Week 15 Story: The Traitor's Kiss

Having a best friend who is also in love with you hard, especially when you would never see them in such a way.

I stared at the book in my hand, my fingers grazing over the intricate cover. Gio had given it to me as a birthday gift. He gave me a book every year. It was a tradition that was started at the beginning of their friendship, when he gave her his copy of Harry Potter to read for her eighth birthday.

I should have known then that went he had felt for me was so much more than what I felt for him. No one gives up their copy of Harry Potter without having some sort of connection to the person it’s being lent to.

“Lancelot is probably one of my favorite heroes” I heard from behind me, and my head snapped up and twisted around to zero in on who it was coming from.

Gio’s younger brother, Paul, leaned against the doorframe, smirking at me with amusement. His eyes were on my face, but brought the book up to my chest, hiding it from his view anyway. This was how it always was, with Paul. He teased, I retaliated, we continued on our merry way.

It was a shame I was also in love with him.

Unlike his brother, Paul was tall, muscular in an obvious way that let you know he worked out. He flaunted it regularly, while Gio hid behind his books and his science and his, well, everything else.They had the same coloring – dark, with dark hair and dark eyes – much like plenty of other Italian families. But Paul was different. He was beautiful in a way that sucked all the air from my chest and threatened to suffocate me. I couldn’t look at him for more than a few moments without feeling my cheeks start to redden.

Which is why my eyes drop to the book pressed to my chest as his own eyes dropped to it as well.

“Of course, you like Lancelet. He’s a jackass.” I muttered, and I could hear Paul’s chuckle from the doorway. Glancing upward, I saw him look hesitant for a moment before pushing off the frame. Taking a step towards me, he tilted his head slightly, his smirk softer than before.

“Happy birthday, Francesca, He said, moving to sit down next to me. I don’t know if he was aware of the fact that my heart skips two beats whenever he said my name. I hope he couldn’t hear it. His arm brushed mine as he sat, the musk of his cologne filling my nose with his closeness.

“Thanks,” I said, placing the book down on my lap and looking up at him. This was a simple conversation. I could handle this. Right?

Wrong.

His eyes were right on mine, a dark pool that seemed to draw me in as soon as they met with mine. We were so close that I could feel his breath falling onto my face, the smell of coffee and mint following. I had never been this close to him before, and examining his face at this angle, I could see there were golden specks scattered throughout his irises.

I was memorized.

“Francesca,” He whispered, making my heart constrict, and I gripped the book in my lap tighter to make sure that he couldn’t see my hands shake. But his eyes were not on my eyes, or my book, but my lips.

I should have been more aware that this was what was coming. I had read about it so many times, it should have been obvious to me. But it still caught me by surprise. Paul caught me by surprised.

He leaned in far enough that his mouth pressed to mine, our noses touching as his hand reached up and intertwined his fingers in my hair. I reacted immediately, my body moving closer. My hands released the hold on the book so that I could cup Paul’s cheeks. I deepened the kiss, tasting his coffee and the mint, reveling in the fact that this was happening.

Paul was kissing me.

A loud noise jostled me. The two of us sprang apart as though we had been shocked, the sound bringing up back to reality. I stared at him for a long moment, his mouth swollen from our kiss, his hair slightly disheveled.

With my wits about me, I turned slightly from Paul’s gaze to find Gio standing in the hallway, a pile of books now a mess on the floor. The look on his face causing my heart to constrict and break into a million pieces. I had no time to move away from Paul before Gio was sprinting down his hallway, away from us.

The look on his face was something I would never forget.

Like he had been stabbed.

Image Info: Paolo and Francesca da Rimini (Dante Gabriel Rossetti, 1867). Found on Wikipedia.

Author's Note: So in Dante's Inferno, you're only given the outline of what happened in the story of Paolo and Francesca. Basically, Francesca was married to Giovanni (who is extremely crippled and ugly), and she doesn't love him. In fact, she's in love with his younger, attractive brother, Paolo. Paolo and Francesca start an affair after reading the story of Lancelet and Guinevere. Giovanni finds out about this, and he stabs them both to death. Dante placed them in the second level of Hell, assigned to the lustful. In my story, I focused on their story rather than that of Dante's. I made it Francesca's point of view and set it during modern day. Instead of being married, Francesca and Gio are just best friends, and Paul is the attractive brother. It's just a modern, Young Adult romance, and Gio doesn't kill anyone. Though I sort of referenced the stabbing with the last line. 

Bibliography: Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002). Link to online reading.

Week 15 Reading Notes: Dante's Inferno (Part B)

1. I know that Inferno means “Hell” in Italian, and while the original was written in Italian, I would have liked the translated version to have more Italian words worked into the work. This would have kept the Italian nature of the piece and gave us insight into Dante’s culture and background.

2. It’s interesting that a lot of the characters are so familiar to me, and it is good that I don’t need the background information throughout the story, but for people who don’t know who the Minotaur is, or who Jason is, it would be nice to have some sort of contextual explanation of who they were in order to understand why Dante chooses to place them in Hell.

3. Dante seems to be a pretty judgmental person, and I don’t think that he would be happy to know that he would have been in Hell with the rest of these people, as he seems to have plenty of personality traits similar to the characters he meets.

4. Caiaphas seems like an evil dude. I probably would have put him in Hell too. However, I believe he should be in the lower levels, with Cassius and Brutus, as plotting to kill Jesus seems quite similar, if not a worse offense, to that of assassinating Caesar. But that’s just my opinion.

5. Are the giants supposed to be the Titans? I’m confused. Also, is this the first use of the word Nimrod?

6. “That sinner raised his mouth from the savage feast” is a badass sentence, despite the fact that it’s grotesque to think about.

7. The quote “Vexilla Regis produent Inferni” is pretty badass if you know what it means. It’s a good thing I had the translation right in front of me. Going back to my previous comment, however, it would have been cooler to just keep the Italian and run with it.

8. See… JUDAS BELONGS IN THE NINTH CIRCLE. Sorry, not sorry. Friends don’t lie.

9. Why does Dante call Virgil his “Master?” That’s some homoerotic bullshit.

10. It’s kind of funny how Dante and Virgil have to climb out of Hell on Satan’s body and he can’t do anything about it, which is cool to think about. Let me just walk all over Satan and see how he reacts. I guess he would not have been pretty pissed. Too bad you can’t do anything about it, Satan! 😊

Friends Don't Lie, from Stranger Things. Found on Neato Shop.

Bibliography: Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002). Link to online reading.

Week 15 Reading Notes: Dante's Inferno (Part A)

1. I like that the story is told in the first-person point of view. This lets the readers connect to the narrator and focus on what he is feeling, so that they don’t have to get too creative on how they would react in a situation like Dante’s.

2. It’s cool we get a background of who Virgil is, since he’s going to be such an important part of the telling of the story. However, he didn’t need to announce it. Providing that background through description would have been good enough.

3. The illustrations provide a nice foundation for the imagination.

4. The way that the dialogue is written kind of brings me out of the story and messes up the flow of what is being told. What is being said is also written in a way people wouldn’t talk in real life, so it’s hard to believe it’s really.

5. I don’t really understand what “heathens” stay in limbo; I wish there was more explanation to it.

6. The fact that all these famous figures in history/literature are in Hell makes me wonder more about the reasons behind why they are there. Not only that, but while there are some people I did know, there are a lot of names that I did not recognize. Not listing so many but also explaining to the audience why they’re there, not as a whole, but as individuals. I realize this would make the story a lot longer but it would make the reader less confused.

7. My roommate LOVES the story of Paolo and Francesca; she even did a project on it. She actually helped explain to me what went on when I realized I was more confused than I thought I was going to be.

8. Cerberus is the dog of Hades, and his name actually means “spot” in Ancient Greek. Hades really named his dog Spot.

9. The fact that Medusa is in Hell makes me mad because what happened to her wasn’t her fault, but Poseidon’s. The fact that a man is the reason that she’s in Hell just grinds my many gears.

Image Information: "One does not simply..." meme. Found on Boarding Area.

Bibliography: Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002). Link to online reading.

Week 13 Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales (1) Part B

King O’Toole and his Goose
- King O’Toole is obviously very self-centered, because the narrator thinks I should have heard of him and I never have.
- I like that the narrator addresses the reader, making the story more personal. By referencing back to the reader every so often, you make sure that the reader is paying attention.
- How the story is written/told is exactly how I would imagine an Irish person speaking. I even dabbled reading some lines with an Irish accent for authenticity.
- Honestly, the plot wasn’t that good and I was focused more on practicing my accent than paying attention.

The Shee an Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire
- The explanation of words at the beginning of this section was thoughtful, because the title had a bunch of words with which had no meaning to me.
- “… put a stop to the laughing of the Gruagach Gaire, who before this, laughed always and laughed so loud that the whole world heard him.” Use the word “laugh” one more time. I don’t think there was enough.
- The subtitles that tell the readers when the settings have changed through me off a little. Just describe it???
- I thought cowboys only existed in the Old West. 

Cowboy hat with a three-leaf clover on it. Found on Celtic Cowboy.

- I know that this is too much to ask, but can’t the daughter have a say in the marriage, like just this once? 

Beth Gellert
- Llewelyn is a weird name and I don't even know how to pronounce it.
- Also, KILLING THE DOG WAS SO UNNECESSARY AND I HATED EVERY BIT OF THIS STORY.

The Tale of Ivan
- Ivan, honey, you should have definitely taken the wag and not the advice. Money is better.
- Okay, I guess in this case it was okay to get advice, because it helped him in the end, but if an old man decided to take my money that I earned working for an entire year and gave me some cliché advice instead, I would have been angry. 

Andrew Coffey
- I had a teacher in middle school with this same last name.
- I’m pretty sure that this entire story was just Andrew Coffey having a severe reaction to smoking weed, but that’s just me.

Brewery of Eggshells
- Creepy picture of kids. Fun.
- I just really wish there was more dialogue in these types of stories, because it moves the story along so much quicker.
- Also, don’t throw your children into lakes. Goblins will get them.

Bibliography: Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892). Link to online reading.

Week 13 Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales (1) Part A

Connla and the Fairy Maiden

- Okay, but like, Connla of the Fiery Hair? Really? We couldn’t think of a better name? The language in the story is already bad enough. I understand that it’s supposed to be Celtic and old fashioned, but honestly, gross. I also want to know what the maiden’s “strange attire looks like.
- This fairy maiden just loves Connla out of nowhere? Sounds fake, but okay.
- I’m glad that the King’s characterization allows him to admit that he has his shortcomings.
- The apple reminds me of the evil witch’s apple in Snow White, which would make a great twist in the story if the fairy maiden ended up being evil.
- I’m glad that the Druid has a name, compared to the maiden, who should also have a maiden considering that she is a main character. This might be a little sexist.
- Basically, this story is really dramatic and I didn’t like it.

The Field of Boliauns
- The picture at the beginning creeped me out.
- I’m glad that neither of the stories that I’ve read started with “Once upon a time…”
- There’s a lot more dialogue in this than in the first story, which moves it along quicker, but the dialogue is hard to follow because I cannot seem to imagine people speaking like they do in the story.
- Leprechauns are not nice. That is all.

The Horned Woman
- Okay, if a lady with a horn on her head came barging into my apartment, I would most definitely be appalled and slightly terrified. What is wrong with this woman?
- Why does no one have names in stories like this? I’m calling the police.
- “The mistress felt herself obliged…” Oh, I get it now. She’s being compelled.
- I have no idea what went on in this story, plot wise. All I know is that there was a lot of screaming.

The Sheperd of Myddvai
- A guy that gives me his food without me asking? Sign me up.
- Kinda of puzzled why all these farm animals came out of the lake. That’s not really where they belong.
- I like the maiden only because she knows when to leave a man who is “abusive to her.” Power to you, sis.
- I would have liked the ending to be different, simply because I was expecting more out of the characters in this story compared to the others.

The Sprightly Tailor
- Again, the picture at the beginning creeped me out.
- Wishing that the main character had a name, simply because it would be easier to relate back to him.
- There is more description in this story compared to the others, allowing me to have a better understanding of setting.
- The giant reacted in the same way I would if I didn’t get attention I wanted: by stamping my feet and whining.

Munachar and Manachar
- These two already remind me of Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee from Alice in Wonderland.
- No descriptions = Sad Cassidy

Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree
- SNOW WHITE.
- The names are a little iffy, but at least they have names!
- Wishing I got descriptions of what everyone looks like. Or even just descriptions. There is too much dialogue.
- “I left them there.” SUCH A GOOD ENDING, despite the fact that the prince has two wives. Greedy bastard.

Square Celtic Knot. Found on Wikipedia Commons.

Bibliography: Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892). Link to online reading.

Growth Mindset plus CATS

Photo at cheezburger.

I chose this image because it reminds of what I need to do to help myself move forward: I need to listen. I don't like being criticized, and a lot of the time, it makes me angry when people try to tell me to change something. Most of the time, however, they're only trying to help, and I need to understand that they are trying to help me better myself in the long run.

Found on cheezburger.

Everybody makes mistakes (everybody has those days). Errors, especially if someone points them out to me, make me anxious, but I need to understand that those errors are going to help me build on what I've already done and they're going to make me and my work better.

Found on cheezburger.

Now I just have to learn how to take the feedback that I get and think about where I can go from there. I don't want to plateau and continue on the path that I've been walking, I want to change it up and make sure that I'm on a better path to being, well, better! Taking critiques and feedback from others is going to help me in the long run.

Learning Challenge: DESKERCISE!!!!

I realized as I was working on these deskercises that I do a lot of them when I’m sitting in class or at my desk anyway, so it was easy to work them into my homework routine anyway. I read an article from the Harvard Business Review, which gives you six different yoga exercises to try. 

The hardest one to do was definitely the reverse prayer pose, simply because my body is not as flexible as it used to be (I probably need to start stretching more than just when I’m doing my homework), and my wrists protested when I tried twisting them. Since I didn’t want to push my body too much, I stopped this exercise and moved to the next one. I’ll try to go back to this exercise each day to see if there are any changes in the flexibility of my wrists/arms. 

Not only did this stretching make me feel good physically, but mentally, because yoga makes you focus on your breathing, which directly correlates to your brain. It helped me to relax and really focus on what I was working on, which was, of course, reading the article and focusing on the poses all at once. 

I would definitely recommend trying the neck and shoulder poses, because I don’t think people truly realize how much tension they are holding there when they are stressed or focused, or in my case, both. 

What I hoped for from this article that I didn’t get was leg exercises, since your feet are usually on the floor and that is where all the blood is going. I’m definitely going to look into some of those to see if there are any that I can do while just sitting down at my desk or in class or something. This was a lot more enlightening than I thought it was going to be.  

Paws and Reflect. Found on Bare Feet Power Yoga.

Reading Notes: Beowulf (Extra Credit)

- It was interesting to read about Beowulf from before what I usually have read, which is when Grendal attacks. The intro was a good way to lay out the story and provide the audience an understanding of the world that they are about to enter.

- I don’t like the “Once Upon a Time” though. It only works when the main character is not a tool, which Beowulf is. He thinks he’s all high and mighty. If he were a girl, well, people would think she was a bitch.

- There is a lot of descriptions about the land, which is good, because I usually have no idea where I am when it comes to folklore/fairy tales.

- Sorry, but Beowulf = Hercules. Except Beowulf doesn’t go crazy and murder his wife and children, nor does he have thousands of spawns.

- I like the illustrations, simply because they’re funny but also black and white, KIND OF LIKE THE CHARACTERIZATION IN THIS DANG STORY.

- The dialogue in this is exactly how I believed people in this time period would have spoken. Crisp and to the point.

- I wish that they would give certain characters names, especially like “The Wanderer,” since there is an entire chapter about him in this unit. Was he so unimportant to them? Does this not make sense to anyone else besides me?

- I think we should all introduce ourselves the way that they do in this story. “I am Cassidy, daughter of Michael and Jodi, Mikayla and Madison’s sister, all hail!” It would make introductions so much more interesting, plus we wouldn’t have to do the weird “getting to know your family life” thing because you would already know most of it.

- I don’t like Beowulf and I don’t think I ever will. Sorry, you guys.

Beowulf is Wyrd meme. Found on WeKnowMemes.

Bibliography: The Story of Beowulf by Strafford Riggs with illustrations by Henry Pitz (1933). Link to online reading.

Tech Tip: Twitter Widget in a Post

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Week 12 Story: Interruption

Have you ever looked at someone and realized that you were staring at the most beautiful woman you’ve ever seen?

Brit tilted her head, almost cat-like in its movement, as she stepped toward the young man in front of her. His hair was dark, eyes bright like fairy pools that she had passed getting to this very spot. His cheekbones created a natural contour that the sun caught nicely, and she couldn’t help herself as she reached up to run her fingers along his chiseled jawline.

Normally, she would be wary to approach someone who tried to kill her, but Brit was going to blame that one the fact that Artegall had had no idea who she was.

“I’ve been looking for you.” Brit whispered, a slow smile creeping up onto her face as she dropped her hand and stood there in front of him, unsure what to do now.

The smile that she received back was blinding, and his voice was deeper than she imagined it would be. It was rough, but somehow calming. It was a sound that could have come from her dreams. “Me too.”

The two of them were so lost in one another, they had forgotten that Scudamour – the bastard lord – was there. Brit heard him cough and she dragged her eyes away, still standing close to Artegall as her focused shifted to the man that she had been hiding from for some time, mainly because he had been trying to kill her. But it was for noble reasons, she was assured.

“I hate to interrupt such an… intimate moment,” Scudamour began. Brit got the feeling that he didn’t mind a bit. “But we came here for a purpose. You see, darling Brit, you released my love, Lady Amoret, from her captivity in the Fairy Queene’s court, and while I give you my undying gratitude for that, she is not here with me. I seek to find her. “

Brit sighed. She knew that this was going to be difficult for Scudamour to hear.

As if sensing her tension, Artegall reached out and gripped Brit’s hand, intertwining their fingers and giving them a light squeeze in reassurance.

Brit straightened her back and looked at the lord square in the face. “We need to talk, then.”

Arthegall and Talus in Fairie Queen. Found on Art History Reference.

Author's Note: This part of Britomart's story is when she finds Artegall after seeing him in the enchanted mirror, following him into the Fairie Queen's realm, fighting him and then discovering that he was the same man that she had been searching for this entire time. Meanwhile, Britomart saved a young woman by the name of Amoret, while also pissing off her husband, Scudamour. In my section of the story that I rewrote, I kept the same aspects of the story that go on in this part of the tale. However, I made the language more modern, and I gave Artegall and Britomart a more in depth connection. It's almost as if both of them had been searching for one another, and now they understand one another in a deeper way because of their journey to find one another. I made Scudamour more obnoxious because that's how I saw him in the original story, and I ended it on a cliff hanger to create more suspense. 

Bibliography: How Britomart Ended Her Quest. Stories from the Faerie Queene by Mary Macleod, with drawings by A. G. Walker (1916). Link to online reading.

Week 12 Reading Notes for Fairie Queen: Britomart Part B

1. The describe the men and women in The Enchanted Chamber better than the main character. I know exactly what each boy is where but no nothing about what Britomart looks like.

2. I like that each of these characters from above represent something, like Disloyalty, or Love. It gives the reader an understanding of who the character is despite not knowing much about the rest of the character as a whole.

3. I don’t like that the Enchanter doesn’t have a name. Give him a name!

4. Britomart spiting Sir Scudamour. I only have one word for this part of the plot: YES.

5. I like that Britomart is a female and can best all the men, but I don’t like that she has to hide her femininity. I know that it is the only way to compete in the competitions that she’s a part of, because everyone during this time was a MISOGYNIST, but it would have been a fun plot point to play with she was told, “no,” and she simply responds by doing whatever they told her not to, without having to hide her identity.

6. “Through all ages it has been the custom that the prize of Beauty has been joined with the praise of arms and Chivalry. And there are special reasons for this, for each relies much on the other: that Knight who can best defend a fair Lady from harm is surely the most fitting to serve her, and that Lady who is fairest and who will never swerve from her faith is the most fitting to deserve his service.” Alright. Sexist.

7. ALRIGHT. ARTEGALL BEING THE KNIGHHT IN THE MIRROR. THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT. THAT IS ANGST, MY FRIENDS. This creates an interesting dynamic and tension within the storyline.

8. Okay, so I’m really happy that Britomart found love because I’m a hopeless romantic. But think about this: What if her and Lady Amoret ended up together? Wouldn’t that have been an even better ending? Think about it.

Amoret and Britomart by Mary F Raphael. Found on Classic Art Paintings.

Bibliography: Stories from the Faerie Queene by Mary Macleod, with drawings by A. G. Walker (1916). Link to online reading.

Week 12 Reading Notes for Faerie Queene: Britomart

1, I was very happy to see that the stories didn’t start with “once upon a time,” since I’m a little over that, if I’m being honest.

2. I don’t like that the “Knight” doesn’t have a name, simply because it would be more dramatic if the villain, or antagonist at this point in the story, had a name besides what he is supposed to be. However, it’s interesting that the man is a knight and yet Sir Guyon and Prince Arthur are fighting him.

3. The author describes the actions of the characters well enough, especially when they are fighting, but I am having a hard time picturing the setting. More description of the land and where they are, maybe even how the people are dressed and how they look, will help readers to understand the time period as well as the people, and not only that, but it will provide a way to easily conjure up an image

4. “’I certainly will not give up my love, nor will I do service to your lady,’ replied Britomart.” This line made me LAUGH.

5. Britomart is definitely bisexual. You cannot argue with me on this so no one even try.

6. I wish there was more dialogue. It makes the stories more interesting because you’re more aware of who the characters are.

7. The third story is the first time that it references “Britain.”

8. It’s fun to read stories with characters that have been used all the time, over many different eras, in different literatures. Like Merlin, for example. He’s been used so much over the years that I don’t really know where he started out, or who he originally was written to be like.

9. DESCRIBE THE LAND OF THE FAERIE QUEEN. IT’S THE WHOLE POINT OF THE STORY AND YET WE SEE NOTHING THAT TALKS ABOUT WHAT IT ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE.

10. The ending to the story “How Britomart Walked Through Fire” is so good, and leaves me wanting more, and it made me want to continue reading.

Britomart. Found on PDSH Wiki.

Bibliography: Stories from the Faerie Queene by Mary Macleod, with drawings by A. G. Walker (1916). Link to online reading.

Week 11 Reading Notes B: American indian Fairy Tales

1. Happy that the first story doesn’t start the same as all the others. The beginnings get redundant and it makes me not want to read them. I also liked the break in the story where Iagoo and the children are speaking, mainly because you’re reminded that there is an outside narrator telling the story. 

2. I liked the repetition of the main character being in the second story as well as the first. It makes the readers able to connect with the protagonist in a more personal way; they are able to see their characterization and understand who they are and what makes them tick.

3. I don’t really like stories about creations. For example, “how the summer came,” or even how the world came to be. I find them boring and they don’t provide much except details that can be explained to beef up other stories. Basically, they’re not my forte.

4. Alright, so Neen-i-zu likes to “walk in the forest alone” and that freaks me out. But I do like that it talks about how she has a close relationship with the other girls in the village. A lot of the time, old stories like fairytales only focus on the romantic ties to the main character.

5. Puk-Wudjies is a house in the American school of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the Harry Potter universe. Just saying.

Pukqudgie house crest from Harry Potter. Found on Harry Potter Wiki.

6. Okay, I know this is a reach, but making the Fairy Bride into a tale about lesbians would be a great twist. Obviously, there is not very much LGBTQ representation in stories from the older times, so it would be great to switch it up and add some diversity amongst the characters in the stories that are told. Children who struggle with their sexuality would find it easier to accept who they are if they see themselves in the stories they are told as they are growing up.

Bibliography:  American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). Link to online source.

Week 11 Reading Notes Part A: American Indian Fairy Tales

1. I like the idea that the stories that Iagoo was told were oral, and have now been written down for people to read. This shows an important culture aspect of folklore within the Native American community. Basically, stories within stories is a fun aspect to write, and it makes the original telling more interesting. However, I would like to make the story into first person, as it connects the reader to Iagoo and his connection with the stories that he is so well known for telling.

2. Shin-ge-bis reminds me of a typical YA love interest. You know, the boys with the flowy hair and pretty half-smiles that always seem to be laughing at the protagonist over the simplest things. Like the story says, he’s a laugher. It’s different than other protagonists that you read about in folklore, who are serious heroes that only want to save the world. They don’t want to laugh. This part of his personality is an awesome aspect in his story.

3. I know these are supposed to be fairy tales, and that Native American culture is very big on being one with the animals, but it always seems to take me out of the story when the animals start to talk, especially if they have a major part of the story that moves the plot along. This is especially if there is no other magical element amongst the plot.

4. The story of the Child of the Evening Star really describes the characters in a way that I can understand who they are. This is uncommon in folklore. I also like the fact that Oweenee can see into the hearts of men and they all seem to suck, because honestly, that’s the most realistic part of this entire story. Honestly, this is my favorite story in the collection at the moment. It almost reminds me of Beauty and the Beast, and we all know how much I love that story!

Hipster Belle meme. Found on WeKnowMemes.

Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921). Link to online reading.

Week 10 Story: It's a Bad Idea, Me and You

There is something about bad boys, I think, as Kaxo climbs out of bed and stretches his shoulders. We had been at this for weeks, despite the fact that my parents hate him. The tribal tattoos along his shoulders stretch and move, almost like they are alive on his tanned skin. The wolf between his shoulder blades moves as if alive, the skull between its jaws escaping some unknown horror inside. 

What I image Kaxo's tattoo looks like. Found on favim.

It had been weeks since this had started, weeks since my parents kicked me out and sent both of us packing. The entire community backed them. They never liked him; Kaxo was an outsider in their eyes, someone who would never leave up to the impossible standards that they had set for everyone around them.

And I was going to have his child.

We had found out only a few days before, when I had been sick over a long period of days without any other explanation. We couldn’t see a doctor – neither of us had insurance – and I was far too prideful to go to a clinic. So, a pregnancy test it was, and it was positive.

“I’m going to meet Crow.” Kaxo tells me, turning around with that smile that got us in so much trouble in the first place. His best friend is the only one from our old neighborhood that keeps in contact, the only one that believed Kaxo was just as amazing as I believed him to be.

Together, the two of them were going to figure out what Kaxo and I were going to do. With the baby on the way, there was nothing that I could do but sit and let the baby grow.

From what Kaxo has told me, they believe that if my parents believe that if I broke it off with him, if I really prove to them I have come to my senses, they would take me back in. I could have the baby taken care of and when he, or she – Kaxo firmly believes it’s a boy – is born, I leave again.

But the problem is, I don’t know if I can leave Kaxo for that long. I guess we’ll have to see.

________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note: The original story is The Dog-Husband, and it talks about a young woman who is seduced and has an affair for a man who's a dog during the day, and human during the night. In the original story, when her parents find out, she is exiled and the man is killed. She goes to the beach and has the babies. A crow helps them later on in the story, when the babies are born and start to grow up. The main character is forced to make her village believe the babies are dead, and they except her back. But the babies come and end up ruling the tribe. In my story, it's modern day, and  I've named the young man. Kaxo is actually the Quinault word for dog. And I kept the Crow in the story so that we have a sense of the original story in mine. I made it first person, and I also kept Kaxo alive because I hate death. Hope you liked my (short) story.

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson (1929). Link to online reading.

Week 10: Native American Marriage Tales Reading Notes Part B

GoT marriage meme. Found on WeddingBee.

1.     I know that animals are a significant part of the Native American culture, but it’s really weird that these humans sleep with half-dog people and then have PUPPIES WHEN THEY GIVE BIRTH. Also, none of the characters in the stories I’ve read so far have had names. I’d like the characters to have names, just because it helps to connect them to the reader more, as you have a name to go with a face.

2. Cannibalism. Not a good plot point. Just really gross.

3. The language used in The Youth Who Joined the Deer is more modern, making the story easier to read. However, the dialogue isn’t exactly the way that humans would talk, at least nowadays. It’s too formal. I think that changing it into a more conversational tone would make it more relatable and not like something out of a robot-horror movie.

4. Also, although I like when the characterization of male characters in stories is not all macho, the main character in the Deer story – the hunter – was whiny and definitely should have taken his wife back by himself, instead of running to others.

5. I realize that the first place that has actually been named and given a description is in the story about the girl and the turkeys. Interesting. I would definitely like to hear more about what the settings are in each story, so that I can create an image and connect with the telling a little bit more so than I would if I had to create it all by myself.

6. So the True Bride definitely reminds me of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Except, you know, there was only four men. But also Cinderella, with the evil stepmother thing, but I guess that Snow White also has an evil stepmother as well? Oh well. I liked this story the most out of all the ones that I had to read.

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson (1929). Link to online source.

Week 10: Native American Marriage Tales, Reading Notes A

1. Okay, so first off, the first story starts off with rape – it doesn’t say it in so many words, but it’s eluded to the fact most certainly – which is horrible and I would definitely take that part of the story out quickly. I know that this was a different time period but it would still make me uncomfortable to write something into a story that ends “happily.” The other weird part of this story is the fact that the boy’s mother is a cow part of the time – and also that she FORGAVE THE MAN THAT RAPED HER. Basically, the thing I would change about this story is ALL OF IT.

2. The Splinter-Footed Girl reminded me some of the story of the birth of Athena, because Athena was born from Zeus’ head, much like the child was born from the man’s leg. One of the best aspects about this story is the relationship between the men and the daughter; if I were to rewrite this story, I would use that connection and make it stronger. Maybe I would have each of the fathers help her, instead of the different animals. Using another character seems to diminish the connection between the girl and her parents.

3. At least in the story about the Whale and the Eagle, the little girls get to choose their husbands for themselves, even if it didn’t end all that well. Still kind of freaked out by the bestiality. The language in this story is a little different than the others, making it harder to get into. Making the dialogue more modern would connect the reader to the story, and it would be easier to read.

4. The Fox-Woman starts off with the phrase “dutiful wife” In the first sentence. Gross. BUT this was my favorite story. I wanted it to be longer. In the end, I might put a twist. Does the woman end up alone for the rest of her life? Maybe. Or MAYBE she ends up with another woman. WHOA! PLOT TWIST!

5. A lot of these stories have nasty endings. Not that I’m not a fan, usually, but dang. Where is the happiness?

6. The Bear-Woman is definitely my second favorite story. I think that I would change the POV to the eldest sisters, and make her attack on the village something like revenge for the murder of his husband. But also, CONSTELLATIOINS!!!!!!!!!

Futrama Constellation Meme. Found on quickmeme.

 Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson (1929). Link to online reading.

Work 9 Story: Damsel

Hase-Hime remembered a story that her mother used to tell her, about a poetess. The story spoke of a gifted woman who had the affinity for poetry, and the people of the kingdom adored her. However, her fellow people’s land had been ravaged by famine. The poetess, doing what she did best, wrote a poem that moved the gods, and it brought rain. She was a hero to her people. 

The young princess thought that maybe, if she wrote a good enough poem to please the gods, that it would get her out of the mess that she was in. The rope that wrapped around her wrists was chaffing at her skin, and the gag that her step-mother’s servant, Katoda, choked her.

Alas, nothing ever came of her poetry, except the adoration of her father – Prince Toyonari - and the Court, and even the young Emperor, who had ordered her to send her poetry to him. But even the Emperor, who had offered her a position as Chinjo – the lieutenant-general, could get her out of her debacle.

How did she end up here? She had been knocked out while doing her chores, carried on what she assumed to be a palanquin, and thrown in a dark room. She had to be somewhere in the mountains – the temperature was cooler than down in the valley where she lived. She shivered as she was reminded of the cold.

Palanquin, And a Guy on a Horse. Found on gettyimages.

Hase-Hime had lost track of how long that she had been kept in her prison; Katoda only untied her to feed her, and even then, she had the threat of his knife to worry about.

“Why are you doing this?” She had asked Katoda once, her voice hoarse from disuse. He had only shaken his head, muttering her step-mother’s name under his breath, before slamming the door behind him and leaving her, once again, in isolation.

Since the untimely death of her son, Akuma – a strict woman who had married Hase-Hime’s father after her own mother had passed away from illness – lost herself. While she had never seemed to have a fondness for her step-daughter, she took on a new form of hatred. Everything that Hase-Hime did was wrong. Everything that she said was silenced. At one point, she had even struck her when the food that she had made for them was too cold after she arrived at the dinner table late. Hase-Hime had noticed the difference, but had not thought that it would ever come to this.

To her kidnapping, and potentially, to her death.

Hase-Hime let out a breath and shifted, uncomfortable after sitting in the same position. Weeks ago, she had been sure that her father, or even the Emperor, would have found her. But she was beginning to give up hope; maybe she was too far in the mountains to be found.

A horse whinnied, and Hase-Hime went on alert. Katoda stayed here, in her prison, with her. There had been no one for weeks.

Maybe it was Akuma, finally coming around to finish the job.

“Hase-Hime!” She heard her father’s voice. She must have been hallucinating. Again, her ears deceived her, as her name was called again. More noises came from outside her door, a shuffle, a loud thump, and then there were shadows underneath the small crack where the door did not quite meet the floor below it.

The door swung open, and the young princess squinted up as her eyes adjusted to the sudden onslaught of light. A familiar figure stood before her, and he was suddenly in front of her, and not in the doorway.

“Father?” She forced out, her strained voice muffled even more by the fabric gagging her. She tried shifting closer, but her restraints forced her to keep herself in place.

Prince Toyonari was reaching around her, and suddenly, her arms were free, followed by her legs. She reached up herself and grabbed the gag, throwing it away before she flung herself towards her father. Her arms wrapped around his neck, and his moved to wrap around her waist.

Hase-Hime had never been emotional, but as she breathed in the familiar scent of her father, tears built up in her eyes. Each of them pulled away at the same time, Hase-Hime to ask how he found her, her father to look her over and make sure that she was okay, at least for the most part.

Everything seemed to move in a blur. As her father brought her out of her quarters, she noticed that the Emperor was there. In his royal finery, he held Kotoda in his grasp, a fierce expression on his face. He let out a relieved breath when he laid eyes on Hase-Hime himself, and nodded towards her father. Her dad smiled gratefully, and brought her outside, lifting her up onto his horse and pulling himself up behind him as he did so. Then they rode.

As they made their way far from the cottage, her father explained to her what had happened. When he had come home from traveling to realize that Hase-Hime was gone, he had not question his wife at first. However, he knew that his daughter would not simply run away with no explanation, so he dug deeper. The servants were the ones to tell him the truth; they all adored the princess, and they had seen what Kotoda had done, and why he had. He did it for Akuma. When all of it was revealed, he confronted his wife, who at first denied all allegations, but after some lengthy persuasion, he was able to find out from her where he had sent Hase.

Hase-Hime smiled tiredly as her father told the story. She would have to ask where they were going to go from there, what had happened to Akuma, why the Emperor had been there. But that would be for another time. At the moment, she was safe, and she did not even have to write a poem to get her wish.

_____________________________________________________________________

Author's Note: So the story of Princess Hase is about a princess whose mother passes away, and she ends up getting an evil step-mother who hates her. At one point, the step-mother ends up trying to murder Hase-Hime by poison, and she kills her son instead. Hase-Hime ends up being adored by everyone and the mother hates her and sends a servant to kill her. In the original, the servant is loyal to Hase-Hime and treats her well. Her father comes and saves her and everything turns out happily ever after! In my version, I cut out the first part of the story and went right to the part that starts with her being kidnapped. Instead of making the servant loyal to Hase, I made him loyal to the step-mother to put more conflict into the tale. I made it third person, but from Hase's perspective, so you could see her thought process. I didn't go into much detail about the background of her story, but I wanted her relationship with her father to be important in the story, because it's important in the original. I also made her relationship with the Emperor a little more than it was, because I love love, and in the original, the father forces her to marry some random guy instead.

Bibliography: The Story of Princess Hase from Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki (1908). Link to online reading.

Reading Notes:Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozari) Part B

Day numero dos. Two more stories! Woohoo! 

Book meme found on BookBub Blog.

1. The Goblin of Adachigahara

That took me a little bit to write without looking, but I got it in the end. The background in the beginning of the story provides a good idea of where it is going to go, which is good, because the other stories don’t provide that sort of summary. Not only that, but it sets up the tone and setting for the story nicely. I think that writing the story from the point of view of the ogre would be interesting, and it wouldn’t provide such a happy ending as the original story does. Being able to see inside the head of a “monster” would provide readers more of an understanding of what happened on the other side of the story.

2. The Story of Princess Hase

The story starts off the same way a lot of fairy tales do. Two parents couldn’t have a child, and they pray to some deity to give them one, and magically, it happens. The tale read very similar to Cinderella, in my opinion, but I’m sure that this was written first. I liked that the stepmother tried to kill her daughter, because it provided a new conflict to a story that I have been quite familiar with. Making her a high-ranking official was awesome – GIRL POWER! I think because I am so used to the story of Cinderella, that I was truly disappointed that she didn’t end up falling in love with someone. Maybe I will make that change in a rewrite of the story, since I’m leaning more toward the Story of Princess Hase than the others that I have read in this unit. Adding more dialogue would make the character’s easier to identify with. Unlike other fairy tales, I liked the character’s personality, but I would love to play with the evilness of the step-mother, as she is particularly cruel.

Bibliography: Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki (1908). Link to online reading.

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozari) Part A

There were three stories in this section of reading, so I broke it up into three sections! Woohoo!

1. My Lord Bag of Rice

Okay, the guy’s name is a little weird, and I wish that they focused more on his former name, because there is a common theme throughout literature that focuses on the importance of names. Maybe making it so the main character had to change his name to protect himself would be more exciting than what really happened. I chose Japanese fairytales because some of my favorite stories include dragons, and this one does as well! Woohoo! Go dragons! I liked the dialogue in this story, but I think I would have liked the piece overall a lot more if it was in first person. It makes the storyline more personal.

2. The Adventures of Kintaro, the Golden Boy

I think I would have liked it better if the start of this story was more flushed out. What did Kintaro’s father do? Why did the Court hate his mother so much that she needed to flee? I like the idea that Kintaro became one with the Wild, because I feel that is what would have happened if he truly had grown up in the woods, and giving the animals dialogue was a nice touch. Making this story third person was good, but I would have hashed out some details, such as the setting. The fact that they use Japanese within the story is a nice touch because it really connects the tale and its characters to their backgrounds. I think I would have liked the story more if they brought in the father’s conflict with the Court more often.

3. The Man Who Did Not Wish to Die

I think I would change the beginning of these stories so that they did not all start with “Long, long ago…”. It seems cliché and takes away from the start of each of the tales. I liked the description of setting here, especially with Mount Fuji and the like, because I got a good understanding of where the tale was taking place, and where the characters were moving in terms of geography. I think it would be better in first person so that readers would be able to truly get into Sentaro’s head and understand what he is feeling throughout the storyline. The entire plot took a turn that I wasn’t expecting, and it didn’t seem to have that same Japanese feel like the other two stories did. I think that this story would be better if there were more aspects of Japanese culture in it.

Japanese Dragon Ascending Mount Fuji. Found on Wikipedia.

Bibliography: Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki (1908). Link to online reading.

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

1. Feedback In

On a scale of one to ten, I would rate my feedback between a six and a seven. The comments are good, and I like that most of them are positive, but there doesn't seem to be enough criticism that helps me to grow in my writing and other categories. If I'm doing something wrong, I would like to know so that I can fix it for future reference. The most useful comments that I receive are the ones with criticism, no matter how small.

2. Feedback Out

I believe my comments rage from a six to an eight on a ten digit scale. I try to leave comments in the form of a "compliment sandwich," where I say something positive to start, talking about the negatives, and then end with something positive once more. My comments have grown more in depth as the weeks have gone by.

3. Blog Comments

I still feel somewhat disconnected from my classmates, but that is something that is common within an online class. However, reading everyone's introductions have provided me a sense of who is who within the class, and I've come to recognize people's blogs and I know their writing styles. I believe my introduction provides a good sense of who I am as a person and allows my classmates to reach out and connect with me if they find something similar to themselves in the post. As for the rest of my blog, my writing really envelopes who I am as a person. People seeing my writing really helps them to understand who I am and how I view the world.

4. Looking Forward

I think I need to focus more on the criticisms, much like my classmates need to do with my work. By focusing more on what people need to work on - on what I need to work on - I can grow as a reader and as a story teller so that I can improve positively. I am thinking about changing the background of my blog to something a little more similar to my personality and interests - stars. Which also is what my Storybook is about.

5. Image

(cheezburger)

I chose this image because most of the  time, my comments are similar from person to person. This means that I know where my drawbacks are and can work on my biggest problems first, before focusing on the smaller stuff.

Week 8 Reading and Writing

1. Looking Back

I have missed a few reading and writing assignments, but mostly because I procrastinated too much and then decided not to do them altogether. It is not that I don't like the readings, because I do, I just feel as though there is so much to do in one sitting that I get tired and lazy. Despite that, my favorites readings were the original Beauty and the Basilisk, as well as stories from Ancient Egypt. The writing is probably my favorite part of any of the assignments. Taking the old stories and making them into my own is fun. I like being able to make them my own by adding my personal touch on each of the tales. This is why I absolutely adore the project that I have chosen. Women in Constellations is something that I was interested in for a very long time (we all know about my Cassiopeia tattoo), and being able to give these women a voice outside of their original tales is awesome and really invigorating to accomplish.

2. Image

Mr. Darcy meme by quickmeme.

I chose this image because who doesn't love Mr. Darcy? Not only that, but it has to do with his story while also relating to the reading we have to do for class - which I think it quite extensive at times. It's nice to think that there will be a man out there that will love the fact that I love reading more than I probably should! 

3. Looking Forward

My goal for the rest of the semester is to not miss another assignment, while also doing the extra credit to try and make up for those that I missed. I want to step out of my comfort zone and chose readings that I would have probably not chosen if given the choice, and use different writing styles when I chose to rewrite an original tale. 

Week 7 Story: Consolation

Painting of Filipino woman with flowers in her hair. By Lydia Velasco.

“Father,” Bayani said softly, from his spot in the cushioned chair beside his father’s bed. The old king was ill, had been for many years now, and the healers had warned the young prince that he didn’t have much time now that winter was coming. While this upset Bayani dearly – he loved his father – he had resigned himself to the fact. “Can you tell me about Mother?”

It had always been a sore subject, his mother, and the scandal that had tainted her memory for his father. Bayani never asked, simply because he knew it would upset the King, but he was curious. And if he didn’t ask now, he would never know.

The King sighed, adjusting himself in the bed with a wince. He was always in pain, nowadays.

“She was beautiful,” He began, a soft smile on his face as he looked up at his heir. “Like you. Incredibly smart. Good. She was a good woman. And so brave. She loved you so much.”

Bayani fell into the enchantment that his father’s voice casted, his eyes never straying from him as he began his story. “I had told your mother, Reyna, and another one concubine, Ibwa, whom I had cared for deeply, that the first woman to bore me a son would be made my wife.”

This didn’t seem fair to Bayani. If he had cared for the both of them, certainly something could have been done. No one should have to bare a son to be deemed better than another. His father could see the disappoint in the prince’s face, and he continued, pressing on.

“When you were born, everyone was overjoyed. I, and your mother alike, could barely contain ourselves with happiness. But Ibwa was jealous. She had given birth to a girl, and while I was happy that I had a child, it wasn’t a boy. It wasn’t an heir.” He sighed, as if the memory was hard for him. Bayani believed it probably was.

“One night, while everyone was asleep, Ibwa murdered her daughter, and buried her.” He paused. Bayani knew this part of the story. It was the only thing that he really knew about what had happened to his mother. “When she was done, she stole you away, hiding herself away until the right moment.

His father left out the part of his mother’s execution; he had gone absolutely insane with grief when he came to find that his son had gone missing. Expecting the worst, he had ordered his mother’s death immediately, drowning her in the kingdom’s river, which ran alongside the castle walls. No one ever dared to argue against the King’s orders, so they were properly implemented at once. Bayani’s mother never even had a chance to explain.

“It was days until Ibwa came back, holding you in her arms as if you belonged there. I was overcome with such joy, I didn’t even think about what had occurred because of your kidnapping. I was simply happy that she brought you back. I married her at once, not thinking about you, or your mother, or the fact that Ibwa was the cause of all that had happened.”

Bayani’s temper flared. Despite the fact that Ibwa was dead, it didn’t stop him from wishing that she had lived long enough that he could have done the job himself. However, that would have been too many years that the wicked woman would have been alive, and her mother would have been dead.

“The kingdom rejoiced at your homecoming, but were confused with the marriage. No one could understand why I had chosen Ibwa after just murdering Reyna. I don’t think I even understood myself.”

The King closed his eyes for a long moment, taking a breath. Bayani knew that talking for too long exerted too much energy, and he reached out, grabbing his father’s hand in his own. He offered whatever comfort he could give, despite the circumstances.

“Reyna came to me in a dream. I remember it as though it actually happened. She was dressed in white, flowers dancing around her and woven into her hair. She was also sopping wet.” Bayani’s father shook his head. “She explained what had happened, and I had no doubt that she was telling the truth. This dream was an explanation, and while I felt guilt stricken for murdering Reyna, I knew what I had to do. As soon as I woke up, I comforted Ibwa.”

Bayani scooted closer, needing to be nearer to hear this part.

“She confessed to everything, with no signs of remorse. I became… enraged again. I didn’t even think, when I threw her out of our bedroom window. She had no idea that it had been coming.” The smirk on Bayani’s face should not have been there, but it was. His father continued. “I ordered that your mother to be reburied, nobly. I grieved for as long as I could.”

Bayani knew that his father had loved his mother, and he knew who his father was. He was an irrational man, driven by passion. The death of his mother had been by his hand, sure, but it was Ibwa that had caused it. The prince grew up wise, brave and strong, a leader to his people, because of his people.

“You are every bit of your mother.” His father said, his voice faint from overuse. "But you are my reward."

It was all that Bayani needed to hear, really.

_________________________________________________________________________________

Author's Note: The original story, The Wicked Woman's Reward, was told from a third person point of view. It is about a king who tells his two favorite concubines that the first to give him a son would be the one he married. The Wicked Woman bears a daughter, and the Good Woman bears a son. The Wicked Woman kills her daughter, swaps the Good Woman's son with a cat, and takes the son away. When the King finds the cat, he orders the Good Woman to be executed by drowning in the river. The Wicked Woman brings his son back and they marry. However, the Good Woman's corpse doesn't decay and is found in the river with flowers all around her. Her ghosts tell the King what the Wicked Woman did, he throws her out a window, and he mourns for the loss of the Good Woman. Her son grows up to be brave and strong and takes over the throne. I changed the story by making it more dialogue than anything else. It comes from the King, while he explains it to his son. It gives the boy more of a character in the story. I gave the women names, because I believe they deserve them. Reyna's name means "Queen," while Ibwa is the name of a Filipino demon. I feel that giving the narrator's voice to the son gives the readers a connection to him and to Reyna. You are feeling what he feels, as he begins to understand what happens to his mother. 

Bibliography: Filipino Popular Tales by Dean S. Fansler (1921). Link to online reading.

Reading Notes: Filipino Tales Part B

1. The difference between the stories from this section and the previous readings is that most of these stories are creation stories, or why things are the way they are, or they're about animals. I happen to like stories that involve humans as the main characters, because they're more relateable and provide an easier story and background to understand.

2. I like the story "Why the Sun Shines More Brightly Than the Moon," even if it pits two females against one another. The story is short, though, and doesn't give the characters much depth. Buwan's sister isn't even named, and I would like to see her side of the story more than it being told from a third person point of view, where you can't really tell what's going on. The story was pretty objective, so it told you what happened and what was the result. There was no fanfare, which I prefer in my fairy tales.

3. The story explaining why the cow has loose skin freaked me out. That's it.

4. The story about the fingers was interested because you're quite unlikely to find a story where fingers are named and talk amongst one another unless they are part of a children's tale. The idea that the thumb is a thief is interesting to think about, and this story is probably one of the more interesting ones that I've read while I've been in this class.

5. All in all, I think a lot of these stories would be better if someone gave the character's more depth, and allows the readers to be able to relate and understand what they are reading. Most of the stories don't have a lot of detail either - they need setting descriptions, character descriptions, and the like. Adding more detail, as long as it's not too much, helps readers to connect with the story and it allows them to understand where the characters are coming from and what is going on.

Now that this is done, it's time for me to sleep for 4324320 hours!

Yoda sleep meme. Found on Awesome Inventions.

Bibliography: Filipino Popular Tales by Dean S. Fansler (1921). Link to online reading.

Reading Notes: Filipino Tales Part A

1. One of the most surprising moments in the story of the Three Friends was that the monkey was clever enough, but also evil enough, to through the Bungisngis into the pit. His friends, however, were not so clever. It's cool to see the parallel between the three animals, especially because monkeys are so similar to humans in both anatomy and in the way that they think. Is the story playing on the idea that monkeys are wiser than other animals?

2. There seems to be a pattern with the number three (three animals, three brothers, three sons, etc.). I wonder if the stories would change any if the number was changed to two, or increased to a higher number, like five. For example, if there was two brothers, instead of three like in the second story, or five or more animals in the first tale. If the number of animals in the latter increases, then it would provide more foundation for the fact the tale is trying to explain the wisdom contrasted between animals.

3. The characterization in the story, The Clever Husband and Wife, is interesting, because when I read it, I hated the two protagonists. They were con artists and cheats and exploited the friendship between themselves and the doctor/mistress. However bad they were, though, I liked that they were unapologetic and had decent flaws. It's not all the time that you see a main character with a trait that doesn't redeem itself at the end of the story.

4. I would like to change the end of the story, The Devil and the Guachinango, by changing the ending. Instead of having the princess be saved, I would have her die and force the Guoachinango to have to go to Hell. Maybe that's just me being morbid, though.

5. I find it amusing one of the protagonist's name in these stories is Don Juan.

6. The stories that involved religion also involved the monarchy; that is, the stories that had either the Devil or God in them also had princesses and kings involved as well. It parallels the idea that the monarchy is appointed because of Divine Right.

7. The story of the monkey-prince was my favorite, mainly because I love the trope. I'm glad that it didn't take the route of the woman falling in love with an animal (*cough* Beauty and the Beast *cough*). I also liked that the girl was poor and not a princess.

8. I like the concept of the Wicked Woman but I don't like that they pit two women against one another. I wish that it wasn't because of a man that the two grew jealous.

Buddy the Elf reading meme. Found on Memes Happen.

 Bibliography: Filipino Popular Tales by Dean S. Fansler (1921). Link to online reading.

Comment Wall

Here is the link to my Storybook!: https://sites.google.com/view/womenconstellations/home

Constellation meme. Found on me.me.

Week 5 Story: A Jewel For a Jewel

Nefertiti was always wary when the King called upon the girls of the harem, as one could never know what it could be for. She usually sat around, painting, admiring the scenery in the elaborate cage that he kept the other women and herself inside, but today, she was to meet the King at the river, with nineteen other girls – all virgins. She could not even imagine what he wanted them to do.

It was not that the King was a particularly cruel man. Nefertiti knew that everything he did and chose to do for his kingdom was a precise and calculated choice. That didn’t mean that she was not aware that this was the same man that was keeping her captive for his pleasure. She could not overlook that.

The girls were brought to the river and instructed to get into boats. There was five of them, all craved intricately with hieroglyphics and appeared to be hand painted. Nefertiti was tasked with rowing, while three other girls sat around her. She did not mind too much, because that would give her an excuse to ignore the King as he flirted and stared at his other concubines. She was only worried that the wood of the oars would give her blisters, and she could not risk harm to her body, as the overseers of the harem would notice and there would be consequences.

The people that ran the harem oftentimes told her of her beauty, jeering and laughing as they passed by; she was never able to say anything about it. She knew that she was attractive. Her parents had blessed her with a dark mane, which could have been made of satin, tanned skin that was not just from her time in the sun, and jade eyes that had been said to pierce into a person’s soul. When she grew into herself, the older women of the harem said she would be the King’s favorite.

The King was late, which was not unusual, and he watched the boats row by his place on the riverbank. There was a young man at his side, watching the girls as well, but without the same hungry look that the King wore. The other girls in her boat waved and called out for their Majesty, and it must have done the trick, because he called them forth and proceeded to get into the boat with all of them.

Despite her reluctance, as one of the other girls started a song, Nefertiti joined in, and the rest as well. It was a few long minutes of singing, the King watching them with a satisfied smile, when one of the girls became overexcited and knocked into one of the oars in Nefertiti’s hands. It smacked against her, stinging, and caught the necklace that she wore around her neck. It had been a gift from her mother, before she had passed away from fever.

It fell into the water with a sickening plop.

Her arms froze, and she had not even realized that she had stopped singing until all the girls, and the King, were staring at her. She heard the King’s voice in her head, asking her a question, but she was staring at the place where her necklace had fallen into the water.

“Girl,” The King snapped, and Nefertiti was pulled out of her daze. She looked up to see him scowling at her, and her hands tightened on the oars. “Do not stop. Continue rowing.”

“I can’t,” Nefertiti gasped, letting go of the oar and looking back at the water. “I lost… my necklace.”

The King rolled his eyes, and he waved his hand. “I will buy you another, girl. I have enough wealth.” He laughed at his joke, which was followed be titters from the girls around Nefertiti. She did not laugh, but instead, shook her head.

“It was from my mother.” She forced out, her gaze sharp on him while she clenched her teeth to keep herself from speaking more out of term.

Suddenly, the water beside the boat moved, causing them to rock gently. Nefertiti gasped as she watched the river part at the spot where she had watched her necklace fall. A small crocodile darted into the side of the parted water to hide; there was seaweed and shells and other misplaced items on the sandy bottom of the river. There was also her necklace.

She dared not get into the gap in the river herself, afraid that the magic of the moment would somehow break and she would lose her necklace forever. Instead, she stared, and only blinked out of her daze when she saw the young man from the riverbank walk through where the river was divided. Bending down, he picked up her necklace, and looked back up to her.

Smiling, the young man handed her the accessory, and their hands brushed lightly. “A jewel for a jewel.” He said, and the girl could not help but think that he was teasing her.

Nefertiti smiled back, a blush on her cheeks, and she nodded in thanks, unable to think of the words to say that would be enough. She held her necklace tight in her hand, and watched as the young man walked back to the water’s edge, and the water came together just as it had been before.

The King rolled his eyes again at the antics, and gestured at her. “Well, there you go, girl. Now let us continue.”

Tucking the necklace into the folds her robes, Nefertiti nodded sharply and began to row once more. Her hands were tight on the oars, but not in agitation like they had been before. It was to force herself to keep her eyes on the King, and not on the young man who had so magically returned her necklace to her.

Her actions did not work.

(979 words)

Necklace similar to what Nefertiti's necklace looked like. Found on Pinterest.

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Bibliography: The Green Jewel, from Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie, link to online reading.

Author's Note: The original story is about a king who is bored with his life, and an adviser to him says that he should take twenty virgins from his harem and go boating for the day. When he does this, a nameless concubine loses a ring in the lake that they are rowing on, and he tells her that he can get her a new one. However, the girl does not want a new one, but the one that she had already, and asks him to retrieve it for her. A scribe comes to the King and the girl's aide, retrieves the jewel by muttering a spell, and gives it back to the girl. The story ends with the King and the girls continuing to row around. In my tale, the story is told from the girl's perspective. I have given the girl a name so that she is obviously more important to the story. The King is given more personality, where the readers see him more like an antagonist rather than the protagonist like in the original story. I provided more background as well as a description of the main character, and I made the jewel embedded in a necklace rather than a ring. With this, as well, I added more depth to the relationships with the characters (the King and Nefertiti, Nefertiti and the scribe), and this took a turn into adding a little forbidden romance, as Nefertiti is the King's concubine and would not have been able to be with another man. I made the language more modern so that it was easier to understand, with keeping the magical element in the story there for show.