

No, sir, I have not seen a snake around here and I cannot be of assistance to you! I wish you all the best! 

[The nobleman's horse stamped its hoof at hearing the nobleman's false words, for the horse did not trust the snake, but he quickly placed a hand on the horse's back to calm it. The man was not quite convinced and searched around the field anyway, but alas, could not see the snake hidden in the sleeve. The man then went his own way in search of the snake elsewhere and the nobleman sighed with relief, letting the snake out of his sleeve.]

NOBLEMAN

Your enemy has gone and you should also be on your way, kind friend.

SNAKE

I have deceived you! You are quite ignorant to believe that a snake could be your kind friend, for you see, I have already bitten you and poisoned you.

[The nobleman suddenly felt a sharp pain and he glanced down at his right forearm to see that the snake had indeed bitten him, though he was just now beginning to feel the effects. His bite wounds began to leak blood and poison and the nobleman fell to his knees in agony.]

(The evil snake after biting the nobleman)

NOBLEMAN

How could you do this to me? I helped you and hid you from your enemy, you fiend!

SNAKE

Ah, but it is as they say, 'it is not right to do good to every person'. So when I smelled your human scent and had the urge to bite you, I did! 

[The nobleman shook his head in denial and pain as the snake chuckled to himself, watching the nobleman become weaker and weaker with the pain. The snake then turned to slither away but before he could leave, the angry horse came to the nobleman's defense. He leapt forward and smashed the snake's head into the ground, instantly killing it.]

NOBLEMAN

My dear horse, my sweet friend, thank you. You have avenged me and I can now die in peace knowing that I had the greatest horse that ever lived. Thank you for being my dearest companion.

[The nobleman sighed as the poison overtook his body and he took his last breath. The horse cried out in sorrow, knelt by the nobleman's side, and stayed with him through the night. When the rays of the morning sun awakened the horse, he galloped to the nearby town and urged several men he encountered on the street to follow him to the field where the nobleman's body lay. They too cried out when they saw the tragic scene and carried his corpse back into town to prepare him for a proper burial. While it was the saddest day the horse had ever experienced, he knew he had done the right thing and was glad to let his master rest in peace with.]

Author's Note:

I decided to try something creative with experimenting with a new storytelling style for this week's tale. I wanted to write it in a script style because I have not written a script since high school, but have always enjoyed doing it. I noticed that I was not able to include as much detail as I normally like to, making my story shorter than it usually is, but I was challenged in a different way of keeping the story flowing at a quicker pace. I ended up writing it as if it were a children's play, even if the content was a little dark for that. I kept the original premise of the story the same with a nobleman who hid a snake in his sleeve, but instead of the nobleman managing to kill the snake, I turned the tables and caused the nobleman to be bitten and poisoned after all. I wanted to expand on how evil and deceiving the snake was, but I did not want the snake to get away with it. So I created a bigger character in the nobleman's horse, who avenged his death by killing the snake and then warned the townsfolk of what had happened so that they would not just leave the nobleman's body in the field. He deserved a proper burial and peaceful ending, even if it was a little dark and sad. I was challenged by writing in this style, but I had a lot of fun!

 
Bibliography: Tales of a Parrot, an early 19th century English version of the Tutinameh and an adaptation of an earlier book written in Sanskrit

Week 4 Storytelling: The Handsome Thief

"I can't believe this!" Father yelled as he slammed his fist into the wooden table, causing several pitchers to crash to the ground. "We had ten guards stationed at the entrance. Ten! How could they have possibly gotten by?!"

"I don't know, Your Highness...We'll question the guards again. All I know is that there were no signs of anyone entering or exiting, but they had clearly been in there for one of them to fall into your trap," the head guard Milo stammered, clearly terrified by King Rhampsinitus' anger. I felt bad for him, knowing my father would likely have his head for this.

"You better. If one more piece of gold or precious jewel is taken from my treasure again, you'll surely be the one to pay," Father threatened while lifting Milo up by the shirt. He nodded, bowed, and hurried away as Father turned to face me. I was confused by his thoughtful expression.

(The King's Treasure)

"My sweet Maya... I would like you to do a favour for me. One of the two men who has been stealing from my treasure chamber was caught last night in the trap I laid...only he was found to have no head. Clearly, they both entered and did not want to be caught, so the other left and took the head with him. I want you to use your charm and beauty and see if you can find the other man and identify these men," Father condescendingly explained as he pulled my hair back behind my ear. I couldn't believe what he was asking me to do. This was my chance to escape the palace and my overbearing father- if even just for a few hours.

"Yes, Father, I will do what you ask of me," I responded, pretending as if I was not thrilled by this task. I rushed to my room and quickly donned my oldest cape, dress, and mud-stained riding boots usually saved for excursions in the rain. With one last look in the mirror to ensure I was unrecognizable with the hood over my face, I raced down the winding staircase and through the double-door entrance and out to the streets.

I dodged my way through the crowded bazaar and located a man who I thought to be friendly enough to ask if he knew anything about the robberies. He quickly nodded his head "no" and scurried away when he realized I was not interested in purchasing any fresh apples or pears from him. So I asked the next man I saw and the next but received the same response each time. Finally, someone tapped my right shoulder and I turned around to find a handsome young man smiling at me while holding a young toddler boy chewing triumphantly on a piece of bread.

(Egyptian Bazaar)

"Hello there, Miss. I couldn't help but overhear your questions to the men you met earlier. You know, about the robberies. I might be able to help you if you help me in return," he playfully suggested, grinning ear to ear while playing with the small boy's dark hair.

"Hm... how about... I will marry you if you tell me who the robbers are," I offered with a sly smile of my own, knowing it was an opportunity no one in their right mind would resist. I mean, I hope no one would be able to resist that.

"Now, how could I ever resist that?" the man laughed. See, I was right. I knew he wouldn't be able to. "Alright, I'll tell you. It was me. I stole the treasure." I was taken aback for a moment. There was no possible way that this man holding a small child and smirking at me was the robber, let alone the man who cut off another man's head just to save his identity. But he kept grinning at me and we couldn't tear our eyes away from each other.

"If it was really you... then what's the most wicked thing you've ever done?" I challenged this man knowing full well he wouldn't have the right answer. I crossed my arms and tried to look intimidating as he thought for a second.

"Well, if you really must know, I cut off my brother's head when he was caught in a trap inside the royal chamber while we were stealing gold to sell and feed the children of the orphanage we both ran together. But now I suppose it's just me and the orphans," he sadly explained. My jaw dropped because I had not expected such a seemingly normal- and did I mentioned handsome- man to have committed such a terrible deed but for such a charming and wonderful reason. How could I ever explain that to my father? He would never understand. I knew what I had to do, but I also knew what I wanted to do. I chose the latter.

"Well, not just you...I'll come with you!" I exclaimed as I grabbed the young boy from his arms and started off down the street, not even sure if I was going in the right direction. Turns out I was and the man- whose name I still didn't know, but at this point, didn't care- caught up to me, with a look of shock and excitement on his face. I glanced back at the palace and thought of my father, what he would think, and what he would say. But I didn't care about that either. It was just liberating to be out of that cold palace and doing something spontaneous for once, even if I didn't really know who this man was. I was sure I would figure it out, just like he would realize I'm the princess- all in due time. We shared a crazed look and continued down the street to a cluster of children- the rest of the orphans- and then home to the orphanage, with the children laughing and singing the entire way.

Authors Note: 
I took inspiration from this story from the tale of two brothers who are robbing the King's treasure over and over and when one of them is caught, the other cuts off his head so that their identities are not revealed. The part I wanted to expand on was when the King sent his daughter to try to find the brother who was still alive and capture him, but he was too sneaky and escaped, causing the King to be so amazed that he gave his daughter in marriage. There was not much said about the daughter so I wanted to explore her character and tell the story from her point of view. I added that she did not like her father and no longer wanted to stay in the palace, so she was excited at the task of finding the thief. I also wanted to give the brothers a heroic and good reason for stealing all of the money so that they were not just greedy robbers. When Maya and the man (to whom I never gave a name because I found it humorous that the men were only referred to as the brothers throughout the entire story) met, I gave them instant chemistry and attraction, which resulted in her insanely and spontaneously deciding to go with him, even though she didn't know him. I know it's a little crazy, but so is love!

Bibliography:
Link to Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie.

Week 3 Storytelling: Saint Comgall and the Friendly Mice

There once was a friendly and loving Saint named Comgall who lived in the beautiful green hills near the town of Bangor. Even though the hills were luscious and filled with beautiful flowers and ancient trees, Comgall never felt quite right living on his own because of those he saw in the town. He felt badly for the orphans and poor children of the land, so he opened his own monastery where they could all learn, laugh, play, and be together forever. He taught the eager students to interact with nature and to love all animals they encountered, from the swans in the lake and the bears in the forest to the rabbits in the field and the mice in the monastery. Saint Comgall showed his students to look out for these dear animals and to perform small acts of kindness for them whenever possible because one day, these small animals may return the favor. In this way, the pupils continued for several years.

(Comgall's Monastery in the hills near Bangor. Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

Unfortunately, one winter, it became much colder than it had ever been in the past, which limited the amount of food that the town or monastery could gather and prepare. Comgall gave up his most of his own rations each day so that his pupils could eat and have full stomachs while they tried to learn. At last, however, the rations were so small that even Comgall's meager portions could not feed the poor children. They began to starve, growing weak and thin, with sunken faces and a diminished light in their eyes. Comgall could no longer stand the sight of such hunger in his precious children, so he decided to visit Prince Norbert, the monastery's neighbor, to ask for more portions of food. It was rumored that the Prince had more than his fair portion of grains and Comgall believed that he could appeal to the goodness in the Prince Norbert's heart by telling him about the children.
Comgall walked to Norbert's palace and knocked on the door, hoping to convince him to help the young pupils of his monastery. Instead, he was surprised to see a wicked, old woman crack open the door, peering through with one eye. She instantly slammed it in Comgall's face and then he heard a loud voice.

(The harsh winter they faced. Photo from Wikimedia Commons)

"Lurch! Dear, Mother Lurch! Who was at the door?!" a man shrieked in a high-pitched voice. The door immediately swung open to reveal the ugly and cruel Prince Norbert with a half-eaten loaf of bread in his hand. "What do you want?"
"My sir, Prince Norbert, my name is Saint Comgall and I own the monastery just next door. Our poor students are starving and they are but young children. Could you spare a loaf of bread or two?" Comgall pleaded.
Without hesitation, Prince Norbert responded, "No, Dear Lurch and I will have all of the bread to ourselves and, mind you, we will enjoy it!" as he slammed the door in Comgall's face yet again. Comgall was devastated and stood still for a moment before thinking to himself.
"Hmm...I know the world Lurch... it means "mouse"... and I know a few mouse friends of who would love to help me out..." Comgall pondered as he walked home to the monastery empty-handed.

As soon as he entered his home, he ran to the dining hall and clapped his hands twice- the cue for all of his mouse to run out of their holes in the wall. Over one hundred mice soon surrounded him, scampering around and on top of him, as he explained the monastery's plight. Each mouse, angered by the words of Prince Norbert and his mother Lurch, vowed to help Comgall however they could. They schemed into the late hours of the night before they settled on a plan and returned to Prince Norbert's palace. Comgall led the mice up to the door, where he pointed to a small hole in the wooden door he had noticed earlier, and let all of them scurry in one by one to overtake the palace.
Norbert and Lurch each awoke with screams as they felt furry bodies surround them and heard small squeals in the night before realizing that they were being carried out of the palace on the backs of a wave of small animals. They grasped at the doors and furniture to keep from being taken from the palace, but the mice were too fast and dashed to the door, still carrying the Prince and his mother. Comgall smiled with delight as he watched how Norbert and Lurch were so kindly escorted from the palace and into the dark of the early morning, leaving the door wide open and the grains unattended.

(The mice scheming all night to help Comgall. Photo from Pexels)

At sunrise, Comgall rushed home to the monastery to wake all of the hungry children and lead them to Prince Norbert's palace. When they arrived, he flung the door open to show the magnificent meal he had prepared after the mice had taken Norbert and Lurch. There were bagels, toast, fruits, oatmeal, apples, oranges, nuts, and anything else the children desired. They screamed with joy and swarmed Comgall to embrace and thank him while he stood at the door smiling at his happy students. And when he glanced out the door, he caught the eye of one of his mouse friends, who smiled at him before scurrying back into the forest to make sure that Norbert and Lurch never returned so the children of the monastery could fill their empty bellies at last.

Author's Note:
For this story from Saints and Animals, I kept the basic plot the same with Comgall owning the monastery, his kind and friendly interactions with animals, and when all of his students were starving during the harsh winter. When he asked for the Prince's help, he was turned away and asked his friends, the mice, to help him. However, in the original, the mice actually eat all of the grains and leave Prince Croadh and Lurch with nothing. I wanted to change the ending so that the children actually got to eat the food rather than only the mice being fed. I thought it would be a little happier of an ending for the young children to be happy and full! I also expanded on how evil and cruel the Prince and his mother were as well as changed the name of the Prince to Norbert, which I found to be even uglier and nastier than Croadh. I had fun trying to make this story sound like a children's book as well as making my own additions!

Bibliography: 
Link to Saints and Animals, based on Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown

Week 2 Storytelling: How Psyche Found Her Lost Love Cupid

There once was a beautiful princess- in fact, the most radiant in all the land- named Psyche who was married to the handsome god Cupid. However, Psyche did not know who her mysterious husband was because he was sworn by his mother to keep his identity a secret and thus visited her only in the pitch black night, always gone by morning. Cupid longed for Psyche to know who he was, but he could not disobey his mother Venus's divine orders for she did not approve of his marriage to the mortal princess Psyche. Psyche also yearned to know who her husband was, so one night, while he was asleep, she snatched a candle she had hidden under her bed and lit it with a match she had found.

Unbeknownst to Psyche, Venus had placed a spell on her son Cupid so that if Psyche ever discovered his true identity, the god Zephuros would send a mighty wind to snatch Cupid up and bring him back to her divine palace. While she loved her son very much and wanted him to be happy, she did not trust her mortal daughter-in-law, so she devised this spell in case her son were ever in danger. The second the light from the candle graced her husband's face, a fierce wind threw open the balcony doors to their room, untangled the sleeping Cupid from the sheets, and swept him into the sky. Psyche could hear Cupid crying out her name as he was taken from her and she knew she must follow him.

Without hesistation, she flung herself off the balcony and caught the tail of the mighty wind that had carried Cupid. As she passed through layers of clouds and saw the brilliant beautiful stars, Psyche was gently lowered from the stream of wind to a soft cloudlike surface. She looked around in amazement to realize that she stood at the gate to a divine neighborhood, beautifully lavish and fit for the gods and demigods. She knew that Venus must live here, for she was far too social to miss out on this type of neighborhood, and rushed through the gate in hopes of finding her dear Cupid.

 

(Royal Palace inspired by The Hall of Mirrors)

The first palace she approached was ornately decorated with beautiful flowerbeds, a small stream, and gold statues of legendary feats and fights of the gods. Psyche knocked on the enormous french doors of the mansion and was greeted by a young servant. She asked to speak to the god or goddess of the palace and was brought to the beautiful goddess whom she recognized as Juno draped in the finest silks and being fed a platter of grapes. Psyche fell to her knees and pleaded for assistance in finding her husband.

"Venus is a dear friend of mine, sweet princess, and I could not betray that friendship by helping the very woman she is simply trying to protect her son from. I am sorry. I cannot help you and I must ask you to be on your way," whispered Juno as she dismissed Psyche from her presence.

Discouraged, Psyche left the palace to repeat her request to the next god or goddess she met. After knocking at the next palace and being greeted by a servant, she was led to a royal chamber where the goddess Ceres was having her luscious locks of flowing hair braided into an elegant updo. Without even looking Psyche, Ceres briskly asked what she needed and why she was bothering her.

"Listen, child, Venus and I have been friends for many years and she would be extremely angry with me if she knew I was even speaking to you. She told me all about your relationship with Cupid and I must say that I agree with her. Now leave me so I can finish readying myself for a lunch party with Venus herself this afternoon," said Ceres after hearing Psyche's story and still arrogantly staring at herself in the mirror, never even bothering to look at Psyche as she was escorted outside.

Psyche sat on the sidewalk outside of Cere's palace and sobbed in dismay that no one would help he find her one true love. Then just when she thought she would never see him again, the goddess Aphrodite paused while on a stroll and asked why she was crying. Psyche, through many tears, explained her plight and requested the goddess's assistance.

"Oh honey, Venus has been driving me absolutely crazy for the last million years and I would love nothing more than to bother her in any way possible, especially if that means reuinting you with your one true love. Come with me. I'll sneak you into Venus's house through the back entrance and help you find Cupid!" Aphrodite excitedly offered while grabbing Psyche's hand and running to the most beautiful palace in the whole neighborhood.

Aphrodite led Psyche through the back gate, inside a back door, through a closet and secret hallway, finally approaching a bedroom. Aphrodite swiftly opened the door to reveal Cupid staring longingly out the window while his mother Venus tried to convince him to forget Psyche. Upon hearing the door fling open, Cupid cried out in joy and ran to his beloved wife, smothering her in hugs and kisses. As Venus screamed to the guards to take a laughing Aphrodite away, Cupid and Psyche saw their chance to escape the divine neighborhood and return home. They lived happily ever after and even moved to a new house so that Venus could never find them and interrupt their love story again.

(Cupid and Psyche reunited. Painted by Jean-Pierre Saint-Ours)

Author's Note:
For the most part, I followed the premise of the story when Psyche is searching for her Cupid and runs into Juno and Ceres. However, I thought it would be fun to create a heavenly neighborhood and explore the relationships between the other goddesses and Venus. It was fun to imagine her running around lost through a neighborhood of beautiful mansions. I also wanted to expand on the relationships of Juno, Ceres, and Venus and even added another character, Aphrodite, who didn't side with Venus after all. I thought this was funny that she would be the only one who did not want to help her, insteading helping Psyche. The final change I made was that Cupid was unwillingly whisked away by Venus, rather than him running away from her as in the original story. I wanted them to both be yearning for each other and to be reuinted so that there was a happy ending when they did.

 Bibliography: This story is based on Cupid and Psyche by Apulieus and translated by Tony Kline

Week 1 Story- Hector Protector the Famous Magician

 

Hector Protector was dressed all in green;

Hector Protector was sent to the Queen.

The Queen did not like him,

Nor more did the King;

So Hector Protector was sent back again.

_________________________________________ 

Hector Protector the Famous Magician

There once was a young boy named Hector Protector who dreamed of being the best magician in all the land. He saved his money for months to buy a kit of magic tricks and then he practiced many hours each day. His mother, Mrs. Protector, who believed in him most of all, sewed an all green outfit- complete with a blouse, leggings, shoes, and a cape- fit for the greatest magician of all because green was his very favorite color. Armed with his kit and dressed all in green, he performed his shows around the town and his reputation soon began to spread. He soon found himself dreaming of one day performing for the King and Queen, who were known to be enormous fans of magic shows.

Hector's Magic Tricks

(Source: Flickr User: Jin)

After months of performing and on his 18th birthday, Hector received the best birthday gift imaginable. An old squire delivered a royal scroll right to his door and when he opened it, his jaw dropped to the floor. He had been summoned to the royal court to perform his very best magic tricks at the King and Queen's royal Summer Solstice dinner. He had one week to prepare his very best. He shined his wand and straightened his cards while Mrs. Protector washed and ironed his clothes and cape. Finally, the day had come and he was ready.

Hector was escorted into the palace by the very same squire who had delivered the good news. He was led into the royal dining room where the King and Queen were seated at a beautiful table with all the important lords and ladies of the land. Hector took a deep breath, knowing this was his time to shine. After arranging his props and with the Queen's nod of approval, he began. However... much to his dismay, he couldn't perform his show! He dropped his wand, jumbled the cards, and even knocked a glass off the table with his mighty cape. Hector was mortified and wondered how he could possibly save his show.

 The Royal Dining Room

(Wikimedia Commons)

Alas, the Queen rose and stood at the head of the table, staring straight into his eyes. As he looked around, he suddenly realized that neither she nor the King was amused and all of the lords and ladies were laughing at him. He felt his face turn bright red as she raised her arm and pointed to the door in dismissal. The squire from before quickly returned to his side and shuffled him out of the room while he frantically trying to gather his belongings. Hector felt tears streaming down his face in embarrassment as he was sent away from the royal palace.

His mother was waiting with open arms when he returned home and he told her of his tragic experience. Hector desperately wanted to quit being a magician at that moment, but Mrs. Protector would not let him give up that easily. She told him that his talent as a magician was not determined by the King and Queen's approval and that it was time to find a new dream audience. Consoled by her advice and encouraged by her kind words, Hector constructed a backyard theatre with a stage, curtains, lights, and seats and created fliers, hanging them around the town in eager anticipation of his new show.

When the night of the show arrived, Hector, dressed in all green, stepped on stage and was greeted by a full house of friends and family there to support him. He nervously began his show and to his surprise, it was flawless! The audience erupted into cheers and he couldn't help but grin realizing that friends and family were more important than the King and Queen anyway. Hector was a real magician- he had done it!

Hector's Magic Show

(Source: Elise Carlisle)

Author's Note: 
In the original rhyme, Hector Protector- who was dressed all in green- was sent to the Queen, but neither she nor the King liked him and he was sent back home. I instantly pictured Hector as a young man who was eager to impress the Queen and King with his talent but was devastated to be dismissed from their palace. This inspired me to make him an aspiring magician who was anxious to prove himself. However, I did not want the story to settle with a depressing and sad ending, so I added that his mother, who was his biggest fan, encouraged him to try again and become successful in his own way. Expanding on Hector's character, as well as creating his mother Mrs. Protector, was challenging yet enjoyable!

Bibliography:
This short story is inspired by and based on the nursery rhyme "Hector Protector" in The Nursery Rhyme Book by Andrew Lang.