Reading Notes: The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales Part B

I am continuing my reading of The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales.

The story about the fox and the cat was interesting to me because for once the fox seemed like he was actually going to do a good deed. While he was still fairly cocky when telling the cat that he had a bag of hundreds of tricks while all the cat could do was climb a tree, the fox did offer to teach the cat. However, I was not surprised when that back fired on the fox and the dogs got to him and not the cat. Sometimes we think we are big and bad when in reality we boast too much and ignore what is going on around us. I didn't like how short this story was because it seemed like there should have been more to it. It did seem to get the main point across though. I may rewrite this using humans.

The story of the little brother fish and the little sister dear broke my heart. It had a lot of common parts from fairy tales about princesses in it. There is a wicked stepmother who abuses and dislikes the children and bewitches them in some way. The cook could be compared to the huntsman or any number of subordinates who don't follow the wish of the evil step mother and do something to help the poor child or children instead. The peasant woman could be compared to the prince who does his best to rescue or save the person in trouble and the wise woman could be similar to a fairy god mother who works her magic to make things right again. I really liked all the parallelism in the story. Stories like this one feel like the recipe for a basic chocolate cake. It has the same common ingredients no matter what and the outcome is always the same except for maybe a few fancy details here and there.

Simeli Mountain was a kind of sad, messed up story. It made me think of Aladdin when he enters the cave and finds all those treasures inside it. The poor man shouldn't have become so greedy or have treated his brother so harshly and he would not have gotten stuck inside the cave. Sometimes we need to learn to appreciate good fortune in our lives. Whether its by a stroke of good luck that we gain immense fortune or just being grateful for what we have, greedy of any kind can corrupt and destroy your life. It could be interesting to create my own story about a tale where greedy nearly ruined a man's life, consuming him completely. I could get really creative with this.

Simeli Mountain

Bibliography:The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales translated by D. L. Ashliman (1998-2013).

Reading Notes:The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales part A

For this week I am reading The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales.

The first story of the cat and the mouse threw me for a loop in the beginning. It is much more common for the cat and mouse to be enemies or predator and prey but this story depicts them as sharing house together. As the story goes on though the sneaky nature of the cat is revealed and he takes advantage of the poor mouse being so understanding and kind. It reminds me too much of relationships both friend based and romantic, where one person is so willing to bend over backwards to please their friend and the other one abuses that kindness by taking advantage of them. I'd like to retell that story but where the mouse gets some kind of revenge instead on the cat.

Between the story about the mother with the 7 goat kids and Little Red Cap, I must say I liked the story of the goats better. At the end of that story, there was a kind of moral like listen to your parents. A lot of the times, parents tell us what we should or shouldn't do and we always back sass them. As I've gotten older, I've begun to realize a lot of that is because they have either made those mistakes themselves or they have seen someone else do it and they just want to keep us safe. It would be fun to retell this story in a creative way. Maybe not animals or humans, but instead it could be inanimate objects like food or something.

I liked the story The Elves the best. It was about good deeds being repaid and that always makes me happy to read about someone doing good for others. It was an interesting twist that the Elves were the ones to receive presents and they were so deserving of it after all their hard work. This could inspire a story about a kind act being done for someone who does good deeds and asks for no recognition for them. Especially with the holiday season, why not write a story about peace on earth, goodwill towards men and all that jazz right?

The Elves

Bibliography:
The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales translated by D. L. Ashliman (1998-2013).

Reading Notes: The Looking Glass Part B

I am now continuing to read The Looking Glass.

The story about the two knights fighting to have Alice as their prisoner was a fun description. I think my favorite part was that the chess pieces act as normal characters (such as knights fighting or how the King and Queen were acting in the first half of the story) but then they realize that they are actually just chess pieces and break character (this is like when the knight said he wouldn't take Alice as a prisoner because his turn was almost over. I also think it was super cute that the knight who won was way over prepared as far as what he had on his horse. It made some sense because that is basically where he lives, so having things like a beehive for honey or a mouse trap somewhat made sense. He strikes me more as an over prepared boy scout though at the fact that he has shark guards around his horse's ankles.

What I liked most about the story of the knight was that even though he kept falling off the horse, he never felt dismayed and got right back on. It was meant to be funny or odd I'm sure but I saw it more as encouraging. The knight was determined to keep riding his horse and never give up and I liked that a lot about him. It could make for an interesting story to write about someone who isn't great at something but they keep trying. Maybe they even preserver and end up being the best.

Something that I loved, and possibly over analyzed, was the interaction between the White Queen, Alice and the Red Queen. The Red Queen became upset with something Alice said, and like most of us have done before, she followed it up with saying that she didn't mean to say that. The Red Queen makes a good point saying "'That's just what I complain of! You SHOULD have meant! What do you suppose is the use of a child without any meaning? Even a joke should have some meaning — and a child's more important than a joke, I hope." I took this to mean that people don't give children enough credit when they say something. Children should be listened to because a lot of the time they speak the truth since they are young and not as corrupt. Additionally, children should be taught young that what they say matters and words can really effect people so they should choose their words wisely. Again, I am possibly over analyzing this but it really struck home with me. 

Alice, the Red Queen and the White Queen

Bibliography: Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).

Reading Notes: Looking Glass Part A

For this week, I will be reading the Looking Glass series.

I specifically chose this section to read because I saw the movie "Alice in Wonderland" by Tim Burton and I also loved the original Disney movie. So reading the very original version by Lewis Carroll seemed like an interesting and fun story to get into this week. 

The first story when Alice enters the Looking Glass is about her interaction with the chess pieces, specifically the White King and White Queen. I liked this because it was such a different perspective to have them afraid of her instead of the Disney movie and Tim Burton movie where Alice is fearful of the Queen of Hearts. It is interesting that they cannot see or hear her and yet she can touch and interact with them without her knowing. It's like she is still outside the Looking Glass but somehow found a way to interact with the would inside it. Very cool perspective.

The story about Tweedledum and Tweedledee makes me smile without a doubt. They have manners and emphasize that when they meet her, but at the same time are ignorant of social cues like when Tweedledee decides it is best to tell poor Alice the longer story when she is trying to get on her way. The illogical logic of the two brothers is something really interesting actually. Everything is a contradiction but at the same time is truthful or at least makes some sense. You can tell Alice is really having to stop and think about these things too, which makes what they are saying even more interesting. They have a tendency to point out the obvious but in such a way where you have to reconsider even the most basic of things such as where rain will fall if you are underneath an umbrella. 

Humpty Dumpty was a rather annoying character in my opinion the way that he was always giving Alice a hard time. He kept correcting her and even confusing her when he would try to tell her what she was saying, doing or thinking was wrong. Honestly, it got kind of annoying. What I did like out of that story was that unlike the remake or the Disney version, Humpty Dumpty was the one who introduced Alice to unbirthdays instead of the Tweedle brothers. 

Alice looking through the Looking Glass

Bibliography:

Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll (1871).

Storytelling: The Merry Men vs. The Strangers

It was a beautiful mid-October afternoon and the sun could not be brighter. Robin and his band of merry men were calming walking around the playground as they always did during recess. They surveyed the perimeters to make sure all was well and everyone was having fun during this break in the day. It was custom that they patrol the edges of the playground to keep things in order when the teachers were inside having their daily meeting. Robin was pleased with the peace of the day until out of nowhere, he heard one of his mean yell at the top of his lungs.

"What is wrong Little John?" Robin anxiously asked his best friends.

"Something just hit me in my back!" Little John stated while rubbing his now sore back.

As Robin and the men looked around for the culprit, another one of the merry men yelled claiming to have been struck by a rock in the back of his head! A few more of the men were hit before Robin heard a low soft chuckling up in the top of the jungle gym.

"Who are you?" asked Robin, "And why do you keep throwing rocks at us?!"

The lad in the jungle gym said nothing, but pocked his head out a little more so his face was visible. Right next to him, two more heads popped up and snickered at Robin and his confused companions.

"You all think you are such hot shots!" yelled the one boy. "Who decided that you were the only ones who could rule the playground? Maybe we would be better at it then you all! I mean we are obviously way better fighters."

Robin and his men all gasped at such a bold claim. Who did these three boys think they were coming onto the playground that Robin and his men had defended and maintained order on all year? Little John, who had been standing next to Robin fuming at what the boys said lost his cool and charged to the front of the group.

"OH YEAH!? Well if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you will get!" declared Little John.

Without hesitation, Robin and his men picked up pebbles and wood chips and using the slingshots they always kept with them, began launching the debris up at the three boys. They were too slow though and the three boys ducked behind the wall of the jungle gym before any of the pebble or wood chips could hit them.

"Spread out!" declared Robin to his men and they all scattered, surrounding the jungle gym on all sides. They continued a relentless fire onto the jungle gym even though they could not see the boys. Eventually, they ceased firing when they heard what they thought was one of the boys yelling "We surrender." They all stopped dead and waited to see what would happen next. Then all three of the boys popped up with their own slingshots and fired away at Robin and the merry men.

"Retreat!" yelled Robin and they all tried to take cover behind a row of benches where they thought they would be out of range of the three boys slingshots. Robin grabbed a white towel and started waiving it in the air until the boys stopped shoot pebbles at them. Robin declared that he and his men surrounded and the boys came down from the top of the jungle gym to shake hands with all the merry men. They conceded that each had put up a good battle and to keep the peace, their groups would take turns guarding the playground and keeping order.

"Okay kids, recess is over!" one of the teachers announced just as the bell began to ring. Robin, his men and the three boys all went their separate ways back to class.

"Until we meet again," Robin said under his breath.

Author's Note: I chose to model this story after a reading from the story Robin Hood: Robin Hood's Delight. I guess what drew me most to this story was that unlike some of the other battles that take place in the story, Robin and his friends lose here. Even more interesting is that the entire scene takes place sort of like a game. It reminded me a lot of how young boys play on the playground. They all get really into it and take it super seriously until recess ends of the game is over with winners and losers. They still hold somewhat of a grudge but they overall know it was just a game and they will resume playing later on. This concept was very similar because Robin, Little John and Will continue to fight the strangers even after they initially lose to them. I wanted to tell the story from one point of view of the battle being very intense and real to the two groups of boys. To them this was a very serious fight and the winner mattered a lot. However, I also wanted to keep it lighthearted just like it was in the original telling, which is why I made the setting during recess at a playground. I didn't specify an age because I wanted to the reader to have some freedom.

Bibliography: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child (1882-1898).

Reading Notes: Robin Hood part B

I will continue reading Robin Hood for this week's reading notes.

The story where Little John went begging had me somewhat confused. It sounded like he went and begged and then robbed from other beggars which sounds totally uncharacteristic for Robin Hood and his band of merry men. I've been having some trouble understanding these stories and occasionally have to re-read some of them. But then other passages within this story I understand completely. Hopefully soon I'll be able to understand this type of writing well enough to only read the stories once and maybe even write in that fashion for upcoming stories.

As much as Robin Hood can be a scoundrel when he outsmarts other officials, I like that he helped that poor widow woman and in return she hid him from the Bishop. This idea that all of the underdogs in the series of stories all look out for one another is more in line with the Robin Hood cartoon and movies that I am used to watching.

I thought it was very funny and in common Robin Hood fashion that when he and Little John captured the Bishop, they not only took his money but bound him and his horse to a tree in the woods. To Robin, it is not just enough to steal from him but he wants to embarrass him too.

By far my favorite story out of this section was Robin Hood's Golden Prize. I thought it was sad and ironic that Robin had to make the friars promise things that they should already be following. Things such as not sleeping with men's wives or even just being generous to the poor. I do side with the fryers though when they lied to Robin about having money. For all they know, Robin could have been a thief dressed as a friar and they didn't want to give him their money. I do believe Robin was right in how he judged their character since they likely were planning to keep the money for themselves. This is one of those stories that shows the decent side of Robin compared to other stories where he just seems to be a petty thief who wants to fight and cause mischief.

Robin Hood and the Friar

Bibliography: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child (1882-1898).

Reading Notes: Robin Hood Part A

For week 11, I chose to read the ballads of Robin Hood.

The structure of the storytelling is much different than what I am used to reading because it is all in ballad form. I chose this because I like the challenge and I am hoping that by reading it, I will be able to use that form later on when it comes time for me to do my story telling assignment. The first story took me aback because I am used to the more modern portrayal of Robin Hood as a hero to the poor and destitute. In the first story, he is portrayed more as a gangster than as some nobel hero.

The Robin Hood I am more used to comes out more in the story about him and the The Ranger. I like how at first the ranger was against Robin and even stated that he was in the forest to protect it for the king, but in the end he sided with Robin and even joined his following. The quality I like best here is that Robin doesn't just try to kill him but instead battles him and admiring his strength and loyalty, Robin invites him to join the group instead of just killing him. Robin is a very inclusive character and I respect that greatly.

One of my favorite stories from this reading section is how the Shepard beat not just Robin Hood in battle, but went on to defeat Little John when Robin called in for back up. I talked about, in my past reading notes, how much I love reading about the underdog winning a fight. In this case, an underdog beat and underdog since Robin is an outlaw as is Little John. Unlike the other stories where Robin concedes the battle, the Shepard actually beat him in this one!

Lastly, I like how the battle between Robin, Little John and will against the three strange men was depicted almost as lighthearted fighting. They continued the battle and witty banter for three days and all drank together and bonded. It reminds me of little boys who fight and play games on the playground but in the end are all just friends having a fun time. I may take one of these tales and retell it with children as the characters and they are all just playing a game of make believe at recess. It would be fun and light hearted like a kids bedtime story.

Robin Hood and Little John

Bibliography: 

The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child (1882-1898).