Wikipedia Trails: From Brothers Grimm to Olive Oil

The Brothers Grimm:
-German academics and authors from the 19th century
-best known for their works of folktales
-their stories were used as propaganda for the Third Reich of the Nazis

Nazi Germany:
-the period of time when Germany was under the rule of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi Party
-turned Germany into a fascist state
-came to an end after World War II
-1936 displayed the Nazis on an international platform as they performed for Germany

Olympic Flame:
-signifies when Prometheus stole fire from Zeus
-introduced in 1928 in Amsterdam
-the first widely known athlete to light the flame was Paavo Nurmi
-early torches used olive oil for fuel to light the fire

Olive Oil:
-a liquid fat obtained from olives
-used in cooking, pharmaceuticals, soaps, and fuel
-Greece is the highest consumer of olive oil

(Olive Oil)

Reading Notes: The Brothers Grimm Unit, Part B

The Six Swans:
-a king went out to hunt by himself
-he was surrounded at every hour of the day by people and hunting was the one time he could be alone with just himself and nature
-soon it became dark and he had wandered farther into the woods than he ever had before
-he got so turned around and now wished one of his many guards was there to help him find his way
-as he was searching for a way out he came across an old witch
-she knew these woods like the back of her hand and agreed to help him find his way home on one condition - that he marry her daughter and make her his queen
-the king took her back to his castle but kept his precious children hidden from his new wife
-she became so jealous that when he was away she turned them all into swans - all except for the one little girl who was hiding so her stepmother could not find her
-she was determined to break the spell and save her brothers
-she followed the instructions her brothers gave and even though it took six years she remained faithful and saved her family

(The Three Spinsters)

The Three Spinsters:
-a young girl was taken away by the queen to live in her castle because word falsely spread about what a magnificent spinner she was
-she would constantly find excuses to tell the queen when the queen would come check her work and see that nothing had been done
-the queen said that once the work was done the girl would marry her son, the prince
-so the girl found three poor women in the street who agreed to do all her work if she would only invite them to her wedding as her own relatives
-once the prince saw how heinous the three women were he declared that his new wife should never spin another day in her life
-the new princess invited the three women to live with them because she was eternally grateful for their services to her

Bibliography:

Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm translated by Lucy Crane

Famous Last Words: Almost to the Finish Line

Well, I am approaching the end of the semester and with it my graduation from OU. I am definitely feeling the senioritis hit me hard as of late, so I am ready for May 13th to get here! I have loved my time here at OU so I will be very sad to leave, but I am ready for my next adventure that awaits. I will be moving later this summer to Conway, Arkansas to attend the Physical Therapy Program at the University of Central Arkansas. I have lived in Norman my entire life, so I am definitely hesitant to leave. Most of my family and friends are here so it will be difficult to say goodbye, but I am excited for the challenge of making a home and finding other friends some place new. One of my best friends from Norman got into UCA as well so I do not having to start in a new place alone.

(I will be sad to leave the OU campus!)

We are still trying to figure out all the details of where we will live when we move, so that is a little stressful but at least I know I for sure have a roommate! I am the type of person who likes to have everything planned out. It is hard for me to wait and trust that everything will work out by the time I need it to. I have to force myself to focus my attention on wrapping up my undergrad semester before I can stress out about what is to come this fall in grad school. For right now, I am just trying to finish this semester strong and prepare for my last round of exams before it is time for finals. It is so crazy to think that I am about to have my last finals week at OU, ever! I would like to end my time here at OU on a high note because the past four years have been a blast.

Reading Notes: The Brothers Grimm Unit, Part A

The Fisherman and His Wife:
-the fisherman lived with his wife on a lonely island
-his wife always wanted more than he could ever give
-he went out to fish one day, but the fish he could started talking back to him
-he was so startled when it begged for its life that he let it go
-he ran home to tell his wife about his extraordinary day and the magical fish
-but all she had to say was a complaint about how come he didn't use the fish to try to get a wish or capture the talking fish so they could become rich
-so the man went back to the fish and asked for a cottage so they would have more space to live
-he returned home to find his wish had been granted by the fish
-everything his wife wished, she made her husband go ask of the fish and he granted it
-she had wished for more and more until finally the fish took away everything he had granted her and they ended up as poor as they started out

(Aschenputtel)

Aschenputtel:

-a young girl knew her mother was sick, but her parents hid how close her mother was to dying from her

-when her mother was on her death bed she called her daughter to her side and told her to always make the right choices and be kind

-her father soon remarried and along with her stepmother came two new sisters

-at first she was excited to have new sisters and friends to play with, but she soon realized they were cruel and only pretended to be kind when her father was around

-her step mother made her do all the chores of the household while her sisters did nothing

-she found a friends in the animals that lived in the woods that surrounded the house

-they helped her with chores and even helped her make a dress when she escaped to the king's ball

-and ultimately helped the prince find her at her house

-she was able to leave the cruel treatment of her stepmother and stepsisters forever

Bibliography:

Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm translated by Lucy Crane 

Tech Tip: Canvas Profile and Display Name

I chose to do this Tech Tip to just learn more about Canvas in general. I uploaded a photo of myself that I had taken for my senior announcements because I like that picture of myself and it reminds me that I am so close to graduating!

(This will be me in May!)

 I hadn't uploaded a picture previously because I hadn't really thought about it and because I honestly did not know how. I chose not to include any links because I don't really have any that pertain to my academic life here on Canvas. However, I think the photograph alone makes it look a lot more personal than it did before.

Reading Notes: Robin Hood Unit, Part B

Robin Hood and the Bishop of Hereford:
-Robin Hood dressed up as a shepherd to trick the bishop as he travelled through the forest
-they killed a deer in front of the bishop even though it was the king's and they knew it meant trouble if they were caught killing it
-but Robin Hood loved to stir up trouble
-Robin Hood appealed to the bishop's occupation and said he should have mercy, but this bishop saw no need to have mercy on poor shepherds
-so Robin Hood revealed his true identity to the bishop and called out to his men
-the bishop froze in fear and begged for mercy, but Robin Hood was not obliged to give him any
-they made the bishop stay and feast with them in the town
-then they said they would only let him go if he gave them all his money, which he gladly agreed to before fleeing for his life

Little John a Begging:
-Little John went into the town dressed as a poor beggar
-he met two other beggars in the forest on the way into town and decided to join their company
-the two men did not want a stranger to join them and tried to beat him up
-Little John was of course up for the fight and when he had finished with them all the money they had stolen had fallen out of their cloaks
-they were thieves and not poor beggars at all

(Little John)

Robin Hood and Maid Marian:
-Maid Marian was praised for her beauty by everyone who knew her
-people compared her to mythical goddesses and great women of past times
-Robin Hood saw her and fell in love with her like everyone else had before him
-but he took his time and wooed her
-soon they fell in love, but he had to return every night to the forest
-Marian got so depressed when he left, that finally one night she decided to venture out to the forest to find Robin Hood
-she disguised herself and went out fully armed
-she met Robin Hood, but did not recognize him for he was in full disguise as well
-they got to fighting, but when Marian cut Robin Hood and he yelled out she recognized his voice and threw off her disguise
-they decided to marry and remain together in the forest

Bibliography:

Ballads of Robin Hood by Francis James Child

Reading Notes: Robin Hood Unit, Part A

Robin Hood's Progress to Nottingham:
-Robin Hood was only 15 and yet he was the best archer in the county
-he was also incredibly cocky and did not take kindly to people doubting his abilities
-he killed all of the forresters who doubted his abilities

Robin Hood and Little John:
-Robin Hood did not have many friends
-he kept to himself and made so many rash decisions that people were scared to interact with him
-he met Little John by challenging him to a fight in the forrest and was getting severely beaten by the huge, strong man that was Little John
-they called it a truce and decided to be friends, since they both seemed to be committed to the same ideals

(Robin Hood and Little John)

Robin Hood's Delight:
-Robin Hood was the keeper of the forest and let everyone who entered into his realm know
-his fiery and rash personality jumped upon the opportunity to challenge anyone who questioned him
-he often got into unnecessary trouble because of his love of picking fights

Bibliography:

Ballads of Robin Hood by Francis James Child

Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar

This tutorial video on the Canvas calendar was surprisingly helpful. I am on Canvas several times a day to access different materials for all my various classes so it would be convenient to have everything that I need to do that week compiled in one place. I had no idea I could put in my own events in the personal section of the calendar, so that was something new that I learned from this.


I also like that in the Agenda view, you can see the assignments in the order that they are due. This would help in time management and in the decision process of which assignment to tackle first. I have a physical planner that I use, but after viewing this I seriously am considering using this Canvas calendar to keep up with my assignments. It would be nice because my backpack is so heavy that my planner would be one less thing I would have to carry around.

(Calendar)

Week 11 Storytelling: Young Beowulf's Journal

Dear Journal,

My parents got a letter today from my uncle, King Hygelac, informing them that word of my “superior strength” has spread all the way to his kingdom. He wants me to come live with him and his other warriors. I know I should be excited to be a thane because of all the skills I will get to learn, but honestly all I can think about is having to leave my parents and my friends. All I want to do is be a kid. People keep freaking out about how strong I am, but it’s not like I can help it.



Dear Journal,

So apparently my uncle is pretty anxious to get me started in training. I told my parents that I don’t want to go, but they think it will be a good opportunity for me. I know they are probably right (ugh they usually are), but it still doesn’t make it any easier. I am trying to be strong and I don’t want to admit to them how much I am going to miss home. I am leaving at the end of the month.



Dear Journal,

I arrived at my uncle’s this morning. His kingdom is pretty nice, I guess. I have a really cool room, but I bet that is just because I am family. I really hope he doesn’t give me special attention because I want the other guys to treat me normally, not like a kid who is just here because the King is my uncle. I am trying to act happy to be here, but I already have a bad feeling that this adjustment period is really going to suck.

(Young Beowulf)

Dear Journal,

Well I have made one friend after being here for 5 months! It may or may not be the family dog, but a friend is a friend. I miss everything about home so much. I am strong and getting stronger, just like they expected, but I am so awkward that it doesn’t even matter. I run so fast that I get tripped up over my own two feet. I just really don’t feel like I fit in with all these strong warriors and I think that is how the other guys like it. I am looking for someone else who is struggling as much as I am, but everyone else seems like they have it all figured out. I just feel really alone.



Dear Journal,

Someone has started spreading nasty rumors about me. As if being the loser who has no friends wasn’t enough, now everyone thinks I am a lazy coward! I didn’t even ask to be here in the first place. I just want to leave, but I am too angry. I will prove that these are all untrue for the sake of my family’s name. A guy a little older than me, named Breca, challenged me to swim the open sea. I have really been improving in the training drills so I am actually ready to prove myself. This seems like the perfect opportunity. Maybe if I can win this race, people will see that I have been working hard this whole time and I am not a slacker. The race is tomorrow, so I will update when I get back.

Author's Note:

I based this off of the Beowulf Unit, mostly from The Young Beowulf story. It talked about how Beowulf had to leave his family at a very young age so I wanted to explore his feelings about leaving everything he knew. The original story just assumed that he would be happy to go, but I wanted to contrast that in my story with his longing to be normal. The original story did talk about how he trouble adjusting so I expanded on that and went deeper into what his inner thoughts would be.

Bibliography:

The Young Beowulf by Strafford Riggs

Reading Notes: Beowulf Unit, Part B

Grendel Attacks:
-all the warriors had tried to stay awake to be ready for when Grendel arrived, but sleep overcame all of them but Beowulf
-Beowulf kept dozing off, but never fully reached sleep
-Grendel silently approached the hall to feast on the new warriors he had seen arrive earlier that day
-he used the magic he had learned from his mother to cast a spell on those who slept
-Beowulf was unaffected by the sleep spell because he was not fully asleep
-Grendel entered the hall and began silently ripped the sleeping men limb from limb
-Beowulf turned over in his bed and made eye contact with Grendel

The Battle with Grendel:
-Beowulf was the first creature that Grendel had encountered that he couldn't easily dismember
-Grendel longed to crush his bones like the others, but Beowulf was too strong and fast
-the fight went on for what seemed like an eternity
-finally Beowulf caught hold of Grendel's arm and pinned it behind his back
-he was able to rip his arm off at the shoulder and Grendel went off screaming into the night

(Beowulf)

Beowulf Battles Grendel's Mother:

-Beowulf went alone to Grendel's mother to kill her for she would never rest on exacting her vengeance on the people who attacked her son

-she was even more grotesque than he imagined

-she immediately started attacking him and she was so much more fierce than Grendel 

-Beowulf caught a glance of a crumpled body in the corner

-he knew immediately Grendel had just made it back to the cave before he died

-he found a magic sword in the wall and was able to slice Grendel's mother in half

-all her spells had no power against that sword

-then he cut off Grendel's head to take back to the hall

Bibliography:

The Story of Beowulf by Strafford Riggs

Reading Notes: Beowulf Unit, Part A

King Hygelac of Geatsland:

-The Geats had war in their blood

-the majority of every year was spent fighting with the surrounding tribes

-when they weren't fighting other tribes the warriors would go out and seek monsters to kill

-the king only chose warriors to be by his side that had proven themselves in battle 

-when they took a break from fighting they would feast together in the large hall and tell stories of how they had conquered their foes in battle

-the younger men would listen and long to be brave like these warriors one day

The Young Beowulf:

-Beowulf was the king's nephew

-he showed such promise, that he went to live with the king and be trained as a warrior

-Beowulf missed his parents and his friends at home

-he never really adjusted to the kingdom or made friends

-he was much stronger than everyone his age and people did not know how to react to him

-they held a feast for Beowulf when he came of age

-but nothing made Beowulf happy

-he still wasn't accepted and he felt like he strength was wasted because he had nothing to use it for

-a wise old magician foretold that he would do great things, but Beowulf did not believe him

(Beowulf and his men)

Beowulf's Resolve:

-the wanderer who came and sang about the monster Grendel who was wreaking havoc caught Beowulf's attention

-he finally found something that would be a challenge and he could save the lives of so many people

-the queen approved of his mission when no one else did

-but with her approval everyone else came around

-Beowulf was to prove himself a hero or not return to the land of the Geats

Bibliography:

The Story of Beowulf by Strafford Riggs

Reading Notes: Tejas Legends Unit, Part B

The Maiden Who Loved a Star:
-a young Indian girl was very lonely
-she would go to the desert to pick the prickly pears and dream that someday she would find someone to love
-the desert was her way to escape from her family's expectations and pressures
-they just wanted her to be married and settled, but she would not marry without love
-she would go to the desert and pray to the gods that they would send someone for her to love
-one night she fell asleep in the desert while wishing for a companion
-when she awoke it was pitch black all around her but the stars lit her way home
-there was one star however that stood out from all the others
-it seemed to beckon her, as if there was a star youth that was declaring his love for her with how bright he shone
-she kept returning to this spot each night and this star shone bright faithfully each night
-she went to a witch in the village and asked to be turned into a star so she could go and be with her love
-the witch granted her wish if she worked for her for 5 years
-after the long 5 years the girl and her love were finally together

(Rainbow)

When the Rainbow Was Torn:
-all flowers started out white
-but one day the rainbow was tired of living in the sky and tried to escape
-as it was gathering the courage to leave and packing up its things, the clouds caught onto the rainbow's plan and told the sky
-as the rainbow tried to jump out, the sky grabbed it and squeezed some of its color out
-the color was drawn to the starkness of the white flowers and from now on most of the flowers have colors

Bibliography:

Tejas Legends Unit by Florence Stratton

Reading Notes: Tejas Legends Unit, Part A

When the Storm God Rides:
-the storm god had a wild thunder bird that terrorized the people when it had too much energy
-so he made islands along the Gulf of Mexico to give his thunder bird his own personal places to go let off steam where he couldn't hurt anyone
-the storm god loved his thunder bird as his trusty companion and his pet, but he also wanted the humans to adore him
-soon all kinds of wild creatures flocked there because there were no human inhabitants that could be harmed
-but this worked the other way as well, for soon men became greedy and wanted to hunt the wild birds and beasts that lived on the island
-the animals called out to the storm god to save them
-the storm god sent his wrath down on the humans that tried to hunt the animals living peacefully on their islands and he protects them to this day

(Storm God on his Thunder Bird)

How the North Wind Lost His Hair:
-the north and the south wind hated each other since the beginning of time
-since they were opposites from the core they could never quite see eye to eye
-the north wind was old and bitter because he was never loved and no one was ever excited when he came like people were when the young, warm south wind blew
-one day the north wind's bitterness got the best of him and he decided to invade the south wind's territory and never leave
-they had a battle and a great storm resulted
-eventually the youth of the south wind overpowered the north wind
-as a victory prize, the south wind demanded the north wind's long gray hair
-he threw it all over the trees to serve as a reminder that this is his territory and that the north wind is no longer welcome here

Bibliography:

Tejas Legends Unit by Florence Stratton

Week 9 Storytelling: The Vengeance of a Mother

In an Eskimo village a long time ago, there lived a man named Papik. Now he was happy as a single man, but the day he met Akna all that changed. Papik knew he wanted to her to be his wife and after a few months of wooing, he won her heart. The two lovebirds were married. They were so happy it was as if they were living in a dream; little did they know a true nightmare was about to come.

Akna received word from her family that her mother was ill and asked if they could come and stay. Papik had never met Akna’s family, but of course he was there to support his wife so the next day they were off to travel to the village where Akna’s mother lived. When the couple arrived, they were warmly welcomed by Akna’s mother, Anna, and her brother, Ailaq, and shown to the room Anna had made up for them. Much to her children’s delight, Anna’s health had taken a turn for the better and she had almost made a full recovery.

Ailaq went out to hunt and gather food for the family’s meals. He was widely known for his hunting prowess all throughout his village and the surrounding villages. Papik soon realized that there seemed to be nothing that Ailaq could not do. He would flaunt his talents while taunting Papik and nagging him on why he was so inferior. At first Papik saw this as a joke and played along, but as time went on his resentment grew and his anger simmered. One can only take being degraded for so long before it becomes too much. It didn’t help that Akna decided that they should spend the winter with her mother and Papik didn’t want to disappoint her so he silently endured his merciless brother-in-law.

(Ailaq)

One afternoon on one of their hunting excursions, Ailaq was setting up a trap when it misfired and stabbed him through the chest and left him pinned to the ground. He cried out in pain and urged Papik to help save him. Papik rushed to help him, but just before he reached Ailaq he lurched to a stop. All the harsh abuses and torment that Ailaq had inflicted upon him these past months ran through his mind and his feet seemed to be frozen to the snowy ground. He slowly backed away and plugged his ears while he ran away so he didn’t hear Ailaq’s curses and cries as he bled to death. Papik returned a few minutes later to find Ailaq’s body. He could not believe what he had done and immediately regretted his actions, but he knew he would be too ashamed to ever tell anyone what happened.

Late that night Papik returned home. Alone. He told Akna and Anna that he had gotten separated from Ailaq and despite searching everywhere he could not find him. Anna started shrieking hysterically that she could sense his guilt and his lies. She then vowed to come back to haunt him and avenge her son’s death before collapsing herself on the floor.

Akna did not know how to comprehend the death of her brother and her mother all in the same day. She could not forget his mother’s words especially when she saw the strange way Papik had been acting since he had returned. She knew her mother’s ancestors possessed dark magic and she feared for her husband’s life. She went in search of Papik to warn him that they should leave and return to their village, but as she was searching she came across the words “vengeance” written in blood in the snow. Her heart was racing, but she kept walking. She came across a foot, then a few yards an ear, then a couple more feet what appeared to be a leg. Akna fell down where she stood, for she knew she was looking upon pieces of her husband.

Author's Note:

In the original story, Papik killed Ailaq because he was envious, but I wanted to build on that more and give a backstory. Also in the original story, the mother turns into a monster that comes back to kill Papik. I still made the mother the one who avenged her son's death, but I left it more up to interpretation as to how she did it. I also made the death more of an accident where Papik failed to act to save Ailaq rather than straight cold blooded murder. In my story I gave the wife more of a role as well.

Bibliography:

Papik, Who Killed His Wife's Brother by Knud Rasmussen

Reading Notes: Eskimo Folk Tales , Part B

Papik, Who Killed His Wife's Brother:
-Papik married into a family of great hunters
-he was always competing with his brother in law Ailaq
-he began plotting his revenge on Ailaq, but one day when they were out hunting he snapped and murdered his brother in law
-he tried to cover it up as if an animal had killed him but his mother in law knew the truth and vowed to seek revenge
-she had a heart attack the next week from the stress, but on her death bed said she would come back to haunt and kill Papik
-years later a monster was heard to roaming the village, but no one ever got a close look
-then when Papik when out to hunt and did not return his wife knew something was wrong
-he had been murdered and his boyd mutilated with the words vengeance written in the snow beside him in blood


The Wife Who Lied:
-have a grandma telling this to her grandchildren
-about a young girl who went back to her own village and told lies of how her husband mistreated her
-war broke out between the two tribes
-the one tribe at first killed all the women while the men were away, but the other tribe avenged their deaths by retaliating and conquering the first tribe
-the girl who had told the lie and started all of this death a lonely and painful death
-this story was told to little children to illustrate the importance of the truth not only for yourself but also for others' sake

(Eskimo Family)

The Eagle and the Whale:
-seven brothers lived with their two sisters
-the sisters were content to live there as a family, but the brothers had become convinced that they would never be happy until they were settled and married
-they chose two suitors for the sisters who they thought were respected and mighty but they did not know how demanding and overbearing they would be as husbands
-soon the sisters were homesick and unhappy
-they all began plotting on how to escape their husbands and return home
-the brothers had to fight the husbands with the help of their sisters to gain the sister's freedom back

Bibliography:

Eskimo Folk Tales by Knud Rasmussen

Reading Notes: Eskimo Folk Tales Unit, Part A

The Coming of Men, A Long, Long While Ago:
-two old women held the power and whatever they spoke was what happened
-back in this day there was no light/sun and no death
-the two women were talking and thought it would be better if the world was not so crowded so they sent a flood
-thus death was introduced
-the two women wanted to see all the creation and thought that it would be better for the world to bask in warm sunshine
-thus light was introduced
-shows the respect given to women in this tribe

Nukúnguasik, who Escaped from the Tupilak:

-several brothers all lived together on an island

-they each had their own role to contribute to the family

-Nukunguasik was the youngest brother who had been sick as a baby and always got the easiest of jobs

-not much was ever expected of him and he lived a pretty carefree life while the others worked

-the middle brother resented him for this and plotted to kill him

-he went to visit the sorcerer on the another island to make an evil monster to kill his younger brother

-it ended up backfiring and killing him instead

-Nukunguasik never told his other brothers the truth when he finally discovered what really happened

(Eskimo Man)

The Insects That Wooed a Wifeless Man:

-a man who was plagued with misfortune and perpetual sleepiness

-he never had success at hunting like all the other men in his village so no one wanted to marry him

-one day he went out to the water to fish and helped out a mysterious stranger in need

-the stranger turned out to be a magic man who said he would make his troubles go away because he had helped him

-the only condition was that he could never speak of who gave him these hunting powers

-he later became the leader of the village and married 

-but then lost it all when he could no longer keep the secret inside

Bibliography:

Eskimo Folk Tales by Knud Rasmussen

Week 8 Growth Mindset

This class just by itself is outside of my comfort zone. I a science major so I am not used to writing stories and I am also not used to having everyone being able to see my writing! However, I think it has been good for me to be pushed to keep reading and writing every week and to have to utilize my creative side a bit. I am not very confident in my writing in this class, mostly because I feel like the other people's work I read is so much better! But each week I keep going and try to improve. At the first of the semester I was able to stay ahead in this class, but being in 18 hours and working my life has gotten pretty busy. I have found myself completing the assignments the day they are due these past couple of weeks. Typically I am a perfectionist, but in this class I let myself relax a little bit because it is not really possible to write something perfectly. I have to just start writing and then edit after I receive feedback! At first receiving feedback was intimidating and I felt like my writing wasn't good enough, but I have learned to just see it as something that is there to help me improve. It isn't like my writing is "wrong," necessarily it's just that it is not the very best it could be yet. This class has pushed me and I have learned a lot so far!

(Working the Brain)

Week 8 Reflections

I have thoroughly enjoyed the reading so far for this class. I have been exposed to stories that I wouldn't normally have read and I am thankful to expand my knowledge of other cultures. When I read the stories however, I have been noticing that I am already thinking about what I want to change and adapt for my own story. Most of my writing for this class has been in a similar style. For the second semester, I need to try to go outside of my comfort zone more. A couple of my classmate's stories I read used diaries entries for the format which I thought worked well so I might try that. I also need to work on incorporating more dialogue into my stories and creating distinct voices for my characters.

(Writing Process)

I really enjoy looking at other's blogs and reading their work. It is cool to see how someone can take the same original story I have read and interpret it in a completely different way in their own story. I also admire those in this class who are technologically gifted and have truly made their blogs a work of art. I chose to do a Storybook because I was intrigued by the examples of the ones we read from past semesters in the first weeks of class. I am a little intimidated after reading other's work because it all sounded so good and I am not really sure where exactly I am going to go with mine yet. I am still brainstorming for my first story. I just want it to flow and be enjoyable for others to read.

Reading Notes: Ozaki Unit, Part B

The Goblin of Adachigahara:
-the cannibal goblin took multiple different forms, whatever was most effective to lure in its prey
-most often posed as a poor old woman
-everyone knew the forest was haunted but sometimes travelers would come in unaware
-a priest who was weary from traveling found a house in the forest and sought out shelter
-it was a poor old woman's house and he stayed the night there
-when she went to gather fire wood, the priest stayed in the house and slept
-when he awoke he was alone and cold
-for the first time he smelled the faint smell of blood
-he went around the house and discovered all the bodies and realized whose house he was in
-he tried to escape but the goblin was already on her way back and they met in the yard
-they battled until the priest was able to stab her with her own knife

(The Priest meeting the Old Woman)

The Story of Princess Hase:
-the Prince Toyonari and his wife Violet had tried for a child for such a long time without success
-they prayed and travelled to their temple every day and finally the gods granted them a perfect baby girl
-they named her Princess Hase
-Violet died when Princess Hase was 5 years old but on her death bed imparted all the qualities she hoped her daughter would possess, mostly being kind and genuine to others
-Prince Toyonari remarried but she was evil to Princess Hase and refused to accept her as her own daughter and never loved her as much as the children she had with the Prince
-the mother and daughter were invited to play for the emperor but Terute had not practiced and messed her solo portion up, while Hase played her part perfectly because of her dedication to the harp
-she even poisoned her own son in a botched attempt to kill Hase
-Terute never told her husband of her hatred for his first daughter but instead tried to get him to love their children more and have Hase be gone as often as possible
-the Prince went away on business so the evil step mother had Hase taken out to the mountains and left to die
-but a faithful servant followed her out there and remained with her until her father came back
-as soon as her father returned and found out the truth he went looking for her and banished his evil second wife

Bibliography:

Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki

Reading Notes: Ozaki Unit, Part A

My Lord Bag of Rice:
-Hidesato goes out on a warrior's quest to prove that he is a worthy fighter
-at the first of his journey finds his way is blocked by a great dragon sleeping on a bridge
-he decides to just go for it anyone and finds the dragon disappears and is transformed into a man
-he doesn't trust the man but decides to listen to his plea for help
-the dragon king has been waiting for a sign of bravery from someone to help him slay the monster who is terrorizing his family and he just passed the test


My Lord Bag of Rice cont:
-Hidesato felt that this would fulfill his warrior quest and decided to slay the monster by himself
-he went down to the dragon king's palace to wait for the monster to appear
-the king set a feast before Hidesato and it was so glorious that he forgot his purpose for being there
-suddenly everything started shaking because the monster had come to attack
-Hidesato showed no sign of fear but got his gear and prepared for battle
-he had a secret he didn't tell the dragon king, he was gifted from his father with three magic arrows before he set out on his journey
-he gathered his arrows and steadied his aim
-the castle was so chaotic that the first two arrows missed and everyone thought all hope was lost
-Hidesato knew this was his time to prove himself and save lives
-he took a deep breathe and let the arrow sail until it pierced the heart of the monster

(My Lord Bag of Rice)

The Adventures of Kintaro, The Golden Boy:
-the boy's father was killed and the mother feared for their safety so she escaped to the woods
-Kintaro was born in a cave a few months after they had escaped
-he had no real human interaction so he made friends with the animals and had special powers in communicating with them
-he would come up with games to play with the animals all while protecting them from the hunters that tried to ensnare them in traps when they came to the woods
-Kintaro earned money for his mother by cutting down trees with the woodcutters who came by every month, even when he was just a young boy he exhibited great strength
-his mother thought that he would be called back to go lead the people because of all the promise he showed and the gifts he had been given

Bibliography:

Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki

Week 6 Storytelling: The Stone Monkey Who Became King

Far away to the East and high above the clouds there was a range of mountains tucked away from view. These mountains were called the Mountains of Flowers and Fruits because of all the bountiful and lush greenery they had to offer. The legend goes that if you were within 1000 miles of the mountains would you know because the intoxicating aromas of the sweet fruits would draw you in and bid you to come taste of their treasures. The monkeys had been living on these mountains for several thousand years without complaint, but with the recklessness of the past generations supplies had begun to run low. They had not been faithful stewards of the beautiful mountains their ancestors had left in their care. If things continued on without change, the monkeys would be forced to relocate and abandon the place they had always called home.

On the center mountain there was an egg shaped rock that was regarded as sacred, no one knew the beginnings of this stone egg for it had been there as long as anyone could remember. One evening there was a terrible storm. The thunder and lightning raged as the rain beat down for hours on end. All the monkeys were seeking shelter from the storm so no one noticed when the lightning struck the egg. The next day as all the monkeys were coming out to survey the damage from the storm, a little monkey cried out, "Look! The stone egg is alive!" As everyone turned in awe, the egg split open and a baby stone monkey crawled out. Now there was another legend that if the monkeys were ever in peril and needing rescue, that the stone egg would be their savior. The details of the rescue were never mentioned in the legend and these monkeys expected a little bit more than a stone monkey baby to save them from their plight.

(The Waterfall)

However as the stone monkey grew, he exhibited extraordinary skills. No one had ever seen anything as powerful or magnificent. The stone monkey was the most likely choice as it came time to choose another king because the current king was dying. The tradition was for the candidates to compete in some competition that showcased their strength and wit; whoever won would rule the kingdom. The competition this year included some intense obstacle courses and finished (as it did every year) with trying cross behind the waterfall. It was said that treasures of innumerable wealth lay in a cave behind the waterfall, but no monkey had ever been able to reach it.

When the day of the competition came, the stone monkey was the first one to compete. The other competitors knew that with all his strength and might there would most likely be a short ending, with the result being the stone monkey hailed as king. He breezed through the obstacles courses in record time, to him things of this earth are child's play. However when he reached the waterfall, his stone hands were trembling. He thought to himself, "What if I'm not all that these people have hoped that I will be?" He was anxious but he gathered himself and leapt off the cliff. Before he knew it he felt the coolness of the water followed by solid ground underneath his feet, he heard cheers and yells coming from the other side. He had made it!

The stone monkey was crowned king that day, for he had accomplished what no one before him could. He built a bridge so all his subjects could enter the cave and enjoy the blessings within. They praised him as their Savior, for even though they doubted at first, he had delivered his people from their woes and led them into a magical paradise with delicious food that would never run out.

Author's Note:

I used the same idea from the original story, where the stone monkey is born from a egg shaped rock and starts showing great promise and powers. I added in the part about the monkeys having to relocate because of their resources running low, so it gave the stone monkey more of a purpose for finding the cave filled with riches and food. Also in the original story everything in the cave was made of stone, but that wouldn't really do the other monkeys any good so I decided to make it where they found food that everyone could eat and enjoy. Like I said the part about the waterfall and cave was in the original story but I gave it a little twist. I also tried to give a glimpse into the stone monkey's thoughts, that while even though he was the most powerful he still had insecurities.   

Bibliography:

The Monkey King by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens

Reading Notes: The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung, Part B

The Lord of the Heavens:
-there were complaints brought to the Lord of Heavens from all over but none merited his attention as much as the Monkey King
-the Monkey King was out of control and needed to be taught a lesson in humility and how to act
-He initially wanted to take the Monkey King as one of his prisoners, but the Evening Star interceded on his behalf
-she said that he just needed to be shown the glories of heaven once again and remember where he came from and he would remember to be grateful and gracious again
-of course when he left his kingdom, the Monkey King had no idea he was even in trouble
-he thought he was just going to heaven to take a trip
-maybe make it where the Monkey King had to try several jobs before he was finally given the stable job where he thrived

(Sun Wu Kung)

The Great Saint:
-the disillusioned Monkey King finally realizes that he is not the most important person in heaven
-he becomes enraged when he learns that he is thriving in such a lowly position
-he escaped back to his mountain where his subjects would be sure to adore him
-there he found out that 10 years had passed on the mountain, rather than 10 days as he had experienced in heaven
-but luckily his loyal followers had waited on his return
-they hosted a banquet and fed his vanity
-he knew deep down now that there were others who were in higher positions in him out in the world so his need to compensate grew even more
-he would only let himself be addressed as "The Great Saint Who is Heaven's Equal"
-he waited anxiously for the Lord of Heaven to come back and find him but he let no one know his insecurities

(Sun Wu Kung)

Notscha, Son of Li Dsing:
-the Lord of Heaven was furious at the Monkey King's escape but he let him in live peace just long enough for him to believe he was safe
-after some time had passed, he sent two warriors to come capture him to bring him to prison
-whoever the Lord of Heavens sent, the Monkey King transformed to match that warrior and thus was never defeated
-the Evening Star went to the Lord of Heavens when she knew that the Monkey King would not be defeated this way
-she suggested that they validate the empty title he had bestowed upon himself, so as to appeal to his pride and settle the feud
-the Lord of Heavens was pleased with this and the Monkey King's pride and ego is so big that he never knew he was being duped

Bibliography:

The Monkey King by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens

Reading Notes: The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung, Part A

Handsome King of the Apes:
-maybe the stone ape was self-conscious about being different from the other apes
-the two apes that raised him were not stone and he always wondered why he was different from everyone else
-his adopted parents told him he was born the way he was for a purpose and they had to just wait and see what it was
-what he believes is a weakness is turned into a strength when he is the only one who can get across the water fall to all the glorious riches that lie in the cave behind the waterfall
-he is made their king because he provides for the other apes and is generous and peaceful

(The Monkey King)

The Great Sea:
-the King of Apes has been ruling for sometime and everything seems to be going his way
-he is not content however because he knows death will still reach him
-he leaves his kingdom in search to find immortality under the instruction of the wisest and oldest monkey in his kingdom
-he decided to humble himself and live amongst humans, not as royalty to see if he could learn the secret from one of them
-but he was disappointed and found that it was best to live the life you are given and make the most of the time you have rather than go searching for immortality

Bibliography:

The Monkey King by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens

Wikipedia Trails: from Turbans to Thalassinidea

Turban:
A turban is a type of headwear that is made of cloth and wound around the head. The style and reason for wearing the turban varies upon the region.

Batik:
Batik is wax-resistant dyeing that is applied to cloth. The design is made by either drawing the lines and dots with a tool or by using a copper stamp. The wax resists the dye so you can color selectively.

(Indonesian Batik)

Java:
Java is an Indonesian island and is the most populous island on the earth. Java is a tropical rainforest and is the fifth largest island in Indonesia.

Mangrove:
A mangrove is a small tree that grows in the tropics and subtropics. They are able to thrive in salty climates with low oxygen.

Thalassinidea:

These crustaceans are often called mud lobsters or ghost shrimps and they go back to the Jurassic Age. The greatest diversity of Thalassinidea can be found in the tropics.

(Thalassinidea)

Growth Mindset: feedback can challenge you, but you don't have to be afraid of it!

The Growth Mindset I read about was feedback and how it can be viewed as helping you to achieve your best self, not as something that is a personal attack on your character. Feedback may seem critical at times but it is okay to take people's advice and approach something differently that we are having trouble with. We might even find that sometimes they had our best interests in mind the whole time (shocking) and that another person's perspective is beneficial and not harmful to us! Feedback shows that we haven't truly reached the top yet and that we have room to get better, it would be kind of depressing to know that we are the best we are ever going to be and that it can only go downhill from here. It can also be fun to collaborate with others. However it is important to not put your identity in other people's comments and ultimately know your self worth is independent of their comments. 

I learned from:

Overcoming the Fear of Feedback

5 Tips for Taking Feedback Like a Champ

(cheezburger)

Week 5 Storytelling: The Parrot's Wish

In a beautiful land far away there lived a couple whose names were Miemun and Khojisteh. They were happily married and their joy radiated down like the sun onto every person they encountered. These two were inseparable and thought nothing could ever tear them apart. But life happens as it always does and about three years down the road Khojisteh decided that their family and her happiness was incomplete without a child. They tried for almost two years and went to every doctor in the country, but still without success. There was still love between them but the clouds had started to roll in and they felt like they were trapped in the middle of a storm of uncertainty and heartache. Miemun was hesitant about being a father, but he loved Khojisteh so dearly wanted so much to make her happy that he would do anything to try and ease the hurt.

One day when he went to the market place, he saw the most magnificent bird his eyes had ever beheld and he thought that might just be the thing to take Khojisteh's mind off their worries, if only for a moment. He went to the man who was selling the parrot to inquire about how much the bird cost. The man said he would give Miemun a deal because he seemed so sad and only charge him a thousand huns for the parrot, but this seemed like an excessive amount for a bird so Miemun decided against it. However when he turned around to leave, he heard a sing-songy voice cry out praises to him and foretell promises of great fortune if Miemun would only buy him and take him home to be a part of his family. At his point he was desperate for a miracle so Miemun took a chance and paid the man for the parrot and took him home to surprise Khojisteh.

(Khojisteh and the Parrot)

Khojisteh was delighted by Miemun's surprise of the parrot, mostly because it was his way to show how much he cared for her; little did she know what was in store for them both. The parrot adored his new home because he was so loved by Miemun and Khojisteh and finally after six months of being with them, he decided that it was time to tell them his secret. He gathered them together and began the story of how he used to be the traveling companion of a free genie. It took quite some time to tell all the adventures they had experienced together, but the point of the story was that before the genie left to go to another planet he left the parrot with one wish. The parrot could use the wish himself or give it to someone he loved. After finding his forever home with Miemun and Khojisteh, he knew that he would give them his wish so that they could cure their infertility issues. The couple was so overjoyed that they fell to their knees and wept. They could now have the family they had been so fervently longing for.

Author's Note:

So in the original story there were no infertility issues with Miemun and Khojisteh, I added that in to give more complexity to the story but they were an incredibly happy couple in both stories. In the original story the parrot foretells something that helps Miemun in a business deal and makes him money. I wanted their bond with the parrot to be based on more than money. I also added in the part about the genie and the wish. 

Bibliography:

Tales of a Parrot by Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi 

Reading Notes: Tales of a Parrot, Part A

Miemun and Khojisteh:

-the couple is so in love but not quite ready for a child so Miemun finds them a pet parrot when he goes to the market

-the parrot sees that Miemun is about to pass him up because of his expensive price so he gives a glimpse into the future that Miemun could have if he had the parrot at his side

-the prediction the parrot gave turned out to be true and against Khojisteh's better judgement and hesitation they keep the parrot in hopes that it will bring great fortune to their lives

-Khojisteh does not believe in this get rich quick scheme that Miemun is going to use the parrot for

-She believes that everything comes with a cost and she might turn out to be right

(The Parrot and Khojisteh)

Khojisteh and the Parrot:

-Miemun had taken a long journey and Khojisteh missed him terribly because there was no end in sight

-A handsome prince came into town and seeing Khojisteh and not seeing her husband around decided that he wanted her for her own

-She her love for Miemun had faded because she had begun to believe he would never return so she agreed to meet up with him at his house

-She knew it was wrong but she wanted approval so she went to the sharuk 

-the parrot wanted to be the favorite so he had already warned the sharuk of Khojisteh's coming and that she wanted to sharuk to tell her not to see the prince

-Khojisteh was so enraged but the sharuk trying to guilt her into staying and telling her she would be a disgrace that she murdered her

-this was the parrot's plan all along and now he was the only bird of the house

-he told Khojisteh exactly what she wanted to hear, even though it might mean the ruin of her marriage because he had heard that Miemun was due to return any day

Bibliography:

Tales of a Parrot by Ziya'al-Din Nakhshabi 

Feedback Focus

These different approaches to reading were helpful and made me focus more intensely than I do when I just read through without any additions to assist with comprehension. I liked the reading aloud even though it took much longer than I usually take when reading in my head, I think it really does help not to miss important details. I also liked the copy and delete option because when I write notes as I read it helps me to pay attention and it also serves to have an outline for comments ready that you can build on.

(Focus)

I was not as much of a fan of the timer option. I found myself having read through it several times before the time was up and it was a struggle to keep reading the same thing for that long when I was ready to move on to the commenting part. I typically take notes when I read so the copy and delete option is something I am familiar with. In the future I would employ the reading out loud option perhaps if I was having trouble understanding a passage or trouble with coming up with something to comment.

Week 4 Storytelling: The Sisters Who Became Heroes

There once lived a Sultan named Schahriar who had a beautiful wife named Sahrita. The Sultan was a man of great strength with all the nation’s power at his fingertips, but he one weakness and that was his wife. Sahrita knew the Sultan adored her and she used it to her advantage to get whatever her heart desired; she had the finest dresses and jewels in all the land. She also had the finest men that she kept on the side for when the Sultan was away on business, but Schahriar was so in love with her that he never caught onto her adulterous ways. Until one day when he came home from a trip early and found her together with one of the younger men who worked in the palace, in a fit of rage and heartbreak he stabbed the man and strangled his wife. 

Ever since that day the Sultan was never the same, everyone knew how much he loved Sahrita and her betrayal caused him to go insane. He had no one to check his power so whatever rash rules Schahriar instituted became law and no one had the right to question (that is if they wanted to keep their head.) Schahriar became convinced that the entire female gender was evil and that it needed to be eradicated, but he was sensible enough to understand that killing off all of the women would result in the ending of his people. So instead he came up with a horrific punishment that he thought was fitting to pay for the pain he had endured. He wanted others to suffer the way he had and still did.

(Palace)

The Sultan issued that every day he would pick whoever he liked as his new bride and they would have the perfect day, but he would have them strangled the next morning before they could betray him or wrong him in any way. He believed that this way he would only experience the good and the woman he married would not even have time to show her bad side. His grand-vizir, Shoma, was the one the Sultan sanctioned to perform all the killings, even though he thought this law was as crazy and terrible as everyone else. What made it especially terrible to Shoma was that he had two daughters, Scheherazade and Dinarzade, who the Sultan could choose at any time and then Shoma would be the one who would have to execute his own flesh and blood. Shoma warned his daughters every day to stay inside and keep themselves hidden from the Sultan so that their lives might be spared another day.

(Scheherazade, Dinarzade, and the Sultan)

Scheherazade and Dinarzade had different plans than their father, they were not content to sit back and watch the daughters of their country being murdered one by one. So they devised a plan. Scheherazade had always enraptured her friends with her storytelling, her details and imagery made you feel like you were on a great journey every time she sat down to tell a tale. They approached their father and told him their idea to present the Scheherazade to the Sultan as his next bride; of course he was adamantly against the idea but the girls’ minds were made up and Shoma knew it was only a matter of time until the Sultan chose them anyway.

The Sultan was shocked to see his grand-vizir’s daughters before him, but they were both so beautiful, he was intrigued to listen to what they had come to say. Scheherazade offered herself up and told the Sultan she would be honored to be next bride, she only requested that her sister stay with her on her last night on earth. The Sultan accepted this offer, thinking that he would just take Dinarzade once he had killed Scheherazade the next day.

As the sun was setting and the day was coming to a close the girls began to put their plan into motion. Dinarzade begged her sister to tell her a story before they went to sleep. When Scheherazade began the Sultan was not paying her much attention, but without even realizing it he became completely captivated and two hours passed in what seemed like 5 minutes. Scheherazade told her sister it was time to get some rest, but the Sultan insisted she keep going. She told him they would have plenty of time to finish it tomorrow. And this is how Scheherazade was able to save her own life and the lives of all the other young women in her country. The Sultan fell in love with her and his hard heart was softened. He did away with his awful law and Dinarzade was granted a position in the palace for her faithful work to abolish the law.

Author's Note:

In the original story there in not any background on the Sultan and his first wife, so I tried to provide a glimpse of how in love they were and some explanation as to why he went so crazy when he found out she had betrayed him. I also wanted to give more of a dual role to the sisters in saving the country as opposed to just Scheherazade because in the story she is the favorite of her father but Dinarzade is neglected, even though she does a play a part in the original story by going with her sister to the Sultan's room like in my story. They both were brave and I wanted them both to be recognized for it. I also added the part of Scheherazade and the Sultan falling in love...because who doesn't love a happy ending?

Bibliography:

Arabian Nights: Scheherazade by Andrew Lang