Week 13 Storytelling: The Mongoose Tells a Story

There was once a very rich man who lived a very lonely life. From the outside looking in, he appeared to have it all. He had a nice house, fancy cars, and a successful career. However, he had no family to share all of his treasures with. Because of this, he felt very poor. He decided that he would know no greater joy than to share his possessions, but with whom?

He sat on a busy street, and dressed himself in rags. Men and women in business suits passed by and scoffed at him. “Get up and find a job,” they’d say. Other people who passed him ignored him altogether, he felt as if he was invisible. He peered across the street, and could see through a window of a small apartment. A mother was packing lunches, and appeared to be using the last of her loaf of bread. She cut the last slice of bread in half, and gave one to each of her two children. He noticed a single tear fall down the mother’s cheek as she hugged her children goodbye for the day. The kids kissed their mother, and cheerfully sped out the door to walk to school.

The children walked past the rich man dressed as a beggar and stopped. “What are you doing out here, sir? It’s cold and rainy!” The man replied, “I have fallen on some hard times and have nowhere else to go. I am hungry and lonely, and thought I would sit here and beg for someone to help me.” One of the children replied, “We can help you!” and handed the man her lunch, which was comprised of only a half-slice of bread. The other child followed suit, and wished the man well. Tears welled in the man’s eyes. Never had anyone moved him so greatly.

After the kids hurried off to school, the man walked over to their apartment. Their mother greeted him at the door, and he explained the situation that had occurred with her children. He then reached for his checkbook, filled out a check, tore it out, and handed it to the mother. The mother took the check and stared for a long while. She then stared at the man, and then back and forth between the man and the check. After a few moments of this, the woman fainted.

The rich man indeed felt rich that day, although his bank account had decreased by about 90%. He of course, helped revive the woman, and they went on to become dear friends. 

Toast-1,

Author: Rainer Zenz, Date: Not listed, Source: Wikimedia

Author's Note: 

In this week's portion of my reading, a mongoose appears and tells a story to Yudhishthira and his kingdom. In his story, he witnesses a very poor family who shares the very last of their food with a traveler. Ultimately, after the family blesses the traveler, the mongoose witnesses the family be escorted up to a heavenly place in a beautiful chariot. I essentially re-told what the mongoose witnessed in a different way. In this version, the poor family receives a large amount of money in the end, and the story takes place in a more modern setting. 

Bibliography:

Mahabharta retold by William Buck and illustrated by Shirley Triest, 1973. Print.

Storytelling Week 12: In Hiding

Arjuna understood that Urvashi’s curse would ultimately end up being a blessing. He needed an impenetrable disguise for this final year of exile, and who would ever believe that a woman teaching dance classes was actually one of the most masculine warriors of their generation? This was the eve of the first day of their last year in exile. Tomorrow, Urvashi’s curse would go into effect. Deep down, Arjuna knew it was all for the best…. But he couldn’t help but be a little nervous and anxious.

Arjuna had never even thought about what life would be like as a woman. How would he fit into this role? Would he like it? This wasn’t just going to be a day of playing dress-up; Arjuna would take on this alternate personality for an entire year. Would Draupadi still be attracted to him? Would she still love him? What if he fell in love with a man? What would people think about him once the year was up? Would Arjuna forever be mocked as the man who spent a year teaching dance?

These questions continued to cycle through Arjuna’s mind. He tossed and turned all night, afraid to fall asleep because he knew he would wake up a different person. He decided to get up and walk around. He tip-toed over to Draupadi’s bed, and began to stroke her beautiful hair. Draupadi awoke, and could immediately sense the uneasiness in her husband’s heart. She turned to him and told him before he could ask, “I will love you forever Arjuna, no matter what happens tomorrow.” Arjuna breathed a sigh of relief. He kissed her forehead and wept. What had this beautiful princess done to deserve so many years of exile? It wasn’t fair. As if she could hear his thoughts, Draupadi responded, “I count myself the luckiest woman in the world to have not one, but five brave and caring husbands. I would go through a hundred more years of exile if it meant I could spend just one more day with the Pandava brothers.” Arjuna smiled, and made his way back to his bed.

He felt himself drifting off to sleep. Draupadi’s warm words replayed in his mind and melted away all of his concerns of the future. His dreams that night were vivid and exciting.

Arjuna awoke in the morning feeling wonderful and giddy. She saw beauty in the world around her that she had never noticed before. The beauty of her surroundings, her loved ones, and all of her blessings overwhelmed her with happiness. The only way she could externally express what she was feeling, was to dance. Arjuna was excited for the year that would unfold before her. 

Urvashi curses Arjuna,

Author: Ramanarayanadatta astri, Date: acquired in 1965, Source: Wikimedia

Author's Note:
In my opinion, the most interesting portion of my reading assignment for this week was the year that the Pandava family spent in exile. I couldn't help but wonder what it would feel like to take on such a new and different identity. Specifically, I thought about Arjuna who would take on the role of a woman. I imagined that this would be intimidating and scary for him, and began to wonder what it would feel like the night before his "transformation" would occur. I figured an entire story could be created describing Arjuna's transformation alone.

Bibliography:
Mahabharta retold by William Buck and illustrated by Shirley Triest, 1973. Print.

Week 11 Storytelling: Savitri Outsmarts Death

Savitri was incredibly smart and kind. She always had been the smartest person in her class, ever since she was little. She would never admit to it or brag about it, but everyone knew. It was no different for her when she started medical school. She was among some of the brightest minds in the nation, but she still outshined all of her classmates. Savitri had always been single, and this was one purpose. She didn’t see the need for a relationship before she had established herself.  It was well known among her classmates that she wasn’t interested in romance.
In her third year of medical school, Savitri confided in her best friend that she might be ready to find love. Well, Savitri’s friend told a couple people… and they told a couple people, and after a few days the whole school knew that Savitri might be ready to date. Savitri asked a few boys out for dinner, and they were all very nice. However, none of the first dates led to a second. That was until she met Satyavan.
Satyavan was wise, thoughtful, and kind. He was unlike any man she had ever met. The two began going on dates almost every weekend. Before long, Savitri knew that she had found the man she would marry. As Satyavan started to realize that their relationship was getting more serious, he knew he had to be completely honest with her. He pulled her aside one day and sat her down in private to talk. He told her about the rare disease he was diagnosed with a few months before they started dating. Unfortunately, his doctors said he only had one year to live.
Savitri was devastated, but it didn’t prevent her from loving him. The two were married the following week and began their life together. Savitri dedicated her life to her work. She was working on a big research project- she hoped to find the cure for Satyavan’s disease. She had a sense of urgency that her colleagues couldn’t replicate- her intensity was unparalleled. She researched, experimented, and developed a treatment for animal trial within 8 months. The treatment was successful, but it would take many more months, if not years, for the FDA to approve a human trial. Savitri was running out of time, and Satyavan grew weaker with each passing week. Savitri knew what she had to do. It went against all of the rules, but at this point she didn’t care. She began administering the treatment to Satyavan in secret in their home on the day that his year would’ve been up. Slowly but surely, Satyavan began to rebuild his strength. His doctors were amazed by his progress, and claimed that it had to have been a miracle that saved his life. Satyavan grinned, and glanced over at his wife. “I couldn’t agree more,” he responded.
In the following year, Savitri’s treatment was approved made available to the public. Savitri and Satyavan went on to live a long and happy life together.

Illustration of a hypodermic needle,

Author: zeimusu, Date: Not listed, Source: Free Stock Photos

Author’s Note:

In the original story Savitri gets to take her pick of who will be her husband, and she chooses a man who only has one year to live. These details of the story have remained the same. However, this version of the story takes place in a modern setting. Instead of Savitri literally outsmarting the lord of death, she uses her smarts to prevent the death of her husband by creating a cure for his disease. 

Bibliography:

Mahabharta retold by William Buck and illustrated by Shirley Triest, 1973. Print.

Storytelling Week 10: Do I know you from somewhere?

//23 years ago//

Kunti was young, beautiful, and full of life. She was madly in love with someone she barely knew. Actually, love may not exactly be the right word. Kunti was obsessed with Surya. Kunti was a sophomore in high school, and Surya was a senior. To her, he was a god. The two finally met one night at a party; it was as magical as she had imagined it would be. Well, one thing led to another and nine months later Kunti gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, Karna.

Kunti knew the baby deserved a better life than she could provide for him at such a young age. She decided to put the baby up for adoption, and tried to move forward with her life.

//Present day//

“Mom, I can’t believe you drove all the way up for this, you really didn’t have to do that,” Arjuna insisted to his mom, Kunti. “Are you suggesting that I miss my sons’ most important college basketball game? Against their biggest rival? I wouldn’t miss it for the world sweetheart!” Kunti replied.

Arjuna and his brothers, also known as the Pandavas, had already become quite the campus celebrities … and they were only freshman! First of all, people were intrigued by them. Nobody at the school had ever seen quintuplets before! Also, the five brothers were as handsome as could be, and so kind to everyone they met. Finally, and this is the most amazing part, all five of them were incredibly talented, and were in the starting lineup for the school’s basketball team. That’s right, that means at every game it was the other school versus the Pandava brothers.

The boys were so excited to have their mom in town to watch their big game. She got to the courts early and waved at her boys. Her face beamed with pride as she watched them warmup. The opposing team made their way to the courts. They started to announce the starting lineups for each of the teams. The Pandavas walked out on the courts and started waving to the cheering crowd. When the opposing team was walking out on the court, the announcer made special notice of a walk-on who recently joined the team and made his way to the starting lineup-an impressive accomplishment! The walk-on player’s name was Karna. As soon as his name was announced, Kunti’s face turned white. The Pandava brothers all looked at each other puzzled. They were all having the same feeling. They whispered to one another, and then looked back at Karna. They couldn’t explain why, but they all felt like they had seen Karna before.  He looked so familiar to them. Arjuna was so perplexed, he couldn’t help himself. He walked right up to Karna right before the game was about to start and ask, “Do I know you from somewhere?”

Basketball through hoop,

Author: Airman 1st Class Kerelin Molina, Date: 2009, Source: Wikimedia

Author’s note:

An interesting detail I found in Buck’s version of the Mahabharata that I didn’t find in other versions, was that Arjuna had a feeling that he knew Karna. I thought an entire story could be developed from this one detail. I tried to ask myself, what would it feel like to meet and recognize your long lost brother? I tried to make the story more modern, so many details of the original story were altered. For example, in this version Kunti had Karna in high school, and the “competition” where the Pandava brothers first met Karna was a basketball game. 

Bibliography:

Mahabharta retold by William Buck and illustrated by Shirley Triest, 1973. Print.

Week 9 Storytelling: Drona Misunderstands

Bhima and Ashwatthaman were in the 5^th grade, and had been in the same class since they were in kindergarten. Bhima thought that Ashwatthaman had the coolest name when they were little, so he named his favorite toy elephant after him. Bhima took that stuffed animal with him EVERYWHERE. As Bhima got older, it became slightly more unusual for him to carry it around. His parents were starting to get worried that his classmates would tease him, so they took the stuffed animal away. They explained to Bhima, “We are taking your toy. We know you don’t understand why now, but you will thank us when you’re older. We can’t tell you where we’re taking him- it is going to stay a secret for now.” Bhima was upset to say the least; he felt like he had lost a friend.

Ashwatthaman’s dad, Mr. Drona, was walking into the school to pick up his son when he saw Bhima pouting outside of the classroom. “What’s wrong?” he asked. Bhima replied, “My parents said I’m not allowed to play with Ashwatthaman anymore.” Mr. Drona was shocked and appalled, “Why on earth would they make up a rule like that?” Bhima began to cry, “I don’t know… they just… they just… took him away. They locked him up somewhere, and they won’t tell me where to find him!” Mr. Drona’s annoyance now turned into intense fear. He thought Bhima’s parents had kidnapped his son.

He ran to the principal’s office and explained what Bhima had told him. Mr. Drona was frantic and sweaty. He was just about ready to call the police! The principal, however, seemed calm and collected, “Kids can have the wildest imaginations. Before we go accusing parents of kidnapping, let’s check with Ashwatthaman’s teacher to see if he’s okay.”

Sure enough, Ashwatthaman was safe and sound waiting patiently in his classroom to be picked up. Mr. Drona was just relieved that his son was safe. The pair began to exit the building when Bhima rushed up to them. Mr. Drona was about to scold Bhima for giving him such a fright. Before he could shake his finger, Bhima proudly lifted up a raggedy stuffed animal. “Look Mr. Drona! My mom said I could play with Ashwatthaman after school,” he explained. Suddenly things became a lot clearer to Mr. Drona. He patted Bhima on the head, and chuckled as he walked out of the building. 

Elephant toy,

Author: Pixabay user jarmoluk, Date: 2014, Source: Pixabay

Author's Note:

In the original version of the story, Drona is tricked into thinking his son died after Bhima kills an elephant who shares the same name as Ashwatthaman. I wanted to make the story a little more light-hearted, so instead of a real elephant being killed a stuffed animal has gone missing. Also, in my version of the story, although Drona thinks his son is missing, it is only for a brief moment. Here, Drona ends up realizing what Bhima really meant by the end. Also, in the original version of the story Bhima was intentionally being deceptive, while in this version the misunderstanding was an honest mistake. I've been babysitting and tutoring a lot lately, and have come to realize that kids can say the funniest things. I wanted to incorporate some of that childlike humor in my story. 

Bibliography:

"Death of Drona" by Sister Nivedita, from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists (1914). Web source: here

Peter Brook's Mahabharata (1989). Web source: here

Week 7 Storytelling- Amba

There once was a college student named Amba. Amba was beautiful and kind, but beared a great secret. Amba was a lesbian, and she felt like she could not come out to any of her friends or family. Amba was in love with a girl named Priya. Their love was true and steadfast, however, very secretive. Amba’s parents were very traditional. They already had someone in mind for Amba to marry. He was perfect. His name was Bhishma. Bhishma was going to be a doctor, he came from a great family, and nobody could say a bad thing about him.

Amba’s parents arranged for the two to meet each other’s families.  A date was then arranged for the two to spend time together with a chaperon. The date was lovely- they started with a walk in the park, they ate pizza at a local bistro, and were concluding the afternoon with a trip to the movies. On their walk to the movies, Amba pulled Bhishma aside. They were far enough away from the chaperon to have a private conversation. Amba confessed to Bhishma that she had no desire to marry him, and was in love with someone else. Bhishma was noticeably saddened by this news, but, alas, he was a good person. He told Amba to follow her heart. He also told her that he would break the news to their parents that the two of them had decided to part ways. Amba was relieved by his understanding.

Whisper

Author: Alejandro Tuzzi, Date: 2015, Source: Pixabay

The next day, Amba explained the whole situation to Priya. Priya was annoyed to say the least. “You still haven’t told your parents about us??? Are you so ashamed of me?? I cannot be with someone who doesn’t know how to be honest. I can’t believe you would go on a ‘fake’ date with someone just to please your parents. This relationship is over.”

Amba was devastated. She couldn’t please her parents, and she couldn’t be with the person she loved the most. For some reason, she was most angry at Bhishma. If Bhisma was never in the picture, her parents would not have tried to set her up. Priya would not have gotten upset, and everything would still be normal. Bhishma was the root of all of her problems. And she would get revenge. She didn’t have anything else to live for- no Priya and no parents. She only had one desire that consumed her. Making Bhishma pay.

Author's Note: This week we re-read the Mahabharata in a new way. I chose to watch the movie version of this epic. The actress who played Amba did a wonderful job. She was so devastated by her circumstances, but also became so determined and passionate because of them. I wanted to express this character in a modern interpretation. I asked myself, how might a situation like this arise today?

Bibliography:

"Amba" by Sister Nivedita, from Myths of the Hindus and Buddhists (1914). Web source: here

Peter Brook's Mahabharata (1989). Web source: here

Storytelling Week 6- Brothers Face a Riddle

There were once five brothers with the last name of Pandava who were always competing with each other in sports. They loved to play football, soccer, tennis, and run in races against each other. The five of them had been like this for as long as they could remember. Sometimes the oldest brother would win, other times the youngest. Nobody really kept a long term record of who was the “most winningest” brother. It was all just for fun.

One day the brothers were at camp and had just finished a game of basketball when they came across a man sitting by a water jug. There were lots of water stations set up around the camp, so the brothers approached this one because it was the closest. The man by the jug said to them, “The first one to drink the water will not really be the first. It is a competition. Who will be the first to drink the water?”

One of the brothers named Nakula replied, “I don’t have time for your word games old man, I’m thirsty! Move over everyone. I’ll show you exactly who will be first!” Nakula helped himself to the water and immediately spat it out as if he had just drunk a bitter poison. The man looked knowingly at Nakula, and smirked at the remaining brothers.

Sahadeva was the next in line. He looked at his brother with sympathy and said, “C’mon Nakula, everyone knows the old saying ‘first is the worst, second is the best’. Therefore I will be the winner of the water if I am served second.” The man complied with Sahadeva’s request and served him a glass of the water. Similar to Nakula, Sahadeva also spat out the water in disgust.

This happened again for Arjuna and Bhima. Nobody could quench their thirst with the water from the jug. The boys were about to leave and find another place to get a drink, but the man stopped them and asked, “Yudhishthira, why have you not attempted to solve the riddle? Aren’t you thirsty as well?” Yudhishthira quietly responded, “There is an old teaching that says those who are first will be last and those who are last will be first. Therefore, I will wait to see if anyone else wants a drink before I drink.”

The man smiled at Yudhishthira’s wisdom. He responded, “I see no one else in line,” and handed Yudhishthira a bottle of water from behind the jug. The water was clean and refreshing. Yudhishthira only drank a small sip and then passed it around to his brothers. There was plenty to go around, and Yudhishthira was praised for his wisdom.

Water Pour Jug Pouring Liquid

Author: Not Listed, Date: 2014, Source: Pixabay

Author's Note: This story is an adaptation from the story about the Pandava brothers facing a riddle at the lake in our reading this week. I chose to make the characters more modern so the story would be more relatable. I added in the detail about the brothers being competitive so that the reader would feel like they know the characters better. Instead of dying by drinking the water, the brothers were simply given bad water. In both my version and the original story, Yudhishthira proves to be the most wise and patient brother, and is the only one who is able to answer the riddle. However, in this version the "wisdom" is taken from teachings of Christianity when Jesus preaches that those who are first will be last and vice versa.

Bibliography:

"Riddles at the Lake" by Donald A. Mackenzie, from Indian Myth and Legend (1913). Web source: here 

Week 5 Storytelling Kunti and Karna

There once was a teenager named Kunti. She had a spotless reputation and was set up for success. The world was her oyster! She had endless opportunities in front of her, and more resources than she could ask for. She worked hard in school, played sports, and had great friends and family. That’s why she couldn’t even bear the thought of what had happened to her. She kept imaging the look on her parents’ faces when she told them she was pregnant.

She couldn’t go through with it. Honestly, it wouldn’t be fair to her or the child. What did she know about being a mother? Would she resent the baby for changing the whole course of her life? She knew there were families out there who were so desperate for children, and she knew that she was in no way equipped to be a mom. Kunti was a small thin girl, and could hide the pregnancy fairly well at first with baggy sweaters and oversized t-shirts. However, as her belly grew, so did her worries. She knew she had to find the right family for her baby and fast.

One of her good friends, Jane, worked as a receptionist at the local fertility clinic. One evening Jane and Kunti passed a beautiful, yet disheartened couple at the movie theater. Jane greeted the couple, and they did their best to smile back at her. Jane turned to Kunti and said, “Sometimes the work at my office is the most rewarding work in the world. And other times, well… things just don’t work out.” Kunti realized the couple must have come in for treatment at the clinic, but were still unable to have a child. A light bulb went off in Kunti’s head. Kunti replied, “Uhhh…. I forgot I have to go home for something… bye!!” and ran out of the theater.

Kunti followed the couple at a safe distance. They walked all the way to their cozy home. It wasn’t much, but it was well taken care of. It wasn’t big, but Kunti could tell it was full of love. Kunti peaked in the window, and saw the wife sobbing in her husband’s arms. Kunti knew these people would be amazing parents to her son.

Towards the end of her pregnancy, Kunti couldn’t hide her belly any longer. She forged a letter from the “Society of Science-Minded Women” which said she’d been accepted to a three-month long conference in Washington, DC. Her parents gave her enough money for the trip, and Kunti set up camp at a small motel about an hour away. Finally the day came, and Kunti gave birth to her beautiful son, and named him Karna.

Kunti cleaned up the baby, and wrapped him in sheets from the hotel. She rushed to the beautiful couple’s home. She laid Karna on their doorstep, rang their doorbell, and hid. The couple came out, confused, but overjoyed. They knew this child was to be theirs.

Author's Note;

This is a story that has been told in many different ways and in many different cultures. When I first read this story, I was reminded of Moses being laid in the river by his mother. Various circumstances can lead a woman or a couple to adoption, and many happy families are created because of adoption. In this story, Jane takes the place of the river. She is the one who leads Karna to the family that is destined to raise him. The beautiful couple is obviously a representation of Radha and Adhiratha. I added more details about concealing the pregnancy that were left out in my reading. I left out exactly how Kunti became pregnant, because I wanted the story to focus more on Kunti and Karna.

Boon of Indra to Kunti,

Date unknown, Author: Ramnadayandatta Shastri Pandey, Source: Wikimedia

Bibliography:

"Kunti and Her Son" by Donald A. Mackenzie, from Indian Myth and Legend (1913). Web Source: here

Storytelling Week 4- The Unforgiving Rama

Sita didn’t understand what she had done wrong. She and Rama had been dating since their freshman year of high school. Their relationship was perfect; she didn’t know it was possible to be so in love. Sure, they had gone through hard times. Rama’s parents went through a painful separation and then his dad died shortly after, but Sita stayed with him through it all. Then there was the situation with Sita’s stalker. Ravana started following Sita home after school when they were juniors. Rama couldn’t stand Ravana, and he tried to protect Sita as best as he could. Ravana wouldn’t mess with her when Rama was around, but Rama couldn’t be around her constantly. One afternoon, Ravana grabbed Sita and took her home with him. Nobody could find Sita for two days, but the police finally found her passed out at Ravana’s house after Rama continued to insist that they get a search warrant.

Sita couldn’t remember what had happened to her in those two days, but people at school started to guess what he could have done to her. Some of the rumors that were spread were graphic and embarrassing for Sita. At least she knew Rama was always by her side… or so she thought so. Rama was also embarrassed by the rumors, and didn’t act the same around Sita anymore. He treated her like she had been contaminated. He couldn’t bear the thought of that freak touching her. He also became paranoid that she might have been impregnated. He asked her one day, “What would I do with that animal’s child? Raise it as my own? Yeah right!” Sita was already having a hard enough time coping with those two traumatic days. She thought Rama would make her feel better, but he only made everything worse. In her eyes, however, this was just another obstacle they would overcome… she knew it would make their relationship stronger in the end, just like everything else they had gone through. She loved Rama with everything she had, and knew she always would. Rama, however, saw it differently. This had changed everything; he could not see Sita as the same sweet innocent girl he loved anymore. He needed a way for her to somehow prove she was the same to him. He obsessed about the status of her purity, and even convinced himself Sita might have developed feelings for Ravana. Sita wanted to move forward from the whole mess, but she didn’t know if Rama would allow that to happen. She felt guilty all of the time, but she couldn’t put her finger on what she did wrong.

Broken heart symbol,

Author not listed, Source: Wikimedia

Author’s Note:

I watched the movie, Sita Sings the Blues by Nina Paley this week for my reading assignment. In the movie, more emphasis is placed on Sita’s purity being questioned. Rama was obsessed with what other people thought of him, and couldn’t stand other people questioning the loyalty of his wife. I tried to think about what this might look like in today’s society, so I told the story as if Rama and Sita were high school sweethearts.

Bibliography:

"Sita Sings the Blues" by Nina Paley (2008). Source: Youtube

Week 3 Storytelling- Golden Deer, Golden Purse

They were madly in love, and crazy poor. Everyone told them they were crazy for getting married so young. Both were working late nights to put themselves through school. They were exhausted and in an unfamiliar place, but they couldn’t be any happier. Max wanted to give Charlotte everything though. He knew she had given up a lot of amazing things to be with him. She came from a very wealthy family and was used to the finer things in life. Charlotte didn’t care about those things anymore, but she couldn’t help but stop and peak in the window at a few of the boutiques she used to shop at. There was one purse in particular that caught her eyes, it shimmered all over with gold beading. She would quickly look away and wince after noticing the price tag. Max noticed the look in her eyes when she saw that purse. For some reason, he wanted nothing more than to get it for her.

Max started taking on even later shifts at his job to try to save money. He told himself, “If I could just get that purse for her, she would really know how much I appreciate her.”

Image: Pouch-iPurse -gold 4,

Author: Ipurse, Source: Wikimedia

Charlotte was confused as to why Max was gone so late all of the time. The couple started spending less and less time together. At first Charlotte didn’t say anything. She tried to be strong for them, and figured Max maybe just needed some space. Max kept taking up more shifts, and Charlotte kept missing him more and more. Finally, one day he had earned enough money to buy the purse. He couldn’t contain his excitement. He rushed home after his last late shift. He had been working so many hours, he started counting in his head the extra hours he’d put in that week. He was so exhausted. He kept thinking about how wonderful it would be to give Charlotte her present, and fall right asleep. Now that he was thinking about it, he hadn’t actually slept in a few days. His eyelids grew heavy. He knew he was almost home, he could make it. He kept thinking of Charlotte… dreaming of her.

He woke up in the hospital the next morning. Charlotte was draped over his chest weeping. She explained to him that he had fallen asleep at the wheel. Her tears of anxiety were beginning to turn into tears of joy and relief as Max came to.

Author’s Note

This story is based off of a portion of R.K. Narayan’s The Ramayana A Shortened Modern Prosed Version of the Indian Epic. In one story, Rama chases after the golden deer that Sita found and asked for. Rama wants to give Sita everything she asks for, since she has done so much for him- Sita chose to follow Rama out into the forest when he was wrongfully exiled. Unfortunately, the deer turned out to be a trap set up by Ravana. Once Rama was lured away by the deer, Ravana was able to kidnap Sita.

Max is like Rama, but instead of leading his wife out into the forest Max had led his wife to a poor life. I tried to think of ways that people today have pure motives for their actions, and want to please the one they love, but end up doing more harm than good. In this story, Max would never feel good enough for his wife until he could provide a worthy present for her. By the end of the story, however, you can imagine that Charlotte wished she had never even laid eyes on that purse. Both Max and Rama just wanted to make their wives happy, but in the end it wasn’t worth the price they ultimately paid.

Bibliography

Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. London: Penguin Classics, 2006. Print.

Week 2 Storytellling- Caught in a Poisoned Pond

There once was a boy named Meach who lived in Brooklyn, Ney York. He was bad as a kid, but it was only because he didn’t know any better. His dad wasn’t allowed to spend time with him, and his mom was always gone working. He made friends with some older guys on his block. It was nice to feel like he fit in, and to know people cared about him. They were always up to no good. It started out with minor vandalism, spray painting their school and stealing traffic signs. Then they started to send Meach into stores to steal candy for them. He was so small and sweet-looking that store clerks usually just looked the other way in pitty. As they got older, they had an opportunity to join a gang. They praised Meach for getting invited; he’d be the youngest member they’d ever initiated. He’d be stupid not to join. Meach joined, but was starting to worry about his so-called friends. Their criminal acts were becoming more and more violent. Meach didn’t feel as bad when his actions didn’t hurt others, but now he was seeing shootings and muggings his gang members were a part of. Meach wanted out, and secluded himself for as long as he could to avoid the gang. The members took noticed and were worried Meach would start to rat them out. They wanted Meach to prove his commitment to the gang, and said he had to mug someone by the end of the week, or else. Meach knew what or else meant, he had heard the whispers calling him a rat. He had seen what they’d done to other so-called rats before. Ultimately, Meach did what he had to do.

“I am like a fish in a poisoned pond. Sooner or later I am bound to die, whether I stay in it or get out of it.” (The Ramayana A Shortened Prose Version of the Indian Epic by, R.K. Narayan)

He wished he didn’t have to, but he felt as though he didn’t have a choice. Even though Meach was still young, he felt old and tired. He had little hope for his own future, and barely had a will to survive. However, his will to survive was great enough to comply with the gang’s request. Meach secretly hoped that he would be arrested while he mugged that man. He even chose a strong and young man to attack in hopes that good could still somehow prevail, and the man would get away. The man he chose wasn’t going down without a fight. Even though Meach brought weapons, this man was stronger with just his two fists. Meach’s friends, watching nearby, eventually came in to help Meach.

Author’s Note

This story is a modern interpretation of a portion of our reading from R.K. Narayan’s The Ramayana A Shortened Prose Version of the Indian Epic. In the original story Ravana, who is a powerful and mighty being and the enemy of Rama, approaches his uncle Mareecha for help kidnapping Rama’s wife Stia. Ravana’s family and followers are known for their power and violence, but Mareecha has been trying to turn away from that lifestyle and pursue peace. Ultimately, Mareecha is forced to choose between his own death and assisting Ravana in the kidnapping of Sita.

I chose convert this story to a modern setting, because the group of demons described as Ravana’s “family” is very similar to a violent gang. Meach is based off the character Mareecha, and the members of the gang as a whole represent Ravana. In this story Meach was by no means a saint, but at least he was developing a desire to stay away from crime. Unfortunately Meach, like Mareecha, is too far in with the wrong crowd, and has to choose between assisting in evil schemes or death. The strong young man he attacks is representative of Rama. When reading for this class I wondered if Mareecha was secretly cheering for Rama even though he was helping Ravana, so I chose to include this element in my story. 

Rama and Laksmana Confront the Demons Marica and Subahu,

Original publication: 1597-1605, Author not listed, Source: Wikipedia

Bibliography

Narayan, R. K. The Ramayana A Shortened Modern Prose Version of the Indian Epic. London: Penguin Classics, 2006. Print.

Week 1 Storytelling:Little Bo-Peep and her Precious Sheep

There once was a young lady who stood less than five feet tall named Bo-Peep. Her big brown eyes took up most of her face, and gleamed with hope and sunshine. She was so precious and lovely that no person could dare do her harm. Because of this, her parents allowed her to keep track of their sheep. Any robber who came to take their sheep would take one look at little Bo-Peep, and have their heart of stone melted to a soft mush. They would swiftly walk away doing no harm to the property.

Bo-Peep took her responsibility of taking care of the sheep very seriously. So seriously, she began to view them as her own children. She smothered the sheep with love, almost to a fault. The sheep began to feel suffocated under her care. One day the sheep decided they needed to get away, if only for a little while. They snuck away while Bo-Peep went inside the house to fetch her lunch.

LITTLE Bo-Peep has lost her sheep,
And can't tell where to find them;
Leave them alone, and they'll come home,
And bring their tails behind them.

Young girl holding onto sheep

Photo author unknown, circa 1940. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Bo-Peep returned outside to find her beloved sheep missing. She broke down and cried; tears ran down her face until her clothes became soaked. She cried so hard that she became exhausted, and fell asleep early that evening. She woke up every few hours to check if they had come back, but found herself still alone each time.

Little Bo-peep fell fast asleep,
And dreamt she heard them bleating;
But when she awoke, she found it a joke,
For they were still a-fleeting.

Meanwhile the sheep were enjoying their adventure. They stayed out late, and found a man with crooked teeth to play cards with. He fed them fine food, and brought out his best drinks. He offered them warm baths, and scrubbed them each until their coats were fluffy and white. The sheep picked up on card games quickly, and even learned how to gamble with stones the man with crooked teeth passed out to each of them. He then made them a bet, for their wool and their tails, which the sheep could not resist.

Bo-Peep awoke in the morning feeling determined to find her little loves. She set out for a long journey, and walked for miles until she no longer recognized her surroundings. Finally she found them all in a ditch. They were bald, cold, dirty, shaking, and bleeding where their tails had once been. They wailed out their apologies, and vowed to never leave her again. Bo-Peep was devastated, and felt like she had failed her flock. From then on Bo-Peep’s heart ached each time she looked at their little nub tails. She often wondered if she’d ever find a way to forgive herself.

Then up she took her little crook,
Determin'd for to find them;
She found them indeed, but it made her heart bleed,
For they'd left all their tails behind 'em.

Author’s Notes and Bibliography

The story written above is based off the nursery rhyme, “Little Bo-Peep” which is quoted in italics throughout the story. You can find this nursery rhyme in The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Lang (1897). The rhyme is simply about a little girl who looses her sheep, and finds them again without their tails. I tried to think of reasons the sheep might have run away from home, and began to think of Bo-Peep as a type of controlling helicopter parent. Following that same train of thought, I considered what sometimes happens to kids who are sheltered by those types of parents once they get to college. Sometimes they go wild with their first real taste of freedom, and learn some life lessons the hard way.