Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Ashliman), Part B

Today I finished the reading for the second unit of the Brothers Grimm stories. I again focused on one specific story to takes notes, but I went ahead and read all of the stories. I chose the one that I thought would interest me the most to write a story.

• I read the Lazy Heinz story and was a bit confused by it
• I decided to take notes over it because it was unlike anything else that I had read
• Fat Heinz was a lazy man that did not take a liking to tending to his goat
• He would begrudgingly take his goat to the field every day
• Heinz thought of his work as some of the most difficult on the earth
• He desperately wanted to sleep on the job and not pay attention to his "work"
• I like how Heinz is in fact actually that lazy
• He constantly thinks of ways to not do his "job", which is taking a goat to a field
• Somehow Heinz comes up with the genius idea to fix all of his problems
• I do not think I will ever understand his decision, but he believes that it would be best to marry "Fat Trina"
• I think this is definitely a harsh name to give your wife, but Heinz sees no problem with it
• He only cares about getting out of his work
• Heinz estimates that his wife will take out the goat to the pasture everyday
• However, his wife is somehow just as lazy as him
• I found this detail to be quite comical and it added some development to the story
• They decide to trade two goats for a beehive
• This is somehow a fair trade, but I do not quite buy that logic
• Their laziness continues to be fed because now they do not have to get out of bed
• Their surprising ambition drives them to want a child
• With this child they planned on making it tend to geese all day
• It is most likely a good thing that these two lazy people did in fact not have a child

This story was entertaining and very unique. I had a few good laughs while reading this, and I think it would be funny to retell.

(Another photo of the two Grimm brothers. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales translated by D. L. Ashliman. Source:UnTextbook

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Ashliman), Part A

So, this is the final week for reading and taking notes for me. I decided to read the fairytales that I was somewhat familiar with as a child. I took notes over the one that I thought would be the best for retelling.

• The story of the wolf and the children reminds me of Red Riding Hood
• I knew that the warnings of the mother would be of waste
• The wolf continuously comes back to the house to try and fool the children
• The children were smart but they were again only children
• The ploys of the wolf to enter the home were constantly delayed
• The children made the mistake of telling the wolf why he was not their mother
• In typical fashion the wolf kept returning until he had masked all of his wolf like qualities
• I expected the mother to return to a house with no children
• Surprisingly, one child was still left
• I found it a bit odd that the goat was able to retrieve all of her children from the wolf's stomach
• You would think that the wolf would have woken up during the cutting of his stomach
• I thought it was clever that they filled the wolf's stomach with rocks
• I thought it would be to just fool the wolf into thinking that he was full from eating the children
• Instead, he ended up drowning in the water as he bent down for a drink
• I did not expect the story to end in such a manner
• I think there were hints of darkness in the story
• When the kids were recovered I expected them to just go home and not try to kill the wolf
• I guess in the end the wolf got what was coming to him

I think there are a few details that I would change if I retold this story. I was not exactly thrilled with the idea of the wolf eating the children and then the goat recovering them. I also thought it was a bit odd to kill the wolf in the end. I would probably make my story a bit more realistic in that sense.

(The two brothers Grimm. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales translated by D. L. Ashliman. Source:UnTextbook

Reading Notes: King Arthur, Part B

I finished the second half of the reading today. The unit followed up withs some great stories once again. I took notes on a couple of the stories that I liked. I hope to incorporate them somehow into the story for this week.

• Sir Lancelot and his adventures took him many places 
• He encountered fortune and misfortune throughout his journey
• He was a great warrior that was compelled to help those in need of during battle
• The nun brings up a great point to Lancelot after his defeat in the tournament
• Lancelot was stuck with his earthly desires in the world
• He had come to the aid of those clad in black armor
• They were the manifestation of earthly sin and lust
• Lancelot learns of his vain and desire for glory
• The nun makes it a point to enlighten Lancelot of his earthly desires and boasting
• She tells him that he must begin to let go of such desires if he wishes to continue on his quest
• She basically tells him that he is the most sinful of all earthly knights
• Lancelot learns of his son Galahad and has great love for him
• He ultimately returns to his old self when he renews his love for the Queen
• The death of Arthur ends in such a sad manner
• It was difficult to see such a mighty warrior and king fall in battle
• I was a bit confused about this desire to return to the lake as his final resting place
• He commanded Sir Bedivere to throw Excalibur into the lake 
• I am assuming he did not want another to come upon such a powerful sword
• The ending of Queen Guenevere was also saddening
• She lived her life as nun and even turned away Lancelot as he came to see her
• Sir Lancelot ended up withering away as he came to terms with the death of Arthur and his beloved Guenevere

The ending to the story is very saddening and hard to read. The mighty had fallen so much since the days of their beginnings. King Arthur and his death was so tragic. The death of his Queen was also saddening to see.

(King Arthur holding his crown. Source: UnTextbook)

Bibliography: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: King Arthur, Part A

I read the King Arthur for this week's reading. I decided to take notes over a couple of the stories that I really liked. I would not mind retelling either of these. I think that the unit has a lot of good stories to retell and recreate.

• The country was in a state of disarray after the death of the King
• The tale is similar as to how I remember it when I was a child
• I like that the old legend remains true in the original version
• Merlin and the lords gathered to devise a plan to find the true king
• It is still funny to think about all of the knights and men that tried to remove the sword from the stone
• I like the idea of a tournament being held to find the true king
• I did not remember the part bout Arthur going back to get his brother's sword
• I think this bit of information shows how genuine and kind he is
• When he returns he pulls the sword from the stone to give to his brother
• He does not even realize the feat he has just accomplished by doing so
• I think it shows just how kind and naive he is a boy
• He tries to help another but does not realize what he has accomplished
• I also like how many knights did not believe that such a boy was the true king
• The story of Excalibur was foreign to me
• I was under the impression that the sword Arthur pulled from the stone was Excalibur
• It was in interesting story, and I really enjoyed how the sword was a legend in its own right
• I also did not know that the scabbard would make Arthur immune to wounds
• It was really cool to read that for the first time

I really liked the King Arthur stories and units. I think the stories are so great, and they bring back a lot of childhood memories. I would like to retell them for my storytelling this week.

(A photo of the Boy's King Arthur cover. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: Robin Hood, Part B

I continued to finish the reading of Robin Hood and his adventures today. I liked different bits of a few of the stories, so I took notes over what I liked. I think that I am going to create my own adventure. I might retell one of the adventures, but I will probably create my own account. I will also most likely not use the ballad format seen in the stories.

• Robin Hood prides himself as a great game hunter
• The encounter with the Bishop shows Robin Hood's true character
• He is clever enough to recognize that the Bishop is trying to make him appear before the King
• The terms for meeting the King would have not gone well
• The Bishop presents it as a privilege but Robin Hood knows he will be cast in a cell or killed
• Instead, Robin averts the situation and brings forth his men
• Robin shows how merry and fun he can be by letting the Bishop go free after drinking with him all night (he also took all of his money)
• The story of the bishop is very creative and possibly my favorite
• The irony and complete confusion is funny to see unfold
• I really liked seeing something like this
• I think that it fits my writing style
• I could recreate a version of my own that I think would be funny
• I love writing about heroes, and I think Robin Hood fits the description
• Throughout the stories he is very keen and cunning
• He enjoys messing with his enemies and then enjoying the fruits of a hard day of work
• I think Robin Hood has some elements of Sindbad to him
• He also has his own unique characteristics that make him exciting

I really enjoyed the Robin Hood Unit. I think I will try and craft my own adventure from all of these stories. I want to get creative with the writing, and I think this is a perfect opportunity.

(Another photo of Robin Hood in statue form. Source: flickr)

Bibliography:  Robin Hood Unit from The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: Robin Hood, Part A

I read the Robin Hood unit for this weeks reading and storytelling. I am somewhat familiar with Robin Hood and his adventures. I decided to take notes on things that I found interesting throughout some of the stories. I might end up combing multiple elements from all the stories to create my own. I also might just retell one of the classic Robin Hood tales. I enjoyed the Ranger story the most.

• The stories are told in a ballad format
• I am not sure how easy this would be to recreate in my own story
• I like the commitment to the format and the way the author is able to describe the adventures
• Robin Hood is a showman and that is a point of storytelling
• I really like how he displays his skills with confidence and assurance
• The banter between Robin and his opponents is hilarious
• I like how neither Robin nor Little John back down from each other
• It seems Robin met a true match and a true friend that day
• The rhyming and singing pattern of the story can sometimes make it difficult to understand
• I do appreciate the element that this adds to the stories
• The combat goes back and forth between Robin and Forester
• I really like how Robin enjoys the competition of another competent fighter
• Robin Hood shows great resolve during combat as he never concedes when he is down
• I like how Robin values friendship and brotherhood so much 
• He offers competent fellows a place among Robin and his archers
• I think it is respectable and also makes Robin Hood a more likable character when he includes others

I think that after reading all of these different stories I will most likely create my own. I do no plan on recreating the ballad format, and I think I can get creative with a new adventure that Robin Hood and his friends embark upon. 

(A man dressed as Robin Hood. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography:  Robin Hood Unit from The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child. Source: UnTextBook

Reading Notes: Native American Hero Tales, Part B

I finished the reading for this week and took notes over the first two stories. I found that these stories were again very unique, and I have not read many things that are similar to these stories. This was definitely a cool week of reading.

• The two boys of the man were raised by themselves for a short period of time
• I like the fact that a reunion does take place
• The boys are discovered by their truthful father and he raises them
• The red woman was very brutal, and I was not expecting the mother to be murdered like she was
• It seems that death is an integral part of some of these stories
• It is presented in a way where you can still contact your loved ones even after they pass
• The boys constantly disobey their father
• However, they destroy many terrible creatures and things during their disobedience
• Their father always warns them of another bad thing in the world once they return
• It seems that he almost wants them to disobey, so they can rid the world of another terror
• In the end, nothing terrible actually comes to they boys
• The Wemicus character is very evil for a father-in-law
• It seems that he never wants his daughter to marry anyone
• I like the fact that Wemicus is constantly fooled by his new son-in-law and cannot seem to trick him into his death
• The story ends with the origin of the pike being explained, so I thought that was interesting
• I did not expect the story to end in that matter
• I thought Wemicus would eventually die due to the amount of people he had killed

(An image of a pike similar to Wemicus. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: Native American Hero Tales, Part A

I read the Hero Tales unit for this week's reading assignment. I really liked the first story in the unit. I took notes over that story because I thought it has a lot of potential for a retelling later in the week. I will probably reread it for some more inspiration.

(A photo of an eagle like the man from the story. Source: Maxpixel)

• The story starts with the conflict already being present
• The unnatural uncle is known for killing his nephews when they are four
• It does a good job of leading you to the problem early on
• I think the reputation of the unnatural uncle is built up and helps foreshadow the events very well
• I would like to possibly tell the story from the uncle's perspective
• I think this would be a very cool way to present the story
• Maybe the uncle has some insane motive for doing what he does
• I could develop this story line and create something new
• I also think that I could change the ways that unnatural uncle tries to kill his nephew
• I think the way that the nephew handles the whole situation is crucial to the story
• He assures his parents that he will always make it back
• He also outsmarts his uncle every time and constantly makes a point to frustrate his uncle
• I do like the constant reminder from uncle's wife that misfortune will come to him
• She constantly tells him to stop his actions because they will be his demise
• The ending is definitely unique
• I would probably only retell a portion of the story

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson. Source: UnTextbook

Week 10 Story: The Forgotten Son

There once was a boy that lived in the deep woods of Japan. He was a child of nature and spent many hours outside with the animals that were native to the forest. The child's name was Kintaro. He was the son of a ferocious and brave warrior that had been crossed by old friends and nobles. Kintaro lived with this mother deep in the woods. She chose to flee the city after her husband's death and raise her child in secret. He was a gifted boy with many talents. Kintaro was smart and he had a very genuine appreciation for nature. He was friends with the animals of the forest because they respected him. He also had no one else to bond with.

The reality of growing up in the forest was different from a life in the city. Kintaro did not understand how gifted he truly was. There was no one else for Kintaro to compare himself to. He had incredible strength. His own strength rivaled that of a fully grown man. He would play games with the different animals of the forest and he would often wrestle and fight with them. Kintaro would always come out as the victor. He would even challenge his best friend the bear and never lose. He was a truly incredible child.

One day an old lumberjack saw Kintaro playing with his animal friends. The lumberjack was confused by this and decided to follow the animals and Kintaro as they played. He followed the group to a river without a way to cross. Kintaro casually pulled a massive tree out of the ground and used it as a bridge for the group to cross. The man was impressed and continued to follow Kintaro to his home.

The old man introduced himself to Kintaro's mother and explained that he was a general in the army of Japan. He explained that his duty was to find extraordinary children and train them to become warriors of Japan. With a bit of discussion and convincing, Kintaro's mother let her son join the man back to the capital. Kintaro would go on to become one of the greatest and most ferocious warriors that Japan had ever seen. He would return in his adult years to care for his mother and ensure her health and safety.

(A photo of Kintaro with the animals of the forest. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Author's Note: The story that I told was very similar to the source story. The original story is much longer and has a lot of details that I left out. However, the events that unfold are pretty much the same. Kintaro has many friends in the forest and the old woodcutter spots him the same way. Kintaro goes on to be trained as a samurai and great warrior. He becomes Chief of the Four Braves and serves the Lord Raiko well. 

Bibliography: The Adventures of Kintaro, The Golden Boy from Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: Mississippi Valley/Great Lakes, Part B

I finished the reading for the second unit. I enjoyed the stories, and I like the fact that each one can stand alone by itself. I have definitely noticed that the storytelling style is different from a lot of the other units we have had in this class. I took notes over a couple of my favorite stories from this unit, and I hope I will be able to craft a great story. My favorite story is the tale of how deer used to be man eaters.

• I really liked the description of each predator and its prey
• The story of the wolf shedding its skin to catch the deer was cool
• I also like the confidence of the fish 
• The Fish Hawk was still able to best the fish and track down his food
• The confidence of the second deer to best the human was surprising
• The deer was witness to the wit and power of the human hunter
• I like how the story ends with deer accepting the loss and settling to eat twigs and grass
• The story of the hare and the lynx was also similar 
• It seemed that the hare was determined to find its way back home
• The lynx constantly stalked the hare and made it afraid of its presence
• I really liked the constant riddle-like conversations the two had
• The lynx was just playing with its food the whole time
• The hare was finally confident enough to run without regard for the lynx
• The lynx quietly stalked the hare and devoured it in the end

I really liked the small stories in this unit. I think it is cool to see how the origins of some animals are presented. There are lots of riddles and conversations that occur between animals in these stories. This is something that I found particularly unique about this unit.

(A photo of a deer like the one from the story. Source: Pixaby)

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes by Katharine Berry Judson. Source: UnTextbook 

Reading Notes: Mississippi Valley/Great Lakes, Part A

This week I chose to read the Mississippi Valle/Great Lakes unit. I am fairly familiar with some of the Choctaw stories because I took Choctaw 1-3 as my foreign language. I really enjoyed learning about some of the stories from my professor, so I decided to pick this unit. I took notes over a couple of the stories from part A. I might write my story over this reading for next week instead of this week.

• The Earth Maker had a lot of cool details and analogies
• I would like to look into the different story details implemented
• I thought the tortoise was an interesting creation
• Tortoise made war and did not destroy the evil as instructed
• The advice of the grandmother is very notable
• She explains to hare that we cannot all live forever
• It was a painful realization for hare
• Death is a part of our lives and we cannot escape it
• The Creator story was really cool
• I like how the Creator is similar to many different creation stories
• He taught man how to surive
• The earth was created with water first and land later
• The crawfish created the lands by bringing mud
• The animals were foolish to ridicule man
• Creator taught man to hunt and cook
• I like the connection that the animals and man have during council
• The animals would give advice because they were much wiser

(A photo of a hare similar to the Earth Maker story. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes by Katharine Berry Judson. Source: UnTextbook 

Tech Tip: Blogger Template

I was able to play around with my blogger template and background for my portfolio. I wanted to change the dull and basic background, and I was able to do just that. I added in a background image for my portfolio homepage. I also changed the color scheme to something that I thought was more visually appealing. I think visual representation is crucial for your readers. I would encourage everyone to mess around with the creative options until they find something that they like.

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales, Part B

I read the second half of the Japanese Fairy Tale Unit today. I specifically wanted to focus in on one of the stories. So, I took notes over The Goblin of Adachigahara story from the unit. I really enjoyed this story.

• The story is very good at creating an eerie atmosphere
• You can tell from the beginning that the hut belongs to the cannibal goblin
• The description of the hut and its inhabitant creates an uneasy feeling
• I really liked the thoughts of the traveler being included
• The author does a good job of giving the reader the emotions of the traveler
• I was hoping to see the traveler doze off as he stayed in the hut
• I thought it was funny how the goblin made such a point to not wander to the back side of the room
• This only invoked curiosity for the traveler
• The room of bones was filled with this ominous and revolting presence
• I appreciated the amount of detail put into that scene
• The emphasis on the traveler's religion was interesting
• That seems to be a light theme of the story
• I liked how the goblin transformed during the escape scene
• This ensured that the true nature of the beast came to light
• I would like to expand on this story
• I think there could be an altered ending or a continuation of the story
• It was pleasing to see that the rumors of the old goblin woman were actually true
• I could write a story about people confronting the goblin once and for all
• That would have a very climatic ending

(A photo of an old goblin woman. Source: Max Pixel)

Bibliography: The Adventures of Kintaro, The Golden Boy from Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales, Part A

This week I chose to read the Japanese Fairy Tales Unit. I really liked The Adventures of Kintaro, The Golden Boy story. That is what I chose to take notes over today. There is a lot of cool elements to this story that I hope to bring out in my retelling.

• Kintaro is like a child of the forest
• He has befriended many different animals and they watch over him
• Kintaro and the animals have quite a bit of dialogue
• It seems that the animals are his best friends
• I am surprised at how strong Kintaro truly is
• He is just a boy, but he is able to achieve incredible feats of strength
• Kintaro completely uprooted a tree to create a bridge across the river
• Kintaro was soon found by a general in the army
• He had seen what strength Kintaro possessed and brought him to the capital
• It was a bit sad to see Kintaro leaving his mother and friends in the forest
• The story did a good job in capturing the emotion of the moment
• Kintaro was trained to be the head of the Four Braves
• This was a testament to his strength and ability as a child
• I think I could even make my own story about Kintaro

After reading this story, I feel like there are a lot of possibilities. I could retell the upbringing of Kintaro. I could also create my own story about his adventures. The story ends with Kintaro beheading a monster in a cave. I could create a story from this and make it a great adventure that Kintaro embarks upon. I will try to brainstorm about this for the next couple of days.

(A statue of the Golden Boy, Kintaro. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: The Adventures of Kintaro, The Golden Boy from Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki. Source: UnTextbook

Week 8 Progress

I am satisfied with my progress so far. I have kept up to date on all of the assignments. I have a fairly good weekly routine, but I could do better about sticking to all of the outlined times. I enjoy doing the reading the most. I always enjoy reading a cool new story. I have not utilized any of the extra credit options. I plan on completing at least one every week.

I would like to complete more extra credit in the future. I want to avoid waiting until the end of the week to take advantage of these extra credit opportunities as well. I would also like to maybe read a different kind of adventure story. I tend to read stories that revolve around action and conflict. I definitely enjoy these kinds of stories. However, I think I can work on branching out to different kinds of stories.

(Just keep it up. Source: Flickr)

I chose this image because the message is simple. Just "keep it up". We are almost done with the semester, so we just need to keep pressing forward. It is a nice reminder to never slack off and get behind on school work.

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

Overall, I think the quality of the feedback comments have been great. I find the most useful ones to have suggestions in them. I appreciate advice that offers me a new perspective or idea on how to tell the story.

I like to think that I give good feedback comments. I try to focus on little things that might improve their story and offer suggestions if they want to continue the story. I get some ideas from other people's work, but I usually stick with what I am feeling. I like to try and maintain my creative touch.

I feel like I have been getting to know people better. I try to go back and read some people's stories that I liked from weeks before. I think my introduction is good, but it could use a bit more detail. I think the blog has been a fair reflection of my personality.

I think I should continue with what I am doing. I will try to leave more focused feedback for others, but I feel I have been doing a good job with that. If I was to make a change to my blog I would add more to the introduction and add some visual elements to the blog.

(Feedback Cat on criticism. Source: cheezburger)

I chose this image because it emphasizes an important point. We can all learn from criticism if we have the right mindset. You should be open to other people's suggestions. Most of the time people are trying to help and not put your work down. 

Week 8 Reading and Writing

I think that the reading and writing has been going really well. I was a bit unsure of myself at the beginning and it took me a couple of weeks to find my rhythm. My favorite reading so far has probably been the Adventures of Sindbad unit. I just thought it had so much variety and creativity. There was a new story with each voyage. I also had never read anything related to Sindbad before, so it was definitely a refreshing read. My reading notes have definitely been helping me. It took me a couple of weeks to find the best method for note-taking. However, I think my bullet point lists have been a lot of help. I am certainly happy with the class project. The portfolio has been such a cool way for me to refine my stories. I think my biggest accomplishment has been learning to be creative in my writing. I am always looking for new ways to tell a story.

(A photo of Odysseus driving his stake into the eye of the cyclops. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

This is my favorite image because it came from my first story in the portfolio. I think it is a really cool image and represents the situation perfectly. This was definitely an awesome find for me.

Looking forward there are a couple of things I want to do. I would like to continue to develop my creative writing skills and think of new ways to tell stories. I would also like to work on developing more dialogue in my stories. I think it would also be beneficial to work on developing my portfolio site and add cool images and colors in the background.

Week 7 Story: Trip to the Nether

You can find the updated version of the story here.

I awoke from my dream in a mysterious place filled with the stench of death. There were souls wondering the plagued ground and they were searching for someone to smother and take their life. However, I did not fear such incompetent creatures. "I am the Venerable Sun Wu Kung!" I yelled this as I walked past the creatures. I did not and I will never fear such foul creatures. I am Heaven's equal, and I did not forget that I was the chosen one to lead my people. So, I ventured forward into the pitch-black night and stopped when I came upon the gates to a very large and ominous city.

I soon realized where I had wondered. The guards at the gate informed me that I was now in the realm of death known as the Nether World. However, it did not take the words of the guards for me to realize I had been led to the realm of the forsaken and dead. I pulled out my staff and lengthened it to ten feet. The guards were frightened by this act of aggression, and I did not hesitate. I quickly struck down the guards and gained entrance to the city.

I stormed through the city without regard for the patrons. "I am the Venerable Sun Wu Kung!" I yelled this through the streets as I was searching for those foolish enough to bring me to such a disgraceful place. I was met by a party of 10 men and their bodyguards. They claimed to be the ten princes of the Nether Realm. I was not amused with their titles. "You are no princes! You are weak and feeble spirits, and I will not take orders from you fools!" I yelled this at the princes as they clamored backwards in fear. I ordered them to bow in my presence. They were very quick to oblige to my demands and knelt before my feet. They were scared, and I planned to take full advantage of my position of power.

The princes spent some time trying to appease me. They were afraid that I would bring harm to them and their people. I knew what I was fully capable of doing, so I showed them mercy. "Bring me the Book of Life and no harm shall come to you!" I yelled at them to do so with urgency. They did not hesitate in bringing me the book. I thumbed through the pages until I came across my name and the name of my people. Once I found the names I marked through the day of our predetermined deaths. I freed my people of any fate that was going to become of them.

However, I knew that there was still more to achieve on earth and in the heavens. So, I quickly made my way out of the city and awoke from my dream. I was back with my people on earth. I told them of the good news and my astoundingly easy victory. We celebrated with a giant banquet that night. I had secured the lives of my people, and we all knew it was a great time to rejoice.

(A photo of the venerable Sun Wu Kung. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Author's Note: The story that I retold was sourced from The Monkey King Unit. The Monkey King, Sun Wu Kung, is a popular figure from Chinese folklore. Sun Wu Kung was born as a stone ape. He possessed the powers of both the earth and the heavens. His birth place was high on a mountain top, and the mountain had taken in powers from all of the elements. This gave him his natural abilities and powers that far exceeded those of any man. Sun learned the secrets to immortality during his travels. He possessed the ability to shape-shift and walk amongst the clouds. The specific account I retold came from Sun's adventure to the Nether World. I kept most of the details of the story fairly similar. I told my version in first-person. I felt that this makes a more detailed and engaging story than the traditional third-person perspective. I also changed a few small details here and there to add some variety to the story and put my own mark on the retelling.

Bibliography: "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" from The Chinese Fairy Book by R. Wilhelm and translation by Frederick H. Martens. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part B

I continued my readings today with the Monkey King Unit. I think that the second half of the unit presents a lot of more intense conflict and resolution. I was really excited to dive into the stories and find out what becomes of the Monkey King and his people.

• As I suspected Sun Wu Kung was called to the heavens
• It seems that Sun is letting his guard down too much
• He assumes that he is indestructible and not bound to the rules of life
• Sun definitely proved himself to be an equal to the heavens
• I did not suspect Sun to better the warriors of the heavens, but it did not surprise me
• Sun becomes very ignorant and complacent once he has achieved heavenly status
• He does not take into account the effects his actions have on others
• I think this is a very important character flaw
• Sun's inability to see what is best for others constantly causes issues
• Sun Wu Kung loses control of his desires and emotions
• Sun wages war on the heavens and does not seem to have a reason for doing so
• It seems that Sun's only amusement in life is besting others
• Sun constantly searches for a new challenge and is never satisfied with what he has
• This is another character flaw that is vital to the development of the story
• I really like the fact that Sun constantly causes conflict
• Sun's inability to law low is what makes the stories engaging
• It really seemed that Sun's defeat was of his own ignorance
• He became tame once Buddha arrived and humbled him
• I think Sun could have achieved so much if he had just realized his impolite manner

Overall, I really enjoyed reading about Sun and his adventures. I think I will probably retell one of his adventures or great battles. There was a lot that took place in this unit, so I definitely have a lot of options with this week's story.

(A cool photo of an ice sculpture of the Monkey King. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" from The Chinese Fairy Book by R. Wilhelm and translation by Frederick H. Martens. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part A

This week I read the the unit of The Monkey King "Sun Wu Kung". The Monkey King is a very popular hero in Chinese culture. The Monkey King is so popular that he even makes appearances in various video games. I really liked reading about the legend of the Monkey King. I had always heard of him, but I never knew the actual origin story. I have been looking forward to reading this unit for a few weeks.

• Born of a magic egg on a mountain top
• He possessed the magic of the earth and the heavens
• He was the stone ape before becoming the King of the Apes
• The Monkey King was a very curious individual
• He was always pondering thought and considering the deeper meanings to life
• The Monkey King attains his name Sun Wu Kung from his master, the "Discerner"
• It seems that Sun is always over-eager to obtain answers
• Sun is always curious and seeks the truth, but at times he can become very eager
• Sun Wu Kung was always after the blessing of immortality
• He was so clever that he was able to obtain the means to immortality
• The gifts and abilities that Sun Wu Kung possess and learn are something of imagination
• I really like the emphasis that is placed on Sun's drive to obtain immortality
• I also like the pure talent that Sun possesses
• It seems that Sun's ability to understand the unordinary is what makes him so special
• Sun is very brave and courageous when it comes to saving his people
• His ability to transform himself by using a single piece of hair is remarkable
• I like the fact that the story constantly progresses to new events
• The story of the Dragon King is particularly interesting and shows the true might of Sun Wu Kong
• The venture to the Nether World sets up the second part of the reading

I am really excited for the second part of the reading. I think Sun's actions in the Nether World could be a cause for possible conflict in the future. It seems that the story continues to foreshadow events that will take place in the heavens. I am very excited to see what becomes of Sun Wu Kung once he is confronted by the Gods. There is a lot of originality in this story, and I want to give an accurate retelling.

(A cosplay of The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" from The Chinese Fairy Book by R. Wilhelm and translation by Frederick H. Martens. Source: UnTextbook

Week 6 Story: Attack of the Giants

Edit: The new story can be found in my portfolio here.

I arrived at the old and beaten town with hopes of resting myself for the coming weeks. However, I noticed that something was terribly wrong. The city seemed almost deserted. There were no shops open and there were no children running around in the streets. I came across an older woman and asked her what had become of this once lively town. She told me that there was a pack of giants that had been terrorizing the town for some months now. Every day, one giant would come to the town and demand a tribute from the townsfolk. Each tribute to the giants lessened the number of people in the town. The woman had already lost many of her children to this tribute. I knew I had to put an end to this ridiculous agreement. So, I gathered my supplies and headed out the next morning.

One of the giants arrived the next morning demanding a tribute. The people of the town obliged, and I used this as an opportunity to follow the giant. I stalked him back to his village of giants and lurked in the shadows until it was my time to strike. The nightfall soon came upon us, and I knew my opportunity was near. The band of giants had gathered together to prep their graciously gifted meal. They were enjoying themselves as they drank obscene amounts of wine and dined on the "catch" of the day. I noticed that their senses were dulling as they continued to engorge themselves. A small scuffle broke out between two of the giants as they were arguing over who deserved the last piece of meat. I knew this was my best time to strike, so I prepped my blade and spear.

I crept up behind two of the giants that were off in the distance completely dazed from the alcohol they had consumed. I disposed of them quickly and continued to the rest of the group sitting around the fire. The three giants sitting around the fire were a bit more aware of their surroundings, so I had to move quickly. I snuck up behind one and plunged my sword through his heart. The other two giants noticed what had happened in disbelief. I took my spear and hurled it at one of the giants who had just realized what was happening to his friends. The other giant began to charge at me and he readied his club to bash my skull. I swung myself onto his back and disposed of him like I had the rest. The two giants that had been fighting were now passed out from their recent exhaustion and had no clue what had just taken place. I finished them off and returned to the town. I freed the people of the horrors that were haunting them and went on my way to a new adventure.

(Tales of the Punjab by Flora Annie Steel from Victorian Publishers' Bookbindings. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Author's Note: This story was based on one of the adventures of Raja Rasalu from the book Tales of the Punjab. Raja Rasalu was a hero to the people and he accomplished incredible feats of the strength as a man. However, he had abilities and gifts that no normal man would ever possess. Raja was also very cunning and confident. He always knew what to say and do. During this specific adventure, Raja came upon the city of Nila. He comes upon an older woman that tells Raja of the giants and their tribute from the city. The woman had lost six of her children to the giants and was about to lose her seventh. Rasalu knew he had to rectify the situation, so he took the place of the child that was supposed to be the tribute for the day. Rasalu marched for the giants home on his steed and quickly went to work. However, some of the giants did not believe that he was in fact Raja Rasalu. They gathered a stack of seven shields and stood behind them. Raja Rasalu, being the hero that he was, shot an arrow through all seven shields and all seven giants standing behind them. He tracked down the last giant and let her starve in a cave to death. I changed a few of these elements in my story, but I kept it mostly the same. One of the major changes was that I told it from a first-person perspective. I did leave out some of the details that I mentioned above because I found that it did not fit the first person narrative. Overall, the story that I told is fairly true to its source.

Bibliography: Raja Rasalu from Tales of the Punjab by Flora Annie Steel. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: Raja Rasalu, Part B

Today, I took notes over the second part of the reading for Raja Rasalu. I really liked the first story in the Part B reading, so I decided to take notes over these today. The interactions with the hunter and Raja are just the precursor to the events that unfold. I tried to take note of things that happened after the hunter failed to comply with Raja's conditions.

• Again, the poetry in this story is important.
• I really liked the exchange between the buck and doe in the south woods.
• The looming fate of the hunter is such an integral part of the story.
• I think I would like to include similar foreshadowing in the retelling.
• I like the dialogue of the doe as she ponders death after the buck dies.
• I think the dynamic between the buck, doe, and hunter is very interesting.
• There is a lot of self doubt and anguish associated with the dynamic.
• This would be something cool to manipulate or recreate in the retelling.
• Mirshikari is a very confident man and did not understand the weight of his actions.
• Raja Rasalu is very wise and knowledgable. 
• It seems that Raja associates himself with others as entertainment.
• He constantly uses riddles as a way of messing with mortal men.
• I think he is very clever and his cleverness is a reoccurring theme in each story.
• The king is unable to solve Raja's riddle and seeks confirmation of the hunter's death.
• There were many who doubted the death of Mirshikari. I believe this is a testament to his strength. This only reinforces the fact that Raja is so far beyond the strength of other men.
• The story ends by Raja alluding to another king.
• I could possibly transition into the next story.

I think that there is a lot of value in the first story. It spans across four different sections and includes much detail and thought. I can do a lot with this story. There is a lot of possibility for change. I could also focus on one specific section and retell it in my own fashion.

(This is a photo of deer in the Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary in India. This is how I imagined the deer in the story would look. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: Raja Rasalu from The Adventures of the Punjab Hero Raja Rasalu by Charles Swynnerton. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: Raja Rasalu, Part A

This week I read the about the adventures of Raja Rasalu. He is known as the Hero of the Punjab. I really like to read and write about hero stories, so I decided to do another one this week. Raja has multiple stories and adventures. I decided to focus on a specific story for my notes. I am taking notes over Raja and his battle with the giants. This will most likely be the story that I choose to retell later this week. Again, I am using the bullet point notes format.

• Raja is perceived as charming to those that meet him.
• He faces similar challenges to that of other heroes in this course.
• Raja flows with confidence in himself.
• Raja does not fear for his life in this situation
• The people of the city had succumbed to the demands of the giants.
• There was not resistance formed to fight off the giants.
• Everyday the people of the city were fearful for their survival.
• The city took turns rationing their men as sacrifice.
• He does not doubt his ability to take on the giants in combat.
• Raja shows no mercy for his foes.
• He was born into the world as giant slayer.
• Raja confronts the giants with confidence and the knowledge that he will win.
• Raja slices off the hand of a giant with ease as a warning.
• The poem of Raja's return has some significance.
• I definitely need to include the poem in the retelling.
• I like how Raja is never challenged in his adventure.
• I could change his typical victory to something more fatal or drastic.

Overall, I think there are a lot of creative options for this week. I have really taken a liking to the stories about heroes and their many adventures. I will probably try to find a new way to get creative with this week's story and do something different.

(A photo of a sunset in Punjab, India. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: Raja Rasalu from Tales of the Punjab by Flora Annie Steel. Source: UnTextbook

Week 5 Story: The Crazy Man

Update: The edited story can be found on my portfolio here.


I clambered upon the island as I barely managed to fight off the exhaustion and fatigue that had taken over my body. I had been floating in the ocean for hours in the unrelenting sunlight. The heat had become unbearable and my spirit was broken. All of my comrades had been taken out by the giant birds that hurled boulders upon our ships. I managed to find a shaded tree on the island to rest under as I recovered from my unfortunate travels. I awoke in the morning and scavenged for food and water to the best of my ability.

As I quenched my thirst from a nearby stream, I saw an old and beaten man in the corner of my eye. I walked over to him to see if I could help. He could not speak, but he looked parched and dehydrated. I picked him up and carried him on my back to take him to the stream for water. I took it upon myself to help this man in need despite the poor state of my own current health. As I neared the stream, I felt a tug on my neck. In an instant the old man clambered upon my neck and put me in a chokehold. I could not even manage to fight. He took me to my knees, and I could not move. I could not even manage to breathe. I gasped for air and put myself at the mercy of the old man. He dug his claws into my back and slowly loosened the grip around my neck. I fell to all fours and gasped for breath. He tugged on my hair and forced me to stand. I knew I was in trouble, but I could not escape. I was now his horse and he was a jockey.

Over the next few days he forced me to walk all over the island. I took him everywhere. I managed to spot a location for my possible escape during one of the walks down to the river. I noticed that there was a tree with a large spiked branch protruding from the center of the trunk. I plotted my point of attack for days. I took the same route to the river every day for a week. Each day, I walked closer and closer to the tree with the spiked mass. I decided to attack when the old man had let his guard down and had become used to the routine of walking to the river. I impaled the old man in the back as I forced him into the spiked tree. He screeched and loosened the grip around my neck as he braced his wound. I wasted no time in taking advantage of the moment. I kicked the old man to the ground and put as much distance between us as possible.

On the shore of the island I found a boat of merchants docked in their ship. I yelled for them to come help and they sent a rescue party my direction. I told them the story of my misfortune and travels, and they gladly welcomed me aboard. They took me back to Bagdad and concluded my fifth voyage on the seas.

(A photo of the old man on Sindbad's back. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Author's Note: The story I told is based on one of the voyages of the merchant adventurer Sindbad. The Voyages of Sindbad come from The Arabian Nights' Entertainments. There are seven different voyages, and each one follows Sindbad as he embarks on a journey away from his home of Bagdad. The story I told was a retelling of the fifth voyage of Sindbad. It was not based on the full fifth voyage, but rather a portion of voyage five. Sindbad finds himself on the shores of an island after his whole crew had been displaced. They were attacked by a flock of Roc's (large mythical birds) that destroyed all of their ships. By clinging to a piece of wood, Sindbad survived and made it to the island. He happened upon an old man that he thought was helpless. The old man tricked Sindbad into carrying him across the river on his back. Instead, the old man put Sindbad into a chokehold and forced Sindbad to carry him around the island. Sindbad, using his wits, created wine in an empty gourd. He tricked the old man into drinking it and seized his escape when the old man was drunk. Sindbad became free of the old man and found a ride with mariners back to his home of Bagdad. I changed a few details in the story, but I kept it mostly close to the source.

Bibliography: The Voyages of Sindbad from The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: The Voyages of Sindbad, Part B

I read the second half of The Voyages of Sindbad. I decided to take notes again similar to how I did for Part A. I find that the concise bullet points help me with keeping the details and theme of the story true to its source.

• Sindbad is never settled with his life at home.
• Sindbad sets out for another adventure despite all of the past troubles.
• Each voyage does not waste time to jump into action.
• The roc reminded me of escaping the giants.
• Sindbad never manages to break the cycle of bad/good luck.
• The old man reminded me of Smeagol from Lord of the Rings.
• The constant new adventures add a lot of scenery and detail to the stories.
• Each adventure does not break the mold.
• The second half of the stories follow the same formula as the first.
• I like the final voyage and Sindbad's commitment to return home.
• He went against his vow to set out for the last voyage.
• His miraculous journeys finally came to an end at the culmination of his final return.

I think the second half of the reading had a lot of great stories. I really liked the fifth voyage and Sindbad's cleverness to escape the old man. As I mentioned earlier, it reminded me of Smeagol and Lord of The Rings. If I write about the latter voyages I think I will retell this one. I think that there is a lot I can do creatively with this story. I have a lot of inspiration and ideas for an escape like this from previous stories.

(A photo of Sindbad by Rene Bull. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: The Voyages of Sindbad from The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang. Source: UnTextbook

Reading Notes: The Voyages of Sindbad, Part A

My reading for this week is the Voyages of Sindbad. I am interested in this unit because of its similarities to Homer's Odyssey. I really like the idea of a hero that goes on adventures, and that is why I was interested in this unit. I am condensing the notes again because I benefited the most from this method.

• Sindbad is a cunning man
• The detail and scenery is noted
• Sindbad traded his life of luxury for adventure
• Each voyage leads to a new adventure
• I like the ideas of fantasy included in the voyages
• There are many different elements I can work with
• The voyages can be changed in my retelling
• There is a constant feeling of adventure
• Sindbad encounters something new all of the time
• Each voyage begins with a great sense of excitement
• Sindbad quickly meets a new enemy/disaster every voyage
• There is never a moment of peace during the voyage
• Sindbad always makes his way back to a former acquaintance
• Each voyage ends in a safe return home

I really like each of the voyages of Sindbad. I think that there is a lot of material for me to work with this week. Since I recently retold a portion of Homer's Odyssey that is similar to voyage three, I will avoid retelling the part about the escape from the giants. I really like the fact that Sindbad constantly gives his riches back to the poor and needy. I think it creates a more likable character, and I want to include this in my retelling. I also think it would be fun to create a voyage where Sindbad does not return peacefully. We will see what Part B of the reading entails before I make up my mind.

(A photo of Sindbad from the 1947 film. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: The Voyages of Sindbad from The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang. Source: UnTextbook

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Week 4 Story: Disapproving Mother-In-Law

Psyche and Cupid were madly in love. They were both crazy for each other despite their different upbringings. Cupid was born to one of the wealthiest families in the state. His father was a real estate mogul and a successful businessman. Psyche, however, came from more humble beginnings. They met their freshman year of college and never looked back. As soon as they graduated they planned to get married. Cupid's mother heavily disapproved of their relationship and constantly reminded her son, Cupid, about her heavy disapproval. Psyche had always wanted a nice family wedding. However, Venus told her son that she would not fund any of the wedding. She also vowed to never approve of their marriage.

Cupid and Venus spent many nights frantically worrying about how to repair the disconnect between mother and daughter in law. Cupid tried his best to mend the relationship and reasoned with his mother about a compromise. Venus came to a compromise with her son, but she offered unreasonable terms. Venus told Psyche to complete one monumental feat. This task would be deemed unreasonable by many. If Psyche completed the task, Venus said she would agree to fund the wedding and come to terms with the marriage.

Venus told Psyche that she must learn to juggle six flaming torches by the end of two months. If she failed to do so, the marriage would not receive her blessing and would not be funded. So, Psyche set out to train. She sought out the help of many different entertainers and acrobats to help her perform this feat. She dedicated ten hours of each day to train. Psyche started with two unlit torches and progressed her way to six. By the end of the second week she had managed to juggle six torches without fail. Next, she began to train with fire. Psyche suffered many burns and hurt herself quite a bit. She was confident in her ability and skill but had not mastered the final hurdle. On the day of her performance she felt ready. Psyche was nervous but felt confident. She demonstrated her newly acquired ability to Venus flawlessly. Venus was stunned by this, but she had to accept the outcome. In the end, Psyche and Cupid would marry. The wedding went according to plan and Venus learned to accept and appreciate her daughter-in-law over time.

(A photo of the mythological wedding between Psyche and Cupid. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Author's Note: For this story, I retold a portion of the tale of Cupid and Psyche. Psyche was considered to be the most beautiful woman to walk the earth. Many people had spoke of her beauty far and wide. It did not take long for Venus, the most beautiful goddess, to catch word of the mortal Psyche. In response to this, Venus ordered her son, Cupid, to dispose of Psyche. She wanted Cupid to curse Psyche to a lifetime spent with the most ugly and wretched men. However, Cupid could not go through with this act. Cupid wed Psyche in secret and hid his face and identity to his lover. He did not want his mother to find out what he had done. Eventually, Psyche unveiled his identity and Cupid was forced to leave. Venus tracked down Psyche and demanded her to complete 3 impossible tasks. However, Psyche was able to accomplish each task to the dismay of Venus. In the end, Jupiter called for the marriage to be approved. He blessed Psyche with the gift of immortality to make the marriage between two immortals. I put more of a modern twist on my retelling of the story. I chose to focus on the section that included Venus and her demands of Psyche to complete the impossible tasks. I changed the outcome of the events and added my take on the well-known tale. I wanted to create a relatable story that pits the evil mother-in-law against the soon to be bride. I also wanted to add a bit of humor by adding a ridiculous task.

Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche from The Golden Ass, written by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline. Source: UnTextbook.

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche, Part B

The second half of the story really had all of the action. Part A ends with the buildup to the unveiling of Cupid and his identity and ends with the sister's deaths. Part B deals with the aftermath of all these terrible events. I am going to try a bullet list of notes to see if this works best for me.

• The dynamic between Cupid and his mother is unique.
• The rage of Venus is noted and important to the story.
• The state of Psyche is interesting. She is pleading for a second chance at life
• The struggle of the gods to find Psyche is interesting.
• Venus has an endless amount of hate for Psyche.
• Venus seems to fear the reality of aging and time.
• Psyche relies upon the help of other kind hearted people.
• I could possibly change the tasks Psyche performs.
• I could possibly change Venus's response to Psyche's performance.
• The exhaustive list to go and return from the underworld.
• Psyche's persistence to complete the impossible tasks.
• Psyche's curiosity and how it has failed her.
• The strong desire for Cupid to have his wife forever.

The ending of the story is a bit odd, and I will probably only retell sections about Cupid and Psyche. Overall, it was a very interesting story with a lot of options to consider in my retelling.

(A photo of many Cupid's represented as a baby. Source: Wikimedia Commons)

Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche from The Golden Ass, written by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline. Source: UnTextbook