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