Reading Notes: Europa's Fairy Book, Part B

Continuing with Europa's Fairy Book, the next story was the story of The Swan Maidens, a story that alarms me a little. A man steals a woman's dress, and he won't give it back until he marries her, and then he never gives it back. It's no wonder she flies back home when given the chance. The whole story just seems wrong to me.
I like the story of Androcles and the Lion. I love this idea of doing something nice for someone and then they do the same. I also love how a wild animal could befriend a man. It's just a really great story and I would love to write about this concept. 

The story of A Visitor from Paradise is so comical. A woman mishears a man say he is from Paradise and she believes him. Then her husband to stop robbers from stealing from their house takes the door off. I just find the lack of common sense hilarious, but at least the story ended happily.
Inside Again is a very odd tale. A man and a snake argue over whether the man should be eaten or not. I would have just run away, but perhaps the snake would have caught up with him. I didn't like that in the end the fox saved the man's life and the man's dog eats the fox. It's as if the man did not learn his lesson at all.
The story of Johnnie and Grizzle is just Hansel and Gretel with different names. Although this time, instead of an evil step-mother, it is the children's own father who tries to kill them. The witch is also much more menacing, especially when she is chasing the children. It is a classic, but it really is a morbid story when you think about it. I'm sure I could use this for my own story, I'm just not certain how.
The story of Thumbkin is just like the story of Thumbling. It's just as odd as that one, except that the woman kills all of the other boys like Thumbkin, which is tragic. What would have happened if she had not? She would have had dozens of little boys running around. That would make for an interesting story.

Bibliography: Europa's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs. Source link: Part B

Image information: "Androcles" by Jean-Léon Gérôme, c. 1920. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Europa's Fairy Book, Part A

For my last week of readings, I chose Europa's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs. The first story was The Cinder-Maid. I love the story of Cinderella. It is one of my favorites, because I love the idea of an ordinary girl becoming a princess. In this story, Cinderella's father is still alive, and I am not sure why he does not stop his new wife from mistreating Cinderella. It makes no sense, and can't understand why a loving father would put up with this. I like the idea of more than one ball. It reminds me of the story of Allerleirauh. The ending is so morbid. I cannot imagine wanting to marry someone so badly that one would cut her own foot. Still, I love the ending when Cinderella gets married to the prince, and I'm glad he at least knew what she looked like. This story was so magical, though, and I would love to write a story like this.
Beauty and the Beast is another one of my favorite stories. I love the theme of falling in love with a person gradually. This story, while not like the Disney version, is a really great story and I love how the Beast was kind in this one. This is a story I would love to write about, as it can be used so many ways. 

The next story was The Language of Animals. This story is just like the story of Joseph in the Bible. It was sad that Jack's father grew to hate him, but it ended well. There is a really interesting theme of talking to animals which would be fun to write about.
A Dozen at a Blow. This story is so interesting. I like how the tailor is so clever in deceiving the giants and making himself look more powerful than he is. Unicorns aren't evil though, so this is an odd twist in this story. I actually like how the princess didn't just allow herself to be handed over to anyone, but I'm glad they lived happily ever after still.
The last of this part was The Earl of Cattenborough. This is such a great story. I love how Miss Puss cares about Jack and is helping him. She is so intelligent and cunning. I do wonder how the King did not realize that the fields or the castle did not belong to Jack. That seems like a stretch. Still, this was a really good story and I enjoyed Miss Puss. It would be interesting to write a story like this.

Bibliography: Europa's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs. Source link: Part A

Image information: "Beauty and the Beast" by Warwick Gobble, 1913. Web source: Wikimedia Commons
 

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Hunt), Part B

Continuing on with the stories from the Brothers Grimm, the story of Bearskin is one I am not familiar with, but it is entertaining. It's always interesting to focus on a hero after their adventures, because sometimes they place their identity in their adventures. It would be cool to write about that kind of thing and how a hero feels bored after they have won. I loved how the youngest daughter looked past Bearskin's appearance and saw his heart and how she was sad that he left. It was incredibly touching and I would love to do something with this for my own story. It almost has a beauty and the beast feel. It is sad though that the other sisters killed themselves because of it.
The next story was Hans the Hedgehog. I basically imagined Hans as Sonic the Hedgehog, which actually makes him seem less odd in my mind. This was such a weird story. I am shocked that Hans knew that his father didn't want him and that he left and was fine with leaving. It is also odd that he was able to become a man, as I didn't expect that. Still, it was kind that the princess married him even though he was half hedgehog.
Last was the story of Snow-White and Rose-Red. So this is not the same Snow White the princess. Still, I enjoyed the sister's relationship. The bear was an interesting character, and I always love talking animals who are good. The ending was interesting, and I am wondering how old the two girls are. I had pictured them around ten, so I was confused when they married grown men. Even so, I love stories with loving siblings, so this one was really good. I really enjoyed the tales of the Brothers Grimm and found a lot that I could use for my story.

Bibliography: Household Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm collected by Margaret Hunt. Source link: Part A

Image information: "Snow-White and Rose-Red" by Hermann Vogel. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Hunt), Part A

This week I chose to read Margaret Hunt's selection of the Brothers Grimm tales. The first story was Hansel and Grethel. I had no idea that Hansel and Grethel had a step-mother and that she intentionally wanted to abandon the kids so they'd die. I wouldn't have been surprised if she wanted to eat them also. A very morbid story just became even more morbid. The rest of the story I recognize. I like how Hansel and Grethel were still able to rely on each other even though their parents abandoned them. I also like how Grethel was the one to defeat the witch and save her brother. I enjoyed the happy ending. I'm sure there are many things I could do with this story, especially with the relationship between brother and sister.
The next story was Thumbling. I actually only know the female version of this tale, so this was a surprise. Still, it is so interesting how the woman gave birth to a tiny little human, but I am glad that his parents love his regardless. I also love how clever Thumbling is. However, I didn't expect Thumbling to get eaten by a cow and a wolf. That is so unpleasant and disturbing, I was afraid he was going to have to come out the other way. Thankfully, that didn't happen and the story ended well.
The story of Allerleirauh is not what I expected. I am at least relieved that everyone else thinks incest is wrong, even if the King can't see it. I like the plot of the story, that each time there is a ball Allerleirauh puts on a new dress. I only wonder what her father was thinking after she left. I love these kinds of rags to riches stories, especially since this one is different in that she is already royalty, but doesn't appear to be at first. I would love to write a story about a prince or princess who goes missing and is later found.

Bibliography: Household Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm collected by Margaret Hunt. Source link: Part A

Image information: "Allerleirauh" by Arthur Rackham. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Welsh Fairy Tales, Part B

Continuing on with this unit, I am really enjoying the short stories about fairies. In More Short Tales of Fairies, I like how the story of Robert Roberts is different than the past fairy stories and I find it comical that the fairies tried to squash him with rocks. I am wondering since the topic of fairies giving money is so prevalent that I should add it to my storybook, or should at least write a story about it. Apparently fairies love their money.
I'm not sure how I feel about the story of the Pellings. The man kidnaps a fairy and she agrees to marry him. That sounds pretty shifty to me. 

The story of Long-Lived Ancestors reminds me of the African stories I read a few weeks ago. The animals can talk and cross bread and they're very old.
The Short Tales of Wonder are a little odd. The story of the pig trough is interesting in that a fairy stabs the woman because she moved the pig trough in his way. It shows the spiteness of fairies.
The story of Billy Duffy and the Devil is such an interesting one. I feel like Billy should have learned his lesson the first time and should have lived his life better. Instead he was selfish. I think this idea is interesting though, that someone has an allotted time left on this earth, and if they screw it up, they don't get another chance. That could be good to write about.
The Story of John O'Groats is almost like the story of the prodigal son. It would seem though that the son does not have much conviction for his actions. However, it is still a nice story.
The Fishermen of Shetland is actually a really fun story. I love the addition of mermaids, which I haven't seen yet in any stories. I wonder what the merman looks like though, as he is able to go on land and it mentions him "standing." I also love the idea of fairies and mermaids working together. It is so interesting how the fairies are so concerned with helping the humans. That is not what I have pictures fairies to be like. I feel like there's a story in this, though I am not certain what yet. All in all, this unit gave me a lot to think about for my stories.

Bibliography: Welsh Fairy-Tales and Other Stories collected by Peter Emerson. Source link: Part B

Image information: "Oberon, Titania and Puck with Fairies Dancing" by William Blake, c.1786. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Welsh Fairy Tales, Part A

For this week's reading, I chose Peter Emerson's Welsh Fairy Tales. It has a lot of good information about fairies. The first story, The Fairies of Caragonan, is a really fascinating story because the fairies are good and the Queen acts as though the humans are her subjects also. I'm really interested in the queen's daughter and what she is like. I only get a glimpse of her from this story and I'd like to know more about her. Perhaps I could write about her myself.
Three Short Tales of Fairies is interesting because it shows different sides of the fairies. The first set shows male fairies who care about the old blacksmith. This seems to be the first mention I have found of male fairies. The second set shows fairies who get their revenge after a man mistreats their gift. That could be interesting for a story. The third shows children turning into fairies. This is interesting, because I didn't know humans could turn into fairies. I wonder how that process works. 

Next are Three More Tales of Fairies. The first story is interesting because the fairies seem very generous and fun, and they live underground. However, it is odd that the old man is not able to mention that he got the gold from the fairies. I wonder why the fairies do not like people telling others that the fairies gave them money. Perhaps they do not want it to become known. The last story is very intriguing, because I'm writing about changelings. The reason the fairies switched one of theirs for the woman's child is because once again they were angry that the woman told her husband where she got the money from.
I really don't like the Story of Gelert, probably because I hate when animals die. It is such a sad story and I wish the prince didn't kill Gelert.
The Origin of the Welsh is an interesting story, because once again fairies came from other beings, this time birds. I am wondering if fairies existed before this or if this is meant to be the creation of fairies. It is interesting either way.
The story of the Crows is intriguing, but I'm not sure what to make of it. It is cool how crows seem to foretell the future. I could use that in a story.
Fairy of the Dell is a really great story. I like how the fairies are against evil magic and how they want to help people. I am also glad the witch became good and was redeemed. One thing that I thought was interesting was that the queen said that fairies die of old age, but they themselves do not age outwardly. That is a really unique idea and I may use that for my story. All in all, this unit has been very good so far, 

Bibliography: Welsh Fairy-Tales and Other Stories collected by Peter Emerson. Source link: Part A

Image information: "Take the Fair Face of Woman, and Gently Suspending, With Butterflies, Flowers, and Jewels Attending, Thus Your Fairy is Made of Most Beautiful Things" by Sophie Anderson. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Faerie Queen, Part B

Continuing with the Faerie Queen unit, I had many random thoughts while reading. For starters, it's such an interesting idea to make abstract ideals into physical beings.
Female friendships are my favorite things to read about. There's so much drama going on in this story. I love how knights keep trying to fight Britomart and she continually beats them all.
So Britomart is even better than Artegall? That is such a unique element to a story and I love it. Artegall seems a little prideful though. Instead of accepting defeat, he is brooding over it, which is a little childish. I wonder what he will do what he finds out the knight who defeated him is Britomart. Will he still want to be with her? I think this could be an interesting story to write about, especially to show how prideful he is.
This beauty pageant is much more interesting than any one nowadays. Not only do the women have to be beautiful, but they also have to be true and honest. I like this idea, but I have a hard time believing that all of the women except for Amoret are dishonest and false.
The House of Care is really odd, and I'm not sure what to make of it. If this is meant to be the personification of care, why are his servants being so rude?
I don't like how Artegall and Scudmour are both wanting revenge against Britomart, when she did nothing to them. It adds suspense to the story, which is really good. The big reveal is very suspenseful as well, as it is unclear what will happen next. I am glad at least they discovered Britomart's identity before they killed her. 

I actually really love how angry Britomart is, because it shows just how stubborn and proud she is herself. She is not a woman who takes defeat lightly.
Scudmour still calls Britomart "sir." I find that amusing.
I am glad Britomart and Artegall have time to really fall in love with each other, not just with each other's looks. I still wonder what happened to the first Knight and still think she could have fallen in love with him.
What happens to Amoret? I am in suspense to know. Is that how the story is meant to end? Perhaps I could write an ending to it and write about what happens to Amoret and how she is found. That would actually be really fun to write about. 

The Faerie Queen, while not actually having a faerie in the story, was still a really interesting story, and I found a lot of inspiration from it. 

Bibliography: Stories from the Faerie Quenne, by Mary Macleod, originally written by Edmund Spenser. Source link: Part B

Image information: "Spenser's Faerie queene. A poem in six books; with the fragment Mutabilite" by Walter Crane, 1895. Source link: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Faerie Queen, Part A

Foe this week, I read the Faerie Queen: Britomart unit. I have always wanted to read Edmund Spenser's The Faerie Queene, and now I finally get a chance to. It is not at all what I expected, but I really enjoy it so far. I love the idea of Britomart disguising herself as a man and beating all of the men she encounters.
It is very comical that Britomart catches the eye of the Lady of Delight. Poor lady doesn't realize that she is flirting with a woman who she believes is a man. I love this idea and this would be such a fun story to write about. I do wonder what the Knight thought when he saw that Britomart was a woman. What if he falls in love with her? 

I love that Britomart was taught to fight from a young age. That is so unique for this age and so admirable. I can't decide if I like her obsession with Artegall so far. Just because a magic mirror showed him doesn't mean she has to love him. She is free to choose her own love. Perhaps I could write about that.
It's so interesting how the story begins with Britomart on her quest, and then transitions to giving the backstory. I like how this story is told so far.
Malbecco reminds me of the beginning of the story of Beauty and the Beast, when the beast refuses the enchantress shelter. Except this instance is on a much larger scale.
The adventure where Britomart walks through the fire is already turning out so exciting. These are the kind of adventures I want to read, not particularly ones which she is trying to find a man she's never met. I want to see Britomart as the strong, powerful woman she is. I do love how time and time again Britomart shows herself to be better than all of the men. She is constantly beating them, and I love that. It is so different from most stories. I love strong women, and they're some of my favorite to write about. 

So far, this story has so much inspiration to offer. It will be a hard decision choosing what to write about. 

Bibliography: Stories from the Faerie Quenne, by Mary Macleod, originally written by Edmund Spenser. Source link: Part A

Image information: "Britomart" painted by Walter Crane, 1900. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Native American Marriage Tales, Part B

Continuing with the bizarre Native American Marriage Tales unit, part B began with the story of The Dog-Husband. A question I have is why is being with an animal suddenly weird in this story? Perhaps it is the circumstances surrounding the "marriage" to the dog. Plot wise, I actually really like the idea of people being able to change form, so that would be a lot of fun to write. I could make this a normal thing, or it could be normal for all but a special few. I am not certain yet.
I cannot tell if the story of The Youth Who Joined the Deer is cannibalistic or not. The youth can turn into a deer, and so can his wife and child, and he kills his brothers-in-law, who are deer and eats them. I still like the idea of being able to change into an animal, but I'm not sure about killing that animal and eating it too. If I created a story like this, I would make it less morbid. 

The story of The Girl and the Turkeys is like a cross between Cinderella and the Goose Girl. I really enjoyed it until the end. I didn't want the girl to lose her turkeys and I would have liked it to end differently. I loved her sweet relationship with her turkeys, and I was sad when they left. I still enjoyed this almost rags to riches story and it would be fun to write a story like this.
I enjoyed the story of The True Bride a lot actually. I love happy endings and I love when good things happen to good people. The story has suspense and drama and is really good. It definitely reminded me of the story of the girl who has jewels coming out of her mouth, and the girl who has bugs coming out, which was a story I enjoyed as a child. Writing a story like this, with a poor girl who becomes royalty, would be fun, or even to add a twist like being able to spit gold. Even though most of these stories were really odd, I enjoyed them and found a lot of inspiration from them. 

Biography: Native American Marriage Tales collected by Stith Thompson. Source link: Part B

Image information: White Tailed Deer taken by skeeze, 2012. Web source: Pixabay  

Reading Notes: Native American Marriage Tales, Part A

For this week, I chose to read the Native American Marriage Tales unit. The stories in this unit are so bizarre, but also entertaining. The story of the Piqued Buffalo Wife is so weird, that I am not sure if I like it. Perhaps aside from the bestiality and the question of whether or not the child is human or a calf, this story is entertaining. I am glad it ended happily, even if it began horrifically.
The story of Bear-Woman and Deer-Woman is just as weird, maybe more so. Are these women animals or humans or a combination? I think it is sad that almost everyone dies, and I wonder where the husband was through all of this and what he thought when he arrived home.
The story of the Splinter-Foot-Girl is also extremely bizarre. So a man gets pricked by a thorn and a little girl pops out, and then how old is the girl before the bull wants to marry her? And then a rock once to marry her, which I'm not sure how that would work physically. I do, however, like the idea of a girl being forced into marriage but then saved. Perhaps she could save herself though.
I'm beginning to get used to animals and humans "marrying" in these stories, such as in the story of The Eagle and Whale Husbands. The only part I do not understand is that the girls wanted the eagle and the whale as their husbands, but then they try to escape. Perhaps it wasn't what they thought it would be or they were just joking.
The story of The Fox-Woman is actually kind of sad. The two should have remained together. 

The title of the story of The Woman Stolen by Killer Whales is what caught my eye in this unit. I find this story so hilarious actually. First the woman gets taken underwater (how does she breathe?), and then the man goes underwater also (how does he breathe?). And then there is a fire underwater and they need water to put it out. It's almost as if the creator of this story forgot that this is set underwater. I found this so comical and entertaining.
The story of The Rolling Head is all kinds of messed up. It features bestiality and cannibalism and homicide. I'm not really sure how I feel about it.
The story of The Bear-Woman does not make complete sense plot wise. Why is the eldest sister trying to kill her siblings? Is she still upset that they killed her lover? It seems like an overreaction. It was still an interesting story to read. I am sure I could write about some kind of animal or a person who can change into an animal. So far, these stories have given me a lot to think about. 

Biography: Native American Marriage Tales collected by Stith Thompson. Source link: Part A

Image information: "Fuzzy Freddy" taken by Rob Lee, 2006. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales, Part B

Continuing with the American Indian Fairy Tales unit, the next story is The Boy who Snared the Sun. I wonder who are the parents of the girl and boy, if they think they are the only people on earth. This story is interesting, and reminds me of the African stories where the animals and the people are equal. I'm not sure what good the boy thought stopping the sun would do. That actually seems very foolish. This is an interesting story, and I'm almost more interested in the mention of the east wind than the actual story. I think it would be fun to write a story about each of the winds.
The story of How the Summer Came features more about the winds. I always like the idea of an eternal winter which is foiled and ends in summer. I know people live in cold icy places, but I always wonder how they live. I wonder what the land of summer is like, and if people there wished it would get colder. That could be a fun perspective to write about. What a sad ending, though. I wonder if there was someone up there who wanted winter and who showed kindness to O-jeeg. Perhaps I could write about that. 

The story of The Fairy Bride is such an interesting, yet somewhat confusing story. I love the idea of a girl who wants more than a normal domestic life. I enjoy how Neen-i-zu follows her dreams, and I hope she is happy with Evergreen and not his prisoner or captive. I wonder how their life together is. It would be fun to write a story like this, of a girl who finds love in an abnormal place. I am not certain where yet, but I could see myself writing it.

Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales, collected by Henry Schoolcraft. Source link: Part B

Image information: Picture of an Alaskan glacier. Web source: Max Pixel 

Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales, Part A

This week, I was very excited to read some Native American stories. I chose the American Indian Fairy Tales unit because the stories seemed interesting and unique. I was not disappointed. I really like how the story of Iagoo sets up the rest of the stories and helps make them more personal.
The story of how Shin-ge-bis Fools the North Wind is such a fun story. I love the enmity between the north and south winds, winter and summer. That is definitely a theme I would enjoy writing about. Perhaps the could be brothers or sisters fighting. I also really like how an ordinary man was able to conquer a powerful being. The story is very entertaining.
I like the description in the story of The Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds. It is very vivid and clear. I enjoy how different this story is, and how the hero is a worm. I am always fascinated by underdog stories, so this one was very fun. 

By the first section of the story, I knew I already loved the story of The Child of the Evening Star. I love how Oweenee chooses a man who is caring and compassionate, even if he isn't handsome. I feel like this could be easily twisted so that Oweenee is the unattractive one, but because of her heart she is the one who wins in the end. I certainly did not anticipate Oweenee's transformation. That is such an interesting element, and I actually really enjoy how they still love each other despite appearances. I am curious to why Wabeno cursed Osseo. Was it because he just hated him? Was it to teach Osseo a lesson? That would be a great story to tell. I also enjoyed the ending of the story and wonder what else happens to Osseo and Oweenee's son. Does he enjoy earth? Does he find love? I could write about that as well. These stories are so unique and gave me a lot to think about. 

Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales collected by Henry Schoolcraft. Source link: Part A.

Image information: "Inch worm" taken by Glen Edelson, 2009. Web source: Flickr

Reading Notes: Nigerian Folk Stories, Part B

While still reading Nigerian folk tales, I had a lot of reactions, the first being: Wow, the story of The Lightning and the Thunder is so creative and unique. I really enjoyed this story. It is probably the best story of this unit I have read so far, because it creativity explains thunder and lightning in a way that is so unique, but still makes sense and is almost believable. I am convinced I need to write some kind of creation story. 

The story of The Bush Cow and the Elephant is enjoyable also, although it is also a little confusing. I like the explanation of why certain animals fight each other.
In the story of The Cock Who Caused a Fight, I like the drama caused by Ama Ukwa, but I also like that it ended well. I wonder what would have happened if the brothers had not spoken to each other and instead one of them died. That would have made for a very tragic story.
The story of The Hippopotamus and the Tortoise reminds me of the story of Rumplestiltskin. The theme of an unknown name is a really good one because it adds suspense and drama to the story.
The story of Why Dead People are Buried is actually a really sad one, even though it is reality. According to the story, if the people had listened to the dog, there would be no permanent death. As it is, though, there is, which in a way makes life more sweet.
The story Of the Fat Woman who Melted Away is really interesting, because it tells of a fat woman, who in today's society would most likely be perceived as not so beautiful, is extremely beautiful and wanted by many. I'm so very confused by why she is made out of oil, however, and how that even works. Does that change her appearance or does she look like a normal human? Many questions.
Does the story of Why the Moon Waxes and Wanes count as cannibalism? Because it seems very cannibalistic to me.
The story of Tortoise, Elephant, and Hippopotamus is a nice one. It's filled with intelligence and cunningness, but it still has a happy ending, which I enjoy.
I swear, stories like the story of The King and the 'Nsiat Bird just continue to confuse me. I cannot seem to wrap my head around what Nigerians seem to believe or at least come up with. I can never figure out if the love interest, who's father is a bird, is also a bird or is a human. Or is the king a bird? It is all very odd.
Oh, the story of The Hawk and the Owl is so sad. I was so afraid the hawk was going to eat the baby owl at first. It's still sad that the hawk ate the baby chick, even though that is how nature works. I like the idea of the story, though, that those who are quiet are plotting revenge. It is quite a comical, and at times realistic, idea. 

It is quite tragic that in the story of The 'Nsasak Bird and the Odudu Bird, the Odudu bird, the 'Nsasak bird's friend, died because of the ridiculous competition.
The story of The Election of the King Bird is interesting in that it mentions so many birds. It attempts to explain the manners of each bird and the reasoning behind them all. I have really enjoyed these kinds of stories and will be definitely writing about a type of creation story.

Nigerian Folk Stories collected by Elphinstone Dayrell. Source link: Part B

Image 1 information: "Pink Lightning" by oompa123, 2015. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Image 2 information: "Southern White Faced Owl" by Petr Kratochvil. Web source: Public Domain Pictures

Reading Notes: Nigerian Folk Stories, Part A

For this week’s reading, I chose to read folk stories from Nigeria. I really enjoyed the story of The Pretty Stranger who Killed the King. It shows an old woman who uses her skills and brains to kill a tyrant king. There's definitely a lot I could do with this story wise. I especially like the moral, which is basically, don't judge a book by its cover, and don't marry someone just because they are pretty.
The story of Why the Bat Flies by Night is actually really horrifying. It makes me wonder if African people boil bats in their soup to make it taste better. Either way, it was a unique way of explaining a bat's habits.
The story of the Disobedient Daughter who Married a Skull is such an odd one and gives me so many questions. Is the skull and actual skull, that floats and talks? Why couldn't he have just stayed in the mortal world? And where did he go after he took Afiong home? I could always try to answer these questions by making my own story, but it would still be extremely odd.
I'm so confused by the story of The King who Married the Cock's Daughter. Did he marry an actual hen, because at the end, it says there is now a law that no one can marry an animal? In the middle it was actually a sweet story, because the king found someone who he finally could love, and in the end he lost her. I like this concept and would definitely want to write about it.
I didn't particularly like the story of The Woman, the Ape, and the Child. It began really good, and then I became really confused. It was unique and interesting, but I didn't like how Okun Archibong was ridiculous enough to kill his child and his wife.
All I can say about the story of The Fish and the Leopard's Wife is ew. I don't even want to know how that would work physically. I do enjoy how the story brought it around so that it explained why fish live in water and why people eat fish.
The story of Why the Worms live Underneath the Ground is really interesting. I honestly really like the idea of animals and humans being able to talk to one another and living together and having the same king. I think this would be fun to write about.
The story of The Elephant and the Tortoise, while a little gruesome, is intriguing in that it explains why elephants have such small eyes and why worms are blind. I think it would be cool to come up with a story like this. I would just need to think of an animal with an interesting feature and come up with a story for why it has that feature. 

The story of Why a Hawk Kills Chickens is such a sad one. It's fascinating though that throughout these stories, animals cross marry and it does not seem to be a problem.
African stories are so unique in that, like the story of Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky, even the sun and moon live in harmony with the earth.
Again, animals living with humans and loving them seems to be so normal in these stories, like the story of Why the Cat Kills Rats. I wonder if the animals are human sized, or if they are their normal size and are still perceived as like humans. It's such an interesting concept and one I could definitely play with.
While very odd, these stories was still full of inspiration, especially in regards to animals and origin stories.

Nigerian Folk Stories collected by Elphinstone Dayrell. Source link: Part A

Image 1 information: "Aso Rock" by Mark Fischer, 2015. Web source: Flickr

Image 2 information: Elephant photo by Kira Hoffmann, 2016. Web source: Pixabay

Reading Notes: Ozaki's Japanese Fairy Tales, Part B

Continuing with Ozaki's fairy tales, the story of the Goblin of Adachigahara is very odd. I didn't completely understand the old goblin woman and why she was reluctant to house the priest or why she kept him alive for so long if she all she wanted to do was to eat him. It was an interesting story, and certainly suspenseful, but didn't make a whole lot of sense. Perhaps the old woman did not want to eat him initially, or sometime to that affect. It would be interesting to try to write a story in favor of the old woman.
The story of the Orge of Rashomon is so strange. What is with people portraying old women as monsters in disguise? I wonder where this idea came from. It would be something cool to write about.
The story of Princess Hase is beginning to sound like Cinderella. How tragic that Hase lost her mother at such a young age, but I love that she remained kind. That has always been my favorite thing about Cinderella. It is horrible that the stepmother killed her own child be accident. Yes, it was her own fault, but it is still sad. This story is also quite like the story of Snow White when the man refuses to kill the princess and she hides out in the woods. I think it is horrible that despite having all the esteem and doing such amazing things, Hase is forced to live in hiding because of her jealous stepmother. I am so glad for the ending, since I love happy endings. It wrapped up the story nicely. I enjoyed this story and think it would be fun to write a story of my own like this, although I am not sure exactly of the details just yet. 

All in all, Ozaki's fairy tales, while extremely odd, were a very good source of inspiration.

Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki. Source link: Part B
Image information: "Chujo-hime" by  Yoshitoshi, 1881. Web source: Wikipedia

Reading Notes: Ozaki's Japanese Fairy Tales, Part A

For this week's reading, I chose to read Ozaki's Japanese fairy tales. The story of My Lord Bag of Rice is an interesting one. I like Hidesato and how he seeks out adventure. I also admire his courage, because if I had seen a huge dragon in front of me, I might have ran for it. I really like the description of the palace in the lake. I would love to expand on it and create a world with it. I think it's awesome that Hidesato used his brain in order to kill the centipede. I really like how this story explained how Hidesato got his title. It is always interesting to learn the origins of a name, and I could see myself writing a story about this concept.
The Adventures of Kintaro, The Golden Boy is really fascinating. So many stories I have found contain children who have remarkable strength. It is also interesting how the animals are wrestling each other. I think that this could be a cool story. This was a great story for a hero, a humble one to say the least. I like how Kintaro was able to become a samurai. I think it would be interesting to write a story of a general looking for boys to train, but instead of taking them willingly, he takes them by force. 

The Man Who Did not Wish to Die is an interesting story. I think it resonates with a lot of people who are scared to die. I was hoping the author would mention how living forever can be a really bad thing, and he did. Living forever sounds dreadfully boring, and I like that the author realized this. I could write a story about a people who never die, but want to. There was also a great deal of suspense in the story, which I enjoyed. I'm glad in the end Sentaro learned to be content with the time he is given.

Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki. Source link: Part A

Image information: Ozaki's Japanese Fairy Book by Kakuzo Fujiyama, 1908. Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Reading Notes: Arabian Nights, Part B

Part B focused on the story of "Aladdin and the Wonderful lamp." This story is definitely different from the Disney version. I am wondering how old Aladdin is meant to be if he is supposed to have a trade by now. I also wonder why the magician shut the cave when he could have waited until Aladdin got out. Either way, I like the introduction of Aladdin. Aladdin just seems like a innocent young boy.
Never mind, Aladdin isn't innocent. Not only does he creep on the princess and lust after her, he makes the princess be with him when she doesn't want to. This is certainly not the Disney hero that I grew up with. That concept is interesting though, how Aladdin does not possess the character of a hero, and instead is selfish and greedy.
I don't know whether to be happy or angry that Aladdin won the princess. He did it in such a arrogant way that it is almost irritating. Does the princess not recognize him at all? It is because of his laziness that he remained so poor and it is his laziness that made him rich. Still, I love the theme of the rags to riches story and I like that Aladdin was able to make himself royalty. I only wish he had done it with more class and modesty. Perhaps I can write a character more like that.
Now Aladdin's story is getting interesting. I do feel sorry for Aladdin that everything is taken away from him, and I find myself wanting him to get it all back from the magician. I like how Aladdin was able to deceive the magician. I also like that the princess remained faithful to Aladdin no matter what.
I am curious to what the genie meant by saying that the roc is his master. I am also fascinated with the genies, who seem to have no other purposes that fulfilling the wishes of Aladdin. What do they think of Aladdin? Do they get tired of granting wishes all the time? Perhaps I could write a story from their perspective.
Even though it is nothing like the Disney version, I did like the story of "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp." It was a magical story and one that gave me a lot of inspiration for stories.

Arabian Nights, Andrew Lang. Source link: Part B

Image information: "Aladdin Night Scene Background" by Jolly Yau (Greyfaerie4), 2014. Web source: DevaintArt

Reading Notes: Arabian Nights, Part A

For this week's reading, I read Arabian Nights and was amazed by it. I am in love with the character of Scheherazade. Scheherazade probably grew up in comfort and by being the grand-vizir's daughter, she was almost guaranteed safety. Yet she chose to risk her life in order to save countless others. She doesn't know if her plan will work, only that she must try. I really like how she is depicted as so brave and strong and clever. The Sultan, on the other hand, is a ridiculous character, so full of bitterness and anger. The fact that he would take out his hurt on innocent women shows him to be selfish and to have no value on life. Still, his character is deep and very interesting. Dinarzade is also a great character. She is described as not having any gifts to set her apart, but I think her love for her sister is admirable. I wonder what she must be feeling during all of this. It could be interesting to write from her perspective.
The story of the Merchant and the Genius is interesting so far. The merchant, only having a year to live, most likely did everything good he could in that year. After all of that, he deserves to live I think. It would be fun to write a story about someone who only has a short amount of time to live. I also like how Scheherazade is so clever in pausing the story, and then connecting the stories so she reels the Sultan in even more.
The first old man and the hind is a really interesting story. I like the mystical elements of it and the plot is really fascinating. I like the suspense of it, not knowing who will die, as well as the tragedy of it. The second old man and the two black dogs is a really good story as well. I found myself furious with the foolishness of the brothers, and then with their cruelty toward their brother who saved both of them. They are so full of selfishness. This could be really good inspiration for a story, though I am not sure what story yet.
I like the use of genies in the fisherman story. I also like how Scheherazade transitioned from the merchant to the fisherman and how she keeps transitioning. The story of the Greek king and the physician Douban is interesting in that the king is in need of healing and Douban heals him easily, causing jealousy from the grand-vizir. I like how uniquely he healed the king. I love how the story of the husband and the parrot and the story of the ogress are stories within a story within a story within a story. It is so creative to be so deep in stories. If I were able to, I would love to write a story like this. I'm actually very sad the king believed the vizir and killed Douban. It is unique how Douban's head continued to talk until the king died, when he got his revenge.
The stories of the sultan and the young king are so interesting. I like how the sultan saved the young king from the enchantress. It would be fun to write a story of a kingdom under a curse.
I enjoyed Scheherazade's stories and I love the idea of a person using a story to save their life. It is an idea that is not used much anymore, and I think I might like to use that theme to write a story. I also like the idea of the Sultan falling in love with Scheherazade and not wanting to kill her, but that is my romantic nature kicking in. 

Arabian Nights, Andrew Lang. Source link: Part A

Image information: "Scheherazade" painted by Edouard Frederic Wilhelm Richter. Web source: Wikipedia Commons

Reading Notes: The Voyages of Sindbad, Part B

Continuing The Voyages of Sindbad, I found more fascinating stories. The fifth voyage is the most odd so far. An old man uses his legs to force Sindbad to carry him. This is certainly not a story one hears every day. I appreciate the uniqueness of this, as a hero is not normally reduced to carrying a goblin around. This is certainly not something I would think of.
By the sixth voyage, I am even more unsure of why Sindbad doesn't just stay home. I wonder what his friends and family think after hearing all about his voyages and then seeing that he keeps wanting to go on more voyages. I would think he was insane. Perhaps I could write a story from one of their perspectives. Every time, Sindbad is the only one who survives out of the crew. It seems he is either lucky or this is all very unrealistic. Without him, though, the story would not continue. I am glad Sindbad is able to find friends and help when he most needs it, although it makes the story more interesting when he makes enemies instead of friends.
The seventh voyage is very interesting, and with pirates! It's horrible that Sindbad had to kill an elephant. I wonder what would have happened if he had refused. He does not seem to be in a hurry to escape enslavement, which is odd to me. I honestly think the elephants should have killed him for him having killed many of them. However, I suppose there would be no story of he died there. I'm glad though in the end, Sindbad was able to live a happy life.
This story is completely different that the Dreamworks version, but it was still very good and interesting. I found some good ideas, although not as many as I usually do. Hopefully the story that comes out of Sindbad is a good one.

The Voyages of Sindbad, Andrew Lang. Source Link: Part B

Image information: "Rocweb" by Henry Justice Ford, 1898. Web source: Wikipedia Commons 

Reading Notes: The Voyages of Sindbad, Part A

I chose The Voyages of Sindbad for this week’s reading. I had not known much about the story of Sindbad, other than the Dreamworks' animated film, so I was eager to read this story. 

During Sindbad’s first voyage, I am left with so many questions, for instance, how did they not realize the island was a whale? How did Sindbad not get eaten by a shark? Why does the captain not recognize Sinbad? So far, although it is not realistic, this is an interesting story, and not what I expected.
In the second voyage, I enjoy the magical elements of this story, like the giant birds and giant snakes. I'm still finding it hard to understand why Sindbad is going through all of these voyages. It seems to be boredom which spurs him. It could be intriguing to write about a hero who is constantly doing heroic deeds, yet is constantly bored.
In the third voyage, Lang's description is really vivid. I love the way he describes the cyclops giant's appearance. It's much different that Homer's cyclops, even though it seems evident that Homer's Polyphemus from The Odyssey was the inspiration for this cyclops. I like that the story of Sindbad takes inspiration from Homer.
By the forth voyage, you would think Sindbad would get tired of almost dying all the time. After almost getting eaten by a giant and snakes, cannibals honestly seem the most terrifying. I wonder why cannibalism is so terrifying. Perhaps because humans are not meant to eat one another, and so when people do, it is horrifying. In addition to the cannibals, this voyage is the most interesting so far because of Sindbad’s marriage. Marriage as a death sentence is such an ironic plot. This would actually make an interesting short story. I'm not sure how I would go about writing about this, but I like the idea and the challenge.

The Voyages of Sindbad, Andrew Lang. Source link: Part A
Image information: "Sindbad's Storybook Voyage" by Joel, 2016. Web source: Flickr