Reading Notes: Czech Folktales Part B

Nine at a Blow was a good read. It kept me interested the whole time and completely caught me by surprise at the end. Sneaky little tailor! I don't know what I would do with this story but it is one of my favorites this unit.

A Clever Lass was awesome! I'd love to make this a modern story about a couple getting into an argument. I think it would be fun to switch the roles, like have the male take the female with him. I think there is a lot of potential here.

Image Info: farm girl by fourswords

Bibliography: The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis; Mythfolkore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Czech Folktales Part A

I like the story of Silly Jura. I love underdog stories almost as much as I like fairy tales. There is just something about watching someone, who is expected to fail, succeed. If I adapted this story I would probably elaborate on the time spent with the cat/lady more. I would want to go deeper into their relationship than just the mere surface the original provides.

The Bear, the Eagle, and the Fish was an interesting story. I like the use of animals in the stories I have read this semester. After reading so many, you'd think I would be used to enchanted twists, but I was still a bit surprised. I think it would be interesting to tell the story from either the perspective of one of the daughters or of the brother.

Kojata reminded me of a few different stories that I read this semester. Having to pick her out of a line up and turning into different objects were both plots of different stories I have previously read. i don't know what I would do with this story, I just thought that was super cool!

The Three Roses was kind of disappointing. I love Beauty and the Beast so I was really looking forward to this one. It was just bizarre. I liked that it was a single mother instead of a father because you don't see that very often. However, it was very scarce on details and felt like it was being hurried along. Plus the ending was really out of place in my opinion. I think it would be interesting to adapt this story into a dream because the last line reminded me of something dream like.


Bibliography: The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis; Mythfolklore Untextbook

Image 1: My Dream of You by Filmchild; Pinterest
Image 2: Three Roses by Steve Lohmueller; Steve Lohmueller Photography

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (LibriVox) Part B

From a Children's Story by Sybil Shearin

I really liked the story of the Queen Bee. I hadn't ever read it before, but I liked that the underdog was the one who ended up saving the day. The other two brothers still got to live seemingly happy lives after, but the younger one got a better deal and all because he was kind and considerate. I don't know how I would adapt it, but I really enjoyed reading it!

The Twelve Huntsman was a good read. I think this would be fun to make into a modern tale. A story about unrelenting love. I like that she went to be near him, but didn't do anything rash or out of character despite her broken heart. In the end their love won out and that was all that mattered.

Jordina and Jorindel would be a fun story to turn into a story resembling a modern day kidnapping. It would be kind of dark, but the original story sets it up nicely.

Bibliography: Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm; Mythology and Folklore UntextbookThe

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (LibriVox) part A

I love the story of The Frog Prince. It has been awhile since I read it. It bothered me a little that the Princess was seemingly mean to the frog and did what she did unwillingly and yet he still wanted to love her and marry her. I think it would be interesting to make the Princess and the Frog build a relationship first and then have her say she loves him and that is what breaks the curse. It seems a little to easy for the Princess to reluctantly put the frog up and then get an awesome reward.

Rapunzel is probably one of my favorite stories. I love that even though she and the prince go through so many obstacles, they still are able to be together in the end. I think it would be fun to make this a modern day story. I haven't quite figured out what details I would use, but the thought intrigues me.

Clever Elsie was definitely an interesting read. She sounds more crazy than clever to me! Ha, but I did find pity on her when her husband tricked her. I don't know how I could adapt this, but it definitely caught my attention.

I think it would be interesting to make a sequel to Briar Rose. It would be fun to see how the Prince helped her and her court adapt to the new world. I mean 100 years have gone by surely things have changed. It would also be fun to tell the story from the Prince's perspective, perhaps as a bed time story to his children.




Bibliography: Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook
Image information: Image 1= The Frog Prince by Paul Friedrich Meyerheim (Wikipedia)
Image 2= The Rose Bower from the "Legend of Briar Rose" series by Sir Edward Burne-Jones (Wikimedia Commons)

Reading Notes: More English Fairy Tales Part A

The Golden Ball was an interesting read. The whole time I just wanted to know what was so important about that ball that the girl had to be hung if she lost it. I also wondered how the guy who gave it to her would even know if she lost it. I could write a story that answered one or both of those questions. This story already has a love aspect in it, so I could also incorporate that into my version to keep up with my running theme.

I liked Tattercoats. It reminded me of Cinderella a little bit. I love that the Prince fell in love with her just as she was instead of the dolled up version. I think it would be fun to take this story and make it into a modern day love story. I think I'm leaning towards this one.

Illustration by John Dickson Batten taken from the book More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jaocbs

The Old Witch caught my attention mainly because of the moral. I like that it was a story about treating others how you want to be treated. I'm not really sure how I could adapt this story, but I really enjoyed reading it.

Bibliography: More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales Part A

The Shepard of Myddvai was an interesting read. It starts off like a fairy tale  with the man being able to pick out his love among his sisters. It was frustrating to see him "strike" her three times and ultimately lose the love of his life. I use quotation marks because I don't think what he did constitutes a striking but that's just me. I feel like I could take this story and spin it into a happy ending. I'm still pondering the ways in which I could do this. 

In Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree it's interesting that it is the mother not the step mother that is jealous. I also thought it was interesting that it was the king who was given the task of getting the heart and the liver not a huntsmen. I really enjoyed the fact that it was the prince's second wife who brought Gold-Tree back to life. It showed her selflessness because she seemingly knew that her husband still longed for Gold-Tree and woke her anyway and was even willing to leave so that they may be together. I think I'd like to take this story and write a new one from the perspective of the second wife when she finds Gold-Tree and the events that unfold from that point in time. I think it would be interesting to see what was going through her mind. 

Snow White by Kawaiibrit

Bibliography: Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Marriage Tales Part B

The Girl and the Turkeys is very similar to Cinderella. I love it! It was so interesting to the different cultural take on a classic fairy tale that most people know. I really liked that the stipulation for her to return to normal was if she forgot about her Turkey friends. It drove home the idea that it doesn't really matter what you look like, dress like, or own but rather how you treat and care for others. I also thought it was interesting that there wasn't really a happy ending. It might be interesting to make one of the Turkeys turn into a man and marry the girl for her kind heart after returning to them.

 The Birds of America by John James Audubon

The True Bride had a Snow White feel to it, which made it interesting because my mind was comparing the two as I was reading. I like that step sister was made to spit toe nails. Out of everything that I could have thought of her spitting from her mouth, I never would have thought of toe nails. I thought that was humorous. I'm not sure what I could change about this story, but I really did enjoy reading it.

photo taken by Marco Verch

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Marriage Tales Part A

I wasn't able to pick out a specific story I liked for this reading. They were all interesting, but I couldn't decide which one specifically to retell.

While I was reading The Piqued Buffalo-Wife I thought about changing the story to where the man and woman have a fight and she leaves. Then, the man has to pick out his wife from a group but is able to do so without any hints. I thought it would be interesting to keep the plot similar, but change it up enough to make it new. It could also tie in with my theme of love stories because he is able to identify his wife through his unrequited love for her. Just a thought.

By Jack Dykinga

The Bear-Woman and Deer-Woman could maybe be a tale of jealousy. The doe and the grizzly could be "friends" but they both have eyes for the same guy. The guy likes the doe back, but the grizzly becomes jealous and kills her. Maybe I could throw a Sleeping Beauty/Snow White element into it where his kiss is able to bring her back to life, or maybe just the strength of his love could do it?


I also had some ideas for The Woman Stolen by Killer Whales. Instead of the woman already being married, I thought it could be interesting to have her fishing alone and mistakenly kill the killer whale and then being kidnapped. The news of the kidnapping could travel through the sea and reach the ears of the shark. He takes pity and rescues her and the two fall in love as a result.

By Robert Pittman

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales Part B

I really like that the girls in the tales are adventurous and independent. The Fairy Bride was probably one of my favorites in this unit. Neen-i-zu is so interesting and has such a beautiful sense of adventure. She is strong in her beliefs and hopeful in magic. I like how the way she is describe paints her in a similar light as you might think of a fairy.

It gives it a good sense of foreshadowing. This story is really interesting to me and I would love to see the interaction between the fairy and Neen-i-zu that made her go with him and I would also love to see what their life was like after she wed him. I think this would be a great story for me to retell in the storytelling assignment this week.


Image Info: Fairy Bride taken from thecelticshop.net on Pinterest

Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales Part A

The story of American Indian: The Little Boy and Girl in the Clouds was fun to read. I love the imagery that is used throughout the story. I can clearly picture all the aspects involved as if I am in the scene itself. I am a big fan of imagery. Maybe I could use similar imagery in my story. I could change the story itself, but stick to the imagery style and the way the style in which the story is told. I like the aspect of the story that the smallest creature was able to make the most difference. I think I could definitely take that idea and use it in a new, but similar story.

Measuring Worm by William E. Ferguson

The story of The Child of the Evening Star was also interesting because it had that fairy tale vibe that I love so much! It also has fantastic imagery as well! Oweenee has a Cinderella/Snow White aspect to her because of the love the animals give her. I like that she is different than the rest of her sisters but that despite the fact that she is shy, she still has a strong mind of her own. I also love that she wants a husband based off his heart and not his looks. It is definitely an important message. The fact that neither Oweenee and Osseo care about what is visible on the outside, but instead love each other for what is not visible to the eye. I really like this story for my week 9 storytelling I just have to find what I want to change into my own. I think it would be interesting to make a story about the sun finding love because he is so lonely.

Mythfolklore Blogspot

Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T Larned; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang) part A

I like the story of the Stonecutter. The man starts off with a simple life, but once he gets a taste of being wealthy it is never enough, he is never satisfied. I like stories that tell about greed drawing people away from their previous selves and lives only for them to wish they could go back. I like the moral that we should be satisfied with what we are given and work hard to make it to where we want to go instead of envying others and not doing anything about it. I think I can take this story and modernize it. I think it would be interesting to do a story where the woman marries a man she loves but they lead a poor life and she envies the wife of the rich man. I could then take aspects of the Stonecutter and place events into the story that make her wish she could go back to her old life.

The Stonecutter by Matt Andrews

Bibliography: Japanese Fairy Tales retold by Andrew Lang; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozaki) Part B

The tale of The Goblin of Adachigahara was very interesting. Goblins are always cool to read about. I wonder what would have happened if he hadn't looked in the forbidden room. Maybe I could do a spin off that went in that direction and answered that question.

The Ogre of Rashomon was a fun read. I liked how it was a secondary night that the story ended up being about, instead of the first hero that is mentioned. I'm not sure how I could work with this story, but I did enjoy it. It reminded me of Little Red Riding Hood in the aspect that the ogre disguised itself as an old woman just like the wolf disguised himself as Red's grandmother.

The Story of Princess Hase reminds me of both Hansel and Gretel as well as Snow White/ Cinderella. I really enjoyed it and thought it was interesting. I wonder what happened to the stepmother after everything happened. I think it would be fun to write a story telling what happened to her after and maybe having it be told by her.
                                                                             

Image from The Japanese Fairy Book

Bibliography: Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Ozaki) part A

I really liked the story of My Lord Bag of Rice. The imagery was great and intriguing. I found the choice of monster interesting as well. I'd never think of a centipede being monster like, but then again when it is hundreds of feet long and can wrap around a mountain, I think it can qualify as a monster.
                                                                             

Photograph by Eric Guinther
Source:Wikipedia commons

I think the characters were also well portrayed by their actions. I also really liked the presents that were presented to Hidesato. They weren't just of riches, they were practical and magical of course. I liked that he gained his fortune by not having to buy rice and silk because of the gifts from the Dragon King. It was a different way of earning riches than I am used to in fairy tales, but I really enjoyed. I'm not sure how I could use the story or how to change it, but it was very interesting.

The Adventures of Kintaro reminded me of Hercules in the fact that he was such a strong young boy. I liked that he was able to learn how to understand the animals. It made it less sad that he didn't have any human friends growing up. Reading about the animals wrestling each other was very comical. I could expand on this story and maybe make it an article describing a WWE event or something, but the animals would be the subject of it.

The Man Who Did Not Wish to Die was a good story to read. I liked that Jofuku used a dream to show Sentaro what his life would be like if his life was granted. I could use this story and maybe change Sentaro into a woman and perhaps have her wish for love with a wealthy man instead of the average man she is set to marry. I could keep the concept of being happy with what you have and making the most of it, but change the specific details.

Bibliography: Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki;Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Turkish Fairy Tales Part B

The story of the Patience-Stone and Patience-Knife was very interesting. It was very frustrating that the Arab woman seemingly conned the Bey and the young maiden out of their destined marriage. However, everything worked out in the end. I could definitely see potential in revising this story. I could almost see a Cinderella spin being put on it to where one of the evil step sisters is able to trick Prince Charming into believing she is his true love. I think that would be very interesting! This was definitely my favorite of this unit.

                                                                               

Cinderella receiving her slipper.
Source:Disney Wikia

Bibliography: Forty-Four Turkish Fairy Tales by Ignacz Kunos: Mythology and Folklore Untextbook, Patience- Stone and Patience-Knife

Reading Notes: Turkish Fairy Tales Part A

The Fish-Peri was very fun to read. I liked that the father didn’t want the boy to know what his occupation had been out of shame. Yet, when the boy grew up he found his father’s fishing net and decided to follow in his footsteps. This showed the good heart of the boy. This was backed up by the fact that he spared the fish and was then rewarded. It was as little disappointing that when he is set to marry the king swoops in. The king gives the young man impossible tasks to keep the maiden but each time the maiden helps get them accomplished. I thought this showed that the maiden wanted to be with the boy. In the end they stayed together.. I’m not sure what I could do with this story, but I really did like it.

                                                                              

The Maiden of The Fish-Peri from Forty-Four Turkish Fairy Tales

I liked The Crow-Peri as well. It was similar to the Fish-Peri in regards to an animal being a beautiful maiden and helping the young man complete the tasks asked of the king.

I think I could take either of these stories and make it more modern. I also think it would be interesting to have the maiden fall in love with the youth first and then willing get caught and then proceed to help the youth, making him fall in love with her. The story would be close to the original with a small twist of why the events occurred. 

bibliography: Forty-Four Turkish Fairy Tales by Ignacz Kunos; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Twenty-Two Goblins Part A

I really enjoyed reading the first part of Twenty-Two Goblins because I enjoy reading riddles. I felt like the stories were very similar so I think I could use anyone of them and change it. I think I would make it more modern. I could do this by changing the characters of the Goblin and the King to like a scam artist and a gambler. I could also take the story of The Three Lovers and make it more modern to something similar to the Bachelorette show. I think that would be very interesting.                  
                                                                         

The Goblin hanging from the tree

source:Wikipedia

Bibliography: Twenty- Two Goblins translated from Sanskrit Vetalapancavimsati by Arthur Ryder; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Aesop's Fables (Jacobs) part A

                                                                                      

Camille Roqueplan's of The Lion in Love from the Wallace Collection
Source: Wikipedia

The Lion in Love jumped out a me. The concept of giving things up in order to appease the one you love intrigued me. It also showed how some are willing to go to great lengths, including changing their looks and getting rid of things that make them who they are, in order to get the attention of whoever they are in love/infatuated with. I could see some potential in a new story here. I could change the characters to be all human or all animal. I could make it to where the daughter wanted to marry the lion as he was but when he performed the tasks the parents asked she no longer wanted to because he was no longer the same being that she fell in love with.

I also liked the story of The Fox and the Lion. I liked how the more the Fox observed the Lion the braver he became and once he actually met the lion they started to form a relationship that could turn into a friendship. It definitely has the theme "Don't judge a book by its cover." I think I could transfor this story, but I'm not sure if it would be long enough.

The third story that caught my eye was The Hare With Many Friends. I was drawn to this story because the Hare seemingly had many friends, but when she was in need of assistance none of her friends wanted to help her. I thought it could be interesting to create a back story where maybe she helps all the others in a specific way or in multiple ways. I could elaborate on what all she does for them and why they enjoy claiming her as their friend. Then, I could add on the original, or rather a version of it, where they don't reciprocate the help. This would add a new level of betrayal to the story.
 
                                   
Bibliography: Aesop's Fables by Joseph Jacobs; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche part B

The story of Venus and Psyche reminds me of part of a book I really enjoy, The Iron King. In the book Megan has traveled to the land of the fey where her father is king of the summer court. His wife Titania dislikes Megan because she is the product of her husband’s affair with a mortal. So, once Titania gets Megan alone she tries to torture her and turn her into an animal. I could change the story to where Venus tries to change Psyche into an animal. I could also change the story to where Cupid intervenes sooner.



The Sleep of the Dead was also interesting. I thought it might be fun to have Cupid kiss Psyche awake instead. I also was curious as to how Venus reacted when Psyche returned, completing the final task. It would be fun to elaborate on this. I could have Venus be impressed, or at least less angry, or I could have her still be upset but have no choice but to release her because Jupiter tells her to do so. I think this is probably the story I will use for my storytelling post.

                                                                            

Venus on Seashell, from the Casa di Venus, Pompeii
Source:Wikipedia

Bibliography: Apuleius's Golden Ass, translated into English by Tony Kline; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche part A

The story of Psyche’s Beauty and the Anger of Venus sparked my attention. It reminded me a little of Snow White. Venus’s jealousy of all the attention Psyche is receiving reminded me of the evil queen’s jealousy towards Snow White’s growing beauty. I could try to mesh the stories together or create a more modern version that incorporates both stories. For example, I could do a story where the popular high school girl, Valerie, is threatened by the presence of the new girl, Penny.



The Oracle of Apollo was also interesting to me. This girl is incredibly beautiful, but because it is so extraordinary there is not a suitor who is brave enough to marry her. They are all intimidated by her beauty. I could take this story and set it in an Elizabethan setting, where Psyche is a princess to a powerful king, but because of his great power and her unnerving beauty no one offers to take her hand, or something along those lines. I could also do a gender flip, where Psyche is a male and is still enduring the same fate because the females are too self-conscious to be wed to such perfection. I’m not sure how I could incorporate the part of the oracle, maybe in a modern story it could be a horoscope or a fortune teller. That could be interesting.

                                                                   

Psyche Receiving Cupid's First Kiss by Francois Gerard
Source:Wikipedia

Bibliography: Apuleius's Golden Ass, translated into English by Tony Kline; Mythology and Folklore Untextbook