Week 13 Storytelling: The Little Mermaid

Gathering around their grandmother, the children were bustling with excitement. Tonight she was going to read them a new story. She found an old dusty book deep within her closet and it told the tale of a magical world with mermaids. It begun with the story of a little mermaid…

 Ariel was the youngest daughter of the mighty King Triton, who was the son of the God Poseidon. Triton had inherited the throne from his father in place of his sister, Ursula the Sea Witch. Poseidon made it very clear throughout their childhood that Triton was his favorite. Ursula held a great deal of jealousy within her heart and because of this she became very wicked. Her domain was in the fiery depths of the sea vents where no other creature was brave enough to venture. 
 

King Triton ruled his kingdom in peace for many years and even gave his top advisors regions to govern themselves. Though his father created his base in the waters off the coast of Greece, Triton developed his kingdom in the Atlantic Ocean. He did this in order to be able to reach other regions of the world more easily. He enjoyed the immense amount of power he held over all the seas but there was one thing he loved even more. His family.

His wife unfortunately lost her life in a horrific incident. She became entangled in a net and was pulled up onto the deck of a ship. The crew killed her in hopes to take the mermaid to their queen for a reward. Little did they know that when a mermaid dies their body dissolves into sea foam. Shock and disappointed overtook the men. This however could not compare to the terror that gripped them once King Triton discovered what became of his beloved wife. The waves Triton procured engulfed the ship and pulled the men to the deepest depths of the ocean. For years ships could not sail across the Atlantic without facing great peril.

Triton’s anger subsided over the years as his daughters grew. In particular his youngest, Ariel, had a special place in his heart. She was very young when her mother passed but she could not have been more similar to her. Triton saw his wife in Ariel more and more with every passing day. She had her mother's wild spirit, never-ending curiosity, and her beautiful scarlet hair.

On her fifteenth birthday, as customary, Triton allowed her to venture up to the surface as long as she didn’t stray too far. Arriving at the surface, Ariel couldn’t believe how beautiful it was. She quickly became entranced with all things from the land above the sea. One night she came across a ship. As fearless as she was, Ariel swam right alongside it and hoisted herself on a small shelf along the exterior. She watched the crew dance and listened to the music. Then she watched beautiful color explosions in the sky. In that moment she saw him, the most attractive being she had ever seen. Captivated she wanted nothing other than to grow close to him.

Her father received word of how close she was to the humans so he conjured a great storm. The waves grew tremendously and rocked the ship. It did not take long for the party to become a place of panic. Soon enough a monstrous wave overtook the ship and broke it into hundreds of pieces. All Ariel could think about was finding the man she had seen earlier and saving him from the storm. Floating amongst some debris she spotted him barely hanging on. Ariel wrapped her arms around him and swam to shore as she could. She knew he was still breathing but he had yet to open his eyes...

The grandmother was quite surprised. Apparently some of the pages within the book had been torn out so she had to think on her feet to not disappoint the children. So she continued…

After a very long nap the man awoke and instantly fell in love with Ariel! He asked for her hand in marriage and when she said yes he went off to find a magical fairy that could give the little mermaid some legs to walk on. Her father forgave her for mingling with the humans and even grew fond of his daughters groom. The two had the biggest and most beautiful wedding, all of the townspeople were invited. They went on to live happily ever after.

Satisfied with the happy ending the children willingly went to bed with visions of mermaids in their heads.

 

Ariel

Author’s Note: It’s not too hard to figure out that I retold the popular story of The Little Mermaid! I used Hans Christian Andersen’s version as my primary basis for the retelling. Other aspects that I added in were from previous knowledge, the Disney movie, and my own imagination! In Hans Christian Andersen’s version there is very little mention of King Triton. In the Disney movie however, he was one of the primary characters so I wanted to incorporate him back into the story. I knew that he was the son of Poseidon and that some people claim Ursula is his sister. Both of these tidbits were left out in the original story and the movie. I wanted to develop Triton’s character and really make him into a family man, which he is in the movie. I have no idea why Ariel’s mother is never around but I felt an explanation needed to be given. Neither the story nor the movie attempts to explain why. This would also explain why Triton has such a problem with humans. The Little Mermaid was a really long story so I had to find a way to only be able to tell part of the story, that is why I cut it short.

Bibliography: "The Little Mermaid" by Hans Christian Andersen, from Fairy Tales and Stories (1872). Web Source: Untextbook.

Week 12 Storytelling: The King and the Dragon

Long ago there was a mighty warrior who was known far and wide for his heroic deeds. In his youth he travelled to a foreign land to defeat two monsters that were wreaking havoc on the locals. This astonishing feat was the start of him being regaled as a hero. He returned to his homeland and became king after his uncle passed away. He spent many years in relative peace. Every so often a new challenge would present itself but it was nothing in comparison to his challenge he faced years ago.

One day while the people of his kingdom were presenting their problems to their ruler a peasant from a distant part of the realm presented him with a new dilemma. A dragon had attacked his village and was living in the neighboring mountains. The king was skeptical of the peasant’s claims but intrigued at the same time. This would finally be a chance for him to relive his glory days and have an opponent worthy of his skill.

The king assembled a small group with only the best warriors his land had to offer. The mountains would be difficult to maneuver with an army and he wanted to surprise the dragon. The men set off on their journey in good spirits knowing their warrior king was leading them to what they felt should be a victory. He had never lost a battle before after all.

The men located the dragon and got quite cocky because the mighty beast was asleep out in the open. The king called off his men and went to kill the dragon himself. Foolishly he woke the dragon. In a bit of rage the dragon breathed a mighty breath of fire that instantly killed half of the king’s men. A great battle ensued between the king and the dragon. The king’s shield was effective in blocking the beast’s flames but he soon grew weary. The years had not been kind to the king and he was not the strapping young man he once was.

The king was cornered and with one mighty swipe of its tail the dragon flung him into a pile of boulders. When turning to face its attacker, the dragon left its vulnerable soft belly exposed. One of the quick thinking men ran in and thrust his sword straight into the heart of the beast. It let out a mighty bellow and fell with a heavy thud. The remaining fire within the dragon died out and smoke wafted out of its nostrils. The man ran to his king as he breathed his last breaths. Both the dragon and the king perished in the epic battle but the kingdom had a new hero to praise.

The King and The Dragon

Author’s Note: This is a retelling of the story Beowulf. I included bits and pieces from the whole unit, with a primary focus on the end with the battle with the dragon and Beowulf’s death. I chose not to use Beowulf’s name within my retelling because I was hoping my readers could guess this was his story. For the same reason I chose not to mention Grendel or his mother specifically. I felt this story was ultimately a very brief summarization of the classic story Beowulf.

Bibliography: "The Story of Beowulf" by Strafford Riggs, (1933). Web Source: Untextbook

Storytelling Week 10: Foolhardy

There was once an old man who had little to his name but he was a good man. He lived his life to serve others but most importantly, God. Unfortunately, the man’s health was quickly failing him. He went to his church and told the pastor all about his troubles. He knew he did not have much time and was very worried about his two boys. He raised them as best as he could but unfortunately despite his best efforts, they weren’t very bright. They relied upon their father and were very cautious of all other people.

The pastor met with the board members of the church after he spoke with the old man. One member who was well endowed took pity upon the man because he had done so much for the church. He took it upon himself to repay the man for all of his kindness. He contacted the man and set up a time to meet one evening. Things however, got worse for the old man. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to make it to the meeting so he instructed his sons to meet on his behalf.

The two boys went to the location of the meeting as instructed by their father. They were spooked by a figure approaching from the shadows so one of them smashed a vase over his head. He was out cold and they feared he was already dead. They went to their father with their news. In anguish the old man realized the boys had killed the board member from church. The shock overtook him and he quickly passed from a heart attack. Due to the boys rash behavior they were subject to living a life of poverty for the remainder of their days.

Author’s Note: This is a more modern version of the story How Sickness Entered the World within the Tejas Legends unit. In the original story there was no sickness in the world. A medicine man knew it was his time to die and he was supposed to meet with a Messenger from the Great Spirit. The Messenger was going to give the man a great deal of information for the rest of mankind. Unfortunately, the medicine man was too ill to make the meeting. He sent to boys in his place. The Messenger went to the meeting in the form of a snake. This frightened the boys and they killed the snake. They reported their actions to the medicine man and foolishly thought nothing would happen to them if they left the carcass somewhere else. The mate of the snake discovered what happened and laid eggs that released sickness amongst all of the people. I wanted to put the story into a more modern setting. Rather than being plagued with illness the two boys in my story will be plagued with poverty.

The Good Man

Bibliography: "How Disease Entered the World" by Florence Stratton, from When the Storm God   Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends (1936). Web: Untextbook

Storytelling Week 9: Foolishly Falling in "Love"

Marriage; the one thing every little girl dreams about. They envision their prince waiting at the end of the aisle. Their daddy walking them amongst all of their friends, family, and heaps of beautiful flowers. The fantasy starts early and some spend their whole lives working towards it. Two sisters in particular had set their sights on their perfect days. Both of them foolishly focused on the more material things in life. When they envisioned their ideal groom he wasn’t kind, compassionate, or particularly loving. Their main selling point was if he was handsome or not. The older of the two always saw herself marrying an actor. Someone who was truly handsome and was talented as well. The younger one wished to marry a lawyer, a handsome one of course. Both types of men could provide them with the lifestyle they felt they were entitled to.

As they grew into adulthood their childhood fantasies were never far from their minds. Both of the girls worked hard towards obtaining their Mrs. Degree. They set their sights on the ideal man and finally said I do. Their husbands worked tirelessly to achieve all their goals. The lawyer moved himself and his wife out to New York to become a partner in a big time law firm. The actor moved himself and his wife out to Hollywood so he could be closer to all the stars and the action. The girls were split up for the first time in their lives and although they obtained what they always desired things became very hard for them.

They were away from their family, separated from one another, and trapped within loveless marriages. Realization of their foolishness came far too late. When both of the sisters discussed moving back home with their husband’s things did not go over well. Things were going well for the men and they told their wives that they refused to even talk about such things. Verbally berated on a constant basis the women couldn’t handle it any more.

The sister that lived in New York called one of her brothers and begged him for his help. The sisters had three brothers and all three went into the police force. Immediately they hopped on to a plane and flew out to New York to help their sister. The lawyer knew his verbal abuse of his wife was coming back to bite him when her brothers showed up on his doorstep. They demanded that she go back home with them. With her bags packed and ready to go the woman left her husband behind and didn’t look back.

Knowing her sister was going through the same situation with her husband in Los Angeles, she demanded her brothers do the same for their other sister as they did for her. So the brothers flew out to Los Angeles and did the same as they did in New York. They showed up unexpectedly on their doorstep and took their other sister away from her abusive husband. When the two girls were reunited back home they were happier than they had been in their many months apart from one another. The sisters learned their lesson, got divorces, and vowed to never be so foolish again.

Author’s Note: This is a retelling of The Eagle and Whale Husbands that is within the Native American Marriage Tales unit. Within this story two sisters are playing on the beach with whale and eagle bones. The one with the eagle bones decides she will marry an eagle so one comes along and swoops her away. The other decides to marry a whale so one comes along and ties her to the bottom of the ocean. The two realize how foolish they had been and wish to leave their “husbands”. Their brothers eventually come along and rescue them. I put this story into a more modern sense so that it is more relatable. Blindly going into a marriage then being trapped within it seems to be a very common theme in present day dramas.

Falling in "Love"

"The Eagle and Whale Husbands" by Stith Thompson, from Tales of the North American Indians (1929). Web Source: Untextbook

Week 7 Storytelling: Young Love

Over the years two childhood friends, Michael and Sarah, grew very close to one another. They met on the playground at school one day and became inseparable. In their teens when they were looking to go to college the two longed to remain together because they were in love. Unfortunately, however much they loved each other didn’t matter to their mothers. Each mother saw the potential her child had and wished them to go to a certain university for their specialty degree. Unfortunately for the two the colleges were on opposite sides of the country. The summer after graduation the two decided to run away so that they could stay together. They snuck out in the middle of the night and met up at the local park.

They didn’t have much money but they knew nothing could stand in between their love. They spent a couple of days on the move going from motel to motel, distancing themselves from home. One night they were making their way to their next stop when they were jumped by some gang members. Sarah hid behind a dumpster while Michael tried to fight them off. It was a heroic but foolish effort because he was outnumbered 3 to 1. H knew he had to protect Sarah though. Some other men walked by, saw the struggle, and drove the gang members away. They took Michael to one of their apartments so he could get some food and rest.  He was beat up pretty badly and didn’t think of Sarah as he was half carried by the men. Once at the apartment he was shown to the guest bedroom and passed out on the bed.

Meanwhile back in the alley, Sarah was still hiding behind the dumpster. The shock of such a traumatic event paralyzed her. She couldn’t even speak when the other men took Michael away. Without realizing she ever went to sleep she awoke to the sounds of traffic in the morning still hidden behind the dumpster. She had no money, no food, and no belongings. Everything the two had was in a backpack carried by Michael. Alone in a foreign city Sarah was scared to death. She walked into a nearby diner and explained her situation to the manager. He laughed in her face and kicked her out when she asked for some food.  This happened again and again for days until she was forced to dig for scraps out of the trash. She was filthy, starving, and completely hopeless that she would ever see Michael again.

She began living her life on the streets. Making it by on what she could scavenge out of dumpsters. One night when she returned to her normal sleeping spot there was a man in her spot. When the man saw her he attacked her and threw her onto the ground pressing her face into the pavement. This was the lowest of the low points in her life when she didn’t even care what he did to her or if he even killed her. Before she knew it the man was no longer on top of her. She turned around in time to see another man punching him and scaring him off. She was overcome with happiness when she saw the face of her savior. It was Michael! The two embraced and promised to never be separated again. She was taken back to the apartment he was now living in with the man who helped him so many nights ago. He was a very kind man and said he would be more than happy to have Sarah as well. She discovered that the two had been searching for her nonstop since that one fateful night. Michael and Sarah became best friends with the man and his girlfriend. They all went on to live out the rest of their days together and happy.

Author’s Note: The original story is called The Cat’s Elopement from the Lang Japanese Fairy Tale unit. In the original story the two lovers were actually cats. Their owners were so fond of them that neither would part with them so that they could live together in one household. The two ran away and were separated after being attacked. A servant of the princess stepped in and took the male cat back to her. He lived with her but missed his wife every day. One day he stepped in between a larger cat fighting a smaller one and discovered it was his love. She went back with him to the palace where they lived for the rest of their days. In the original story it followed the male cat and didn’t tell the reader what happened to the female cat while he was at the palace. I chose to write the story in a more modern context and use people as the main characters! Another big difference was that during their time of separation I detailed the female’s point of view. I wanted to show the struggles she would have encountered all alone in a different place.

Kitty Cat Love

"The Cat's Elopement" by Andrew Lang, from the Pink Fairy Book (1897). Web Source: Untextbook

Week 6 Storytelling: The Woman and the Farmer

In present day Chicago, Anna went about her daily routine. While out and about she was constantly approached by men because she was a rare kind of beauty. Knowing how beautiful she was made her into a selfish person and she immediately shot down anyone who approached. This was all in spite of her dear parents pleads for her to find a nice boy and settle down. Anna ignored her parents because she felt she deserved the most attractive man the city had to offer.

After some time she decided to create an online dating account. This way she could comb through pictures in search of the most handsome man available. In a small rural town a few hours away a lonely farmer joined the same website. The only dilemma he had was choosing a profile picture. He was so ugly he tried not to look at himself in the mirror as much as possible. So, the farmer searched the internet for a suitable picture. He choose one of the best in hopes that whoever he met would fall in love with him and not the pretty face. In his preliminary searches on the dating website he came across the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. Instantly he became consumed with reaching out to this woman…

It wasn’t surprising the amount of men who contacted her so quickly on the website. Just as she did with those who approached her in person she shot them all down. That is until one profile picture grabbed her attention. He was so handsome and exactly the kind of man she always pictured herself with. His request was the only one she responded to.

Back on the farm the farmer couldn’t contain his excitement when he heard back from Anna. He knew he needed to be charming and win her over now before she saw him in person. The two messaged one another constantly and they both fell head over heels for one another for all of the wrong reasons. When the time came for Anna to venture out to his home and meet him her parents begged her not to go. Like always she disregarded the wishes of her parents.

When the woman arrived at her destination she was shocked to see a small rural town surrounded by farmland. How could someone so handsome live in a place such as this? Hopeful she walked from the bus stop to the diner they were going to meet at. She walked in and sat down not seeing her man already there. Ten minutes passed before a hideous farmer approached her. He confessed to misleading her but promised he intentions were pure. Anna was stunned and angered but she had no choice but to go home with him because the next bus would not be there for two days.

Upon arriving to the farmhouse Anna was introduced to the farmer’s frail old mother that lived with him. While he plowed the fields she was tasked with taking care of the old woman. In their short time together the old woman grew very fond of Anna and before the next bus came she gave her some money to take a cab and get out of the small town. Anna left and returned home to her parents to tell them all about her weekend of misery. She went on to find her happy ending but from this point on she was less picky on the appearance of the men she spoke to.

Author’s Note: The story that I based this off of was The Disobedient Daughter Who Married a Skull from the Nigeria Unit. In the story there is a beautiful young woman who turns down all suitors because she wants to be married to the most handsome man in the land. A skull from the spiritland admires her from afar and collects the best looking body parts from other beings. He builds himself into a perfect specimen and goes to the woman. She falls in love because of how handsome he is and despite her parents’ concerns she marries him and goes off to the spiritland. Once there the skull returns the body parts and she sees him for who he truly is. She is in charge of taking care of his old mother so she does so because she is trapped in this marriage and new land. The old woman grows fond of her and tells her the people of the spiritland are cannibals and she must leave to save herself. It is definitely a really odd story but when I read it I immediately knew how I could retell it in a modern sense. With internet dating someone can easily become someone they aren’t to lure others in. It’s actually a pretty scary thing!

Risky Business

Week 5 Storytelling: The Story of the Fisherman

There was once an old fisherman who was down on his luck. The lake from which he fished used to be full of many different kinds of fish but now it was relatively empty. He had a large family but was no longer able to provide for them. The old fisherman never gave up though because he had more faith than a hundred men put together. His only rule when fishing was that he would not throw his net more than four times in a single. He did this to limit how much he could possibly catch and prevent the fish populations from dwindling even further.

One morning the old man rowed out onto the water just before sunrise as he did every day. On his first haul he felt a tremendous weight and grew excited. When he finally pulled it in it was just a dead donkey someone had dumped. Begrudgingly he tossed his net back into the water. Again he felt a heavy weight but as he pulled it back in he discovered it was full of junk. Once again he threw the net back into the water.  He prayed that he would just once be blessed with a bountiful catch so he could provide for his family. When pulling in his net for a third time there was another great weight, but it was just stones and shells. He threw the net in one last time with high hopes. When he pulled his net for the fourth time he had caught a tremendous golden pot that had been sealed shut. It was very heavy so he knew there must be something inside of great value.

He opened the great pot and out burst a tremendous mass of black smoke. The fisherman terrified of what he had just unleashed hid from the beast that had formed.

“Come forward little human,” the smoke beast bellowed. “I have been trapped in that pot for far too long. So long in fact that I once vowed to make the man who set me free the wealthiest in all the lands. This was over a century ago so I made a new vow to kill the man who set me free for waiting so long to do so. Since I have been given my freedom I will allow to choose the manner in which you wish to die.”

The fisherman pleaded for mercy. He asked the great beast to allow him to live since he himself was now free.

“I made a vow human. Hurry up and make your choice so that I may be on my way.”

Trying to buy some time the old fisherman questioned the smoke beast on how he came to be entrapped within the pot. Surely some enchantment must have been placed upon him to allow for such a mighty beast to fit within the pot.

“Foolish human. I am nothing yet I am everything,” he said as he slid within the pot to show him that he could fit.

The fisherman trapped the beast by shutting the lid once again.

“Release me!” he bellowed. “Let me free and I shall let you live and prosper.”

“How can I trust you when just a moment ago you were decided upon ending my life?” the fisherman questioned. “You are truly wicked in wanting to kill the man who gave you freedom. I shall take you to the Sultan and let him decide what to do with you.”

The old man rowed back to shore and carried the golden pot to the Sultan. He was paid handsomely for turning over the demon to his ruler. The smoke beast was used in the building of a new church so that concrete could entrap the pot within the walls so he may never escape again. The fisherman went home to his family was able to finally provide them with a wonderful life.

The Fisherman and Smoke Beast

Author’s Note: This original piece is called The Story of the Fisherman and was within the Arabian Nights unit. I changed nothing from the original other than the ending. Within this unit every story is a story within the previous one. If I didn’t change the ending it would have led into a story, which led into another, and so on. In the original the fisherman does let the beast, called a genius, loose once again and is then taken to a lake full of wonderful fish to present to the Sultan. This ultimately leads to the discovery of an enchanted city and the fisherman being provided with a great deal of wealth for his help in first uncovering the city. A great deal of events transpire before he receives his reward so I just cut it down and prevented the beast from being free.

Bibliography: "The Story of the Fisherman" by Andrew Lang, from The Arabian Night's Entertainments (1898). Web Source: Myth and Folklore Untextbook

Storytelling Week 4: The Leap

In a small village there lived a man and his wife and they were very deeply in love. The couple had been blessed with a beautiful and healthy baby girl. She was their pride and joy and nothing made them happier. While away on a hunt with the other men of the village they encountered a mighty tiger. The beast killed two men before the husband was able to attack. He was able to thrust his spear in the tiger as it leapt on top of him. The man killed the tiger but sustained great injuries to himself in the process.

The other men made a makeshift hammock of large leaves to carry him home in. They wrapped him in the pelt of the tiger in hopes this would give him the strength he needed to make it back to the village. They carried their injured friend as fast as they could in hopes the healer could save him. He was brought immediately to his tent and the medicine man began his work. The wife was then informed of her husband’s condition. However, he passed before she was able to make it to the tent. The wife was inconsolable over the loss of her husband, but what really made her heart ache was knowing her sweet child would grow up without a father.

A great funeral feast was held to honor the husband and the other two men who were killed by the mighty tiger. The pelt of the beast was offered to the wife since he was the one who slayed it and prevented further loss of life. A customary time of grieving was allowed for the woman before suitors began approaching her.

She was definitely the most beautiful of the women in the village and the available men sought after her greatly. All though she could never love another man as she had her husband she knew she could not provide a good life for her daughter without a strong man who could work far better than she. For this reason alone the woman accepted the proposal of the strongest man in the village.

The man she married was a brutal and selfish man. He had few friends because most were scared of him. He wished to marry the woman because he felt only she was worthy of him. He felt this way because she was the most beautiful and he deserved nothing less than the best. Though she was the only one worthy of him, he quickly became bored with her. All she could do was talk about and play with her baby. He grew to resent his wife and her child because she didn’t love him as much as she did her baby. He soon grew very abusive towards his wife and the little girl.  He quit working and demanded his wife start working to earn her keep. The woman had no choice but to obey her husband so she would leave her child with him when she went to work the fields.

The anger had built up so much within the man that he killed the baby in a fit of rage when it wouldn’t stop crying. The man felt no remorse over this act but still thought to hide it from his wife. In his eyes now that the baby was gone his wife might finally love him. He proceeded to chop up the baby and cook her in a stew.

When the wife came home from a hard day of labor she was quite surprised to see her husband seemed to be in a cheerful mood and had even cooked her dinner. She questioned where her daughter was but the man dismissed her and told her to eat. The two sat down and together they ate they stew made from her baby. For once they actually enjoyed their time together and the husband grew hopeful thinking about their future. When the wife went to get the desert she discovered the hand of her child hidden in a basket. Her husband quickly confessed and claimed it was only out of love for her. The grief over took her for she loved nothing as much as her sweet baby girl. She kept calm though because she needed to take care of her wicked husband.

She acknowledged her husband’s love for her and verified he had truly done her a good service. She asked that they could go watch the sunset from the nearby waterfall in honor of their first night truly together as man and wife. The husband obliged and together they went to the waterfall hand in hand. Once there the woman wrapped her arms around her husband, looked him in the eyes, and said, “Die”. With that she used all her might to fling the both of them off the side of the cliff.  

The husband did not deserve the wonderful life he had on Earth and the wife could not bear to live a day without her sweet baby. To this day the woman’s wails are the reason the waterfalls bellow so loudly. They grieve for the loss of the baby and the mother who loved her so dearly.

Author’s Note: This story is based on The Leap of Ka Likai. I chose to detail the death of the original husband to illustrate the love the two shared. I found it odd that the original didn't even mention how he died. Another difference between my telling and the original is the behavior of the second husband. I chose to make him actually love the wife instead of entirely hating her. Lastly I changed the very end when only the woman flung herself off the side of the cliff. I didn’t think the husband deserved to live after killing the baby so I had the woman kill him as well.

(The Waterfall)

Week Three Storytelling: The Prince and The Giant

The children gathered around their Grandmother to receive their bedtime story. She told the best stories of heroes, princes, and princesses so the children didn’t mind so much that they had to go to bed right after.

“Alright my little doves, who is ready for tonight’s story?” which was followed by the squeals of delight from her grandchildren. “Tonight I am going to tell you the story of the Prince and the Giant.” And so began the old woman’s story…

Once upon a time in a land far from here there was a great prince who had left his home. He had been on many adventures but none more daunting than his time spent on the Island of the Giants. He and his crew beached their large ship on the island, although they didn’t know who inhabited it at the time. They left their ship and began walking in land in search of food and water for it had been a very long journey and they had run out of food! After wandering they stumbled upon a cave so large they stood in awe at its magnificent size. However, what was within the cave was far more amazing to the hungry men. The men were so ravenous that they begin to devour the food that belonged to the owner of the cave. One of the men suggested taking their fill and leaving before the owner returned. “Nonsense!” the Prince spat. “We shall wait and meet our host and he shall receive us with open arms”. And so the men waited.

Night fell before the owner returned to his cave, although he was no man as they had suspected. Instead he was a terrible giant!

The children gasped! “Now now my darlings I haven’t even gotten to the good part yet” and she continued.

He stood a good 30 feet tall and was so overweight his legs bowed beneath him. The Giant ushered in his sheep that he had been grazing then slid a massive boulder in front of the mouth of the cave. He noticed something was not right and bellowed, “Who is there lurking behind the shadows?” The brave Prince stepped forward, “my men and I my good sir. We shipwrecked and sought refuge here” the Prince lied. “Won’t you be so kind as to welcome us in your home and break bread with us?”

“Break bread with thieves?” the Giant questioned. His anger was boiling up within him that these tiny humans had the nerve to come into his home and eat his food without his permission. In a bout of rage he grabbed two men in one hand and bit their heads off with ease!

Screams escaped the children! “I don’t like this story Grandma,” cried the youngest. “Stop being a baby!” his older siblings insisted.

“It has been to long since I have been able to eat human flesh! I forgot how delicious it tasted!” Trying to save the lives of the rest of his men the Prince was quick on his feet and devised a plan. “Oh mighty Giant. Might I offer you some of our wine to wash down your meal? It is all that we have to offer.”

“Bring it here human!” And so the Prince filled a great bowl with all of their wine and the Giant drunk his fill. “This wine is wondrous! I shall give you a gift for your kindness little man, what is your name?” the Giant questioned. Being cunning the Prince replied with, “Nobody, my name is Nobody”.

“Well Nobody, my gift to you is that I shall eat you last!” With that, the mighty giant fell to the floor laughing and quickly succumbed to a drunken slumber. The men quickly got to work plotting their escape while the Giant slept. Instructed by their prince the men all made sharp spears from branches throughout the cave floor. They also tied the fluffy sheep together in groups of threes.

“I don’t understand Grandma” one of the children stated. “You shall see. Just be patient”, and so she went on with her story.

When everything was set in place the men climbed atop the face of the Giant. “On the count of three”, the Prince demanded. “One, two, three!” On the final count the men thrust their spears into the Giant’s eyes to blind him.

“AHHHH” he screamed in agony. “HELP, HELP!” Soon enough some of his neighbors came bounding to his cave. They knocked on the massive boulder blocking the way. “What is going on? Is someone attacking you?” the fellow giants questioned. “Brothers! Nobody is attacking me! Nobody is attacking me!”

“That fool. Why do you wake us up in the dead of night if no one is attacking you?” And so just as soon as they came the other giants left.

That following morning the Giant opened the cave to let out his sheep to graze but he blocked the doorway so the Prince and his men could not escape. This is when the men hung beneath the sheep they had tied together the night before. They crawled beneath the middle sheep in each bundle and clung to its long wool. The Giant had no idea that the men were slipping right by him! They safely made it out of the cave and returned to the ship taking the sheep with them. The Prince cursed the Giant as they began to sail away and all he could do was sit on the beach cursing back.

“And so is the story of the Prince and the Giant. Alright, off to bed you go.” The grandmother gave each child a kiss on the forehead and tucked them in.  

(The Prince and the Giant)

Authors Note: I retold the story of Odysseus and the Cyclops from Homer’s Odyssey. I chose to tell it from the point of view of a grandmother telling a story to her grandchildren. I felt this gave it a bit more depth in showing others reactions to it.

Week 2: Storytelling

In the middle of nowhere Mangum, Oklahoma a young couple took residence on a small farm. This farm was owned by an older man named Gus. Gus was a very wise and good person but he had a short temper. He allowed the two, Adam and Eve, to live on his property as long as they helped around the farm. He would house them, feed them, and give them a fair wage under one condition. If either of them were to eat the sand plums from the thickets he grew he would not hesitate to kick them out. Old man Gus would take those sand plums and make the sweetest jelly any one had ever tasted. Some say the soil in which it grew was blessed because those plums were better than any others and once people tasted it they could never eat another jelly the same again.

Adam and Eve were young and blissfully unaware of what the real world was like. Their ignorance had always blinded them and they were only beginning to see the role they played in this new place. Adam helped Gus with the animals and in the field. Eve was tasked with maintaining the house and cooking for the men. Although she did not do this alone. Gus had a daughter, Sophia, who remained at home with her father. There was something different about her but Eve couldn’t put her finger on what it was. All she knew for sure was how uneasy she felt around her.

One day while sweeping the porch, Sophia approached Eve with a handful of sand plums. “Here Eve. Don’t you want some?” she asked as she popped another into her mouth.

“We’re not supposed to eat those! Gus made it very clear.”

“That old man doesn’t know what he is taking about! Why would he grow all those thickets in the first place if he didn’t want to share? There are far too many plums there for just one person. Go on and try one,” Sophia said with a devilish smile. “They’re so sweet they’ll knock your socks right off your feet!”

“I guess you’re right. It couldn’t hurt for me to just try a few,” and with that Eve broke the one rule she was given as she fell victim to temptation. She tossed back a few plums into her mouth and her eyes lit up like the Fourth of July. The sweetness exploded in her mouth and overtook every one of her senses. It was as if she was seeing the world for the first time in all of its magnificence.

That evening after a hard day’s work in the fields Adam came back to their small house. He broke through the threshold and noticed Eve was unusually cheerful while setting the table for dinner. “What’s put you into such a good mood today?” he questioned.

“You must promise not to tell anyone! Especially not Gus!” she insisted of him. When given his promise Eve told him about her day and the delicious treat she allowed herself. “I picked some for you!”

“How could you do that Eve? Gus has been nothing but good to us and provided us with everything! That was his only rule and you broke it!” Adam could hardly contain his anger for he knew that his wife had wronged Gus.

Eve quickly persuaded her husband just as Sophia had done to her. “How will he even know if a few plums are missing from all of those thickets?”

Adam did see the logic in her reasoning. Did the old man keep a tally of every plum in those thickets? Surely not, that would take far too much time and effort. So he dove into temptation as well and ate the plums provided by his wife. His reaction was the same as Eve’s. It was as if he had never tasted such sweetness before in his life. Quickly he forgot his anger and instead fell into the same joyous mood that Eve was in. They had a wonderful night together sharing sand plums but the next day would be a different story entirely.

In the fields the following day Adam kept the brim of his hat low over his face. He was ashamed of what he had done in disobeying Gus. Adam avoided the old man and his glance as much as possible. Gus eventually got ahold of him and questioned his odd behavior. Adam quickly bent to the truth because he was no liar.

“I’m so sorry Gus, Eve tricked me into eating them. And she herself was tricked by Sophia!” Adam pleaded.

“I have heard enough! I gave you one rule and you disobeyed. I want you and your wife off my property and never to return!” he cursed. “I assure you that your life will be far more difficult once you’ve left this place.”

And with that, Adam and Eve packed up their few belongings and were forced off the farm that had been so good to them. All because they had to get a taste of Gus’s forbidden fruit.

Authors Note: I tried to be creative and retell the story of Adam and Eve in a more modern sense. Mangum, Oklahoma is a real place, it is where my Great Grandmother and her 13 brothers and sisters are from. As for the sand plums those are quite real as well! As a kid I would go out there with my grandparents to pick the plums from the thickets so that my Grandma could make jelly. And it is without a doubt the best jelly there is! The sand plums were the Forbidden Fruit from the Tree of Knowledge because they provided enlightenment after they were eaten. Adam and Eve questioned what else they had been missing out on after tasting something so wonderful. They were tricked by one of God/Gus’s children into eating that which they should not have and they were forced to suffer the consequences.

(Sand Plum Thicket)

Week 1 Storytelling: The Mighty King and his Loyal Subject

Deep within the Serengeti the mighty King of the beasts was taking shelter from the midday sun beneath an Umbrella tree. Feeling adventurous a small mouse ventured too close to the King hoping to gaze upon his glory. Foolishly the mouse woke the mighty King from his slumber. Angered, the King trapped the mouse within his paws and demanded an explanation.

“What is the meaning of this?” the King bellowed. “How dare you wake me from my slumber, I should take your life for this!”

“Please forgive me Your Majesty! Be merciful and allow me to return home to my family. I swear to you that one day I will return the favor,” squeaked the small mouse.

“What could a miniscule mouse as yourself do for me?” the King scoffed. “I suppose you caught me on a good day. I will let you leave with your head but if this happens again you will become my afternoon snack!”

Scurrying away the mouse vowed to never forget the Kings mercy.

Sometime later the King was surveying his lands when he stumbled into a trap set by some poachers. Panicking, the King released mighty roars to alert his subjects. While the other creatures of the Serengeti loved their King the one thing that frightened them more than anything else were the poachers. If the King couldn’t protect himself from the poachers how were they supposed to feel safe in the plains? Of all his loyal subjects’ only one rushed to the Kings side to free him from his entrapment, the small mouse. He had never seen the mighty lion looking so helpless. Knowing they were limited on time the mouse got to work trying to free his King. He chewed as fast as his little jaws would move to cut through the ropes holding him down. In the nick of time the mouse freed his King and the two ran off before the poachers came back to survey their capture.

“I underestimated you little mouse. I owe you my life. For this you can name your price and I will pay it,” the mighty King declared.

 

Authors Note: This was a retelling of Aesop's The Lion and the Mouse which can be found in the Aesop for Children book. This story details the interactions between a lion and a mouse in which they both preserve the livelihood of the other. First the lion releases the mouse that woke him from his nap when he promises to return the favor if his life is spared. Secondly, the mouse comes to the aid of the lion after he becomes trapped in a hunters net. This retelling is essentially the same plot wise but the lion was given a regal status because he is after all the King of the Jungle. This made it seem like an even bigger mistake for the mouse to disturb his King. in addition, this version also elaborated on why none of the other animals came to the aid of the lion. Both the original and the retelling have the same underlying message that an act of good deed will never be forgotten. 

(The Lion and the Mouse)