Week 13 Story: The Sky is Falling!

Swiper the Fox

Once upon a time, there was a small hen named Pat who was resting peacefully in her nest out in her home field when all of the sudden something shook her awake as it felt like something had fallen from above on her head.

"Oh my!" Pat squawked
"The sky is falling!"

And just like that Pat shot up and began to go throughout the forest looking for her friends as she had to find someone important to tell this life-altering news. Pat first went to her brother John who was a mighty rooster and he was perplexed by just how the sky could be falling, but tagged along as he was worried about his little sister. Next, the group found their friend Don the duck, who was out near the pond looking at lily pads, and hurried up to him to tell them about their predicament. Don agreed to help as he felt someone had to know about such serious news. Lastly, the group went out onto the pond to find the biggest of their friend Gina the goose who offered to ferry the birds back across the pond and take them on the fastest route to get to the king.

The party was moving along on the trail that Gina had showed them and were nearing the king's mighty castle, when they noticed a shadow shifting in the nearby brush. Gina ran up to the brush flapping her wings out wide and out popped the local forest trickster Swiper. He was a devious fox who would pick on all of the other animals of the woods, but the group was taken aback when he offered to help them out as he knew an even faster way to get to the king's castle. After agreeing they followed Swiper to a tunnel that he claimed led right into the castle, but everyone was skeptical.

"Swiper that's no tunnel!" Pat called out as she noticed what looked like multiple sets of fox eyes.

She knew that this was yet another one of his plots so they all went back forgetting all about the sky.

"Ah man!" Swiper cried out knowing that he had been caught.


Bibliography:
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/03/english-fairy-tales-henny-penny.html from the UN-Textbook)

Author's Notes:
Kept all of the original animals and introduction, but changed the names as they were all rather long and silly as they rhymed (ex: Henny-Penny). Also changed the ending as instead of having the fox successfully attack/trick the party besides the main character I had a familiar childhood ending where the devious fox was found out.

Week 12 Story: Feline Fiddle

Depiction of Felix 

Long ago, their was a cat named Felix who wanted nothing more than to be able to woo his longtime crush Diamond. Felix paced around wondering how he could do this and had been practicing to serenade her, but every time he tried there was only a horrible scratching noise. Felix tried and tried to get his song down, but could not manage to hit a single note. He was devastated as he thought his plight was hopeless, for if he couldn't even learn a simple song, how could he ever win a perfect cat like Diamond. Felix went out to a nearby pond and began to look up to the stars to think about what he would do next. Suddenly, Felix noticed a star seeming to grow closer until it crashed down in the thicket across the pond. Felix hurried over to see the glowing object, and after pushing the brush aside saw a golden fiddle. He picked it up and felt a power rush over him and suddenly he felt light as air. Felix grabbed the accompanying bow and tried to play a few notes only to be shocked as he played the most beautiful ballad he had ever heard. Felix took off knowing he had to act fast and rushed over to Diamond's house. Felix positioned himself outside of her window and began to play the same stunning ballad that he felt perfectly showed how he felt for her. Soon after Diamond poked her head out of the window to try and find where this heavenly sound was coming from. She was floored that Felix had done all of this for her and ran out to give him a big hug. Felix was taken off guard at first and dropped the fiddle only to see it instantly disappear when it hit the ground again.

Bibliography:
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/04/nursery-rhymes-jingles.html from the UN-Textbook)

Author's Notes:
Extrapolated on the old nursery rhyme with the cat and the fiddle by creating characters and a plot. Also made the fiddle come to the cat rather than the cat just have the fiddle already. Also tied in the moon/space aspect for the violin's origin.

Week 11 Story: Igloo Spirits

Depiction of  one of the various spirit hybrids

Long ago there was a small village that was home to a simple Inuit tribe, who had one strange habit, when they would bury their dead they would do so by throwing them out into sea. This tradition had gone on for as long as all the village elders could remember or even remember hearing from their elders as this was the way of life for the tribe until one fateful night. There seemed to be a faint clicking in the distance, but no one stirred at first as the noise was so far away. The noise persisted though, where it at first only clicked every couple of minutes it grew to two minutes, then one minute. The noise grew louder each time as well until it almost became a sort of pounding and this had caused the whole village to wake up and go out to the nearby sheet of ice where they would fish. Underneath the sheet of ice they could see what seemed to be spirits in the form of various animals that also resembled many of the past tribe members that the current members remember taking out to the sea. Everyone in the tribe was overjoyed to see something so beautiful and to be reunited in a sense with all of the people that had lost over the many different years, but it felt like the spirits became more of a work of art rather than a free spirit so the tribe began to bury their dead in the snow and earth to cease the spirits, but some say if you go out onto a sheet of ice late enough you can still see the old Inuit spirits trapped under the ice.

Bibliography:
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/03/eskimo-folk-tales-papik-who-killed-his.html from the UN-Textbook)

Author's Notes:
Focused the story more on the spirits and not on the actual tribe members like in the original and had the passively end the story rather than the spirit coming back to kill one of the tribe members.

Week 10 Story: "I'm hunting Wabus"

Wabus the Rabbit (story inspiration)

Long ago, in the lush forests of the Mississippi Valley, there was a cunning, yet extremely boisterous rabbit whom all the animals despised due to his arrogant nature. This rabbit's name was Wabus and he claimed to be the greatest healer in the entire forest, but that wasn't the claim that boiled all the other creature's blood. Wabus claimed to be the fastest runner in not only the forest, but the entire world. This was a much bigger deal for the animals than us humans as it was vital to the survival of a species, whether it be hunting down a meal for the night or running to save one's own life.
Among these rather upset animals was the mighty mountain lion known as Elmer.
Elmer swore to all the creatures that would listen that he would catch the "pesky Wabus," with his raw speed as he felt he was the fastest creature in the land himself, but seemed to have a bit of a biological advantage over the small hare that he despised.

Elmer set out for Wabus' wigwam that he had set up on one of the forest's largest hills so that he could see any potential predators and run off in time. With this in mind Elmer came up with the brilliant idea to sneak up on the wigwam late at night with his night vision, while Wabus slept and was vulnerable. Elmer lurked up to the wigwam with feet as light as the still night air until he was right up next to the wigwam's back door.

Elmer looked into the dark room and couldn't believe his luck, as there was Wabus sound asleep in his bed with his back turned to the big cat. Elmer gleefully pounced on the figure laying in bed and dug his claws right into its back with a triumphant roar. Elmer, proud of ridding himself of Wabus, was shocked out of his victory to the sound of an all familiar chuckle from below him. Wabus was poking out a hole he dug and pointing at what Elmer now realized was a decoy laying under Wabus' blankets and couldn't believe that he was so easily tricked.

Wabus popped back into the hole right as Elmer lunged for him, and to Elmer's surprise the hole was much deeper than the initial entrance conveyed and he fell snoot first into a surprisingly deep hole. Elmer raged and tried to claw up the dirt walls, but was only dragging more dirt down into the hole. In a final attempt to persuade Wabus to let him out Elmer tried to claim that he was merely trying to help Wabus with his medicinal work and claimed that he too was a medicine man that aspired to learn from the "Prolific Wabus."Wabus laughed to himself as he went away from the hole while Elmer threw a fit and brought back a large rock.

"Sorry 'Doc'," Wabus called down as he laughed to himself.

Wabus then slid the rock over the hole and left Elmer to think about coming after him again, while he hopped in bed with a carrot and a grin.


Bibliography:
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/mslakes-two-rabbit-stories.html from the UN-Textbook)

Author's Notes:
Initially the big cat hunting Wabus was a panther, which didn't make since at least to me, as someone who is from a town right on the Mississippi River in Illinois, so I changed it to a mountain lion. Also changed the plot by making it a bit more whimsical such as making Wabus act like Bugs Bunny (hence Elmer the mountain lion) as he was killed instantly by the panther in the original story as he was overconfident.

Week 9 Story: The Fate of the Lucky

Depiction of the princess

Our story begins in Ancient China, where a noble prince and his wife lived in peace except for the troubles that plagued their poor daughter. Despite all of the prince's fortune and accomplishments, his daughter was victim to having something known as "ill luck." This plagued his daughter all her life up until it came time for her to marry when noble men from all over China came to offer her their hand in marriage. In this large crowd of princes and lords was a beggar who happened to wander into this event. The princess decided that she would choose her husband through a sort of ceremony where she was to throw a ball of red silk into the crowd and whoever catches it will win her hand in marriage. The princess noticed the beggar in the crowd and could see a small dragon moving through his nose and ears, and she knew that this man had luck on his side. She immediately threw him the ball of silk much to her father's anger as he spoke out against it and tried to forbid her. This led to the princess running away with the beggar as she believed that his good luck could fix her luck if they were together, so she moved into his measly hut and left her life of fortune back at the palace. After a few months living happily with her new husband, the princess was approached by her husband as he wanted to go out and get a fortune for her to be comfortable again. She agreed reluctantly, but believed in this man due to his luck and waited for almost 18 years when suddenly a powerful lord rode into town claiming this territory to be his. Confused the wife came out and instantly recognized her husband and pleaded that he spare her father and mother in the castle, so the two made their way to her childhood palace. The once beggar looked at his wife's father wondering if he could recognize him from the ceremony. The now old prince couldn't seem to piece it all together in his old age and was prepared to surrender to the mighty lord who stood before him until he threw him something in a flash, a red ball of silk. The prince was amazed and knelt before his son-in-law as he knew now the error of his ways. The family lived in the palace and finally were as one, thanks to what can only be described as luck.




Bibliography:
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/p/weeks-7-8-9.html from the UN-Textbook)

Author's Notes:
Changed the back half of the story as in the original the wife somehow does not recognize her husband as well as he becomes this powerful figure and just comes back to test his wife to see if he remembers her. The original also ended with the two going off and the wife dying shortly after due to bad luck, so I incorporated the father back into the story and added a happier ending.

Week 7 Story: Every Spider Has Their Day

Depiction of Anansi

Long ago, mankind often told tales to show praise to the gods as a sign of respect, and for as long man has existed these legends have been known as Nyankupon tales. He was the chief of all of the gods and demanded to be revered due to his powerful status. One day, the spider god known as Anansi approached Nyankupon pleading that he change the name of these stories to Anansi tales as the spider was extremely conceited. Nyankupon thought on the idea for some time then agreed, but only on the terms that Anansi bring him three different animals: a queen bee, an alligator, and a panther, as an offering before the sun set. Anansi agreed to the terms and swiftly went down to Earth to begin his mission. Anansi first set out for the queen bee as it was the smallest and he knew he could trick a bug. Anansi approached the hive which hung low on a leaning branch and set a web around the many entrances. Anansi knew the other bees were off scavenging food for their queen, so he then pretended to make noise outside as if he were the returning worker bees, as he had heard the sound many times in his home web. The queen bee rushed out of the hive only to be stuck in Anansi's web, who promptly sent the first of his gifts back up to Nyankupon. Anansi went to a nearby swamp to begin his search for an alligator when he suddenly saw a massive gator resting in the mud on the opposite bank. Anansi began to sneak around the swamp towards the gator when suddenly he heard a commotion break out and couldn't believe his luck, a panther was sizing the gator up and a fight was brewing. Anansi rushed over to the two killer beasts and began to holler and shout until they both turned to him. Anansi convinces the two predators to go prove who the better hunter is and sets the challenge to be whoever catches a rabbit first wins. Anansi declares the start of this competition and quickly sneaks away again only to set a massive web trap under some leaves after spotting a nearby rabbit. He rustles some bushes to attract the two beasts who promptly come racing for the innocent hare. Instantly they realize what happened, but a moment too late as they both become trapped in Anansi's web trap. Anansi overcome with joy rushes back to Nyankupon to show him his offerings and tell him off his trickery. Impressed with his wits and swiftness Nyankupon agrees to change the name of the legends to forever be known as Anansi tales.

Author's Notes:
Changed the offerings from a jar of bees to a queen bee as it is a harder to obtain and made more sense then using a jar for measurment. Also changed the tiger to a panther as well as he boa constrictor to an alligator to make the task seem more daunting for a spider. Changed how the two larger creatures were captured by playing into he spider's web abilities rather than have him sew his own eye shut and convince the tiger to sew his own in the original tale.

Bibliography:
West African Folktales from the UN-Textbook
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-west-african.html)

Week 6 Story: The Name Game

Depiction of Egyptian god Ra as a man

The sun beat down on the ancient kingdom that Ra had watched over since the creation of this planet. Ra could feel the age in his bones with every step he took in this human form he had taken on so long ago to live among his creations and rule. Ra knew this form was weak but it held too deep of an emotional connection after the years that he had grown fond of it. Isis, a fellow god and creation of Ra, took the form of a powerful sorceress when joining the humans, but became annoyed with them rather quickly. Ra's love for the humans as well as his superior power, drove Isis to begin planning a sinister plot against him. Isis had heard that apparently Ra had been given a secret name from the ancient god Nu that granted him such tremendous power. Isis began trailing Ra to try and obtain something from him until finally Ra's humanly form's age began to show by drooling in his sleep. Isis, filled with malicious delight, hurried back to her lair and prepared a spell from this and created a viper that was to strike Ra while being invisible to humans and the gods alike. Isis quickly sent the viper out to attack Ra, who was walking alone in a quiet garden. Ra cried out after being bitten and injected with the viper's deadly venom. Ra cried out to his children, the gods, and pleaded for help as he could feel his strength fading quickly. Isis stepped forward among the gods and asked Ra to tell him his ancient name so that she could save him. Ra held out for as long as he could before he could feel the venom reaching further through his body that he caved to Isis' demands. Ra leaned in to Isis as he uttered,

"Ra"



Author's Notes:
Tweaked the ending of the original legend between Ra and Isis as Isis is victorious in getting Ra's secret name which didn't make sense as it seems like her plot is obvious once she asks for Ra's name. Ra being the creator (or father) of the world and gods I thought it would be funny to give him a dash of "dad," by taking Isis' inquiry literally.

Bibliography:
Ancient Egyptian Myths and Stories Unit from the UN-Textbook
(http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/myth-folklore-unit-ancient-egyptian.html)

Week 5 Story: Beginner's Guide to: Becoming "The Buddha"

Step 1: To begin your journey towards becoming the ultimate form of enlightenment you must begin as a high class citizen with a father in a position of religious power. This will act as a way for you to gain knowledge of the ancient religious ceremonies and you will then grow to find them outdated and restrictive. 

Step 2: Turn your attention to the local group of monks (known in the original story as the Samana) and eventually beg your aforementioned, strict father to join them on a quest for spiritual enlightenment.

Step 3: Upon joining this group you now must wear rags and only eat the bare minimum to stay alive as is custom in this group as it is a way to rid oneself of their own ego and physical form. 

Step 4: Begin learning from this insightful group of spiritual individuals about their many different teachings about the individual outside of their physical form for a number of years (preferably with a childhood friend that you convinced to come along to also become enlightened) until you eventually hear news of a Buddha arise somewhere. 

Step 5: Go seek out this "Buddha," and join his following to learn of his advanced spiritual enlightenment and with this completing your studies of the spirit. (But somethings wrong!)

Step 6: Confront the "Buddha," and challenge the idea of not incorporating the physical world while also preaching the idea of being "in unison with the physical world and the world around you." (This leads to an inevitable falling out with you and fake "Buddha")

Step 7: Leave the camp in search for enlightenment on the physical world (Yes this includes leaving the optional childhood friend behind) and become charmed by a local courtesan.

Step 8: Learn about the physical world for many years after spending countless hours with this courtesan you become fascinated by while also becoming involved in local business in the city to help provide.

Step 9: Realize after all those years that true enlightenment comes from the harmony of the spiritual and the physical, thus making you the ultimate form of enlightenment, "The Buddha"

Depiction of the Buddha 

Author's Notes: 

Kept tru to most of the story arc of the original telling of this legend, but made it more fun by turning it into a "How To" sort of list or guide. The ending also ends at Part Two of the book instead becoming the Buddha right after spending the long stretch of years with the courtesan (Kamala in the original story) in the city. 

Bibliography:

"Siddhartha" by Herman Hesse (Part Two)

(https://www.gutenberg.org/files/2500/2500-h/2500-h.htm)

Week 4 Story: Ark Restart

The landing of the Ark

It was a cold, still night when Noah went out to fetch some firewood to keep his three sons and himself warm through the night. Noah looked up to the stars and sighed deeply as it had now been almost a year since he had last heard from God following the Great Flood. Noah knew that God brought this catastrophe to wipe the planet of sin and wicked beings that resided there, but felt lost without his messages to guide him. When Noah came back into his tent he cast a log into the fire and a large plume of sparks formed into a ball of light above the flames and beckoned Noah over. The orb told Noah that "you need to build another ark as the planet will soon run dry." Noah took off from his tent and began deconstructing the old ark to make his new ark from God's new instructions. After toiling for almost twenty days, Noah finished despite the worsening conditions he was facing, where ponds grew smaller and the creeks began to slow. Noah knew he, his family, and the animals he had brought through the flood would not make it for more than a day or two, so he began boarding right away. First, situating all of the animals, Noah made sure they all were safe in their pairs and finally loaded himself and his family on the boat before making one final prayer to God. Noah felt a wave of comfort come over him as he shut his eyes to rest as he didn't know how long it would be until he landed. Noah could hear the rushing waves and the ocean spray all around him, but knew not where these waters were taking him. Noah awoke to an oddly still ship and walked out to see land all around the ark and a single dove on the bow of the ship. Noah knew God had taken him to another world to begin anew, so Noah lowered the ark doors and set out into the vast unknown for the first time.

Author's Notes:
Set the classic legend of Noah and the Ark on a foreign planet where this bleak, dying planet is left behind by Noah to come to a new world to start again with his family and pairs of animals.
Bibliography:
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-noah-and-ark.html
(From the UN-Textbook)

Week 3 Story: Achille's Sacrifice

Patroclus fighting Hector the Trojan prince

This legend begins at the ancient Greek city of Troy where the forces of Greece all gathered to help their king's brother Menelaus get his bride Helen back from the Trojans as the Trojan Prince, Paris, had stolen her from Sparta. Achilles and his dear friend Patroclus were in Achille's tent as Patroclus was trying to get Achilles to rejoin the Greek forces. Achilles was completely against the notion as he had been shamed by the king of the Greeks, Agamemnon by having his plunder taken from him for speaking out against him earlier in the siege. Patroclus knew the end was near for the Greeks as the god Zeus himself was on the side of the Trojans due to a deal Achilles made through his mother, Thetis, out of anger after Agamemnon's actions. The Greek ships were being burned by the Trojans as they spoke and Patroclus begged Achilles to at least let him use his armor to go into the battle and potentially turn the tide of the battle. Achilles reluctantly agreed and offered him a prayer to the gods as he left to keep him safe in the coming fight. Patroclus led the Greek forces from Achille's homeland in his signature armor and chariot to the Greek ships like a bolt of lightning from Zeus himself. Patroclus took down ten men before taking down the Trojan general Sarpedon. This caused the Trojans to retreat from the ships and give the Greeks a chance to save them all while being viewed by the mighty Trojan prince Hector. Hector saw Patroclus and his men charging his way, but stayed calm as he knew he was the superior fighter as well as having the god Zeus on his side. Hector and Patroclus met and exchanged blows as they whizzed by one another, with Patroclus taking a significant hit causing him to have to take a large turn to evade Hector momentarily. Achilles back in his tent felt a strange dread as if he knew his best friend was in danger, so he sprung on his feet and with only his famed Pelian spear. Achilles moving as swift as an arrow towards the battle could now see Hector and Patroclus clashing about 500 yards away. Achilles could tell Patroclus was weakening and lowered his head and began to take an adrenaline-fueled sprint towards the battle. Achilles took a massive leap and took a plunge at Hector as he stood over a near-defenseless Patroclus. Hector noticed Achilles attempt to save his countryman and flung his spear wildly to try and land a blow, but only grazed Achilles' heel before Achilles' speared plunged through his heart. Patroclus let out a cry as he saw Achille and Hector crumple to the ground as he knew from a feelin deep in the pit of his stomach that Achilles was gone. A golden aura rose from Achille's body as he was carried to Mount Olympus to be honored by the gods by his mother Thetis, and prophesied that Patroclus would be victorious in the siege of Troy thanks to Achilles' sacrifice.

Author's Notes:
First established a bit of background information that was the original myth to let reader's know the story's setting. Then changed the ending of Homer's Illiad by not having Patroclus die to HEctor, but instead have Achilles sacrifice himself to save him. This also differntiates from the original material as PAris does not kill Achilles by firing a bow at his heel, but instead by Hector.
Bibliography:
http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-homers-iliad-retold.html
(From the UN-Textbook)

Week 2 Story: Pygmalion's Last Statue

On the island of Cyprus in an ancient Greek city there was a young sculptor by the name of Pygmalion. He was extremely talented, but spent most of his time working on his projects that he found himself often lonely. Pygmalion had been working on a full-scale ivory statue of a gorgeous woman for some time and began to slowly fall in love. From clothing to caressing the statue, Pygmalion began to go above and beyond for this inanimate shape that he became immersed in. Some nights, Pygmalion couldn't even sleep as his mind was so fixed on his ivory statue. This infatuation soon became an obsession, where Pygmalion needed time with the statue nearly all of his waking hours. People of the city began to view Pygmalion as an outsider and some even went as far as to call him a "madman." As the seasons changed, so came Venus' festival where Pygmalion eagerly attended as he had concocted a plan on how to get his ivory statue to love him. He gave an offering to the ceremonial fire and noticed a large puff of smoke instantly rise from the flames. Pygmalion rushed home to see if he could finally be with his statue girl, but Venus had other plans as she had been watching Pygmalion's obsession with some statue. Pygmalion entered his home only to feel a cold sensation go through his body as his skin and bones began to turn to ivory. Pygmalion's whole body hardened almost instantly leaving him a near identical ivory statue nearly a yard away from his beloved statue. Venus hoped this new statue would serve the people of Pygmalion's city a lesson that one should never succumb to their obsessions especially when they are as unorthodox and end up as desperate as Pygmalion. 

Pygmalion and his Ivory Girl both as statues

Author's Note: For this retelling of the Pygmalion legend, I altered the story by making Pygmalion become slightly more obsessed with his ivory statue as well as having Venus punish Pygmalion and make him a statue rather than making the statue human.

Bibliography: "Metamorphosis: Pygmalion" from Roman lore by Ovid (Kline, 2000)