Reading Notes: Bible Women Part B

When reading part B of the unit "Bible Women," I found a great deal of inspiration, both for stories and for life. The first story is of the witch of Endor. The witch of Endor is a woman admittedly is not familiar to me. She doesn't really do much here, except deal with witchcraft, which is pretty spoken against in the Bible.
The story of Bathsheba is a tragic one. I can imagine Bathsheba just going about her day, possibly in fear for her husband's life, when the king demands she come to him. She can't say no to the king, but I don't believe that she wanted to be with David. I choose to believe she loved Uriah and felt terribly guilty for this adultery. Perhaps I am wrong. However, I see no reason to condemn Bathsheba, and I do feel bad for her. It could be interesting to write the story from her perspective, perhaps in biblical times, or perhaps in the modern world. I would like to keep her loyal if I did though.
Esther was such an amazing woman, and she deserves the book named after her. She was beautiful, but I think it was her kindness and gentleness which caused people to like her. She could have been beautiful, but a horrid person, like Vashti. However, she was kind and people noticed. I also love how this is basically the origination of the bachelor, except with many, many more candidates. A story about a competition for a man's heart is always a fun one to write, and I could even switch it around and make Esther a man. I also love Esther's compassion. She was in a place where she could have ignored her people and lived her life in luxury. But instead, she chose to use her new status to save her people. It was incredibly brave to do, as she could have been killed along with them. I love that this story is not simply one where a beautiful girl becomes a queen, but also where she uses her power to help people and to do good. 

The story of Susanna is one I have never heard before. I found myself rooting for Susanna, and getting upset when she was pronounced guilty. I admire her piety and her loyalty to God and her husband. It would be hard to accept death, but she does it knowing she is innocent. This is a really beautiful story.
I love the story of Elisabeth and Mary, because it shows two women in very different situations-one very old and one very young-who were both blessed with children. I believe it is because of their faith and obedience in God that caused them to be blessed. I wish we could know more about these women, because they seem so amazing. Perhaps I could write a story about one or both of them.
Herodias was an extremely crazy woman it would seem. I could possibly understand her anger at John the Baptist. However, asking for a man's head seems to be the request of a morbid person. It seems almost ridiculous that her daughter would go along with it and give her mother John's head. This is a very odd story indeed.
Martha and Mary were some interesting women in the Bible. I can understand Martha's irritation that her sister is being very unhelpful. But while she was stressing about, trying to make things perfect, Mary chose to relax and enjoy Jesus' teachings, and I think she found the true reward. Later, when their brother dies, again Martha tries to impress Jesus even in her grief by telling him she has faith, and so she may. However, Mary is much more transparent with Jesus, and in a way blames him. I think this passage shows that while Martha outwardly appeared to be the more godly one, Mary internally understood Jesus more. I love these two sisters and I think it would be cool to write about them, though I am not sure what I would write. Perhaps a story of a brother dying, and the sisters' grief. 

All in all, I have a lot of ideas, and it will be difficult to chose what to write about for tomorrow's story. 

"Bible Women," the Bible. Source link: Part B

Image 1 information: "Queen Esther" by Verena (verrykt), 2009. Web source: DeviantArt
Image 2 information: "Mary Has Chosen What is Better" by Anna (christadaelia), 2013. Web source: DeviantArt

Reading Notes: Bible Women Part A

For this week's unit, I chose to read about women of the Bible. This is something I've actually been wanting to do for quite some time, so I was very excited to find a unit specifically for that. I want to look at the characters of the women, so that is what I will be mostly focusing on. It all begins with Eve, the first woman. Many people blame Eve for bringing sin into the world, but not many stop to think that Adam was standing right with her, watching as the serpent tricked her and willingly eating the fruit with her. Eve was a woman who thought she deserved more than what was given to her, even though she was given the world (and so did Adam). I find Eve fascinating because she was the first woman and because even though she messed up, she was still able to bring so much life to the world. It is always interesting to write about women being deceived. 

The story of Sarah and Isaac is such a sweet story. She's a woman who all her life longed for a child, and abandoned all hope of having one, and then God brings her such joy with Isaac.
The story of Hagar has always had my sympathies. She never asked to be abused and mistreated. Through it all, God still had a plan for her. I love this story because even when Sarah didn't trust God and tried to do things her own way, he was still able to use Hagar and still cared for her. It would be interesting to write about a servant who was mistreated (though there are many stories about that).
In the passage about Rebekah, she is completely chill throughout this whole passage. Perhaps this was the norm in biblical times for a random man to meet a girl and ask him to marry his master. He noticed her because of her compassion for others, which is a truly admirable trait. I could write a story similar to this, maybe the girl is willing, maybe she is not.
The story of Rachel and Leah is such a complicated and fascinating one. I admire so much Jacob's love for Rachel that he would work seven years for her, which is why it is so unjust that he is tricked. On the other hand, my heart hurts for Leah, who even though she was older, always came second to Rachel, especially when it came to the love of her husband. Leah deserved to be loved just as Rachel was. I could perhaps write a story about this, but in my story, Leah finds love.
Potiphar's wife is one of the first examples of an ungodly, seductive woman. She was not even worthy of a name mentioned because she was so deceitful.
The story of Jephthah's daughter is another one of an unnamed woman, except this woman is deserving of one. I cannot completely understand this story, and I very much wish that it ended like the story of Abraham and Isaac. However, Jephthah's daughter was so brave and loyal that she did not fight her father or run away, but she accepted her fate. It is truly a tragic story, and one I would definitely rewrite for a better ending.
Delilah is another example of a deceitful woman. Samson certainly had his faults, however he loved Delilah and she betrayed him (although I must question Samson's judgment for he should have realized her deceit). Delilah is not a strong woman, but one who is easily cohered into doing what others want her to do.
The story of Hannah is very similar to the story of Rachel, however Hannah seems much more devoted to God than Rachel. She is completely faithful and pours out her hear to God and then trusts that he will deliver. I have much sympathy for Hannah and I rejoice in her happiness. This happy story would be a great one to rewrite, perhaps in today's society. 

"Bible Women" Source link: Part A
Image 1 information: Posted on Joe Ortiz' blog, 2014. Web source: Son of Encouragement
Image 2 information: "Woman Praying," Author unknown, 2011. Web source: Wikipedia Commons

Feedback Thoughts: Giving and Receiving Feedback

When reading about giving and receiving feedback, the article that I most related to was “5 Tips for Taking Feedback like a Champ" by Megan Bruneau. I am not very good at receiving criticism and I often take it very personally. One tip Bruneau mentions is to separate “state” and “trait.” Most of the time, criticism is not an attack on myself, but simply on how well or not so well I did a job. I know that if I keep this in mind, I will be less likely to be so hurt by criticism, although it may never stop hurting. Another tip Bruneau offers is to look at criticism as a good thing, as it means you have growing to do. Growth is always a positive thing, and should be look at as such. I also enjoyed Guy Winch’s article, “Why Rejection Hurts so Much—and What to do About it.” I felt this was a good article because it reiterates again and again to not let rejection form your self-worth, which I let happen a lot. So I am not so good at receiving feedback, and can definitely improve. On the flip side, I am good at giving positive feedback, but not negative feedback. Gravity Goldberg gave some good advice in his article, “Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset.” He treats feedback as something that should always help the one receiving feedback grow. It should focus on hard work and encouragement, while still helping to improve the individual. This is something I can work on. Poncie Rutsch’s article, “The Difference Between Praise That Promotes Narcissism vs. Healthy Self-Esteem,” was really good in that it showed how focusing on hard work instead of intelligence or skill can help a child succeed. I know that when someone notices how hard I am working, it makes me feel good and causes me to want to keep working hard. Feedback, whether it comes from school, work, or friends, can always help me grow and is not something I should shrink away from.

Image information: Posted by Anouk Janssens-Bevernage on her blog, The eLearning Nomad. Web source: Dynamind-eLearning 

Storytelling Week 2: The Tragedy of Medusa

He's coming to kill me.

She sees him, still a distance away, approaching her cave, sneering in disgust as he walks past the figures outside the cave, the ones she has tried so hard to forget, but ones which she cannot bring herself to destroy.

I never wanted anyone to die.

A memory sparks in her mind, distracting her from her present situation. A memory of the time before she was a hideous monster. She was so beautiful, and she knew it. But so did everyone else, which was the problem. So many men tried to seduce her. She was of course not interested in any of those oafs. She had pledged herself to the virgin goddess, Minerva. With a lump in her throat she recalls the many times men tried to force themselves on her, but by the gods she managed to survive.

Until it was then a god who forced himself on her.

Neptune.

She was such a loyal servant to Minerva. Even in her vanity, all she wished for was to please her goddess. And Minerva had been so kind to her, blessing her when men would try to violate her, or when women would bully her out of jealousy. When she was in Minerva's temple, she felt peace and love.

Until that scoundrel Neptune shattered those feelings.

He's getting closer.

She remembers the day so vividly, for it was the day her life changed completely. Serving Minerva was her life, and for the goddess she remained chaste. But Neptune cared little for her vow. He is a god, he takes what he craves, and he craved her. Despite her numerous attempts at warding him away, telling him she belonged to Minerva, he would not listen.

She closes her eyes, not wanted to relive the shame, the disgrace. He had violated her, in a holy temple. Her screams were not heard, not even by the goddess herself, not until it was too late. Once he had finished with her, he left her on the hard floor of the temple, stained.

He's so close now.

There is nothing to be done. She can only run farther into her cave. She doesn't want to hurt another human, but it is her only way of survival. Minerva had made sure of that.

Minerva.

She was so kind. As soon as Neptune had vanished, she appeared, tears in her own eyes. "Oh my poor child. You were not meant for such degradation. I am so sorry. There is nothing that can be done. My uncle cannot be contended with. However, I can make certain this never happens to you again." Minerva waved her hand, and Medusa felt her head being contorted. As quickly as it began, it stopped, and Medusa could hear hissing noises in her ears. She touched her hair, and flinched back to feel the scaly skin of a snake.

"Why-?"

"I have changed your appearance. No longer are you a beautiful maiden, but now your face is as hideous as a monster's, and your eyes now have the power to change men and beast to stone. No man will ever harm you again, my child. You will live a life of isolation, but you will be safe."

She was wrong.
Medusa was never safe. Great "heroes" from all over the world came to her dwelling, looking for glory by slaying the mighty Medusa. So far, no one had succeeded.

He's different, though. He has more motivation than the others.

He struts in proudly behind her, sword in hand, eager for bloodshed. She hides behind the wall, but he is coming for her.

All I have to do is turn. He will be stone and I will be safe.

But for how much longer? One day a hero will succeed in his quest. Why not him?

I'm so tired of hiding. I don't want to be a monster. I want to be free.

With a breath, she closes her eyes and steps out from behind the wall. With her back facing the man, she finally feels a peace which she had not felt since before she had changed. She opens her eyes to find Minerva standing in front of her, arms open.

"Time to rest, my child."

Medusa lifts her arms as well and embraces death as the man swings his sword towards her neck. There is no pain, only peace. 

Finally.

Author's Notes: The story of Medusa is one that has been retold in art, film, and literature for years. Most retellings depict Medusa as the villain and monster of the story. However, when you really read the story, Medusa is anything but a villain. She was put in a situation which she could not escape from, and is in reality the victim. I was inspired to see her this way a few years ago, when I saw this piece of art by Matt Rhodes. I wanted to take it further by rewriting her "punishment" as Minerva's way of saving her from more harm. I also chose to refrain from using her name until almost the end, so that she would not be connected with the image of the terrifying "Medusa." By looking at the story this way, Medusa's fate is a tragic and unfair one. 

Bibliography: This is a retelling of the story of Perseus and Medusa in Ovid's Metamorphoses.

Image information: Medusa by Riccardo Rullo, 2014. Web source: Deviant Art

Reading Notes: Ovid's Metamorphoses Books 1-4, Part B

Part B consists of books 3 and 4 of Ovid's Metamorphoses. 

The story of Echo is such an odd story. Roman mythology is so fascinating because it reaches out of the norm and tells stories that are weird and sometimes head-scratching. Another creation story, this one so creative because it uses a girl to explain how a repetition of sound came to be. It would be really interesting to write a creation story like this in order to explain some other phenomenon. 

Much of Roman love stories seem to begin with lust, and then they usually end there, like Narcissus. Where's the love story where the characters are attracted to more than each other's faces? 

Pyramus and Thisbe are that love story. This is actually really touching, because even without looking at each other, they are still in love and still want to be together. This is the story that began it all. It is so much like Romeo and Juliet that I think Ovid should be more known for being the inspiration. These stories are always so popular, most likely because they are so "hopelessly romantic." I like the stories where they have a happy ending, though, not where they all die. However, I am always a fan of a romance that is made difficult because of some kind of difference. 

Vulcan is a much underrated god. More stories should be made of him, besides him simply creating a shield for a hero. 

Perseus is an extremely interesting character. He accomplishes so many incredible feats, and he does so with no power other than his ability to fight. 

I'm actually really interested in the character of Medusa. Like most of the women, she is lusted after for her beauty, but this time by Neptune. She had no choice in the matter, however Minerva still punished her. But what if it wasn't punishment, but salvation? Perhaps Medusa despised being chased, and so Minerva helped her by making her ugly and threatening. And then Perseus, for no reason other than to boast, kills her. It would be interesting to write a story from her side of the story.

Ovid's Metamorphoses. Source link: Part B

Image information: Meme Generator: Roman Babe

Reading Notes: Ovid's Metamorphoses Books 1-4, Part A

For this week, I read books 1 and 2 of Ovid's Metamorphoses. 
Ovid is creative in the way he deals with the ancient old flood story. It focuses on the love of the two and their piety towards the gods. It also shows the gods and vengeful and cruel. The description is vivid and imaginative, and one of my favorite aspects of this story. 
In the story of Io, even though this is serious, there is some humor. Ovid does something interesting in that even though Jupiter is a horrible rapist, the reader hates Juno more and doesn't want her to find out about Jupiter's infidelity because she will be unjust. There is much sympathy for Io, who brought none of this on herself. It is always good to make the reader upset because of injustice, as it means the writing and plot are good. 
In the story of Phaethon, already it is made apparent that Phaethon is arrogant and prideful. Ovid sets it up so that Phaethon is doomed to fail because of this. He do so in a beautiful way, though. He gets what he deserves. I like the way he not only describes what is happening to Phaethon, but also the damage he is causing around him. His description is beautiful: "the meadows turn white, the trees are consumed with all their leaves, and the scorched corn makes its own destruction." His death is sad, but it seems deserved. It doesn't seem fair that a mother should lose all of her children within the same period. 
In the next story, Callisto seems like an awesome character, and Jupiter just has to rape her. This may be more tragic that Io, as Callisto is so strong before Jupiter rapes her, and after she is shamed. Once again, Juno is made to look worse than Jupiter, although she is as much innocent of her husband's infidelity as Callisto is. If one were to look at how unjust her situation is with an unfaithful, yet all-powerful husband, it makes sense that she takes her anger out on innocent women, even if it unfair. This is a very interesting creation story of the constellations. It would be interesting to write a constellation creation story. 
With the story of Semele, another rape, another fury. It seems apparent that neither Jupiter not Juno evolve in any way a part from this. It is unique that Jupiter gives birth, as that is not a common theme. All in all, there are some great stories ideas, as the characters are very deep and rich and the plot is unique.

Ovid. Metamorphoses. Source link: Part A

Image Information: "Garfield Meets Zeus" by Colin Foster, 2005. Source: Sromg Explained  

Tech Tip: Blogger Template

I experimented a little with the design of my blog. I played with the colors and fonts of the words until I found some I liked best. I mainly stayed within the design of the "ethereal" template. I chose a coral and light blue color scheme and a cursive type for my text, so it will look more ethereal. It is not perfect and it is not done just yet; I still have much to change. It is a lot of fun to design the layout of my blog and I will definitely continue to change it. However, for now, it looks good to me.

An Introduction to Growth Mindset

        This is my first time hearing about Carol Dweck and her growth mindset theory. It is a really fascinating way of looking at education, and one I had honestly never thought of before. I myself have always striven for A's in all my classes, and if I do not achieve them, I am devastated. I have gotten to the point where if I truly enjoyed the class and felt I learned a great deal, I can accept a B. However, I think focusing more on growing rather than passing is a much better perspective.
        I am not a fan of hard work, though when I do it, I feel very accomplished, whether that be school, or work, or life in general. After hearing what Dweck has said about learning, I realized I should be looking at this as a growth experience, one that will make me smarter and a better human being. I want to be able to seek out challenges, because they will make me stronger, no matter the outcome. This is a good perspective to keep in mind as I go throughout this class and other classes. They are there to make me better, and I should be excited for that. I hope to keep this mindset and learn more about it throughout this semester. 

Image Information: Laura Gibbs via cheezburger, 2016. Web Source: Growth Mindset Cats

Time Strategies: Confessions of a Procrastinator

I tend to procrastinate, a lot. Whether it is school work, or cleaning my room, or letting someone know something, I am always procrastinating. I have had to force myself many times to do my work by waiting until the deadline is hours away. It has definitely caused a great deal of stress on my life. I chose the article, "Four Questions to Help You Overcome Procrastination," because of my struggle with procrastination. The article actually gave some helpful tips on how to beat procrastination, such as forcing yourself to get started, which will make working easier, and  starting small. When put that way, it makes procrastination seem more easily conquerable. I also looked at the article, "How to Beat Procrastination," which talks about increasing the benefits of the work larger and decreasing the cost of the work. Both of these are really informative on how to beat procrastination. I myself have gotten much better at handling procrastination. For one, I think about how stressed I will be later and how if I do a little now, it will decrease that stress. I have also bribed myself by allowing myself to take breaks or watch YouTube after working for so long. These work for the most part. Time management is so important for every area in life and I want to be better at it, for this class, for all my classes, and for my life. 

Image Information: Allan Smorra "Procrastinate" 2012. Web source: Flickr

Reading Options

        

        For next week, I am choosing Ovid's Metamorphoses to read. I chose this because I have always been interested in Greek and Roman mythology, and Ovid tells so many different and wonderful myths in his Metamorphoses. I want to read it to learn more about Roman mythology. I also think this could be a good story to find inspiration for stories I would like to write.
        For the future weeks, one unit that caught my eye was Week 4-5, The Voyages of Sindbad. The story sounds very intriguing and mystical. I believe I watched the Dreamworks' animated movie version of this story a long time ago, and from what I can remember it was interesting. The fact that this story was influenced by Homer's Odyssey is also fascinating. I am curious to see how the author of The Voyages of Sindbad combined The Odyssey with his own story.
        Another unit that sounds very enjoyable is Week 11-12, King Arthur. For as long as I can remember, I have been fascinated with the legends of King Arthur. I love the idea of a story transcending time and still being relevant in modern society. I am excited to see different stories about King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table. I believe I could find a great deal of inspiration from the stories of King Arthur. 

Image Information: Steve Czajka, 2013, Flickr. Web source: Flickr

Storybook Favorites: Changelings and Mermaids

        The first storybook I chose is "Changeling of the Seasons." I had never heard the legends of changelings before I read these stories. I was intrigued by the title, specifically because of the reference to seasons, and I was even more intrigued when I read the introduction. I like how the introduction, and really the whole storybook, is narrated in first person, making it personal, and how it is also mysterious and causes the reader to want to know more. I chose this storybook because it was not a simple retelling of a fairy tale, but a unique and creative story that takes inspiration from other stories. The design of the site is very nice, as it is bright, but also a little dark and mysterious. I appreciate the beautiful artwork that the author chose for each page. Overall, this was a very creative storybook.
        The second storybook is "I Am Not my Brothers' Sister: A Changeling's Journey" by Shelby Stillwell. It was unintentional, but I chose another changeling story, and this one was just as creative as the previous one. The title was what really got me, as it was unlike most of the titles for the other storybooks. The introduction is beautifully written and immediately gives the reader sympathy for the protagonist as she struggles with her identity. I was interested in the story from the beginning, and the images helped with that. On the very top of each page is a photo of a girl's eyes, each a different color. This beautiful photo is captivating and caused me to want to know more. The storyline was so creative and great and one that kept me interested all the way through. I like how the author created her own story from old legends and stories. The other photos were interesting, however they had little to do with the plot itself and so I glazed over them.
        The last storybook is "Mermaids: An Eternal World of Waters" by Lorraina Robinson. This storybook is a retelling of tales of mermaids through the author's own story. I love mermaids, and so the title immediately caught my eye, and then the wonderful introduction kept me interested. It begins mysteriously and helps set up the rest of the story wonderfully. I love her use of description and how vivid it is. The photos she uses are just gorgeous and add so much to the story. The story itself is very good, as it is a way for the author to retell different stories about mermaids and connect them all. The ending was a bit abrupt, however with a short story that is bound to happen. I still appreciated the lovely layout and the creativity.

Image Information: Magical Book, Wallpapers-room. Web Source: Lydia's Mysterious Book

Introduction to a Frazzled English Major

Good day all! My name is Amanda Jones. I am a senior English literature major at the University of Oklahoma. It's not an easy major and definitely not for the faint of heart; there's a lot of reading and writing involved, which can be exciting, but also tiring. I have taken some amazing classes, however, like one over Jane Austen, one over the History of the English language, and one over publishing a magazine. These were some of the hardest classes I have taken, but they were also some of the best because they were so interesting and they challenged me. I took 18 hours last semester, a feat I have never attempted before, and I survived. I love to read, everything from Harry Potter to Jane Austen to The Great Gatsby. The downside of being an English major, however, is while I read all the time, it is not always for fun much. 

I am the oldest of three siblings, so I have the older child symptom of being a perfectionist and too responsible for my own good at times. At times, being an only child would be nice, but then I would miss the fun of tormenting my siblings.
I have a lot of favorites. I am a huge Disney fanatic, if you could not already tell from my "Favorite Place" post. Disney movies are my guilty pleasure, and no matter what mood I'm in, I'm always in the mood for Disney. I am also a big fan of British television shows, such as Sherlock, Doctor Who, and Downton Abbey. 

My favorite foods are pizza, popcorn, and Mountain Dew, and any day when I eat all three is a good day. I make pretty good homemade pizza out of tortillas, pizza sauce, and cheese. Sadly, I can't make Mountain Dew from scratch.
I'm fairly typical, as I love watching tv and movies, spending time with friends, and eating. I also love to make jewelry for fun. My favorite thing, though, is spending time with the people I love. That's what always makes my day.
There you have it; some things about me, maybe interesting, maybe not. I hope y'all enjoy my blog and it keeps you interested.

Image 1 by Neal Call posten in 2012 on his blog, "English Major Versus the World." Web source: English Major Versus the World

Image 2 by Laura S. posted in 2013 on her blog, "English Without End." Web source: English Without End 

Image 3 by Ray MacLean in 2012 on his Flickr account. Web source: Flickr

Week 1 Story: Three Ships, Three Women, One Prince

“I saw three ships come sailing by,
Come sailing by, come sailing by;
I saw three ships come sailing by,
On New Year's Day in the morning.

And what do you think was in them then,
Was in them then, was in them then?
And what do you think was in them then,
On New Year's Day in the morning?

Three pretty girls were in them then,
Were in them then, were in them then;
Three pretty girls were in them then,
On New Year's Day in the morning.

And one could whistle, and one could sing,
And one could play on the violin—
Such joy there was at my wedding,
On New Year's day in the morning”


Prince Adrian was finally of the age to be married, whether he wanted to be or not. His father, the king, had been urging his son for months to find a suitable woman to wed. Finally, out of exasperation, the prince promised his father that after the New Year, he would choose his bride.

As it happened, this task would be easier than Adrian had expected. On New Year's Day, as the sun was just beginning to rise, three large ships appeared on the horizon. The king was quickly warned of the oncoming ships and, with his son, he quickly came to see the three ships. 

As they came closer, their beautiful ornate hulls became noticeable, and the king and all around him were amazed at the beauty and luxury of the three ships. Noting that they appeared friendly, the king allowed the three ships to dock. Once they were settled in, three beautiful women appeared from the three ships, each seeking the prince's hand in marriage.

The first who appeared was a princess by the name of Alexandria. She was a fair princess with a great amount of wealth in her possession. She was also an extraordinary singer. She offered her singing to the king and prince, delighting them with her soft, lovely voice. The king was instantly impressed. With her beauty, wealth, and talent, she would make an excellent daughter. The prince, however, was less so impressed. While her voice and her face were quite beautiful, he felt the princess was shallow and a bit dull. He wanted a woman he could enjoy talking with.

The second woman to come to the king and the prince was a duchess named Emilia. Although she was less wealthy than Alexandria, she was just as beautiful, and far more intelligent. She could play the violin beautifully. As she played the two a song, the king imagined his castle being filled with the violin's beautiful melody. She was beautiful, talented, and smart, everything he could hope for in a daughter. The prince, on the other hand, felt her too smart, in that she seemed to find herself superior to the prince. He was seeking for a woman who could be his companion, not one who would look down on him.

The third woman was a princess named Isabella, who came from a small island. Although pretty and wealthy, she was less so than the previous two women, and she had no talent as great as theirs. She could whistle, however, and a mighty fine whistler she was! She whistled a song fom the king and prince, quite impressively. The king, however, was not so impressed, and felt as if she were mocking him. But the prince found the whistling enormously charming. Beauty and wealth are fleeting, but a girl who could make him laugh was just what he was longing for.

The prince declared Isabella his wife, much to the astonishment of the king. The king accepted it nonetheless, the two were quickly married. It was a joyous occasion, and the two lived together happily.



Author’s Note: Many of you may recognize parts of this rhyme from the classic Christmas song, “I Saw Three Ships.” In this rhyme, however, it is not Christmas, but New Year’s Day that is the context. The rhyme curiously focuses on three ships sailing with three women aboard. The ending is unexpected, as it mentions the narrator’s wedding, but does not mention who he is marrying. I thought it would make more sense to expand on this idea and show why the women were sailing, and who was marrying whom.

Bibliography: This story is a retelling of the nursery rhyme "I Saw Three Ships" in The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang.

Painting by Joseph Walter (1783-1856) in 1838. The West Indiaman "Britannia." Web source: Wikimedia Commons

My Favorite Place: The Happiest Place on Earth

It is perhaps a cliché statement, but Disney World is the "happiest place on earth." Every part of it is full of magic and beauty and excitement. It is my favorite place because, at Disney World, I can be a kid again. I have not visited Disney World since I was fourteen, however, it remains a lovely memory in my mind. I cherish the time I spent there, and I hope to return very soon. 

Image taken by Brett Kiger from Atlanta, Georgia in 2011. Source: Flickr 
"Gathering at the Hub." Web source: flickr

Comment Wall

Feel free to leave any comments :)

My storybook 

Image information: "Fairy Call" by Nikos Patsais (Nikos23a), 2014. Web source: DeviantArt

Welcome!

My name is Amanda Jones.Welcome all to my blog!!