Week 10 Story: The Ball Game of the Birds and the Animals

The Ball Game of the Birds and the Animals 

One day the Bear and the Terrapin were talking about the story there grandparents used to tell them. How the animals had lost to the birds in a ball game. The Bear and Terrapin still could not believe it was true. Thus, they decided to put together a new game between the birds and the animals. The game this time would be a full-length game of American Football.

The animals gathered their team which included the Bear, Terrapin, Deer, Hog, Golden Retriever, and others. Once again, just like the grandparents before them they said no to the small animals. The Bear would play quarterback and captain the team. They were confident they would win the game.

The birds would be quarterbacked by the Eagle. Football was difficult for the birds to play because they had no hands. However, they had strong beaks and were able to catch in that way. Once again, the smaller animals came to the birds and asked to play with them. The birds accepted them whole-heartedly and helped design protective suits of armor so that they would be protected from the larger animals.

The game was a defensive battle. After 3 quarters the game was tied 10 - 10. The Bear had thrown a touchdown pass to Golden Retriever, and Deer kicked a field goal for the animals. On the other side, Eagle through threw a touchdown pass to Flying Squirrel, and Rooster kicked a field goal.

The game was winding down and the animals had the ball. Bear dropped back to pass and threw it deep towards Deer. But out of nowhere swooped Martin who intercepted the pass and returned it for a touchdown. This sealed the game for the birds (and small animals). They had done it again! The animals went home in despair and would tell their kids and grandkids the story of their defeat for many centuries. Maybe next time...

*Author's Note: This story is based off of a Cherokee Myth. In this myth, the animals and birds play a ball game. In this game, one of the teams just has to get a ball between two posts. The animals never even touch the ball as it never gets to the ground and the birds win. I thought this was kind of boring, so I decided to make it a game of football. The results remained the same and the Martin was the hero of both stories. The original also involves the small animals being kicked off the animal team and joining the birds. My ending helps set it up for yet another rematch.

Bibliography. "The Ball Game of the Birds and the Animals" from Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900). Web Source.

(Bear and Eagle: Image by Janrye from Pixabay)

Week 10, Reading Notes B: The Ball Game of the Birds and the Animals

The Ball Game of the Birds and the Animals

I really like this story! I love sports and this was a story about a game and animals/birds. I loved the imagery the story displayed by talking about the bear as the captain for the animals and the eagle as the captain for the birds. But the best part about the story was the fact that the little animals like the Flying Squirrel got kicked off the animal team for being "so small."

This gave these small animals more incentive to join the birds team and win the game. In fact, the Flying Squirrel was one of the heroes (besides the Martin.) In the end, the birds team wins and the animals who had been quite boastful lost. The Martin for his effort was rewarded with a gourd.

If I were to rewrite this story, I would maybe put a more modern-day twist on it. Have the animals and the birds play a game of basketball or American football. I think this could be a fun story to write!

Bibliography. "The Ball Game of the Birds and the Animals" from Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900). Web Source. 

(House Martin: Image by Sue Rickhuss from Pixabay)

Week 10, Reading Notes A - The Journey to the Sunrise

The Journey to the Sunrise 

This week I am reading stories from the Cherokee Myths Unit.

This story is very brief and that is part of the reason I like it. Seven young, Cherokee men pack up to go on a search for the where the sun rises (towards the east, of course!). Along the way they met many different tribes and interacted with these different cultures.

Once they reached the place where the sky touched the ground - they realized that there was a door like structure in this area. From what I understand it was big pendulum type thing with a large rock swinging back in forth - I found this random and fascinating. They tried to go through it, but the first man who did was crushed by the rock. So, the other six were too scared to try. Thus, they headed back home, but when they were home they were old men. I appreciated this ending of them being "old men", because it really gives the whole story a very dramatic effect in only two words.

If I were to rewrite this story I think I would make the characters different types of animals and maybe one of them would get through the pendulum thingy.

Bibliography. "The Journey to the Sunrise" from Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900). Web Source.

(Sunrise: Image by Yinan Chen from Pixabay)

Week 9 Story: The Teen Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother

The Teen Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother

There once was a young teenage boy who had just recently received his driver's license. The boy had spent many years where his mother had to chauffeur him around. But now he was free! He thought now that he was free he could get wherever he wanted to go much quicker. He would drive faster, take shortcuts, and roll through stop signs. Thinking about the extra ten minutes of sleep he would get made him happy.

However, before the first day he was driving himself to school his mother said, "Now son, just because you can drive does not mean you can do whatever you want. Abide by the laws of the road, they are there for a reason. Be mindful of others - remember they have families too."

"I will mother!" said the son, although he thought differently.

So that morning the teenage boy got into his car and sped off. He was getting close to school when he came upon a slow car. He tried to change lanes and then bang! He had smashed into a car that was in his blindspot. He span out of control. The man in the other car was an older, wise man.

He got out of his car and said, "Son, this morning you have made a mistake. I forgive you. I was once young and restless like you. Now go home to your mother and listen to what she has to say."

The police came and the insurance information was exchanged. Then the young boy went home to his mother.

She said, "Son, why did you not listen to my advice?"

"Mother, I wanted to prove that I could do anything."

His mother replied, "Sometimes we must be patient and respectful of others. I trust that you will learn from this mistake."

From that point on the young teenage boy listened to his mother (at least most of the time).

*Author's Note: This story is based off the "Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother". In that story, the mother tells the young lion to be weary of man (especially those with pinching weapons.) However, the young lion thought he would be fine - he was not. He ended up getting beat to near death by the man and his dogs. However, the man spared him so he could, "...be taught by his mother." In my story, I related it to a mother and her teenage boy. I struggled to come up with something similar. But I decided that teenagers can often be reckless drivers, thus that is what the mother was teaching this boy. Also, I added the dialogue after the boy misbehaved which is different than the original. 

Bibliography. "Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother" from South African Folktales by James Honey (1910). Web Source.

(Two Car Wreck: Photo from Flickr)

Reading Notes, Part B: Week 9 - "Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother"

Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother

I chose this story because throughout my life I have often thought myself wiser than my mother, although this is probably not true. Basically, in this story the young lion encounters a man and they have an angry dispute about who will go to the rain-field. And I think neither ended up going. However, the lion went to his mother and she told him to be weary of the man and his dogs/piercing weapons.

Of course, the young lion did not listen well. He went to ambush the man. But he could not outsmart the man and his dogs. The dogs attacked the lion and the man speared the lion. However, they spared his life so that the lion's could be "taught by his mother." The man understood that the lion was young and dumb, thus sparing his life.

If I were to rewrite this story, I would probably use a teenage human and his mother. Angsty teens never like to listen to their mothers. This is often their downfall.

Bibliography. "Lion Who Thought Himself Wiser Than His Mother" from South African Folktales by James Honey (1910). Web Source.

(Lioness and Cubs: Image by TheOtherKev from Pixabay)

Reading Notes, Part A: Week 9 - "Tink-Tinkje"

Tink-Tinkje

For week 9 I chose to read the stories from the South African Unit.

This story starts off with the birds looking for a king - a "bird king" some might say. They were jealous of men having kings, and animals having a king. Thus they tried to come up with which bird would be the best king, but all of the birds had some major flaws. So in response, the birds decided to have a contest for the position of king. The bird who flew the highest would become king.

The Vulture seemed to be on his way to win the crown. He flew upwards for three straight days and then declared himself king. However, a smaller bird called Tink-Tinkje had latched on to the vulture unbeknownstly to him. The small bird declared himself king. Therefore, the vulture continued to fly higher and higher. But each day Tink-Tinkje would latch on and declare himself king.

All the other birds were made Tink-Tinkje for his actions and they tried to capture him. But they failed miserably. Tink-Tinkje escaped and then for whatever reason because of this the White Crow never spoke again (I didn't quite understand this part).

If I were to retell this story I would probably use a different type of creature (maybe dinosaurs?!) and obviously the competition would have to be different. I thought this was a very fun and exciting story. It was much different than I expected.

Bibliography. "Tink-Tinkje" from South African Folktales by James Honey (1910). Web Source. 

(Tink-Tinkje Bird)

Week 8 Progress

Progress

Progress Check: 214 points (Right where I need to be to get an A and I have not even finished all of Week 7 - because I am waiting on an email from Laura and Week 7 - feedback to open up.)

I am happy with the progress I have made thus far. I would like to be a little further ahead than I am. I was pretty far ahead early in the semester, but life caught up and I kinda took a few weeks off from really going hard in this class. Hopefully, I can get further ahead these next few weeks. I would still like to be done by spring break time if possible!

In the future, I want to make sure I am working on this class for a minimum of 8-10 hours a week. This should give me enough time to get about 2 weeks worth of work done. This will help me to continue towards my goal of finishing this class early so I can begin applying this time to CPA exam studying.

(Spring Break: Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay)

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

Comments and Feedback 

Overall, the feedback I have received has been useful. Although, I have not really implemented much of it, unless it is from Professor Gibb's. Sometimes the feedback on one story does help give me inspiration for my future stories. Whether this is just tips from other students or the fact they really appreciated the way I did something.

I feel like the feedback I give is often dependent on my opinion of the story. If I think it is really good I will give it high praise and even tips on how to make it better. If it is not very good, poorly written, or just formatted well I am not afraid to point these issues out at times, but also let them know what aspects of the story were good. It is the stories that are just average that I think that are hard to give good feedback. I really enjoyed the "Let's pretend" exercise, but I have not used it since. I think I will give it another try soon!

I do not really think I have gotten to know anybody on a personal level through their blog comments. However, I do think reading other people's comments on other blogs has helped me to better understand what the audience (our class) is looking for.

In the future, I want to be able to give adequate feedback to stories of all shapes and sizes. I also hope to better implement the feedback strategies we learned earlier in the semester. I also hope to use the feedback I receive to improve my stories and writing style.

(21 Components of Feedback)

I chose this image because it gives such a great reminder of what feedback should look like. Also, I appreciate a good puzzle. This image integrates both!

Week 8 Reading and Writing

Reading and Writing

I have really enjoyed reading and writing for this class. It has given me an outlet for creativity I have not used in a while. As an accounting major we are not always considered the most creative. When reading the stories I like to find a story that I really enjoyed reading and focus on a certain theme throughout. This theme could be the meaning of the story, repetitive words, the characters, or even just the setting. Then I will use this one particular theme (although the story probably has multiple) as the basis for my retelling of the story.

Maybe my favorite story to write was my Week 5 Story: David. I basically took one or two lines from the original story and wrote a background story for those lines. I have always enjoyed historical-fiction and this gave me an outlet to test these waters.

Regarding my Robin Hood storybook, I do not think I am far enough along to really know for sure how it is going to turn out and whether or not I like the website layout. But the first story was really fun to write and I especially appreciate Professor Gibb's feedback. Her wonderful insight really helped me to revise the story. I look forward to writing more stories in my Robin Hood/Indiana Jones mashup.

Overall, reading and writing has been incredible fun! This is maybe one of the most fun classes I have taken at OU and I really enjoy the flexibility of it all. If I am working ahead and suddenly do not feel like I am in a creative mood - I can easily take a little break from the class.

(Read and Write: Photo by Jenny Brown)

Week 7 Story: The Master

The Master 

There once was a horse who was king of the farm, many of the farm animals called him, King Stallion. King Stallion was afraid of death, thus he told his companions he planned to leave them to find the way to eternal life.

Thus, King Stallion left his farm on a journey to find eternal life. He travelled the earth far and wide, traversing from one farm to the next. He met many wise animals - but none knew the ways to immortality. However, many pointed him to one farm where a certain pig rested - they only called him The Master.

After several years, King Stallion finally reached The Master's farm. Once there he realized he was not the only one with this goal of eternal life. There were hundreds and hundreds of different farm animals seeking wisdom from The Master. They all just sat there and listened to what he had to say - no one muttered a single word.

King Stallion spoke up, "Master, how does one gain eternal life?"

The Master responded, "This is only accomplished through learning the great truth. There are 360 ways to learn the great truth. How would you like to learn?"

"What are my options?"

"Shall I teach you the ways of magic?"

"Can one gain eternal life by means of magic?"

"No," responded The Master.

"Then I shall not learn it."

"Shall I teach you the ways of the sciences?"

"Can one gain eternal life by means of the sciences?" inquired King Stallion.

"No."

"Then I shall not learn it."

"Shall I teach you the ways of good deeds?"

"Can one gain eternal life by means of good deeds?"

"No," The Master repeated.

"Then I shall not learn it." said King Stallion.

With that The Master oinked three times and went back to his sty.

King Stallion was an observant man and knew that this meant he was to go to The Master's sty during the third feeding of the day. Thus, when the third feeding occurred he went to the pig's sty and The Master revealed to him the way to eternal life (after some tumultuous discussion). However, this would not be the end of King Stallion's journey, but this is the end of this story today.

*Author's Note: This story is based off of "The Monkey King Unit" - primarily the story entitle "The Master." Although, I did take tidbits of a few other stories as The Monkey King story all kind of runs together. Obviously, instead of a monkey I used a horse as my king, and instead of the jungle I used a farm. I thought this would be a fun way to mix things up. When it came to the interactions with The Master I kept it on the same lines with much less detail. I wanted to make sure I emphasized the repetitiveness of the conversation, more so, than the actual contents of each different "way." 

Bibliography. "The Master" from "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" in The Chinese Fairytale Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921). Web Source. 

(Stallion: Image by Aislinn Brander from Pixabay)

Reading Notes, Part B: Week 7 - Buddha

Buddha 

This story continues the story of The Monkey King (Sun Wu Kung) and his adventures to achieve eternal life. By this time it appears he is succeeding as "he has eaten the peaches, has drunk the nectar, and also swallowed the pills. Nothing can harm him." This all according to Laotzse, the Lord of the Heavens. Sun Wu Kung had begun to abuse his power and other powerful creatures were trying (unsuccessfully) to tame him

This is when we are introduced to Buddha at the end of this story. Buddha asks that all weapons be laid down. Sun Wu Kung is confused about who this being is to tell him what to do.

Excerpt from the text, "Buddha smiled and replied: “I have come out of the blessed West, Shakiamuni Amitofu. I have heard of the revolt you have raised and am come to tame you!”"

I love how blunt Buddha is and is straightforward with his tone and goal. It really makes you look forward to the next story. I really like stories that leave just enough of cliffhanger to make you want to read what happens next. 

Bibliography. "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" in The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921). Web Source. 

(Buddha: Image by Susuteh from Pixabay)

 

Reading Notes, Part A: Week 7 - The Master

The Master 

This story is from the Monkey King Unit. I really enjoyed this story because of the dialogue between Sun Wu Kung (Monkey King) and the Master. I especially enjoyed how the Master said that there were 360 ways to learn the "great truth." The Master goes through many of these and after each one Sun Wu Kung always asks, "Can one gain eternal life by means of them?" and the answer is always, "No."

I have always been fond of writing styles that had a repetitive theme and I think this is because repetition really drives home a point sometime. In this case the point was that Sun Wu Kung wanted to know how to gain eternal life. Eventually the dialogue ends and the Master gives Sun Wu Kung three blows to the head. He then interprets this as meaning he should go see the Master during the third watch of the night. So he proceeds and then the Master gives him a clue to how to find eternal life.

If I were to re-write this story I am not exactly sure of the direction I would take. But I do know I would include repetitive dialogue no matter what other creative liberties I may choose to take.

Bibliography. "The Ape Sun Wu Kung" from The Chinese Fairytale Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens. Web Source. 

(Monkey King: Image by Wahyu Priyono from Pixabay)

Week 6 Story: Master & Pupil

Master & Pupil 

There once was a peasant who had a son. His wife had left him and he could not afford to raise his son, because he was a very poor peasant indeed. So he travelled around and searched for a home for his son whom he loved dearly. He searched and searched the surrounding towns and cities. Until one day (a few years later) he happened upon a man who housed many young boys in an orphanage. What the peasant did not know is that this man was the devil himself. And now the devil would raise his young boy.

About a year later the peasant went back to the orphanage to retrieve his boy. But when he got there to his dismay he could not distinguish his son from the other boys. The devil was aware of this and planned to tell the peasant to pick out his son, but if he could not the son would be his forever. The son knew of this plan (as he had seen it happen to many of his friends) so while the devil was not looking he went to his father and told him that when all of the boys changed into dogs he would be the golden retriever. The devil came back to the boys and told them to show the peasant their trick and asked the peasant to pick out his son. He correctly identified the golden retriever (his son), so he and his son headed back towards home with joy. The devil realized had had been duped.

On their journey back, the son told his father how he thought they could make some money using his shapeshifting abilities. The peasant agreed. So as they were walking along the path they saw some nobles heading their way. Immediately the son changed into a gigantic, gorgeous pig (it would have won first prize at any modern-day state fair) and the nobles offered the peasant a large sum of money to own him. So the peasant sold his son to the nobles and continued on his way home. A few hours later the son was back with his father. Once the nobles had put him in a pen he transformed into a bird and flew back to his father.

Then they reached the city not far from where the peasant lived. The son turned into a majestic thoroughbred, capable of winning any race. So the peasant to him to be auctioned off. What he did not know is that the devil had realized he was duped and planned to buy back the peasant's son. So in disguise at the auction he won the bid for the prized thoroughbred.

The son had planned to just change back into a bird and return to his father. But the devil took away his shapeshifting abilities. The son would remain a thoroughbred locked up in a stable for the rest of his life, unable to become human again and unable to roam free as a horse. Meanwhile, the peasant patiently waited at his home for his son to return, until he eventually died of remorse. Never do business with the devil.

Bibliography. "Master and Pupil" from Georgian Folk Tales by Marjory Wardrop (1894). Web Source. 

*Author's Note: I changed this story some from the original in that in the original story the wife did not leave the peasant. Also, the creatures in which the son shape shifted into varied from the original story. The biggest change of all was that in the original story the peasant and son are able to outwit the devil and live happily ever after, but in my story they do not live happily ever after. 

(Golden Retriever Puppy: Image by Laura Retyi from Pixabay)

Reading Notes, Part B: Week 6 - The Hermit Philosopher

The Hermit Philosopher 

This story was short and sweet. The hermit philosopher was confused to why the nature is the way it is. The questions he asked were why the walnut tree was so big but produce little fruit. And why the larger pumpkins and melons grew on the small creeping plants. He thought it would make more symmetrical sense for the opposite to be true. However, he then laid down under the walnut tree - soon after he was struck in the face by a small walnut. It was then that he realized if the walnut had been a melon/pumpkin his fate may not have been the same. He said, "Henceforth let no one presume to find fault with Providence." I enjoyed this remark.

If I were to rewrite this story I might just change the situation a little. Instead of a hermit it could be a more modern thinker/person. Maybe a politician or computer programmer (someone who thinks they are very smart and know everything). I am not exactly sure what the "questions" this person might ask, but I do know that they would soon find out they are wrong.

Bibliography. "The Hermit Philosopher" from Georgian Folk Tales by Marjory Wardrop (1894). Web Source. 

(Hermit Crab: Image by Rolf Dobberstein from Pixabay)

Reading Notes, Part A: Week 6 - Master and Pupil

Master and Pupil 

I found this story from the Georgian Folktales unit very interesting. In this story, a peasant gives his son to a "master" this master ends up being the devil. A year later the peasant came back to retrieve his son but did not recognize him, however, the son recognized his father and came up to him to tell him the plans the devil had to trick him. They peasant succeeded in retrieving his son, but what occurred after was a lot of shapeshifting in order for the peasant and his son to earn money. An example of this is when the son turned into a hunting dog and captured an animal in front of some nobles. The peasant then sold the dog for a large sum of money, but soon after the son/dog escaped and returned to his father. This continues until the son changes into a horse and the father accidentally sells him back to the devil.

This is where I thought the story was going to end. But the son was able to escape by changing himself into a needle. I thought the moral of the story was going to be don't get greedy. Which I guess it still kind of is. However, the ending which is like they, "lived happily ever after" was surprising, I just did not expect this story to end happily. So I guess if I were to rewrite this story I would write it with a less happy ending. Maybe the son would die or maybe the son could become the devil or get stuck as a needle with no ability to change again.

(Trotting Horse: Image by Floortje Walraven)

Bibliography. "Master and Pupil" from Georgian Folk Tales by Marjory Wardrop (1894). Web Source.

Week 5 Story: David

David 

As many of you may know, King David of Israel was once just a shepherd-boy who killed the giant Goliath with just a rock and a sling. But what happened next is not as well known. Once David had cut off the giant's head with his giant sword - David stood over Goliath and admired his armor. He took the pieces of armor off one by one weaving a long strand of cord among the armor so he could easily drag it back to his father's field.

For the next few days while he tended the sheep David studied the armor and drew pictures of it on his papyrus. Then he melted the metals down to start fresh. He tried his hand at creating armor for the first time. He failed miserably. But he did not give up. He melted it down and tried again, it was better this time but still not satisfactory to David. The third time was the charm. David had created a masterpiece! The armor fit the young shepherd-boy perfectly, the design was immaculate, and it was impenetrable.

Not long after this, King Saul of Israel came to David's father Jesse hoping that Jesse would allow his son to come to his palace and play the lyre for him (as Saul had been afflicted by an evil spirit). Immediately David left to live with Saul, his family, and his servants. David would play his lyre for Saul often, one day David came to play while wearing his armor. Saul was very impressed! Saul asked David if he would make armor for the king and his son Jonathan. David agreed to this as long as Saul would provide the materials. So Saul brought David to his armory and David set to work. He took measurements of Saul and Jonathan (this is when they first became friends), and soon the armor was complete. They loved their new armor! Soon word spread and David was commissioned by many great soldiers from nations far and wide to create their specialty armor. Saul allowed this as long as David paid him back for the material plus a small commission fee.

However, after a while David and Saul's relationship soured, eventually David would become King of Israel. He had not created his armor in a long while. But one night the angel Gabriel came to him and told him to stop living on the people's money (public treasury), but to earn his money through trade. Immediately David recalled his craftsmanship in the armory. He went to his armory to see if he still had what it takes. On the first try he built the best suit of armor he had ever created. He had his servants take it around for display to the soldiers of his nation and other nations (the friendly ones of course). Soon enough he was making plenty of money from the armor he created for him and his wives to live even more extravagantly than they had before.

(David and Goliath: Anton Robert Leinweber (1845-1921))

*Author's Note: In part of the original story, David is summoned by an angel to find new ways to support himself, instead of just spending money from the public treasury. Then the angel Gabriel is sent to help him learn how to create armor. I decided to change it to where he already knew how to create armor, and gave this ability an origin story using information I knew from 1 Samuel in the Bible. 

Bibliography. "David" from Folk-lore of the Holy Land: Moslem, Christian and Jewish by J.E. Hanauer (1907). Web Source. 

Reading Notes, Part B: Week 5 - David

David 

I found this story interesting because I am quite familiar with the biblical tellings of David's life and of course his affair with Bathsheba/murder of Uriah. I thought the whole thing in this story about David designing armor and such was interesting. From what I know about David it is reasonable to think that he would be skilled in something like this. We already know from the Bible that he was artistic - he could play the lyre and obviously he wrote many psalms.

The Bathsheba aspect of the story was definitely different than anything I've ever read/heard. In this story, David knows the day and hour in which he is to be tempted - and he is confident that he will not fall into temptation. However, after a series of events involving a beautiful pigeon, he sees Bathsheba and sleeps with her and then basically kills Uriah. Then David interacts with some angels and a prophet - he eventually goes to Uriah's tomb and asks for forgiveness. In this story, David receives forgiveness from Uriah. Uriah's tomb said, "I forgive thee, O King, because for one wife torn from me on earth, Allah has given me a thousand in Heaven." I found this quote quite interesting.

If I were to rewrite this story this week, I think I would change all the human characters into horses. I don't exactly know why, but it is easy for me to picture this story with horses.

(Bathsheba: Artemisia Gentileschi)

Bibliography. "David" From Folk-lore of the Holy Land: Moslem, Christian and Jewish by J.E. Hanauer. Web Source. 

Reading Notes, Part A: Week 5 - Lokman

Lokman 

I liked this story because it gave somewhat of a background story on Lokman, but also another well-known story about it him. Lokman was related to Ayûb (or Job) but had been sold into slavery at some point. He was freed by his master when he ate a bitter melon - his master asked him how he could eat such a disgusting melon. Lokman's response would free him, "Lokman answered that it was no wonder that he should, for once in a while, accept an evil thing from one who had conferred so many benefits on him." I thought this response was fantastic! Sometimes we have to do things we do not necessarily want to do, but if we do them they can pay off in the long run.

The second part of this story was a story about Lokman healing a rich man who was believed to have a serpent clinging to his heart. This serpent turned out to be a crab, which made the operation even more difficult. The irony of this story is that Lokman's nephew an aspiring physician (the only nearby physician who did not invite to the operation), gave Lokman advice from the rooftop as he performed the operation. Without his nephew's help the rich man surely would have died, instead he lived a long and happy life.

If I were to base my story this week off of this story - I think I would for sure change what type of animal was clinging to the heart of the rich man. (Maybe I would have the rich man die, or maybe he would not be a rich man.) I think I would also change the nephew's appearance in some fashion, maybe he will become a dragon or a monkey.

(Crab: Image by Ariapsa MX from Pixabay)

Bibliography. "Lokman" from Folk-lore of the Holy Land: Moslem, Christian and Jewish by J.E. Hanauer (1907). Web Source. 

Storybook Plan

Story Sources 

The following sources are from: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child (1882-1898). Web Source.

"Robin Hood and Little John." Web Source.

"Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford." Web Source.

"The Golden Arrow." Web Source.

"Robin Hood and Maid Marian." Web Source.

Additionally this story is inspired by the 1981 classic - Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark. Web Source. 

Story Episodes

Episode #1: "Little John and the Clue"

Inspired by "Robin Hood and Little John" - Robin will meet Little John and become friends/comrades. Little John also delivers a clue to an ancient relic (right now I think it is going to be a bow, but I haven't decided if it is actually going to be of historical significance or fictional, still need to research this more).

Episode #2: "Robin Hood in Disguise"

Inspired by "Robin and the Bishop of Hereford" - Robin blends in with the Bishop's men and interacts with the Bishop in order to further his search for the "lost bow". I would also like to mix in some snakes somewhere in the story, and this might be the "episode" to do it. As you know, Indie "hates snakes".

Episode #3: "The Golden Arrow"

Inspired by the "Golden Arrow" this will be the last mission before Robin finally finds the "lost bow". This story will also involved Maid Marian (the other stories might as well, but I haven't quite figured out how I want to do it yet).

Episode #4: "The Lost Bow"

Robin Hood and Little John finally find it, but the Bishop ends up stealing it from them. But the bow turns out to be the Bishop's demise...

Storytelling Styles 

I think I prefer to write in the first person. So I could write these stories from the perspective of different characters. Maybe: Little John, Bishop of Hereford (this could be a letter to Prince John), Maid Marian (might do this one like a journal), and then Robin Hood. But I am still not sure.

I could also write it as a narrator, who is telling a story to his grandkids.

Storybook Theme 

My main idea for this story is for it to be an adventure similar to Indiana Jones, but using the stories of Robin Hood as inspiration. Also, I would like to show that winner does not always win, and people can often pursue things for the wrong reasons.

(LEGO Indiana Jones: Photo by Rob Jones)

Comment Wall for Robin Hood: Raiders of the Lost Bow

Looking forward to reading/implementing your feedback!

Robin Hood: Raiders of the Lost Bow

(Wooded Corridor in Sherwood Forest: Photo by Scott Willoughby)

Week 4 Story: From Shepherd-Boy to King

From Shepherd-Boy to King 

I awakened to the sound of footsteps. I had fallen asleep in the meadow, when I was supposed to be watching the sheep. I felt guilty, my father had trusted me to stay with the sheep all night and protect them from other animals and their own stupidity. I began counting the sheep - one, two, three...fifty-six...ninety-nine, one hundred. Whew! They are all there! But to be safe I count again, this time I count one hundred and one. One sheep looks much bigger than the others, I decide to rise to my feet to investigate.

Having grabbed my shepherd's crook I make my way to the very large sheep. Once I arrived I soon realized that it was not a sheep, but a lion. This lion was disguised as a sheep, he had taken a sheep's hide from someone else's flock (most likely my father Jesse's cousin's flock, he lived nearby and was always careless).

The sheep realized I knew something was up and they panicked. They all began to flee from the "big sheep" and ran up the nearby hill. Only this was no ordinary hill. This hill was a unicorn, and the unicorn had risen to stand 100 feet high - hoisting my 100 sheep far into the sky. I thought to myself, I must take care of this lion and then chase down my father's flock.

So instead of panicking, I did what any normal young boy would do - I went to the river bed and grabbed five smooth stones. I quietly walked back over to within a safe distance of the lion and swung my sling around and around. Whoosh! The stone hit the lion directly in the forehead and the lion was knocked out. I grabbed my knife and slit his throat. My sheep had been saved from the lion! But now I must find the unicorn that currently houses my sheep upon his back.

I followed the giant tracks and within minutes I could see its giant tail. I yelled, "Mr. Unicorn! Those sheep upon your back are my father's! He would be greatly disappointed in me if I could not bring them back to our fields!"

The unicorn is a magical creature, and because of this I think he heard me and understood. The unicorn sat down on his belly and the sheep dismounted one by one from his tail. I counted them and sure enough all one hundred were there. Just another day as a shepherd-boy.

*Author's Note: This story is based upon "From Shepherd-Boy to King" a Jewish Fairy Tale. In the original story, it is David who climbs the mountain which is a unicorn. I thought it would be fun to write the story from David's perspective and have the sheep mount the unicorn instead of David. Also, in the original story David is saved from the lion by a deer. But I thought this was weird, so I just had him kill the lion instead, like the Bible mentions in 1 Samuel.  

(Sheep: Photo by David Martyn Hunt)

Bibliography. "From Shepherd-Boy to King" from Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by Gertrude Landa (1919). Web Source.

Reading Notes, Part B: Week 4 - King for Three Days

King for Three Days 

I just find this situation so interesting/ironic. Godfrey de Bouillion the commander of one of the Crusader's armies, who plans to slay all Jews he falls into, seeks the blessing of a Jewish Rabbi. First off, why would this Rabbi bless him? Secondly, the way his prophecy haunts Godfrey and his decision making is quite telling. Rashi (the rabbi) tells him that he will conquer Jerusalem but only be king for three days, and after this he will only have three men left when he returns. This prophecy is fulfilled as Godfrey become King of Jerusalem for 3 days, but then he decides he can no longer be king. Thus, he fulfilled this portion of the prophecy. However, when he proceed back to Europe his men began to drop, but when he enter Worms (where Rashi lived) he still had 4 horsemen. This would not last long, as a giant rock fell on one of his horsemen and he was left with three. This greatly humbled Godfrey and he gave credit to Rashi.

(Stone falls on Godfrey's horseman: Image from Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends. Pg. 201)

I like this story because it shows two men of very contrasting characters. Rashi is a humble servant of God and does not make rash decisions out of place. Whereas, Godfrey is attempting to follow the commands of the church, but also makes decisions that are of his own interest. I also appreciate how Godfrey in the end realizes he is a broken man (this can be difficult for someone of his stature to do) and gave praise to Rashi. I think if I were to retell this story, I would use animals in my retelling. Maybe characters from the Lion King...we shall see.

Bibliography. "King for Three Days" from Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by Gertrude Landa (1919). Web Source.

Reading Notes, Part A: Week 4 - From Shepherd-Boy to King

From Shepherd-Boy to King 

I have always enjoyed stories about King David, especially as a boy (think David and Goliath). But this one was especially interesting. First off it appears Jewish Folklore loves to talk about the "unicorn", although this seems to be some type of wild ox and not the mythological horse with a horn. That being said, I appreciate the descriptions of this mountain-like creature in the story. I also thought it was funny how David did not seem to realize what it was he had climbed until he was very far away from the earth's surface.

It is after this that we meet the other two characters in the story: the lion and the deer. The lion is important because he is the reason the "unicorn" bows down, so that David can dismount. However, when David dismounts he is met face-to-face with the ferocious beast. We know from the Bible that David slayed a lion(s) (1 Samuel 17:34-36), but it would not be this time. The deer saves David as he knows, "thou art to become my king", foreshadowing that David will one day be king of Israel. Being saved by the deer is the biggest reason I picked this story, because it was just so surprising and unexpected. One would think the deer would have no interest getting close to the lion, but he is willing to risk his life to save his future king.

Bibliography. "From Shepherd-Boy to King" from Jewish Fairy Tales and Legends by Gertrude Land (1919). Web Source.

(Lion: Image by Alexas Photos from Pixabay)

Microfiction: Phaethon insists on driving the chariot

Phaethon insists on driving the chariot: Dribbles 

Why does he doubt me? Why does he underestimate my power? Should I not be able to wield the power of the almighty Phoebus - aren't I his son? Regardless, I shall not let his doubts impede my ride. I will master my father's chariot and prove my worth.

Phaethon insists on driving the chariot: Twitterature 

My son, why will he not humble himself? He is no match for my chariot. Nevertheless, I made him a promise and I will not go back on my word. 

(Phaethon and Chariot: Image from Wikimedia)

Author's Note: I decided to write about this story because I thought it would be interesting to write short and sweet stories about it from the perspectives of both Phaethon (dribble) and Phoebus (twitterature). For context Phaethon is unsure if Jupiter is really his father so in order for Jupiter to "prove" this to him, Jupiter says Phaethon can have whatever he wants. Thus Phaethon requested to drive his father's chariot, which meant sure death.  

Bibliography. "Phaethon insists on driving the chariot" from Ovid's Metamorphoses translated by Tony Kline (2000). Web Source. 

Wikipedia Trail: From Robin Hood to Charles I of Naples

Link #1: Robin Hood  

I started here because I am most likely doing some type of adaptation of Robin Hood for my project storybook. I thought this would be a great opportunity to do some extra research while also earning some extra credit points.

Link #2: Maid Marian

While reading about Robin Hood, I decided to click on the link about Maid Marian. When researching for my project I had yet to read much about her, and everyone loves a good love interest.

(Maid Marian: From Wikipedia)

Link #3: Jeu de Robin et Marion 

This link caught my attention because it was French, and I have often thought of Robin Hood as an English play/story. Also, this story being written so early (1282 or 1283) also intrigued me enough to find out more about this particular French play.

Link #4: Charles I of Naples 

I thought it would be a good idea to see who this story was written for. Charles I of Naples was around during the crusades, which I may try to implement into my storybook. Therefore, this article provided useful information, maybe Charles I will be a minor character in my story.

Feedback Strategies

Five Reasons to Stop Saying "Good Job!" 

This article was very interesting. I had never considered the fact that saying, "Good job!", in certain situations could actually be manipulative. But after reading the article I understand how this can be the case. I also think it is important to not create "praise junkies" by evaluating and praising everything a child does. They should be able to learn to feel as if they have accomplished something, without having to seek the approval of others. I think I mostly agreed with the articles reasons for not saying, "Good job!". However, I am not sure I completely agreed with their alternatives/solutions.

While I don't disagree with the solutions of: say nothing, say what you saw, and talk less, ask more. I do still think there is room for praise in a child's life. I do however think it should be honest praise. If a child does something very well, they deserve praise. I guess, if you would give a random person praise for this task/job/art you should also give your child the same praise.

(Strategy: Image by Megan Rexazin from Pixabay)

Why Do So Many Managers Avoid Giving Praise? 

I feel like this something many managers fall accustomed to, at least it is something I have notice throughout my work experience. Managers are often quick to tell you that you did something wrong when a mistake is made. But they rarely, if ever give you praise for something you did very well. I feel like I have been given a lot of negative feedback in individual time with a manager. However, any praise is normally given to a group of employees as a whole. And even this is just a simple "Good job" or "Well done". I like how the article talks about needing to be more specific when giving praise to employees. This will help the employee appreciate the manager and understand that he/she wants them to succeed. Rather than thinking, "my manager is out to get me", a good balance of positive and negative feedback can create a mindset of, "my manager wants what is best for me."

Topic Research: Robin Hood

Investigating a Robin Hood - Indiana Jones Mash-up 

My goal for  this blog post is to try to find three traditional stories that I think I could adapt to fit my storybook in some fashion.

#1: Little John 

I've always appreciated Little John in the stories of Robin Hood, maybe it's because of his ironic name or the fact he is tall (like me). But I would love to include a story about him and Robin meeting for the first time in my storybook. I do not think I would write it as a ballad, so that would definitely be different than the original story. I think they would maybe meet in similar fashion, but I could write the story from the perspective of Little John. Also, to integrate my Indiana Jones theme I would have Little John tell Robin Hood about some type of ancient relic (I am still brainstorming what this will be) that Prince John and his men are searching for. Little John would kind of play the role of a more-skilled Marcus Brody.

#2: The Bishop of Hereford 

I find the interaction between Robin Hood and The Bishop of Hereford in this story fascinating. Robin dressing up like a shepherd to trick the Bishop reminds me of Indiana blending in as a Nazi by changing his outfit. If I were to use this story for my storybook I would want their interactions to be quite similar to the traditional story. However, the reward would be different than 300 pounds. Instead, it would be a clue or a map that would help them to this ancient relic, which has yet to be decided. 

#3: The Golden Arrow 

This story is too golden not to leave out of my storybook. I love a good competition, as does Robin Hood, he could not resist! In my version of this story Robin would win the Golden Arrow, and the Golden Arrow would end up being a key to open the gates of some place to find the ancient relic (can't figure out if this is National Treasure or Indiana Jones haha). At some point in the storybook I also want to integrate Maid Marian. I mean her name is so close to Indiana Jones' love interest in Raider's of the Lost Ark: Marion. I am sure all of this will start to make more sense in my head, once I outline the storybook and begin to write it.

(Robin Hood: Image by Louis Zansky and Fred Eng)

Week #3 Story: Callisto turned into a bear - The Aftermath

Callisto turned into a bear - The Aftermath 

Running. It had been three days since Callisto had been turned into a bear by Juno. She had yet to stop running, except to occasionally look at her reflection in the river and get a drink. Yes she was still a bear. She did not feel like a bear. But a bear she was. Running. She sees a group of bears, however, she does not stop. She cannot relate to the natural bear, she does not feel any different inside than when she was Callisto a nymph devoted to the goddess Diana. She continues to flee, thinking maybe if she runs far enough her problems will be solved. Running.

Groaning. Eventually, Callisto the bear stopped. She had been running for a week. However, she had not gone far from where she started. As she had been running in circles. She was thinking, thinking about her misery and that it might never end. She wished Jupiter would show mercy and do something, maybe change her back to the beautiful nymph she once was. Groaning. She could not speak to humans, she could not understand the bears, those with whom she once hunted with now hunted her. She wished to be a nymph, she wished she had never met Jupiter and bore him a son. Groaning.

Wandering. Callisto felt lost in the world. She wandered around her old stomping grounds, remembering what life had once been like for her. She saw gizmos and gadgets in which she could no longer use because of her giant paws. She happened upon food in which she used to love, but her taste buds as a bear no longer could enjoy. Wandering. She wandered through the woods, the fields, and the villages. No one recognized her, not her father and not her son. As she wandered, she wondered what life would be like for the rest of her days. How long did bears even live she wondered. Would her own father or own son, or even Diana the huntress kill her as she traversed through the woods as a bear. Wandering.

(Bear tongue: Photo by Jim Bauer) 

*Author's Note: This story gets its inspiration from "Callisto turned into a bear" from Ovid's Metamorphoses. Callisto was a beautiful virgin nymph who was raped by the god Jupiter. She bore him a son named, Arcas. Later Juno, Jupiter's wife turned Callisto into a bear out of jealousy and anger. My story is trying to relate how I think Callisto may have felt in the days following her transformation. This story is meant to fill in the gaps before Callisto eventually sees her son Arcas and he attempts to kill her. But not before Jupiter prevents this from happening by turning both of them into constellations. "The Great and Little Bear." 

Bibliography. "Callisto turned into a bear" from Ovid's Metamorphoses translated by Joseph Kline (2000). Web source.

Week 3: Reading Notes B - Echo

For Part B of the this week's reading I decided to focus on the stories about Echo. In particular, the story titled, "How Juno altered Echo's speech".

How Juno altered Echo's speech 

As per usual, Jupiter was cheating on Juno and Juno was likely going to catch him if it weren't for Echo's long conversations that allowed the nymphs to flee. This angered Juno and she said, 'I shall give you less power over that tongue by which I have been deluded, and the briefest ability to speak.’ She did not hold back on this. Subsequently, Echo could only speak what had last been said. She could only echo back a few words at a time. This made it difficult for Echo to be seductive and deceiving. I like this part of the story because it gives us an origin story of "echoes". Echo is eventually rejected by Narcissus whom she loves. She then proceeded to retreat to the caves and eventually as legend has it was turned into stone. I guess I just appreciate this story, because I've always enjoyed a good echo. It's kinda cool (especially as a young kid) to yell in a cave and hear your own voice repeated. My favorite thing to yell was, "Echo....echo...echo...". 

(Amazon Echo: Image by Piyush Maru)

Bibliography. "How Juno altered Echo's speech" from Ovid's Metamorphoses translated by Tony Kline (2000). Web Source.

Week 3: Reading Notes A - Callisto

In my reading notes for today I will focus on the Callisto stories from Ovid's Metamorphoses. In particular, I will discuss two stories: "Callisto turned into a bear" and "Arcas and Callisto become constellations".

Callisto turned into a bear 

In this story, Juno (Jupiter's wife) is jealous of the huntress Callisto after she slept with her husband. Callisto did not seem to know Juno knew about the affair, however, Juno knew and she harbored this knowledge for quite some time. I think this intense jealousy and disgust makes the story intriguing. Also, the way Juno punished Callisto is quite harsh, but at the same time kind of ironic. Callisto was turned into a bear. And with this she was no longer beautiful, she no longer felt safe with humans but she desired this interaction, and the huntress became the hunted. I think it could be interesting to write a story about her feelings/interactions with others after this change occurred.

(Ursa Major: Image by Sidney Hall (1788-1831))

Arcas and Callisto become constellations 

I just find this interaction between son and mother (who is now a bear) quite fascinating. You can tell that Arcas is not quite sure how to handle the situation. He has most likely encountered a bear before, but this one seems different. But before any action is taken...poof...Jupiter turns Arcas and Callisto into constellations. I am sure a lot of people wish they could remove their problems by turning them into constellations. There would be a lot less problems and many, many more stars.


Bibliography. "Callisto turned into a bear" and "Arcas and Callisto become constellations" from Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Joseph Kline (2000). Web Source. 

Week 2: Microfiction - The Three Roses

The Three Roses: Dribble 

Once upon a time there were three roses. The price of the three roses was a young girl named Mary. At first Mary served - then she severed. What had once been a serpent became a young man. The servants danced through the halls like roses as Mary was wed.

The Three Roses: 6 Words 

Mary marries the basilisk with merry.

Basilisk by Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch (1747-1822).

*Author's Note: I chose "The Three Roses" from the Anthology reading to use for these microfiction stories. I chose the 50-word one because I feel like a lot of times my thoughts are in 100-words so I wanted to challenge myself. And I chose the 6-word story because I thought it would be cool to have a play on words with Mary. 


Bibliography. "The Three Roses" from The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis. Web Source. 

Week 2: Feedback Thoughts

Article #1: Silence the Critical Voices in Your Head 

Focusing on negative feedback is something I am prone to do. Whether it be at work or in school I could do 95% of something right, but I tend to focus on the 5% I did incorrectly. This has a tendency to frustrate me and I focus on this more than I should. I do not think I have ever let it get to me quite as much as it got to Rajeev, but this focus on negative feedback has definitely impacted my productivity in the past. The quote from the article, "Believe the positive, and act as if it were true." Is something in which I can relate. Many times when people say positive things to me I often think to myself that they are just saying that to be nice. Maybe these thoughts are true. But either way if I just believe that the positive feedback has no ulterior motive, I will be better off in the long run. This would also hopefully be more positive towards others.

Article #2: Why rejections hurts so much 

Rejection is hard. Being rejected is not a good feeling at all. But we oftentimes do not do ourselves any favors after being rejected. The article talks about rejection and how much of the damage after rejection is self-inflicted. I can relate. Oftentimes after being rejected in some capacity I tend to just curl up in a ball and let life pass by until I am over it. This is probably not the best solution. I always tend to chastise myself for what I did wrong - which is exactly what the article says not to do. Instead the article says we should focus on things we are good at and positive feedback we have received. And instead of dreading not being able to hangout with the friends who rejected you - spend time with those who actually care about you and enjoy being around with you. I look forward to taking this advice the next time I am rejected - no matter the circumstance.

(Feedback: Image by Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay)

Week 2: Topic Brainstorm

Topic #1: Robin Hood 

I have always been fascinated by the story of Robin Hood. The Disney animated version was one of my favorite movies as a small child. I think it would be neat to adapt this story into a different setting, whether it be more modern or at a different point of history than originally told. I would also enjoy telling the stories through the eyes of his friends and foes such as: Little John, Maid Marian, and Prince John. Another idea I had is that I could do some sort of Robin Hood and Indiana Jones mash up, where Robin Hood is stealing artifacts from the Germans in order to preserve them. But instead of a whip he has a bow.

Topic #2:  Biblical Animals 

This topic could definitely be interesting. I could do a set of different stories from the perspective of animals in the Bible such as: Noah's Ark, Egyptian Plagues, and Daniel in the lion's den. Or I could do a set of stories that relate to one singular Bible story in particular. If I were to do this it would probably be from the perspective of the donkey when Jesus entered Jerusalem shortly before the Last Supper. Or from the perspective of the whale in Jonah and the whale. There are so many different options and ways in which this project could be completed with this topic, which makes it very intriguing.

Topic #3: Homer's Odyssey 

I have always been intrigued by Homer's Odyssey. The stories of Odysseus and his men are all so fascinating. I always particularly enjoyed the stories when they enter the Land of the Cyclops. I think if I were to choose this topic I would want to adapt it to where instead of at sea - Odysseus and his men are traveling through Space or Time. This would be a fun adaptation where they would arrive on other planets and face similar challenges to the original stories. Or they would travel through time and face challenges in periods such as the Jurassic period, Medieval Age, Revolutionary War, Present Day (2020), and maybe even the future.

Topic #4: Aesop's Fables  

When reading and writing about the Anthology, I chose to adapt some of Aesop's Fables (see: Ryan's Fables). I thought it was a lot of fun and there are so many stories in which to choose, which makes this topic especially intriguing. I think if I were to choose this topic I would want to tell it from the perspective of a grandfather sitting in a rocking chair with his grandchildren. I would take the original stories and make them either relate to the grandfather's life/childhood or make them so outlandish that it appears that grandpa is "off his rocker". This could be very fun to write and after each "fable" I could even get a grandchild's perspective of the fable.

(Brainstorm: Image by Andy Mangold)

Week 2 Story: Ryan's Fables - Sasquatch

Sasquatch's Share 

There once were four creatures who went looking for food. These creatures were Sasquatch, El Chupacabra, Tazzy Tiger, and Yeti. They were lost in the woods for days and days with nothing to eat. But one day they saw a fire in the distance, so they followed it for several hours. Once they reached the fire they saw what to them was a mythological creature a human man. This man had what they wanted, Jack Link's Beef Jerky. This was not just one bag of jerky, it was a pallet stacked 20 feet high with cases and cases of jerky (of all sorts of flavors). The creatures did not know how to go about splitting the jerky, so they sat there and pondered for a while (the man was long gone by now).

Sasquatch was the first to speak, he said, "First we must build these cases into a shelter, as I think it might rain."

So the other creatures helped organize the cases into a shelter with four rooms (one for each of them they thought), while Sasquatch told them what the shelter should look like.

Once finished, Tazzy Tiger asked, "Now what?"

Sasquatch responded, "The largest room is mine as I am the biggest. The next largest is also mine as I will need a place to eat my beef jerky. The third largest is mine as I helped design the shelter. The fourth, well I would not dare enter if I were you."

This left the remaining creatures feeling empty (like their stomachs) and they were angry at Sasquatch.

"Aaaaaargh", muttered the Yeti in anger as he walked away with the other creatures to find more food.

Sasquatch lived the rest of his days guarding his shelter and beef jerky with his life. Many other creatures would challenge him, but he always prevailed. Eventually, he would die of old age - lonely but with a full stomach.

(Sasquatch: Image by Bernell MacDonald from Pixabay)

Sasquatch in Love 

Sasquatch once fell in love with a young college student. Seeing as she had not yet finished school and that this creature was Sasquatch - her parents did not know what to think. They told her that first she must finish her studies and then she could consider marrying Sasquatch.

Well, what most people do not know about Sasquatch is that he is actually extremely smart (he just likes to play dumb). So the young college student added several credit hours to her semesters and Sasquatch tutored her and she finished in one year what should have taken two.

Once she was done with school, Sasquatch went to her parents and asked for their blessing. Her father told him that in order to marry his daughter, Sasquatch must shave. So Sasquatch went to the barber and shaved (everything). It was an ugly sight, but the young college student loved him the same and they were married.

Love can tame the wildest. 


*Author's Note: The stories above were adapted from "The Lion's Share" and "The Lion in Love" from Fable's of Aesop. The Lion in these stories was replaced by the mythological(?) creature Sasquatch and the setting of the stories were slightly modernized. I also had a happier ending for "Sasquatch in Love" than the original story. 

Bibliography. "The Lion's Share" and "The Lion in Love" from Fable's of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs. Web Source.