Reading Diary A - Celtic Fairy Tales

I chose to read the first half of Celtic Fairy Tales. This is unit is pretty interesting and has a lot of un stories. Most of the stories go together. It is fun to read these stories in an Irish accent too! I read a really cool story called Dream of Owen O'Mulready. This was a cool story where Owen was envious that he had never had a dream. When he finally got one, he had some crazy stories and didn't care to have another one. It was a great read!

Owen O'Mulready

Storytelling Week 10: The Tiger and Zebra

Deep in the African heartland lived two families of animals that ruled the land: felidae and equidae, in other words, cats and horses. The cats were made up of ferocious lions, cheetahs and tigers while the horses consisted of beastly horses, zebras and donkeys. The two animals constantly battled for power of the jungle and forests of Africa. While the cat family was quick, fast and mean, the horses were powerful, strong and outnumbered the cat family.

All other animals feared these two families yet respected their leadership. One day, the animals of Africa were arguing about which animal they thought was all around the head animal of Africa. Obviously the animal had to come from the horse or cat animal, but which specific animal? They decided to have a competition testing the animal’s abilities.

The animals created an obstacle course that would test every category of the animal’s abilities and talents. The cats chose the tiger to represent them while the horses chose the zebra as their representative. The golden tiger and white zebra walked to the finish line. When the race began, the two were neck and neck. When the tiger struggled in the race, the zebra would do well and vice verses.

(Tiger)

As the two animals geared up for the last part of the competition, they were deep in the forest where no one could see them. Extremely tired, the two decided to take a short break. Catching their breath and drinking water, the two animals pondered on what it would be like if they tied and ruled Africa together.

Both animals were very tired and didn’t know if they would finish the competition so the two agreed to finish the race together. To show their unity, they found some blackberries and mashed them up. They used the berries to paint stripes on each other. When the two saw the finish line, they made their final strides across the finish line together.

The other animals were fascinated by the two animal’s stripes and respected their unity together. The horse family and cat family came together and comprised to rule the forest and jungle together.

This is why the zebra and tiger have stripes.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: This story is based on the Great Plains myth Rabbit and Deer. In the story, the author explains how the deer earns his antlers. The original story shows the rabbit as a mean character. I wanted my story to have a better message and bring friendship and unity to the forest.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Title: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains 

Author: Katharine Berry Judson

Year: 1913

Great Plains - Reading Diary B

The second part to this unit was just as good as the first. There were various stories about animals and spirits and some uniques spins on how certain things were created. Each story brought something new and the writing was very simple and easy to understand. It is cool to read these stories and realize how they are passed down from different generations.

One of my favorite satires form this unit was about deer. One story talked about how the deer got its antlers and the other talked about how the deer got his teeth.

This was a fun unit to read and was very interesting!

The deer.

Photo Cred: Pixaby

Great Plains - Reading Diary A

This is the second week of reading Native American myths and stories and I am really enjoying it. Today, I read the first half of a unit from Great Plains Native Americans. Their myths were full of interesting and unique stories. Like the Cherokee myths I read last week, the Great Plains stories were full of talking animals, gods and spirits.

I thought the first story in the unit was most interesting, it was over Creation. In the story, the Osage tribe was in the sky before creation and the moon said he and the sun were their parents and they must go to the earth. When the Osage went to the earth, they could only see water and were sad. They sent the elk down to vanish the water and some of the ager uplifted and they found rocks. As more water vanished the tribe and animals finally found the soft earth and were able to grow crops and food. 

The great elk who saved the tribe.

Photo Cred: Pixaby

Essay: Cherokee Stories

I really enjoyed reading this unit on Cherokee Stories. There was a lot of good insight into the Cherokee culture as well as some really cool stories. I thought the stories kept the reader interested and were very unique. Most of the stories involved animals. These animals had giant personalities and brought a lot of character into each story. Some stories talk about things on earth and where they came from. For example a story about where the moon came from or where strawberries came from.

My favorite story involved the tobacco plant. The setting of the story was when the world was first created and there was only one tobacco plant of the earth. In the story, animals and humans took turns smoking the tobacco until some dangerous geese stole it. When an old woman is about to die because she no longer has tobacco, the animals come together to try and get the plant back. After failure time and time again, a little hummingbird wants to try and get it. The humming bird is so fast that he successfully get the plant and brings it back to the sick old woman. She smokes the tobacco and is healthy again. Happy endings are always the best!

I thought the style of the writing was pretty cool in these stories. It was traditional and made the reader get a good feel for the setting. There are not a lot of notes for these stories, but they aren't really needed. The stories themselves provide enough detail and insight for the reader to understand what is going on.

I enjoyed reading these stories because I took Cherokee as my foreign language for two years in college. It is a very cool and interesting culture that played a significant role in Oklahoma history. I haven't taken Cherokee since last year, so it was good to get to read more stories from the Cherokee again. I would suggest this unit to other students in the course as well!

Tobacco Plant.

Photo Cred: PixGood

Storytelling for Week 9: The Magical Plant

Long, long ago there was a magical plant that hid in the South American Rain Forest. The plant was said to be magical because it broke language barriers between people and animals. Every day, each tribe of natives who knew about the plant and each animal of the rain forest would take a whiff of the plant’s beautiful scent and could talk to the other species for the next 24 hours.

Because the plant allowed for humans and animals to communicate, the rain forest was in perfect unity. Both humans and animals helped each other and provided for each other’s needs. They were happy and thankful for the plant’s magical power.

On one late night, a tribe from outside the rain forest swept through the rain forest and discovered the magical plant. They decided the plant was too peculiar to just pass by, so they dug it up and took it with them. Little did the tribe know that they had taken the single piece of the rain forest holding the entire community in unison. The tribe carried the magical plant with them back to the their home and displayed the plant for all to see.

Early the next morning, the early risers of the rain forest and noticed the plant was missing when they went for their morning whiff of magical powers. Terror arose throughout the community and the humans and animals went into a panic. The people plotted their revenge in stealing the plant back. They received a tip from the guy on night watch. He had noticed a large group of men traveling through the forest. He gave the general direction he believed he saw these men going.

The animals also began a separate plan to repossess the magical plant. The night owl had noticed a large group of men leaving to the West the night before. The next morning the animals and the men went to find the plant. Soon after reaching the edge of the forest, they noticed a small village filled with people and animals all speaking to one another. The tribe knew they had stolen the plant because they now had the powers the tribe once possessed. The animals sent in their slyest fox and the people sent in the quietest man in the tribe. The two watched each other’s back without speaking and retook the magical plant. The tribe all received a whiff of the plant and rejoiced that they could finally communicate with each other once again.

Once the tribe returned to their home, all the people and animals were overjoyed to have their powers back from the magical plant. They threw a massive party to commemorate their victory. The plant was safe in the forest among the animals and the tribe forever. To this day, an animal and a member from the tribe will watch over this plant day and night to make sure it is never taken away from them again. Through the plant’s magical powers, the tribe and animals will live peacefully together, forever.

The magical plant.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story is based on an old Cherokee myth called How They Brought Back Tobacco. In the story, animals and humans love the single tobacco plant and use it to smoke. When geese take the plant away, the animals and humans can no longer enjoy its use and an older woman almost dies without it. Finally, a hummingbird steals the plant back and allows the woman to gain her health back.

I wanted to change the story up, but keep the same overall plot. I took a few semesters of Cherokee so I had a lot of fun reading this unit and writing this story. In the original story, an old lady almost dies because she can't receive the magical powers from the plant. That is so crazy! That is why I love reading these Cherokee myths, because they are so unusual. Each story provides something new and fun for the reader.

I think the coolest part of the stories in this unit is the fact that they each bring a background for something. Like this story shares the origin of the tobacco plant. Other stories talk about way animals are the way they are or other similar examples. I had fun writing this story and I hope you enjoy it!

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

Title: Myths of the Cherokee

Author: James Mooney 

Year: 1900

Reading Diary A: Cherokee Myths

I read Myths of the Cherokee. The first half of this unit holds a lot of interesting stories. The myths include stories about their version of the world's creation and some stories have animals that can talk while other stories are about things that are sacred to them. My favorite story was How They Brought Back Tobacco. In the story there is only one tobacco plant in the beginning of the world and everyone uses it until geese take it away. When a women is about to die because she doesn't have tobacco, different animals try and fail to retrieve the tobacco plant. Then a hummingbird successfully steals the plant and saves the woman! It was really interesting and fun read.

Tobacco Plant.

Photo Cred: Electric Freeze

Commenting Review Week

Commenting on other student's blogs has allowed me to see some old friends as well as meet some new students. It is fun to see the variety of people enrolled in this course. I have found some comments helpful and encouraging and others not so much. I really like the opportunity to read people's introductions because it allows me to get to know the author behind each blog.

When commenting on another student's blog, I always try to encourage and give useful notes. Some students take it a little too seriously, but that's okay! On short comments, I focus on my favorite parts while I look for ways to make the story better in my longer comments.

I don't think other student's comment s have made my wiring any better, but I have enjoyed reading some of them!

Man's best friend.

Photo Cred: HD Fun

Reading Review Week

This class has allowed me to explore various writing options and expand my writing abilities. Through the different Storybook writings, I have gotten to use my imagination to create stories that follow the readings from the past week. I have enjoyed this because it is fun and simple. The stories don't have to be too long and it allows you to escape into another world while you are writing. I feel like I have had some successful writings and I can tell my stories are getting better throughout the course of the semester.

The Reading Diaries are a good way of reflecting and writing about personal favorite stories and themes in the units. I have definitely enjoyed the writing portions of this class and I think I have learned better writing techniques through the course.

Although I like reading and writing from the units, I am not too crazy about writing blog comments. I know they are meant to be used to help other students, but I honestly don't find much use from writing or reading these comments.

Overall, I think this course has been great for my writing skills and I'm looking forward to continuing to get better!

Bob (Job) is covered in sores. This picture is from a Storybook I wrote a few weeks ago.

Photo Cred: Distant Shores

Reading Review Week

I have enjoyed the various and unique reading units from this semester so far. My favorite stories are form the beginning of the unit when I had the opportunity to read from the bible and other references that parallel with biblical stories. All of these stories were really interesting and provided a lot of information and the stories from the different religions brooded a lot of insight to different beliefs and cultures.

I have also enjoyed the African mythology and folklore I've had the opportunity to read over the past couple of weeks. The stories are always fun and kind of random. Especially the stories of the monkey and the Jackal!

I'm looking forward to seeing what stories the second half of this semester holds and I know I will find some good reads!

This picture is from Week 2 when I read about Noah!

Photo Cred: Charlotte Smith