Reading Notes: The Creation of the World (A)

 

Earth; Wikipedia

I thought this was such a beautiful story of how Earth created the world. My favorite part was the creation of the stars, and how Earth spit out water when the sun and moon were not visible, and there was only darkness…how creative! I also really liked how nature was a huge theme. Earth was the one that pretty much created nature in my opinion in this story, or at least that was what interpreted.

There is a lot I can do with this story. I still would like for my main character to be Earth, and Earth creating nature. However, I would like to add in a bit of humor into the story. You can never go wrong with a little bit of humor. I also want to include dialogue between Earth, sun, and the moon! I may or may not include stars as the characters. I think it’ll be a very cute and fun story to read! It’ll be so much fun creating the word. I think I’ll really enjoy being creative with this story, and I think it could be one of my favorites! Another area that I could include is seasons!

Seasons are always a fun theme. I think Fall is going to be my inspiration because the leaves are falling around me, and the colors are starting to finally make their appearance! I think there will be lots of imagery in this story I can work with. I can create pictures with my words, which I absolutely love doing! Colors, seasons, touch, aroma, vibes, and many other “feel good” things will be included! I’m excited!  

Bibliography: Katharine Berry Judson's Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest:  The Creation of the World

Reading Notes: How the River God’s Wedding Was Broken Off (B)

River; Flickr

This was an interesting story. I couldn’t help but think of arranged marriages, or forced marriages when I read this story. However, this story had magic and unrealistic characters and a fairy-tale like vibe. I think there are a lot of different things that I can change up to make this into my story. One aspect I definitely would like to keep is the river. I want the river to have a scary image. It’s hard to believe, but some people are actually scared of water. The thought of a river, ocean, and even a lake can cause fear. It could be the fear of drowning, or the amount of pressure water can have.

The brides in my story are all going to have a different characteristic of their own that attracts the river. I’ll have four different options for the river as brides. The concept of money is also something I want to keep. However, I want to include materialistic things as bribery for a bride. This concept reminds me of dowry, which is unfortunately still part of many cultures. I think this story will allow me to project how this concept still is a huge part of marriages in Asia.

I think this will be a fun story to write. I was particularly interesting in the character of Si-Men Bau. He seems like a very wise, caring governor. I also liked how he asked the girl’s parents to not hurry. He wanted to help, and wanted to end a terrible tradition. The river’s character and Si-Men Bau’s characters is something I want to make even more complex. I’m looking forward to using symbolism to put an unique twist on my story!  

Bibliography: R. Wilhelm's The Chinese Fairy Book: How the River God’s Wedding Was Broken Off

Reading Notes: The Man Who Did Not Wish to Die (A)

Origami crane; Wikipedia

 This was an entertaining story! First of all, I really liked the main character's name, Sentaro, because it just flows so nicely off the tongue. I always enjoy stories that have to do with the "elixir of life". It seems that there is one of these stories in almost each unit we've done so far. I would assume it's because the idea of a long life is so appealing to people. I think these types of stories are super fun to write and even read because there's so many various ways you can twist them and be creative in order to get your message across. I like how in this story, Sentaro has to travel to the peaks of a mountain in order to find the ever so elusive elixir. It adds the element of a journey to the story.

Topsyturvydom, what an interesting name for a place that longs to die! It seemed so magical until I found out that people in this place drink poison and hope to die in order to reach "Paradise". It's the complete opposite of what Sentaro was looking for. I thought the part about the little paper crane enlarging to be able to fit Sentaro was a nice idea to add some magical moments in my story. Maybe I could tell my story this week from a witch's point of view and have her ride a broomstick!

As expected though, it seems like Sentaro finally became weary of living for so long in one place and doing the same thing. I think it's necessary to spice up life and do things differently every once in a while so it's understandable that Sentaro got tired of his routine life after three hundred years. Wow, i was not expecting all that to be a dream and a lesson taught by Jofuku. This sort of twist would be great for my story this week!

Bibliography: Yei Theodora Ozaki's Japanese Fairy Tales: The Man Who Did Not Wish to Die

Reading Notes: My Lord Bag of Rice (Extra Credit)

Bag of Rice - by Laura Turner; Flickr

I enjoyed reading this story because it reminded me of those superhero comics and television series that everyone watches. I really liked how the story involved some magic, especially how the Dragon King could disguise himself as an actual dragon whenever he wanted. I found it funny that a dragon would be scared of a centipede but after reading a little more, it looks as if the centipede wasn't your average critter. I enjoyed the exaggerated version of it though. I think this could be a good starting point for my next story because there's a lot to work with. My story could be about a fearless warrior like Hidesato or it could be a twist on the original from the centipede's point of view. There's so many directions I could go with this!

I think I definitely want this story set in modern times though. I think it would make it much easier to relate to for the readers if the same concept of the original story was just applied to modern circumstances. For example, instead of Hidesato saving a dragon from a centipede, I could write about a man or woman saving a deer from a lion or a civilian from a murderer. The possibilities are endless! I like the idea of a civilian being saved from a murdered more than the other because it adds excitement and intensity to the story!

One thing I really thought was a nice element to the story was how grateful the Dragon King was afterwards. The gifts Hidesato was given all seem so marvelous and useful. Who wouldn't want a magic cooking pot and unlimited rice and sowing material? In my story maybe I could make the gifts a little more practical but also super handy. Great read overall and plenty of information for me to use for a future story of my own!

Bibliography: Yei Theodora Ozaki's Japanese Fairy Tales: My Lord Bag of Rice

Week 7 Reading Notes:Tibetan Folk Tales (B)

How the Rabbit Killed the Lion

First thing I noticed about the short story was the detail and imagery used to describe everything happening. It really made the story come together and impress. Again, I notice the trend of some trickery going on, no doubt for entertainment purposes, as well as some long, winding sentences to coax the reader into reading more. I do enjoy the writing style and tone of the author.

The Story of the Three Hunters

This story was a little dark in my opinion! It's interesting how the wives just decided to hate the sister on whim. It didn't seem like they had any reason to besides the fact that they just might not like her living there with them. I wasn't sure if the soul of the sister transferring to the bird was supposed to be a hint at reincarnation but it certainly seemed like it was. From what I remember (I may be very wrong), this region does believe in the idea of reincarnation. If so, it would make sense! There was a lot of killing involved in this story so I don't think I'll include much of that in my story for this week. I like writing happier, more enjoyable stories because I think it reflects on who I am as a person.


How the Raven Saved the Hunter

 I liked the message that I got from this story. In his greed, the man neglected to understand why the raven kept knocking the water out of his hand. It's not until after he kills the raven that he begins to suspect something is wrong. Sure enough, he finds that the water is toxic and that he killed the raven for no reason at all.

A flying raven; Wikipedia

 Bibliography

Tibetan Folk Tales by Albert Shelton

Week 7 Reading Notes: Tibetan Folk Tales (A)

The Tiger and the Frog

I found this story to be quite entertaining from the beginning. It was humorous that the tiger was so easily fooled and frightened by a boastful frog. It goes to show that looks can be deceiving and not everyone is who they seem! Something I didn't fully understand was the part about the tiger and fox tying their tails together...maybe I'm missing the point while reading it or it's meant to be taken figuratively? Regardless, I like the playful nature of this story and hope to implement something similar in my story this week. Maybe instead of using animals in my story, use actual people and see how that turns out. Or I could stick to what seems like a theme in this unit and write with animals as the main focus.

Frog vs. Tiger; UN-Textbook

The Cony Who Got into Bad Company

I liked the writing style of this story the most. The way it opened up with a long, winding sentence really caught my eye and drew me into the story. What was really nice about this story was that it taught a lesson to the reader, a moral if you will. That's something that I feel is difficult but also something that I want to improve upon and try this week!

The Story of the Donkey and the Rock

My favorite story yet! I wasn't expecting this twist at all but I sure did enjoy it. The author gets you to expect one things but something completely different ends up happening. I found the irony in the story to be refreshing and got a nice kick out of it. I noticed again that this story also starts off with a longer-than-usual sentence that helps get the reader's attention. A moment that I found was particularly important was the fact that all those people showed up to watch a ridiculous trial. What were they expecting?!

Bibliography

Tibetan Folk Tales by Albert Shelton 

Reading Notes: Bengal: The Origin of Rubies, Part B

 

Ruby

Picture by Rob Lavinsky 

Source: Wikipedia

Rubies are such a pretty stone. I feel this type of rock was appreciated more in the past, and slowly making it’s reappearance in the present. It can be found in so many different types of jewelry. The beauty is definitely breathtaking. I think the different colors of the stone make it very different and unique—sort of like the story of its origin in Bengal. I feel this story made this one ruby symbolize beauty and treasure.

In my own twist on this story I would like to keep beauty and treasure as the two symbolic aspects of this gem. I thought the characters in the original story were interesting. Favoritism was an interesting topic, but this is something I would like to change. I would like for my story to have no favorites, and instead of a boy finding this ruby, I would like a young girl to discover it with her sisters. I want my story to be an adventure for these girls. I would like to keep the setting at sea. However, something I would like to change up is to have the girl discovering the gem to be less fortunate than the girl that desires the gem from her. This would be a twist from the original story because in the original the boy has the stone, and a daughter of a king wants the stone.

I feel like this would be such a fun story to write about because who wouldn’t love a tale of how a beautiful stone came to be. I feel like this would be a great bedtime story. Symbolism will be the highlight of my story, and it will show my readers appreciation for an underrated gem. The sisters’ character development will also be interesting to write about. 

Bibliography: Folk-Tales of Bengal: "The Origin of Rubies" by Rev. Lal Behari Day

Reading Notes: Raja Rasalu: The King and His Two Queens, Part A

Water as a Crown

Picture by James Moran

Source: Flickr

Wow, this was definitely a dramatic story. Some of my favorite parts included how the prince sprinkled water to make the garden grow again. I feel like I can use water as symbolism in my own story for hope. I also liked how the prince takes on another form. However, in my own story I would like for the prince to still take on another form, but as an animal. Perhaps, I’ll have him be a tiger because they are some of my favorite animals.

I thought the original story was very will written when it came to portraying emotion. I also would like to include a lot of emotions in my story. Jealousy was an aspect I noticed while reading, and I think this emotion is harder to portray as a writer. I feel the best way for me to portray jealousy in my story would be to include magic used for evil.

The characters were also very interesting. You could easily differentiate between the protagonist and antagonist. I think dialogue will come in handy for me differentiate my characters. The original story was told in order to show the importance of a son for these two women. I would like to change this to putting an importance on daughters. I feel women are portrayed as less in some classic tales, but I can easily change that.

This story will allow me to be creative with drama and emotions, and I think that’s a different aspect I’ll be able to explore when it comes to writing my own stories. Nature, emotions, drama, family, and a little magic will definitely help me create a unique story! 

Bibliography:  Tales of the Punjab: "Raja Rasalu: The King and His Two Queen"

by Flora Annie Steel

Reading Notes: Adladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, Part B

Aladdin

Picture by Verónica Marín 

Source: Flickr

This was such a fun read because it reminded me of my childhood! Aladdin was such a fun movie as a kid and even as an adult because there is so much imagination, color, culture, drama, and so much more that went into this classic film. It is by far one of my favorites. That being said, there is an unlimited amount of routes I can take when writing. I think one of the main elements of this original story I would like to change is switching the gender of the main character! I feel this would be a unique twist, and bring a different prospective on the classic story. I would also like more characters involved for dialogue purposes.

I want the setting of my story to be in the “streets,” as in being set in an area where people are not well off, and struggle to make a living. I would like my main theme to represent poverty. I could also include a current event in today’s world to represent poverty, and make my story more realistic for my readers. I feel the best way to approach this topic would be to write in a kid friendly manner. I feel like I can make my story fun and have something to think about after reading.

I’m excited to let myself let the original story take me on my own journey into my imagination, and create something fun and interesting! I think my readers will enjoy the theme, and the main character being a female in a less fortunate environment, and encountering some crazy events. Wish me luck! 

Bibliography:  Andrew Lang's The Arabian Nights' Entertainments: "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 1"

Reading Notes: The Cat the Cock, and the Young Mouse, Part B

Mouse

Picture by Liz Henwood

Source: Flickr

This was such a good short story to read. My favorite part had to be the end where the author states the moral of the story, “never judge people by their looks.” In other words, “never judge a book by its cover. I think this is definitely a valuable lesson to learn as a child. This short story was put together in a very simple way that everyone can understand, and have fun reading. I admire that element about these short stories the most.

That being said, I want to keep the simplicity in my own story. I would like to change up the characters to animals that are a little more exotic like a peacock because they are beautiful creatures with a lot to offer to see if you were to witness a peacock for the first time like how the mouse in this story encountered a cat for the first time. I also would like to have an extra character that serves as a “helping hand.” I would like to keep the moral of the story.

This story had a lot of vivid imagery included. The word usage, and description of the animals is something I want to include—meaning I would like to describe all the characteristics of my characters while writing this story. 

Bibliography:  The Aesop's For Children's with illustration by Milo Winter, "The Cat the Cock, and the Young Mouse"

Reading Notes: A Lion and A Man, Part A

 

Lion

Picture by Kevin Pluck 

Source: Wikipedia

I couldn't help but think of The Lion King when I was reading this fable. I could include this movie in my own story I wanted to help my readers picture The Lion King while reading my own little twist including elements of the fable. I can make it into a kid friendly short story with different animals.

My favorite part of this fable was the moral of the story—listen to your parents because they want the best for you! That was kind of my own interpretation of the fable. There are so many things I can portray with this concept like the consequences of now abiding by the rules parents set for us, and the reasons behind them.

I really like the way this fable was set up. I may follow the flow of the fable, and how the lion goes to different animals to ask the same question. I think it’s a simple and easy way to follow the end of the short story. I’m looking forward to using my imagination! I’ll also include of a lot of nature to help my main character if I can. I think this will help my setting come together. For character development, I’ll include best friends with my main character for dialogue! Looking forward to create my writing with this short story! 

Bibliography: Roger L'Estrange's Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists