Storytelling for Week 11: The Passing of Hugh

Charlie Sheen proved with his wild antics and large paycheck that he was worthy of entering the Playboy Mansion.  However, Charlie decided to bring along with him a date, Crystal, to one of the Mansion's parties.  When Hugh Hefner saw Crystal, he instantly fell in love with her and always wanted to be with her, for she was an extremely beautiful woman who was young enough to be his great granddaughter.

Crystal laughed at Hugh in secret due to his decrepit body that was probably ravaged by STD's but decided to use him to eventually gain his fortune when he died.  Hugh knew that Crystal was after his fortune but he could not resist her charms and the fact that she was attractive.  They eventually got married and she was listed as the recipient of his estate once he died.

Hugh Hefner.  Web Source: EOnline

Hugh and Crystal traveled all around the world, sightseeing and indulging in all the luxuries that only great wealth could afford.  Crystal, however, began to tire of Hugh's company and regretted ever marrying him for his money.

Finally, the two ended back in the States and returned to the the Playboy Mansion.  One day, Hugh showed Crystal his brand new tanning bed he bought so he could look nice and leathery for swimsuit season so he could go to the beach.  Summoning all her wits, Crystal told Hugh that he should get in the tanning bed and take a nap, and when it was time for him to get out she would let him know.  When he hopped in and fell quickly into a deep sleep like most elderly people do, she cranked up the heat setting and made sure he couldn't get out. 

After his death Crystal was filled with joy, because she inherited his fortune and no longer had to be around that horny old man.

Author's Note:  For this storytelling, I used The Passing of Merlin from the King Arthur unit.  I decided to tell the story about Hugh Hefner because in the original, Merlin is kind of a horny old man who falls head over heels for a woman named Vivien, who was using Merlin to learn all of his magic.  I found Hugh to be similar to Merlin in this situation so I used him and I looked up his current wife, Crystal, to use in place of Vivien.  Merlin and Vivien travel many places and eventually return home, where he shows her a rock where he says there are many marvelous things underneath.  Vivien asks him to go underneath to show her, and when he goes in she buries him alive and leaves happy, since she learned everything that he knew.

Bibliography:   King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang (1902).  Web Source: Untextbook

Reading Diary Week 11: King Arthur Unit

King Arthur Unit

The Drawing of the Sword-  I was excited to read this section because the old Disney animated movie The Sword in the Stone was one of my favorite movies when I was a kid.  I was surprised that the Disney version followed this section fairly closely.
The Questing Beast-  This was an odd section because the questing beast didn't have a lot to do with the section other to leave Arthur horseless and to set up the prophecy that Merlin would give.
The Sword Excalibur- I am a little disappointed as to how Arthur isn't much of a hero and is instead helped out and saved on multiple occasions.  I can understand having a hero with faults but having Merlin helping him out is kind of cheap.
The Round Table-  So far the stories in here are a lot less epic than I remember; it was kind of sad that Arthur was making people knights willy-nilly and he didn't even have enough.
The Passing of Merlin- So since Merlin knew what was happening but still didn't avoid his death?  This was an odd section.
King Arthur and Morgan le Fay- The motives for the characters in this story are strange.
The Quest of the Holy Graal-  This section read more like the pre-reading information instead of a myth/folk story.
The King's Pilgrimage-  Why wasn't the Holy Graal continued in this section?  The pacing of this section is odd.  I did find this story amusing though.
The Coming of the Holy Graal*- I can see why Monty Python made their movie so absurd with randomness, the source material is random and doesn't flow very well.
Sir Galahad and the White Knight- I've never heard of hanging a shield around your neck, why would they do that?  Also the way the story is written reminds me of a kid writing; first Galahad is here then there with no transitions whatsoever and odd little additions.
Sir Lancelot's Vision-I thought this was a well-written section for a change, it shows Lancelot to be remorseful of his sinful life and the words of the bearer of the Holy Graal were deep.  It also didn't have odd battles or something that didn't advance what was going on.
The Adventure of Sir Percivale-  I feel like there is symbolism going on that I don't understand.  The lion and serpent fighting looks like it could mean something.
Sir Lancelot and the Five Hundred Knights- The vision and the explanation of the vision were pretty neat, I am surprised that the Knights of the Round Table are more developed characters than King Arthur.
Sir Gawaine and the Hermit-  This section didn't make any sense.  First there is an otherworldly hand that appears out of nowhere and then a hermit who isn't even introduced until after he finishes speaking tells Sir Gawaine and Sir Ector, two characters we really don't know, that they have sinned.
I feel like this section in unnecessary since it adds two characters that we don't really know and it is also just 400 words.  The information about Lancelot is the only worthwhile info.
The Adventure of Sir Bors- After reading several sections, I finally realized that the quest for the holy grail isn't a physical quest but instead a journey of self-purification. 
Sir Galahad and the Mysterious Ship- This section reminded me of the typical journey to the underworld that many heroes have to undertake.
Sir Lancelot and Sir Galahad-  So Lancelot was stuck on a boat with a dead body for a month?  I guess I am a little confused on what purpose the boat served since it has supernatural properties.
Sir Galahad and the Graal- I wish that Lancelot would have turned from his old ways but I guess he couldn't escape his nature.  I am a little confused on the last sentence, does King Arthur become evil?
The End of Arthur- So Lancelot ended up redeeming himself again.  I was a little sad that this unit wasn't really about King Arthur other than him getting all the knights of the round table together.

Essay Analysis: The Song of Hiawatha

   I really enjoyed The Song of Hiawatha for this week’s reading, especially Hiawatha himself as a heroic character.  While I covered the topic of heroes before when I read the Iliad, I believe that enough time has passed for me to revisit the topic.  Hiawatha possessed the many different aspects that a hero requires in addition to accomplishing many different heroic feats.  Hiawatha has somewhat of a divine birth since his father is essentially a god and his mother was once a celestial being.  Hiawatha also possesses superhuman strength, speed, and endurance, as seen when he fights his father for several days without rest.  He also fights for other people, such as ridding the land of The Pearl Feather whose magic was hurting people and the land.  Altogether these different characteristics make up what many believe to be necessary for a hero to possess.

Little Hiawatha.  Web Source:  Disney

   One thing that I liked about Hiawatha specifically was that he was not too overpowered.  What I mean by that is sometimes a superhero character is too strong and has no real enemies.  For example, Superman oftentimes gets complaints because he has so many different powers, has very few weaknesses, and is too strong of a character.  Another example would be Goku from the Dragonball Z series, who eventually becomes so strong that all of the other characters from the show are essentially useless.  In my opinion a hero that is so much stronger than his enemies or does not require help from other characters is too much of a hero.  Why I went on that long spiel is because I believe that Hiawatha is a pretty rounded character.  When fighting, he possesses superhuman strength but he also requires help from the other characters, such as when he needed the help of the woodpecker to defeat Pearl Feather.  In my opinion, Hiawatha is a very solid hero who could be included with the list of greats such as Achilles and Hercules.

Storytelling for Week 10: An Old Man and his Daughter

Outside my home I sat, keeping my old hands busy with familiar work.  What was once my life's purpose now kept me busy, kept my mind from wandering to past places that were no more.  I missed those old times, when I put my trade to use and men were noble and proud.  Now men are boys, full of themselves and feminine.  My daughter, a beautiful reflection and reminder of my wife, sat by my side weaving intricate patterns and designs.  Although she was sitting next to me, her mind was somewhere far away, lost in thought.  Why she stayed with me I don't know; suitors came seeking her hand, but she waved them off like bothersome gnats during summer.
As we sat occupied with our work and thoughts something broke our silence, a footstep of someone approaching.  Out stepped a man who stood apart from those of his generation, a man whose deeds and words were of someone much older and wiser.  I knew him as a occasional customer as well as by his preceding reputation.  I welcomed him in, glad to have such good company, and my daughter did as well.

 Hands. Web Source: Imgarcade

He walked inside our home with his large stature filling the doorway, and we sat as my daughter brought refreshment for our guest. He talked for a while, my daughter entranced by our guest's every word.  This was not like his usual visits, however; he spoke with purpose, leading the conversation to the reason he was there.  He talked slowly and clearly, asking permission for my daughter's hand.  I took a moment to gather my thoughts, but I knew that this man would care for and love her. 

"You have my permission, but there is someone else who must say yes," I said looking over at my daughter.

I looked at him and then looked at her, my daughter looking even more lovely than she normally did.  She nodded and he took her hand, leading her away from our home.  I stood watching them leave, and I suddenly realized that I was alone.  I slowly sat back down outside my home, keeping my old hands and mind busy with familiar work.

Author's Note:  For this story, I used Hiawatha's Wooing from the The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.  In the original telling, Hiawatha goes to an old arrow maker to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage.  After he agrees, Hiawatha and the daughter, Minnehaha, return to Hiawatha's village, leaving the old arrow-maker.  I decided to tell the story from the arrow-maker's perspective because in the original, he is left all alone when his daughter leaves apparently never to return, and is sad and lonely.  I left mostly everything the same in terms of plot progression, but I left all the names and occupations ambiguous because Hiawatha has a lot of back story and I felt like that would drag down a quick story such as this.  Also, the original doesn't mention the arrow-maker's wife, so I assumed that he is a widower.  I'll probably have to go back through and edit because I was pretty tired writing this.

Bibliography:  The Song of Hiawatha by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1855).  Web Source:  Untextbook

Week 10 Reading Diary: Native America

Myth-Folklore Unit:  The Song of Hiawatha

1. The Four Winds- At first I was concerned I would have a hard time following the meter and style that Longfellow writes in but it is easy to follow and his language is very beautiful and descriptive.

2. The Four Winds (cont.)- This one was a bit difficult to follow, especially during the wrestling match between Shingebis and Kabibonokka.  I couldn't tell who won the match.

3. Hiawatha's Childhood- I've actually heard this section before, but I can't remember from where.  I do know that Looney Tunes quotes one of the lines but other than that I can't remember.

4. Hiawatha and Mudjekeewis- The names are a bit difficult to follow but it is still a very good poem.

5. Hiawatha and Mudjekeewis (cont.)- So Hiawatha didn't go to buy arrows but instead to court or at least see Minnehaha.

6. Hiawatha's Fasting- This section is like a vocabulary learning page, all it does is have Hiawatha see and name different animals and plants.  However the last part reminded me of the Old Testament where Jacob wrestles God.

7. Hiawatha's Fasting (cont.)- I like this origin story of maize.  During my Wellness in Native Communities class, I heard a much grosser version of how corn came to be where a grandmother got it from her armpits.

8. Hiawatha's Friends-  I liked this section, I was getting a little tired of Hiawatha and this part portrayed his friends very well.

9. Hiawatha's Sailing- I kind of feel bad for the trees, the way they talk to Hiawatha is sad.  Again, the way origins are told is really neat in this unit.

10. Hiawatha's Fishing*- I know its unrelated but sturgeons can grow to gigantic sizes.  I like how Hiawatha does battle with one and how the smaller animals help him.

11. Hiawatha and the Pearl-Feather- The repetition is very powerful at the beginning of this section, and I think that the imagery in the description of the sunset and the moon rising is the best imagery I might have ever read.  This is a pretty good build up for the conflict with Pearl-Feather.

12. Hiawatha and the Pearl-Feather (cont.)- When I originally decided to read Hiawatha, I just assumed it would be just poetry, but this has the makings of an epic.

13. Hiawatha's Wooing-  I was wondering when Hiawatha would go after Minnehaha's hand in marriage.  I liked the descriptions that were used to talk about his journey to the Dacotahs.

14. Hiawatha's Wooing (cont.)-  I feel bad for the arrow maker, he seemed very sad when his daughter left.

15. Hiawatha's Wedding-Feast-  I got a little lost in this section, it failed to keep my attention like the other sections.  I guess the closest thing I could compare this to is in old Marx Brothers movies where everything is going along and then Zeppo has to sing a song, disrupting the flow of the movie.

16. The Son of the Evening Star- While this is a good section, it doesn't do much to add to the overall story.  While Scheherazade's story in Arabian Nights serves a purpose, this doesn't.

17. The Son of the Evening Star (cont.)-  At first I was concerned that this would end poorly, I was thoroughly impressed with the ending.  It ended very simply and concisely, and I loved how it ended with Hiawatha being happy with the night and his wife.

Week 9 Essay Option 3: Future of Written Media

Future of Written Media

 For this week's essay, I am going to write about the future of writing and my thoughts on what that future might look like.
      Personally, I am a bit more old school and I like reading things on paper.  While that might be destroying the rainforests or whatever, I cannot sit down and read something on a screen for a long period of time, it just doesn't feel right.  Of course, I am slightly biased because I have only used a tablet not really designed for specifically reading and I have never read anything at length on a Kindle or anything similar.  Also, it's not where my eyes hurt, I have spent many hours playing video games staring directly into a computer screen, I just think that paper is the perfect medium for reading.  The best comparison I could make would be comparing a steak grilled outside on a grill compared to inside on a George Foreman grill.  Both do the same job and the George Foreman grill is more efficient, but there is something about a steak cooked over flames.

 Stone Tablets.  Web Source:  New Scientist

   However, I cannot discredit the movement of written media from paper to screen.  Its just another step in the evolution of communication.  I could almost image someone griping about getting rid of oral tradition and writing things down on paper.  There are still oral stories, they didn't disappear with the times.  I believe that its just another way to read, communicate, learn, etc.  In fact, I believe that news is the one media source that will benefit the most from the addition of digital technology.  News spreads so much farther and quicker now that we have this form of communication, and we don't waste nearly as much paper since there is less need for daily papers.
   Lastly, I believe that the conversion of books to digital data is a necessary movement.  The amount of data, media, and literature humanity has been compiling in the past century is staggering.  While I can't remember the source, I remember hearing a factoid that human knowledge is exponentially growing at an insane pace.  Therefore, to stay relevant and informed, it is so much easier to carry a laptop that can access thousands of libraries of information just like that.  If I had to carry the equivalent amount of literature that a Kindle can hold in the form of books, it would be at least 12,000 lbs. based on an average hardcover book weight of two pounds.
    In conclusion, while I prefer to read on paper and I believe that many other people do, written media's transference to a digital platform is extremely convenient.  I believe that books will not be eliminated but instead they will be supplemented by digital writing.

Week 9 Reading Diary: Native American Hero Tales

Myth-Folkore Unit:  Native American Hero Tales

1. The Jealous Uncle-  I like how instead of addressing the problem that the uncle was a murderer and getting rid of him, they decide to let him continue being around. 

2. The Jealous Uncle (cont.)-  The story reminds me of one of the readings I did for the African section, where the baby continuously outwitted the mother and troll.  The child also reminds me a bit of Jesus in the gospels, when he comes back to find his disciples asleep.

3. The Jealous Uncle (end)-  A fitting conclusion to the story since the boy gave the uncle the same chance at life that he had.  I thought it was funny when he said he put on his eagle skin and hardened his eagle heart, for some reason the wording of that is amusing.

4. Bluejay and His Companions-  The name choices are a little confusing since usually animals are called by their name in the story but in this one men are named after animals. This is an interesting story because usually heroes are likeable characters but I do not like Bluejay at all.  I also find its funny that the other companion isn't name, almost like the token character that is killed off immediately at the beginning of a horror movie.

5. Bluejay and His Companions (cont.)-  Having taken a course that goes in depth over Native American traditions and culture, it is interesting to see different aspects of their culture, such as the sweat lodge, being used in this tale.

6. Dug-From-Ground- Why would the grandmother tell the granddaughter not to dig the root with two stalks?  From what I could tell Dug-From-Ground was very helpful.

7. Dug-From-Ground (cont.)- I've actually played shinny before and it is pretty fun, albeit it is definitely very tiring.

8. The Attack on the Giant Elk and the Great Eagle- This is a very interesting origin tale and reminds me more of something from Norse mythology than it does any Native American.

9. The Attack on the Giant Elk and the Great Eagle (cont.)- A very odd way to end the story, having bat lose all the feathers.  I kind of wished it concluded a bit better but it was definitely one of the most interesting origin stories I have heard.

Week 8: Reading Diary Self-Assessment

I definitely like how the reading diaries work in the context of this class.  While I have no experience with the previous set up of quizzes, the reading diary lets me work at my own pace and allows for me to choose what interests me.  The only downside I have seen to this setup is that while some stories work out really well for commenting on your reactions from reading the stories, it sometimes gets very monotonous for stories that may be short or have a repetitive scheme.  After reading a couple stories such as Sindbad or the ghosts section from the Odyssey, I had a difficult time responding.  I know you put that we didn't have to comment if we didn't get anything from the story, but it still was frustrating leaving sections blank or just saying "ditto to the previous chapters."

Generally, I don't use what I read for the diary for the main project in here, the storybook, so I don't feel like I've been required to go back and look at my reading diary.  The one difficulty I've had so far is having no cohesion between my storybooks and my reading diary.  I like how the reading diary weeks are divided into groups, but that makes it a tad bit difficult if my storybook is mainly used from later weeks.  For example, I've mainly used or are planning to use stories primarily from British and European units for my storybook.  Unfortunately, By the time the un-textbook reading module rolls around for those, the introduction, 1st, and second stories will have all been added to the storybook with the third story being due quickly after.  I understand the need for structure of the class but if you aren't doing something from those first couple weeks you have to do a lot of outside reading to find what you want.  So while Aesop and Classical storybooks might have plenty of time to do their submissions, people who might want to do stories about Native American tricksters or European knights have to not only read the week they are in but also go ahead and find stories for their storybook.  The only way I could think of doing that would be have those grouped together, but you pick which ones you do each week.  For example, for weeks 2-3, I might go ahead and do Europe if I plan on doing a storybook from there, then 3-4 do British Isles, then weeks 5-6 maybe change the pace with Middle East and Asia, etc.  Essentially have those six reading modules we have to do, but align it how we plan on doing our storybooks.  I understand this might not work since you have to grade things and it would be annoying and hectic to have to look at hundreds and thousands of entries at random.

Since there were a lot of questions that can be addressed in step three, I'll try to answer the ones that I feel are applicable to me sentence by sentence and not make a whole question and response paragraph.  In regards to the coming second half of the semester, my main goal is to try and read the stories over the previous weekend.  While it is definitely enjoyable reading, it takes up a decent portion of time and is hard to complete within a short amount of time.  I usually stick to the same routine when doing the diary posts; I read through a section and then write about what stood out or my overall thoughts about the section.  My diary posts vary, but I usually write much shorter responses if the story is part of a larger section that has "cont." or "end."  Those stories are usually divided into very small parts and its hard to write on something that has 800 words or less.  I try to choose stories that I've heard of but never read, or something that is similar to something I like.  For example, I chose Son Wu Kung a couple weeks ago because Dragon Ball was based on it.  Also, I chose The Odyssey because while I've heard some of the stories from it, I've never looked at it all in one sitting. 

Week 7 Famous Last Words

After a long and busy week with projects, essays, tests, and quizzes, I decided to do the famous last words project since I have a free evening.  This week, I felt like I wrote my best work in the storybook based on your (Laura's) comments and looking back it again on my first submission.  I'm glad I have a break from writing in the storybook though because I feel like anything I would write now would be from a tired, weary me.  The main thing I picked up from this week was that I need to be aware of my word choices in the entire scheme of my writing because I use words pretty repetitively. 

In other classes, I have been busier than a one-armed clothes hanger having two group projects, two exams, and a quiz all within this last week.  The one connection I have noticed between this class and my others is that for my class Wellness in Native Communities, we have to use an old story used by Native Americans for a specific food.  The readings I did in there reminded me a lot of how we read through different myths and folk tales for this class.

(Image Information: personal photo of Skippy excited to be home for the weekend;

photo from October 2014.)

Outside of school, I managed to finally go home for the weekend after a month or two.  It was good for me to go home and see my family because I normally see them all the time and this long spree of staying in Norman was wearing me out.  I went out and ate with my family and went to the casino with my dad.  My sister and I watched Saturday Night Live and caught up, albeit we did butt heads because she is greedy with the remote and won't let me watch anything.  For the most part however, I just lazed around the house, recuperating from the madness of last week. 

Week 7 Essay Option 3, Essay About Reading, Writing, Learning

For this week's essay, I decided to do the third option and write an essay that does not involve my weekly reading.  I did this because I only read half of the unit due to a exam I had Monday.  Specifically, I wanted to touch on the subject of the first memories of reading.

My grandma was a school librarian while she still worked so when I finally came around, she had a vast collection of books and stories for kids.  I used to love it when she would read The Bernstein Bears or any of the fantastic stories by Dr. Seuss.  She put so much emotion and life into her storytelling that my sister and I would be completely enthralled by her tales.  I remember specifically her telling a story called Wiley and the Hairy Man and she would read all of the characters in different voices.  My sister and I would be scared out of our wits when she would tell her that story.

I don't really remember when I learned how to read, but my parents attribute my playing video games to a lot of it.  I guess somewhere along the lines of reading the dialogue in Pokemon and Mario games I picked up reading.  When I took my foreign languages here at OU, I actually set Pokemon to German and played along to help solidify my reading skills.  I could still remember most of the dialogue from the countless hours that I played.

 

Professor Oak.  Web source: Pokemon

A big problem of mine however was I burned myself out of reading for a very long time.  In grade school and early middle school, Accelerated Reading was a big competition.  During those years, I would churn out book after book, reading anything that the library had.  At one point, I had literally read our entire school library and had to read little magazines to keep getting points.  As you could easily imagine, I had little desire to read after that and even now I disdain reading for extended periods of time.  I haven't quit reading; I am just very choosy in my selection and I have to be really drawn to read.

Week 7 Storytelling: Honey Do's

Once upon a time in suburban America, a man lived with his wife.  They had achieved the American dream and a two-story house with a white-picket fence.  One day, the man's wife became sick and wouldn't take any of the medicine which they had in their house.  He kept offering her pain pills, fever-reducing pills, and decongestant pills, but she kept refusing to take the medicine.  She kept getting sicker and sicker yet there was nothing the man could do.

"Well if you won't take anything we have here, what would you like?"  The man said trying every option he could.

"Um, go to Walgreens," she said, "and get me Motrin."  Off the husband went to the drug store to get the medicine which they inconveniently did not have at home.

When he returned with the Motrin, he brought it to his wife. 

Upon seeing the medicine, she said, "I can't take that, it's normal strength Motrin! I need maximum strength!"  The husband grabbed the receipt and medicine and went back to the drug store to exchange the pills.  When he came home he handed her the new pills.

"I can't take that, its Motrin maximum strength AM, I need Motrin maximum strength PM!" She said indignantly.  The man again grabbed the receipt and medicine then went back to the store.  Finally, after returning again, he gave her the pills she wanted and she eventually got better.

The next day however, the husband succumbed to the same illness that his wife had.

Medicine Aisle. Web source: Pollard Press

"Honey, I don't feel good, could you go get me a movie to watch?" He said in a raspy voice.  Off the wife went to the movie store to get him a movie.  When she returned, the husband was dismayed to see she had brought home a chick flick, "The Fault in Our Stars."

"You know I wouldn't like those types of movies, could you go get me something that is funny?" The husband said.  Off his wife went to find a funny movie.  When she returned, however, the husband realized much to his dismay that she brought home "Grown-Ups 2."

"Honey, you know that Adam Sandler movies are terrible anymore and he's just spewing them out for the money,"  the husband said in a sad tone, reflecting his broken soul which missed the days when Adam Sandler made genuinely funny movies.  "Could you just go rent "The LEGO Movie?"'

Off his wife went again to find the husband a movie.  However, foul luck befell the wife.  While inside the movie store, she forgot to lock her car door.  A serial killer was on the loose and decided the wife would be his next victim.  The killer hopped into the back of the unlocked car and waited for the wife.  After she returned to her car and began back home, the killer pulled out a gun and told the woman she was going to die.  Pleading, she asked the serial killer to spare her life and instead take her husband's.  After much consideration, the serial killer agreed and they continued back to the couple's house.  The husband greeted his wife expecting a surprisingly funny movie that all ages could enjoy with a well rounded cast; instead, he met with his own demise.

The End.

Author's Note:  Sorry about the terrible conclusion, but the story that I used, Motikatika, had a similar situation.  Motikatika is about an African couple where the wife gets sick and the husband goes and gets things for her to make her feel better.  After several outings where the husband doesn't bring the wife what she wants, he finally makes her feel better but in the process he becomes sick.  The same thing repeats where the wife goes out, however, on the last trip, my story diverges from the original.  The wife comes across an ogre and offers her magical baby to be eaten in exchange for her own life.  After the magician baby pulls several fast ones on the wife and ogre who attempt to catch him, the husband is eaten in the process and the story ends.  The frustration I felt after reading the original story will hopefully match your reaction at my terrible ending.  I omitted a version of the magical baby because I couldn't figure out how on earth to make a similar character for mine.

Bibliography:  The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang, 1903.

Week 7 Reading Diary: African Stories (Lang)

Unit: Africa (Lang)

1.  Motikatika:  This is a pretty ridiculous story, at first I was laughing since the husband copied what his wife did to him and had her keep getting more water, but then it took a weird turn when she came across the ogre and offered her own baby's life to spare hers.  I thought that was a crappy move but then the story took an even weirder turn when the baby was a magician.
2.  Motikatika (cont.):  The moral to this story is so weird.  Motikatika's father was the one eaten and the baby magician seemed to think the whole situation was the father's fault, not the mother's for this problem.
3.  Jackal and Spring:  I like how they chose animals that would easily be eaten by the jackal to guard the well.
4.  Adventures of a Jackal:  How long is leather supposed to dry?  I wouldn't blame panther for getting mad if Jackal told him to put them on right off the bat but a couple hours could mean 2 or more.
5.  Adventures of a Jackal (cont.):  Are jackals like lizards where their tail will come right off?
6.  Adventures of a Jackal (end):  These stories have the weirdest endings, I guess the Jackal had it coming but it was odd nonetheless.
7.  Adventures of Jackal's Eldest Son:  I wouldn't want to have a friend if I lived in these stories, they seem to get betrayed as much as a Game of Thrones character.
8.  Adventures of Jackal's Eldest Son (cont.):  These stories are getting comical.  They almost have a Looney Tunes feel to them.
9.  Adventures of Younger Son of Jackal:  This had a much more sensible conclusion to it, where one of the characters weren't crushed, eaten, or killed.  It also had a punishment more fitting of the crime as well, instead of the others.