Week 8 Reading and Writing

I looked back over the theme for my blog, and I didn't really like how light the words were compared to the page. I adjusted it, and I'm happy with my blog. I'm pretty proud of how nice my project website looks. I italicized the author's note and bibliography so people could see the beginning and end of the story more clearly.

My reading assignments work great for me and I don't have any trouble coming up with ideas for my retelling without the need to reread the source material. The writing for this class has been a breeze on some weeks but other times I have the right idea, but I can't make the words flow. I've changed my strategy to finish the reading early so I have time to go through the writing process over multiple days. So far, my favorite reading is "Arabian Nights" Unit. I had such a hard time deciding what part of the story I wanted to retell because it inspired so many ideas. Both Arabian Nights and Cupid and Psyche readings have allowed me to create my favorite retellings of this class so far. 

I'm Finished, so here's a Fin

Basking Shark, off the Isle of Skye by Photographer Antony Stanley. Source.

Week 7 Story: Diary of the Monkey King's Teacher

Author’s Note:

This story is based on “The Monkey King,” which tells the adventures of Sun Wu Kung. I wanted to retell the story from the perspective of Sun Wu Kung’s spirit teacher, The Discerner. Due to the number of time gaps, I decided a diary format would work best.

Many elements are the same between the original and my retelling. The Discerner gives a lecture to his class when Sun Wu Kung jumps up in joy at understanding the lesson. The Discerner offers additional lessons for Sun Wu Kung, and he agrees very eagerly. However, Sun Wu Kung rejects any teaching once he realizes that they will not give immortality to him. The Discerner whacks Sun Wu Kung on the head three times and storms off to his chambers.

From this point, the original story has The Discerner give Sun Wu Kung a coded message to visit him in three nights to learn the secret of immortality. Sun Wu Kung follows the message, and The Discerner is impressed that Sun Wu Kung understood the message, and he decides to teach him the way to immortality. Sun Wu Kung must face more dangers, so The Discerner teaches him skills like transformation and flight. Later, Sun Wu Kung shows off to classmates bu turning into a pine tree and The Discerner sends him away for it. Sun Wu Kung is ordered not to mention he was a student of The Discerner.

In my retelling, I changed it, so there was no coded message. Instead, The Discerner ends up very relieved that he made Sun Wu Kung promise not to mention that he was a student, so the forces of the Heavens wouldn’t point at him.

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Dear Diary,

Today a new student appeared during my meditation. I heard crackling sounds so disturbing that I could no longer continue. I asked one of my students to see what the racket was outside. The noise-maker turned out to be an ape, eating pine cones by the entrance. When he came in, he didn’t introduce himself because he didn’t have a name. Well, being the generous being that I am, I decided to name him Sun Wu Kung.

Dear Diary,

Seven years have passed since Sun Wu Kung’s arrival, and honestly, I had almost forgotten him. I received a sharp reminder when I witnessed Sun Wu Kung’s spectacle this morning. I was presenting a lecture when all of a sudden Sun Wu Kung began to jump up and dance! I scolded him profusely until Sun Wu Kung cut me off to tell me that he fully understood the lecture. As the gracious being that I am, I offered to teach Sun Wu Kung more about The Great Truth so that he could express his excitement out of class. At first, Sun Wu Kung was eager to agree to any lessons, until he found out that they would give immortality to him. From there, Sun Wu Kung refused to learn anything.

I am ashamed to admit that I hit Sun Wu Kung thrice before I stormed off to my chambers. The audacity of that ape! I’m immortal, but I didn’t remove The Great Truth from my life. I even teach it to others because of its value, yet Sun Wu Kung rejects any worth in my teachings if they do not lead to eternal life. The nerve of it! Anyone would jump at the chance to learn the slightest knowledge from me, yet when I offered Sun Wu Kung extra lessons, he insulted me to blatantly to my face. As a teacher, I know I should be calm with unruly students, but Sun Wu Kung is testing the ends of my patience. I need to meditate until I can be reasonable around that unruly ape again.

Dear Diary,

It’s been three days since Sun Wu Kung rejected my teachings and just as I was about to head to bed, Sun Wu Kung entered my chambers and announced he is waiting to receive the secret to immortality. I told him I would do no such thing, but Sun Wu Kung was adamant that I had, in the most convoluted logic I have ever seen. Sun Wu Kung said that when I whacked him three times in the head then stormed off, I told Sun Wu Kung in a secret message that after three nights I would reveal the secret of immortality to him in my chambers.

I realized that Sun Wu Kung is beyond reason and would not leave me alone until I taught him the way to immortality. Like I would do that! Instead, I taught Sun Wu Kung other skills, such as transformation magic and how to travel via clouds. I may or may not have pretended that these were the secrets to immortality. When he realizes the truth of the situation, he will hopefully see the value in skills that have no link to immortality.

Dear Diary,

I thought I had finally learned a way to tame Sun Wu Kung’s wild spirit, but I see that it has only spread to my other students! I heard loud laughter and found the source to be a group of students laughing at a pine tree, who was Sun Wu Kung transformed. I taught Sun Wu Kung to teach him a valuable lesson in life, yet this is the thanks I get. One thing is sure. Sun Wu Kung can no longer stay. However, if word got out that I had such a wild student, my reputation would plummet. I need to think.

Dear Diary,

After a night of deep contemplation, I sent Sun Wu Kung away! I told Sun Wu Kung that if others learned that he was my pupil, that he would be in grave danger. From that, Sun Wu Kung swore to secrecy and went back to wherever he came from. In the process, Sun Wu Kung thanked me! I should be thanking him! Thank you, Sun Wu Kung, for leaving my life, and may you never come again.

Dear Diary,

I heard rumors about some upstart calling himself “The Great Saint,” but I never paid much attention to them. But then, I learned The Great Saint is an ape who could be none other than Sun Wu Kung! 

There is a mountain of misdeeds, such as stealing the elixir of life, erasing the mortality of his ape family, stealing weapons, etc. The Lord of the Heavens attempted to arrest him, but Sun Wu Kung had evaded arrest multiple times. Finally, they trapped him with the help of Buddha. But for all the horrendous deeds, I have not heard anything about who his teacher was. Which means I’m safe! I’m so glad I told Sun Wu Kung not to mention his connection to me. To think, I was only worried about being a laughing stock in front of the other teachers, but the Lord of the Heavens could have beheaded me for teaching such a troublemaker.

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Bibliography: 

"The Monkey King" from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921). Source.

Image Information: The Monkey King by Yoshitoshi. Source.

Reading Notes Week 7: The Monkey King, Part A

Bibliography: Excerpt from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921). Source.

The Monkey King by Yoshitoshi. Source.

A mountain on the island "Mountain of Flowers and Fruits" contains a high rock that absorbed power since the beginning of time. The rock opened to reveal a stone egg, the egg opened to reveal a stone ape who absorbed the power from the high rock. The Lord of the Heavens noticed this power and freaked out and from the two gods he sent, they told him about the stone ape.

The stone ape plays with other apes and found a waterfall. Stone ape made it through the waterfall so he was dubbed "Handsome King of the Apes." He lived happily with his subjects for 300 years.

The Handsome King of the Apes realized that mortality was a thing, so all they apes were sad about how one day they would die. An elder ape mentioned that the Buddhas, blessed spirits and gods don't die and aren't reborn. The Monkey King wants to know how to become one of the three.

The Monkey King travels and arrives in Asia, disguised as a human but for 9 years he did not see anyone who cared about life. The monkey king then decided to cross the western sea. He arrives in the land of the west and meets a woodchopper who knows a song from a spirit named 'The Discerner'  that lives in a mountain called the Mountain of the Heart. The Discerner gives Sun Wu Kung his name. Sun Wu Kung foes chores for multiple years and when the spirit starts a lesson, Sun Wu Kung was so happy that he understood that he danced. The Discerner offers multiple more lessons, but Sun Wu Kung rejects them since they will not lead to immortal life.

The Discerner whacks Sun Wu Kung on the head who interprets it as a message to learn how to obtain immortal life. Sun Wu Kung follows the message and the Discerner is impressed that Sun Wu Kung understood the message and decides to teach him the way to immortality. Sun Wu Kung must face more dangers.

Sun Wu Kung shows off to classmates and the Discerner sends him away for it. Back home at the island, Sun Wu Kung hears about a kidnapper: the Devil-King of Chaos. Sun Wu Kung defeats him and saves the children.

Sun Wu Kung trains apes to protect themselves and decides they may be seen as a threat. Sun Wu Kung is offered to buy metal for weapons but instead, Sun Wu Kung decides to steal from the armory. Sun Wu Kung can not find a weapon that suits him because they are all too light. He eventually gets a legendary weapon that can grow and shrink at his will and demands armor as well from the Dragon-King.

Sun Wu Kung starts an empire but wakes up in the Nether World. He erases his and his family's deaths from the Book of Life. Now the are all immortal.

Retelling Ideas;

The Discerner did not give a special signal to Sun Wu Kung but gives hum a mission anyways to get rid of him. Later the Dicerner hears about the exploits of someone calling himself the Great Saint, only to realize he is none other than Sun Wu Kung. The Discerner is happy he made Sun Wu Kung promise not to tell anyone that he is the Discerner's former pupil.

Reading Notes Week 7: The Monkey King, Part B

Bibliography: Excerpt from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921). Source.

The Monkey King by Yoshitoshi. Source.

The Lord of the Heavens hears about how Sun Wu Kung decided to erase his and his family's deaths from the Book of Life and decides to take him, prisoner. The Evening Star objects to this and wants Sun Wu Kung to learn responsibility. Sun Wu Kung is given charge of the stables. At a banquet, Sun Wu Kung learns that his position is not honorable and he rages out of the Heavenly realm and goes back to the island. Devil Kings say Sun Wu Kung is equal to the Lord of the Heavens, aka The Great Saint. Sun Wu Kung agrees to this flattery.

Lord of the Heavens hears that Sun Wu Kung went away and orders that he be imprisoned but Sun Wu Kung beats all would-be captors in combat. Evening Star suggests that the Lord of the Heavens accept Sun Wu Kung as the Great Saint because it doesn't actually mean anything. Later, Sun Wu Kung who now lives in heaven is given charge of caring for the peaches of the Queen-Mother so he doesn't get into any mischief. Sun Wu Kung ends up eating a lot of peaches. He decides to go home and comes across some Elixir of Life made by Laotzse and eats the pills of like. Sun Wu Kung decides to go back to the island for real before he gets in trouble. Sun Wu Kung goes home and steals peach wine for his apes.

The Lord of the Heavens hears about all of this and tries to capture Sun Wu Kung. Eventually, they capture him but are unable to kill him. but no one can defeat him. Finally, the Lord of the Heavens sends for Buddha who is able to trap Sun Wu Kung. Sun Wu Kung goes on his own journey and repents and is granted the title of God of Victorious Strife

Week 6 Lab: TED Talk Videos

Photo of TED Stage Logo with Julie Freeman Altered by Juliana Rotich. Source.

This week I decided to complete the Story Lab: TED Talk option.

The Danger of a Single Story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Source.

When I watched Adichie's TED Talk, I was struck by how she began by introducing herself as a storyteller. Adichie explains how she wrote stories like the ones she read, including cultural differences she did not understand. She only read British and American books, and as a result, she had a single story of what made up a book.

This anecdote made me understand part of why this TED talk was picked out of the hundreds of other TED talks to view for this class.

In this class, we will read stories from all over the world. The exposure to other stories helps dissolve the single-story, which in turn prevents a lot of harm. Adichie mentions that a single-story is not necessarily incorrect, but it is incomplete. It is when we refuse to acknowledge any other story that we alienate other cultural groups as "different and "wrong" rather than noticing our similarities.

This highlight on differences is where I believe the most harm from a single story comes in. As shown in history, when one group meets another, there are cultural differences. Unfortunately, multiple groups have been stripped of their cultural identity and forced to assimilate with European culture (see the 1892 speech made by Capt. Richard H. Pratt's "Kill the Indian, and Save the Man." Source.). Westerners had a single story of what was proper and correct in many things. As a result, they did not try to understand the cultures they eventually repressed and instead simplified them as wrong and Devil-worshipping.

Imaginary friends and real-world consequences by Jennifer Barnes. Source.

I am an avid fan of multiple fictional universes. I buy merchandise, spend hours watching, reading, drawing, etc. to interact with my favorite characters. I've yelled at the TV when someone in the fictional multiverse doesn't go right for a character. When a character I love died, I could cry buckets and buckets or flat out deny canon. I'll well aware of what a parasocial relationship is. Before I watched Barnes' TED talk, I already knew first-hand why we care about fictional characters.

Something that she made me consider though was the blend our subconscious makes between fiction and reality. If we can subconsciously believe fictional universes as real, perceive actual events as fiction? In the case of fictional characters, we know they aren't real, but we still feel close to them. By contrast, we can treat real events as stories and put them away in our minds like a book on a shelf.

Barnes mentioned that we view fictional characters as part of our social circle. And like real friends, fictional characters provide comfort and grief and all the emotions in-between. I want to expand on this idea with real-world events. By treating them as fiction, we protect ourselves from going insane over every horrible thing in the world.

Sometimes this denial is on a subconscious level where we understand it is real without the emotions. However, sometimes would this expand to flat out denying that the horrible event happened? In either case, how would that affect our empathy? I suggest we become more apathetic. To counteract his effect, we must be careful not to ignore what real people go through when we do not experience their suffering ourselves.

Week 6 Reading Notes: Turkish Fairy Tales, Part B

The Pearl Fan by Robert Lewis Reid. Source.

Bibliography: Excerpt from Forty-Four Turkish Fairy Tales by Ignacz Kunos. Source.

Story: "Patience Stone and Patience Knife"

A young woman is at home alone when a bird flies to her window and says, "Oh my poor maiden, your kismet [fate] is with a dead person." The young woman freaks out about this. Later in the day, the mother comes home and the young woman tells her what happened. The mother advises her to lock the door and window. The next day, the young woman locks the door and window but the bird comes in and says the same thing. The mother tells her daughter to continue locking the door but hide in the cupboard and work with only candles for light. However, the bird continues getting in. The mother and daughter stay at home and wait for the bird to show up again. A few days later, girls in the neighborhood ask the daughter to come out and play. The mother is reluctant but the neighborhood girls promise to watch out for the daughter. However, on the way back on a fun day out, the neighborhood girls and young woman stop at a spring to get water when a magical wall pops out of the ground between the young woman and the neighborhood girls. The mother hears about this but she and her daughter are separated by the wall. The daughter cries a lot and eventually notices a door in the wall that leads to a palace.

In the palace are rooms made out of gems and the young woman eventually finds a young prince lying on a corpse frame (bier). On the young prince is a document that says anyone who fans him with the pearl fan and prays hor him for forty days will find her fate. The young woman remembers what the bird says and fans the young prince. On the last day, another girl comes by and our heroine asks her to fan the prince while she prepares everything for his awakening. The prince wakes up and the rival makes him believe that she was the one who fanned him for many days while the heroine is a servant. The prince has been comatose this whole time so he goes with the flow.

A Festival approaches and the young prince wants to give everyone a gift. The heroine asks for a patience-stone and patience-knife. The young prince wants to know why the heroine wants it. He watches her carve something with the patience-stone and patience-knife. The heroine recounts what happened and the stone splits by the end of it. The heroine says if a stone can't bear her life story, how can she, so she decides to commit suicide. The prince stops her and they get married.

That blasted bird sometimes visits and says, "O maid! O happy maid! You have found your kismet."

Retelling Ideas:

The heroine is tired of bird making her anxious. If she can't avoid her fate, she will confront it. She decides to catch the bird and make it tell her what he is blabbing on about with her fate. With the bird in a cage, the heroine marches right up to where the wall will appear and sees a young prince in a coma, not a dead person. She fans the prince and visitor girl appears. The prince is tricked into believing the visitor girl is his fate. The heroine tells what happened, and uses the bird as a witness. They all live happily ever after (except for the rival girl who is banished).

Image may be from a painting commissioned for the young woman who fanned him for forty days.

Week 6 Reading Notes: Turkish Fairy Tales, Part A

Image Information: Pomacanthus imperator (Emperor angelfish) juvenile Photo by Nick Hobgood. Source.

Bibliography: Excerpt from Forty-Four Turkish Fairy Tales by Ignacz Kunos. Source.

Story: Fear

A young man does not understand what fear is, so he decides to look for it. He finds robbers. The robbers are confused for why the young man is not afraid but they send him to other places, like a graveyard. The boy sees a living corpse hand but just smacks it away from his cake. The young man encounters a gathering to select a new Shah (lord). The pigeons that choose the Shah land on the young man's head. The young man and the Sultana eat food. The young man knows fear when a live bird flies out when one dish is opened. Moral of the story is that you don't look for fear, fear finds you?

Retelling Ideas:

Modern AU with one boy not knowing fear out of all of his friends. His friends try to get the boy to be afraid, using ideas from horror movies? The friends get busy trying to find new scare tactics. The boy is left alone. Maybe the boy's fear is isolation and as long as he has friends and family by him there isn't anything to be scared of?

Story: The Fish Peri

Man catches fish but it is so beautiful he doesn't want to kill it. His house gets tidied out from he is away fishing. The man secretly stays home. The beautiful fish turns into a beautiful woman, and the two get married? Noble wants to marry wife, but through wife's magic and the man following her direction, they live happily ever after.

Why did the two of them need to get married though?

Retelling Ideas: They do not get married. Maybe fish is happy to be alive and helps the man not starve to death (which was his original problem in needing a job).

Week 5 Story: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp Prequel (Now on My Portfolio)

UPDATE: This story has been chosen as an additional to my portfolio. If you would like to read the updated version, you can find it here. Please let me know what you think!

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Once upon a time, there was The Great Magician. The Great Magician was called such for his outstanding talent in the mystical arts. People from the lowest commoner to the highest king from distant lands paid respect to The Great Magician in search for his assistance.

One such traveler was a young woman who later became The Great Magician's wife. Over the years, the happy couple had three sons and became a happy family. However, grief interrupted this happiness when The Great Magician's wife died. The Great Magician wished to retire and dedicate his life to raising his sons, but he could not. Instead, The Great Magician used his vast wealth to buy everything his sons could ever be in want of, from toys to tutors. As the years passed, The Great Magician watched his sons grow into men of their own.

The eldest son, Abanoub, became a proficient magician and skilled in swordsmanship. Draped in shining armor and noble deeds, the people praised Abanoub as the protector of the land.

His second, Malik, was by far the most talented in magic matched only by his cleverness. His well-spoken manner and warm smiles became the jewel of the nobility.

His youngest, Mustapha, though not without talents, paled in comparison to in the face of his gifted brothers.

The Great Magician grew older wished to provide for his sons even after death. As per custom, The Great Magician observed his sons in secret to determine what kind of inheritance would best benefit them. However, The Great Magician soon discovered hidden sides to his sons.

Abanoub was vain. His noble deeds were performed only in times an audience would applaud him. His immaculate armor was kept clean in favor of performing acts of service.

Malik was greedy. As often as he used his charm and cleverness in proper diplomacy, Malik used them far more to speak sweet words to cheat others.

Who surprised The Great Magician most of all was Mustapha. His youngest helped those in need without a hope for a reward using magic that surpassed The Great Magician.

At The Great Magician's death, his three sons were shocked to find out the contents of the will. Mustapha had inherited most of their father's fortune, with a sum of gold to Abanoub and Malik.

The elder brothers were furious. More than the vast treasures their father owned, which included a growing garden of jewels, Abanoub and Malik desired the magical lamp and ring, which each contained a powerful genie.

In jealousy, the elder two brothers decided to kill Mustapha and split the treasures amongst themselves.

Mustapha ran once he realized what his brothers were plotting. In hopes of hiding, Mustapha sealed away his power and possessions. Thus the jewel gardens, the ring, and the lamp became hidden among the dunes of the desert.

Mustapha traveled East for many days before he settled himself in a small town in China. Over time, Mustapha began a new life as a tailor's apprentice and fell in love with his mentor's daughter. The two tailors married and months later Mustapha was ecstatic to hear that their family would soon welcome a small addition. Mustapha named his son after his father: Aladdin.

Mustapha and his family lived many happy years together, though not without its problems. It was time for Aladdin to pick up a trade; however, Aladdin did not want to. While his wife despaired over their son's laziness, Mustapha noticed Aladdin's kindness and pure desire to enjoy his childhood. One night, Mustapha resolved to talk to his wife about allowing Aladdin more time as a child, but this was not to be.

On his walk home, a shadow loomed over Mustapha. It was Abanoub on a magic carpet! Mustapha tried to escape, but without powers, he was quickly overwhelmed by Abanoub.

Abanoub knew where Mustapha had hidden his treasures; only he could not access them. Instead, Ababoub cornered Mustapha and demanded the genie of the lamp in exchange for Mustapha's life. Mustapha refused. In his fury, Abanoub murdered Mustapha and devised a plan to get his unsuspecting nephew to deliver the lamp to his father's killer.

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Author's Note:

In the original "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp," Alladin was an idle boy with a tailor father, Mustapha. The father was so sad that his son was a burden on society that he died. A magician pretended to be Mustapha's merchant brother and brought Alladin to a secret entrance which contains the jewel gardens, the genie with the ring, and the genie with the lamp. The evil magician tells Alladin to take the ring, go into the magical cave, and bring him the lamp in return for treasures.

Alladin obtains the lamp, but on his way out, the magician tells Alladin to give him the lamp already. Alladin refuses to do so while he is still in the cave. The magician traps Alladin in the cave.

Alladin rubs the lamp, and the genie from the lamp appears and saves Alladin, brings him home. Aladdin can make as many wishes as he likes from the genie. Years pass. Alladin falls in love with the princess. Eventually, Aladdin and the princess married. However, the evil magician and his younger brother still posed problems for the happy couple.

When I read the original story, I was confused for why Aladdin was chosen by the first evil magician to obtain the lamp. What more, why did the evil magician pretended to be Aladdin's uncle. How did the evil magician know that Aladdin's father was Mustapha, the tailor? I thought to myself, wouldn't it have been more interesting if Aladdin wasn't just a convenient lamp obtainer. What if Aladdin was the evil magician's nephew? What if only Aladdin could obtain the magical lamp because it was his birthright.

In the original story, Mustapha died because he was sad that Aladdin was lazy. I thought, what if Mustapha was proud of Aladdin because he had a good heart? What if Mustapha remembered his cruel brothers who lusted for power. Why would Mustapha die then? Because his brothers would return and want to obtain their late father's treasures.

From this thought process, I came up with a back story for why Aladdin was chosen to obtain the lamp and created this prequel to "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp."

Concerning names:

Mustapha was the original name of Aladdin's father, and the meaning of that name in Arabic can be "the chosen." I decided that the evil magician brothers should also have Arabic names with significance. Abanoub and Malik are both Arabic names which can be roughly translated to "King."

Bibliography:

Original Story: "Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp" from "The Arabian Nights' Entertainments" by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898). Source.

Image Information: Lamp Photo Taken by Vicki Nunn. Source.

Reading Notes: Arabian Nights, Part B

Original Story: "Alladin and the Wonderful Lamp" from "The Arabian Nights' Entertainments" by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898). Source.

Lamp Photo Taken by Vicki Nunn. Source.

Alladin was an idle boy with a tailor father. The father was so sad that his son was a burden on society that he died.

A magician pretended to be Mustapha's (Alladin's father) merchant brother and brought Alladin to a secret entrance, which has a ring on it. He tells Alladin to take the ring, go into the magical cave, and bring him the lamp in return for treasures. The secret cave has jewel trees with fruit made of riches.

Alladin takes the fruit and the lamp. If Alladin touches anything else, he will die.

On Alladin's way out, the magician tells Alladin to give him the lamp already, but Alladin refuses while he is still in the cave. The magician traps Alladin in the cave.

Alladin rubs the lamp, and the genie from the lamp appears and saves Alladin, brings him home, gives him food on silver plates. Alladin sells silver plates for money, and years pass.

Alladin falls in love with the princess. The sultan agrees but Alladin has to wait three months. Three months pass, and the princess is engaged to the grand-vizir's son.

Alladin transports the princess to him, and the grand-vizir's son away. Alladin tells the princess he is her rightful husband. The princess is understandably upset at this. This happens multiple nights. Until finally the frightened newlyweds decide to divorce.

Sultan says that Alladin can marry the princess if he shows a certain amount of wealth. Alladin agrees but shows even more wealth than asked. He builds a palace for the princess, and the princess is instantly infatuated with the handsome and finely-dressed Alladin. Alladin and the princess marry, Alladin becomes a war-hero, and they live happily for some years.

Magician remembers Alladin and sells new lamps for old. The princess doesn't know that the lamp is magic and gives the lamp to him. The palace and princess are kidnapped by the magician, and Alladin needs to complete a rescue-mission or die.

Alladin comes up with a plan and the magician dies from poisoning.

Evil magician's brother pretends to be a holy woman and tricks the princess into wanting a roc's egg. The Roc is the genie's master? Genie disappears, and the evil magician brother is stopped.
No 3 wishes limit for a genie.

Retelling Ideas:

Alladin's father was the eldest brother of the two evil magicians and the most powerful and good of the three. He gave up his magic and his power to marry and have a family. He was the owner of the magic lamp and sealed it away so only a direct descendent could open it. He wanted Alladin to inherit his power, but Alladin was lazy and showed no worthiness for his inheritance. In grief, Alladin's father dies and his secret is forgotten. The evil magician was Alladin's uncle and needed Alladin to obtain his older brother's lamp. The rest of the story continues as normal.

Reading Notes: Arabian Nights Part A

A sultan is happily married to his wife until he discovers his wife was a horrible person. The sultan determines that every woman in the world must be as horrible and so decides to marry a different woman every night and kill the bride in the morning. His right-hand man/executioner has two daughters. His eldest, Scheherazade, is as beautiful as she is clever. She comes up with a plan to tell an interesting story to be interrupted right before it is time for her execution. The sultan is enraptured by her stories she continues to delay her execution. Scheherazade's plan causes the sultan to stop killing a woman because his wife was horrible.

Retelling Ideas:

Scheherazade's thought process for why she decided to marry the Sultan and entertain him with stories with a cliffhanger so he does not kill her.

What if Scheherazade while clever, is not a good storyteller. 

What if Scheherazade was not a noblewoman, but an ordinary woman whose friends have been killed by the Sultan.

What if a determined but not-very-good storyteller Scheherazade decides to a story without an end. She made the Sultan promise not to kill her until her story was over. For days she continues the story without rest. As long as she is alive and married to the Sultan, the rest of the kingdom's women are spared.

Scheherazade knows a few good stories and practiced them, but when she runs out, she decides to tell the neverending story.

One day the Sultan asks why Scheherazade is so resolute in continuing a story. Scheherazade explains that no matter how sore her voice gets, her pain is nothing compared to the pain the Sultan has brought to their country.

Story of the Fisherman

-The fisherman's nets are weak so that is why he can only throw them 4 times a day.
-Genie and fisherman become friends

Original Story: Excerpt from "The Arabian Nights' Entertainments" by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1898). Source.

"The Story Without an End" is based on a fairy tale I read when I was younger. When I searched online, I discovered a version of it but there wasn't an author credited. Source.

"The Sultan Pardons Scheherazade" by Arthur Boyd Houghton (1836-1875). Source.

Comment Wall

"Psyché et l’Amour endormi" (1636) Painted by Peter Paul Rubens (1577–1640). Source.

Welcome to my Comment Wall! The image above is one I used for the first story I added to my portfolio: Cupid and Psyche.

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Week 4 Story: Venus' Meddling in Pluto's Love Life

In an ethereal palace beyond mortal eyes perception, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility dwelled. One day, Venus contemplated a new plan. As the deity of love, Venus' power and influence also spread with love. However, fellows from her pantheon such as Diana and Pallas had sworn off love forever. Now there were even rumors that Ceres' daughter Proserpine would follow the same path.

This trending celibacy was not to say that every god was beyond her influence. Why, with her son Cupid, Venus had already struck love into the hearts of two of the Big Three. Jupiter and Neptune may control the skies and seas, but they were as weak as anyone when it came to love. However, Pluto remained elusive in his underworld kingdom from all attempts to bestow love upon him.

This was the whole point of Venus' frustration. Love was the most wonderful experience anyone could have, yet everyone was swearing it off as a disease. Really, any interference on her part is clearly beneficial for everyone. Though the power boost is a nice bonus.

Proserpine was a fool to swear off love when she'd never experienced before. No doubt her overprotective mother Ceres played a role in her impending chaste vow. She was young and needed to explore without her mother's constant interfering. Someplace a goddess would have trouble meddling, such as the underworld where Pluto resided. As unlikely a pair as a goddess of spring and a god of the underworld would make, Proserpine and Pluto would fit well together. With that thought in mind, Venus saw a rare upper world appearance of Pluto in his chariot the upper world, with Proserpine growing flowers not too far away.

The only problem: Pluto was headed away from his would-be bride. Well, there was only one thing to do then. Venus summoned Cupid and his archery skill for this otherwise wasted opportunity. Her dutiful son took aim, and they watched gleefully as Pluto's love-struck gaze fell upon Proserpine. What they did not expect was for Pluto to immediately snatch Proserpine and make his way back to the underworld. Proserpine was, understandably confused, but as soon as she realizes how well Pluto and she fit together, the two could make a lovely couple. With their job done, Venus and Cupid relaxed with some ambrosia.

Meanwhile, miles away, the nymph Cyane was swimming with her favorite stream and looked at the calm serenity of a beautiful spring morning...until she saw that blasted chariot.

But not just any chariot. Oh no, the chariot of none other than the all-powerful Pluto, with what looked like a very unwilling maiden. Usually, Cyane wouldn't bother. A simple nymph such as her would never match the fight of one of the Big Three. However, she couldn't in good conscience, let that maiden's cries for help go unanswered.

"My lord Pluto! Stop! Stop your chariot!"

Cyane watched as Pluto's chariot slowly descended to her stream, which swiftly turned to horror as she recognized Pluto's captive for none other than Proserpine. While Cyane did not know Proserpine personally, she was familiar with her mother, Ceres, the goddess of agriculture, and her overbearing love for her daughter. Cyane's thoughts were cut off as the newly-arrived Pluto arrived.

He proudly announced, "Good day, lady nymph! I'm pleased to tell you about the big news! I'm getting married, and everyone is invited to the wedding!"

What? Pluto and Proserpine...but based on her expression, Pluto had skipped his proposal.

Cyane fumbled for a reply. "What...wonderful news...I was not aware the two of you were courting."

Pluto opened his mouth to respond, only for Proserpine to cut in. "I would also like to know what insanity has possessed you to kidnap me."

"Insanity? Why it was only with the fervent passion of love that inspire-" Proserpine's swinging fist cut off Pluto.

Cyane gaped. "Did...did you just knock lord Hades unconscious?"

"Well, it's not like he was going to made any sense with that love arrow sickness messing with his head."

"Love arrow sickness?"

"Yeah. Wake him up."

"What?"

"Splash some water on him or something."

Cyane obeyed, and the two women watched as Pluto slowly stirred back to consciousness. His eyes fluttered open, and Pluto lazily glanced around before he shot up straight.

Hades swiftly stood up and bowed, once to Proserpine and once to Cyane. "I deeply apologize for my improper behavior. Can you ever forgive me?"

Proserpine shrugged. "It's not entirely your fault. Though...if you really want to make it up to me, I want to get back at Venus for this incident."

Pluto swiftly agreed, and the two promptly began planning their revenge on Venus and Cupid. With a brief farewell, Pluto and Proserpine departed. Cyane was left alone in her stream.

At this moment, Venus and Cupid lazily snacked on ambrosia, with no inkling of the chaos approaching their gates. But really, they deserved it for trying to force love.
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Author's Note:

This story is a retelling of the myth of Hades and Persephone, with their Roman counterparts Pluto and Proserpine. One thing I changed was Pluto's name from Dis. Dis is a nickname for Dis Pater, who was the Roman god of the underworld. When the Greek and Roman gods blended, Dis Pater became synonymous with Pluto, the Roman counterpart of Hades. In the original story, the beginning is much the same. Venus, the goddess of love, wants to spread her influence and power, best done by her fellow gods and goddesses falling in love. Often, Venus orders her son Cupid to use his love arrows on many people, with not even the king of the gods Jupiter as an exception. The use of love arrows leads to many myths, particularly of Jupiter's many flings with mortals, much to the ire of his goddess wife, Juno.

However, one of the most powerful gods, Pluto, stays out of her son's range from his underworld kingdom. Another issue that Venus faces is how Pallas and Diana swore to be maidens forever, and Proserpine was planning to make the same vow. When Venus sees Pluto in the upper world, she orders Cupid to shoot a love arrow at Pluto, so he falls in love with Proserpine. Pluto whisks off with Proserpine, and the nymphs Cyane attempts to stop him.

In the original story, "attempt" is the keyword. Pluto is resolute in making Proserpine his queen, and Cyane's reasoning that kidnapping is not how to romance someone only angers him. Pluto succeeds in taking Proserpine to the underworld, and Ceres, Proserpine's mother, is devastated. Although Ceres doesn't know it was Pluto that kidnapped Proserpine, she takes away her gifts of well-growing crops and fertile land. Ceres will continue the famine until Proserpine is returned to her. As a result, Proserpine must spend some months out of the year with Ceres and the rest with Pluto. This myth is the basis for the seasons, where the winter months are when Proserpine is in the underworld.

For my retelling, I wanted to stray from a Stockholm- and lima-syndromes type situation. I decided to portray Pluto as a lovestruck fool who is eager to tell everyone about his wedding to Proserpine. This allowed Cyane to successfully delay Proserpine's kidnapping. I had Proserpine knock Pluto out because I imagined the love arrow was brainwashing Pluto to believe he is in love with Proserpine. I remembered the Avengers (2012) scene where the Black Widow breaks Hawkeye's brainwashed state via cognitive recalibration. I also figured Proserpine would be pretty angry about her attempted kidnapping and would not feel any remorse by smacking her captor.

I believe that love is the most beautiful thing a person can experience. However, I dislike Venus' methods of forcing people to fall in love. Not only should love occur naturally, but there are also many different kinds of love.

Venus is the so-called goddess of love, but her actions have created strained love if anything. Her works have played a part in wrecking Jupiter and Juno's marriage. Not to mention Venus' own infidelity, where she continually cheats on her husband Vulcan with the much more handsome Mars. In her part in the myth of Pluto and Proserpine, Venus fabricates romantic love and ignores familial love. If Venus didn't cause Pluto to suddenly fall in love with Proserpine, the situation of Ceres' famine and Proserpine's constant moving could have been avoided. Instead, Proserpine is torn between her two most precious people, and Ceres and Pluto have to deal with the sadness of a long-distance relationship with Proserpine.

Bibliography:

Original Story: Excerpt from Ovid's epic Metamorphoses, translated into English by Tony Kline. Source.

Image Information: The Abduction of Proserpina (1632) Painted by Rembrandt van Rijn. Source.

Reading Notes:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Books 5-7), Part B

Bibliography: Excerpt from Ovid's epic Metamorphoses, translated into English by Tony Kline. Source.

Jason wants King Aeetus, of Aea, to return the golden fleece. King Aeetus plans on giving Jason and his men many hard tasks, when his daughter, Medea, becomes obsessed with Jason. Medea knows that her infatuation is unreasonable seeing as she doesn't know him at all. However, Medea can't stand the thought of her being cruel enough to let Jason die a horrible death. Medea decides whether to commit treason to help Jason. She trusts that Jason will remember her helping him and will marry her instead of ditching her at the last second.

Medea imagines glory as Jason's "savior" by helping him. She believes that she is not giving up on everything for a chance at a man because her country and family weren't as good as she thought they were. Medea tries to reason with herself that committing treason is, in fact, a bad idea. She snaps out of her infatuation nonsense wins a match with Cupid.

However, once Medea sees Jason again, love winds logic and Medea decides to commit treason to help Jason. Jason promises to remember Medea's help and marry her. Jason wins the golden fleece, and the two leave Aea and marry. Medea is an amazing wife who even expands Jason's father lifespan. And what does Jason do? He dumps her for another princess: Glauce, the daughter of King Creon of Corinth. Medea is upset and goes on a rampage.

Retelling Ideas:

Medea was being manipulated by the gods to fall in love with Jason, only for Jason to fall for another girl. The gods should have made either both of them fall in love or have them team up without forcing emotion.

Medea by Evelyn de Morgan. Source.

Reading Notes:Ovid's Metamorphoses (Books 5-7), Part A

Bibliography: Excerpt from Ovid's epic Metamorphoses, translated into English by Tony Kline. Source.

Dis has a possible security threat from a trapped giant, causing an Earthquake. He leaves the underworld and checks things out. Venus notices Dis and tells Cupid to make Dis fall in love with Proserpine with one of his love arrows. The logic being that having all the top three gods be affected by Cupid's arrow spread's Venus' influence. The more love there is, the more power Venus has.

The newly infatuated Dis kidnaps Proserpine against her will. Proserpine screams for help, but Dis continues the kidnapping with his chariot.

On the way to the underworld entrance, a nymph notices the chariot. Cyane sees Dis and Proserpine and sees that Proserpine is being kidnapped. She tells Dis that kidnapping is not how you romance someone. She recalls how she married Anapis because he communicated like a normal person instead of using force like a brute. She tries to stop Dis, but Dis only gets angry and is not swayed.

Proserpine's mother Ceres looks for Proserpine and discovers she has been kidnapped, but not by whom. Ceres starts a famine.

Retelling Ideas:

Dis wants Proserpine to love him and listens to Cyane.

Dis realizes that he was affected by a love arrow apologizes to Proserpine. The three decide to get revenge Venus and Cupid. Proserpine returns to Ceres to stop the famine. Dis and Proserpine decide they made a pretty good team.

Venus forgets the natural familial love between Ceres and Proserpine and instead forces infatuation on people.

Moral of the story: Love happens naturally or otherwise, is best left alone

The Abduction of Proserpina (1632) Painted by Rembrandt van Rijn. Source.