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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
