Reading Notes: Grimm: The Robber Bridegroom, Part A

Grimm: The Robber Bridegroom: This story is part of the Brothers Grimm (Crane) unit. Story source: Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm

- Daughter of the miller is of marriage age

- "the girl did not seem to love him as a bride should love her bridegroom: she had no confidence in him; as often as she saw him or thought about him, she felt a chill at her heart."

- the suited strewed ashes on the path for her to follow 

- she gets to a house, but cannot find her bridegroom

- "One of them noticed on the little finger of their victim a golden ring, and as he could not draw it off easily, he took an axe and chopped it off, but the finger jumped away and fell behind the cask on the bride's lap. The robber took up a light to look for it, but he could not find it."

- "The wind had carried away the ashes from the path, but the peas and lentils had budded and sprung up, and the moonshine upon them showed the way."

- "The robber, who during the story had grown deadly white, sprang up and would have escaped, but the folks held him fast and delivered him up to justice. And he and his whole gang were, for their evil deeds, condemned and executed."

Source

Reading Notes: Grimm: The Twelve Huntsmen, Part B

Grimm: The Twelve Huntsmen: This story is part of the Brothers Grimm (LibriVox) unit. Story source: Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm

- King's son has a bride he loves, but the news of his father forces him to leave the woman with a ring and a promise to return

- King asks the son to marry someone other than whom the young man loved

- The Son marries

- "When they came to the king's daughter, she had twelve suits of huntsmen's clothes made, all alike, and the eleven maidens had to put on the huntsmen's clothes, and she herself put on the twelfth suit"

- these 12 became part of the King's service

- The lion tells the king the huntsmen are actually females

- challenge after challenge is given to prove the huntsmen are females

• first: pea challenge
• second: spinning wheel 

- on the hunt, at the news of the actual wife approaching, the lover in the huntsman disguise fainted and the King then saw the ring when he pulled her glove off

Source

Reading Notes: Grimm: Rapunzel, Part A

Grimm: Rapunzel: This story is part of the Brothers Grimm (LibriVox) unit. Story source: Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm

- Man and woman living, want a child

- there's a garden in the back and the woman wants the rampion, so her husband climbs down to get it for her

- The enchantress, who the garden belongs to, questions the husband as to why he was stealing from her

- the enchantress  allows him to take as much rampion, but tells him he must give her his first child

- a baby was born, the enchantress named her Rapunzel and took her away only to lock her up in a tower

- the enchantress would climb up when Rapunzel let down her hair

- King's son is riding through and wants to marry her, they agree to build a ladder for her to get down with

- The enchantress finds out and takes her to the desert

- in the end the king's son finds her and leads her to the kingdom

Source

Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland, Part B

Who Stole the Tarts: This story is part of the Alice in Wonderland unit. Story source: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

- Alice is at the Court of Justice: King & Queen of Heart are at the head of the court
- Judge = King; has a great wig
- Alice is hungry, eyeing the plate of tarts
- 12 jurors made up of a variety of creatures
- various pieces of conversations all around
- All this time the Queen had never left off staring at the Hatter, and, just as the Dormouse crossed the court, she said to one of the officers of the court, 'Bring me the list of the singers in the last concert!' on which the wretched Hatter trembled so that he shook both his shoes off.'Give your evidence,' the King repeated angrily, 'or I'll have you executed, whether you're nervous or not.'- The list of witnesses is worked through
- Alice watched the White Rabbit as he fumbled over the list, feeling very curious to see what the next witness would be like, ' — for they haven't got much evidence YET,' she said to herself. Imagine her surprise when the White Rabbit read out, at the top of his shrill little voice, the name 'Alice!'

Source

Reading Notes: Alice in Wonderland, Part A

Wonderland: Down the Rabbit-Hole. This story is part of the Alice in Wonderland unit. Story source: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

- Alice is sitting at the bank with her sister who is reading a book without any pictures, getting bored

- She sees a rabbit, who pulled out a pocket watch, made Alice interested and she followed him

- Alice fell down the rabbit hole without realizing where she was following the rabbit to 

- The fall was long and she found a jar of Orange Marmalade

- "There were doors all round the hall, but they were all locked, and when Alice had been all the way down one side and up the other, trying every door, she walked sadly down the middle, wondering how she was ever to get out again."

- "It was all very well to say 'Drink me,' but the wise little Alice was not going to do THAT in a hurry. 'No, I'll look first,' she said, 'and see whether it's marked "poison" or not'; for she had read several nice little histories about children who had got burnt and eaten up by wild beasts and other unpleasant things, all because they WOULD not remember the simple rules their friends had taught them"

- first a bottle that says "drink me" 

- next a cake that says "eat me"

(illustration by Sir John Tenniel)

Reading Notes: Coyote's Eyes, Part B

Coyote's Eyes, This story is part of the Southwestern and California Legends unit. Story source: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson.

- Coyote sees the bird take our its eyes and put them back, they are much brighter

- Coyote asks the bird to do it to his eyes, after doing it once Coyote asks to do it a second time

- the bird is smart and tells the coyote no

- the bird finally takes them out, but the eyes never return....coyote's black eyes are now yellow since the bird rolled gum from the piñon tree. 

(Coyote, by Larry1732)

Reading Notes: Spider's Creation, Part A

Spider's Creation, This story is part of the Southwestern and California Legends unit. Story source: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson

Quotes: 

"The spider drew a line of meal from north to south and then crossed it with another line running east and west."

"So the two mothers created the moon from a slightly black stone, many kinds of yellow stone, turkis, and a red stone, that the world might be lighted at night. But the moon travelled slowly and did not always give light."


"Then the two mothers created the Star People and made their eyes of sparkling white crystal that they might twinkle and brighten the world at night."

(Zia Pueblo, New Mexico)

Reading Notes: South Africa, Part B

South Africa: Jackal, Dove, and Heron by James Honey

- Jackal wants one of the dove's young's: dove gave one

- Jackal back again: gives another one

- Heron sees the dove crying...Heron explains how can a Jackal who can't fly, come up to her nest. 

- Jackal comes again, this time dove says no...Jackal moves to encounter Heron at banks of water

- Jackal breaks Heron's neck and since that day, its neck is bent

African Heron

Reading Notes: South Africa, Part A

South Africa: The Monkey's Fiddle by James Honey

- Hunger and want force the monkey to move...finds shelter with uncle

- worked and wanted to return home..received: fiddle and a bow and arrow and told him that with the bow and arrow he could hit and kill anything he desired, and with the fiddle he could force anything to dance.

- encountered Brer Wolf and killed a deer for meal

- wolf becomes jealous and wants the bow..monkey says no

- Jackal comes and wolf spins a story saying that the monkey stole his bow and arrow

- "The fiddle was still at Monkey's side, and he received as a last favor from the court the right to play a tune on it. He was a master player of his time, and in addition to this came the wonderful power of his charmed fiddle. Thus, when he struck the first note of "Cockcrow" upon it, the court began at once to show an unusual and spontaneous liveliness, and before he came to the first waltzing turn of the old tune the whole court was dancing like a whirlwind."

- "I do not want it," answered Monkey, "but withdraw the sentence and give me my bow and arrow, and you, Wolf, acknowledge that you stole it from me."

- everyone is now afraid and disperses

The Monkey

 

Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part B

Ramayana: The Birth of Rama by Donald A. Mackenzie

• Mareech has taken on the form of the golden deer, Sita sees it and wants it
• Laksh is skeptical for it may be an illusion 
• Ram goes on the hunt, he figures out he's being duped, but before he could finish off Mareech, Mareech cries for help as Ram causing Sita to panic and insist on Laksh going into the forest, making him break his brother's direct order leaving Sita alone and unguarded

• The devil in disguise:
• Lakshman is runs off in search of Ram
• Ravan arrives at the cottage dressed as a poor old hermit 
• Sita receives him with respect 
• Ravan transforms to his actual self 
• Sita is telling Ravan to flee before Ram comes back 
• Apparently Ravan was cursed that if he touched a woman without her consent that he would die that instant...thus he pulls the ground under Sita and places it in his chariot and speeds off. 
• Jatayu tries to stop Ravan, Jatayu was successful in stirring a storm and bringing the chariot down..
• Unfortunately Ravan uses his master weapon gifted by Shiv called Chandrahasa and finished Jatayu
• Jatayu fights to stay alive until Ram comes
• Ravan carries Sita to Lanka

Jatayu and Ravana's Fight 

Reading Notes: Ramayana, Part A

Ramayana: The Birth of Rama by Donald A. Mackenzie

Valmiki invented poetry and through that and the order of Brahma he wrote the Ramayana. 

- Now the capital of Kosala was Ayodhya, which shone in splendour like to Indra's celestial city; it had wide streets with large dwellings, richly decorated temples, towering like mountains, and grand and noble palaces.<-- lots of imagery to envision the city and the people
- The city of Ayodhya was full of prosperous and happy people.
- King Dasharatha
Ruler of the kingdom of Koshala
strong and powerful, loved by his people
life of sorrow, no sons from any of the three wives
King of Solar dynasty
resolved to perform the Aswamedha (horse sacrifice)
An oblation was afterwards offered to the gods, who came to the place of sacrifice with the music-loving Gandharvas, the Celestial saints, the Siddhas, and seven Deva-rishis....the gods promise that 4 sons will be born
- Brief mention on Ravana and his boon...Vishnu divides himself among the 4 sons to combat Ravana.

Horse Sacrifice

Extra Credit Reading

Jataka Tales: The Elephant and the Dog by Ellen C. Babbitt

This story reminded of a film I watched a couple of years ago, maybe y'all remember it, but it is about a horse and a dog that become best friends and share every meal together as well. When the horse becomes sick the dog is there to comfort him. 

Quick notes about the story: 

- Love how the story encompasses two best friends not based on size, type of creature, or anything else. 

 

Some of my favorite quotes with powerful meanings:

- Day after day the Dog went to the stable, waiting around for bits to eat. But by and by the Elephant and the Dog came to be great friends. Then the Elephant began to share his food with the Dog, and they ate together. When the Elephant slept, his friend the Dog slept beside him. When the Elephant felt like playing, he would catch the Dog in his trunk and swing him to and fro. Neither the Dog nor the Elephant was quite happy unless the other was nearby.
- The king's Elephant missed the Dog and did not care to eat when his friend was not there to share the food. When the time came for the Elephant to bathe, he would not bathe. The next day again the Elephant would not eat, and he would not bathe. The third day, when the Elephant would neither eat nor bathe, the king was told about it.
- When the farmer who had bought the Dog heard this, he turned him loose. The Dog ran back as fast as ever he could go to the Elephant's stable. The Elephant was so glad to see the Dog that he picked him up with his trunk and put him on his head. Then he put him down again.
- When the Elephant-keeper brought food, the Elephant watched the Dog as he ate, and then took his own food. <-- This quote is so powerful in the sense that it shows how much the Elephant cares about the Dog, reminded me so much of how my mom looks at me after I come home from a long day.

Best Friends Reunited: The Elephant and the Dog

Reading Notes: Jakarta Tales, Part A

Hey All!

The King's White Elephant from Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt

- One day while they were at work an Elephant came limping on three feet to them. He held up one foot and the carpenters saw that it was swollen and sore. Then the Elephant lay down and the men saw that there was a great splinter in the sore foot. They pulled it out and washed the sore carefully so that in a short time it would be well again.
- Now this Elephant had a son who was white all over — a beautiful, strong young one. Said the old Elephant to himself, "I will take my son to the place in the forest where I go to work each day so that he may learn to help the carpenters, for I am no longer young and strong."
- The white Elephant did as his father told him to do and helped the carpenters and they fed him well.
- One day the king came down the river and saw this beautiful white Elephant working for the carpenters. The king at once wanted the Elephant for his own and paid the carpenters a great price for him. Then with a last look at his playmates, the children, the beautiful white Elephant went on with the king.

Elephant and the Son

Extra Credit Reading Notes

Welcome back everyone!

For the next week I am reading through the Jataka Tales from Myth-Folklore Unit: Jataka Tales (Ellen C. Babbitt)

The Monkey and the Crocodile:
Brahmadatta was king of Benares, the Bodhisatta, came to life at the foot of Himalaya as a Monkey
lived by the River Ganges
New crocodile fam in town..wife hungry for the monkey
husband goes to the monkey and offers a ride across the river
croc tells the monkey why his wife sent him
Monkey is smart, tricks croc by telling him that monkey hearts are not inside instead hang on trees
Croc goes back without the hear for his wife

Monkey and the Crocodile

Reading Notes: Homer's Odyssey, Part B

Odyssey: The Ghost of Ajax by Tony Kline

Continuing today with pulling key pieces of the story that I liked and might use in my story. 

- "The other ghosts of the dead departed stood there sorrowing, and each asked me about their dear ones. Only the spirit of Ajax, Telamon’s son, stood apart, still angered over my victory in the contest by the ships, for Achilles’ weapons."

- "I spoke to his ghost in calming words: “Ajax, son of faultless Telamon, even in death can you not forget your anger with me, over those fatal weapons?....But Zeus alone is to blame whose deadly hatred for the Danaan host hastened your doom. Come closer to me, my lord, so you can hear my speech. Curb your wrath: restrain your proud spirit.” <-- Paragraph 2

- "I saw Tantalus in agonising torment, in a pool of water reaching to his chin. He was tortured by thirst, but could not drink, since every time he stooped eagerly the water was swallowed up and vanished, and at his feet only black earth remained, parched by some god"

- "countless hosts of the dead came thronging with eerie cries, and I was gripped by pale fear lest royal Persephone send up the head of that ghastly monster, the Gorgon, from Hades’ House."

- "Swiftly they climbed aboard, and took their seats at the oars, and as we rowed the force of the current carried her down the River of Ocean, till afterwards a fair breeze blew."

Odysseus and the Ghosts by John Flaxman

Reading Notes: Homer's Odyssey, Part A

Odyssey: Circe's Magic by Tony Kline

For this week's reading notes I am going to focus on pulling parts of the story I like, any dialogue or descriptors that I think I might imitate in my own writing. 

The Magic Spell:

- Open story with a powerful description that grabs the reader's attention immediately

        "At this, their hearts sank, remembering Laestrygonian Antiphates, and the fierce violence of the man-eating Cyclops. They groaned aloud, and wept great tears. But all their lamentation did no good."

- " Instead of rushing to attack my men, they rose on their hind legs and wagged their tails. Like dogs fawning round their master, back from a feast, bringing them the titbits they enjoy, the wolves and sharp-clawed lions fawned round my men, while they seeing these dread creatures were gripped by fear."

Help from Hermes:

- “Wretched man, where are you off to, wandering the hills of an unknown island all alone? Your friends are penned in Circe’s house, pigs in close-set sties. Have you come to free them?"

Circe by Wright Baker

Extra Credit Reading Notes

Odyssey: The Cyclops Defeated: The Land of the Cyclopes by Tony Kline

Maybe create a multi-part story out of this for next week. Because this story does have approximately five parts, but each can be read alone. I am going to focus on the Land of the Cyclopes section for this extra credit reading portion. 

- Descriptions of the land first, no characters are described at the being

- no character dialogue

- scene is being set, provide details so the reader feels part of the setting

- describes the island of the Cyclopes, but we don't know the narrator yet

- there is some mystery in this beginning portion 

- at the end the narrator tells that they have reached the cave and spend the night there

- found is sought and ate 

- the narrator says they say smoke and heard voices from the neighboring land which stirred them to sail to the neighboring island 

- what they say was the Cyclops, but they described it as "There a giant spent the night, one that grazed his herds far off, alone, and keeping clear of others, lived in lawless solitude. He was born a monster and a wonder, not like any ordinary human, but like some wooded peak of the high mountains, that stands there isolated to our gaze."

Roman Mosaic of Cyclops

Reading Notes: Homer's Iliad, Part B

Iliad: The Rousing of Achilles by Alfred J. Church

- Powerful descriptions

- capitalize word to emphasize a point 

- Body is being dragged away by the enemy...Ajax comes forward and shield the body: "Greater Ajax came forward, and put his big shield before it. As a lioness stands before its cubs and will not suffer the hunter to take them, so did Ajax stand before the body of Patroclus and defend it from the Trojans. And Hector drew back when he saw him."

- Hector is essentially told he didn't fight like a man and that due to his inability to fight, others will not assist them in battle 

- Zeus is watching from above, we get a bit of the story from his perspective

- Achilles still doesn't know that Patroclus is dead and the war is being fought harder over his body

- Achilles weeps and his mother, Thetis, comes from the depth of the sea and asks why he is crying

     - goes back to Zeus earlier remark that once he has nodded his head that the good or bad cannot be changed and now Achilles suffers 

      - Achilles answered: "All that you asked from Zeus, and that he promised to do, he has done: but what is the good? The man whom I loved above all others is dead, and Hector has my arms, for Patroclus was wearing them. As for me, I do not wish to live except to avenge myself upon him."

Pulled from the story "The Rousing of Achilles"

Reading Notes: Homer's Iliad, Part A

Homer's Iliad, Retold by A. J. Church

The Quarrel: 

- I liked the dialogue and then the inserting short pieces of information to set the next scene. 

- add details to explain relationships in the beginning so you don't have to explain the relationships over and over again

- in initial encounter with King Agamennon is what sets the whole stage for this story

- emphasizes who has the power

- explains essentially how desperate they are through their actions i.e. splitting the spoils (women) among the men

-  every time Achilles is about to do something/feeling powerful emotions the goddesses make an appearance, but just as quickly disappear. 

     - I need to include the original connection on how the gods/goddesses know of Achilles

- use of descriptors is very important, help with the visualization 

- setting remains as one area, but you are very easily able to Achilles tent area near the water. 

- there are multiple aspects to the story but the main focus should remain on the temperaments of each (King A and Achilles)

- Need to progress Ulysses trip back to Olympus with the priest's daughter. For this story I need to include his background information, define the role he plays, and if he is headed somewhere make sure to end the story properly

Still figuring out this notes thing... But I am going to stick close to the storyline here and mirror my story on the event that occurred, but with a bit more of an explanation of the characters in the story. 

Pulled from the short story "The Quarrel"

Reading Notes: Metamorphosis: Pygmalion

Metamorphosis: Pygmalion

Story source: Ovid's Metamorphoses, translated by Tony Kline (2000).

What I liked: - The overview at the beginning is key to having the reader understand what they are about to portray to the reader
- The intro is short, but provides the reader with a foundation
      - Have in the intro key items that pertain to the story that may not be familiar to the reader
      - Brief history lesson, but not to in depth
- This is a short read but captures many elements
       - Capture the audience immediately with the introduction/background information
       - I like the slight comparisons throughout the story
       - Reasons are stated before the action, for example look at paragraph one where he talks about the daughter of Propoetus and then that serves as his reason to create the girl of Ivory
       - The Venus festival was a good way to bring Venus into the story
             - When writing the story: bring elements in, such that the reader is not confused by the sudden information
                   - Make sure there is a logical flow in the story
- Lots and lots of descriptive imagery - big fan, helps the readers visualize what is going on and actually feel as if they are right in the story seeing everything from their own eyes.
- Need to add links to words that may not be common to most readers
- There are details, but not as many to overpower the story in one area
      - Make sure to be careful when including details that they are spread out in the story


Things I did not like as much:
- If there is a god/goddess, don't just have them grant the wish/prayer of the main character
      - There needs to be some kind of explanation as to what were his/her actions that made them so fond of the main character

Otherwise the story was short but captured a range of topics... I tend to add much more fluff/unnecessary content in my stories, so a goal with this story assignment coming up is to keep the story short but meaningful.

City of Paphos Mentioned in the Story