Extra Reading Diary: Lang's Fairy Tales II

I decided to do an extra reading this week. I chose Lang's Fairy Tales (II) unit because all the stories seemed to be a little lengthier. I liked them because the detail in the story was greater than just a one page fairy tale. I kept some notes over my favorite stories as always and they are found below:

Half-Chick

I found this story to be very amusing. At first, I found myself thinking this is a story where I will end up rooting for Half-Chick to break away from his mom and family to become a great chicken despite only have one leg, wing, ear, etc. After he spurned all those asking for help on his way to Madrid and the King, I found it funny that they all ended up spelling his demise in the end. It would have been interesting to see what Half-Chick would have done had he been spared and if he would have changed his ways.

Medio Pollito atop the tallest church in Madrid, illustrated by H.J. Ford (1982).

Seven-Headed Serpent

In fairy tales such as this its always the must unsuspecting source that gives the answer needed to slay an evil beast. The old nun gave a very intricate plan to slay the seven-headed serpent. I thought the fact that the only sword that could slay the beast was hanging above his bed was also a sword that regenerated itsself. Seven times it would regenerate to cut off all seven heads. The plan to kill the serpent sounded like it was the last level of some intricate and difficult video game.

Reading Diary A: Andersen Fairy Tales

I decided to read the Andersen Fairy Tales unit this week for my reading diary posts. I found all the stories to be very entertaining. They provided a nice relaxing read in the middle of a crazy week! I took notes over a couple of my favorite stories I found in the first half of the reading. They are found below:

The Princess and the Pea

I really liked this story because I remember reading this story or book sometime in grade school. I remember being very amused at the fact the princess could tell she slept on something as small as a pea even under 20 mattresses! It was also amusing to think the prince had his pick of all the princesses in the land but chose one that came to the castle in the middle of the nigh looking anything but a real princess. 

The Emperor's New Suit

This story was actually pretty funny to read. I liked how all the people pretended to see "the beautiful cloth" to save their dignity in case they were actually just unfit to see it. It was even funnier that the emperor walked the streets wearing nothing thinking he was wearing the greatest clothes that gold could buy. I have to wonder what I would do in that situation. One would not want to the only person to not be able to see the emperor's grand suit! It was very fitting that an innocent child would be the one to point out what everyone else was actually seeing. Hopefully the weavers were long gone by then!

The Emperor admiring his new "clothes" (Wikipedia).

Extra Reading: Brothers Grimm (Ashliman)

I decided to do an extra reading this week in addition to my earlier reading. I chose to read the Brothers Grim (Ashliman) unit because I saw tales I am familiar with such as Little Red Riding Hood and Rumpelstiltskin. I kept notes on which stories I had the best time reading and these are found below.

The Cat and Mouse in Partnership

I have read a story similar to this in an earlier unit that follows the same plot (I even wrote a storytelling post about it). The difference was that the characters were supposed to build a shelter together and one kept running off and eating the spoils that were supposed to await them when they were finished. My favorite part about that story and this one was the names the cat came up with for all its godchildren when it would run off. I found it amusing that they correlated with how much fat was left in the pot!

Cat and Mouse in Partnership by Walter Crane (Wikipedia)

The Singing Bone

I liked this story as it reminded me somewhat of Cain and Abel. The younger brother killed the wild boar on his own because he was honest and pure in heart. The brother tricked him into walking ahead where he struck him dead. The older brother then took the boar to the king and acted as if he had killed it himself. It was refreshing to find out that the act was figured out in the end and I thought using one of the younger brother's bone as a horn that sang its own song was a very interesting way to solve the "mystery".

Reading Diary B: Dante's Inferno

I finished up the reading for Dante's Inferno for this reading diary. I felt like I had a better understanding while reading this half of the unit than I did when I first began reading. Maybe it was the break I took between the two but whatever it was I comprehended what was occurring a little easier. I once again took notes on my favorite stories or what peaked my interest and these are found below.

The Harpies and Capaneus

I felt like this chapter of the story gave rise to the familiar scene of hell seen in movies and such. The "crimson boiling" is what I pictured to be fiery lava or something similar. Dante describes how there are people are submerged in this in varying degrees: some up to their necks and others just with their feet completely in the boiling. This is what I would expect to see in a movie scene of hell. Dante learns that these people are guilty of extreme violence against others.

Descending of Geryon's Back

This scene seemed a little crazy not only to me but apparently also to Dante. He has to climb onto the back of Geryon, a monster with wings, paws, a man's face, and a dragon's body. Virgil and Dante ride him down to the eighth circle of hell. The way Dante describes his fear while riding the monstrous beast is very detailed and I don't blame him!

Jason and the Demons

In the first chasm, pimps and seducers were tormented. Within this story, the tale of Jason was told where he abandons Hypsipyle, who he impregnated. He is tormented by his overwhelming guilt for leaving her with child after he seduced her with his charm and gifts. This seems like it would be a good story on its own regardless of being mentioned within Dante's Inferno.

Dante's Inferno theatrical poster for the 1924 film (Wikipedia).

Reading Diary A: Dante's Inferno

I chose to read Dante's Inferno for the reading of Week 13. I was really interested in this unit just from the description given at the beginning of the Un-Textbook. As I read, I realized that I had chosen a unit that was hard for me to understand if I didn't read carefully and thoughtfully. Many times I had to go back and reread a paragraph or two to fully understand what was going on or what had happened. I took some notes while I read and they are shown below. The image I included really helped me understand each level and what was going on throughout the story.

Paolo and Francesca

I liked this story because it was the first story where Dante actually had a conversation with one of the souls in hell. I'm glad for the description of the story beforehand or I would have been really confused on what occurred here in this story. Francesca tells Dante how love is what led her to her current state and Dante is initially and rightfully confused. After speaking with Virgil, he then turns back to Francesca to explain how love put her in the place she now resides. She then tells her story of her affair and Dante then fully understands.

Cerebus and Plutus

I found it very interesting that no one knows the exact meaning of "'Papé Satàn, papé Satàn aleppe" which comes from the mouth of Plutus. It really makes me want to research possible meanings. I find it interesting that for a story that has been around this long that there isn't an exact interpretation.

Fortune and Phlegyas

The scene that really stood out to me here was the scene of the souls that were sentenced to, what I assume, a lifetime of anger. I can see where anger can ruin lives and I thought that was a good image of it. Having people have looks of pure anger on their face and biting and clawing each other to near death was a very powerful image.




Levels of Hell within Datne's Inferno (Wikidpedia Commons)

Extra Reading: Celtic Fairy Tales

I decided to do an extra reading this week and I chose the Celtic Fairy Tales unit to do so. I chose this unit initially because in the description it mentioned leprechauns, fairies, and ghosts. After a long week of studying I wanted something that could entertain me! I kept some notes while I read and these can be seen below. I tried to focus on my favorites throughout while reading.

The Field of Boliauns

Since the mention of leprechauns is what first caught my eye when choosing this unit I should have known a story of a leprechaun would end up being one of my favorites. I felt like the whole time that the leprechaun was taking Tom Fitzpatrick to the place where the pot of gold was supposed to be you almost felt like a trick was coming. Then you knew Tom was about to be tricked when he let the leprechaun go as he went to fetch a shovel to dig for the gold.

Leprechaun (Villafanart)

The Sprightly Tailor

I found this story to be very amusing as it showed courage but also mixed with a little ghost story. I would have liked a little more backstory as to why Macdonald wanted the tailor to sew his garments in the old, haunted church but I guess that isn't to important to the story. I like how at the end there is something that tries to validate the story as it alludes to the handprint still being on the walls of the gate outside the castle.

Reading Diary B: Beowulf

I finished reading the Beowulf unit for this Reading Diary. I was really excited to read about Beowulf and his encounter with the monster Grendel so I was glad to see that the tale would come early on in this reading. As always, I kept some notes about my favorite stories and what I thought could be used in my storytelling post.

The Battle with Grendel

This is what I was excited for since reading the previous half of the unit. Once again, the vivid details used by the writer were inspiration to try and use the same detail in my writing. I felt like the writing gave way to lots of action packed writing and I was really impressed with the author's ability to create so much action with just their words. The part I found most amusing is that when all the people of Heorot awoke and heard a racket they looked up to see Beowulf and his men on the rooftop holding up Grendel's bloody arm. I could just imagine the look on their faces!

The Arrival of the Dragon

I liked this story because I thought it did a great job of setting up future stories. Having a slave, with no name, tell the story about what he saw in the dragon and the many spoils that he slept with was a great way to lure the reader into wondering what was true in his story or if they could even trust what he was saying. This also led to Beowulf being skeptical until the slave pulled out the jeweled cup which he had taken from the dragon's lair.

The stranger stealing the jeweled cup from the dragon (illustrated by A.R. Skelton).

Reading Diary A: Beowulf

I chose to read the Beowulf unit because it mentioned that it was the full story. I wanted to read a story that showed the entirety of the story behind the main characters. I vaguely remember reading Beowulf in high school and I felt like it would be good to revisit this collection of stories.

Beowulf's Resolve

While reading this particular story I really noticed the description and attention to detail used throughout. I first noticed this while the writer described the scene as Beowulf became enraged at the thought of Grendel terrorizing the land. I would really like to try and incorporate this detail in my storytelling post this week. It made the scene extremely easy to visualize in my mind. I think this is very important because the reader can more easily see what you pictured as you wrote the story.

The Word's of Beowulf

I was glad that Beowulf stood up for himself and set the record straight about his race against Breca within in the sea. This story had caught my interest throughout this first half reading but I thought that it was just something used sparingly and would never actually come out. I liked how it was alluded to throughout and finally was told in the overarching story. I still wish there was a complete story about this race as it seems like it could easily be a lengthy story in itself. Maybe I could use this and write about it for my storytelling post.

Beowulf sailing to Daneland (Wikipedia Commons).

Extra Reading: Robin Hood

I decided to do an extra reading this week instead of writing an essay. I chose the Robin Hood unit because I can remember hearing stories or watching Robin Hood when I was young. Reading this unit was a little bit of a challenge as I thought reading the stories in ballad form was actually tougher than I thought. I did manage to find a few favorites during my reading and I convey them below.

Robin Hood on the cover of a comic (Wikipedia).

Little John

This was an amusing little ballad. I thought it was entertaining to hear they called him Little John even though he stood near seven feet tall and could obviously fight very well. I also liked that even though their small battle did seem to be very vicious it ended up being all in good fun. At the end of the fight, Robin Hood's band of merry men are called upon and act to avenge their leader's loss. Instead of this, Robin Hood offer's to take in Little John and teach him the way of his band of men within the forest.

The Ranger

This story is a lot like the story of Little John. The ranger confronts Robin Hood and tells him that he is in charge of the forest and Robin Hood disagrees saying that he reigns supreme in the forest. Once again, Robin Hood battles his foe for a long period of time. When the battle is over, it seems like the two have battled to a draw. Once again, Robin Hood invites the ranger to join his band of merry men and they feast and drink all night to celebrate their new member.

Reading Diary B: King Arthur

I finished reading the second half of the King Arthur unit for this reading diary. The story shifted from being all about King Arthur and his adventures to various Knights of his. Most of the stories revolved around the Knights' quest for the Holy Grail. I kept some notes on my favorites below.

The Adventure of Sir Percivale

I think Sir Percivale may be my favorite character so far within the King Arthur unit. He seems to have good morals and fights for others throughout this story. He first rides to confront a Knight that has stolen a great steed of a yeoman. He rode hard and fast on a horse not suitable for battle but was ultimately beaten by the Knight and could not catch him. Then, at the end of the story, he joins a battle with a great serpent and a lion. He decided to help the lion because he thought him to be the more "natural beast". It was amusing that the lion took fancy of him and acted like a regular housecat thereafter and even slept with Percivale.

The End of Arthur

I liked this because it wrapped up the entire story in a way that wasn't to crazy or hard to understand. Merlin's vision of King Arthur dying a noble death on the battlefield came true and it was neat to see a little passage from the beginning of the unit come back and come true. Also, the fact that when King Arthur had the Knight throw Excalibur back into the water that the hand (I presume the same one from which he took it from in the first place) shot out of the water to take it back beneath the surface was a very cool visual.

King Arthur retrieving Excalibur from the hand in the water (Wikipedia Commons).

Reading Diary A: King Arthur

I decided to read the unit of King Arthur for my reading for Week 11. I like to read stories of heroes and things like that (and am currently watching Game of Thrones) so it was an easy choice for me to read this unit. I kept track of what were my favorite stories and they are found below.

The Drawing of the Sword

This was fun to read because I can remember me loving this story when I was a young boy. To hear the more detailed background behind it made the story very interesting. The part where Sir Ector describes never knowing who Arthur's father was but that Merlin told him one day he would discover from who Arthur came was the best part for me. It showed background of the story without having to delve off into its own individual story to tell it.

The Sword Excalibur

I really am enjoying this unit so far because I am learning so much background behind movies and stories I read as a child. I liked the thought of a hero having to complete a task (such as pulling the sword from stone) or giving up something in return for a mighty treasure as in this story.

Excalibur (Wikipedia)

The King's Pilgrimage

This story was almost like some weird science fiction movie. It was creative to have the squire dream the dream and have all these spooky things happen to him only to awake and see that they had indeed occurred. I've thought of writing a spooky storytelling post so maybe this could be the inspiration for it.

Extra Reading: Blackfoot Unit

I decided to read the Blackfoot unit this week for an extra reading instead of writing an essay. I picked this unit specifically because I wanted to read some legend type stories and I think I picked a pretty good unit to do so.

The Wolf Man

This story reminded me of the old tale about a baby being brought up by wolves. I thought at first that it would possibly be a scary story about how the werewolf came to be or something like that but was pleasantly surprised. I also liked how the village did not end up punishing the man-wolf and ended up punishing his two wives for trying to frame his murder.

The Buffalo Stone

I can picture writing a storytelling post about this but instead of a buffalo stone using it as maybe a heads up penny you find lying on the ground that is supposed to bring you good luck. I can also picture this story being told to the young children among the Blackfoot when they first ask why the family is so happy to find a Buffalo Stone. I was really interested in the process of finding the Buffalo Stone. It was alluring to find out that if the Blackfoot hear a bird's chip they know that a Buffalo Stone is close by.

The Rolling Rock

This story made me laugh because I could picture an old man running for his life as a large boulder rolled down a hill after him. It reminded me of some cartoon you would find that included Bugs Bunny or other Looney Tunes character.

"Balanced Rock" found in the Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colorado (Wikipedia).

Reading Diary B: Eskimo Folk-Tales

Today I finished up the second half of the Eskimo Folk-Tale unit reading. I tried to focus my reading diary post on stories I could see myself writing a storytelling post about. Below I have written my favorite stories I read and the corresponding notes I took.

Papik, Who Killed His Wife's Brother

This read like something from a horror movie for me. There was plenty of blood, guts, and gore to go around throughout the story. I found it a little odd that this was a story told by fathers to their children to warn them of killing their fellow man, although, I'm sure it was very effective. The most interesting part of the story was that the men who finally killed the monster could tell it was the old woman's coverlet as the skin and the bones were that of a human. I haven't tried to incorporate a horror story into my writing yet so this could be a story to try.

Atdlarneq, The Great Glutton

This story was entertaining from the beginning as it described the villain or main antagonist of the story is a large man with copper cheeks. Also, it was funny that the punishment or obstacle to be overcome for Atdlarneq was that he must eat and eat until he was about to explode. I could possibly change this story around to make the main antagonist have a different part of his body to golden such as his fists or arms and have Atdlarneq compete in a different competition.

A feast for Atdlarneq (Wikipedia).

Reading Diary A: Eskimo Folk-Tales

This week I decided to read the Eskimo Folk Tales unit. I chose the unit because I wanted to read about some sort of monsters and paranormal activity. This unit had plenty of that and after reading the first half I was able to think about some of my favorite stories thus far.

The Woman Who had a Bear as a Foster-Son

I thought this story was entertaining because it reminded me of a story like My Dog Skip or some other movie that involves beloved pets that were taken in as small animals. The thought of a bear being someone's pet was crazy to think about and my initial thought that it would get to big and strong for it to stay with woman were confirmed in the end. I could see myself writing a storytelling post about this but possibly inserting a different animal in place of a bear.

Bear Cub (Pixabay)

The Giant Dog

This somewhat reminded me of the story above. The thought of a giant animal, a dog in this case, belonging as a pet to someone seems like it will end the same in all these stories. At some point or another these animals get to big and strong and bring harm to strangers. I could take these grisly endings and possibly turn it into a story with a happy ending. Maybe include a large animal as a pet that ends up saving a village from another giant foe or something along those lines.

Reading Diary B: Tejas Stories

I finished up reading the second half of the Tejas Legends unit and kept a few notes about what stories were my favorites. This ended up being a really cool unit for me to read. I enjoyed the stories of creation the most just because I find them to be the most amusing. Here are the favorite stories I mentioned above:

How Sickness Entered the World 

I found this story to be really entertaining. I really liked how there was to be a messenger or somewhat of a savior from the Great Spirit. This brought a small sense of a cliffhanger because it left me wondering who or what would come and what would be the great plan he would bring? Two tribe members killed the messenger, who was a snake, effectively ruining the Great Spirit's plan. The snake's mate came at night and laid eggs of sickness. I thought this was a great portrayal of how sickness came to be in the world. It reminded me a little bit of a horror movie that had a plague as the main culprit.

Paisona, Hater of the Rattlesnake

This story gave me visions of the Wile E. Coyote and the Road Runner cartoon. I could easily see this story involving the coyote instead of the rattlesnake. I think I could definitely write a storytelling blog post using the cartoon characters and changing up the plot just a little bit. I really liked the last line or two where it described how the roadrunner always looks around before going into its home to make sure the rattlesnake is not following him.

Wile E. Coyote planning his next attempt at the Roadrunner (Deviant Art).

Reading Diary A: Tejas Stories

I let the crystal ball choose what unit for me to read and it chose the unit of Tejas Stories. While I read I kept a few notes about my favorite stories throughout my reading of the first half of the unit. I liked the first half of this unit because it contained many stories about creation and origin.

How the North Wind Lost His Hair

I liked this story because it described why the warm wind is found in the South and the cold strong wind is in the North. It also described how Spanish moss came to be found in the trees. I thought the battle between the two winds was a great way to describe and detail how the warmer wind came to be in the South. Also, the description of the two winds was very good. Using the cold wind as an old and gray wind that no one liked compared to a strong and young wind that everyone loved because he was a native there.


Why the Woodpecker Pecks

I found this story amusing just because the ending was not expected. I was wondering how they would make the story of the missing children into why a woodpecker pecks on the trees. I liked how the medicine men told the tribe many times to not eat the mescal buttons and even though they began to all eat it and saw no consequences it came back to bite them in the end because Manitou hid their children in hollow trees.



Woody the Woodpecker (Deviant Art).

Extra Reading Diary: Japanese Fairy Tales

I chose to do an extra reading this week instead of writing an essay post. I chose the Japanese Fairy Tales unit because it contained stories that were a little longer than the unit's stories that I have read lately. I kept note of which stories were my favorite after reading half of this unit.

The Stonecutter

I've read a story like this in another unit I think so I kind of knew how it would end up but it was one of my favorites nonetheless. I really liked how the stonecutter thought he wanted to be all these things that were increasingly more powerful than the other. The way the story ends with him seeing that his initial body of work was the most powerful of all makes you look around and stop wishing for all these things you want to be and be grateful for who you are and what you have.

A statue of a stonecutter (Flikr).

The Envious Neighbor

I think I liked this story so much because of what happened to the neighbor in the end. The old couple continuously gave the neighbor what he so desperately wanted even after he had showed that he could not stay true to his word and return what they had given him. This is without mentioning that everything he took and destroyed was near and dear to the old couple. The neighbor got what was coming to him at the end of the story.

The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue

I liked this story much for the same reason I enjoyed the one above. The evil character paid for its mistake at the end of the story. In this story it was once again greed that led to the demise of the evil character. This seems to be a common theme with the stories I've chosen to be my favorites with the endings either being a lesson learned or the demise of a character.

Reading Diary B: Laos Unit

Today I read the second half of the Laos unit that I started on Monday. I really enjoyed the first reading so I was looking forward to finishing out the unit. I once again took notes and here I mention some of my favorites from the reading.

The Wizard and the Beggar

This story seems like a good story to do a storytelling post over. I liked that the wizard could almost foresee what would occur if he gave the beggar what he was looking for. He set him up by telling him about the other jewel he possessed and used it as a test to see if the beggar would stay true to his word. I feel like for such a short story there was lots of action and I want to be able to do that in my writing.

The Wizard's face when the Beggar went back on his word (Pixabay).

A Boy of the City Streets

The boy in this story was to smart for the three "wise men" that came from neighboring villages. I liked how at the beginning of the story it could be seen that the men thought the child to be nothing but a nuisance and wanted to teach him a lesson. As the story goes along, it is apparent that the child has street smarts and ends up outsmarting the three wise men and making money by selling them as slaves.

The Blind Man

I just found this story amusing because of all the excuses the blind man could come up with when questioned by his wife. Especially the time where the house is burning down and he says he isn't trying to reach the door yet because he is trying to measure the house to build a new one for them.

Reading Diary A: Laos Unit

I chose to read the Laos unit this week during my reading. In the overview of the unit it mentioned that there are plenty of origin stories: why things are the way they are now. I really seem to enjoy the take from different cultures on why they believe certain things or what stories have influenced them. After reading the first half of the unit, I came up with some of my favorite stories.

The Enchanted Mountain

I liked this unit because the description of this place somewhere high in the mountains sounded so majestic. To me it sounded like Laos' heaven or holy place. It almost reminds of the Garden of Eden from the story of Adam and Eve.


Moraine Lake in Banff National Park (Wikipedia).

The Man in the Moon

This story was entertaining to hear because I've never really thought twice about hearing about "the man in the moon". It's very interesting to read stories that have different explanations for how things happened or why things are the way they are than what I am used to in my own culture.

The Lovers' Leap

After reading this story I really feel like I could write a good story using the main plot behind it. It gave me somewhat of a Romeo and Juliet feel to it as they both decided to die with each other in the end. Also, it gave me inspiration because for such a short story I felt like lots of power and captivation was shown through it.

The Giants' Mountain and the Temple

The message behind this story is what makes it one of my favorites: "If you ask aid from others, it is well to put your own heart into the work". To many times people ask for help and expect to get it done for them. I think this puts into perspective what should really be the intention when asking for help from another.

Extra Reading Diary: Nigerian Folk Stories

I decided to do an extra reading this week instead of writing an essay. I chose to read the Nigerian Folk Stories unit because I wanted to read a unit that involved animals other than rabbits and wolves for a change of pace. As I read I kept notes on my favorite stories.

The Pretty Stranger who Killed the King

This story followed along the lines of lots of other stories I have read this semester. Someone who is in a mighty position of power is tricked by someone who has disguised themselves as a young and pretty woman. I liked the ending of this one because the King who was killed was stopped from destroying the lives of many others. I wonder if any other stories I read in this unit will involve someone tricking another disguised as a pretty maiden.

The Fish and the Leopard's Wife

I found this to be a particular amusing story because I feel like it follows the same plot as many TV series in today's world. This could easily be a show on Netflix worthy of binge watching. I continue to like these small stories that explain why the world is the way it is today. In this story, the fish is banished to the water forever as punishment for betraying his friend, the leopard.

Had the leopard not thought clearly this could have been the end of the fish (Animal Wildlife).

Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky

I thought this was a great way to depict why the sun and moon are confined to the sky. I feel like there are many storytelling possibilities with this story. One could possibly make up a story that follows this one as to why the sun comes out during the day and the moon comes out at night.