Week 7 Reading Diary: Brer Rabbit, Again

More Brer Rabbit

My favorite story of this unit was Mr. Fox is Again Victimized. Brer Rabbit is back at his schemes of trickery, and this time he tricks both Brer Fox and Brer Buzzard. This time, the story begins with Brer Rabbit riding Brer Fox like a horse. Brer Fox tries his hardest to buck Brer Rabbit off, but he is unable to. After giving it his best shot, he is exhausted. He tries rolling over to get Brer Rabbit off, and once Brer Rabbit is off his back, he runs into a hollow tree to head from Brer Fox. Completely tired from wrestling Brer Rabbit off his back, he lies lifeless looking on the ground when Brer Buzzard arrives. Brer Fox asks him to keep an eye on Brer Rabbit so he can go fetch an axe. Of course, this was a bad idea because Brer Rabbit found a way to distract Brer Buzzard. He tricks Brer Buzzard into coming around to the other side of the tree because he tells him there is a gray squirrel in the tree he should catch. When he comes to the other side of the tree, Brer Rabbit is able to make a run for it, escaping the grips of Brer Fox again.

Essay for Week 6: Brer Rabbit

The unit I read this week was called Brer Rabbit and the story I really enjoyed reading was Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman. Although I really liked this unit, I am not sure if this unit is for everyone. I have read a few units so far that may use words or a language that is harder to read. I do not mind reading units like this, but some people may be looking for a unit that is an easy read. One good side that may be an incentive to read this unit is the audio available to listen to because it's almost near to impossible to understand the stories if you try to read them yourself. Just look at the first story, and you'll know what I'm talking about! Haha Laura Gibbs is nice enough to give a heads up about this use of dialect to tell the story and will suggest you listen to the audio. Listen to her! Also, I was only able to listen to the second half of the reading due to my absolutely crazy schedule this week. Two math tests two days in a row consumed all my time this week. I am sure the first half was just as great as the second half, but if you end up only reading the second half like me, it is important to know that the stories are told by Uncle Remus to his nephew. I also think I enjoyed this story because even though I could not actually read the story myself, it was easy for me to understand the dialect. I am from Louisiana. I lived there for 21 years, and let me tell you, some (not all) people talk like this back home. No joke. So this story gave me a little piece of home. Hope others enjoy it as much as I did!

Joe Dirt - Louisiana

Source: Fark

 

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. When I read this story, all I could think about is the scene from Joe Dirt, when he goes to Louisiana and runs into this guy.

Storytelling for Week 6: Mr. Hopper

Brer Rabbit

Source: Wikimedia

It was a hot typical Louisiana summer day. Hopper, Fox, and Coon had been working since dawn on their garden, but Hopper was ready to throw in the towel.

"Maybe I can just sneak off somewhere for a quick nap. It's too dang hot out here. And besides, I planted last years garden all by myself. It's these two goons' turns to slave away in the heat." Hopper thought to himself. "There's got to be somewhere I can rest out of site. If these guys see me napping, I'll never hear the end of it."

Hopper caught a glance of a well off in the woods to his right. "Ahh yes, the well! That would be perfect, but I have to think of a way to get away for a second."

"Ooooooooooouch!!" Hopper yelped. "Oww oww oww."

"What in the world are you crying over there for?" Coon asked Hopper.

"I cut my finger on the weasel." Hopper tried to choke up some fake tears.

"Oh, you big baby! You're always hurting yourself. Quit being so clumsy. Let me see it." Fox snapped out Hopper. He knew Hopper was up to something. He was always trying to get out of working. Lazy rabbit.

"Oh no, I don't want to gross you out. It's a pretty nasty cut. I'm going to go clean it up. I'll be back out to help when I'm done. See ya!" Hopper hopped off towards the well. When he got there, he noticed a bucket on a rope that was dangling above the well.

"Perfect. I can get in this bucket and take my nap. No one will every find me in here!" Just as Hopper climbed into the bucket, it descended so quickly he didn't have time to think. "Dang it! Now what? I'm stuck down here. I'm going to die down here." Little did Hopper know that Fox, who always knew Hopper was up to no good, watched Hopper as he snuck off to the well.

"Whatcha doing down there, Hopper?" Hopper was startled. He looked up to see his buddy Fox peeking over the edge of the well.

"If I can get Fox to jump into the other bucket, his weight will carry me back up to the top, and I can get out of this stinkin' well." Hopper thought to himself.

"Oh, you know. Just fishing. I thought I would make us some dinner tonight." Hopper shouted from the bottom of the well.

"There's fish down there?" Fox questioned.

"Yeah lots of them. Come see for yourself!"

"How do I get down there?"

"Just hop in that other bucket like I did. It's easy!"

"Okay, here I come!"

What Fox didn't realize was once he got down to the bottom, Hopper would be at the top. Of course, Hopper couldn't let this situation go to waste. He had to pick on Fox just a little bit.

"See ya later friend!" Hopper chuckled as he walked back to Coon to tell him the story. Poor Fox stayed in the well until dinner time when his friends finally rescued him. Until this day, they never let him forget.

Author's Note:
This story is a retelling of the original story Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman . I kept the story pretty much the same except that the original story is told by Uncle Remus to his nephew. Also, the original story is in dialect, which makes it a little harder to read. I decided not to tell this story in dialect and write it in a way that is easier to understand.

"Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman" by Joel Chandler Harris. Website: Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings

Week 6 Reading Diary: Brer Rabbit

Brer Rabbit

The story Old Mr. Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman was probably my favorite. It is interesting the way these stories are told because the stories are told in dialect. Also, these stories are told from an Uncle Remus to his nephew. In this particular story, the rabbit, fox, coon, and boar are working on their garden, and the rabbit gets tired. He tells his friends he got something in his hand and was going to try to get it out. Instead, he found a well with a bucket and thought that would be a nice place to take a nap. When he got in the bucket, it fell to the bottom of the well. The fox happened to sneak off to keep on eye on the rabbit. The rabbit was afraid and was able to trick the fox into jumping into the other bucket by telling him he was fishing down in the well. When the fox jumped in the other bucket, it caused the rabbit's bucket to lift, so he could get out of the well. Eventually the fox gets out and they get back to work on the garden, although the rabbit still picks on the fox about it.

Week 5 Essay: Arabian Nights

Aladdin Arabian Palace

Source: Deviant Art

Because I grew up loving the Disney version of Aladdin, I was quickly drawn to the unit Arabian Nights. I always related to Jasmine because she was "brown" like me. Haha I even dressed up as her for Halloween when I was six years old. Although I was not able to read the first half of this unit because of how crazy busy my life has been, I still enjoyed reading the second half of it because it was the part of this unit that I was looking forward to reading. Before reading the story about Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp, I expected it to vary from the Disney version we are all familiar with. Obviously the Disney version added characters and scenes to this story to make it more marketable such as Aladdin's monkey friend Abu, but I loved the original story. I think I may have liked it a little bit more than the Disney version. I think my favorite part about it was the magician throughout the story first plotting to use Aladdin to get the lamp, and then later trying to steal it from Aladdin after he learns of his riches and success from the genie in the lamp. It made me curious as to why Aladdin was chosen by the magician to try to find the lamp. Maybe he thought a careless boy like him would be easily manipulated into doing the magician's dirty work. I would definitely recommend this unit to everyone in class because I think it is fun to go into a unit expecting something and coming out completely surprised after you have finished reading. Also, I do not think there is a necessity for more information about the unit. I think the information provided is enough to draw the reader in if this is a unit that seems interesting to them.

Week 5 Storytelling: Aladdin

Aladdin in the Cave of Wonders

Source: Animated Views

"Daddy, daddy, daddy! Tell me a bedtime story." Little Savannah begged and pleaded.

"Alright, alright. What kind of story do you want to hear?" Savannah's father was trying to quickly think of something. "Hopefully nothing about princesses." He thought to himself.

"Ohh, I know! Tell me the story about Princess Jasmine from the Aladdin movie! Pleaseeeee!"

Great. Savannah's dad quickly picked his brain for the story of Princess Jasmine. "That's the story with the genie and the lamp right?"

"Yeah and Princess Jasmine and her palace. Come on daddy, tell me the story!"

"Okay, how about this. How about I tell you the story of Aladdin when he found the lamp? The REAL story."

"Ooo the real story?! Yeah, tell me, tell me!"

"Here goes nothing...


For there once was a boy named Aladdin
Whose father he sure did sadden
His boy gave him trouble
So he soon died, and was buried beneath the rubble

One day, along came a magician
Who lured Aladdin into submission
"Young man, I am your father's brother,
Will you please go fetch your mother?"

"I have come to help you,
Let us go shopping and find you a new hair do."
Little did Aladdin know,
That this magician was a no good lying foe

"Into the cave you go,
And follow the light from which the cave will glow.
It is here that you will find the lamp,
Make haste, and watch your step on that ramp."

Aladdin had spotted the sought out beloved treasure
And when the magician noticed, he laid on the pressure.
"Alas, you have found what I have been searching for,
Hand it here so I can seal this cave door."

No way, no how, not before I step out.
Let me out first, or I will remain and allow you to continue to pout.
The magician grew angry, and before Aladdin could react,
The stone was rolled over the cave mouth and unable to retract.

Just as he was getting to the good part, he could tell his little princess was falling asleep. "We'll finish the rest tomorrow night princess."

"Okay, good night daddy."

Author's Note:
I pretty much kept the story, Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp Part 1, the same although I did not get nearly as far into the story. If I did, it would have been a pretty long poem. I thought telling this story from the point of view of a father telling his daughter a bed time story would be fitting since this is a story about Aladdin. Many people are familiar with this story, but probably do not know the actual story it is based on. It has quite a few differences, but it is still a great story!

The Arabian Nights' Entertainment by Andrew Lang (1898). Web Source: Arabian Nights Unit

Week 5 Reading Diary: Arabian Nights

Arabian Nights

The story about Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp is a little different from the Disney version. The beginning of this story tells of a false uncle, who is really a magician in search of magical lamp. He tricks Aladdin into searching for the lamp and he trapped. Aladdin finds the lamp and is able to summon the genie from the magical ring the magician gave him to get out of the cave. Aladdin's mom is the one who rubs the lamp and summons the genie. Aladdin uses this genie to grant him wishes to impress the sultan so he can marry the sultan's beautiful daughter. He builds a beautiful palace and fulfills all the sultan's wishes and marries the princess. The magician learns of Aladdin's success and determines that he must have found the lamp. He plots to steal the lamp. He is successful in capturing the lamp, and he also steals the palace and Aladdin's wife. Aladdin is able to defeat the magician, save his wife from the evil magician trying to turn her into his wife, and live in peace.

Essay for Week 4: Folklore of the Holy Land

Three Main Abrahamic Religions

Source: Wikimedia

The unit I decided to read this week was Folklore of the Holy Land . My reason for choosing this unit was because I was contemplating doing my storybook project on all three Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. I thought this unit would give me some good insight to some ideas that I could use for the project and help me decide if that was the direction I wanted to go in. I was extremely busy at the beginning of the week so I was unable to complete the Reading A section of this unit, but I was able to complete the Reading B part. Many of the stories about Abraham were in the first part of the reading, and I did take a look at a few. These stories are so interesting to me because it is crazy how closely related all three of these religions are. Christianity and Islam stem from Judaism so much of their history and significant individuals and places are equally as important in all three religions. I think this unit is not only interesting to read just for class, but I feel like it is important to know about these religions in relation to what is going on in the world. So many people have a skewed view of what it means to follow either one of these religions, and categorizing someone on those skewed views causes hate and war. I am a Christian, but I find it so important to understand other religions aside from my own. Not so I can judge other, but understand the actions and responses of the world in live in. I would encourage everyone to read this unit as well as other texts to explain these religions in more detail. I think it could prevent a lot of hatred towards people who believe differently than us.

Storytelling for Week 4: Lot

 

Alcatraz

Source: Wikimedia

Lot had been in prison for 2 years now. He knew what he did was wrong, but he could not stand the fact that he would spend the rest of his life locked up. He had to do something about it. One day, he asked to see a judge to plead for forgiveness.

"Please, I'll do anything. I just want to get out of here. Tell me what I can do, so I don't have to die here!"

"Alright fine. This is your only chance. If you do not complete your task, then you will have to accept your fate and spend the rest of your life in prison," the judge explained.

"I'll do it! Whatever it is, I'll do it."

"Do you see that tree out there? Outside of the prison gates?" the judge questioned Lot.

"Yes sir, I see it. What about it?" Lot asked.

"I want you to water that tree. Do that for me, and I will forgive you of your crime."

"That's it?! Water that tree, and I'm a free man?" Lot couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"That's what I said. Now go!"

Lot thought this was a ridiculously easy request, but knew there had to be some catch. The next morning, he filled a bucket and made his way to the tree with an officer escorting him out of the prison gates. As he approached the tree, he noticed it was surrounded by a very poor neighborhood. As he got closer, he came across a little boy lying on the ground who looked as though he hadn't eaten in weeks.

"Sir, please may I have some water?" the little boy asked.

Without a thought, Lot answered, "Of course you can. Here you go," and before Lot knew it, the little boy had gulped down the entire bucket of water.

"Oh no, now what am I going to do? I have no more water to water the tree. I won't be able to fulfill my task. I'll be stuck in prison forever."

 The police escort demanded they return to the prison at once since they were out of water. As they approached the prison, Lot was hesitant to hear the judge's reaction to his inability to perform such a simple task, but to his surprise, the judge had a very different response to his willingness to share his water with the little boy.

"Because of your selflessness, you are forgiven. You may go. You are a free man!"


Author's Note: The story I used for this week was Lot and the Tree of the Cross . It is a story about a man who is told by God that if he water's the tree at the head of Adam's grave, he will be forgiven of his sins. He attempts three times, but is tricked by the Devil disguised as a fake pilgrims to allow him to drink the water. Because of his willingness to help the pilgrims, Lot is forgiven of his sins. I used the same character name and the same theme, but I used a prison setting to relate to the bondage of sin.

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Week 4 Reading Diary: Folklore of the Holy Land

Folklore of the Holy Land

One of the stories I like from this unit is called Lot and the Tree of the Cross . This story tells of Lot, a patriarch, who was told he would be forgiven of his sins if he watered the tree at the head of Adam's grave. On three attempts to carry a bucket of water to the tree, the Devil disguised as thirsty pilgrims tricks Lot into allowing the pilgrims to drink the water. He proves his selflessness by giving water to these fake pilgrims, and his sins are forgiven.

Another story that I found interesting was Legends of El Khudr because of the opening paragraph. It explains the Greeks taking communion by crumbling the bread up into the wine and taking both parts of the communion at the same time. Also, it tells of a time when a priest accidentally spilled the contents of the communion on his foot and it caused a hole to appear and even marked the floor. That's some powerful bread and wine! Afterwards, this stone that was marked from the spilled contents was believed to have miraculous healed many people.

I really enjoyed reading about St. George in Elijah and Saint George because I remember studying the famous Crusader icon St. George in my Byzantine Icon class. We did not really learn much about the story behind the artwork, so it was nice to know why the icon was created.

Essay for Week 3: Lost Books

My favorite part of this unit was being able to read stories from the Lost Books of the Bible. Although these particular stories are not found in the Bible, they give a lot more details to some of the well known stories about Jesus. One of the stories that really drew my attention was Mary and Joseph because it gives an account of Mary and Joseph before Mary becomes pregnant with Jesus. I have always wondered the "before" part of their relationship and what was going through Joseph's mind when he found out Mary, who was supposed to be a virgin, became pregnant. I am sure I am not the only one who has pondered this thought before, and it makes me wonder why these passages are not in the Bible. Also, I enjoyed learning about Jesus' life from infancy until he started his ministry when he was about thirty years old. So much of his life is missing from the Bible, but I guess the Bible would be extremely long if they tried to fit every detail of his life into words! I liked that there were so many stories of healing because that is what Jesus is about. Even from such a young age, people were being healed of leprosy by pouring the water he bathed in over them in Curing the Leprosy . I am not sure if anyone in class has taken a class called Byzantine Icons, but I took it last semester, and I was able to recognize many of the pictures included in the stories. I think that is so awesome how classes sometimes overlap like that! It makes the material you are learning a little more interesting because you are able to connect it to something you have already studied.

This is one of my favorites from this unit that I remember learning about in my Byzantine Icons class:

 

Nativity by Andrei Rublev

Source: Wikipedia

Week 3 Reading Diary: Infancy Gospels

Infancy Gospels

Gospel of Luke
The first three stories from this unit are from the gospel of Luke in the Bible. In these first three chapters of this book, we learn about the angel that announced to Mary that she would give birth to the Son of God, and that her cousin, Elisabeth, would also give birth to a son. We also read about the birth of Jesus and the three wise men who come to visit him after being told by angels that the Son of God was born. Also, we learn about when Christ was presented in the church after eight days.
Stories referenced: The Annunciation The Nativity The Young Jesus

The Protevangelion of James
The three stories come for the Lost Books of the Bible. What makes these stories so interesting is that they were not used in the Bible, but were widely known. The first story gives details about Mary and Joseph before Mary became pregnant with Jesus. It also gives more detail about Mary's pregnancy and the birth of Jesus. Stories referenced: Mary and Joseph The Virgin Grown Big The Birth of Jesus

The Infancy Gospels
The remaining stories in the unit start from the birth of Jesus and end at the start of his ministry. I like this section of the unit because it gives details that are not present in the Bible. The Bible really only gives detail of Jesus' birth and a little bit in between the start of his ministry, and eventually his crucifixion. One of my favorite's is The Idol because it tells about the power of Jesus at such a young age. A man considered an idol takes some of the swaddling cloth of baby Jesus', and when he places it on his head, he is healed of demons. There is also another healing story that I really liked called Curing the Leprosy . A woman is able to be cured of leprosy just by washing herself with the water Jesus was bathed with. I also liked the story called Jesus and Joseph because there are not very many accounts between these two. I have always wondered about their relationship and it was nice to see a story about Jesus encouraging Joseph when he was upset about making the King angry.