Essay: Tragedy and Pathos

(hawk)

Why a Hawk Kills Chickens

In this story, the reason for why hawks kill chickens is explained through a fictional tale. A chicken decided to go back on her dowry agreement to marry a hawk. Instead, she married someone else. The hawk's king told him that it was okay for him to kill any child that his ex-mistress conceived. This is the part of the story that is filled with tragedy; the part that isn't told to the reader. I believe this for two reasons.

First, it is sad to think about anything losing its child. So, personally it made me think about what I would do if someone hurt my kids in the future. 

Secondly, this story has Nigerian origin and it made me fearful for the reality it might reflect their. Women in this part of the world are completely not valued. They are sold as slaves, wives, etc. A large part of this is done through the dowry system. When I read that the chicken was being exchanged through the dowry system, it made me think of all the girls that are being mistreated, Again, it made me think about my mom and sister personally. Men will do what they wish even here in the U.S. Some systems are not justifiable. 

Those are the two reasons I found that story tragic.

Why the Bat Flies by Night 

In this story, the Bat killed a Bush Rat. That is the tragic part to me. The fact that just out of jealousy the Bat killed the Bush Rat is incomprehensible to me. The Bat's reasoning was poor. 

Secondly, how the Bat killed the Bush Rat is tragic also. The Bat told the Bush Rat that he jumps into the boiling water and the juices that come off of his skin give the food its great flavor. So, the Bush Rat tried it at home, but died from the boiling water. The Bush Rat's wife was very sad and had the king search for the Bat. It was the loss of life and the Bat escaping that gave this part of the story its awful feeling. 

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Storytelling for Week 6: Bush Rats and a Bat

bibliography: Why the Bat Flies by Night, Folk Stories From Southern Nigeria by Elphinstone                                  Dayrell (1910)
                     

(bush rat)

The Bat and Bush Rat were hanging out like normal one day. The Bat asked how the Bush Rat and his wife were doing. The Bush Rat replied with a normal positive gesture. The Bat has been lonely for a long time and has started to have resentment towards the Bush Rat.

The Bat thinks about what he is going to do and if he can find it in his heart to kill his friend. The Bat looks around his cave home, which the Bush Rat showed to him in the beginning, pacing back and forth in anxiety. Nothing changed the Bat's mind though. He decided he was going to take the Bush Rat's wife for himself too. 

So, the Bush Rat shows up one day to see Bat and notices something is wrong. The Bat gets ready to do his deed. He is going to bite Bush Rat in the neck until he's dead. Bush Rat goes to pat Bat on the shoulder. Bat is making his final decision. He is going to attack in 3... 2... 1... 

Right then Bush Rat steps aside to get Bat some water revealing a beautiful young female Bush Rat named Ariel. Bat is entranced by her beauty. Bush Rat told Bat to meet his niece. Bush Rat understood Bat had been lonely and thought maybe he could fix his niece up with him. Both Ariel and Bat blush at one another. The Bat is overjoyed! 

The Bat has told Bush Rat what he was planning though. Bush Rat is appalled, but takes a moment to think it over. Ariel witnessed the Bat's honesty and takes a moment as well. 

The Bush Rat forgave the Bat on one condition; the Bat must marry his niece and take care of her for the rest of his days. The Bat agreed without question and immediately picked Ariel up. He took her for a fly through the air neither of them would ever forget. 

As the Bat and Ariel enjoy their flight, they are suddenly attacked by a hawk. The Bat holds on to Ariel tight and is completely focused on saving her. The Bat flew left and then right. The Bat flew backward and then forwards. The hawk missed him at every turn since he is smaller and can make quicker turns. The Bat finally took a dive seeing he had enough space between he and the hawk. The Bat is flying faster than ever before aiming straight for his door at the cave. The hawk is closing in. Bush Rat has the door open and is yelling for them to hurry. The Bat and Ariel fly through the door and Bush Rat closes the door at the last second. The hawk smashed into the door. They were saved! 

Bush Rat asked about when lunch was. They lived happily ever after.   

Author's Note:Why the Bat Flies by Night, I chose to tell this story in third person narrative form. I chose this strategy because it allows me to be more descriptive and focus on the action of a story. So, it allows to tell the story more with visuals rather than dialogue. 

My main goal for the story was to make the Bat a good guy because in the original he is the villain. 

In the original story, the Bat tricks the Bush Rat. The Bush Rat asks how the Bat makes his meals so tasty. The Bat said that he jumped into the the boiling pot of water and said his juices from his skin give his food great flavor. He said anyone can do it. So, the Bush Rat went home and jumped into the boiling water and died. Bush Rat's wife sent out a warrant for the Bat's capture. As a result, the Bat started hunting at night and that is why you never see them during the day. 

In my story, I make the Bat keep his original plan, but it is foiled when he sees Ariel Bush Rat's niece. The Bat, now seeing Ariel and Bush Rat's thoughtfulness, told them the truth about his plan. Bush Rat forgave Bat since he agreed to marry Ariel and take care of her the rest of her days. Lastly, Bat rescued Ariel from a hawk. The Bat turned from the antagonist into the Protagonist. 

Reading Diary A: Nigerian Folk Stories

(bush rat)

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I read Why the Bat Flies. So, overall I thought it was an interesting story, but there were a few things missing from it. The story said from the beginning that the bat was jealous of the bush rat. It never said why he was jealous though. So, that did not hold any meaning to me. If you show something pivotal between the protagonist and antagonist you must explain it. Secondly, it was not a very satisfying ending. Search parties were sent for the bat to bring him to justice. The bat decided to hunt at night for safety. Apparently, that is why you never see bats flying during the day. I like the creativity of the story, but there has to be a more satisfying way to end the story. 

I also found the story Why a Hawk Kills Chickens interesting. First, it was interesting that the marriage structure as an exchange was the dowry. I believe it is because this story came from Nigeria where that is a custom consistently used. The story also ended in a way I did not think it would, but the surprise made me enjoy it. The hen ended up marrying someone else rather than the hawk. The bride's family would not pay the hawk back his dowry though. So, the hawk's king gave him permission to kill any children that the hen and her new husband might have. This is why hawks attack chickens. That's quite a formal way to start a cock fight right?