Thursday, February 26, 2015

Week 7: Storytelling--The Dragon of the Golden Scales, or Interruptions and the Pot of Gold


Once upon a time, at the top of a happy little hill, there sat a pot of gold.  On a misty day, by lucky happenstance, there was a rainbow that seemed to end at the top of this hill, and a pair of friends decided to follow said rainbow to see if--just maybe--the truth about leprechauns hiding pots of gold at the ends of rainbows could be true.  And wouldn't you know it, our pair soon became as happy as the hill on which they stood when they discovered the little pot of shimmering metal.

Now our friends were an odd pair--a mismatched pair, even.  On the one hand there was a small but brave mouse by the name of Lancelot, who dearly loved cheese and thought of many clever schemes by which to gain wealth in order to trade for his beloved swiss.  The other companion was a knight, covered head to toe in dented armor, who refused to take off his helmet for fear people would release that he was supposed to be questing in dangerous, distant lands.  His name was Hawt Dawg Diggory.

The two did not wish to share the gold, each saying that he had been the one to instigate the trip up the hill and so should be the one to claim the money.  But Hawt Dawg Diggory knew that Lancelot's one weakness (other than cheese) was competition, and so he challenged his mousy friend to a race.  To which, of course, our brave little rodent readily agreed.

There is one more thing, though, that you should know about Hawt Dawg:  he owned the Starship Enterprise.  Knowing that in his clunky and junky armor he would not be able to beat the swift mouse up the hill, he resolved instead to beam himself up to the top immediately.  Unfortunately for him, our little mouse was even cleverer.

You see, Lancelot was a very common-looking mouse and knew some other common-looking mice who lived near the top of the hill.  He positioned one at the middle of the hill and one up at the top inside the pot of gold, hoping to fool Hawt Dawg Diggory into thinking that Lancelot himself had made it up to the top.  And so the race began. . .

Now Hawt Dawg had never beamed himself anywhere before, and for a moment kept yelling "Beam me up, Scotty!" in the hopes that a Scotty would appear and beam Hawt Dawg up obligatorily.  After a minute Hawt Dawg Diggory figured out how to do the beaming personally, but before he transported he noticed that Lancelot (or at least his doppelganger) was already halfway up the hill.  Of course, he still thought he had plenty of time since teleportation only takes a couple seconds, so off he went into momentary oblivion.

When Hawt Dawg Diggory re-apparated at the top of the happy little hill, he picked up the pot of gold believing that he had won.  That was, until he heard a little squeaky voice calling from inside the pot.  Looking in among the gold, Hawt Dawg saw a little mouse much like Lancelot (the trippelganger) swimming among the pieces.  Knowing (though incorrectly) that he had lost, Hawt Dawg put the pot back down in the grass and stomped off down the hill, clanking all the way.

But when Lancelot (the real one, this time) reached the top of the hill and thanked his mousy friends, he realized that he could not transport the pot anywhere in order to buy his mountains of cheese.  Luckily, Interruptions (a very lonely dragon) took this moment to fly overhead, and was himself distracted by the flashing of gold below.  Thus, Interruptions landed on the hill and there he encountered our flustered little Lancelot.

Lancelot chose this moment to draw his lightsaber, thinking that perhaps the mighty Interruptions had come to steal his gold.  But, instead, this new duo struck a deal:  Interruptions would fly Lancelot and his gold to the cheese market on the moon in return for half of the pot.  And so Lancelot climbed aboard Interruptions' head, grabbing onto a horn for support, and Interruptions grasped in his claws the pot of gold, and they flew up into the sky towards the moon, Interruptions's scales flashing emerald in the sunlight.

Now, when our companions reached the moon there was the slight problem of how Interruptions would carry his share of the gold back to the earth.  (Though, while Interruptions was pondering, Lancelot was too distracted by the cheese that was the moon to be concerned about this conundrum.)  Eventually, Interruptions decided that he would simply melt the gold with his fiery breath and then gild his stomach with the molten gold, giving him both dashing good looks and extra protection from the pesky horned penguins that kept trying to shoot him down when he flew ahead.

And there it is:  that is the story of how Interruptions the dragon obtained his gleaming golden scales--and the story of how Lancelot the brave little mouse bought the cheese wheel that is the moon!

The End.

(P.S.  The little hill is no longer happy, for he misses his friendship with the pot of gold.  In fact, he holds a grudge against Interruptions and Lancelot.  The hill hopes to get revenge with the aid of his friend, Ke$ha, the Moschino cash cow who often grazes on his delightful grasses.  But that is a story for another day. . .)


Author's Note.  For those of you who did not read my story last week, this is kind of a continuation in that it uses some of the same cast of characters and follows the same style--a kind of random, childish, fantastical method of story-telling.  The story itself I did not change much, except for changing the characters from a rabbit and a frog to a knight and a mouse (and adding in the bits about the Enterprise and the cheese moon, of course, haha).  Additionally, this story was originally about how a duck got his golden breast and not how a dragon got his golden scales, but really those are the same thing, so no big difference there, lol.  Hope you enjoyed my randomness!  Arrivederci!

Bibliography.  How the Sacred Duck Got His Yellow Breast, from Tibetan Folk Tales by A.L. Shelton with illustrations by Mildred Bryant (1925).  UnTextbook.

Image Information.  Dig here for pot of gold, photo by Richard Dorrell, 2008.  Geograph.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Week 7: Reading Diary--Lots and Lots of Greed and Gold (Tibetan Folk Tales)

Let's continue reading the Tibetan Folk Tales unit, because I want to learn about the rabbit which killed the lion and the story of how the sacred duck got his yellow breast--doesn't that sound interesting?  Andiamo!

11. How the Rabbit Killed the Lion-  Once again loving the image at the top of this story.  Woah.  This starts out with a prediction of the apocalypse--melted mountains, burned trees, all animals dead, "sun so hot that the mountains all ran down level with the plains". . . That is some intense imagery.  Can you imagine having to get up and find a king every morning in order to bow/curtsy to him before starting your day?  Hard pass.  The Tibetans are a tricky folk, aren't they?  And with no qualms about lying, either.  I will really have to be careful what I say/do/believe if ever I meet a Tibetan.  Talk about a narcissistic end--jumping into a stream to attack your reflection because you want to prove that you are better than yourself.  Okay, maybe more egotistic and idiotic than narcissistic, but still.  You may have deserved to drown, oh proud lion king.

12. The Story of the Three Hunters- Anybody else just not understanding why you would get jealous over toasted bone marrow?  It just doesn't sound good to me. . .  Wow, and not just jealous, but jealous enough to kill.  That must be some supernaturally tasty marrow.  At least the sister got turned into a sparrow--there are worse fates, I guess.  Geez.  They just killed two of the wives.  Poor third wife, being spectator to all this carnage and then needing to attend to three husbands.  That is a harsh life, indeed.

13. How the Raven Saved the Hunter- Kill the raven and then go and investigate the causes of his actions.  That's fair.  It's not like you couldn't have spared his life since he saved yours and all.  All you had to do was figure out that the river was poisoned and came from the mouth of a snake.  Idiot.

14. The Golden Squash- Imagine how much different life (and folktales) would be if there was no concept of wealth.  Granted, that's not really possible, but just imagine. . .  I need to meet some of the animals from these stories.  Just give them a little aid and they make sure you are set for life; that's my kind of animal right there.  What?!  That was an unexpected and abrupt end.  Have good intentions or risk having a demon jump out from a squash and behead you--you are forewarned!!!

15. The Man with Five Friends with Different Colored Eyes-  If I was told that I couldn't tell my spouse any secrets until I had had 10 children that would just be dooming me to a life of lies and half-truths--who wants to have 10 kids?  Goodness.  Apparently I wouldn't be a good friend--you know, since my eyes are blue and not pitch black.  Life is rough.  Wouldn't his wife notice that he wasn't wearing any trousers (since they were on the pig)?  And last time I checked it would be pretty difficult to confuse a pig with a grown man.  So wait until you were almost executed and then tell the truth that you never killed anybody.  Solid plan.  (Then again, it did work, so I shouldn't really be criticizing you, should I?)http://mythfolklore.blogspot.it/2014/02/tibetan-folk-tales-man-with-five-friends.html

16. The Story of the Violinist-  Maybe it's just me, but a writer and an accountant are not the same thing, haha.  To say the violin is a beggar's trade--harsh, father dearest, harsh.  Wait a sec--so was one of the snakes the son of the devil?  Is that what this is?  And the fiddler is going to marry the daughter of the king of the netherworld?  Interesting. . .  I, too, feel the need to cover myself in chicken skin to cover my body; it's not at all a vain and ridiculous concept.  I love trying to predict what the random objects people take with them will play later on in the story.  For one, this girl is totally going to cover herself with fruit jam, feathers, and hair to disguise herself for some reason.  Makes sense to me.  Oooooh, so the lower kingdoms aren't lower as in lower, but as in down south of the other kingdoms?  Or no?   Hmmmm.  Basically this woman is clairvoyant, that's what I'm getting.  I seriously wish I had her skillz, lol.

17. How the Sacred Duck Got His Yellow Breast-  Clever froggy, playing the doppelganger trick--or should I say the trippelganger trick, haha.  (Forgive my terrible wordplay.)  So basically a duck decided he wanted some gold from a pot and smeared it on his chest 'cause what else are you going to do with gold if you're a duck?  Thus, the golden breast!

18. The Two Little Cats-  Who would drink tea without salt?!  What a crime that would be, especially for two little cats!  A Handre sounds like something I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley, or anywhere else for that matter.  Apparently every animal loves cats and hates Handres, so that's a win for cuteness right there!  Because all of these actions make sense since the Handre is moving into the house and not necessarily after the cats at all.

[Now to be quick and brief for the last few.]

19. How the Wolf, the Fox, and the Rabbit Committed a Crime-  I would just keep the cymbal and the boots.  Who needs food and idols anyway?  Though what use a wolf has for a pair of boots I have no idea. . . And a bell scared the fox kits to death?!?!  Awwwwwww, nooooo!

20. A Rabbit Story-  Poor little bunny!  All alone without your mother, then seeing your mother all cooked up like that by the mean old mother bear!  You must be traumatized for life!  Though killing the bear's son is no way to retaliate.  Goodness, everyone is these stories is so violent.  And just tearing out the tiger's eyeballs like that?  *shudder*  That is one creepy bunny, possibly creepier than the Handre. . .

21. The Man and the Monkeys-  Garden of Eden reference. . . Interesting.  Yes, because all the while during your strength-building it's not like the man is drowning or anything.  No wonder he doesn't feel well after his "rescue."  Could you really just shake monkeys out of trees while they were sleeping and kill them?  (I mean, obviously you shouldn't morally, but could you logistically?)  The questions these stories make me ask myself. . .

Another week of reading diaries completed!  Woot woooot!  Ciao, folks!


Image Information. Rabbit in Field, photo by Dakota L., 2010.  Wikimedia.
Fulvous whistling duck, photo by Duncan Wright, 2006.  Wikipedia.

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Week 7: Reading Diary--All the Same to Me. . . But in a Good Way! (Tibetan Folk Tales)

This week I shall be reading the Tibetan Folk Tales unit, because who doesn't want to read a unit with a story in which a frog is able to trick a tiger?  So, yeah, here we go!

1. The Tiger and the Frog- If all animals understood each other's languages, does that mean people could speak to animals too?  If so, can I live when the world was young?!  Alright, so a tiger is coming towards you, you're a helpless little frog, and you call out to the tiger even though you think it's going to eat you?  Maybe you aren't all that clever, little Kermit.  I'm reminded of the chameleon grabbing a hold of the hare's tale to win the race. . . Clever but cruel, Kermit, clever but cruel.  I've always thought a vomiting contest would be the best way to establish my superiority over people (*shudder*).  Poor fox, dragged along for the show. . . Though it would be amusing to see a tiger and a fox tied tail to tail trying to run in opposite directions, admit it, haha.

2. The Cony Who Got into Bad Company-  That moment when you realize Coney Island was named after a bunch of rabbits. . . Not sure how I feel about that, haha.  I want to have lived when the world was young!!!  Why can't we talk to animals now.  Boooooo.  :/  Happy lama, sad lama, mentally disturbed lama, super lama, drama lama, big fat mama lama, MOOSE!  (Apologies for that one, lol.)  Wow.  That escalated quickly.  I mean, I know the rabbit and rat were stealing from you, but couldn't you have given them a warning or something before you cut off their whiskers, ears, and tails?  Harsh lama. . . And the moral of the story issssss--don't hang out with rats; they be cray-cray.

3. The Story of the Donkey and the Rock-  Wow, just blame the donkey why don't cha?  It couldn't be that accidents just happen, could it?  Goodness.  How can you imprison a donkey and charge a rock with breaking a jar of oil that got knocked over and broken?  That's so ridiculous!  Can you imagine if the Supreme Court called a donkey and a rock into court?  It'd be almost as insane as the trial of the US v. 50,000 Cardboard Boxes More or Less, Each Containing One Pair of Clacker Balls.  (True story.)  Great ending though, charging all the people attending the ridiculous trial to pay up half a cent.  Though I also would have gone, just because of the spectacle of it, lol.

4. How the Fox Fell a Victim to His Own Deceit-  Who has ever heard of a tiger bringing home a calf as a playmate for her cub and a fox kit?  That would be so freaking adorable!  Playing both sides. . . That's some dangerous business right there, little Tod.  Wow.  I mean, wow.  They just killed the fox and ate him.  Geez, I was not expecting that. . .

5. The Ingratitude of Man- Let's just all be honest and accept the inherent truth in this title, right off the bat.  Snakes don't walk--get it right, people.  Trusting in the kindness and gratitude of a random human--that's where you made your mistake, buddy.  Once again I am reminded of a past story, this time another where a man was deceitful and ungrateful; how sad that that is a common theme between various cultures. . .  Ooooh, magic snake.  Annnnndddddd--the end.

6. Covetousness- I'm seeing a lot of dead animals, but no real link here. . . Woah.  Okay.  So we have a dead bear, fox, elephant, and 7 dead robbers.  I'm guessing that the Tibetans reallllly wanted to emphasize this lesson.  So don't be greedy and don't do what you aren't fitted for, or else YOU DIE!!!

7. The Wise Carpenter- Can I go to heaven to build a temple for a wealthy, dead king?!  It sounds like quite the awesome experience, haha.  Though I, too, would be doubtful of such a fortuitous turn of events--I probably wouldn't turn the opportunity down, but I would be suspicious.  Especially once I was told that I needed to burn all of the tools of my trade in order to get there--and informed so by my archnemesis, no less.  The implication here seems to be that washing every day is quite out of the norm. . . Ughhhhh.  The poor king here, getting just passed over by both the painter and the carpenter for no reason; he's the real dupe here, the poor soul.  The irony--even in not making it to Heaven, the painter ascends to Heaven.  Oh, sweet, harsh justice.

8. The Story of Drashup and the Goddesses-  Can I just start out by saying how much I like the word ineluctable?  This again reminds me of a previous tale, one in which a prince was annoyed that he was to marry a spinner's (?) daughter and tried to kill her.  So.  Many.  Parallels.  Insta-love.  How pervasive you are in both ancient tales and in popular culture.  I always thought that I would die if I ate the shoulder of a sheep.  Now I know for sure that it happens in folktales, so it must also happen in real life.

9. The Man and the Ghost- When I cause havoc, I also steal the soul of a kid and tie it up in a yak hair sack to give to a newly-made friend.  It's the prank that's all the rage today.  Yup. . .  And is disguising yourself as a holy lama sacrilegious?  'Cause it seems sacrilegious to me.  Is there such thing as customary etiquette between a man and a ghost?  These are the questions that haunt me, lol.

10. The Story of the Two Devils- Firstly, I really enjoy the image at the top of this tale in the UnTextbook; I do, I do!  One woman marrying seven princes--now, this story reminds me a bit of the Pandavas from Indian mythology (though there were only 5 of them and their wife was not a demon, so that bit is quite different, haha).  Way to give away your secret identities to a totally ignorant and luckily clumsy liar.  If you die, it's your own fault, demon spawn!

And there we go: half a unit down, half to go!  Arrivederci!


Image Information.  Tiger Striped Monkey Frog, by/from Gail Melville Shumway Photography.
Donkey, Beast of Burden; photo by LoggaWiggler, 2014.  Pixabay.

Monday, February 23, 2015

Week 6: Famous Last Words--Pliny the Elder

"Fortune favors the brave; steer to where Pompeiantus is!"


Who has not heard of Pompeii, learned of the tragedy of an entire city buried under rock and ash?  Who has not seen the images of the plaster casts of people, prostrate or cowering, suffocating from noxious gas and heat as ash rained down over their heads?  This weekend, I got to visit the very city of Pompeii itself, and it was. . . beyond words.

However, my weekend did not begin in Pompeii, but instead in Naples (unfortunately possibly my least favorite Italian city so far).  We stayed at a hostel by the train station with an adorable Chinese family.  Of course, the pizza and calzone in Naples were uber-fantastic--if you are ever in Naples, do yourself a favor and grab a pizza and pasta at La Taverna de Re Leone.  And the view of Vesuvius and the Bay of Naples from Castel dell'Ovo during sunset was also pretty insane. . .

Saturday morning began with a huge bowl of a delicious, traditional Chinese breakfast that was some kind of noodle soup with beef and vegetables.  Then we headed out on the Circumvesuviana train to Ercolano (aka Herculaneum--this is when the nerdy Latin student in me goes aaaaahhhhhhh!  haha) where we took a bus partway up Mt. Vesuvius before hiking the rest of the way up the volcano to the edge of the crater.  Traveling up the mountain there were various sculptures along the curves of the road, including a huge skull lying on its side carved out of the stone of the mountain, and you just got the feeling that people were never meant to travel to Vesuvius.

The hike to the top of Vesuvius was up a steep slope with slick soil, but it was definitely worth the hike.  Looking into the crater with sulfur smoke rising from the sides of the crater. . . It was gorgeous, but ominous.  And the view from the top over the Bay of Naples was also pretty unreal, especially with clouds rolling in with the oncoming storm.


By the time we reached Pompeii it had started to drizzle, but the rain simply added to the somber atmosphere.  Much of the time you are within the city you can see the outline of Vesuvius on the horizon, and I could just imagine what it would have been like seeing a giant mushroom cloud on the horizon as the volcano rained ash and stone on the city in its heyday.


Inside the city itself, you walk on the streets and see the ruts left by ancient carts on the cobblestone roads, the frescoes and ancient political graffiti that decorate the walls, the pottery that was so much a part of everyday life.  Buildings like the House of the Faun are all but intact, showing what life for the rich might have been like back when the city was full of life.  Words cannot describe the impact my experience in Pompeii had. . .

After Pompeii we headed by bus down the Amalfi Coast from Sorrento to Bomerano.  There we stayed in an adorable little hostel a few minutes walk from one of the most beautiful hikes I've ever been on--Sentiere degli Dei, or the Path of the Gods.  Again, even with intermittent rain, the vistas were beyond description.  We hiked up the side of the mountains, standing inches away from the cliff face, looking down at the clouds that were rolling up the mountain towards us.  We viewed sheep and vineyards and goat herders, saw the coastline and ocean as it was lit up by the sun peeking through the clouds.  We landed in a small town called Nocelli, then followed the roads a few kilometers down to Positano, where we caught a bus back to Sorrento.


On the train from Sorrento to Naples we met a fellow American from Minnesota, with whom we talked for hours and then ate dinner.  After a few hours in Naples we took a FrecciaRossa train (the best and fastest of Italian trains in my experience--they even gave us free drinks and snacks, haha) back to Arezzo, where I promptly crashed the second I laid down on my bed.

And that's that--another weekend of travel in bella Italia!  Ciao!!!


Image Information.  All of these are personal photos, taken from Feb. 20-22, 2015.  In order, they are: Vesuvius over ruins of Pompeii; Vesuvius as seen over bay from Naples; sulfur smoke in crater of Vesuvius; view of bay from top of Vesuvius; entrance to Pompeii; pottery and plaster casts at Pompeii; vineyard and sheep as seen from Path of the Gods; view of Amalfi Coast from the bus to Sorrento; view of Amalfi Coast from Path of the Gods.

Week 6: UnTextbook--Online Book Formats

Alrighty, so this assignment is me looking at and remarking on the various online book formats that might be used in the Epics of India UnTextbook. . . Let's jump right into it, shall we?

Hathi Trust- So, first things first, when you go to the site for Hathi Trust it tells you that you don't have access to the text, which led to me having to sign in to the server through OU before I could access the book--not difficult, but a bit of a hassle.  However, once you get to the book and navigate to the story (which is in itself easy), the format of the site is simple and easy to navigate, with clean formatting and a simple interface.

Internet Archive- This site is nice in that it brings you right to the text, no sign in required.  As for the format, once again this site is easy to navigate with a simple, user-friendly interface.  I think I may like this site better than Hathi Trust, though I could not necessarily tell you why. . .

Google Books- Oh, Google, how many things you can do for me!  Personally, I like how the Google Books digital copy is white and black rather than the yellowish and black of the previous two, but I have never been a fan of navigating Google Books.  So even though I prefer the white pages here, I'd still vote Internet Archive over Google.

PDF- So I like the pdf in that it is again the black text on a white background, but it kind of sucks that you can't link to a specific story.  And while navigation is not necessarily difficult, it does take a while for the various pages to load as you scroll through the document. . .

Okie dokie, it's time for the final verdict--drum roll, please!  Firstly, I used my touchscreen laptop for this assignment and the Google Chrome browser (yay, Chrome!!).  For the best option, I would choose either the Internet Archive or the PDF (the archive was easy to navigate and quick to load, but the black and white and familiar format of the pdf outweighed the costs of having to wait a while for loading).  Worst option would probably be Google Books, just because I do NOT like the way you navigate books and things on this interface.

I do a lot of reading both online and offline, with a lot of my online reading being news articles or various essays or book excerpts for college coursework (as well as blogs and websites and things, haha).  While reading in my browser, I normally take notes in a window alongside the reading (whether that be on Blogger or in Word) or I highlight and put comments along the margins of a Word document or PDF file.  I often do not print out hard-copies of online material unless it is especially important or extensive note-taking/translating must be conducted.

Hope this was helpful!  Arrivederci!


Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Week 6: Storytelling--If You Give a Dragon Cheese, or Interruptions and the Tick Tock Travelers

Once upon a time, there was a young dragon named Interruptions.  He resolved to live a solitary life in the forest, but soon wished for a few companions with which to pass the time.  Interruptions tidied up his castle, prepared some food, and opened up the gates to fellow travelers.  Unfortunately, whenever passersby saw the ferocious-looking Interruptions standing inside his gate with meat turning on spits over the fire, they assumed the worst of him--not completely unfairly, as most dragons at this time felt no qualms in killing off all who are not dragonkind.

Interruptions continued to grow lonelier in his isolation and decided that whenever a traveler passed by he would force them inside for a meal.  Within the next couple of days, Interruptions "invited in" a pink and blue one-horned penguin, a tiny but ferocious mouse, a Moschino cash cow, and a knight in dented armor.  But by the time he had wrangled up all of his companions, Interruptions's food was burning, and so he locked the four travelers in his castle while he went out to search for more food.

Let's stop for a moment to take stock of Interruptions's prisoners:  The tiny mouse, named Lancelot, was a warrior in his own right.  In fact, if it wasn't for Interruptions's lightsaber-proof scales he would never have been captured in the first place.  The pink and blue penguin with his single shining purple horn was named Sir Edmund XXIV, and he was both a cowboy and the heir to the penguin throne.  The Moschino cash cow wore a large golden locket and a tiara from Tiffany's, and she had been caught while singing "Tick Tock" while walking through the woods--her name was Ke$ha.  Our last fellow, Hawt Dawg Diggory by name, was a knight who had been on a quest to rescue a lost princess from a dragon when he got captured.  Ah, blessed irony. . .
 
As we turn to the travelers trapped terrified in the tower, we find one perspicacious person pluckily proposing a perilous plot.  Lancelot drew his light saber and rallied the troops, ordering everyone to go in search of long, strong ropes and large blocks of cheese.  The ropes the group wove into a giant ladder; the cheese Lancelot cut with his lightsaber into smaller pieces and placed into a pouch--though he did eat a few pieces here and there.

While Interruptions was still gone, Lancelot had Sir Edmund XXIV use his impressive lassoing skills to throw the rope up over the walls of the castle to facilitate the group's escape.  One by one, Sir Edmund XXIV, Hawt Dawg Diggory, Ke$ha, and Lancelot began to climb up the rope ladder over the castle walls.

Unfortunately, due to his front limbs being flippers without any possible gripping mechanisms, Sir Edmund XXIV was an extremely slow climber--and let's not even mention the effort it took to get cash cow Ke$ha up the ladder.  Thus we find that our group was still executing their escape when poor, lonely, misunderstood Interruptions returned from the forest with more food.

Interruptions was upset and began to climb angrily up the ladder after the travelers.  In order to distract him, our brave Lancelot repeatedly threw blocks of cheese at the ground below, which Interruptions would rush to gather before the 5 second rule could apply.  However, our intrepid travelers were still not yet over the wall, and Lancelot was on his last piece of cheese.  Realizing they were doomed anyways, Lancelot ate the cheese himself and prepared to savor his last moment of life.

Luckily, Ke$ha took this moment to sing one final tune--her beloved "Tick Tock."  Upon hearing what happened to also be Interruptions's favorite song, our misunderstood dragon descended to the ground once more--this time to dance.  Ke$ha continued to sing as the "prisoners" at last made it over the wall and out of the castle, and Interruptions set the ground on fire with his awesome dance moves.  As Ke$ha finished her rendition, the previously underappreciated Hawt Dawg Diggory pulled out of his dented armor the keys to a brand spanking new Starship Enterprise, into which the four escapees gleefully entered.  Shouting phrases like "Beam me up, Scotty," and "You do remember how to fire phasers?" and "I'm giv' 'ner all she got, Cap'n!" the quartet engaged hyperdrive and blasted off into the sky.

Not having seen where his guests had gone, Interruptions looked up at the heavens with a sigh.  Seeing a momentary streak of light left by the Enterprise's departure, Interruptions determined that the travelers he had gathered must in fact have been the sun, moon, and stars, and they had needed to leave in order to light up the sky.  Thus resolving that he had been left out of necessity rather than out of fear, Interruptions gathered up all of the cheese cubes that he had collected off of the ground and headed inside to have a solitary feast, and they all lived happily ever after. . .


The End.





Author's Note.  I apologize for the ridiculousness and randomness of this story, haha.  This entire semester my friends have been trying to get me to tell a tale with Interruptions and mice and lightsabers and knights and horned penguins and starships and cheese and the moon, so tell a story with those elements I did!  I'm so sorry. . . But as for the story this was based off of, "The Moon and the Stars," I tried not to depart too far from the original.  In the original, Anansi and his son are taken by a dragon to a castle where there are other captives.  The dragon went off to find more travelers on which to dine (I altered the personality of the dragon just a little bit, haha) and the prisoners started to escape.  Originally the ladder is actually thrown up to the gods in the heavens and the prisoners escape to the sky where they become the sun, moon and stars, but I decided to take a little creative license with the whole process of getting to the sky, lol.  The dragon came back as they were climbing, and Anansi's son first threw bones and then played music to distract the dragon, then finally cut the rope ladder to send the dragon crashing back to earth.  So I kept a lot of the same elements, just altered them dramatically, haha.  Hope you enjoyed this departure from my normal style!

Bibliography.  "The Moon and Stars," from West African Folktales by William H. Barker and Cecilia Sinclair, with drawings by Cecilia Sinclair (1917).  UnTextbook.

Image Information.  Personal sketches of Interruptions the dragon, Sir Edmund XXIV the horned penguin, and Lancelot the mouse; drawn Feb. 18, 2015.

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Week 6: Reading Diary--How the College Student Did Her Homework (West African Folktales)

Let us continue on with the folktales about the Wile E. Coyote of West Africa--Anansi!  More West African Folktales, here we come!!


12. The Moon and Stars-  And we begin today's readings withhhh--another famine.  Really?  Ooooooh, a DRAGON.  Now things can get interesting. . . And it has a castle?!  Things just keep getting better.  I wish had good enough eyesight to detect a fly moving miles away; when I take my glasses off, I'm barely lucky enough to be able to see a fist flying at my face.  Kweku Tsin, you are so much cleverer than your father it's not even funny.  Though hitching your entire plan on the hopes that the gods will catch your rope and carry you away--that's a little iffy.  And the bag of bones and magical fiddle are a little random.  Lol, he threw him a bone.  I love wordplay. . . Can't stop the boogie, either, I guess.  Hooray for magical fiddles and dancing dragons!  So, basically, what I got out of this story is if you climb up to the heavens you get to become either sun, moon, or star.  I'm cool with that.  Who has a ladder I can borrow?

13. How the Tortoise Got Its Shell-  I.  Love.  Yams.  Just saying.  Can I go to the festival, please?!  A fast, shell-less tortoise?  What does that even look like?  First moral of the story:  drinking too much wine makes you slow and sleepy.  Fact.  Wow.  That escalated quickly.  Second moral:  don't get stuck outside of a party in the rain for 2 months while carrying a load of wine and palm trees; you will get squashed and die.  Then again, if you have friends among the gods they can just bring you back to life, though you may end up as a creeping creature with a giant pot stuck to your back.  So that's a what-if to ponder.


14. The Hunter and the Tortoise-  It's like the beginning of Snow White--a hunter enchanted by a beautiful song.  Though this song is sung by a tortoise rather than a princess, which is a major difference.  Plus the hunter wasn't ordered to kill the tortoise. . . Yeah, I guess it's really not like the beginning of Snow White at all.  If I had a magical singing tortoise, could I keep the secret to myself?  Hmmm. . . Probs not.  Oh, bad call hunter man.  Risking your life on a scorned tortoise to sing for a crowd whom she specifically told you not to tell of her?  Bad call.  Wow.  That tortoise totally let the hunter get beheaded.  I mean, I expected it, but still, that's harsh.  Especially seeing as she talks to all the other people after he's dead.  Goodness.

15. The Leopard and the Ram-  When people get my work get done for me, I always just assume I've been sleepwalking or something.  Fairies are just too obvious an answer.  (Then again, no one really does my work for me, so I've never been as confuddled as this pair of animals.)  Awww, they decided to live together!  How adorable!  Since when do rams eat meat?  Weirdest ending; did not know where that was going, but cool.

16. King Chameleon and the Animals- The animals all lived together in friendship, and yet wicked deeds were constantly being done. . . Sounds like a very twisted kind of friendship, haha.  Why is the hare always the fastest animal?  What about the cheetah or something?  Lol, I love this chameleon! Very clever, Pascal, very clever.  Aww, Pascal!  No one values your cleverness, do they?  Then again, you're a real cheetah here, so it's kinda your fault.

17. Elephant and Wren-  I've always wished someone would pay me with an elephant rather than money.  It just seems so much more practical.  If you actually want the tree cut down, why would you require they use a wooden axe be used?  That makes no sense. . .  The oldest trick in the book; madest thou look!  Haha.  Apparently Anansi is hungry enough to eat an elephant; I mean, I've been hungry enough to eat horse before (and honestly, horse meat is pretty tasty), but elephant?  *shudder*  So Anansi gets an entire elephant to himself and his children get to share a tiny wren?  That seems fair.  I'm glad his paternal instincts are in working order.  Run, elephant, run!  Esc-a-pay!

18. The Ungrateful Man-  You have to wonder how all four creatures ended up in the hole; I mean, you would think once the first one fell in the others would have had enough warning to realize that there was a giant hole there.  "I need the blood of a traitor."  "Well then, just behead the guest that turned on his kindly host.  That should do the trick."  I feel like there was a bit of an overreaction there.  They totally could've just nicked the guy's finger or something.  Not saying he didn't get his just desserts, but still. . .

19. Why Tigers Never Attack Men Unless They Are Provoked-  Richard Parker, there you are!  And here I thought you just wandered off into the jungle and abandoned the human race entirely.  Also, can I have a friend tiger?  I could ride it like I was playing Crash Bandicoot in real life, go walking through the jungle with it, and intimidate all of my nonexistent enemies.  It could be a fun time.

20. How Mushrooms First Grew-  Birds really have no honor, do they?  First I come across a chicken willing to give its offspring up as food, now I find a bushfowl willing to sell its offspring for profit--what is up with that?!  At least the ants are practical.

21. Farmer Mybrow and the Fairies-  Fairies are just so helpful.  I wish there were some around to do my homework assignments for me.  Mmmmm, yams. . .


Tadahhhhh!  Another week of reading done, and more fascinating etiological stories learned!  Now people get to think I'm even crazier as I pull more fun facts/tales about random objects out of my bag of tricks. . .

Ciao!!!



Image Information.  Anza Borrego Starscape; photo by Anthony Citrano, 2009.  Flickr.
African Spur-Thigh Tortoise; photo by Cheryl, 2008.  Flickr.
Veiled Chameleon; photo by Jarek Tuszynski, 2009.  Wikimedia.

Week 6: Reading Diary--The Itsy, Bitsy Spider Climbed Up the. . . Palm Tree? (West African Folktales)

This week we will be learning about West African Folktales because I enjoy stories about tricksters and spiders and animals and such.  So hold on and get ready for the ride!


1. How We Got the Name "Spider Tales"- This is the tale of how a conceited spider got his way.  But at least he is a clever conceited spider; that makes up for some of the lessons antithetical to traditional morals contained within the tale.  (Wow.  That totally sounded conceited.  I'm becoming like Anansi. . . Let's just hope I don't grow 6 more legs or something.)  You have to wonder:  why bees, a boa constrictor and a tiger?  What did Nyankupon want with those three creatures?  Playing to the pride and curiosity of various creatures--how Frank Underwood of you, Anansi.  Can you imagine the pain of sewing your eye(s) shut?  *shudder*  That's just frightening, and totally reminds me of Coraline (which is a totally creepy children's movie--how can you even consider that a children's movie?!).  But good work, Anansi!  You beat the challenge of the chief of the gods, so that's pretty cool and all.

2. How Wisdom Became the Property of the Human Race- No wonder Anansi could complete that challenge, if he posses all the wisdom in the world.  What did Nyankupon really expect?  Goodness, what terrible logic; if only he had had the wisdom to see the fallacy there. . . If all the wisdom is trapped in a pot, how does anything in the world get done?  Sheer dumb luck?  And I think this story is totally confusing the difference between wisdom and common sense--I sometimes find that people can be completely wise and have no common sense, and vice versa.  But 's'okay, Anansi, how can I expect you to tell the difference when you locked all the world's wisdom in a jar out of anger?  The same anger which resulted in all the anger being released into the world.  You should really work on the whole common sense and anger management issues there, Anansi.  I know some great Psych majors if you need some references. . .

3. Anansi and Nothing- That's what I think to do when I have no plans for a day; I mean, why not just go looking for a husband randomly?  It's what all the cool kids do.  Ahhh, polygyny, how I've missed your misogynistic tendencies.  Why not just wait for the bananas and peppers to ripen?  Goodness, where is all the common sense?!  For a second I thought it said that he smeared the palace steps with okra and I was very confused. . . Great origin story for the saying "crying for nothing," but honestly quite a horrific surprise ending.  Like, what?!

4. Thunder and Anansi- I'd climb the palm tree for fun even if I wasn't starving.  Yup.  Try, try again--even if that means attempting to sail across the ocean in a broken boat; no one said Anansi was the sharpest machete in the jungle.  I'm really starting to wonder why all of these stories focus on Anansi.  He's kind of a . . . well, a bastard, if I'm feeling kind.  He deserved to be beaten by a bewitched stick.

5. Why the Lizard Moves His Head Up and Down-  Ooooh, a Rumpelstiltskin-esque tale.  Let's guess these names!  Rapunzel?  Belle?  Aurora?  Jasmine?  Wait. . . they aren't Disney princesses?  Well, shucks, I have no idea, then.  And how many wives does Anansi need?  Jeez.  And poor Lizard. . .

6. Tit for Tat- So.  Many.  Famines.  At least Kweku Tsin recognizes how wicked his father Anansi is; I guess the coconut falls farther from the tree than the apple.  Wow, just. . . wow.  Anansi, you need to get your vision and head checked.  You're just. . . just. . . stupid.  You're stupid, Anansi (even if you are known for being clever).  Goodness.

7. Why White Ants Always Harm Man's Property- Another famine--go figure.  I have to say, if I find a dead antelope in the forest I don't think that I'd pack it up to eat.  That's like eating roadkill--not that eating roadkill is totally unacceptable, it's just. . . yeah.  No Scat the Roadkill Cat for me.  If I ever need a henchman, I'm definitely going to take the time to sharpen his/her teeth.  It just makes the chase that much more exciting.  And if I ever see someone with filed teeth, my first thought is going to be, "Wow that's so beautifully done!  Where can I find the 'Filing Spider' to do my own teeth?!"  True story.  I'm also going to hang people from trees just so I can mock their gullibility.  I just need to make sure I have a pulley system worked out in advance. . . Any volunteers for trials?  Huge twist at the end there; who saw the ants dying by boiling water coming?  Anyone?

8. The Squirrel and the Spider- Something to keep in mind:  you cannot legally have a farm unless there is a road leading to it under your domain.  The courts of law said so to Squirrel, so it must be true.

9. Why We See Ants Carrying Bundles As Big As Themselves- How small must a dwarf be to seem tiny to a spider?  Is it like a Atom Ant-sized human?  Maybe even with a little helmet and everything?  Pretty please?!  (Also, don't be an ant, because they are too honest for their own good.  They might as well all be named Abe, or something.  Yup, I went there.)

10. Why Spiders Are Always Found in Corners of Ceilings- Who needs scarecrows when you can have a creepy, sticky, rubber man?  That way all the crows and things get stuck to the scarecrow even if they aren't scared off and can't steal your corn or whatever.  You just might have to deal with more enraged animals than may be dictated as "safe."

11. The Grinding-Stone That Ground Flour By Itself-  Seriously, I don't think a week goes by without a new famine arriving in whatever region Anansi and friends inhabit.  Additionally, always check your bags to make sure they aren't leaving a trail of ashes behind you; that seems to be Anansi's favorite way to track people.  And the moral of the story is: don't carry a magical grinding stone on your head because it will grind you to bits before you can manage to put it down.  Also, tiny spiders like to gather under large stones (just in case you hadn't already noticed that sometime in life).  Cool beans.  Both of those are very applicable lessons, admit it.


And there you go!  Some fun etiological-type stories from West Africa!  Arrivederci!



Image Information.  Araneus diadematus; photo by Hochgeladen von Quartl, 2010.  Wikipedia.
Zitterspinne (Pholcus sp.); photo by Achim Muller, 2007.  Wikipedia.

Monday, February 16, 2015

Week 5: Famous Last Words--Galileo Galilei

"And yet it moves. . ."


This weekend was originally going to be one during which I did practically nothing and relished in the break from travel.  If anything, I was just going to take the quick train to Florence on Saturday for the chocolate festival--a Valentine's Day cliche, except I'd be doing so with friends so there is that, haha.

Well, I did indeed end up going to the chocolate festival in Florence, but only for about an hour, an hour and twenty minutes, between trains.  And while the stop was worth it--even if the festival was much smaller than expected--, it was definitely not the highlight of my day.  (Though, free samples of chocolate and then chocolate dipped candied fruits rank pretty high up there on best things everrr.  Especially when you take into account that said chocolate was bought/eaten behind a huge church and practically in the shadow of Brunelleschi's dome.  So, yeah, that was undoubtedly awesome, haha.)

But the best part of the day was probably the first stop in my hectic day of travel--Pisa.  While we were only there for like two and a half hours (and half of that was spent walking briskly to and from the train station), we were able to see the baptistery, basilica, and tower, so what more do you need?!  I always thought that the leaning tower was kinda hyped up, but when you are actually there, in front of it, you just think:  Wow.  That tower is totally crooked.  Haha, an obvious but true statement.  (And seeing it rise up out of nowhere as you walk through the streets is also shocking, with the juxtaposition of the buildings along the street and the tower which looks like it has to be going down.  All the people taking awkward touristy pictures with the tower are also wildly entertaining, lol.  And the gold and embellishments in the basilica are nothing to laugh at. . . )

After running back to the station to catch the train (no joke, we actually ran the last portion), we headed off to Lucca, a wonderfully picturesque walled city half an hour away.  Unfortunately, heading to Lucca meant heading straight into the storm, so the afternoon was much wetter and cloudier than the morning, but it was still beautiful.  The walls and towers in Lucca are the major attractions (which is all well and good because the town itself is kind of puny).  The walls are basically completely intact, and the top is insanely wide and topped with a promenade lined with streetlamps along which you can walk around the city.  The two churches we visited were gorgeous, one mainly in the interior and one on the exterior--an interesting contrast, haha.

While waiting on the train to Florence, we met an adorable elder couple (more of a pair, really, as they are brother and sister) who we talked with not only at the station but also during the entire train ride into Florence.  They travel abroad for weeks and months every year and have been to many exotic locations.  Just getting to talk to them and hear about all of their experiences and favorite places was wonderful.  (Plus it helped that they were adorable old people; you've just gotta love adorable old people.)

Lastly, we had an hour and twenty minutes in Florence before our final train back to Arezzo, and so we headed off to see Brunelleschi's dome and to find the chocolate festival.  We randomly met up with a couple other groups of OUA students while there (it really is a small world).  After following the smell of delicious chocolate and sampling everything we possibly good, we bought up some goodies and got back on the train to head back.  And after another short train ride, we were back in Arezzo late Saturday night.

Then, of course, I spent Sunday marathoning House of Cards, doing homework, and crafting a D&D character. . . So a hectic weekend all around, haha.  Hope everyone had a fantastic Valentine's Day!

Ciao!!!  :)


Image Information.  All of these are personal photos, taken on Feb. 14, 2015.  In order, they are:
Leaning Tower of Pisa.  Florence Chocolate Festival 1.  Florence Chocolate Festival 2.  Cathedral at Pisa.  Cathedral at Lucca.  Piazza Anfiteatro at Lucca.  Brunelleschi's Dome in Florence.

Sunday, February 15, 2015

Week 5: Collage Tech Tip

Since I have spent significant portions of both Friday afternoon and this afternoon marathoning House of Cards with some friends, I thought it only fitting that I make a collage regarding said show.  Unfortunately, there are very few images labeled for reuse sooooo. . . yeah.  This is all I've got to show about how roughly 8 hours of my weekend were spent, haha.


Image Info.  House of Cards Poster, A,tin; Luxuriaz.com.
House of Cards, Indenture; Flickr.
House of Cards TV Poster, MARRAKCHI; DeviantArt.

Comment Wall

Tell me what you think and hold nothing back, haha.  Leave all of your comments right here!

Friday, February 13, 2015

Week 5: Extra Reading Diary--Pirates and Old Men and Rocs--Oh, My! (Voyages of Sindbad

Once again, rather than an essay, I decided to read the Voyages of Sindbad, just because I was curious about how Sindbad's voyages ended--does he get left behind more times and forgotten for good?  Does he lose all of his wealth?  Or is he really the luckiest man alive?  Let's jump to it!  (Especially since I have a marathon of House of Cards starting shortly, haha.)


11-12. Fifth Voyage- Well, Sindbad, at least if you have your own ship they can't really leave you behind. . . right?  How dare you let them kill the baby roc, Sindbad!!!!  What kind of monster are you?!  Poor momma and poppa roc. . .  How can a ship outmaneuver rocs dropping giant boulders?  That's totally unrealistic (whereas rocs are definitely real. . . I definitely have my facts straight).  Awww, Sindbad, your ship is dead!  You really need to find some better merchant friends.  Sindbad might make a good Aeneas, just saying. . . Poor Sindbad!  Now you're stuck with a random old dude on your back.  If only it was that easy to make wine in real life.  And now we are back to uncommon good luck and coconuts.  Woo!  Who knew you could make a living throwing stones at monkeys?  And, once again, Sindbad is rich with practically no effort.  Wish I was him!

13-15. Sixth Voyage- Yes, Sindbad, it is a marvel that you would risk more trouble after having shipwrecked five times.  And yet, there you go, venturing off once more.  Annnnnddddd there you go, wrecking yet another ship; for shame, Sindbad, for shame!  Way to outlive all your companions!  Are you going to extend your life further by reverting to cannibalism?  No?  Awww. . . Look at that--the power of logic!  Raft away, my dear Sindbad!  Thank you, random "friendly-looking black men"!  You saved Sindbad from certain death!  (He seriously has more lives than a cat.)  I'm Sindbad, the Sailor Man--*toot, toot*!  Fameeee, without love, fameeee, can't get enough. . .  Random mention of Adam; okay, then.  And Sindbad gets more wealth from entertained hosts--it's whatever.  How rich were these random friendly men?  Day-um.  Plus, just because he delivered gifts from one monarch to another, Sindbad receives yet more wealth.  Cool beans.  Return home, my fortunate friend!

16-17. Seventh and Last Voyage- You vow never to leave Baghdad again?  Bah!  You get to deliver a present back to the Serendib peoples.  Go forth, valiant Sindbad!  A bed is definitely the first gift I think to give a foreign leader.  Wow, Caliph, just wow.  Oooooohhhh, pirates.  Sorry, Sindbad, but I might be changing sides here, even if they do kill and enslave people ruthlessly. . . Okay, so maybe not.  Poor Sindbad.  :(  Killing an elephant just for its tusks?  Gahhhhh!  I no longer like you, Sindbad--bad!  (Don't ask why Sindbad has basically becoming a dog in this post--just go with it, haha.)  Such smart elephants!  Take him down!!!. . . Or carry him away!!!  That works too!  More good fortune and wealth for Sindbad--big surprise.

And Sindbad lived happily ever after.  The end!

Arrivederci!!!



Image Information.  Final Frontier; oil on canvas by George Grie.  Wikimedia.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Week 5: Storytelling--Infinite Emerald Eyes


My dear children, have you ever heard the tale of how I obtained the riches that make our family so wealthy to this day?  Gather closer 'round the fire, and let me tell you a story of my youth. . .

As you know, our kingdom has a long history of joy and gladness, but there are still times when intrigue and even war cannot be avoided.  Thus, after a long period of peace, when our king dreamed of a fox suspended from its tail in the rafters over the throne, he worried about what the vision might foretell.  He promised anyone who might interpret the dream correctly numerous gifts, and the message reached my own ears.  Though I was far from the castle and knew not what the dream might presage, I set off on the long trek regardless, hoping to acquire wealth to restore glory to our family's dilapidated homestead.

When crossing through the mountain pass, a voice called out to me from the ground; looking down, I noticed a vivid, green serpent lying in the sunlight.  It raised its head and speared my gaze with its glittering emerald eyes, "Tell me, peasant, to where art thou traveling?"

Now, children, I had heard tales of those animals in our kingdom which possessed the skill of human speech, but never had I believed them to be true.  Almost as if in a trance, I relayed my quest to the gleaming serpent.  He hissed softly at my tale, sounding almost pleased with the challenge.  Within his gaze I saw a vision much like the one the king must have seen, with a fox hanging from a wooden beam, and then the snake spoke again, "Having received thy word that thou wilt share with me the gifts of thy king, know that the fox portrays the cunning, hypocrisy, and treachery within the kingdom."

Having said this, the snake slithered off into the grass and disappeared from my view.  I hurried off to the king and relayed the meaning of his dream, upon which I received many riches.  But, my children, I was selfish, and returned home by another trail in order to keep all the wealth for myself.

It happened that not too long after this, the king had another vision, that of a sword hanging by a thread from the roof above his throne.  He sent for me to interpret, and though I had betrayed the serpent I visited again the mountain pass in the hopes of finding him and learning what he might teach me.

Fortunately, when I called out in despair the serpent came forth, looking somewhat put off by my presence.  His tongue flickered lazily, his eyes searched my face--though for what, I do not know.  "Thou seek my counsel again, young peasant?  Wilt thou keep thy word this time?"  I hastily promised him that I would, and then told him of the king's dream.  "Tell thy king that the sword foretells of war, and that thine enemies are intriguing from both within and without the kingdom.  Prepare for battle and attack!"

At these words I ran off to the king and informed him of the upcoming war.  He again rewarded me with innumerable gifts, making our household wealthier than ever before.  I decided to take the quickest route home, which included the mountain pass, where I stumbled upon the serpent.

Before he could ask me for his share of the king's reward, I attacked him with my sword--ah, children, how ashamed I am now for my actions!  The wise one who had granted me the opportunity for such wealth, and I wounded him greatly. . . But I was possessed with great greed and hurried home with my vast fortune as the serpent trailed away.

More time passed, and the king called for me a second time to translate for him his most recent dream--that of a slain sheep hanging above the throne.  I knew that I had twice denied the serpent his due and indeed injured him with my sword, but I sought him anyway, hoping that he would have forgiven my past transgressions.

Thus I came across the mountain path for the fourth time, again seeking the serpent.  As soon as I approached I noted the serpent basking along the path before me.  When he observed me, his eyes glittered as before, but this time with malice as well as with knowledge.  Emerald scales glinted in the sunlight as he rose imposingly before me.  "What dost thou want, peasant?" he hissed, eyes flashing angrily.

I informed him of the third vision, and saw reflected in his gem-like eyes the vision of the king.  His gaze grew calmer, and he spoke softly.  "Again, thou hast promised to grant me half of thy gifts; thus, I inform you that this is a sign that peace falls on all across the kingdom, and all the people are become like gentle sheep."

I passed the serpent's infinite knowledge onto the king and received more wealth than ever before.  Feeling generous in the newly-come peacetime, I returned along the mountain path.  The serpent sensed my approach and came forth from the grass, slithering warily up to me.  I knelt down before him and laid out all the king's gifts, offering them to the creator of my fortune.  The serpent was pleased and nodded at me with sinuous motion, "Thou hast come far, peasant, in these troubling times.  When there was hypocrisy in the lands, thou deceived me; when there was war, thou sought to quarrel.  But now thou bringest the gifts in times of peace and sharest all with me.  For this, go in peace, and keep all thy wealth!"

His emerald gaze turned from me for the last time, the final image reflected in them that of gold and riches beyond belief.  His glittering body disappeared into the grass along the mountain pass, never to be seen again, and I headed home with more wealth than could be spent in ten lifetimes. . .

So, you see, it was due to the generosity of a serpent that our family amassed its wealth--a serpent even crowns our crest, as if it were meant to be!  And if you ever observe a serpent basking along the road or dwelling within our lands, be sure to treat it well, for who knows what good fortune it might bring you. . .



Author's Note.  I decided to retell the story of "The Serpent and the Peasant" because I found it intriguing that, for once, the snake was portrayed as a wise, kind, and generous creature, rather than an evil and deceitful one.  I didn't really change anything in the story but the perspective, plus I added in a bit of a "third dimension," if you will, by addressing my readers/listeners directly--just to try out a new style.  I hope you enjoyed this story!!

Image Information.  Christmas Snake; photo by glazyrin, 2013.  DeviantArt.

Bibliography.  "The Serpent and the Peasant" from Georgian Folk Tales.  Marjory Wardrop, 1894. Untextbook.

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Week 5: Reading Diary--Escalating Ridiculousness (Georgian Folktales)

Now to continue on with the somewhat nonsensical and random Georgian folktales!


11. The Strong Man and the Dwarf-  It's totally going to be a David and Goliath-esque story--I'm calling it now!  Awww. . . Just kidding; it's just another story reminiscent of the valiant little tailor. . .  :(  Basically just another clever little person taking advantage of a less clever but more physically imposing person.  For shame, little people, for shame.  Especially reusing each other's tricks like that!  At least be original!  (Though the sneezing-criticism thing was new; just goes to prove that dwarves are bullies with Napoleon complexes.)

12. The Grasshopper and the Ant- "Hen, give me chickens to give to the kites"--does the grasshopper not realize that he's asking the hen to give over comrades/offspring to be eaten?  Good luck with that one. . . This whole thing could be so much less complicated if the grasshopper just used a leaf or a twig or a blade of grass or something; why does it need to be the bristle of a sow?!  Oooohhh, the barn talks.  Nice use of a random inanimate object. (Just a side note, I consider plants like oaks somewhat animate as they are alive, if not vocal.  I'll still eat them and chop them down and all, but they are animate. . . )  Why wouldn't you just use the grass?!  Gahhhhh.  I'm just glad that my friends are (at least slightly) more effective in emergency situations than that grasshopper.  Poor little ant. . .

13. The King and the Sage-  RIDDLES!!! WOOOOO!  Awwwww--they weren't actually riddles.  Boo.  (Also, who says that it is possible for his wife to give birth to a pig and himself to turn into a weird panther-goat amalgamation, but it isn't possible for a poor-looking guy to have been wealthy once?  Whattt?!)

14. Teeth and No-Teeth-  Ummmmmm, okay.  So we have a toothless but clever old man inhaling food and an athletic and proud young man weeping that he doesn't get as much food.  Cool.

15. The Fool's Good Fortune-  Okay, these stories are just getting curiouser and curiouser.  So we have a fool who is happy with a cow, a cow who rips up a tree and finds a pot of gold, a fool who gives said pot (now filled with rocks) to a king, lots of people beating on a fool for various ill-timed remarks, a fool who decides to steal a bell, a bell which frightens robbers, a fool which cuts off a robber's tongue, a fool who steals the robbers' wealth, and a fool who builds three palaces with said wealth.  Which means, overall, he had good fortune, I guess?  Huh.

16. Two Losses-  Another story of an erudite making fun of the laymen and then perishing because he has no common sense/basic skills.  Oh, well.  Looking at the silver lining, though, there is now one less snobby scholar in the world. . .

17. The Story of Dervish-  Where was the explanation about the other magical happenings in the region--such as the skinless deer running away after being killed?  Instead we get told a tale about a man turned into a dog who basically kills everything he sees for reward, before being turned back into a man and turning his wife and her lover into donkeys--of the opposite sex.  I just. . . I don't get any of these. . .

18. The Father's Prophecy-  Basically, rank and glory are two very different things, as are virtue and fortune.  The father might as well have been paraphrasing Machiavelli's The Prince.  (Also, respect your elders, people; come on!)

19. The King's Counsellor-  First off, the ambiguity of the word "kid" here worries me; I'm just going to cross my fingers and assume they were talking about another goat.  Also, why does this tale lead to the moral of "beware, above all us, of our wives"?  It should be something else such as "be grateful of good counsel and acknowledge it as such," or "don't go up in arms over a favored goat."  (And of those two, obviously the latter is the more appropriate and logical.)

20. The Hermit Philosopher-  He didn't understand. . . and then it hit him!  Haha, ha, ha. . . Yeahhhh, I think I've read a few too many of these stories today. . .


Ta-dahhhhhh!  Another unit down and more random knowledge acquired!  Now to tell a story. . .   A piu tardi!



Image Information.  Ant on tree; photo by Thomas Quaritsch, 2005.  Wikimedia.
A pair of donkeys, Cloghfin; photo by Kenneth Allen, 2012.  Geograph.