Week 5 Review

For this week's review post I decided to take something from this weeks announcements (which can be found here). The post that caught my attention was the under the Words of Wisdom section from yesterday, Sunday, September 27th. The words of wisdom was "The fuller the cup, the sooner the spill." And it came with a picture as well:

"Full Cup"
Source: MythFolklore Class Announcements 

The reason I chose this post besides the fact that I really enjoy quotes, is that I feel like I can relate to and understand what it's saying. Sometimes people try to cram in their schedules or certain things in their life in order to make room for something else, finish early, finish ahead of time or something of those sorts. I've done this too. However, I've found that it's really important to take a step back and separate things in a better manner rather than trying to do everything at once. It may sound good at the time, but it can definitely become extremely overwhelming. For this reason, I try to plan stuff out using a planner, notes, etc. so that I can leave space for other things and not have an over packed schedule. Planning things for me is really a life saver because it helps to keep my life in order and make it more calm.

Famous Last Words for Week 5

I really enjoyed the reading this week because I had the opportunity to read from the West African Folktales unit (which I'll probably read from next week, too)! I was looking forward to this unit and the Nigerian unit because my parents sometimes told me folk stories and I was interested to see if I recognized any of them. I find the stories really interesting to read and it's a nice feeling to have a connection to them as well! I chose the story: Anansi and Nothing to retell from this unit. I kept the plot pretty similar but still changed a few things and the way it was written. I also really liked how I told the story this week. I decided to switch up my writing style for this particular story and when I reread it, I enjoyed how it flowed and especially the ending. That would probably have to be my best writing for this week. I definitely think I'm going to try using that method of writing for future stories and explore other different ways to write a story. I honestly think this will help me in my writing overall. This way, I can be more creative and not just stick to one certain way of writing!

Besides this class, my other classes are somewhat quiet right now (which I'm sure will change soon), so I'm enjoying the silence. I've been trying to finish up miscellaneous things, get ahead on assignments and finish up my pharmacy application so hopefully the time is well spent. I've also started a personal blog to encourage me to write often, no matter what the subject. I'm truly excited about this and I'm hoping I can keep it up! Just writing a little bit a day for myself is my goal.

Thoughts about Comments

Personally, I love reading through the comments and seeing the constructive criticism people have left me on my stories. This is one of the most helpful things a person can do to help another person better their writing. I think often people are worried they may be offering too harsh of criticism so they try to point out more good than things that can be worked on (I do that sometimes, too)! However I think it's truly very important that we give our honest opinions. I know seeing what people like or didn't like, helps me look at my story from different perspectives than just my own. It opens my eyes to new ideas and new possibilities which I really enjoy. I think a way I could improve the comments i'm leaving for others is to take my own advice and be more constructive and try to balance the good with what I think could be better. I really have enjoyed reading everyone's stories though, it's great to see other's amazing creativity at work! I'm excited to have the chance to read new stories every week!

Extra Reading Diary: Great Plains

Link to the extra reading diary unit can be found here.

Sacred Legend

• Interesting on the idea that the first people came from water.
• Part where a man figured out how to make fire and it was the first time anyone had seen it and weren't sure what the phenomenon was. Reminds me of the "caveman" theory
• A lot of intelligence 
• Were able to come up with a lot of ideas with how to survive on not much. Also how to build certain things to aid in their survival
• Man with the seeds-coincidental 
• Cool storytelling method

The Buffalo and the Grizzly Bear

• Animal theme
• I liked the way the story turned around. You have a bullying situation from the Grizzly Bear to Buffalo Bull and then Buffalo Bull finally stands up for himself
• I also like the animals were given a voice
• Funny at the end how Grizzly Bear wanted to be friends with Buffalo Bull just because he got bested by him and because he was treated like he treated Buffalo Bull

The Eagle's Revenge

• Blurs line between reality and fantasy
• At first I thought the stranger was going to be the Eagle that had been killed
• Stranger vanished-turned out to be the brother of the Eagle
• I feel like if I had retold this I wouldn't change much because I like how it was put together in only 300 words, but maybe I would have the stranger actually be the Eagle and possibly have the revenge be haunting the hunter for a while.

"Buffalo"
Source: Mythology and Folklore UnTextbook

Storytelling for Week 5: A New Start

Fayiz was unhappy. He had been noticing it along the way but today it really hit him harder than ever before. Things weren't the same and he knew they would never be the same from here on out.

"Fayiz, why won't you speak to me?" his wife inquired.

This had been going on for a while. The back and forth quarrels continued to increase as the days went on. He would usually take a small pause and then continue to argue with his wife. But now, he had grown tired of arguing, so he just said nothing instead. He kept quiet, hoping this would speak louder than any words he could've managed to utter. His wife stared at him a while, grunted and walked away.

At this point, Fayiz decided that enough was enough and went to his wife the very next day to end it. He simply explained that he was not happy with the situation and that they had been fighting for too long. Every fight their two boys would listen and watch and he didn't want that either. He felt that this was the best decision so he packed his things and left.

He wasn't sure where he was going but he knew he would figure it out as he went. For a while he went from town to town. He often stayed in small houses people would rent out for cheap and would take up quick jobs in order to get enough money to eat and survive. He didn't have much, but it was enough.

One day Fayiz was on his way traveling to yet another new town when he came upon a vast mountain area. He was very tired so he decided to stay the night there, under the protection of a big tree close by. When he awoke the next day he saw a beautiful girl standing above him, watching him. Startled, he jumped up.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Peri," she responded. "Are you lost?"

"No, I am not lost. I was just heading to a new town. I am sort of a drifter, you could say."

"Hmm. I see. But, strange man, why drift when you can comfortably stay in one place? Come with me. I live not far away. I can help you get settled and lead a normal, happy life."

Fayiz was not too sure about it, but he knew that he liked this mysterious girl. He somewhat hesitantly agreed upon her offer. There was something about her that he could not put his finger on but he knew he wanted to learn more about her and spend more time with her. Over time, they eventually fell in love and got married. It had been years since Fayiz saw his old family. He felt like a new person. He was happy again with his new life and new wife.

However, on one particular day, he witnessed something he had never seen before. As he was lying in bed, his wife got up and walked to the window across the room. He presumed that she thought he was still asleep, but he very much wasn't.

In the blink of an eye, wings grew from her back, she shrunk to the size of a faerie, and swiftly flew out.

Fayiz opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

Fayiz
Source: Mythology and Folklore UnTextbook

Author's Note:  For this story I decided to retell the story of Fayiz and the Peri Wife. In the original story, Fayiz was a married man who left his previous family, went to the mountains. fell in love with and married, a beautiful woman who was not human. She was a Peri-which is another word for fairie in Persian folklore. Eventually, Fayiz becomes unhappy once again and wants to go back home to see his other wife and two sons. His new wife, the Peri, agrees but tells him if he tells anyone her secret, he will never see her again and will only come into trouble. Well, Fayiz ends up breaking his promise of not telling and tells his old wife because he thought this would be best. Since he did, he never saw his Peri wife again and yearned for her. In my retelling I decided to give more of a backstory with Fayiz and his old wife and change the story up a bit but having him have an unhappy marriage and becoming happy again in his new life with the Peri. Then, at the end he randomly finds out that his wife is not human. I liked ending the story with a surprise because throughout the story one would never guess that his wife is not human although there is an inclination of something off from Fayiz's thoughts of her.

Bibliography: "Fayiz and the Peri Wife" translated by D.L.R Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer and illustrated by Hilda Roberts from Persian Tales (1919).
Web Source: Mythology and Folklore UnTextbook

Reading Diary B: Persian Tales

The link to this reading unit where you can find my favorite stories from this unit and more can be found here!

Fayiz and the Peri Wife

• Fayiz-"true-hearted and honest"  
• Love story. I could retell this story and use it my portfolio. I think it would go really well with my theme!
• Fayiz and the wife-didn't seem to know each other well but fell in love
• "It is, indeed, scarcely possible that a human being should keep faith." I found this, in the midst of the rest of the story, kind of funny. Like the author was throwing a subtle jab at humans ability to be faithful in a relationship
• The wife was not human
• Secret that she is not human, but Peri and if Fayiz tells then trouble will come to him.
• fairy
• Ended up telling the secret and what Peri warned him came true

The Story of the Wolf-Bride

• Starts off with a bad fate 
• The wolf that was predicted to tear the boy into pieces turned out to be his new wife
• Interesting short story. Really straight and to the point. If I retold this I would probably add more to the story line

The Man Who Went to Wake His Luck

• Luck personified as a human being
• As the poor brother was looking for his Luck, people on the way were asking him for favors regarding their Luck
• Kind of a plot twist at the end but I like how it catches the reader off guard. Maybe the reason he got eaten was because he woke his Luck up too early. 

The Shepherd Who Found a Treasure

• I like the symbolism in this story
• Interesting, weird part about the green fly
• The shepherd tricked his brother who was not really his brother anymore due to the fly and used it to his benefit

The Fayiz
Source: Mythology and Folklore UnTextbook

Reading Diary A: Persian Tales

The link to this reading unit and my story favorites from it can be found right here!

The Wolf and the Goat

• Character names - Alil, Balil, Ginger Stick, and Black Eyes - child goats
• The wolf tricking the goats by painting his hand red. Good part is that Black eyes was able to escape and hide until the mother returned. 
• Black eyes and the mother climbed the roof
• I like the contrast between the wolf not taking care to provide a good present and the dentist putting in teeth that only looked nice, and the goat doing everything right and being able to then trick the wolf and lure him into her trap
• If I retold the story I might add in a scene with the wolf in his house with the goats that he kidnapped.

Nim Tanak, or Half-Boy

• First sentence same as previous story I read.. "Once upon a time there was a time when there was no one but God."
• Very interesting read
• Idea of a "half-child"
• Apples that caused the wives to become pregnant
• Nim Tanak - treated poorly by his father
• Same ending line as previous story "And now my story has come to an end, but the sparrow never got home."
• I like the fact that Nim Tanak became the hero, but not the fact that that's how his father came to respect and love him.

The Sad Tale of the Mouse's Tail

• Second sentence went right into the dilemma of the story.
• The story was made into an intriguing way, there's no resolution but I thought there might be.
• I like the hunt for things to achieve the end goal
• I would probably continue the story, leaving the majority the same, but giving it an actually ending that goes a long with the plot.

"Nim Tanak, or Half-Boy"
Source: Mythology and Folklore UnTextbook