Storytelling For Week 12: The Tortoise and the Two Ducks

(15th Century Illustration)

One day a tortoise was walking and saw her two duck friends. They all walk up to say hello and see how each other are doing. The tortoise tells the ducks she doesn't want to have to walk to the market and might be late for her family dinner tonight. The ducks get an idea. They tell the tortoise that they can help. The offer to fly the tortoise. She responds to both ducks in laughter and looks at them like they are crazy. The ducks go and find a stick to show the tortoise what they mean. The tortoise tells them that she doesn't fetch like a dog. They just tell her to bite onto the stick and as she does so she slowly lifts of the ground.

The tortoise can't believe it. She looks down and all three start cheering, as much as possible, for what they accomplished. The ducks tell the tortoise she'll be back in plenty of time. Suddenly, something zooms past them. They look back, but se nothing. They look to their other side and see a group of hawks flying in attack mode. The ducks yell to hold on. The hawks fly by left and right causing the ducks to loose grip on the stick. 

The tortoise can't hold on any longer and falls screaming. She falls down, down, down. The ducks no longer see the tortoise and fear the worst. Suddenly, they hear a yell to the hawks telling them to go away. It's the tortoise riding a hawk fighting back! The tortoise gets in front of the ducks to help protect them on her hawk. Three hawks fly straight toward them. The tortoise drops down at last second and the three hawks are close lined by the stick. The hawks get angrier now and come full force. 

The ducks and tortoise decide to head back home because it is too dangerous. The hawks file in one after another after them. The chase goes on closer to the ground weaving through trees and bushes. The hawks no longer see the ducks or tortoise. Suddenly, the ducks family shows up out of nowhere and starts an all out attack. The hawks, although larger, cannot handle their numbers and are forced to leave. Everyone laughs in celebration and the tortoise jokingly tells the ducks she'll just walk next time. The ducks laugh back and invite the tortoise over for dinner since she wasn't able to make a trip to gather food. The tortoise agrees and enjoys a feast as well as the spoils of victory. 

Author's Note: The Tortoise and the Two Ducks I wrote in third person narrative form because it allowed me to focus on the action in this story more than I normally wanted to. That was the man goal for this story was to add more action to change the fate of the tortoise that originally dies from riding the stick with the ducks. The only change is the reasoning the tortoise falls. Originally it is because of the tortoise cheering to a crowd beneath her while she loses grip on the stick in her mouth. Everything up to the tortoise gripping the stick is true and the rest I changed. 

Bibliography:The Tortoise and the Two Ducks, The Fables of La Fontaine, Elizur Wright, (1882) 

Reading Diary B: Fables of La Fontaine

(Illustration in Steinhowel's Aesop)

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The Frogs Asking a King was very interesting to me because it was about frogs asking their king for a favor. The thing is though, they were too afraid to ask. The most interesting thing I found about this story is why the frogs are afraid of the king. When I picture being afraid of an animal king, I do not think of something like a frog. I think of something like a lion or panther. So, the fact that a frog was feared is interesting to me. It shows in the story the king's distasteful personality and I think that sells the character. I still think to myself though that he's just a frog and not a physical specimen that couldn't be dealt with. So, overall that was an interesting route I think that the writer took. 

The Tortoise and the Two Ducks

In this story, a tortoise takes two ducks up on an offer about flying. The tortoise bites onto a stick they are holding and then they take flight. The tortoise while flying sees a crowd and they cheer "the tortoise queen!" The tortoise replies in affirmation, but this leads to her death. Since, she spoke she lost grip on the stick and fell to her doom. So, the most interesting part of the story to me is when the tortoise falls. It tells me to always be thinking and stay on guard. You never know what action might be your last. We all think tomorrow is assumed. Be thankful for what you have and continuously recognize that. 

Essay: Magic and the Supernatural

(Excalibur, by Howard Pyle)

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The Sword Excalibur 

In this story, the major magical element that happened was when King Arthur and Merlin go to get the sword they have been longing for. Again, I already stated this in one of my posts earlier, but I expected Arthur to pull the sword out of a stone. What actually happened was that a hand magically appeared and was grasping a sword coming out of the water. this was rather shocking. Later on in the stories you learn that there is even more emphasis on finding the holy graal. This makes me think that the sword appearing to the men this way was from spiritual forces. I personally think God was aiding them in this story so they can fulfill their journey.  I thought it was really cool because it literally seems like the hand of God was in their favor. They were apart of something miraculous! 

The Adventure of Sir Bors

In this story, Sir Bors is a man that is completely pure, but is tempted along his journey to break that trend. Bors runs into his brother and they enter into a fight. They exchange blows for quite some time and then Bors decides that he is going to kill his brother. Right when he is about to strike, both of their shields light on fire, smoke fills the air, and each fall unconscious. This is supernatural work again I believe. Whenever I read it, I saw this as God looking out for his son and protecting him in a time of weakness. It is really cool because if you believe in a God, it makes you think about your life and what supernatural instances might have occurred. For instance, I almost went with my sister in her car one time, but I decided not too because she was emotionally distraught. She wrecked and the passenger side, where I would have been, was wrapped around a telephone pole. I would have died. I believe God gave me that wisdom to not go that time. My sister came out fine and is safe. 

Storytelling Week 12: Brotherly Love

(Sir Bors Illustration)

Sir Bors is a man that has lived his life completely pure and is on his way to recieve the holy graal. Bors runs into a man on the way though that is even more upright with righteousness than himself. The good man tells Sir Bors that in order for him to receive the holy graal he must confess his sins. Sir Bors does this and allows the good man to cloak him with some linen to remind him to stay pure. Sir Bors gets back on track and heads fir the holy graal. 

As Sir Bors travels, he runs in to his brother John by chance in a town square. Bors asks why John is not at home watching over the family. John tells Bors that he left to come help him on his journey to the holy graal. Bros breaks out in anger. He yells at him calling him a fool leaving the family with no protection when the enemy army katars lurks through the land without any warning. John tries to explain himself, but their voiced exchanges become even more heated. Bors commands John goes back home now. John refuses the command. 

John and Bors look at each other and run with all their might towards the other. They both throw their bodies in the air and collide. They fall to the ground and start hitting back and forth. Bors breaks John's nose. John gives Bors a black eye. Suddenly, an arrow lands at their feet in the ground. They both look up to see they are surrounded by hooded warriors. John and Sir Bors take refuge behind their shields. Once the warriors were out of arrows, the brothers looked at each other with a smile thinking the same thing, "our turn." The brothers charge and fight for their lives. Back to back they fight with enemies closing in on all sides. John rolls over Bors back to protect his weak side. Bors yells for John to duck as he throws a dagger at an oncoming attacker. There are three men left and both brothers throw their swords at two killing them. Sir Bors grabs his bow and with careful aim waits patiently for his shot to clear of the fleeing attacker. Its clear and he releases a perfect shot. The brother look on the cloak on one warrior to see why they attacked. They had papers that are Latin, but read "Graal Elite." The brothers continue on their journey. 

Author's Note: I chose third person narration as the storytelling style because it gives this parable a more epic feel. My main goal for this story was to change the way Sir Bors and his brother get out of fighting one another while keeping Sir Bors pure. 

In the original story, The Adventure if Sir Bors, Sir Bors (pure  in heart man) meets a good man that has him confess his sins so he can receive the holy graal. Sir Bors in his travels has his purity tested while getting into a fight with his brother. When Sir Bors was about to kill his brother without good reason, both brother's shields burn  falling to the ground. Both become unconscious and wake up with no memory of the event. Sir Bors then continues on his travels. 

The main difference my story had was just bringing the brothers together in my story through protecting one another (God's Plan). 

Bibliography:The Adventure if Sir Bors, King Arthur: The Tales of the Round Table, Andrew Lang (1902)

Reading Diary B: King Arthur Unit

(Gawaine, by Howard Pyle)

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Sir Gawaine and the Hermit

This story was very interesting because Gawaine and the Hermit are turned away from the Holy Graal. They are not let in because of their sins and are warned by a floating hand that the Holy Graal will bring them much dismay. They decide to believe in what they are told and leave. This strikes me as very odd. They go through every difficult circumstance, work hard, and just give up. I do not understand that. I think that it is good that they listened, but if they are as sinful as the mystical hand suggested, wouldn't greed take over their hearts? I feel like they would press onward. I will say though that I am glad they end up being safe. IT is a happy ending for them. That's the other interesting thing. Most of the time when a story is written, it has a happy ending. This one does and it makes it appealing to the reader. Maybe there's another correlation in our next story! lol

The Adventure of Sir Bors

The most interesting thing I found about Sir Bors in this story what happens when he runs into a good man. The man told Bors to he must confess his sins and live a pure life. So Bors confesses to the good man his sins. Next, the good man gives Bors a shirt to wear that is a sign of purity. Bors is sent to live a pure life and he gets tested. He almost hits his brother, but a voice tells him not too and both of their shields burn. Neither are harmed. I think that this was God being portrayed in the story to show how mysterious he is. It also shows you that he is always there with you. I do not think it means God will literally show up with smoke. It just means he is omnipresent. So, God saved him. I think it is very interesting because God could transport these men immediately to the Holy Graal with power like that. God understands the importance of the journey to the Holy Graal and that it in order to receive something holy you must prepare yourself by experiencing that holiness. The men not killing each other above is a prime example of this. 

Reading Diary A: King Arthur Unit

(Excalibur, by Howard Pyle)

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The Sword Excalibur

So, the thing I found so interesting is how the sword was found. In my mind, I was picturing Arthur pulling the sword out of a stone. It did not play out this way. Arthur shows up with Merlin and suddenly a hand grasping a sword comes out of the water. Neither Merlin or Arthur react like this is a strange thing to happen. It was like they are comfortable with seeing things. I am not criticizing the writer, but I feel like there needs to be a more shocked reaction for when the sword comes out of the water. 

The Coming of the Holy Graal

This story was surprising because it was extremely sad. I pictured a bunch of men getting together and deciding to go after the holy graal in huge uproar and vigor. I pictured men clanging drinks together, singing, and dancing. This was not the case though. The king announced their journey for the holy graal in a positive manner and his close friend spoke up. His friend gave the king a realistic outlook. He told the king to think about his wife and his friends. The king realized he would lose many lives, possibly his. He thought about his wife and what it would do to her if he did. However, the king still decided to go on the journey. Here's the thing though; they all left the next morning on separate paths for the graal. The king was deeply saddened. I would never have thought a quest for something so amazing would end so sadly.