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

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

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

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 

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 

Week 3 Storytelling: The Trip of a Lifetime

There once was a woman named Sarah, who was regarded as the mother of the Jews and the most radiant beauty in all the land; she was married to the great Abraham who was known as the father of the Jews. Sarah received word that one of her closest friends was getting married, so they set off to take a trip to Egypt to join in on the festivities. Abraham was hesitant to travel so far but his love for Sarah was so great that he would do anything she asked, also there was the matter of Sarah’s beauty.

Now normally such beauty would be a blessing, but when in a foreign land with a foreign ruler it became more of a curse. Abraham was terrified that the Pharaoh would take one look at Sarah and steal his wife without a second of hesitation. The Pharaoh gets what the Pharaoh wants. He would be powerless to resist the orders of the sovereign, so Abraham knew he had to devise a plan to conceal Sarah until they reached their friend’s house. The first idea was to put Sarah in a giant burlap sack and throw her over one of their donkeys, but that idea did not go over too well with Sarah. She thought it sounded a little too bumpy for her liking. So they finally decided to put Sarah in a giant box and if anyone asked what it was then Abraham would try to pass it off as a wedding present for their friend. 

(Wooden Box)

When they arrived in Egypt the officials saw Abraham come through with his giant box, they were of course very intrigued and stopped to question him. He tried to act as though he was in a great hurry to make it to his friend’s wedding and that he did not have time to stop, but the officials could not be so easily thrown off. They would not let him pass without paying the duty for customs and they demanded to know what was inside. Abraham said he would pay the highest duty if they would just let him go, but of course that drove them even crazier with suspicion and they ordered Abraham to open the box. When the officials saw it was Sarah who was inside they all gasped, for she was as radiant as the sun. They knew they had to tell the Pharaoh at once because he would be sure to reward them for bringing him a prize as wonderful as Sarah.

Once they reached the palace the Pharaoh came out to greet them; he embraced Sarah and started barraging her with compliments on her unmatched beauty. Thinking quickly on her feet, Sarah introduced Abraham as her brother to which the Pharaoh was pleasantly surprised. This act saved her husband’s life and even though it enraged him, Abraham was wise enough to comply and hide his anger.

The Pharaoh told Sarah that he wanted to see her that night and sent his maids to help her prepare. Sarah was so afraid but she was also faithful and kept praying to God to keep her and her beloved safe. That night when the Pharaoh entered her chamber, something strange happened. Every time he reached out to touch Sarah, something would prevent him and he would get this unexplainable, excruciating pain. He was a little embarrassed at first because he was so confused as to what was happening, but Sarah knew exactly what was happening. It was her God coming to her deliverance. Despite the warning signs, the Pharaoh was not deterred until suddenly he was repeatedly thrown across the room. Sarah just stood there in awe as she watched her God work.


That episode proved to be enough for the Pharaoh; he wanted nothing to do with Sarah or Abraham. He loaded them up with provisions for their journey and made them promise that they would never return to his palace again. The Pharaoh was too embarrassed to tell anyone else what happened, so he decided to tell everyone that it was all just a big misunderstanding. The Pharaoh told Sarah that she was to say that she was actually Abraham’s wife, not his sister; Sarah just smiled because the Pharaoh thought he was being clever, but really he was just telling everyone the truth. Finally Abraham and Sarah were back on their way and arrived just in time to celebrate their friend’s wedding party.

Author's Note:

I kept this story somewhat close to the original, I did however add in the part about the friend's wedding to give them a reason for traveling to Egypt. I cut it down a little bit from the original, but kept the same general premise of God coming to Sarah's aide and rescuing her and Abraham from the Pharaoh. I just mainly the changed the major details of how the story unfolded. 

Bibliography:

The Higgledy-Piggledy Palace by Gertrude Landa

Week 2 Storytelling: How Death Gave an Old Man New Life

There once was an old man named Nicholas. Nicholas had been working as a laborer since the ripe old age of 11; his father had died from pneumonia and because he was the oldest and only boy in his family, that meant he was now expected to provide for his mother and three younger sisters. However once he started working, Nicholas never got to stop. Nicholas was not given the privilege to attend school like other children his age, even though he had a love for learning. His mother taught him how to read when he would get home from a hard day’s work. Nicholas would often drift off to sleep while pretending he was in a far off place somewhere else with the characters of his books and free from all the responsibilities of his real life

Nicholas is now approaching his 92nd birthday and still has the books his mother gave him when he was just a boy. All those years of working hard labor jobs have visibly taken its toll on Nicholas’s body, he can barely stand up straight and his eyesight has begun to fail. His mother and sisters have long since been dead and with their passing also went Nicholas’s zest for life. He feels as though he has no one left in this world and often wishes it would all just be over.

One blustery day Nicholas went out to the woods behind his house to gather up some sticks to keep his fire going and his house warm. He was getting to the point where even menial tasks such as gathering sticks was increasing difficult, he thought about the state of his life and felt so hopeless that he threw down the sticks and begged to just be dead. He shouted out to the trees that if Death were out there it would be a perfect time to come swoop him and take him anywhere but here. He was in such a state he didn’t even really know was he was saying; he fell to his knees and wept. Nicholas missed the family that was so dear to him and did not think he could continue on this Earth alone any longer.

(Death)

All of a sudden the wind started blowing and the trees started violently shaking, and when Nicholas looked up through tear-filled eyes he saw a skeleton-like creature wearing a black robe standing in front of him. The creature reached out his bony hand for Nicholas to go with him, but Nicholas, who was filled with terror and frozen with fear, could not move. He then realized that his was Death and he had come to take him away into the abyss. Nicholas stumbled to his feet and apologized for the inconvenience of making Death travel so far when he surely had such a busy schedule, but that he was in fact not yet ready to die. Death just shook his head and in the blink of an eye was gone.

Nicholas was in awe of all the events that had just transpired. He heard a branch break in the distance and was afraid that Death had come back for him despite that fact that he was not ready. The noise was in fact made by a young boy named, Abe, who was trotting through the woods and when he saw the old man he stopped to offer to help him pick up sticks. Nicholas gladly accepted the help, for he was now a changed man and had resolved to live what little he had left of his life to the fullest. Abe told Nicholas that he was an orphan whose parents had just died and he was coming through the woods to find work in the nearest town. Nicholas took Abe in and treated him as his own son. He taught Abe to read and shared the books that his mother had given to him as young boy. The two become the closest companions and Nicholas was able to spend his final days in peace because he was once again in the company of someone he loved.

Author's Note:

I took some liberties and added the details about the old man's family, I wanted to give some reasons as to why he was so miserable and wanted Death to come find him apart from the fact that he was old and his body was breaking down. So I took on the heartache angle to give him family members that he missed and wanted to be reunited with. I also wanted to include ages so you can get a sense of just how long he had been working and that his body was literally about to give out on him. In the original fable the old man did not want to die when Death actually comes so I kept that the same, but I added in a lot more that was not present in the original to give it more depth and create a hopefully somewhat interesting story. I wanted to give him a child so he would have someone to care for him and someone he could teach and pass down his love of reading onto. I also wanted it to end happily and I didn't want to him to die sad and alone. 

Bibliography:

This story is based on the fable The Old Man and Death in Aesop's Fables by Joseph Jacobs

Week 1 Storytelling: Greedy Gus

There once was a dog whose name was Gus, but much to the dismay of his mother, everyone called him Greedy Gus because he was never content with what he had. Every time he acquired what his little heart currently desired, it only made him happy for a short time. As soon as he saw what someone else had he immediately made it his mission to get it and was not happy until he did. His mother was always warning him that his greed was only going to lead to heartache. She tried to emphasize that he would never find his happiness in things, but he was a stubborn little pup who just wouldn’t listen.

(Greedy Gus)

One day his brother came home with a big, nice piece of meat he had gotten at the store. He was so excited that as soon as he got home, he shared it with all of his siblings. Of course as soon as Greedy Gus saw it he decided he needed one all for himself, so he spent a week doing extra chores around the house to save up money to go buy a juicy steak like the one he had been coveting. Greedy Gus bragged to his brother the entire week about how he was going to get an even bigger piece of meat and how he was going to keep it all to himself. 

(Store)

Finally the day had come when he had saved enough money. He set off to the store with a skip in his step, ready to claim his prize. Everything seemed to be going perfectly, he picked out the best piece of meat and was on his way back home to show it off. He was feeling so happy that he decided he would go through the park on his way home. He cut across the field and over to a bubbling brook, the only way to cross over was by a wooden plank someone had lain across it. As he was sauntering across he looked down and saw a pup with a huge piece of meat in his mouth, he thought to himself that coming home with two pieces of meat sounded like a much better idea than just coming home with the one measly piece he had. So with great fury Greedy Gus reached down into the water to snatch the other dog’s piece of meat and when he did his own fell from his mouth and was swiftly carried away by the water.

(Park)

Suddenly Greedy Gus realized with great horror what he had done, he had lost the prize he had worked for because of his greed. He whimpered home with his tail between his legs and had to tell his family what happened. He finally understood what his mother had been telling him all these years because his greed did ultimately lead to heartache. He should have appreciated what he had instead of constantly searching for more.

Author's Note:

In the original fable there is a dog who has a piece of meat, he crosses over a brook on his way home to eat it and upon seeing his reflection thinks there is another dog holding a piece of meat. The dog tries to steal the meat from his reflection and ends up losing the only piece of meat he has. I kept the same basic principles as in the original story but I decided to expand more on the greediness of the dog and explore his personality a little bit. I also added in the part about his mother to show that his actions affected not only him but those who love him as well. 

Bibliography:

This story is based on the fable "The Dog and the Shadow" in Aesop's Fables.