Reading Notes: Italian Popular Tales, Part B

The Animal's Language: Having the child learn so many skills the teacher could not teach him anymore was a great start to the story. Putting the skill to use repetitively was a good plot.

An Incident in Rome: 'Who is neither saved nor damned.' I was very interested to see what was in the black hole and that is what held my interest in the story.

Crivoliu's Story: The introduction is so shocking I think it takes away from the rest of the plot. I think the author should add more information about the brother and sister.

The Cat and Mouse: I thought this story had an entertaining, cute vibe. The sounds the author used to show the animals singing were very creative.

Feast Day: The scene where the dog and cat help each other get the food was very descriptive and entertaining. I couldn't help wondering what would happen to the animals if they were caught.

Buchettino: The roles between Buchettino and the ogres flipped throughout the plot. First, it seemed the Ogre had outsmarted Buchettino, but towards the end you found out it was actually the other way around.

The Goslings: The ending showed a lesson learned and a happy ending for the gosling family. I thought the metaphor for the wolf being so greedy that he swallowed them whole instead of chewing was clever.

The Cock Who Wanted to Become the Pope: I thought this story was short, but sweet. It was sad that the characters most readers would be rooting for did not get to meet their goals.

Image Information: Proud Cock, Web Source: Flickr

Bibliography: Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane, Web Source: Italian Unit

Reading Notes: Italian Popular Tales, Part A

Zelinda and the Monster: I really enjoyed the relationships in this story. The awful sisters made you appreciate the selfless daughter's actions with her father. The monster's personality had it's ups and downs throughout the story.

The Fair Angiola: The jujubes gave the story a fun side. I thought the foreshadowing of the witch wanting Angiola was well done. Having the inanimate objects be living with the potential to turn the maiden in was a great twist.

How the Devil Married Three Sisters: I thought the third sister bringing the other two out of hell benefited the plot of the story. The writer did a great job of describing every character's feelings throughout the tale.

 Salt and Water: The morals behind this story are not recognized at the beginning, but that's what keeps the reader interested in the plot.

Poor Catherine: I thought making each character have their own fate was a great idea. I think most people would choose to enjoy life in their youth just in case they die young or get sick in their old age.

The Hunter, Snake, and Fox: The word usage in this story was great. 'Hunger does not observe promises' was clever and had a hint of an attitude. Foxes always seem to be helpful in stories.

Image Information: Eastern Fox Snake, Web Source: Flickr

Bibliography: Italian Popular Tales by Thomas Frederick Crane, Web Source: Italian Unit

Story Lab: TvTropes

For this week's story lab I chose to explore the TVtropes website. The writer described a trope as, 'a storytelling device or convention, a shortcut for describing situations the storyteller can reasonably assume the audience will recognize.' Comedy and Horror are my favorite genres, so i wanted to look at the tropes found in those stories. Coincidentally, there was a link that included both comedy and horror. The writers pointed out that movies/stories will use comedy in a scary entertainment to break the nervousness with a laugh. I have noticed this in a lot of books I have read. You have to keep the dominant genre more prominent or you risk ruining a scene or the entire story. If you kill of a character in a comedy, then you have to make it a humorous death or it won't make sense with the theme of your show/story. It was interesting to see how writers include tropes in their story and I bet this website could come in handy if you have writer's block!

Image Information: Comedic Horror, Web Source: Max Pixel
Story Lab Web Source: TvTropes

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm, Part B

I really enjoyed the characters and how they interacted with one another in Bearskin. I can tell Bearskin giving the poor man money for his family will be the good turn of the story. When the sister said the wedding will be great because bears dance well made me giggle, but it was a bit confusing because before that they seemed so concerned for their sister's future marriage. I did not think the sisters deserved to die or have their souls taken.

I thought there could have been more details to help with visualizing the story. This would have been really beneficial when the half-human half-hedgehog was born. The story was sad when the father just wanted the son to die even though he wanted a child so badly. There was a comical feeling to the story, especially if you consider this sentence, "Hans the Hedgehog, however, looked after his asses and pigs, and was always merry, and sat on the tree, and played his bagpipes." I am glad Hans the Hedgehog ended up happy in his own body and found love.

Image Information: European Hedgehog, Web Source: Wikimedia
Bibliography: Household Tales by Jacob Grimm Web Source: Brothers Grimm Unit
 

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm, Part A

I'm not sure why  but when the married couple referred to each other as 'husband' and 'wife' I felt like the relationship was less personal, or like it was missing love. The description of the forest was very attention grabbing. Normally, the mother has a more protective relationship with children so it is interesting that the father had more remorse for making the children leave home. I find that the units with just a few stories make it easier to be drawn into the story because the characters remain the same. I thought the duck carrying the two children across the water was an excellent addition to the story I am familiar with.

I was surprised when the father gave up Thumb and did not put up much of a fight. The word usage in this story was very creative. "In this little room the windows are forgotten," said he, "and no sun shines in, neither will a candle be brought," was my favorite line. The parents realizing selling their son was a bad idea was a good ending to a long journey.

Allerleirauh contained a plot twist in the beginning of the story. I would have never guessed that the King would want to marry the daughter. I don't see how he can see this as a solution because the mother would be so upset by this. Including the father and daughter relationship before he thought to marry her would have benefited the story.

Image Information: Allerleirauh by Henry Justice Ford, Web Source: Wikipedia

Bibliography: Household Tales by Jacob Grimm Web Source: Brothers Grimm Unit
 



 

Reading Notes: Dante's Inferno, Part A

I remember seeing Dante's Inferno at the beginning of the semester and knowing I had to read that unit eventually. The author did a great job or reeling the reader in through the final sentence in the introductory paragraph. I was surprised to see that their would be a guide through hell, but I think this will make the story very interesting.

The words listed above the gate of hell, shown in the first paragraph, gave me chills. The description of the bugs around the first group of people found was so vivid.

'With eyes of burning coal' is such a strong description. I have heard of limbo before, but the place described in this circle was a bit different. 'A meadow of fresh turf' brings a green field into my head.

I was a bit confused by the second circle. I felt like the third circle could have included more details. I can see the relationship between Dante and his guide growing stronger as the story progresses. Reading about people being stuck under mud unable to breath was really sad.

The images included for Canto 9 did not match the people I was seeing in my head while reading through the unit. Dante's Inferno is a lot different than I imagined so far. I am curious to see what the rest of the tour entails.

Image Information: Dante's Inferno film poster, Web Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: Dante's Divine Comedy by Tony Kline, Web Source: Dante's Inferno Unit

Reading Notes: Robin Hood, Part B

The Bishop of Hereford: I liked when the author said 'Robin Hood dressed himself in shepherd's attire.' The repetition of 'before the king you shall go' gives the story's plot clarity.

Little John a Begging: The title alone draws my attention because Little John is a scary guy, so I am wondering who could cause him to beg and for what. While reading this story I noticed that I imagine all the characters being bubbly because of the rhyming, but they are actually fighting frequently in the stories.

The Bishop: I enjoyed reading the dialect between the old woman and Robin Hood, especially after she agrees to allow him to stay with her.

The Golden Prize: Robin Hood was able to teach someone a lesson in this story without using violence. I thought that was an interesting turn of events. I was a bit confused because I did not think the priests would get anything from hiding the money, but when he found the money he said each person can take one part.

Maid Marian: I am excited to read this story because this is the first tale based on a female character. I thought Marian was brave and clever to disguise herself and find Robin Hood. This is my favorite story from the unit.

The King: I thought the names of the towns, Fountain-abby and Barnsdale, were creative and gave the story some character. 'Taste of our green-wood cheer' was charming word usage.

The Valiant Knight: Knight Sir William sounds like a familiar character. I liked when the author described the clothing as 'glittering armour bright.'  It was sad reading Robin Hood's death, but the final paragraph was a great ending.

Robin Hood's Death: Including two endings to a series of stories is very unique. I thought this ending was better because Little John was included more, and he was Robin Hood's most loyal companion so he should be.  

Image Information: Movie Poster for the Robin Hood Film in 1922, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons


Bibliography: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child, Web Source: Robin Hood Unit
 

Reading Notes: Robin Hood, Part A

Progress to Nottingham: I really enjoyed the rhyme scheme in the story. The introduction of Robin Hood's character was very attention grabbing. It is a good idea to tell where the character came from before diving into stories about them because this gives your story more depth.

John Little: It is so ironic that this big, bulky man is called 'Little John.' I really enjoyed reading how their relationship formed, and the author did a good job of independently introducing John before beginning the story.

The Ranger: 'Forester bold' is very nice word usage. I have to admit I am use to reading short stories with consistent rhyming, so reading something lengthy slightly takes away from the plot itself.

The Bold Pedlar: 'All shall gang with thee' made me smile because I thought of the common phrase 'gang' but he was just referring to his pack. I am glad no one was seriously hurt from the fight.

The Shepherd: This story was the easiest to read. I think the words flowed better, especially when there was dialogue between characters. My favorite line was: 'this hook of mine shall let thee know a coward I do hate.'

Robin Hood's Delight: I love the time descriptions in this story: midsummer's day, or 'from eight a clock till two and past.'  This story seemed to take bits and pieces of The Bold Pedlar and The Shephred. 

 The Pedlars: 'It pierst the skin of his backe within' was great word usage. The 'trash talk' in these stories is all so entertaining.

Allen a Dale: I thought the pair up of Robin Hood and this villain, dressed in scarlet red, was a great protagonist/antagonist combo. It kind of bothered me that the name in the title was spelled differently than in the story. I did not expect a marriage to take place in the story.

Image Information: Robin Hood and Little John by Louis Rhead, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons
Bibliography: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child, Web Source: Robin Hood Unit

Story Lab, Week 12

I have always been interested in learning at least two more languages. I think this is an important skill for traveling, which I plan on doing a lot of once I get established in my career. Using grammar and syntax to see where languages originated and split instead of words that sound similar is an interesting approach. I thought the concept of borrowing words from other cultures being caused by borrowing the things that the word is describing was very intriguing. I think looking at the history of a word and how it has changed overtime can really surprise you.

I use to be pretty good at grammar in high school English, but I think I have forgotten some of the rules. Semicolons can break sentences up, but also form connections. Basically, semicolons should be used to connect two related clauses or when listing things. I think watching the Ted-Ed video will be helpful while writing out stories now, especially during lengthy paragraphs!

Image Information: The Importance of Grammar, Web Source: Flickr
Web Source: Ted Talk

Reading Notes: Welsh Fairy Book, Part B

Owen Goes a-Wooing- While reading this story I really got a feel for the narrator's personality. There was a surprise at the end when Owen found out he had been missing for over a month instead of hours.

The Fairy Reward: It was really easy to imagine the fairies bringing in the babies and taking care of them. I was surprised that the wife married the man before knowing how he earned his money.

Why Deunant has the Front Door in the Back: I was confused when the farmer  made old Beti say "Rhad Duw ar y da" because I have no idea what that means. I thought having the man put his foot on the other's foot was a unique way of giving him a vision.

The Bride from the Red Lake: The details are very vivid when the author is describing the vision emerging from the lake. I wonder why the woman could not have clay thrown on her and why she was so happy to leave if they were happily married.

Melangel's Lambs: The introduction paragraph was very descriptive and 'dense thicket' really grabbed my attention. The second to last paragraph had a bit too much word usage and it was a little confusing.

The Men of Ardudwy: I really enjoyed the word usage in this story. 'They now feigned flight' was a beautiful description. The fighting scenes were very insightful.

Hu Garden: Afanc interested me because the monster caused a huge flood, but was easily tricked by a girl to come out and be chained up. The way they trapped Afanc at the end was very clever.

The Devil's Bridge: I thought the relationship between Megan and her cow was sweet. She was so worried about him being on the other side of the river. I really liked Megan's character because she was really smart to outwit the Devil.

The Martyred Hound: This story was so sad to read because I love dogs. I was intrigued throughout the story to see why the dog did not go on the chase and then to see where the baby was. I wish Llywelyn could have saved the hound from dying.

Image Information: Diogenes Sitting in His Tub (1860) by Jean-Léon Gérôme, Web Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas, Web Source: Welsh Fairy Tales Unit

Reading Notes: Welsh Fairy Tales, Part A

Arthur in the Cave: I really liked the way the author had the stranger and Welshman communicate with each other. I could clearly tell what the vibe of the story was and how both characters felt while speaking. The scene where the characters enter the cave and see Arthur's army required very few details of my own imagination.

Red Dragon: Asking a question as the story's title is always a good way to draw in the reader. I actually use this approach for my storybook project. The wise man describing the pool with a red and a white dragon was a really pretty image.

Enion and the Lady of the Greenwood: This story had my attention throughout. I really liked that the Goblin disguised himself as a woman and a man to trick the husband and wife. I thought this villainous idea was very creative.

March's Ears: I thought this story was a bit strange. I understand why the barber had to see the ears in order to cut his hair, but having his head cut off was a very intense threat. I am glad he came to turns with his ears at the end of the story.

Stray Cow: The first paragraph describing the lake was a great way to set the scene for the story. It gave off a gloomy, mysterious vibe. It was easy to imagine as the story progressed.

Bala Lake: 'Fertile valley' was such a different term, it threw me off when I first read it. It was foreshadowing that the prince would have a child. The ending was really impressive, the author was very descriptive of the lake and clever in having the harp floating on top.

Dick the Fiddler's Money: The relationship between the Fiddler and his wife was clearly portrayed in this story. As a drunk, he was very clever in tricking the landlord. I really liked the Fiddler's character.

St. Collen and the King Fairy: I was unsure of the meaning behind Collen's actions in this story. I did not understand why he hid in a cell so close to the people he was tired of. I also didn't understand why he got rid of the castle and everyone in it.

Helig's hollow: The author did a good job of introducing the characters in this story. There was a lot of background information provided along with the relationships between everyone.

Image Information: Illustration of two Dragons Fighting from a 15th Century Historia Regum Britanniae Manuscript, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons

Bibliography: The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas, Web Source: Welsh Fairy Tales Unit

Learning Challenge: Digital Distraction

I was already aware that having electronics at the tip of your fingers can be a distraction for learning. You do not have to read through books to find the answers to questions when you can just pull up Google or any other search engine. I did not know that it was hindering our ability to focus on one goal or task at a time. Multitasking is very beneficial, but being able to just keep your attention on one object can also be effective. The author talked about increasing anxiety or stress because of these digital distractions and that scares me. I do have a lot of friends that have some sort of anxiety or depression, so I think I will do some extra research to see if this correlation has been tested anywhere else. I had an interview at OSU medical school and they have a room specifically for relieving stress and they had a video game that helped you calm down. The most popular version was one that had a flower that would grow when your heart rate slowed or was constant. This read really opened my mind to how having a phone 24/7 or playing too many video games can have negative impacts on all aspects of your life.

Image Information: Student Hiding Phone behind Book, Web Source: Flickr

Famous Last Words: Holiday Season

This last week was pretty stressful for me. I had a lot of homework and studying for each class I am enrolled in and I worked every night except for Monday. I did get promoted to Phlebotomist at my work, CSL Plasma. I am really excited to learn this new skill, but it is a bit scary! All of my coworkers have been supportive which is a big help.

I am sad Halloween is over, but looking forward to the holidays ahead! It also helps that my birthday is in December. Everyone always asked if having a birthday a week away from Christmas sucked and the answer is yes, yes it did. If I had a nickel for every time I heard 'this is your birthday and Christmas gift' I'd be rich. I am still excited for the next two months because it means I will get to spend time with family and friends, and who doesn't need a little break from classes to relax?

Classes are going pretty well, but my Ornithology class is really hitting hard with the work. We have a group paper to write and present in place of our project. We also have to learn 150 birds for our lab practical which is as hard as it sounds. I love learning about birds, but I still struggle to tell some species apart from others. Later today I plan on writing my second story for my semester project in this class, and I am so excited to reveal another side of Wonderland.

I have had a lot going on with my family because my Grandma passed last week and we have been planning the memorial service. I am glad to celebrate her life and I know she would want me to keep my head above the water for the next few weeks and finish out the semester strong. 

Image Information: Sunflowers, Web Source: Pxhere

Week 11 Review

The image I found really interesting was the one showing the popular names in the United States throughout the years! Jessica was the most popular in 1994 and 1995. I was born in 1996, but it is kind of funny because the name Emily was popular in Texas at the time. Here is the link to the graphic: Name Popularity Over Time.

I thought the video was very intriguing. I have always been a believe in karma and in the video they connected karma with the soul. After watching the video I am really interested in learning more about Moksha.

Video Information: Moksha - Freedom from Life and Death
Image Information: Map of the United States of America, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons 

Week 11 Story: Sun and Star

Once long ago there were a pair of siblings named Sun and Star. They watched over their friends and family from the sky to ensure that love was always flourishing through villages and everyone was able to find a partner to spend their life with. As you would suspect, sometimes the duo ran into trouble with picky bachelors/bachelorettes or a judgmental parent. They would always fix this by descending onto earth in the form of an animal or in a human disguise. One time they disguised themselves as a dirty, sick boy and his grandmother to see if the women up for marriage were kind at heart.

Their current target is an Eagle Princess who's father is so strict and does not believe any man is good enough for his little girl.

"She wants to find a husband so badly but her father never lets her out of his sight to meet people. We have to go help her." said Star.

"How should we go about this case?" asked Sun. "The father has already turned down a brave lion and a wise elephant. What is he possible looking for?"

"We can disguise ourselves as hummingbirds so we can sneak around her father and speak to the princess. Once she trusts us maybe we can convince her to leave the palace and come with us to find a suitor." suggested Star. 

"Let's go tomorrow because her father should be out hunting." said Sun.

The siblings were up all night gathering the ingredients to make a drink that allows them to take any form their heart desires. Before dawn arrived they took the potion and made their way to the Eagle Princess.

She was in her room sobbing when the two hummingbirds entered.

"I will never find a man to spend my life with as long as my father is around." cried the Princess.

"Maybe we can help you with that!" exclaimed Star.

The Princess spun around startled. "Who are you?!" she questioned.

Star and Sun had recognizable tattoos that remained on their body no matter what form they took. They both spread out their small wings to show a tiny crescent moon. The Princess knew who they were immediately after seeing these marks.

"We want to sneak you out of the palace so you can meet potential partners and tell your father who you want to marry!" exclaimed Sun.

"I already know who I want to meet! The loyal wolf seems like a great catch. Will you take me to him?" asked the Princess.

Sun and Star guided the Princess through the kingdom, carefully to not be seen, until they reached the wolf's place. The Eagle Princess introduced herself, but the wolf knew exactly who she was. They talked for hours before the siblings reminded her that they had to leave soon before the father returned.

The Princess knew what she had to do. She found her father in the woods still hunting and he was appalled to see her out of the palace.

"Sweetheart what are you doing here? This is no place for you. Go back to the palace where it is safe." demanded the King.

"Father, I am not a child anymore. I have been out all day and no harm has come to me. I want to marry the wolf and I will follow through with or without your blessing." said the Princess confidently.

The Eagle King thought this over for what seemed like eternity. "I just want you to be happy. I know the wolf will be good to you. You have my blessing."

The wedding ceremony was planned the next day with Sun and Star's assistance and the wolf and Eagle Princess lived happily together for the rest of their life.

Author's Note: The Dirty-Boy is about two daughters who do not want to marry anyone their father shows them. A brother and sister, Sun and Star, come down from the sky and disguise themselves as a sick boy who can't take care of himself and a grandmother. The sick boy wins the father's challenges and is promised both of his daughter for marriage. Only one daughter follows through with the arrangement and takes care of the boy. I thought Sun and Star had the potential for more stories, so I took the characters from the original tale and created another time where they helped two people get married.
Image Information: Two Hummingbirds Flying, Web Source: Max Pixel
Bibliography: Dirty-Boy from Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson. Web Source: Native American Hero Tales Unit

Reading Notes: Native American Hero Tales, Part B

The beginning of this story, Red Woman and the Twins, was very brutal and vivid. I am wondering who Red Woman is and why she not only killed the wife, but teased the husband by mutilating her lip. I thought the names of the two boys were unique, but a little distracting while reading. The old woman and her pot was an interesting addition to the story's plot. I liked the idea of having small stories within the tale and the boys were heroes even though they disobeyed their parents countless times.

The second story includes a reoccurring theme from old tales. A father does not want to give his daughter away so easily and gives the husband challenges. This story is a little more intense because he keeps killing her spouses. The ending was a surprised, but I always enjoy when a character turns into an animal.

I had to use my imagination when reading The Jealous Father for vivid details. I did not like Aioswe's son because he let the Walrus die after he agreed to save his life. I thought having both the mother and father conjuring things to save/stop the boy from returning home was a great idea. I would not categorize anyone, except possibly the mother, in the story as a hero. It is one thing to get revenge on the man who tried to kill you, but to set the entire world on fire is a bit much.

The author included a lot of detail when describing the camp Star and Sun landed on. From the first paragraph I thought Sun and Star would be spying on the daughters and the chief, but they are sticking so well to their new characters, grandmother and grandson, it really benefits the story. I was surprised when the elder sister did not obey her father. The ending paragraph describing the younger sister's new path was so beautiful.

Image Information: Two Ravens on Wood, Web Source: Pixino
Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson, Web Source: Native American Hero Tales Unit

Reading Notes: Native American Hero Tales, Part A

The story about the Jealous Uncle wastes no time in getting into the plot of the story. I think this really grabs a readers attention. I think the author could have added a few details about the setting, especially when he was walking through the woods with his nephew. I am wondering why the uncle wants to kill his nephews so badly, but did no harm when he thought the child was a girl. I feel really bad for the unnatural uncle's wife. He was so hateful towards his family, but they always tried to forgive him.

I thought it was interesting that Grouse caused such a big mischief in the plot, but he is not struggling on the boat himself. I am surprised the group did not make a fuss to Grouse. They were mean to him, but the journey he sent them on was a bit much compared to some teasing. I did have to use my own imagination throughout the story to fill in some gaps. Personally I would not say this story has a 'hero' because the one who saved the day also bullied someone at the beginning of the tale.


I really like the lead male character in Dug-From-Ground. The relationship between the 'son' and 'mother' develops clearly through the story. I liked the idea of the main character playing a game with earthquake and thunder because it is unique and you could create a very detailed scene with those elements involved.

When animals act as people in stories, it always makes for an interesting tale. This plot takes a turn though because the animals are the villains who eat humans. My favorite paragraph was when the spider was closing up the entrance with her web. I felt like the animals were on a side and the god/humans were on another side. There was a beautiful example of word usage when the young eagles said the mother/father returns with the rain or wind.

Image Information: Image of Bald Eagle captured by Bill Buchanan, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons
Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson, Web Source: Native American Hero Tales Unit

Famous Last Words: My First Last Words

I did have time to do both part A and B reading this week. I did the Eskimo/Inuit reading, and I remember the pictures more than anything. The pictures would be in black and white but they would always be wearing furry, home-made outdoor clothing. I did a lot of writing this week both inside and outside of this class. I think my best writing was for my microbiology class. We had to search for an article that was relatively new covering a topic we had previously gone over in lecture. I chose to write a summary and answer questions on a reading that involved probiotics being used in powder and pill form to help with facial acne. This was our first of three assignments for this class, and I really think writing my own stories every other week benefited my ability to write a short summary of an article! I use to just try and read the story/article and then write down my thoughts. Now I keep two tabs open and write notes to myself while I read and I think that technique has helped improve my writing a lot. I enjoy reading other people's storybook or portfolio projects. I ran into one covering a food blog and it was so well put together! My other classes are going pretty well. I think this is the calm before the storm of third semester tests followed by finals.  I am worried about my ornithology class because we have to learn 150 birds from Oklahoma and be able to identify them for our final lab practical. We also have to write, and attempt to publish, a story over a neotropical bird of our choosing. My grandmother recently passed away, so next week I will be spending time with family as we celebrate her life. That means school has to get put on the back burner for a couple of days, but I am happy I will get to spend a few days with family.

Image Information: Poem from The Star of Bethlehem (and other poems) by Frederick Edward Weatherly. Web Source: Flickr

Story Lab: EmpoWord

Showing how historians, chemists and musical composers use story telling in their work makes the reading more relate-able to a wide audience. I find myself wondering what happens to the 'flat characters' as described by the author in a lot of stories or even movies that I watch. I want to work on having a few more dynamic characters in my stories moving forward. I could achieve this by having more plot twists occur in my writing. Breaking the plot into scope, sequence and pacing makes it much easier to explain how to create a more interesting story line. I thought it was interesting when the author critiqued the typical five step story plot guide. They said you could start at an action scene and then introduce characters and set the story line. I usually go for the first person point of view when writing a story, but  with my storybook project I have been using 3rd person omniscient. Choosing a word choice during dialogue for two characters is really important. The way they speak to each other can say a lot about their relationship. The most important idea I got from reading this chapter is that the first idea for writing that pops into your head is not the story you have to write about. It is okay to brainstorm until you find something you love. I really think reading this advice will benefit my stories in the weeks to come.

Bibliography: EmpoWord Chapter2: Telling a Story, Web Source: EmpoWord

Image Information: Writing Brainstorm, Web Source: flickr

Reading Notes: Eskimo Unit, Part B

'the blood poured from his clothes, and wherever they went, the snow was marked with blood' was very descriptive. I enjoyed the married woman's character a lot because she was willing to die to avenge her husband.

I loved the ending to this story. "Thus punishment falls upon the man who kills," is a strong way to reiterate the main point of the tale. I also enjoyed the included metamorphosis.


The attack on the village was very detailed. Navaranapaluk was punished for lying, but she sort of deserved that fate because she caused many women to die.


I thought it was interesting that two sisters were married to a whale and an eagle. I like the character choices in this story, but I was really confused at the end as to why the whale ended up in such bad shape.

I imagined a beautiful scene when the author was describing the houses and smoke holes in the story. The vibe of the story switches gears when the father rescues the son. I was afraid the people who took him would wake up.

When Atarssuaq attempted to throw his son in the water and let him learn to swim on his own, it reminded me of multiple movies I have seen where the father figure does this exact thing. A lot of these stories just tell if the characters have a strong relationship, but this author gives the background of why the father and son are so close.

I had to imagine a lot of the scenery in the story about Saunikoq and Tungujuluk on my own. I felt like the author could have added descriptions about the sea when either characters were out hunting.

Image Information: Inuit Family and their Igloo, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons
Bibliography: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rassmussen, Web Source: Eskimo Unit

Reading Notes: Eskimo Folk Tales, Part A

The first story had a very descriptive paragraph describing children crawling from the bushes. I thought 'only water would burn' and 'no day ever dawned' were examples of beautiful word usage.

I loved that people kept making a place for the bear in their community as it grew older and stronger. The relationship between him and the foster mother was a strong one.

The story about the boy with a house full of ghosts took a lot of my own imagining.

 I enjoyed the way the author described the scene when Isigaligarssik shot the arrow.

'The sun was just over the houses of the village' is a really pretty description. I wonder about the relationship between the insects and the wife in this story.

The author of Atungait did a great job including natural imagery, but I found myself wondering more about their trips. I am really curious to know what foothall is.

I felt like I had to imagine what the giant dogs and people in the final story looked like on my own. So I imagined a Great Pyrennes. 

Image Information: Great Pyrennes, Web Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: Eskimo Folk-Tales by Knud Rassmussen, Web Source: Eskimo Unit

Reading Notes: Through the Looking Glass, Part B

I love that Alice was still referring to Kitty as the Queen when she woke up. She seems more accepting of Wonderland  than she did in the first novel. The new connection formed between Alice, the Red Queen and the White Queen towards the end of the story gives more insight into the queens' roles in Wonderland. I missed some of my favorite characters in this novel, such as Cheshire Cat. However, I did enjoy the new characters introduced like Humpty Dumpty and the Red Knight. The poems all had a mysterious, wonderland vibe to them and it would be so fun to include one in my project! This novel ended with Alice telling off the Red Queen instead of running away from her like she did in the first one. I enjoyed seeing her character growth while reading through the stories.

Image Information: Illustration of Cheshire Cat by John Tenniel, Web Source: Wikimedia
Bibliography: Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll, Web Source: Looking-Glass Unit 

Week 9 Story: The Unhappy Wife

There once was a wife who was so sick of her husband she would rather die than stay married to him. She could not marry another man or run off because that was against her morals, so the only true way out of her commitment was death. The husband was awful to her and never allowed her to do anything without him. However, she knew how to get under his skin and thought of a plan to make him so mad that he would take her to the forest and kill her himself. The husband had an extreme dislike for palm-nuts. The nuts were extremely hard to prepare and even more difficult to find. The wife started asking for the food more consistently and assured the husband his family members were the ones requesting all of these nuts. The day approached where the husband broke down and asked why she needed so many nuts.

"What is the use of all of these palm-nuts? I know people are not eating this many every day!" insisted the husband.

"I told you it is your family who wants them! Now please, go gather some more!" said the wife.

The husband insisted that the wife join him on the next journey to find these nuts. When she refused, he forced her into the woods, cut off her limbs and left her there for death to find her. Although this was what the wife wanted, she began to think how evil it was for the husband to actually kill her.  When the next morning came she began singing loudly so someone would hear her. A man walking towards the woods for his daily hunt heard the beautiful voice and followed it. He approached the awful scene and immediately ran back to tell his wife what he saw. The gossip spread around town faster than you could imagine and the man was brought to justice by being placed above his wfie while they were both set to fire.

No one else could hear the wife as she whispered, "I suppose this means our marriage is over."

Author's Note: The Wicked Husband tells the story of a husband who takes his wife out to the forest and cuts off her arms and legs because she will not accompany him to find palm-nuts. Someone sees her after the disaster happens and word of it gets back to the prince. The husband was accused and set below a grill his wife was placed on. The burning of his body was his punishment. I wanted to expand on this tale and give more of a reason for why the husband would do such a thing to his wife. I also wanted the wife to have a bigger role in my story.
Bibliography: The Wicked Husband by Richard Edward Dennett, Web Source: Congo Unit
Image Information: Fire Pit, Web Source: Flickr

Reading Notes: Congo Part B

The first story caught my attention right away because the introductory characters were very strong. The maiden was very clever to talk the leopard out of getting rid of his eyes, teeth, etc.  Each character, the tortoise rat and woodpecker, had their own activity to obtain the story's plot which made the story very enjoyable. I thought it was ironic when the leopard ate the turtle because the turtle used the trap to kill the ox and eat it. The Fetish Sunga had a creepy vibe at one point and the author did a good job of setting the scene to be spooky.  When I think of a rabbit's character in a tale, i imagine a sweet or wise bunny. This story, however, had a mean rabbit who stole the antelope's water and tricked him every day. I was surprised when the Rabbit started hitting/kicking the figure. I love dogs so reading about different animals wanting to eat them was pretty unsettling. I thought it was pretty funny when the Hen called the crocodile 'brother' and he believed it at the end of the story.  The three brothers had a good ending because they did not kill the old woman who was their mother.

Image Information: African Woodpecker, Web Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: Notes on the Folklore of the Fjort by Richard Edward Dennett, Web Source: Congo Unit

Reading Notes: Congo Part A

I think the husband from the first tale should be more appreciative of his wives all putting in effort to find him and raise him from the dead. I also agree with the latter opinion of the final paragraph. How Gazelle Got Married had an interesting plot. I liked the idea of only giving the daughter away for marriage if the man can guess their name. I thought it was ironic when Nsassi also forgot the names of the daughters. The Vanishing Wife had a very sad ending. I did not  enjoy Buite's character very much. The Jealous Wife had a main theme of karma. There were a lot of twists in the plot of Mpunia and Ngomba's story. It is really sad that a child had to die. The shortest and most disturbing story was The Wicked Husband. The husband got what he deserved for torturing his wife. Karma seems to be a reoccurring theme in this unit. I was caught by surprise when I read that the twin brothers were basically adults at their birth. I enjoyed reading this unit because all of the stories were tied together by including wives as main characters. There were a few stories that were really short and left holes in the plot. I think it will be fun to pick a story and talk about why some of the things are happening in the tale!

Image Information: The Congo Santa Ana Lake, Web Source: Max Pixel
Bibliography:  Notes on the Folklore of the Fjort by Richard Edward Dennett, Web Source: The Congo Unit

Week 8 Progress

I am happy with my progress so far. I have missed a few assignments here and there, but I have done extra credit to put me back in the high A range! I enjoy reading the units from different geographic areas to see how their folktales are different and similar. The website has gone really well so far! I actually read the Looking Glass unit and was able to put that as an extra credit assignment. My routine has ended up working out to where I try to do one assignment every day starting Monday so that I am ahead and if I get busy one day I do not miss as assignment deadline. I really want to do more extra credit assignments each week and stay on top of the commenting assignments. I have only missed deadlines twice, but they were both for feedback. I also think the extra credit opportunities offer very interesting material that is worth reading!

Image Information: Motivational Message, Web Source: Flickr

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

The feedback I have received for my storybook project has been the most useful so far! A couple of students said that the background image behind the font for the introduction page was either hard to read or clashed with the rest of the project, so I made some changes. I think constructive comments are most useful because they help me improve my writing moving forward. The quality of the feedback I am receiving from other students is excellent! I really think the WWW and TAG assignments helped me gain techniques to use when writing feedback for other students in the class. It is so easy to tell someone what you liked about their story, but it is difficult to give suggestions on how to improve their writing. I think using a technique like asking a question in order to recommend adding a part or changing something in the story makes providing feedback much more doable. Reading classmate's introduction posts before reading their stories helps with having a connection with the writer and I think this benefits the reader's experience. I need to work on leaving more suggestions on everyone's stories instead of mainly discussing the parts of the post I enjoyed. I chose this image because I thought having this list could be useful if you are fighting with a spouse or friend. You could keep these suggestions in mind when you sit down to talk things out. This helps diffuse the situation in a healthy way. 

Image Information: Illustration from Daring Greatly by Brene Brown. Web Source: growth mindset

Week 8 Reading and Writing

I am really happy with my work so far for this course! Honestly I was really worried about having a class that involved so much writing and creativity, but the outcomes have been better than I expected. I am happy with the blog layout I chose and writing the stories are not as hard as I thought it would be. I really think reading a full unit before creating your blog post is helpful. My first story for the storybook project went really well, but I do need to add a bit more to the end before starting the next part. I would have to say my biggest accomplishment would be the Alice's Friends website. I do need to work on giving classmate's feedback because it is difficult for me to read another person's story and give criticism. The reading note strategy that has worked best for me is picking out what stands out about each story. This can mean talking about the setting or a certain character I really liked or even disliked. The strategy helps me remember which story was which and gives me ideas for all aspects of my own story. My favorite readings so far have come from the Looking-Glass stories. I think having students write stories biweekly instead of every week keeps the energy up! I should put more effort into 'reading like a writer' when I am commenting on classmate's work as the class moves forward. When it comes to writing I think I can work on my creativity skills and word usage. I chose to include the pomegranate photo because the Mythology Crash Course video was my favorite assignment outside of the unit readings from class.

Image Information: Pomegranates, Web Source: Pixabay

Week 7: A Deceiving Lake

After hunting all day to find a meal for his family, Drew had no luck capturing any meat to return home with. He stumbled upon a clear, tempting lake at the bottom of the hill he was on and could not help himself from starting down towards it. A black, glistening raven swooped down and 'cawed' right in is ear when he was about halfway down from his starting point.

"Hey! Leave me be or I will shoot you down!" shouted Drew. He took off his backpack to make sure he had his canteen. After searching through the traveling bag for a few minutes, he finally found what he was looking for. He starts his journey again but does not make it very far before the raven swoops down again, this time wrapping it's claws around the canteen and making off with it.

"What have you done! Now how shall I drink from the beautiful lake?!" questioned Drew. He became upset because he would not be able to bring food home for his children and now he had to worry about dehydration.

Suddenly, an idea struck Drew. He thought if he could spare some fish from the lake, he would have a meal for his wife and kids! The hunter emptied his backpack's contents out on the ground in front of him and was surprised to see a bowl. His wife must have placed that in  his backpack without Drew realizing. He picked up a knife to spare a fish and the bowl to drink some water. He held both items tightly close to him while hurrying towards the moving water, so the bird would not be able to take anything this time.

As Drew approached the edge of the lake, the raven zoomed down and flapped her wings around Drew's face and shoulders. He tried to swat the bird away, but forgot that he was holding a knife. A handful of feathers fell to the ground and a cry of pain followed. The raven tried to fly off but her wing was too damaged.   

Drew felt horrible because he did not mean to hurt the bird. He ran to the water and filled his bowl. As he returned to the raven he tried to give her some, but she cried out even louder than when she was cut.

"Why won't you take the water? It is so cold and it will make you feel better!" exclaimed Drew. The raven had a sad look in her eyes and Drew knew something was not right. "I'm going to spare some fish and I will give you the first one I kill!"

He rolled up his pants and walked in the stream ready to strike at the first sign of movement. He finally saw something red under a rock. As he lifted up the stone, he saw five small fish already dead. He thought this was so strange because they were small and looked healthy. He investigated more areas of the lake. He found many remains of fish and other animals. "The bird was trying to save me" Drew came to realize.

Drew returned to the raven once again and apologized. "I will take you home to my family and my wife will heal you." said the Hunter. On their trip home, Drew spotted some deer and began his hunt. He was able to feed his family after all and gained a lifelong companionship from the raven.

Author's Notes: In How the Raven Saved the Hunter, a man sees a stream and makes a cup leaf so he can drink from it. A raven comes down and knocks the leaf out of his hand to stop him from drinking. He gets upset with the raven and eventually shoots it and kills it. He feels guilty at the end because he makes the realization that the raven was just trying to save him. I did not like the heroic bird dying, so I had the raven survive in my version and the hunter still did not drink from the deadly lake. My plot was very similar to the original story, but I added some details of my own to this short tale.

Image Information: A Raven Flying Down with it's Claws Out, Web Source: Max Pixel
Bibliography: How the Raven Saved the Hunter from the Tibetan Folk Tales by A.L. Shelton, Web Source: Tibetan Folktales

Reading Notes: Tibetan Folk tales, Part B

While reading the beginning of the story, it is easy to imagine all of the animals interacting, but I am having to use my own imagination to picture the scenery around them. The rabbit was clever in getting rid of the tiger at the end. The second story did not have much detail for setting, but I imagined a pretty forest when the sister came to her brothers as a bird. How the Raven Saved the Hunter had a really sad ending. I wish the hunter would have considered why the raven was knocking the leaf cup out of his hand before acting so violently. The Golden Squash had a great moral to it's story, you should help people for their benefit not your own. 'Where bounding their country was one black sea' was a very beautiful sentence. I thought the author was very descriptive when describing the mountains becoming plains. The Two Little Cats contained my favorite ending from this unit. I was really surprised when the rabbit got revenge on all the other animals and the shepherd instead of just having his revenge on the bear who killed his mom. The final story's setting included many monkeys asleep in trees and that scene was very easy to imagine.

Image Information: Monkeys in a Tree, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons

Bibliography:  Tibetan Folk Tales by A.L. Shelton, Web Source: Tibetan Folk Tales

Reading Notes: Tibetan Folktales Part A

I thought the story was off to an interesting start because a big tiger was tricked into thinking a frog could eat him. The frog was very clever and the tiger was pretty naive to tell the frog his plan to eat him in the first place. The moral of the story for The Cony Who Got into Bad Company is that you will be associated with the same qualities of those you spend your time with. I really like this meaning and I think including a strong meaning within your story makes it even better. I thought having the people who showed up to watch the silly trial pay a fee that fixed the problem in the story was very clever. I did not like how the tiger and calf allowed the fox to turn them against each other so quickly when their mother's dying wish was for them to be brothers. I thought the fox dying was a bit extreme, but I am happy that their friendship pulled through. I don't know why the man turned in the guy who saved his life for stealing the queen's jewels. I am also surprised nothing terrible happened to him in the story after doing this to the main character. The Wise Carpenter was a little harder to follow, but the ending was really strong. I thought the quote, "In birth and death there is no fear, and in fear there is no doubt" was really beautiful. I do not think Drashup deserved to live happily with the woman because he tried to kill her. I wish she would not have died in such an horrid way. "Then he tied the mouth of the bag with nine knots, blew his breath upon it, said many charms and prayers over it" was so descriptive and clever to include in the ending paragraph. In the final story, the author shares the she-devil's perspective with the reader while some characters in the story remain unaware of her true identity. 

 Image Information: Red Fox, Web Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: Tibetan Folk Tales by A.L. Shelton, Web Source: Tibetan Folk Tales

Reading Notes: Alice's Looking-Glass Part A

I was surprised when Alice asked if Kitty would want to live in the Looking-glass House because I thought this would just be a metaphor for a part of the story. The White Queen having a daughter is news to me, this could really affect the way her character is seen. The Looking-glass book was clever and I like that there is a reoccurring theme to this: the house, room and book. Tweedledum and Tweedledee are two of my favorite characters because they mean no harm and they can usually put a smile on the reader's face. The Walrus and Carpenter story was different in Alice's Looking-Glass than it was in the movie. I thought it was interesting when Humpty Dumpty became upset about being called an egg. I wonder why Lewis Carroll chose to include Humpty Dumpty in this story because I think he stands out from the other characters. He was very rude to Alice and if I included him in my project I could talk about why he was in such a bad mood when she arrived. Having Humpty Dumpty explain the Jabberwocky poem was a really great plot twist. I'm surprised Alice does not get offended when Humpty Dumpty says he won't remember her if they meet again. The poems are filled with fun word usage and I hope I can recreate that in my semester project.

Image Information: Tweedledee, Tweedledum and Alice from Alice in the Looking-Glass and What She Found There, Web Source: Wikipedia
Bibliography: Through the Looking-Glass by Lewis Carroll, Web Source: Alice's Looking-Glass

Story Lab: Crash Course Myth Videos

I really enjoy watching crash course videos to understand biological concepts, so I am really excited to see the crash course on mythology! I liked that he pointed out that mythology can be interpreted in many ways. People can feel a certain way or imagine the setting while reading a story completely differently than someone else reading the same tale. I am happy to know that swallowing eight spiders a year is not correct. A lot of people think that if something is considered 'mythology' it is not true at all. As pointed out in the video, the myth can have an element of truth even though some parts of the story are obviously fictional. It is important to realize that not all myths have a super natural element. I have heard the Persephone story before, but I did not know the pomegranates were the reason she had to stay half the year with her mom and the other half with her dreadful husband. 

It is interesting that mythology was created two separate times in the east and west. Being that both creations were in two different areas, that could explain some of the differences in style we see. When the guy in the video said that myth is not symbolic, but more of a guidance of man, I really thought about that. I thought this metaphor  was really creative because Most of the stories that come to mind when I think of mythology involve magic or  morphological elements, but they all contain some sort of lesson in them. I found Campbell's ideas over everyone sharing common patterns in mythology was interesting and I want to look for these patterns in hero stories as the semester goes on.  I think after watching this series I am going to appreciate the characters and stories being told even more.
 
Image Information: Pomegranates, Web Source: Pixabay
Web Source: Crash Course Myth

Reading Notes: Arabian Nights Part B

The first part of this unit held multiple stories within the story being told. I am interested to see if the second part will follow this trend. At the beginning of the story, I have a strange feeling that the man is not really Aladdin's uncle. I thought it was an excessive move to hit Aladdin when he tried to run away. The ring added a nice plot twist for Aladdin. I enjoyed the author saying 'they sat at breakfast till it was dinner-time.' The story is very easy to follow which is probably because of the setting description and characters dialogue. I thought it was interesting that the genie grants Aladdin as many wishes as he wants rather than just three. The two genies having separate powers also makes for an interesting plot. I'm glad that Aladdin was not upset with the princess for giving the lamp away. The roc's egg metaphor for the genie's master was a clever ending. I am surprised the genie did not leave sooner because of everything Aladdin asked for. Aside from Fatima, everyone had a happy ending.

Image Information: Aladdin and the Magician from Arabian Nights by Crane Walter, Web Source: Wikimedia Commons
Bibliography: The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang Web Source: Arabian Nights

Reading Notes: Arabian Nights Part A

For this week's reading notes I want to write my favorite portions of the stories, so that I can look back to see which one I want to incorporate in my story! I was really curious to hear what story Scheherazade would tell her sister, but the surprise was the story was an ending to the first tale while introducing the next. When the man returned to be killed by the genius, I thought the plot twist was interesting that other men kept showing up to ask what happened and stayed with him for protection against the genius. I thought justice was served when the woman was also turned into a cow and the son was brought back to human form and married. My favorite part of the fourth story was when the husband and wife were thrown to sea, but you are told she is actually a fairy and is able to save both of them. I thought The Fisherman was interesting because the genius wants to kill the man who freed him but if he would have been set free a century before then he would be rewarded. At this point in the unit, the story is being told by a character in a story that is being told by Scheherazade. It is kind of confusing, but extremely creative! I thought it was clever of the wife to trick the parrot into thinking there was a thunder storm by showing bright light and pouring water over it's head.  I was confused when the ogress did not eat the man in the story because he was so afraid of her. Using the characters from The Fisherman to end the story of the Greek King was very clever. I was intrigued when the Sultan wanted the fisherman to show him where the lake was because I thought he would just continue to purchase the fish from him. I enjoyed the young king's sad story being connected to the fish from another story in the unit. I enjoyed reading the first half of this unit because each story fed off of the previous one.

Image Information: Fish swimming in a pond, Web Source: Pxhere
 Bibliography: Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang, Web Source: Arabian Nights

Week 5 Story: The Fairy's Favors

Once long ago there was a married couple who wanted to start a family of their own, but they were unsuccessful for many years.

Eventually, they journeyed to a land far away to find a fairy to grant them high fertility. They brought with them all the wealth they possessed, which was not much but they were very desperate to have a child. The fairy's castle they stumbled upon was surrounded by a beautiful forest. As they approached the castle the giant doors opened and the fairy flew out quickly.

"Who dare approach my castle in the midst of lunchtime?" demanded the fairy.

"We are sorry to bother you, but my wife and I would like to make a deal with you. We want to be given the gift of at least five children and in exchange we will give you all the gold and gems we have to offer" suggested the husband as he reached in his bag to present the gifts.

The fairy laughed at the sight of two gold goblets and three necklaces. "I have items of more value in one drawer than you have to give. I am feeling generous, so for a different price I will grant you your wish. I get to choose the names of your children and every time you want to conceive a new child, you must give the fairy community a favor." said the fairy with a smile.

The couple agreed without hesitation and continued inside to sign a magically binding contract. The first favor from the fairy was to fill three baskets full of fruit from the surrounding forest. The couple completed this task with ease and discovered nine months later the fairy held up her end of the bargain as well.

The fairy decided on the name Roman for the first child and he was born a beautiful baby. He never gave his parents trouble and they were a very happy family. However, they still earned for more children so they set off to ask the next favor from the fairy. She wanted them to find her sister and bring her to the castle. They had not spoken in a while, but she knew the town the sister was living in so the task was not impossible. The journey took the couple four days to get to the sister fairy and return back an extra day to convince the sister to come. Nine more months pass and the second born arrives.

The couple was very happy with their son, Ryan, but they really wanted a daughter. After waiting a few more years they ventured out to receive the fairy's next favor.

The fairy was in a foul mood when they arrived because her sister had just left after an awful fight. She wanted the couple to convince the fairy counsel to kick her sister off of the committee. They couple went to the next meeting and attempted a case for the sister to be voted off, but they did not know any bad cases against the fairy and she was well liked in the community. A few fairies voted for her to leave, but the majority vote was against the couple.

They returned to the fairy with bad news and she said for their attempt she will hold up half of her deal. Nine months proceeds and a girl is born, but with only half of her body. The fairy chose the name Reeve and wished the parents the best because she would not be assisting them with any more children because they failed her previous task.

The other children were scared of Reeve so the family was forced to move away. They secluded themselves from anyone else, but they lived a very happy life together. 

Author's Notes: The story begins with a King who does not have any children and asks a derwish for help. He is given four apples to feed his wives so they will become pregnant with children for him. One wife only eats half of the apple and births a son with a half-body. The King is furious and sends the wife and son away. I used the same introduction of wanting a child, but I used a couple instead of just a man or woman. I also included a child with a half-body being born, but my plot was very different and I included a fairy character instead of a derwish.
Bibliography: Nim Tanak from the Persian Tales by D.L.R. Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer, Web Source

Image Information:  Castle in the Woods, Web Source: Pxhere

Reading Notes: Persian Tales Part B

The main female character from the first tale seems a bit sneaky. Maybe she has other intentions or a secret she is hiding. The ultimatums were intense. The Hemp-Smoker's Dream did not have much focus on the character's personalities. The father seemed protective in the story of the Wolf-Bride, but I was surprised to find out who the wolf was, which is sad on my part considering the name. Bowl-on-the-Back was a sneaky, clever character and the fox was sort of naive. The Merchant and the Saffron had a great ending and the characters helped each other reach their goals. The Shah Abbas character had good intentions, but he caused a horrible event to happen to the mom. However, he did make up for this and showed grief for what he did. I think I want to include a character like him in my story. The final story about the Baker and fish was my favorite. The fish helped the Baker, who fed them many times, and the bad guy got what he deserved. I saw these fish as very friendly, caring characters while reading this story.

Image Information: This is How I Imagine the Fish from the Final Story to Look, Web Source: Pixabay
Bibliography: Persian Tales by David and Emily Lorimer. Web Source

Reading Notes: Persian Tales Part A

When I began reading the Wolf and Goat, it was sort of difficult to imagine the characters talking. I thought back to the three little pigs, although there were four goats, and this made the setting more manageable. Once the mother goat takes one of the children to save the others, I was reminded of Hansel and Gretel so that is what house I imagined. I wasn't sure what the author meant when they said the sparrow never got home. I really like the beginning phrase "once upon a time there was a time when there was no one but god in the world". I think the author is trying to get across it was a very long time a go, but saying it this way makes the point. Reading Tales City of Nothing in the World was very interesting because you had no idea what was going to happen next. I felt it was really easy to imagine the setting as the story progressed. The mouse who requested a particular bed from a potential husband was my favorite tale. My jaw dropped when she asked what the husband will beat her with when they fight. The characters repeating lines at the end reminded me of  'there once was a woman who swallowed a fly'. The actions coming from these characters were a little more brutal though. The Boy who Became Bulbul had a very easy setting/plot to follow. I really enjoyed the song the bulbul would sing. The half-boy character was unique! This story contained my favorite ending. The setting for Muhammad Tirandaz Archer was a little harder to imagine for me. I thought the story was a bit repetitive of the bow and arrow. I have noticed a reoccurring theme in the stories, a task is given and if not completed a brutal punishment, like decapitation, is bestowed. This reminds me of the old law when a thief would lose their hand. I want to know what the Blacksmith said to the mouse in the final story of this unit.

 Image Information: A Wolf and Seven Sheep. Web Source: Wikimedia Commons
Bibliography: Persian Tales by David and Emily Lorimer, Web Source

Comment Wall

Hello All! Here is the website to my storybook project! I will be doing stories from Alice in Wonderland based off of other character's point-of-view! Hope you enjoy! :)

Alice's Friends

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche Part: B

I really liked the description in the introduction of part B when the author is describing the sea gull and the ocean. Venus's anger was a great way to start the second part of the story. I can tell this part of the tale will show Cupid's side to things. I was surprised when Ceres did not help Psyche hide. Psyche attempts to find an ally with multiple new characters which keeps the reader wondering if she will ever get help. Venus seemed very protagonist towards Psyche, but Cupid was such a nice, caring person. It is hard to believe that Psyche is his mother. Psyche did not set a goal to accomplish any of the tasks, and only succeeded with help of others. The wedding scene was a beautiful ending because of the other wedding parts of the story. I am glad I was able to hear more about the robbers and the girl, but I am curious as to what happened to Lucius and if the wedding went on without a hitch.

Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche from The Golden Ass by Apuleius. Web Source
Image Information: Cupid Finds Psyche Sleeping, Web Source: Wikipedia

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche Part A

The robbers want to cheer up the woman they stole and the older woman consoling her is very nice at first. Normally you would think the robbers would be hateful to their captive, but with this out of character start, I am wondering where the story will go. The transition from explaining the beautiful wedding scene to the fearful kidnapping was done really well. The old woman said that having a bad dream is actually a good sign, I wonder if this is true. The part about Psyche's wedding was very sad and the author showed this through the outfit choices and character's actions on the day of the ceremony. I enjoyed the introduction to Psyche and Cupid's story. The author used two characters from a mini story to kick off the main story. The sister's envy was a great plot twist in the tale. I enjoyed the ending of the first half of the unit, but I wonder what happened to the kidnapped girl from the beginning of the story.

Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche from The Golden Ass by Apuleius. Web Source.
Image Information: Cupid Leaving Psyche in Bed. Web Source: Wikimedia Commons

Feedback Strategies

While reading 'Five Reasons to Stop Saying Good Job!' I noticed that the article offered some really great points. Whenever you say 'bless you' when someone sneezes, are you doing it to hear a thank you or just because you wanted to say it? I think a lot of people say it because they are unconsciously looking for positive feedback. I agree that children would be more self-confident in their answers and more willing to step out of their comfort zone if they were given more precise feedback and less of it. The past two jobs I have had required a one-on-one meeting with a manager at various time intervals. During these meetings you would discuss your attendance and performance at work. It was so much easier for the managers to give positive feedback instead of discussing the aspects that could use some improvement. I think if management would share ways of improving the employees would be open to hearing negative feedback and it would create a more comfortable connection with the managers because they know they will be honest with them.

Articles:  Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise?
 Five Reasons to Stop Saying Good Job
Image Information: Accepting Feedback, Web Source: The Speech Room News