Week 7 Story: The Dying Sultan

(Vervet monkey; online source, www.wikiwand.com)

     Once upon a time, a renowned sultan in southern Turkey grew very ill in a matter of hours. At night’s fall, he was perfectly healthy. However, the following morning he was far too weak to rise with the sun. He called out for his daughters, who quickly rushed to his aid. With their help, he was able to sit up in bed, propped against several pillows. His oldest daughter pulled the blankets back to cover his lower half and the grave look taking over her face told him something was terribly wrong. “What’s wrong, child?” he asked weakly. She hesitated as her eyes flooded with tears. Unable to speak, she slowly pulled the covers back, revealing a small green succulent covered with dark purple and black spots. They all knew what it was and what it meant. Someone had poisoned the sultan. His death would be certain in no more than three weeks time without a cure. Years of traditional teachings, carried down from generations before had taught him that his only escape from death at that point was to consume the heart of a monkey. Not just any monkey, though. He would have to consume the heart of a Chlorecebus Pygerythrus, better known as a vervet monkey. Unfortunately, vervets weren’t commonly seen in this particular region of the country. 

     At once, the sultan called for every man, woman, child, and animal in the area to gather around. With his daughters’ help, he took a seat on the balcony just outside his bedroom window. The first to bring him this particular monkey, alive and well, would be granted a lifetime of riches. He promised, “If any of you bring me this monkey, you will never worry about finances or where your next meal might come from. Anything your heart may desire, you will have. Finally, I will assure your protection from any enemies to the best of my ability.” With that, most every being around, animals included, set off in search of the much sought after primate.

     As the days passed, the sultan began to lose hope. People from all around brought him monkeys of many different species, none of which were living vervet monkeys. On the fourth morning a lynx appeared at the sultan’s door, carrying a half dead vervet between his teeth. Had he owned the strength, the sultan may have berated the lynx for bringing such a pitiful thing to his door. However, he simply sent him away, warning him not to come back unless he could bring a monkey that was both alive AND well to him. By the eve of the eleventh day, the sultan had effectively given up. He grew weaker everyday. He knew he was going to die soon and he was ready to accept that. His daughters, however, weren’t ready to let go. On the eleventh morning, the eldest called for all to gather around once again.

     She swore to build a house made of gold for the victor. “I’ll surround the house with a spring with the most crisp, clean water one could wish for and anything else that might be desired.” Furthermore, she promised her own hand in marriage to any man that came forth with the desired creature. With a new rush of enthusiasm, they all set out, searching further and wider for a vervet monkey to bring to the sultan.

     With such extravagant gifts at stake, the rivalry became fierce. Men attacked each other in hopes of lessening the competition. Friend and foe alike were left for dead, their conqueror hoping for victory over the thousands of others in the race. The sultan soon saw his country falling apart before his eyes. For what?, he thought, to grant myself another decade or so before I succumb to old age? He decided then what he would do. He mustered up the strength to sit up in bed and scratched out a quick note, explaining his choice the best he could. He didn’t have the strength in his legs to walk to the balcony, so he crawled. His last thought before his death was that he hoped his daughters and his followers would understand this final selfless act. He used the last of his remaining strength to shove his body through the barrier and over the edge. His daughters, standing below, watched in horror as their father’s body fell hard against the ground.


Authors note
In the original story a monkey and a shark become unexpected friends. The monkey feeds the shark delicious fruits from the tree where they first met and the shark eventually tells him he feels bad that he has nothing to give back. So, he convinces the monkey to travel home with him so he can show the monkey all the glorious things his home land has to offer. Then, halfway through the twelve day trip through water, the shark announces that he hasn’t been completely honest with the monkey. He tells him that the sultan of his home is very ill and the only thing that could possibly cure the poor man is to eat the heart of a monkey. The monkey then tells his so-called friend that he’d left his heart at home that day and he would gladly help the sultan if he could go home and retrieve it. Then, once the shark takes him home, he admits that he never intended to allow the sultan to eat his heart and runs away.

The way their unlikely friendship ended made me sad and I wanted to allow the possibility of an alternate ending for them. So, I decided to explain how the sultan became sick and the circumstances surrounding the search for a monkey’s heart. I liked the emotional value of a friendship ending in the midst of the sultan’s illness, so I kept that conflict in my story, although I didn't use the original two characters. Then I chose to have the sultan end the madness by taking his own life in the ultimate self sacrifice, because it would allow for friendships to possibly be mended.

Source
"African Stories from Lang's Fairy Books", by Andrew Lang, online source

Famous Last Words: Work, Packing, School, Insanity, Spring - Week 6

(Truth About Home Selling; online source, www.twitter.com)

     This week has been a bit hectic. We close on our home in FOUR days. Yes... Four. Short. Days. That means in 5 days, we will be spending the night for the first time in our new home. I can barely believe that but it's real, I'm pretty sure. I work 10 hour days and I worked yesterday and will work everyday between now and our closing, so I'm getting slightly frustrated. It doesn't feel like there are enough hours in a day. Lol.

     I was able to get all of our utilities set up this week but just realized this morning I didn't talk to anybody about getting trash service set up. So, I should probably do that sometime soon, huh? We don't have too terribly much more to pack between now and the big day but there is enough left that I'm panicking that we don't have enough packed yet. We'll get there though and I can't wait to move into our first house!! 

     I had a Spanish quiz today and I didn't do as great as I'd like to on it but I also didn't do too terrible as far as I know. I have to schedule a Talk Abroad section and talk to someone from another country for 30 minutes IN SPANISH sometimes very soon. Plus I have to write a composition Monday and peer review someone else's. I'm not really sure when I'm going to have the time to fit in all of my homework on top of everything else we have to do in this coming week but I've always managed to work these things out in spite of my busy schedule. So I'm pretty confident in my abilities to succeed this time too. 

     I was able to stay ahead in Mythology and Folklore this week, so I'm still 1 full week ahead on my assignments. I'm also now caught up on my Spanish homework to where I'm 1 full week ahead. I think that's an accomplishment considering everything I've had to get done this week! 

Reading Notes: African Stories from Lang's Fairy Books, Part B

The first story here, "Hassebu" was slightly harder for me to read than the others in part A of this set. I thought it was cool that Hassebu found something to do but then he was betrayed and left to die and I was so sad for him. I felt the betrayal for him. I love stories written in this manner and I really hope that I'm able to capture raw emotion in my readers as I write. So, that's what I'd like to take from this story: the ability to really pull out the emotions of my readers.

"The Heart of a Monkey" is a cute story and I liked that the shark made friend's with the money. I enjoyed imagining the monkey hanging out on the cliff, talking to the shark. I didn't like that the shark ended up trying to sacrifice the monkey to his king though, so maybe I could write something about these two with a different ending. I'd like them to remain friends, rather than enemies!

I also really like the story within a story style of writing that's used in "The Heart of a Monkey: The Washerman's Donkey". I'd love to write something in this style but I've avoided trying because I'm worried that my attempt will not work out as smoothly as I'd like it to. Maybe this week I will attempt to write a story within a story.

Finally, "Makoma" inspired me to write something a little more mythical than most of my writing has been. I loved that when he overtook someone, he took in their powers. I think I could definitely write something using this premise. If I decide to go with this, I could combine more than one of my ideas together and use the generational story as well. I also liked the overall message that it's lonely at the top.

(If it's lonely at the top; online source, pattidawnswansson.wordpress.com)

I definitely think that whatever I write this week is going to combine some of the overarching themes from more than one of these stories.

Source
"African Stories from Lang's Fairy Books", by Andrew Lang, online source

Reading Notes: African Stories from Lang's Fairy Books, Part A

I really liked the use of an ogre in the first story of this set, "Motikatika" because I haven't read much involving ogres and it was interesting to read a story involving one. I think it might be fun to write something about ogres but I'd like to do more research on the history of them first since I don't know much about them. I'm not really sure what the main point of this story would be though.

(Beware of ogre sign; online source, www.pinterest.com)

"Jackal and Spring" has a good message behind it: if you don't put forth the work, you can't reap the rewards. I think I could write something very loosely based on that message, which would give me a lot of wiggle room for what to write. I also appreciated the bravery of the tortoise in this one. It made me laugh a little trying to imagine a tortoise attacking a jackal but I like the idea of the unlikely hero.

(Jackal by the Spring; online source, www.goodfon.su)

In "Adventures of a Jackal", I really liked the plot of an unlikely friendship taking place between the jackal and the hedgehog. It'd be fun to write a backstory for these two about how their friendship came to be or maybe just come up with a completely separate story line involving two creatures that become friends against all odds.

I also really love the generation story perspective used for "Adventures of a Jackal", "Adventures of Jackal's Eldest Son", and "Adventure's of Younger Son of Jackal". These were written more like three separate stories, rather than a continued piece but I think I'd enjoy writing a more continual piece. Maybe some sort of tradition taking form within a family, from the grandparents down to the grandchildren or something.

I don't have any very specific ideas from this set so far but I have a couple big picture ideas that I can work with.

Source
"African Stories from Lang's Fairy Books", by Andrew Lang, online source

Week 6 Story: Old Soul, New Tricks

(Old Soul, New Tricks; online source, thepetworks.net)

     The last set of footsteps splashed heavily against the wet stone road and quickly faded away. Cautiously, I stepped out from behind the statue that concealed me. Have they all gone? I wondered as I clutched the excruciating stitch in my side. Running was never my strong suite. I’d always found my way out of sticky situations with ease but this time my victory was uncertain.

     As I slowly approached the end of the temple wall and peered around the corner, my lungs betrayed me. I heaved out a breath much louder than intended as my eyes darted up and down the street, focusing on the slightest sign of movement. The road appeared deserted under the pale moonlight. Maybe I’ve eluded them afte– My thought was left incomplete.*WHAM* the blow cracked hard against the back of my skull. I fell to my knees and my elbow slammed into the hard wall. I was frozen in a daze, my vision blurred almost to nonexistence. I barely made out the shout from directly above me, “I’ve got him over here!”

     Damn. This might just be the end. I thought but I pulled together every ounce of strength I had and focused my energy on bringing down the ornate wall above. With a loud crash, the wall submitted under my power. I barely registered my attacker lying unconscious beneath the rubble as I stumbled to my feet and staggered as quickly as I could back down the path. I found a back entrance to a deserted building and summoned the energy to manipulate the lock. I slipped in and slammed the door, sliding the mechanism back into place just in time. I could hear them all gathering just outside. There was no way out. I knew I would be held captive and tortured for my magical gift. I knew they would show me the same lack of mercy I’d bestowed upon any number of them. I fell against the wall and slid down to the cool floor, hoping for oblivion to consume me. Damn. I thought again.

     I didn’t allow the pounding on the door to startle me. I knew they would get to me soon and my life would effectively come to an end. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I waited for my captors to retrieve me. I can’t be sure how much time passed before I looked up but it seemed like an eternity. They were still banging on the unyielding door. Having regained a bit of my strength, I glanced around. I hadn’t paid any mind to my surroundings when I entered and to that point I had assumed the building empty and abandoned. As I scanned the dark room, I noticed a shining metal sword lying on a wooden work table across the room. That’s when I realized my fate wasn’t sealed. My life was over anyways. Once captured, I would be tortured until I begged for death.

     Barely able to stand, I struggled over to the table and picked up the sword. Running my finger down the precious metal, I reflected on my past. I was not a good person. I was a selfish, vile excuse for a human being. I’d been gifted with the power of sorcery but I used it for my own benefit. Even in my brightest hour, I was a pathetic waste of life. Worst yet, I was a coward. I deserved any punishment I had coming, yet I would not accept that fate. Feeling the cool, sleek metal beneath my finger made my heart race. I truly felt guilty for the life I’d led. I looked up above with a final thought, Have mercy on me, ancestors. For if I could make amends now for my wrong doings, I would. Then, I picked up the sword as the door finally gave way and men came pouring in. It’s now or never. I thought as I thrust the sword into my own stomach and ripped it sideways. I collapsed to my side on the floor immediately and barely noticed the cursing as the cold consumed my body and my world went black.

     I woke in a panic, lying on a cold, hard floor. I was soaking wet and freezing. Did they revive me just so they could torture me to death? I thought. Even I wasn’t that cold in my darkest moment. It took me a moment to realize that I wasn’t inside. I was outside, sleeping in a dirty nook. A sharp pain shot from my hip down my leg as I tried to stand upright, so I cowered back down. Looking down, I realized my arms had been replaced with fur covered paws. On all fours, I crawled over to a puddle nearby to look at my reflection: that of a scruffy old dog looked back at me.

     “Hey there little guy. What are you doing out here by yourself?” an old woman called to me. I eagerly accepted the affection as she scratched beneath my chin and fastened a rope to my neck. She took me home to her husband and they decided to keep me around. They didn’t have much in the way of wealth but their love and affection was abounding. I knew this was my chance for redemption. So, I’ll live out the rest of my canine existence serving my new masters, attempting to right the wrongs I did in my last life. 

Authors note
     In the original story, an old man and his wife care for a small dog because they have no children to care for. The dog soon finds gold coins and makes its owners rich. Then their envious neighbor asks to borrow the dog, hoping it will bring him the same luck. When the dog only finds some nasty old bones for the neighbor though, the neighbor kills him in a rage. The dog later comes to the old man in a dream and brings still more good fortune to him. The neighbor continues to copy the old man’s actions, hoping for the same fate but it never works out in favor of the neighbor.

     I felt like there had to be something extra special about this dog for him to be able to do everything he does for his owners, so I created a back story to explain why he was able to find the gold and bring his owners so many blessings. Since the dog died in the original story, I wanted to create a story about his life and how he came to be. I decided to make him a bad guy in his past life, so all he does in this life would be for a reason: to make up for a life of horrible actions.

Source
"Japanese Fairy Tales", retold by Andrew Lang, online source.

Famous Last Words: Spring - Week 5

This week has been a little rough. I'm a little "behind" on my "ahead of the timeline" schedule for Mythology and Folklore and for my Spanish class. In Mythology and Folklore, I'm trying to stay one week ahead on my reading and story writing assignments, which means I should have wrote a story the day before yesterday. It has been a very bad week for me though and that just hasn't happened. I have completed everything else for the week though. I did some of it even more ahead than intended, so I guess maybe I'm not really "behind" as much as I just rearranged things so that the assignment that takes the most creative effort was left for last. In Spanish I'm just 2 assignments behind, which I'll finish today and be ahead again. So that's also not too terrible. That's the point of being ahead right? So that when you need some leeway, you can take it? 

I'm dealing with a whole slew of opposing emotions right now. I'm excited about school, because I'm really enjoying my classes and I'm getting really close to graduating (with my first major and my minor at least). Spring 2018 I should be able to, actually!! 

I'm also extremely excited about moving. We've got a lot more packed now. Both of our bathrooms are packed up and ready to go and my husband and I both went through and weeded out any clothing we don't wear and don't intend to keep... Then again, I'm also terrified of being in a completely new, unfamiliar place. I'm sure it'll feel like home in no time though. I think it's pretty normal to be a little skittish when moving to a new unfamiliar place. 

I'm also really sad because our dog that we've had for over 10 years was really sick (he had prostate cancer or lymphoma, we're not sure which) and we had to say goodbye to him this week. We made the choice to let him go now and had him humanely put to sleep. It's honestly one of the hardest things I've ever had to do but I'm thankful that his suffering is over now and also slightly thankful that he won't have to deal with the stress of moving. Although, the selfish part of me wishes he could have stuck around and moved with us, because I love him so much and I miss him terribly already. Here are some of my favorite pictures of him and the last picture I got to take with him too. 

(Our dog Rolo; personal photo, taken by me)

(Our dog Rolo; personal photo, taken by me)

(Me and our dog Rolo; personal photo, taken by my husband)

(Our dog Rolo; personal photo, taken by me)

(Our dog Rolo; personal photo, taken by me)

(Me and our dog Rolo; personal photo, taken by me)

I also brought home a foster dog this week. I felt so sad for his situation that I wanted to help him and show him love. He was being mistreated by his previous owner. Kept tied up in a shed outside with a bucket of food always out, he was yelled at to shut up and verbally abused (at the least). He apparently hasn't ever been treated with affection. We will show him the love he deserves and hopefully will find him a forever home soon (anyone looking?? LOL). I regret agreeing to take him just a little, because I think it was a little too soon after our dog left us but I think I would have regretted not taking him in even more. Here are some pictures of him too.

(Our foster dog Hank; personal photo, taken by a friend)

(Our foster dog Hank; personal photo, taken by a friend)

(Our foster dog Hank; personal photo, taken by a friend)

I hope things settle down a lot in the next week or 2. I don't particularly like all of the emotional ups and downs right now.

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang), part B

I found almost all of these stories inspiring. Through each one, I could see potential for my own writing. I really enjoyed reading every tale.

"Schippeitaro" made me want to write a story about some sort of vision quest. I've read about vision quests in anthropology and some other previous readings and that's what I was kind of imagining when the boy saw the cats dancing around in the woods. I think it would be fun to play around with that idea and maybe write an inspirational, more spiritual and serious story than I've really done before.

I also really liked "The Magic Kettle" and think writing something based off of this story could be fun. I like the idea of a magical item that turns into an animal or some form of companion. I could write a story about a lonely, depressed man or woman that finds solace in the kettle companion maybe.

I think I could write a story based on "How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished" too but I would spin it in an entirely different direction. I think my characters would turn themselves into humans and get jobs in town to support their little family though, rather than pretending their spouse is dead for money. I also think my version would be more of a happy love and support type of story because I didn't like that the tanuki betrayed his wife.

I noticed a trend in these stories that tanukis apparently can't swim and that's how they ultimately meet their end, so I think I'd like to write a story about a tanuki seeking out a swim coach and learning to swim. I think it could be an inspiring story about the main character fighting against nature to do something "unnatural" to him.

(Japanese Racoon Dog [tanuki]; online source, oyatsubox.com)

Source

"Japanese Fairy Tales", retold by Andrew Lang, online source.

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang), Part A

I was a little worried about using a set that had so few stories in it but I think there is a ton of potential in this story set. I really enjoyed reading the stories and I may have already decided on a plot for my story for this week. I like the writing style because the stories are written in pretty basic, straight forward English.

As I read the first story, "The Two Frogs", I imagined a love story between two traveler's that are destined to be together and happen across each other. They would be motivated to take a trip without reason and their paths would cross. They wouldn't understand the purpose of their journey in the beginning but soon enough they would both be convinced that fate had decided for them. The ending of this story made me sad but I'm not sure if mine would end on a sad or happy note. I'm not incredibly motivated to write this but I think it has some potential at least. 

"The Stonecutter" was interesting and I liked that in the end, the man learned to be content with his given life, rather than to yearn for something he didn't have. I love this message because we so often tend to take for granted the things we have in life. I could maybe work that into a story as a secondary theme. 

(The Stonecutter; online source, online source)

"The Maiden and the Wooden Helmet" is the only one from this set that just seemed bizarre to me. I really didn't understand it. If someone else read it or would like to read it and provide their take, I'd love to hear it! 

"The Envious Neighbour" spoke to me most and I think this is a good candidate for my story for the week. I think I'll write a back story for the dog in this one. I hated the dog's fate but I loved the story, so I think I'd like to write up a little more of his life and bring a little more happiness into his story. 

Source

"Japanese Fairy Tales", retold by Andrew Lang, online source.

Famous Last Words: Mythology, Spanish, Moving, Spring - Week 4

I feel like I'm doing pretty well in Mythology and Folklore so far. I've rather enjoyed it and I think it is really helping me fine tune my creative writing abilities.

The reading this week went pretty smoothly for me. I found a story that almost instantly sparked my creative engines and inspired a story that I feel very proud of ("Amelia's Wisdom"). I honestly think it is one of the best things I have ever written. My story was actually based, however loosely, off of the very first story in the unit I chose to read this week ("Folktales of Bengal") but I still read the entire unit, part A and part B. I've made a promise to myself to complete both parts EVERY week this semester and so far I've held myself to it but the semester is still young, so we'll see how that ends up going! 

I've always loved to write and I really want to write a novel (I've actually have started writing one but it hasn't got too far as school work trumps "pleasure" writing). I'm really excited to have the opportunity for this class, because it allows me to read lots of stories and write my own for CREDIT!!! That's pretty cool, because I would ordinarily not have time to read and write this much during a semester. Then, on my down time where I don't have classes, I always try to cram in as much reading as I can and never think it's enough. So, this class solves that problem! I'm hoping to complete this class 3 weeks early and I'm pretty well ahead right now. I'm hoping to be able to take the time this week to figure out exactly how much extra work I need to do weekly in order to finish that far ahead. 

Spanish class is going "okay", I suppose. I earned a 100% on my first composition but I got some conjugations mixed up on my first quiz and failed that miserably. I don't believe I did well on my listening exam either (although I haven't received a grade yet), so I'm really frustrated about that. I'm struggling with the "communication" aspect of the class (actually carrying on a conversation), so I'm looking into options to help me improve my confidence and ability to carry on a flowing conversation in Spanish. I'm hoping to get a couple of people that are willing to just chat back and forth with me in Spanish to help. 

I can't believe we're moving in 19 days. I also can't believe we only have like 5 boxes packed. We're going to have to work on that. Lol. Hoping to pack at least 2 boxes a night from now on! 

That's about the gist of things for me this week... Hopefully things will just keep getting better and I can stay as motivated as I am right now throughout the semester!

PS
I feel like this image about sums things up. LOL. Really, I just don't have enough hours in my day and end up putting things off because I literally couldn't do them (most of the time)...

(Procrastination; online source, stillcracking)

Week 5 Story: An Unexpected Adventure in the Rainforest

(Birds in the Amazon rain-forest; online source, amazontoursbrazil)

Marc had dreamed of the Amazon Rainforest since he had learned of its existence. He and his sister Kira had talked about going together “one day” for the longest time but it remained a dream, not soon likely to become reality. Little was he aware that the dream would become a reality sooner than expected. Unfortunately, opportunity arose from an unfortunate event; Kira’s wedding was called off due to her (now) ex fiancé having a girlfriend! Rather than wallow in self-pity, she chose to use the money she had saved for her wedding and treat herself and Marc on their dream vacation.

They arrived in Peru on a cool, dreary afternoon. The anticipation of locating their lodge consumed Marc as they boarded the second and final boat that would deliver them to their destination. Marc and Kira exchanged glances, eyes filled with enchantment as they watched the gleaming water ripple away under the weight of the boat. Two boat rides and a crowded van ride later, they came to rest just outside their lodge.

Emotionally drained, Kira was overcome with exhaustion and decided to retire early, in hopes that she would wake rejuvenated and ready to explore the next morning. On the other hand, Marc couldn’t wait to get out and tour the forest and opted to take a quick stroll, in spite of warnings to stay out of the forest without a guide. It wasn’t until his stomach began to grumble along the way, that he realized he hadn’t eaten in over six hours. *Maybe he should have stopped to eat at the lodge before running off in excitement.* he thought. Then, along his chosen path, as if it was left there just for him, sat a small bush full of lush berries, dark pinkish purple in color. As he’d seen the guide on the boat eating some that looked identical not an hour before, he felt safe in snacking on a few… He devoured a few in one sitting, then grabbed a small handful for his journey and headed off.

He wasn’t sure what to expect as he entered the forest but figured he should stay close by the lodge, just in case he got into any trouble. Still, he ventured forward along a well trodden path, keeping his eyes peeled for any movement. Birds flew across the path as his eyes took in what he could only guess to be hundreds of different plants and the air heavy with moisture filled his lungs.

Just as he began to think he should return to Kira and heed the advice to stay with a tour guide for all outings, a young girl came gleefully running along the path, hand in hand with a small monkey. “Good evening.” Said the monkey as they skipped on past. *I must be more tired than I realized.* thought Marc as he mumbled “hello”. *Did that monkey just talk to me?* Intrigued, he carried on down the path where he’d seen the little girl disappear just a moment before.

Not 20 feet down farther, he heard a conversation just off the beaten path. “Of course a lowly creature such as you can’t beat me in a race. One step forward for me must be hundreds for you.” Peaking through the brush, he couldn't believe his eyes; right in front of him, there was a huge elephant arguing with what appeared to be a bug on the ground, if anything at all. Okay Marc, get it together. *There is NOT an Elephant standing there talking in front of you.* He swiftly decided he should get some rest and turned back down the path in the direction from which he had come.

He began to wonder how much further it was back to the lodge when he heard a woman crying just over a small hill. As he topped it, he was frozen in place. A tiger stood in front of a cave, accompanied by a young woman, dressed in a wedding gown. And was that tiger wearing… a bow tie around his neck? “Please wife, don’t embarrass me in front of my friends. Go and start dinner right away and when I return with my friends, we can celebrate together. Give me the chance to show you my kindness.” said the tiger. And with that, Marc had had enough and took off as fast as he could, without looking back.

Sweating, panting, clutching a stitch in his side, he emerged behind the lodge. “Kira!” he screamed, “Kira! We’ve got to leave, now. Something crazy is happening!!”… “Kira, WAKE UP!!!” He burst through the front door and Kira came running from her bedroom, struck with fright. “What are you on about?!” breathed Kira, exasperated. She’d barely drifted off to sleep before she heard his screams. “There. Are. Talking. Animals and. And.. a girl who’s married to a tiger... And. And…” With that, he fainted.

He woke to Kira slapping him in the face. His eyes sprung open and he couldn’t believe it; Kira was hysterically laughing at him. “What is so funny?” he demanded. To which, “You believed there were talking animals in the forest and a human girl married to a tiger but of course, such things aren’t real.” She paused for another fit of laughter before explaining, “Lucky those berries you ate were hallucinogenic, rather than poisonous.” Then, to Marc’s ever more confused look, “You dunce, they’re listed in this pamphlet they gave us at the registration office saying DO NOT CONSUME as they will cause incredibly vivid hallucinations. It was rather stupid to eat something you knew nothing about, especially out in the middle of the forest all by yourself…” “Take some aspirin and go to sleep you goof,” she giggled “maybe that will teach you not to eat things when you don’t know what they are.” Then, quite thankful for the brief comedic relief, she sauntered back to bed in search of some much needed sleep.

Authors note

The inspiration for this story came in large part from my own inability to comprehend any of these stories. I felt oddly perplexed as I read most of them and, although I tried, I couldn't really make sense of most of them and the ones that I could see a purpose in, didn't inspire me to write. So, I decided to pull from my own reaction to the stories to make mine. "The Monkey and the Girl" is where I took the bit about the little girl running with the monkey. Although I was confused by this story, I loved how the girl sacrificed herself because she was so committed to the monkey. So, I decided in my story, they would be happily running along in Marc's hallucination. Then, I wrote in the talking elephant from "The Elephant and the Ants" mostly because I love elephants and the idea of an elephant arguing with and being tricked by two tiny ants made me laugh. The elephant in the original story died, so I decided to change his fate! :) Finally, I took the part about the tiger and his bride from "The Tiger's Bride" because I couldn't help but imagine a tiger in a tux and bow tie when I read this story and it also made me laugh. My hope in this story was to inspire laughter with a light hearted comedy about a foolish boy who unintentionally takes a hallucinogenic trip through the rain-forest. 

Sources
Santal Folklore, recalled and translated to English by C. H. Bompas, online source.

I also took inspiration for the description of their arrival from this website's information about tours: http://www.amazontoursbrazil.com/photo-gallery.

Reading notes: Santal Folktales, Part B

I didn't find much for inspiration in this part either, which is a little frustrating but I think I'll have fun writing my hallucinogenic berries story. I liked certain aspects of some of these stories but I just don't really understand most of them as far as any real message behind them. If I have time this week, I might go back and research the history behind some of them, to get a better grasp of the meaning. 

I liked that the babies were so smart in "The Jackal and the Chickens"and it made me happy that they all got away from the jackal. I like stories that have me emotionally involved like that (I was rooting for the little babies to outsmart the jackal).

I also really like the use of poetic rhyme in "The Jackal Punished" although I again failed to really see the purpose of this story. I wish that I could write this way but I can't ever think of anything clever to use for rhythmic writing. I did try a little however, in my last story, "Amelia's Wisdom". I didn't do as well as I wanted but I think I did okay and I'll try again sometime to fine tune this aspect of my writing and I think I could use this story for inspiration there, maybe. 

I also find the banter in some the stories pretty interesting. It seems that someone is always able to trick someone else into losing their meal or losing a bet or something of the sort. The elephant in "The Elephant and the Ants", for example, was tricked into believing that two ants were able to run as fast as he. I find that ironic and fun and I think it's a fun aspect to use in one's story. 

Also, jackals are used an awful lot in these stories and while I kind of knew what they were, I looked it up to get a better visual as I was reading. So, here is a picture of a jackal. :) 

(Jackal, online source, dreamicus)

Source

Santal Folklore, recalled and translated to English by C. H. Bompas, online source. 

Reading Notes: Santal Folklore, Part A

pinit.js

(You is a kitty; online source, pinterest)

I'm having a hard time really understanding these stories. Most of them seem bizarre to me. However, I do like the writing style. They are all written in a pretty straight forward fashion with a clear trajectory but the message behind most of the stories isn't clear to me. 

I found humor in some of the writing, which I think can be useful in writing my own story. "Ledha and the Leopard" was one that really made me laugh. The image of a lizard latching onto the rump of a tiger and not letting go was pretty funny to me. 

"The Monkey and the Girl" inspired me the most of this set. I loved that the girl was so devoted to the monkey that she threw herself into the fire in the end but if I were to write something based on this it would be another love story, which seems to be what I'm most comfortable writing and I'd like to give something different a try. 

I really like stories that have a meaning or some sort of symbolic meaning. Many of these stories don't seem to have that, which is challenging for me. I found myself searching for some hidden meaning that I'm not sure was there. So, I tried to find some other facet that enticed me. 

Most of the stories seemed bizarre to me; a girl in love with a monkey ("The Monkey and the Girl"), a girl married off to a tiger ("The Tiger's Bride"), a tiger and a cow that are best friends (but then the tiger decides to eat the cow) and their children also growing affectionate for each other (The Tiger Cub & the Calf), etc. So, when I tried to come up with something to write about I drew inspiration from my overall opinion of the stories. I'm imagining a story about a young boy (or girl) walking through the jungle, unknowingly eating hallucinogenic berries and seeing some crazy things on his / her journey. Hopefully I'll find more inspiration in part B, because I'm not too confident in this idea. 

Source

Santal Folklore, recalled and translated to English by C. H. Bompas, online source. 

Feedback Focus

(The most interesting man in the world; online meme generator, imgflip)

Reading out loud is something that I already tend to do, so I didn't really even need to "try" it, because I already do it. This is very helpful for me, as I tend to have a 100 things going through my head at any one moment, so it is very easy for me to get sidetracked when trying to focus on something, especially reading. I've found that reading out loud helps me remind my brain that I'm trying to accomplish a task (reading a story, book, article, etc.). Right now for instance, my cat is playing with a plastic bag and the sound is driving me crazy. I am saying these words out loud as I write them to maintain my focus. This is a very beneficial strategy for me. 

The copy and delete method is not good for me. I understand the idea but it isn't something that works for me. I'm dyslexic and because of this it is sometimes difficult to recall things. I can read and retain information pretty well but it's like the words or sentences won't articulate themselves in my mind when I want to recall them. I have to go back and look at the words (even though I JUST read it) to regroup my thoughts and express what I want to say about it. For example, I may want to tell someone about an article I recently read and my thoughts on it. I often have to say "hold on" and pull the article up to be able to appropriately communicate what the article was about. This is the case no matter how interested I am in a topic (although if it's an uninteresting topic, it is probably worse). So, I really don't find this beneficial for me. I might sometimes use a similar method of copying the story and highlighting anything of interest to me (which again is something I often already do). 

Timing myself is a disaster. I have bad anxiety and I have to take meds to keep myself from having panic attacks on a regular basis. When a clock is ticking for anything I'm doing, it sends my anxiety through the roof. I find myself questioning my progress and thinking how horrible I'm doing (in this case, I felt like I was reading too slow, so I sped up my reading. Then I was reading too fast and not comprehending anything of the story). This is just not an effective focusing strategy for me. For me, it's best just to read through it, taking as much time as I may need. Then, go back and write my response. I can definitely read a story in sufficient time but the timer just gets my anxiety up and I feel super nervous. Side note, if anyone has tips to help me with this, I'd love to hear them, because it's extremely frustrating. I often do poorly on exams (even in classes I'm doing very well in), because I either have an anxiety attack and can barely breathe, much less think or I take my anxiety meds and they make me a little too mellow before an exam (although other times it keeps me sufficiently balanced between calm and alert and I'm able to do great on my exam).

Week 4 Story: Amelia's Wisdom

(The Enchanting Land of the Fairies; online source, forgottenrealms.wikia)

Hey there! My name is Amelia. I grew up in an enchanting palace, more beautiful than words can describe. The walls are lined with ancient art, haled from all over the world and telling many stories of love, life, & tragedy. There are kind hearted servants in every shadow, waiting to serve those who stake claim to the place and their guests. It’s an incredible place and I was blessed to be born of noble blood and hold a rightful place within its borders. You’re probably wondering why you should care, right? Well, once you know my story, you’ll understand.

First, there is another facet of this estate that I forgot to mention; the enchanted land of fairies. Our home sits on a huge plot of land, with scenery farther than the human eye can behold. Among the acres of our land, there flows the waters of a breath-taking Caribbean blue fall into a small, magnificent pond. I’m captivated with ecstasy when my eyes consume the picturesque scene. It gets better though. When you dive in and swim beyond the fall, you emerge in another dimension.

The sweet smell of dewy foliage washes over as you surface. Greenery and flowers presents for miles around and the intricate tangle of roots threatens tragedy if care isn’t taken. Sparkling yellow lights loom about, suspended by magic in mid-air. The fairies live throughout, among the trees in tiny homes custom made for each. The fairies themselves are what you might expect; small, graceful flying beings, adorned with the characteristics of the most majestic of human beings, with the extra advantage of tiny wings used to flitter about. Blessed with magical powers, they can grant most anything you might wish for. Indeed, this is their life’s purpose.

Each fairy has its own specialty. Amorette, the fairy of love can grant you anything that deals with your hearts deepest desires. Felix is a fairy with whom you would speak for a request of a prosperous nature. The one to seek when you’re searching for joy is Euphoriella. The list goes on, from luck to friendship to tranquility and beyond.

Throughout my family’s history women have married, moved in with their lover, & birthed their first child before the age of 20. I was nearly 3 years past and the kindness of romantic love was lost to me. My parents told me not to worry. Love would take me off my feet soon enough and until such time, I could stay in the palace. One day in the not too distant past, I visited the land of fairies as I have so many times before. This time, however, I went in search of a blessing and asked Amorette to bless me with a suitor and of Euphoriella, I asked for our happiness in matrimony. Soon enough, a handsome prospect crossed my path. We fell fast and hard in love and my happily ever after had arrived.

I did what my parents had urged me against for years, “Be warned child; leave with nothing, less the pleasure of the land’s magnificent sights. Seek not from the fairies, blessings of body or soul, for in you, regret will eventually grow.” I tried to heed the advice but alas, loneliness had taken a toll. I went to the fairies amid desperation, forgetting my parents’ words. It soon became clear there was a part of all of this that I didn’t know.

My parents were displeased with my interest in a man born of common blood. They forbade me to see him. If I were to marry him, they said, I would be exiled from my family. Broken hearted, I returned to Amorette in search of a solution. “Could you bestow my parents with endearing affection for my fiancé?”, I requested. Only then did I learn why my parents have urged me not to make requests of the fairies all these years.

Balance, you see, must be maintained. For every blessing bestowed by one fairy, another dispenses a tragedy. For manipulating one to love, hatred befalls another. Joy is opposed by sadness, good luck by misfortune, tranquility by chaos, and so on. Ordinarily, my parents would have approved so long as I was happy but Heine, the fairy of hatred as he is, set their hearts afire with loathing. Amorette could not interfere with the cursed actions of another fairy.

I return home this evening with a heavy heart. I bade my lover farewell and assured him I will never forget his embrace. I knew this was a lie but he, as well as I, will remain ignorant of such. For when the sun brings a new day, I will rise filled with wisdom. I will not know this heart break, nor the comforting feel of his warm and caring touch. He won’t recall the pain of this separation, nor the joy of our union. Tomorrow, my parents will recollect nothing and their hearts will be freed of judgement. This is how things must be so that when my heart is again enamored, joy will find my parents’ as well.

I will appreciate the fairies’ beautiful domicile from this day forth but I will not again ask of them to interfere with my fate. I know now; without sadness, we can’t fully appreciate our joy. Without knowing hatred, we cannot truly cherish love. Without poverty, in wealth we are apt to be consumed with greed. If we know nothing of judgement, we will not value acceptance.

Author notes.

I took my inspiration for this story from "The Evil Eye of Sani" (3 parts), one of the first stories in "Folktales of Bengal". The original story is about a god of bad luck and a goddess of good luck. They have a disagreement about who is higher in rank and call upon a wise human to solve the debate. When he symbolically tells them that the goddess of good luck is higher in rank, the god of bad luck is infuriated and thus curses the man with bad luck. 

I liked the use of opposition in this story and I was immediately inspired to write about the art of opposition at work helping us appreciate things in our daily lives. When something good happens in our lives, it is typically sweeter when we have something bad to compare it to. For example, if we are born into riches and handed everything in life, we may not appreciate it as much as someone that is poor & works hard to obtain wealth. 

That was the whole idea behind my story; to show that we can find positivity even in negative things. If nothing else, the negative things in life help us value the good things more when they happen. I didn't stick very closely to the original story, in fact I didn't take much from it. I took some creative discretion and really made the story my own, only using  an overarching idea that came to me during the original story. 

Source.

Folktales of Bengal, recounted and translated to English by Lal Behari Day, online source.

Reading Notes: Folktales of Bengal, Part B

I had a harder time reading some of these stories but I still enjoyed them. I didn't really find inspiration for a specific story but I found a few writing styles that could contribute to shaping my stories.

(Vuncula Tree; online source,wikipedia,)

I saw a theme in this set that those who act selflessly seem to be rewarded. "The Story of a Brahmadaitya" is a great example. The poor farmer's wife didn't want him to go to the haunted tree but he did it anyways, knowing that his life could be cut short in the process. His wife begged him not to but he chose to self sacrifice for a chance to improve his families situation. The same was the case in "The Bald Wife". The younger wife was greedy and tried to doubly improve her looks but instead she was punished and shunned by the muni. The other wife however, took the directions seriously and did exactly as she was told and showed kindness to nature on her way to the muni and as such, she was bestowed with incredible beauty and a higher level of affection from her wife.

Something else I did really like in this section was the use of cunning characters. The man in "The Ghost Who Was Afraid of Being Bagged” is very clever, tricking the ghost into doing things for him.

This set wasn't quite as helpful as I'd hope for inspiring my own written work. I really enjoyed reading it but I found it hard to keep up with some of the jargon. It might be beneficial to do some research before using some of these stories for inspiration. For instance, I had to look up Brahman because I didn't know what that meant. I understood the story much better with that background information. So, I think I'll try to work on that this week; doing a little more research into whatever I'm writing about. I still think I'm going to try to write something involving fairies for this section. It seems like a fun idea.

Source.
Folktales of Bengal, recounted and translated to English by Lal Behari Day, online source.

Reading Notes: Folktales of Bengal, Part A

This first half of "Folktales of Bengal" was fun to read. I like the simplistic writing style used in the entirety of this half of the unit (and presumably the 2nd half too). I almost immediately found inspiration for my new story in this set of tales.

(Lakshmi, Goddess of Fortune; online source, wikipedia)

I really like the use of symbolism in writing, so "The Evil Eye of Sani" (one, two, & three) caught my attention pretty quickly. I love the idea of people representing emotions or certain ideals. For instance, there is a woman that represents good fortune, while there is a man that represents ill fortune. I have an idea for a story involving fairies that represent two opposing things. Maybe good and bad luck, just as this original story or maybe something else. I just like the idea of using a character as the embodiment of an entire emotion, character, etc. This story reminded me of a movie that came out in the recent past, Inside out.

I haven't really tried to hash out any details yet but I think its a good idea to start with!

I'd like to take a second here and just say "EWWW". I've got a pretty tough stomach, generally speaking but "The Child Whom Seven Mothers Suckled" (one & two) really creeped me out. I had a hard time reading it. Cannibalism is not cool, at all. NOPE. I loved that the one mother loved her child enough to stand up to the rest but I won't write anything inspired by this. It was just too much for me to read. :) 

I enjoyed reading "The Origin of Opium" (one, two, & three) but I didn't really find inspiration in the story for my own writing. 

Finally, I did like "The Ghost-Brahman". I find it ironic and incredibly creative that the pretend king was more capable of solving the situation than the true king was. It might also be fun to write some sort of story where a boss or someone of authority is outdone by a "lower" employee or something. *shrug* I think I like the fairy idea best though, so far! 

Source.
Folktales of Bengal, recounted and translated to English by Lal Behari Day, online source. 

Week 3 Story: A Kingdom of Love

(Lion in the dark; online source, pinterest)

The Ways of the Pride.

Taking place many years ago, our story begins in an area known today as Tanzania, in a deep valley nestled in the grasslands not too far from Mount Kilimanjaro. A rather large lion pride colonized the space, maintaining 6 or more males and around 50 females of varying ages at one time. Not too different from other prides, this was a polygamous society. Females generally mated many times throughout the year & the males even more because of a high female to male ratio. Once they hit an age appropriate for mating, young lionesses were expected to breed to maintain the longevity of the pride. They were allowed, if they wished, to maintain a more intimate relationship with one male; a husband of sorts. If this was their chosen path, they would typically breed with multiple males but spend quality time with and nest with their chosen mate at night. Most of the lionesses were content to follow a life of solitude and breeding with no strings attached but a fair few would decide to take the path of romantic companionship.

Amoralite and Enoc.

When a young lioness chose the path of love, she would often venture a visit to Enoc’s cave. Enoc was known well in every pride within a 400-km radius as the god of love and persuasive charm. A lioness would visit Enoc when she chose to take the path of love. He would concoct a potion specialized to the love seeker. She would share the potion with the mate she chose and both would be overcome with passion for one another. Lions are keen hunters but they’re not prone to intimacy. So, most often, when a lioness desired an endearing relationship, she would have to turn to Enoc to help promote loves alluring pull; much the same as a lioness lacking the fertility to help populate her pride would visit Amoralite. Amoralite was blessed with heavenly beauty and throughout her youth, the males in her pride would beg of her to be their mate. Amoralite however, didn’t think any of her prospects were worthy of one of such beauty and she soon left her pride in favor of a life of solitude. However, unbeknownst to her, she would soon find herself impregnated with a son. “How is this possible?” she pondered, as she hadn’t mated in quite some time. “I can’t be carrying a cub.” Eventually, Enoc was born. Word spread about the lions that Amoralite had conceived without a mate. Every day after, she became known as the goddess of fertility. So, son and mother, lived alone in a cave far from any other lions. Prides from areas all around provided food and provisions to Amoralite and Enoc in exchange for their blessings of fertility and love. By this way, the two could live in solitude, hunting unnecessary as they were provided with more than enough from their servants, very unlike any of the other lions.

A Fit of Jealousy

Back to our pride in the valley of Tanzania, one summer three daughters would be birthed to the leader. All three were blessed with natural beauty but one was more beautiful than anything any of the other lions had ever seen. Cyrilla’s coat, smooth and sleek, shined in a bright caramel brown. Her back and sides would shimmer in a glittery fashion when she moved. She was so beautiful that the males in her pride began to fight over who would be her mate. This overwhelming affection shown to Cyrilla angered Amoralite and she ordered Enoc to ruin her. He was to watch her and create a love potion that would insure she fell in love with a foul, hideous beast! “That will teach her not to flaunt her beauty!” breathed Amoralite with a heavy cackle inside her own head. “I’m the most beautiful one in all the land. Who does she think she is?” To her son, she bade, “You will set her heart to flutter for that on which she should feast. A hyena should do, I would say. She’ll be disowned in no time and, with any luck at all, she won’t live to tell this tale.”

A Betrayal of Loyalty.

Enoc meant to do as he was ordered. He watched the young Cyrilla for days. He couldn’t help himself though, and he began to have affectionate feelings for her. She was beautiful and majestic, graceful, and quaint. Enoc couldn’t help but to be taken aback by her magnificent allure. He caught her alone, not too far from her pride one day and approached. After giving her the sleeping drought his mother had created, Enoc was soon looking at her unconscious body. Dragging her away in haste, the decision to betray his mother wasn’t his to make. He was enchanted by her charm and without a thought, he had dragged her body to secluded cave. He would sow the seeds of humiliation later. He regretfully informed Cyrilla’s father that she had ran off, in love with a hyena. She would never be accepted in her pride again. Enoc, of course, gave her the love potion. It wouldn’t improve her affections for a hyena, however, as his mother had ordered. Cyrilla would wake, overcome with lust for Enoc.

The Confusing Matrimony.

Cyrilla woke just before dusk with a rush of panic. “What happened? Where am I, and how did I get here?” she wondered. “And why am I overwhelmed with such feelings, of which I’ve never felt before?” She didn’t know the name of her love interest but she was certain she was meant to be with him. Suddenly, she heard movement at the cave entrance. She wasn’t afraid though. Somehow, she knew that she was with her lover, even though she knew nothing of his face. Enoc spoke softly to her, “My love. You’ve finally woken. How are you feeling?”

“I’m feeling rather content to be here with you but I’m not quite sure how I got here or why. I’m overwhelmed with affectionate feelings for you and I don’t even know your face.” she whispered, tilting her head and squinting in attempt to see her newfound companion. “You shouldn’t try to see me, Cyrilla. For if you do, we shall be separated forever. Can you promise me, love, that you won’t try to reveal my identity?” He vowed to return to her side every night, so long as she remained ignorant to his identity. Cyrilla was contented with her lover’s proposal. She was overwhelmed with all these fluttering feelings for her new husband and could see no reason to betray his trust. She could smell his scent when he was nowhere around, feel his touch in the soft wisp of the wind on a breezy afternoon, or hear the melodic hum of his whisper in her ear as they dropped off to sleep. She was rather content. So, why should it matter if she didn’t see him? The couple could live in eternal bliss, if only things would continue in this way.

Author’s notes.

I chose to use this section as a challenge to myself. I’m glad I did, because I feel like I pushed myself a little harder on this one and I think it paid off. I tried to write in a similar style this time too. I wrote in sort of small chunks with an overall theme for each piece and I tried using some more direct dialogue here. I took my inspiration from the original story of Psyche and Cupid. I wanted to retell this story, because I feel that it’s a beautiful story of compassion. Cupid for Psyche and Jove for Cupid. I also really liked the suspense of the story. Who is Psyche’s lover? Will she ever find out it’s Cupid? Will she be driven to betrayal of her husband by her sisters’ jealous actions? There are just so many aspects to this original story and that’s what I wanted to capture here. I chose the lion pride storyline, because I wanted to use strong characters that give off confidence and power. The lion is often referred to as “king of the jungle”, because they’re strong and have no fear. I thought that a perfect fit for the characters I wanted to portray here. The names I chose are just a play on the original character names. Cupid is known in Greek mythology as Eros, so I went with “Enoc” for him. I had a difficult time coming up with something for Psyche but I think Cyrilla is a fun and unique name and I believe it works well in this story. Finally, venus’ name in Greek mythology is Aphrodite, so I went with Amoralite for her. My intention was to portray the entire story, because I think it is a beautiful testament and I believe the story suffers if pieces are removed. However, this ended up quite longer than I intended it to be and it’s now 1:30AM and I would like to write about the same amount more to complete the story. I think this portion is okay along as a short little love story but I would like to finish writing to conclude the conflict between Enoc and his mother, whom he has betrayed. I’d like to bring a bit more closure to the story.

Resource.
Cupid and Psyche by Apuleius, online source. Translated to English by Tony Kline