Online Education Review

I am definitely a fan of being able to take online courses. They are really helpful for me to have to find a perfect course load balance every semester. I love being able to do the work for online course at my own pace since I know I will have busier weeks filled with work and group projects. Being able to take online courses helps to alleviate some of the stress I would have with classes that only meet in a classroom. Those classes are usually much more rigid and do not allow for working ahead as easy in a class like this. The only negative I have found with most online courses is that I have to be more structured to remember exactly when things are due since I do not go to class to hear from the professor when things are due. I loved that you sent out email reminders in this class! This helped me to make sure that I knew when things were due.

(B.B. King quote)

Gen. Ed. Review

I have had a great experience with my general education courses. I think it is imperative to have these courses to make sure that all students have a well-rounded education. Taking these types of courses has exposed me to subjects that I had never learned much about before. It also gave me a deeper sense of appreciation for those courses since I was able to learn about them and actually understand them better. The things I learn from all of these courses help me to be that much more viable when I have to get into the professional world. This class has exposed me to a trove of rich stories from culture spanning across the globe that I might have never read if it were not for me taking this course. I can now contribute to conversations when people talk about Aesop fables.

 

(John Dewey on education)

College Writing Review

Since I am an advertising major, I definitely think that writing is a crucial trait to have to do well. To write copy you have to be comfortable with writing and aware of grammar rules. There is actually a required course for all JMC majors to take that is solely based around writing. I learned a tremendous amount about writing rules from that class. By no means do I think I have all of the rules mastered; I still have a lot to learn to perfect my craft. I have noticed that there are different rules for media writing compared to traditional writing that is taught in the English Composition classes at OU. The number one thing that comes to mind is the use of the Oxford comma. I have always tried to catch myself when I omit it in my non-JMC classes. It is really interesting to read back on some of my high school papers now and see how atrocious my writing was compared to what I know now. 

(Nick from New Girl trying to become a writer)

Extra Reading Diary: Aesop: La Fontaine

I chose to ready Aesop: La Fontaine for my extra reading diary this week since I have immensely enjoyed all of the Aesop fables up until this point. Each Aesop unit is so rich and diverse with all of the elements that are used in the stories; this unit was able to live up to the standard and then some. I was really glad that I chose to read this unit!

Foxes: One story from the Fox unit that I really liked was The Fox and the Grapes. I loved the range of emotions that were shown by the fox during the trials of trying to acquire the grapes. At one point he was enamored by the sight of them and he had to have them above all else. I just loved how quickly his thoughts about the grapes shifted once he realized that it was a task that he could not accomplish. My favorite thing was when he even called the grapes sour since he had such a sour attitude from failing.

(fox)

Insects: I chose the insect unit since they are not commonly used protagonists in most stories. I have never really know what attitudes to associate with insects since they are so rarely used. One story that really stood out from the others was The Grasshopper and the Ant. The Grasshopper was such a perfect character since you never really do hear them in the winter, but you will definitely hear them all winter long. I loved that the grasshopper was put into a perspective of not having a job in the winter since it never chirps then. I also liked how shrewd the ant was by not wanting to give him any bread since she had no compassion for that since ants are always moving and working. The story was brilliant.

Reading Diary B: Italian Fairy Tales

I am really glad that I chose to read Italian Fairy Tales for my reading diary this week. It was a trove of great stories to choose from. I am glad that I can say I know some actual Italian fairy tales now.

An Incident in Rome: I did not see this story being a religious themed one. Master Francis really stood out in this story. I loved his eagerness to jump into the depths of the hole that they had just recently discovered. He went into the hole without a care or concern. I loved that he took that autograph on his back no questions asked, granted, he was not going to get any answers regardless of how many questions he asked the old man, whom would later be revealed as Pilate. His fate in the end was something that I did not see coming. I was a little sad to see that his bravery would end up being his downfall.

(Pilate inscription)

A Feast Day: I chose this story since I still do not know how I feel about it. This was a story where I could not guess what the moral would be while I was reading it. I was a fan of the dynamic between the cat and the dog. I loved how they schemed together to steal the fowl from the cauldron and even to hide after. The biggest question I have is what caused everyone to get stuck together? None of the characters really had enough time to develop and give more information about themselves. I did think that it had a poetic ending by insulting the listeners.

Reading Diary A: Italian Fairy Tales

I decided to go with Italian Fairy Tales for my reading diary this week. I chose this unit since I have never knowingly read an Italian fairy tale before this week. That is really odd the more I think about it since Italy is such a culturally rich country. I am glad that I am able to amend that problem this week!

How the Devil Married Three Sisters: This was a rather interesting story to read. I always find it interesting to read about different cultural depictions of the Devil and how they make him act in stories. I found the Devil in this story to be very interesting in the way he acted with his wives. The most intriguing part was that he actually fell in love with the third wife only because she did not open the forbidden door to Hell. I also did not expect him to be so compliant with her demands of carrying the chests either; I would have assumed that he would have refused since he is such an evil character in nature.

Water and Salt: The title for this story is originally what caught my attention. I originally thought it would be a story about the creation of water and salt or something along those lines. The daughter character in this story was fascinating. I am still surprised that she was able to forgive her father after he ordered her to be executed. She has to be one of the most forgiving characters that I have read about. I think this story is a candidate for my storytelling post this week. 

(salt)

Extra Reading Diary: Brothers Grimm (Ashliman)

I was excited to see that there were some Brothers Grimm stories to read for this week. I have only read a few of their stories and I have unfortunately watched the blunder that was the movie. I was eager to read Brothers Grimm (Ashliman) so I could get more acquainted with these famous tales.

Little Red Cap: I wanted to read Little Red Cap since it has been such a long time since I read it, and I know I enjoyed it when I was younger. I realized after reading this now that there were a lot of elements that I did not pick-up on when I read this as a kid. Little Red Cap perfectly represents the innocent character; one of my favorite examples was when she did not even fret when she saw the Wolf. She just wanted to make a new friend. Her eagerness to get her sick grandmother the prettiest bouquet possible was another great example. I do remember that the Wolf's snoring alarming the Hunter always made me laugh as a kid. I still think that was a great way to balance the dark tone of what happened, and it served as a great transition since the story resolves after that.

(Little Red Cap and the Wolf)

Rumpelstiltskin: I chose to read Rumplestiltskin since I have actually never read the story before. I have only been told about his ability to spin things into gold and nothing else. I never knew how twisted of a character he actually was. I was beginning to wonder what she would have to wager when she ran out of jewelry to give him, but I did not see a baby coming in the demand. I was glad to see that his braggadocios ways would be his downfall. I also did not expect him to rip himself in half in the end; I am still trying to wrap my head around that sequence. 

Reading Diary B: Fairy Tales I (Lang)

I really enjoyed reading the Fairy Tales I (Lang) unit this week! It was great to see some stories about characters that I have seen in movies before. I love being to read the initial stories that create the characters we all know and love now. I would definitely recommend reading this unit to anyone that I know.

The Death of the Sun Hero: I was really surprised that I have never read about the Sun Hero before this week. He seems like such a might hero that he should be more well known than he is. I loved that he went on the classic arduous quest to actually earn his title as Sun Hero. I also really enjoyed seeing that there was a sage old hermit to push the hero down the right path for his quest for the golden apple. The ending to this was drastically different than anything I was expecting. I thought for sure that he would defeat the wolves and earn his title. I never saw the failure coming. I really liked how he had forgot about the consequences when he died years later from that fatal crab attack.

(Sun Hero)

The Giants and Herd-Boy: This was another story that I could not predict. I started with the assumption that this would be a tale of evil giants steeling sheep from the herd-boy. This story was not even remotely close to that. One of the weirdest concepts, in my opinion, was how the giants were able to get skinny enough to disappear into the earth through the holes they made. I also did not see them being full of gold and other riches and being hospitable to the outsider. I might have a prejudice against giants the more that I think about it. Another unpredictable aspect of this story was when he was still able to ask for the girl's hand in marriage since they had already fired him. This story was just full of surprises.

Reading Diary A: Fairy Tales I (Lang)

I have to admit that I chose to read the Fairy Tales I (Lang) unit since Puss in Boots was mentioned as one of the stories in it. I had naively assumed that that character was just made for the Shrek movies for some reason. I was so happy to see that the stories of Puss in Boots have been spread around for some time now!

The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots: Puss in Boots definitely has one of the most interesting hunting methods that I have seen. I loved to read that he did actually wear his large, boisterous boots in the story. I did not expect him to just wait for critters to rummage through his bag when they thought he was dead. I was expecting him to prowl around like a proud panther waiting for the opportunity to strike. I still appreciate that he hunts in his own unique way thought. I also liked that Puss in Boots was running a scheme the entire story as well; he is such a unique character. I think I will write about him for my story this week.

 

(puss in boots)

How the Dragon was Tricked: I chose this story since I have always loved a good dragon story; they are always fascinating tales to read about. This story developed totally different that I had thought it would. I did not see the brother that was tied up to the tree in the beginning turning out to be the master trickster that had to confront the dragon. I thought it was really weird how it just progressed from him being tied to the tree. I would have definitely wanted some revenge for getting left to starve to death at the tree. My favorite quality about him is his confidence and assurance.

Extra Reading Diary: Welsh Tales (Emerson)

I decided to go with Welsh Tales for my extra reading diary since it is another culture that I am not very familiar with. I also chose those specific unit since they stories are written the exact same way that they were spoken; I thought that this would help to give some more authenticity behind each story. There were a trove of great stories in this unit!

Origin of the Welsh: I thought this would be a great story to start with since it lays out where the Welsh were originally from. I do have to say that I did not think there would be a Troy reference in this set of stories. I was really fascinated by the Roh bird that was mentioned in the story. I had only ever seen a similar type of creature in some assorted video games, but I did not know that they had been talked about for that long; I had ignorantly assumed that it was more of a modern thought. One thing I found interesting from this story was how it explained their journey from Persia to Troy in pretty good detail, but the rest of their locations were briefly mentioned. It seemed like they just casually migrated until they finally reached England; I definitely did not see Crimea being one of the places that they tried to inhabit.  

Crows: I have to admit that it was really interesting to read that the Counting Crows got their name from this. I love when bands form their names from rich, old tales. I was really intrigued by the opening lines of this story; it is always fascinating to read about numbers of things and how they represent something. Crows definitely seem like one of the most ominous animals to see as a sign for something.

.

(crow)

Week 12 Storytelling: Heir to the Throne

Dear Journal,

I still can not believe that this happened to me; it seems like a fairy tale the more that I think about it. I have lost count of how many times I have pinched myself since Sir Kay and Sir Ector first kneeled before me. I never thought that it would be possible to hear more shocking news than that you are adopted in one day.

Well, I guess I had actually never thought about being adopted before. Sir Kay and Sir Ector treated me like I was kin. I still can not believe that they took me in to their home. Sir Ector has taught me everything I know about being a man; he has been a great father. I have to admit that this does make me curious about my biological dad, Uther Pendragon. Who would have thought that I was the heir to the throne of the grandest king in the land? Nobody can convince me that I am not dreaming right now.

It is going to take me a while to get used to how people interact with me now. I have people who do my chores for me now. There are people who are paid to wait on me hand-and-foot around the clock. I can not even get a midnight snack from the pantry without someone asking me if I need anything; I think I am capable of doing that without any assistance. Is it strange that I still do not know if it is necessary for me to have these people waiting on me? Maybe it is because I still do not fully understand the ramifications of everything that happened; it all just happened at lightning speed. Do not get me wrong, not having to do anymore chores is not too shabby at all.

I have heard all of my life that Uther Pendragon was the best king to ever reside in Camelot. The man has been dead for years and people still say his name in very high regards. How am I supposed to fill shoes that big? I gave the people my word that I would be the best king possible, but will that be enough to be the best king ever? I have to start preparing myself now! I need to learn as much as I can so I can make the best decisions for my people. I am unbelievably lucky to have Merlin in my counsel. He has actually been giving me homework to make sure I am prepared. Actually, I need to stop writing so I can finish my reading for the night.

King Arthur out!

(sword in a stone)

Author's Note: This story was based off of "The Drawing of the Sword." In the original, Arthur is trying to find a sword for Sir Kay, whom he thinks is his biological brother at that point. Arthur is unable to retrieve Sir Kay's actual sword, so he goes and pulls the sword out of the stone. Arthur is befuddled when he finds out that it was a big deal for him to be able to get that sword out. He is soon told that he is actually Arthur Pendragon, the heir to the throne since Uther Pendragon died. He immediately vows to do whatever his foster family wishes to show his gratitude. 

I wrote this from a first-person perspective with Arthur recanting everything that happened in his journal. I chose to do this since I thought it would be interesting to see what someone would be thinking about after finding out that they were king and that their whole life had been a charade. 

Bibliography: "The Drawing of the Sword" by Andrew Lang, from King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table (1902). Web Source: Un-Textbook

Reading Diary B: King Arthur

The King Arthur unit was a phenomenal read this week! It was a great change of pace from most of the stories that we have read so far; I think that can be attributed to the continuing storyline from story to story. It probably also helps that this story has been in writing for some time now. Reading the entire unit made me realize how little I actually knew very little about the Arthurian universe. 

Sir Galahad and the White Knight: I honestly chose the story because I had never heard of Sir Galahad before this. I was only vaguely familiar with Sir Lancelot and Sir Gawain before this. Sir Galahad really stood out to me because he tried to shield his identity at one point in the story. I usually think of knights being very boisterous and proud since being knighted is such a big deal. It felt like the most random of events had to transpire for Sir Galahad to receive the shield. It was really interesting how it was taken from the other knight and just bestowed upon him. I was expecting him to get into a mighty duel or some feat of strength to earn it; I was clearly mistaken. I think I honestly ended up with more questions about Sir Galahad after finishing this story than I did in the beginning. He is a definite candidate to write about for my story this week. I would love to give him a little bit more of a backstory. 

(white shield)

An Adventure of Sir Gawaine: I chose this story because it was kind of a peculiar one, in my opinion. It was a really interesting way to introduce Sir Gawaine like that. You would expect for the first story about a knight to be somewhat filled with action or adventure, but that was not the case with this story. He is simply told by the hermit that he will not be able to go on the quest for the Holy Graal because of the life that he has lived. I loved that he threw a bit of curveball and just listened to what the hermit said and quietly rode off. I was expecting him to plead his case and explain why the hermit was wrong and that he would in fact go on an adventure for the Holy Graal. He just quietly got on his horse and left; this makes Sir Gawaine seem so perplexing.

Reading Diary A: King Arthur

I was really excited to read about King Arthur this week. I have only ever read a few short excerpts in school about him and I've watched a show that was loosely based on the King Arthur stories. This was a great opportunity to read a trove of Arthurian tales and actually learn something about him.

The Drawing of the Sword: I had to write about this one since it immediately made me think about the cartoon Sword and the Stone movie. It was great to read the actual story so I can see how much the movie deviated from the tale. Seeing how humble Arthur is after accomplishing such a mighty feat makes him such a great character. I loved that his first thought as king was pledging allegiance to his foster family for taking care of him. That is definitely something you would not expect to see in a young boy. I am leaning towards writing about Arthur's experience right after he was acknowledged as being the rightful king.

(sword in a stone)

The Passing of Merlin: I have to admit that I was disappointed with how Merlin died. I was expecting him to croak after getting into an intense magical battle of some sort, but no, he was killed with a large rock. I do like how he foresaw how his demise would come, but he continued on. I also liked how they had to add that she used a spell that she had learned from Merlin to kill him

Extra Reading Diary: English Fairy Tales

I decided to go with English Fairy Tales for my extra reading diary this week. I was honestly surprised that I had never read any of these before since they were English. I thought for sure that English fairy tales would be much more prevalent here, but I was mistaken. It was full of rich stories that were definitely a little more twisted than I had though; they were still great nonetheless.

The Rose Tree: This was definitely a peculiar story to read. I had no idea where it was heading for the first half of the story. It actually left me with numerous questions about the plot. Did everyone know that the stepmom actually killed the little girl? I also was wondering if the stepmom killed her for losing the candles or if it was an entirely different matter all together. Another lingering question for me is what kind of bird did she turn into since she was able to carry a millstone heavy enough to kill her stepmother. I actually kind of liked how open the story was for interpretation.

(white bird)

The Three Little Pigs: I really enjoyed reading this since I had never read the English version of it before. It is really intriguing to think about how the same story can be told differently depending on where you are at in the world. This version was definitely more grim than the versions I read in school. The most intriguing part to me was the constant back-and-forth that the wolf had with the last pig. I wonder now why the versions that I have read omit that part. It was great to actually see more characteristics of the wolf and the pig.

Reading Diary B: English Aesop

I read English Aesop for my reading diary this week. Aesop has so many great stories to choose from involving every animal. I also really like how you can see so many sides of one character in Aesop stories since they have so many different tales about them. I do like how the stories can be a little more crass than other folklore stories.

The Wolf: I think that the wolf is one of the most dynamic characters around. He usually has that villainous element about him in most stories. I have always wondered why there is usually that negative image about them. It was refreshing to read about a different perspective of the wolf in The Dog and the Wolf. I loved how he realized that being hungry was better than being an obedient dog that was restricted. The wolf would rather die being free than serve anyone. That is such a unique way of thinking about wolves and why they are not domesticated animals; it really gives them such a unique stance. I am thinking about writing about this independent wolf for my story this week. 

(wolf)

Cats and Weasels: I chose to write about the Cats and Weasels segment since they are not the most common animals for these types of stories, especially weasels. The Man and the Weasel really put it into perspective as to why they are in the same category. I had never thought about weasels being an alternative for a cat to get rid of mice in the house. It makes sense for the weasel character to be similar to the mischievous ways of a cat in the stories. I especially liked how it had to use trickery in Weasel and Mouse to catch the mouse since he was too old to use physical means of catching it.

Reading Diary A: English Aesop

I decided to go with English Aesop for my reading diary this week since there are so many tales from it that I have never read before. It has a trove of great stories to featuring every type of character imaginable. I really am surprised that I had never read any of these before taking this class.

Foxes: I have always been a fan of the trickster character in every story. The fox is able to fit into that mold of the character that you love to hate. One of the fox stories in particular that stood out to me was the Fox and the Crow. I loved how it showed the smooth talking skills of the sly fox. It really showed how cunning he was since he could not physically get the cheese from the crow in the tree. He knew how to play the situation to get exactly what he wanted. I think I will probably write about the fox for my story since he is such a devious character.

(fox)

Lions: The lion character has always been interesting to me since he is such a dominant character. The lion usually has an air of dominance about him since he is the king. I really like reading stories where the arrogance of the lion proves to be his downfall. In the Lion and the Goats, he automatically assumed that he could trick the goats into coming to him to graze. I loved how the goats just respectfully declined him and went on their way with eating; they were not even phased by that deceitful offer. 

Extra Reading Diary: British N. America (Judson)

I decided to go with British N. America (Judson) for my extra reading diary this week. This unit piqued my interests since I have never read about Native American tribes from Canada before this week. I instinctively think of tribes that would be in the United States instead of all of North America. These stories were very unique and interesting!

Grizzly Bear and Coyote: I do have to admit that I did not expect this to be the story that explains day and night from its title. I loved the balance that the Grizzly Bear and Coyote had in this story. They were the perfect counterpart to one another throughout the story. I especially liked how they had a stalemate after they tried to out dance/sing one another until they were exhausted; they were both equally passionate about their cause. One of my favorite elements from this was how they used tail feathers to determine the number of moons and the number of months; this was such a unique way of explaining the numbers behind it. I really enjoyed this story!

(Grizzly Bear and the Coyote)

Why the Sun is Bright: The explanation for this was nothing that I could have had in mind before reading this. Portraying the Sun's brightness as being attributed towards his robe was very interesting. I really liked how he had to trade his goat skin robe to the boy to obtain his bright robe. It makes me wonder if the robe was as vibrant on him when he wore it. 

Storytelling Week 10: The Conniving Coyote

I am tired of Iktomi thinking that he is the best trickster in the land. He thinks that he can underestimate me just because I am a coyote. That big oaf does not even know what funny is. He just walks around all day looking for potential targets to try his shenanigans on. There is too much nuance and subtlety in pulling off the proper prank, something Iktomi will never grasp.

Everywhere I go I hear the other animals talking about how Iktomi is the best trickster around. I have had it with all of this malarkey! I am going to settle this once and for all; I will orchestrate my own prank that will befuddle that nincompoop Iktomi to no end. I want him to know that I am the top dog in these parts. If I can orchestrate my prank perfectly, he will quit his hijinks completely; this will be a lesson for him.

This is going to take a lot of time and effort to cook up something great. Wait, that's it! I am going to get him when he is looking for his next meal. He is going to go to bed hungry and duped. This is going to sound dangerous, but I think I am going to use myself as bait for his supper. He meanders around every evening looking for an easy meal since he thinks hunting takes too much effort. I bet my bottom dollar that he will take me home to eat if I just play dead. Once he carries me all the way back to his shanty, I will make my move. I am going to wait for him to stoke the fire and get his cauldron ready for his big meal before I spring into action. He will be entirely too exhausted from all of that work to stand a chance in catching me. I might even kick some embers in his face before I dash off into the night. I can not wait to see that dumbfounded look on his face!

This is going to be my finest performance ever! I know exactly where he will be today too since he is so predictable. I am already waiting for him by the sage patch that he likes to visit. I might even catch-up on some of my beauty sleep while I wait for Iktomi to stumble upon me. I should probably nap out here in the open since he is not the brightest chap in these lands. I think I hear him coming now!

(coyote)

Author's Note: I decided to do this story from the first person perspective of the coyote. I wanted to show the thought process and resentment that he had for Iktomi in his own words. I also wanted to illustrate that he is only a trickster when he needs to be; he doesn't just do it for the sake of doing it.

This was based off the Sioux story Iktomi and the Coyote. In the original, it focuses on Iktomi finding the coyote playing dead and taking him back to eat him. The coyote comes to life once Iktomi throws him onto the fire. He kicks the embers into Iktomi's face and lets him know that you should never make a fire until you know your meal is dead. I modeled my story as being the precursor to the original story.

Bibliography: 

"Iktomi and the Coyote" by Zitkala-Sa, from Old Indian Legends (1901). Web Source: Un-Textbook

Reading Diary B: Sioux Legends

I finished the rest of Sioux Legends, and it did not disappoint. It was full of very peculiar, but entertaining stories. The peculiarity of the stories actually made me focus more since they have such unique plots. It really makes me wonder how long these stories were only passed along by word of mouth since it took so long to transcribe them.

Iktomi and the Ducks: I still am having trouble envisioning the Iktomi character, especially since he is the spider fairy. I wanted to immediately envision him as being some gigantic spider that ran around causing a muck. I was very surprised to read that Iktomi is actually a man outfitted in deer skin. My favorite thing from this story was how they described him as being dishonest since he used snares to catch his prey. I have never thought about using a snare to be a dishonorable activity. It makes me curious as to how highly they valued the top hunters in their culture.

Iktomi and the Coyote: The coyote was actually more interesting than Iktomi, which I did not think was possible after reading all of the stories before this one. I kept thinking that he was going to dart off of Iktomi's back at any moment. Riding on someone's back for the sake of not walking sounds like a very dangerous game. I am curious if the coyote was actually asleep before or if he put on a guise just for Iktomi. I also could not comprehend why he waited until he was thrown into the fire to make a run for it; he could have left while Iktomi was gathering supplies. I think I am going to write about this bold coyote this week.

(coyote)

Reading Diary A: Sioux Legends

I decided to go with Sioux Legends this week since the description for it said there would be a trickster. Trickster stories have proven to be some of my favorite tales that I have read in this class. Each culture has such a unique way of making their own trickster that you love to hate.

The Rabbit and the Bear with the Flint Body: This is one of the most peculiar stories that I have read in this class. The bear having a body that was half flint wasn't even close to being the most intriguing part of this story. The rabbit had so much more power than I had expected. He was able to summon enough strength to split the flint bear in half and kill all of the remaining bears that chased him. The rabbit was so much more violent than I could have ever expected. I always perceive rabbits as being gentle animals; the Sioux people seemed to have had a slightly different outlook on them.

               (The Flint Bear and Rabbit illustration from the original book)

The Boy and the Turtles: This was another story that had an unexpected ending, in my opinion. The boy character was very interesting, especially since he ended up receiving such a high honor in the end. I am curious as to why he received the Holy Man title since the two warriors also saw the turtles as men. I am left wondering if it took the boy spotting them for them to actually turn into men. I have a lot of questions after reading this story.

Extra Reading Diary: Apache Tales

I chose to read Apache Tales for my extra reading diary this week. It was the first time that I have ever read any Native American stories outside of the Cherokee ones from my Cherokee class. They offer such an interesting outlook for explaining why things are the way they are. It is also great to read about animals that are indigenous to the united states. It makes me think about these stories could have very likely been spread around amongst my much older relatives.

Coyote Secures Fire: I really enjoyed the Coyote in this story. He was so determined to get the fire from the Fireflies regardless of what would happen to him. I thought it was interesting touch to add the part about petrified wood being the only thing to withstand the great fire that happened after the Coyote stole the fire. I also thought it was a weird mishap with him losing his skin after playing the hoop game. It was a very interesting that they made the correlation between the similarities of fur on the Badger and the fur of the Coyote.

(Coyote)

The Swallowing Monster: I honestly chose this because I had no idea what the swallowing monster could be when I started reading it. I am very glad that I chose to read this confusing gem of a story. I was hoping that the monster would actually be some type of animal. Then it completely transition into the spiders coming into play. The little girl turning into a frog at the end came out of nowhere. This story was definitely all over the place.

Reading Diary B: Myths of Cherokee

I decided to go with Myths of Cherokee for my reading this week. It was a fantastic read from start to finish; all of the stories were filled with rich, dynamic characters. I also love seeing the personalities that they give to the animals in all of the stories.

The Crane and the Hummingbird: This was a very surprising story to say the least. It seemed like it would be a classic story of winning a lady's hand in marriage by besting the other suitor. I really liked how the hummingbird was still able to keep the race a little interesting for most of the race since he had such a fast travel speed. I thought it would have been way more lopsided from the first night of the hummingbird resting. The twist with her not marrying the crane after he won was great. I still don't quite understand why she would have agreed to setting the whole thing up if she did not plan on keeping her word.

(crane)

The Owl Gets Married: This was another very interesting story to read. I honestly was curious where the owl was going to come into play during this. I never knew that owls would fish for their food before this; I always assumed they ate a vast array of bugs instead. I still am kind of unsure what the story meant by him permanently changing to his owl form where you can only see the flesh on his face. I had assumed they were feathered all over before this too. It was still a great story despite some of the confused moments that I had.

Reading Diary A: Myths of Cherokee

I was really excited to see that we were on Native American stories this week! It is crazy to think how these stories have been around us for so long but are still unknown by most people. I decided to go with Myths of Cherokee for my reading since that is my tribe.

Tobacco and Strawberries: This was a really interesting story to read. I have never seen tobacco portrayed in such an important light before this. I think I am too used to seeing all of the adverse effects that tobacco has to ever think of it like that. It was also really interesting to see how they wanted to use it to cure the old woman before she died of not having it. This might be the most interesting story that I have read all semester just for that reason. It was great to see how the small, nimble hummingbird was able to save the day. That was especially great since everyone doubted him because of his size.

(tobacco plant)

How the Rabbit Stole the Otter's Coat: I really loved reading this story from beginning to end! I loved how the animals having fur coats was kind of like a fashion battle between them all. They all have unique accents that make their coat their own and original. I had never thought about how this could be a fashion statement amongst animals before. I definitely did not see the explanation of why the rabbit doesn't have a full tail before this. I am definitely interested in writing about the trickster rabbit for my storytelling post this week.

Commenting Review Week

I have definitely received some insightful comments in this class. The comments have helped me improve my writing technique as a whole. I am able to get little suggestions from different people on all of my posts. When I am commenting on other people's stories, I tend to look at the flow of the story. Smooth transitions between topics make a story perfect, in my opinion. Dialogue in a story is another pivotal thing to have in a story. The conversations need to seem like they are not forced. 

 

(Michael Scott inspirational quotes)

Writing Review Week

I think the best writing strategy for my storytelling posts is to read each story with the storytelling assignment in the back of my mind. I take a closer look at each character while I am reading to see who has that quality that I am looking for. The reading diary selections help me to have some reference for my characters, so I am not having to completely start from scratch. I do love that I get to breathe new life into some of my favorite characters by adding my own twist on them. My favorite storytelling post has to be the one I wrote over Odysseus. I have always been enthralled by his character ever since I was introduced to him in school. He has such a unique complex about him that piques my interest. He is a resolute leader with glaring faults. He is able to face any consequences or repercussions, like taunting the cyclops after they were already set to sail. I have also been able to gain some valuable insight from other students with their comments. I have been able to tweak a few things because of it, which improves my writing as whole.

 

(Odysseus and crew fleeing from Polyphemus)

Reading Review Week

I have honestly had the luck of liking all of the readings that I have done this semester. I think the key reason for that is how you explain what kind of story they are and give us numerous option to read something that caters to that. I personally have always loved reading/hearing about folktales through the perspective of animals, so I try to choose a story like that every week. The most memorable stories I read came from the Jamaica Anansi Stories. They were different than any kind of stories I have ever read before; especially with the unique trickster role that Anansi took. The main story that comes to mind is the "Sheep and Anansi Story." It took me multiple attempts at reading that story since they it was written in a dialect that I am not very familiar with, but it was well worth the extra effort. All of the Jamaica Anansi Stories had such rich content in them once I was able to decipher it all. I really enjoy how you give us so many reading options from different areas in every unit. I feel like I am able to learn a little more about all of these different cultures through their folktales. I honestly have no suggestions for improvement on the stories. 

(sheep)

Extra Reading Diary: Tibetan Folk Tales

I chose to go with Tibetan Folk Tales for my extra reading diary this week. It was a very good read chock-full of vibrant stories from a rich culture. I would definitely recommend reading this to anyone that I know.

The Tiger and the Frog: This was a very interesting cast of characters with an even more unique outcome. I loved the brazen attitude of the frog in this story. He was not foolish since he realized how much danger he was in from the start with the tiger. He knew that he could not let the tiger see the fear in him. His boldness is definitely out-shined by his shear wit. He was able to think and adjust to any situation that presented itself to him. I also loved that he knew that he could talk to the tiger in the same way even though he returned with a companion. The frog had won the most important fight, the battle of wits.


(the tiger and frog)

How the Fox Fell a Victim to His Own Deceit: I really loved the characters and moral of the story. I still am unsure as to why the fox was not included in the speech by the dying mother tiger. It seems like he should have been included in that since he had been there longer than the calf. My favorite event in the story had to be when the calf had enough of the tension and confronted the tiger about wanting to kill him. I think that is the hidden moral of this story for sure. It shows that conflicts can be defused if you simply talk to the person. I think this moral is just as significant as the actual one of the story about never coming between friends.

Storytelling for Week 7: A Bat's Regret

I still can not believe that the rat is dead. Did he honestly believe me when I told him to bathe in his boiling cauldron of soup to make it extra sweet? What an imbecile! I thought that every animal was smart enough to not willingly get into a boiling vat. I was just trying to play a little prank on him. I never would have pulled this stunt if I knew that it would have killed him. Never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be in this predicament.

To make matters worse, his wife went on and told everyone that I was the murderer! How was she able to spin that lie about? Better question, how did she convince the king that I was to blame for this? He has all of his men out on the hunt for me as we speak. I do not know how to convince them otherwise without them trying to kill me. I tried telling them what really happened as they chased me out of town; they thought I was lying and that I was just trying to save my hide. 

Why won't they listen to me? Nobody is taking me serious when I try to tell them what happened. The rat's wife is really pulling at everyone's heartstrings with her sob story. I do not know how I can possibly compete with that. Who would want to take my side after hearing that? I think they all have a grudge against me to begin with. Maybe my sarcasm rubbed them the wrong way? Nobody around here appreciates the art form that is comedy. Actually, maybe I do not need them after all. Why would I want to live around a bunch of stiffs that can not take a joke anyways? This could be a silver lining the more I think about it.

Living in the bush is not too bad now that I think about it. I do not have to live by the king's strict laws anymore; I am free to do as I please. I hope they stop their hunt for me soon though. I can not go out in the daytime without risking being spotted. Lucky for me, none of the king's lackeys can see good at night. It looks like I am going to have to stay on my nocturnal schedule until all of this blows over.

(bat)

Author's Note: This is based off of the story "Why the Bat Flies by Night." In the original story the bat tricks the rat into thinking that the best soup is made by bathing in it to make it extra sweet. The rat decides goes home and tells his wife about this, and he decides to make his own soup the same way. His wife later finds him dead in the boiling cauldron of soup. She tells the king what happened, and he quickly sends everyone out after the bat. The bat is only able to survive at night after this since everyone is hunting for him during the day.

I wanted to frame this story from the perspective of the bat immediately after everything unfolded. I also wanted to use him as a modern trickster by using comedy and playing jokes on people.

Bibliography: "Why the Bat Flies by Night" by Elphinstone Dayrell, from Nigerian Folk Stories (1910). Web Source: UN-Textbook.

Reading Diary B: Nigerian Folktales

I finished reading Nigerian Folktales, and it was great. The rich Nigerian culture was able to really come to life in these stories. I love reading cultural stories that are relayed through the personification of animals; it really shows where each of these stories are coming from.

The Affair of the Hippopotamus and the Tortoise: This was quite the perplexing story. I found it really interesting that the tortoise would go to such great lengths to have the king hippo leave the land. Nothing about the story made it seem like the hippo was unfair to anyone. I really want to make a backstory explaining why the tortoise wanted to get the hippo out of his role, even though the tortoise did not try to take the vacant throne himself. I did enjoy reading that his seven wives would be the hippos ultimate downfall. He could not possibly expect to keep his name a secret while have that many wives.

(hippopotamus)

Why the Moon Waxes and Wanes: This a very interesting explanation for the cycles of the moon. The full moon being a large woman is something that I have never heard before. The little girl in the story is still the most intriguing to me. She is only mentioned the one time that she alerts everyone. Why didn't she have any loyalty to the old woman? I want to know more about her. I did like how the moon only being out at night was explained by the fact that she was scared of people after her encounter.