Reflections

I did not know what to expect when taking an online class, I kind of thought it would be easy and I wouldn't take away a lot from it, but I was wrong about both of those things. I had a very rough start... and middle, but a strong finish.
One thing that I am most proud of in this class is my storybook. It was another one of those things I had a rough start on, but I really enjoy the way it turned out. Its so fun to retell stories in first person, as the people who actually lived the story. I did a lot of research on the characters in my storybook so I could write with the same attitude that they would have. There wasn't much information on Andromeda, so it was cool making up a personality for her. Medea was defiantly a fun character to write as, but a little scary. She was pretty ruthless, but a lot of mythological characters are. Engagement stories always make me cry, because I am a huge softy, and I am glad I could make my own engagement story website.
The storytelling was also one of my favorite aspects of the class. I reminded me of being little and making up creative stories. All the different cultures we read about was also super cool.
My advise to future students would be to actually do the work when you are supposed to because it is interesting stuff and fun to learn about!

Tech Tip: Pinterest Board

https://www.pinterest.com/cassandralneuba/

I created a Pinterest board and I pinned some things over the stories I have read the past couple of weeks. I have used Pinterest before so I am used to all the things it entails and it entails SO many things! I love it. I got a Pinterest when I was a Junior in high school and I still get on my Pinterest and it is incredible how it has developed. When I made my original account, Pinterest was something that you had to be invited to, you couldn't just sign up for it like I just did!
I have done many projects I have seen on Pinterest and its also a wonderful (horrible for my wallet) place to go online shopping or even figure out outfits with clothes you already have. You couldn't image how many different ways you can wear a flannel.
On my new Pinterest board I pinned a lot of things from the Brothers Grimm. One pin I enjoyed in particular is "The Disturbing Origins of 10 Famous Fairy Tales." Disney kind of deceived of when animating these stories and I already know some stories like Ashenputtel, The Frog Prince and Snow White, but I'm interested in what the other ones are!

Famous Last Words: Week 14

Well I am sad I didn't take the opportunity to do this extra credit throughout the semester, because it would be interesting to go through my blogs and see what I was thinking each week.
This week, I read the section Librivox and the stories were from the Brothers Grimm. They really do have a lot of interesting stories, that are well known now, but slightly different. One story that intrigued me to choose the Librivox section was The Frog Prince. I don't know if i actually heard the entire story of the frog prince. I knew the basis that a princess kisses a frog and he turns into a handsome prince, but I guess I never really questioned why she would do that, other than just him asking her.
In the new Disney movie the Princess Frog it does not follow the Brothers Grimm story. In the story I read I was surprised to find out that the princess didn't even kiss the frog to turn him human. Also the frog didn't tell the girl he was under a spell.
In the story she promises the frog to give him a place to eat and sleep, even though she had no intention of following through. The frog then shows up to her house and her father makes her keep her promise. The frog ate at the table and slept in her bed for three nights and then woke up a man on the third morning. No kisses. I am not sure why he wouldn't have just told her that, because I feel like she would be more likely to let him stay. It would freak me out a lot if I woke up to a man in my bed and I wasn't expecting it. I am also shocked he married her at the end of the story, because she was kind of a brat.

Frog Prince by Paul Friedrich Meyerhiem

Week 14 Review

With finals and final projects, I thought this little picture of the doggie was super cute and kind of made me wish I had a dog to offer to eat my homework. I guess now a days your dog eating your homework can't really be an excuse since everything is online! At least in college it is.  The glasses on the dog really enhance the photo as if he is trying to understand the homework.

I always crack up and make an audible "aww" when I see the growth mindset blog post! They are also motivating and keep me in high spirits! I like this one a lot because my sister is actually a former OU gymnast and I did gymnastics for 11 years. I actually have a picture that looks just like this, but I have little less hair, and I'm defiantly not as cute! Also effort totally makes a difference Love it

(cheezburger)

Storytelling: Week 14: Dragon Castle Club

My name is Annabelle and I am a princess. I know you think its all glitz and glam, but I am the youngest of my twelve sisters, so I have to do whatever they tell me. I am the quietest out of the group. I really like to read and I spend a lot of time on the spinning wheel. My sisters love to dance, but I am not the partying type, also daddy doesn't let us leave the castle at night.
The past couple of weeks my sisters have been sneaking out (and dragging me along) to go to this new Dragon Castle Club. Its super exclusive and in an underground castle. We meet up with the the twelve princes from the other kingdoms and they row us across the lake to get to it. I think daddy is on to us because each night we dance so much we get holes in our slippers so we need a new pair every single day.
Our father set out an announcement to everyone that says whoever finds out where we go they will get to marry one of us. I really don't want to get caught and married to some troll or something gross like that. I asked my sisters if we could stop going dancing, but they all started yelling at me.
Overtime some strange man came to the castle we assume they are trying to catch us, so before bed we make them a special tea that knocks them out cold until morning. My sisters are crazy, but they are also super cleaver. There have been like four princes that have come to stay with us and each time they sleep though the whole night and can't hear us sneaking out.
Lately there has been this soldier who seems pretty sure of himself, but he has no idea. We gave him the tea and made sure he was out before we put our dresses on and left the castle, but something strange happened. I was walking down the stairs and I felt something tug on my dress. I was sure it was a hand or someone grabbing me because thats what it felt like, but my sisters dismissed it as me catching my dress on the railing.
We started walking into the forest and i heard a strange sound I had never heard before, like a snapping twig, but it came from behind us. I thought it was a bear or wolf, but once again my sisters dismissed it as me being paranoid. I am just always so nervous.
When we got to the boats the princes were waiting for us. The prince my sisters set me up with is attractive, but not very bright. He probably hasn't opened a book in his life. He is a pretty good dancer though. When we got on the boat he said it seemed heavier and harder to row, and I know that I two deserts last night, but I didn't think it was that noticeable. I didn't want him to think I was fat so I just said I think the wind is stronger than normal, and his simple mind agreed with me.
We danced all night and then came home to that sleeping soldier still in his room, snoring louder than ever. I thought it would keep me up, but I was so tired I fell right to sleep.

Twelve Dancing Princesses 

The next day we all woke up and went downstairs for breakfast, but something was off because the soldier was still there! He actually stayed for three more nights.
On the third morning when we went downstairs the soldier was standing right by daddy, and daddy looked so mad. The soldier on the other hand looked super giddy. At that moment I knew we had been caught and my heart sank to my stomach.
Daddy didn't say anything to us he just looked at the soldier and said "Pick one," like we were sheep at the market. I was so mad, but then again we had been disobedient. Luckily he didn't pick me, he picked my oldest sister, who didn't really seem to mind marrying a stranger.
The rest of us got grounded for a whole month. I honestly didn't mind because I finally got to catch up on my reading and my sleep.

Authors Notes: This story comes from the Brothers Grimm's story "The Twelve Dancing Princesses." This story follows the same theme as the other one, but I wanted to tell it in the youngest sisters perspective. In the Grimm's version the youngest one is questioning everything around her when they sneak out. All of the noises she hears is the soldier. He was able to get a hold of an invisible cloak and follow the sisters to the place where they dance, which is an underground castle, so I thought it would funny to name is Dragon Castle Club.

Learning Challenges: Time Management

I watched the video over The Science Of Procrastination, and as I was watching it I was thinking "hmm.. should've watched this week 2 and I wouldn't have to be cramming all this extra credit into week 14." But it is still good I watched it because finals are coming up and I need to manage my time much better than I have been this semester. Having an online class is super difficult and shouldn't be for someone who isn't very good at time management because it can slip away from your mind so easily.
When I am studying or don't my school work I am faint to try the 25 min of work and then a small reward. I did this tactic freshman year, but with chapters. I restrained myself from using my phone until I finished a chapter. I even turned my phone off for that time, but I haven't done that in while and I really need to get back into it. I would also help me keep away from my phone, which i should do more often any way. I downloaded the app PocketPoints to help me when I study to stay off my phone and it sort of helps, but its so easy to open your phone and turn the apron before you close it. For finals this semester when I come to the library (because its hard for me to study anywhere else) I will do the time management challenge by turning off my phone for 30 min at a time to be able to get my work finished.

Future me studying and not looking at my phone 

Growth and Mindset Challenges

This week I read the story named "Queen Bee" by the Brothers Grimm. There were three brothers and the older two were not in a very growth mindset, even though they weren't able to survive well on thier own they still thought they were better then their dwarf little brother. In the story the older two want to kill just about everything, but the younger brother knows it is wrong and saved the lives of ants, ducks and bees.
The brothers were all set up with the same challenge, but the first two failed and were turned into marble. The dwarf brother took on this challenge, but even though it was very difficult he was able to do it with the help from the animals he saved. He doubted himself at first and sat crying on a rock, but when his ant friends came to help him I think he started in the growth mindset and knew he could achieve all three tasks. He did! He even was able to set both his brothers free from being marble. Hopefully after that his brothers started looking at life the way their dwarf brother did and tried to better themselves.

Two men and a dwarf (LOTR) haha

Reading Diary: Week 14: Grimm Librivox

The Queen Bee
Two brothers went out into the world and could not make it, so their other brother, who was a dwarf went searching for him. The dwarf brother told the boys to not harm living things like ants, ducks and bees. They came across a castle that a king had tests to see who could find all the pearls and if they couldn't before sun down they were turned into stone. The two older brothers couldn't do it and were turned into stone, but the dwarf did it with help from the ants, ducks and bees. The dwarf married the youngest sister and became king.
The Twelve Huntsman 
The king was dying and asked his only son to marry some girl who he didn't like and he was already married. His first wife got eleven girls to dress up like huntsman and prove they were men. The wife at the end revealed herself and the king couldn't continue to be married to his new wife.
Jorinda and Jorindel 
There was a fairy who lived in a castle and any man who stepped on her property's frozen solid in his steps and the fairy had to release him after he promised to never come back, but each maiden was turned into a bird and kept in a cage in her castle, Jorinda and Jorindel were walking and got caught in the fairy's land and were put under the spell. When Jorindal was freed he found a purple flower that set everyone free of their enchantment.

Purple Flower

The Fox and The Horse 

There was a horse who had gotten too old and was no longer helpful to the farmer, so he sent him away and told him not to come back until he was as strong as a lion. The horse went away and found a fox that said he would help him. The fox told a lion there was a dead horse to eat and one thing led to another and the horse dragged the lion all the way back to his masters house. The horse lived there until he died. 

The Twelve Dances Princesses 

The King twelve daughters left every night to go dancing, but the king didn't know where. The king said whoever finds out where they go can marry a princess and be the next heir. Many tried and failed but a soldier had an invisible cloak and had help from an old lady and found out what the did. They travelled to a lake where twelve princes in boats took them to an underground castle and they danced all night until their shoes were worn. The soldier told the king and the king let him marry his oldest daughter. 

The Turnip

There were two soldiers and one decided he wanted to be a gardener. The one gardener grew the most marvelous turnip. He gave it to the king who in return heave him many riches. The brother was very jealous and knew if he gave gold and jewels to the king he would receive the turnip so he did. After this he decided to kill his brother, so he put him in a sack and tied him to a tree. 

The Willow Wren and the Bear 

The bear and wold were walking through the forest and saw the most beautiful bird and the bear wanted to see the real palace of the willow wrens. The bear finally saw the palace and it was just a nest and he insulted the babies. The willow wren proclaimed that there would be a war. The bear gathered all the land creatures and the wren gathered all the air creatures. The Wren won the battle. 

Reading Diary: Week 14: Grimm Librivox

The Frog Prince
There was a princess who loved to play with her golden ball and she was playing with it by a spring. She accidentally dropped it in the water and she started crying. A frog appeared and said he would get it for her if he brought him home and let him eat and sleep with her. She agreed, but didn't have any intention in following through with it, but he showed up at her window each night. The third night he stayed over he transformed into a man.
Rupunzel 
A man and his wife lived next to an entranress who had the most delicious looking plants in her garden and the women had to try them..  The entrantress agreed if they gave her the first child born and they agreed and repunzel was locking in a tower. When the enchantress wanted to see the child she told her to let down her hair. The kings son heard her singing and ha to meet her. He did and visited her often. The enchantress found out nd cut Repunzells hair and she was pregnant with 2 children. The prince went up to get Repunzel and the enchantress blinded him. He then wandered around blind and then heard Repunzels singing and she cried into his eyes and he was healed.

Rupunzel Illustration by Johnny Grulle 

The Straw, The Coal and The Bean 
Out of three groups one coal, one straw and one bean escaped from the rest. They were running away but he straw caught on fire and broke, and the coal fell into water. The bean thought this was funny and laughed until he bursted. A tailor that was walking by seed him back together and thats why beans have a black seem.
The Traveling Musician
A donkey who was too old and about to be put down by his owner decided to run away and become a musician. On the way he met a dog, a cat and a rooster who all joined him. They were trying to find a place to stay and they found a house that had a lot of room and a lot of food, but there were robbers in it. They scare the robbers away and took their house.
Clever Elsie
A girl with the name elsie was known to be very clever and a man Hans was willing to marry her if she were to really be as smart as everyone said. He came to dinner and they told Elsie to go get beer. She notices a pic ax that could fall and kill their future son and then Hans knew she was clever... I guess. He married her and they moved away.
Briar Rose
There was a queen who wished for a little girl and got her. She was blessed with many gifts, like being very beautiful and obedient. She accidentally fell into a deep sleep after pricking her finger on a spindle. This is the story of Sleeping beauty.

Storytelling: Week 13: Dear Abby

This is a entry from the column "Dear Abby" in the Crane Daily Newspaper. 

Dear Abby, 

My name is Ashenputtel and I am having some family problems. First off my name isn't even Ashenputtel, that's just what my step-family calls me because they make me do all the maids work in the house so I am always dirty and am covered in ashes. But lets reside for a littlest and start from the very beginning, the best times of my life. 

I was born into the most wonderful family with a loving mother and father. We lived in a beautiful big house and my father loved to spoil me and my mother with presents, even though we told him that his love and protection was enough. I always asked for books, so me and mother could read them together. My mother taught me everything and I loved her so much, but she got sick. She was very sick and near to death and I remember the last words she spoke to me, "Be pious and good, and God will always take care of you and I will look down upon you from heaven and be with you." 

After a while my father married another woman, who had two awful daughters. Like I said before they make me do all the maids work, and they don't treat me like I was a human. They even make me sleep on the floor. 

My father often went to the market and he liked to bring gifts back to all of us. When he asked what we wanted my step-sisters always asked for jewelry, but all I wanted was a seed. I wanted the seed so I could plant a tree next to my mothers grave. In no time there was a beautiful big tree that I would often sit under and read, like me and my mother used to do together. 

Ashenputtel by The Brothers Grimm

One day I thought all my bad luck would change, when we got invitations to go to the princes ball. I thought I was finally going to have a fun night, but my step mother mad me do outrageous and somewhat impossible chores before I could go. With the help of some friends I was able to finish all the chores, but my step-mother told me I still couldn't go. She told me I wouldn't be allowed to get in because I didn't have nice enough clothing and she ripped up the dress I worked months on making. 

I ran crying to my mothers grave and sat under the tree, when suddenly it seemed like dust or pollen or something falling from the tree. Next thing I knew I was in the most extravagant dress and slippers of silk and silver. 

You wouldn't believe it, but when I arrived the prince came directly up to me and we started dancing. He stayed with me all night and asked to come see where I lived, but I was able to get away before he could follow me. I also made it home before my entire family. 

I was able to go to the ball the next two night and every night the prince danced with me and it was amazing, but I couldn't let him know who I really was or he wouldn't want to marry me. The third day  I lost my silver slipper. I think he made the stairs sticky so he would be able to find me from my shoe. He was going around the whole town having girls try on this slipper to see if it fits them. When my step-sisters and stop-mom heard this they immediately locked me in a closet, because I think they had suspicions I was the mystery girl from the ball. I am writing from the closet right now and hopefully will get out soon. 

The prince and all his servants just arrived to our house and I can hear my sisters squealing and screaming. They all just came into this room and I heard my step-mother tell her daughters to cut off her toes to fir into the shoe. It didn't seem like there was any hesitation, because I heard a little scream of pain and then they all went down stairs. I have no idea what to do right now. I am going to give this to my animal friends to give to you. Please write back as soon as you can with advice. 

Thank you Abby. 

Authors Notes: The story Ashenputtel from the Brothers Grimm, is the story that Cinderella came from, which I am sure you all figured out. There are some differences than Disney's version. The tree that was planted by her mothers grave is like Cinderella's fairy god mother. There were 3 days of this festival and the prince did make the stairs sticky so she would lose her shoe. Of course Disney wouldn't put in that her step sister cut off their toes and heel to be able to fit into the shoe, because it is a little dark, but pretty interesting. 

At the end of the story she gets out of the closet and the prince finds her and the shoe fits perfectly. **gasp** They get married and live happily ever after. 

Reading Diary: Week 13: Crane Continued

The Six Swans 
A king was hunting and got lost in the woods. An old women told him she would help him if he married her daughter. The king had 7 kids from a previous marriage and he was worried the new step mother would treat them nicely. He his them away in a castle, but the new wife found them. She turned the 6 boys into swans, but the one girl remained human and she set out to look for her brothers. She found them and they said that the only way to free them was to sew asher shirts and her life wouldn't be spared. She decided to do it and set out into the woods, where the kings huntsmen found her and brought her to the king. She didn't speak, but the king married her. The kings mother committed a crime and blamed the girl. She was sentence to death, but her swan brothers came to save her.
King Thrushbeard
There was a king who had a daughter who didn't want to marry anyone and ridiculed anyone who tried. She told one boy his chin looked like a thrush's chin and then thy all called him King Thrushbeard. She was then married off to a peasant. They passed a bunch of nice things and the girl asked who they belonged to. Her new husband said King Thrushbeard.
The Three Spinsters
There was a lazy girl who wouldn't spin and so her mother beat her and the queen heard. The queen asked why she was beating her daughter and she said that her daughter wouldn't stop spinning. The queen said she liked the sound of spinning and took her with her. The queen said she could marry her oldest son. The girl then found three spinsters to do her work for her in exchange for invitations to the wedding.
Snow White
The queen wanted a daughter as white as snow, lips red as blood and hair dark as the black frame. The queen had such a daughter, but then died. The king took a new wife, who wanted to be the fairest of them all. Snow White became more beautiful than the new queen, so she hired a huntsman to take her out to the woods and kill her. He didn't have the heart to do it so he set her free, thinking wild animals would get her. She then found a house with food and beds so she went inside.

Snow White and The Dwarves 

Reading Diary: Week 13: Crane

The Fisherman and his Wife
There was a fisherman and his wive who lived in a hovel and the fisherman went out and fished everyday. This certain day he caught a fish, and the fish spoke to him. He said he was an enchanted prince and asked him not to eat him. The fisherman let him go. When he told his wife he said he should've mad a wish, a wish they lived in a cottage. The fisherman went back and wished for a cottage and got it. After a while his wife wasn't pleased and wanted something bigger.
Aschenputtel 
There was a family with one daughter, but the mother was sick and she passed away, but told her daughter that she would always be with her. Her father got remarrried to a women who had two horrible daughters who would always boss Aschenputtel around. Aschenputtel plated a tree by her mothers grave. There was a big ball and the prince invited all the young ladies in hopes he would find a wife. Aschenputtels step mother did not let her go. She cried under this tree and the tree shook and gave her a beautiful gown and she attended the ball. The prince fell in love with her and asked to see where she lives, but she escaped him before he could see. She did the same thing the next day. on the third day she was dressed in a beautiful gown and golden slippers. She accidentally left a golden slipper and he went to all the girls in the town to try on the shoe. The sisters cut their feet to fir the shoe, but the prince knew they cut themselves. Aschenputtel tried on the shoe and it fit her perfectly. The prince took her away and married her.

Aschenputtel by The Brothers Grimm

The Robber Bridegroom 

There was a young girl who was forced to marry a boy she didn't love. He asked her to go to his house and she did. When she got there a bird told her that evil things happened in the house and she should turn away, but she didn't. She looked through the house, but it was empty. There was one old lady in the room and she said the people who live in the house are cannibals and are going to eat her, but they would escape at night. The girl then saw the men drug a girl and chop her up, but they cut off her finger and it fell into the girls lap. The next day at the wedding the party asked the bride to share a story and she told of that night the girl was chopped up and eaten. She showed the party the finger and the girls bridegroom turned white and he was condemned and executed.  

Growth Mindset: Creating a Meme

I thought it would be fun to create a meme using a cute photo of my niece, Addi Grace.

Addi Grace catching bubbles 

I thought this would be a fun picture to use as a meme because this little girl is all determined to pop all the bubbles before they reach the ground. I learn so much from her and hopefully she learns stuff from me too. She's not even two and she has crazy motivation for things and it makes me love her even more. 

Storytelling: Week 12: Had A Great Fall

Alice and Humpty Dumpty sat on the edge of the wall and talked all afternoon. They talked about what Alice was going to do when she became queen and how she wasn't going to act like the Red or White Queen. Humpty was very fond of the royal family so he didn't like Alice talking so poorly about them.
"The royal family has taken care of me and my kind every since the beginning of Wonderland. They understand that us egg folk are very fragile and have always promised to send ALL the kings horses and ALL the kings men if we ever do crack or break," said Humpty.

"I understand they try to help, but what if you fall and break and ALL the kings horses and ALL the kings men are unable to put you back together again?" said Alice, knowing about the nursery rhyme.

Humpty was very angry when Alice said this, he stood up, on the very thin wall and was now about eye level with her. He gave her a mean look and started yelling,
"THAT IS PREPOSTEROUS! Do not ever doubt the kings horses and men, there is no doubt they will be able to put me back together again!"

"Please sit down, Humpty. You are losing your balance and I don't want to find out today if they can or not," said Alice.

"WELL I DO!" shouted Humpty as he jumped off the wall, right onto his head. He shattered, but was still alive. He told Alice to call for the kings horses and men, but before she could even open her mouth she saw a stampede of people coming towards them. They gathered up all of Humpty Dumpty's parts and and put them in a wheel barrow. They hurried back to the castle and Alice followed.

Illustration by Prawny Vintage 

When she got there ALL the kings men were in one room with Humpty's parts all played out on a table. They were all just looking at him like it was the hardest puzzle they have ever seen. Alice saw the confused looks on their faces so she tried to figure out how to put him back together in her head. She figured it out, but waited to see if the kings men could also. She sat and she waited for hour and hours, but nobody moved a muscle. Finally one of the men said in defeat "Even though we have ALL the kings horses and ALL the kings men, I think we are unable to put him back together again."
Alice prompts pushed all the men aside and in minutes fixed Humpty and he was so happy. He hugged Alice and told he was sorry about doubting her.

Reading Diary: Week 12: Through The Looking Glass

My Own Invention 
Alice wasn't sure if she was in a dream or not, then suddenly a red knight came galloping up to her. He told her that she was his prisoner. Then a white knight came up and said that he rescued her. The white and red knight fought very awkwardly until the red knight left. The white knight was dressed very peculiar. When Alice asked about all the additional things he wore he said it was something of his own invention. He invented things often, that didn't seem to work out very well. He was a very poor horse rider, but talked as if he was very good. Alice finally made it to the eighth square where she found a golden crown on her head.
Queen Alice 
Alice started talking to herself, as usual. Then the Red and White Queen appeared and started talking to Alice. More like harass her, because they didn't believe Alice was a queen. The said she were to have a dinner party that day. The queens tired themselves out and fell asleep on Alice's lap. Alice then went o invite guests to her dinner party. Alice was then at the dinner party and she had about 50 guests. The Red Queen, White Queen and Alice all sat at the head of the table. Alice was introduced to the food, so that she wasn't allowed to eat it.

Illustration by John Tenniel

Shaking and Waking 
The dinner party was getting a bit out of hand and people and things were shrinking. They were on the table and some even in their soup. Alice was fed up with ll the non-sense and pulled the table cloth off the table. She grabbed the queen and shook her until she turned into a kitten.

Reading Diary: Week 12: Through the Looking Glass

Looking Glass House 
Alice is sitting on the roof of the looking glass house when it suddenly melts and she fall inside. She looks to see if there is a fire and then sits by the chess set. The chess men and women can not see Alice or hear her. She helps the queen and king and it scares them a bit. She then finds a poem about a Jabberwocky and tries to understand it.
Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee 
Alice came across Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum and started having a conversation with them. They told her when you first greet someone to shake their hands and they both put out their hands. She didn't want to offend either one so she grabbed both hands and they all started dancing. Then they asked if she liked Poetry and started reading a poem.
The Walrus and The Carpenter
A walrus and a carpenter were walking along a beach and they asked a lot of little oysters to join them. After the long walk the walrus and carpenter ate all the oysters.
Tweede Dum and Tweedle Dee
They all went to go see the Red King sleeping. The twins said he was dreaming about Alice and she's not real. If she were to wake the Red King then she would vanish. She thought this was ridiculous. Then they saw an old/ new rattle in the woods. This made the twins freak out and they said they have to prepare for battle. They grabbed a bunch of materials from the woods and told alice to fasten the stuff to them like armor. Then right before the battle a large black crow came.
Humpty Dumpty 
Alice went up to humpty dumpty, but he was a little weird and didn't talk directly to her for a while. She asked him if he wanted to get off the wall, but he told her no he would never fall. He said if he did the king would and Alice interrupted him and said "send all the kinds horses and men?" He thought she had been spying because there was no other way for her to know that. They spent a while talking about their ages. Then Alice complimented him on his belt, but because he was an egg she could distinct waist from neck and embarrassed herself.

Humpty and Alice 

Reading Diary: Week 11: English Fairy Tales

Tom Tit Tot
A woman made 5 pies and asked her daughter to set them on the shelf so the crusts would soften, but the daughter ate all five pies instead. When the mother found out she sang about how she at all five pies in one day. The king was walking by and heard this women and asked what she was singing. The mother embarrassed said that she was singing about how her daughter made five skiens in one day. The king said he was going to marry her and give her everything she wants for 11 months and one month of the year she has to make five skiens a day. When the time came for her to make the skeins, a little black thing with a twirling tail told her that he would make them for her. All she had to do is guess his name correctly and she got 3 guesses a night for that whole month. Every night she guessed incorrect, but on her final guess she guess it correctly.
The Rose Tree
There once was a little boy and little girl who had a wicked step-mother. The step mother hated the little girl and killed her. She made stew with her organs and fed it to the father, the little boy refused to eat it. He went out and put the little girls body in a box and buried it under the rose bush. The rose bush bloomed a bird perched upon it and sang a song. Everyone in the town thought this was a beautiful song and gave the little bird any thing it asked for in exchange for it singing the song. It got a mile stone and went back to the house of the wicked step mother. The bird tricked her into coming outside and when she did, the bird dropped the stone on her and killed her.
The Old Woman and her Pig 
An old women bought a little piggy and on her way home the pig would jump over the stile. She started with asking the dog to bite the pig to so he would just over the stile and the dog refused, so it started a whole line of favors that needed to be done so the pig would jump over the stile and the old woman could go home that night. Finally they were able to get everything worked out and she made it home.

Piggy 

Binnorie 
There once was two sisters who were daughters of the king. Sir Prince William fell in love with the older sister, but then when he saw the younger sister fell in love with her and left the older one. The older sister was so upset she drowned the younger once and let her float down a stream. A miller found the sister, but she had drowned. A harper made a harp out of the woman's chest bone and hair and brought it to the castle to play. The harper left the harp in the hallway and it started singing on its own about how her sister killed her, then it broke and never sang again,
Mouse and Mouser 
The mouse was having a conversation with a cat who was spinning and they were just talking about their days. The cat then ate the mouse
Cap o'Rushes
The king who had three daughter sent one away because he thought she didn't love him because she said she loved him like meat loves salt. She then became the maid to another family and the masters son fell in love with her. He gave her a ring and she cooked with it and gave it to him so he found out who she was. They were married and the girl invited her father, even though she hadn't yet revealed herself to anyone. The the wedding meal was saltless meat and when the father ate it he realized how much she loved him.
The Story Of The Three Little Pigs 
There were three little pigs and the first pig built a house of straw. A big wolf came and blew it down and ate the pig. The second one made his go furze and the same thing happened. The third was very cleaver and made his of bring, and the wolf couldn't blow it down. The continuously tried to trick the pig but was defeated each time.
The Master and His Pupil 
There was a magical book that had everything about religion in it and it belonged to the master. One day when the master left the pupil tried to conjure up a spirit but couldn't. He saw the master left the book out and conjured a spirit and told him to water a flower. The demon didn't stop water the flower and almost drowned the boy but the master came home just in time..

Storytelling Week 11: The Day I Grew... and Shrank.

I had a very curious day the other day, but it started out like any other. I woke up and started getting ready for the day. I went into the kitchen to get some breakfast and I saw that my roommate made some muffins. They were banana blueberry, which are my favorite. There was a little sign next to them that said "eat me," which I thought was a cute, silly way for me to know that my roommate made them for everyone. I took a huge bite and suddenly started shrinking. It felt like i was falling so I closed my eyes, but when I opened them I was standing next to my muffin on the counter about five inches tall.
I obviously started freaking out, looking around in disbelief. I then fell into the sink down the drain, knowing that the blades from the garbage disposal were gunna catch my fall and that would be the end of me, but they didn't. I just kept falling down and down. The fall seemed like it lasted ten minutes, then suddenly, thump, I hit the ground.
I looked around and I was on campus, in the flower beds of the north oval. I looked at my watch and saw that it was almost time for my first class of the day. I had many tardies in this class, so the logical thing to do was to try and get there on time, even if I was five inches tall so I started my LONG walk to class.
Everything was so different and scary. People didn't even notice me on the ground. I almost got stepped on hundreds of times, but that wasn't the scariest part. One of the campus's squirrels came right up to me and stood on his back legs, making him almost triple my height. He looked at me and tilted his head to one side like he was trying to figure out what I was. I was so scared and yelled out "Don't eat me, please," and to my surprise he responded "Ew, gross. Why would I want to eat you?"
I looked at him so shocked and he asked me what I was doing and why I was so small. I told him that I honestly don't know why I was so small, and I was just trying to get to class. He said "There is a fountain on the other side of campus that will make you grow back to normal size, would you like me to take you there before class?" I looked at him in disbelief, but at this point I was willing to try anything, so I hopped on him like he was horse and held on to his fur really tight.

Talking Squirrel 

He started running and all I could think about was what a funny sight this would be if someone were just to look down for a few seconds. When we got to the fountain, I had to think for a second if I really wanted to grow back to normal size. First, because squirrel travel was so much fun and second because five inch people didn't have to take tests, or go to work, or have too much responsibility. Then I almost got sat on, so I thought it would be best to go back to being human size.
I jumped into the fountain and started taking a few gulps, trying not to think about how gross it was. Nothing happened, so I took a few more sips and I started growing.
I was two foot, then five foot, then seven foot, then ten foot, and I didn't stop growing. Up and up I went until I was the size of the clocktower. It as so embarrassing and everyone was looking at me. I couldn't blame them though, I would stare if there was a giant on my campus too. I tried to run away, but I couldn't get around all the buildings and I tripped. I started to fall, and like the first one it seemed like i was falling forever. I could see all people I was about to crush, so I closed my eyes and BOOM. I hit the ground and it was cushiony. I opened my eyes and I was in my bed, regular size. I must have just been a crazy dream.
I got up and started getting ready for the day (again), and went into the kitchen. On the counter I saw banana blueberry muffins, so I immediately turned around went back into my bedroom and shut the door.

Authors Notes: I got the idea for this story from Alice In Wonderland. Throughout the whole story she is shrinking and growing, which causes a lot of problems. I thought about what if that happened to people everyday? What if it happened to me? I honestly wouldn't even think about going to class, but hopefully I would find a squirrel pal to help me through my adventures. It does turn out to be a dream, which was great because I honestly don't know how I would cope with the embarrassment of being 30 feet tall.

Reading Diary: Week 11: Alice in Wonderland Continued

A Mad Tea Party 
Alice walked up to a table where the hatter and the march hare were sitting. She sat down with them and they went back and forth for a while, then the hatter asked a riddle, "Why is a raven like a writing-desk?" They often got off subject, bust Alice still wondered about this riddle. This riddle didn't have an answer and Alice was upset and told the hatter not to waste time on riddles with no answers. The Hatter then asked Alice what she knows about time, and told the story of how he became mad. Then the doormouse started telling a story about three girls who lived at the bottom of a well. Alice started asking a lot of questions. The dormouse didn't like all her interruptions and Alice didn't like that his story didn't make any sense. She realized that this tea party was too confusing and frustrating for her so she left.
The Queens Croquet- Ground
Alice walked up to the queens garden where she saw three gardeners painting roses. She walked up right as a procession was going on with all the soldiers and guests to play croquet, and of course the queen. When they queen saw Alice she asked who she was and who the gardens were. When they queen faint out the gardeners planted the wrong color rose bush she said "off with their heads," but alice hid them, so they lived. The queen invited Alice to play croquet. The balls were hedgehogs and the clubs were flamingoes. Alice found this game very difficult, also because there was no order and everyone was just fighting for a hedgehog ball. She would hear the queen shot "Off with their head," very often. Soon enough she saw the grin of the Cheshire Cat. Alice and the cat started talking, and the king came up and asked who Alice was talking to. The cat refused to kiss the kings and and so the queen sentenced him to be beheaded, but the cat was just a head. There was an argument about if you could behead something that doesn't have a body.

Image by A.E. Jackson 

Who Stole the Tarts?
Alice was sitting in on a courtroom case against The Knave of Hearts, because he stole tarts from the queen. The first witness was the Mad Hatter. The courtroom was a mess and a lot of things that happened didn't make sense. The were reading off witnesses and then the white rabbit yelled out the name "Alice!"
Alice's Evidence 
Alice accidentally disrupted the jury when she was walking up to the stand, because she had been growing so much in size. When she was asked what she knew about the case she said "Nothing," because she honest knew nothing. There was an unsigned letter in the court that everyone thought was from the Knave. This letter had some verses in it that didn't make too much sense, so alice and the king went back and forth about if this was evidence or not. Alice then because very furious and because of her large size she started yelling at the queen saying she's nothing but a deck of cards. The cards then started flying all around her and she tried swatting them away. She then woke up in her sisters lap and told her about her curious dream.

Reading Diary: Week 11: Alice in Wonderland

Down the Rabbit Hole 
Alice was bored sitting with her sister when she suddenly saw a white rabbit in a coat looking at this watch. She thought this was strange so she followed the rabbit down a hole and fell. It seemed like she was falling forever. She finally hit the ground and she as in a room with many doors. There was a key on the table that only fir into one small door, that alice couldn't fit into. She went back to the table she found the key on and saw a bottle labeled "Drink Me," so she did just that. Alice shrank down to 10 inches tall, but then she realized she had forgotten the key.She then found a box with a piece of cake in it that said "eat me," so she did and she grew over 9 feet tall. She got the key, but there was no way for her to get back through the tiny door.
Advise From A Caterpillar 
Tiny alice climbed on top of a mushroom and saw that there was a caterpillar there, smoking hookah. He asked her who she was, but the question puzzled her. She told him that she has changed since she got up that morning and she id not sure who she is. He didn't understand her and she was angry and started to walk away, but he said he had something important to say. He told her that one side of the mushroom will make her grow and the other side will make her shrink, then he disappeared. She took pieces fro each side and ate the right side and she started to shrink rapidly. She quickly ate a bit of the right side and started to grow, but just her neck. Soon enough her neck was very very long and she couldn't see her shoulders. A pigeon started pecking at her face calling her a serpent, but she argued she wasn't one. Soon enough she started eating the left and right sides of the mushroom until she was normal size.

Caterpillar by Sir John Tenniel

Pig and Pepper
Alice was standing outside a house when a fish-footman came up to the house and handed a large letter to a frog-footman. The letter was from the queen inviting the duchess to play crochet. Alice went up to the frog-footman asking how to get in and they went back and forth for a while before just walking in. When she walked in, it lead to kitchen where the duchess was in the middle holding a baby and the cook was making soup that had way too much pepper. The only ones not sneezing because of all the pepper in the air were the cook and the cheshire cat. The cook started throwing dishes at the duchess and the baby, but they pretended like nothing happened, even when they hit them. the duchess threw the baby to alice to nurse it and then got up to get ready to go to the queens. Alice then took the baby, but it appeared to be more like a pig. The baby turned fully into a pig and went into the woods. Then the Cheshire cat appeared and Alice asked him for directions. The cat pointed her towards the March hare, but also told her where the mad hatter lived. When she asked why he was mad he said :Were all mad here, even you."

Storytelling: Week 10: The Mountains

There once was a little girl and little boy who always tried to take a short-cut out of work, or would ignore their work completely. After a while their parents knew they weren't completing their chores, so they made the little boy and girl plow the land and plant all of the seeds for the upcoming spring harvest.
The parents sent the children into town to buy seeds and told them to stop for anything else. On their way they came across an old lady who told them that she was selling seeds a lot cheaper than the market was, but what they didn't know was that this women was magical. She said to the children, "These seeds are a lot better than the ones you will get at the market, they make things grow very fast, so you won't need to buy as many seeds at the market. You do need to plant them with other seeds though. If you plant pumpkin seeds with them, your pumpkins will grow to full size with in a day."
The children bought the magical seeds, and went to the market and bought very few of the other seeds their parents told them to buy. The next day the children dragged their feet while plowing the field, and they took so long that they barely had any sunlight to plant the seeds. They started to place the seeds into the ground and placed all the magical seeds into the ground, but didn't have time to put the vegetable seeds into the ground, so they decided to do it the next day.
They went inside and told their parents they finished all the work. They went to sleep, but something strange happened the land over night. It started to raise! since there weren't any vegetable seeds in the ground with the magical seeds the ground grew fast.
The children woke up the next morning and looked outside and the rows they planted the seeds were now hills. They ran outside to see the ground growing right before their eyes. The hills they saw before were now large hills. they went inside to get their parents and when they came out there was a full mountain range next to their house. They couldn't believe their eyes.

Mountains

Authors Notes: I wrote this story based off the American Indian Tale called "The Little Boy and The Girl In The Clouds." This story is being told by one of the older natives, Iagoo, who tells the story about how the mountains were made. In this story a little boy and girl fall asleep on a rock that grows while the children were asleep and the rock grows into a tall mountain. The kids get stuck up there and all the animals couldn't reach them, only the small little worm. 

Reading Diary: Week 10: American Indian Fairy Tales

Iagoo, The Storyteller
Imago was an old wise man, who was an amazing story teller. He knew why and how everything was the way it was. It was wintertime and that is the time for storytelling. All the children came to hear stories from Iagoo, but the North Wind was very strong and scared one of the little girls. Iagoo proceeded to tell a story about the North Wind.

Iagoo, The Storyteller 

Shin-Ge-Bis Fools The North Wind
The South Wind was one of the greatest times in the Indian summer. He made the trees grow and kept the land warm and kept the North Wind away, who had terrible anger and could freeze the land. When the South Wind Slept the North Wind would come in and ice the land and all the fishermen left except Shin-Ge-Bis, the diver. He could transform into a duck but was no match for the North Wind. Shin-Ge-Bis said that the North man was only a man like him, but he couldn't stand the heat. When the North Wind came near he invited him into his wigwam and made the fire big. The North Wind began to weaken and he had to leave. When he was outside he told Shin-Ge-Bis to go out into the snow to fight him. Shin-Ge-Bis knew he was weak from the heat and could make him weaker from his body heat. The fought all night and Shin-Ge-Bis won.
The Little Boy and The Girl In The Clouds
Iagoo told the story about the mountains. The story takes place in a valley of a little boy and girl. They had many animal friends and everyone got along peacefully. The little boy and girl fell asleep on a rock after a long day of swimming. While they were sleeping the rock began to rise and rose above the trees. The parents of the children couldn't find them and the animals all helped find them. None of the animals could reach them though, but a little worm said he could climb the mountain and help. they all scoffed at him, but he reached the top and guided the children down the mountain. They named the rock after that little worm.
The Child of The Evening Star
A hunter lived out in the woods and had 10 beautiful daughters. Suitors came by and married nine of the girls, but the youngest, Oweenee, who was the most beautiful was not married. She was hard to please. She was able to see the heart of men and not their faces, and she said that is what really mattered. She ended up marrying an ugly man who had a beautiful heart. This ugly man, Osseo, was actually very handsome, but cursed by the evening star. Osseo had the curse lifted, but it just transferred to his loved one. She turned old. She said as long as he still loves her she's happy. All of the sisters were envious of the new looking husband, and were happy their sister lost her beauty. Suddenly a voice of the Evening Star was singing to Osseo. All the sisters and their husbands turned into birds and Oweenee's beauty was restored. The King of the Evening Star was Osseous father and he told them that a magican on their land cursed Osseo and sent him to earth. Osseous and Oweenee decided to move to the Evening Star and while they were there they had a son. Their son always wondered what it would be like on Earth. He released birds hoping they would take him to earth,but they didn't so he shot one. When he did the bird turned into a woman and blood was shed on the Evening Star and it made them all decent to earth.

Storytelling: Week 9: Drama in Okanagon Tribe

A lot went on in the Okanagon Tribe like building, hunting and fighting, but one thing that most people were interested in was the juicy gossip that happened around the camp. One girl you knew always knew what was happening and had to gossip about it was Dara. She would always gossip when her and her friends were at work basket weaving. The latest buzz around the camp was that the chief off the tribe wanted his beautiful daughters to get married.

Gossiping at Work 

Dara came to work and of course started talking before they even sat down, she said "Did y'all hear that the chief is trying to marry off his daughters? I mean it is about time. Those girls are almost 15."
One of her co-workers said "We heard, but those girls reject every suitable man who is willing to deal with them."
"I know, I know, but this time he is holding a competition and whoever wins gets to marry them."
"What is the competition?"
"It is a shooting completion, which is great because my nephew, Coyote, is the best shooter in the tribe and I just know that he will win. They have four days to prepare and they have to shoot and eagle and bring it back to the chief."
The rest of the work day the basket weavers all talked about the competition and how they are going to prepare their sons and nephews.
The a few days later, there was a lot of talk about this new mat lodge and everyone was wondering what is was, but they knew Dara would be sure to tell them.
"Oh my Sulia. Did you guys see that disgusting mat lodge near camp? How could it have just appeared and look so old?" said Dara.
A co-worker asked "Did you look inside to see who moved in?"
"You guys will not believe this. It is the oldest woman I have ever seen and this dirty dirty boy. You can tell they haven't jumped in the river in a long time, if you know what I mean. I'm not even sure this boy can even see, he has sores all over his eyes and he just lays in bed. If he came here to enter the contest there is no way he is winning, I don't think he could even afford to make a bow and arrow. Coyote has been practicing for the past three days and is sure to win."
Later that night the shooting competition was held and Coyote lost and the dirty boy in the mat lodge won, Dara was not happy.
"He cheated. I know he did. He didn't even move from his bed, supposedly, and that's impossible. Even the chief thanks so that's why he's holding another competition to catch a fisher bird tonight and everyone knows fisher birds only live in the mountains that dirty boy can't even walk," said Dara.
Once again Coyote lost the competition and the dirty boy won by putting two traps on either side of the house. The daughters were on their way to the dirty boys house to marry him, but the older sister refused and married another boy. The younger sister went to the house and was very sad because she knew she had to take care of her sick husband.
"At least one of the chiefs daughters has a brain and didn't go to the dirty boys house. Who cares if he won the competition, he is so gross and can not provide for her," Dara started out.
But one of her co-workers interrupted her, "Haven't you seen the dirty boy Dara? He transformed into he true form as the chief of the stars! He is handsome and powerful and I even heard that he gave the chiefs daughter gold stars to wear in her hair. She is very lucky she followed through with the chiefs orders."
Upset, Dara stormed out to go see that her co worker was correct and she couldn't believe her eyes

Authors Notes: This story comes from the Native American Hero story "Dirty Boy." I didn't change up too much of the story, but told it in a new perspective. Theres always that one person who is always gossiping, so I thought it would be fun to write this story like it would have been talked about as it was going on.

Reading Diary: Week 9 Continued

Lodge-Boy and Throw-Away

A pregnant women was killed by the red women and she threw one baby outside in the spring and the other behind the curtain. The father found one of the boys and raised him but the other was wild. They changed the wild boy into a human and then they went to go raise their mother from the grave. The father warned the boys about dangerous things around their tipi and the boys always went to these things and conquered them. At the end they had to kill a long otter and did.

The Son In Laws Test

Wemicus was the father of the of a daughter who had many husbands, who Wemicus killed off. He put the former husbands through many tricks that all ended in death, but the current husband was able to defeat wemicus in every scheme. The last scheme was to beat him in a sailing race, but Wemicus’ canoe tipped over and before he died he turned into a pike fish.

Pike Fish 

The Jealous Father

Aioswé had two wives and his son was intimate with the woman who wasn’t his mother. Aioswé was enraged and decided to abandon this boy on an island. This boy escaped by riding on a walrus back to the mainland. On the mainland he had to get past a few obstacles before getting home and he succeeded. When he arrived home his mother, but Aioswé was scared for his life. They burned the forest and boiled the water , but the son and mother turned into birds and escaped.

Dirty Boy

The chief of the tribe had two daughters and put on a contest to marry off his daughters. The brother and sister, Sun and Star, came down to earth and took shape of a dirty boy who can not walk and an old women. The dirty boy entered the contest and won. The chief put on a new contest and the dirty boy one that one too. His wives were coming to his house when one stopped at the ravens house and married him. The younger sister went to the house of the dirty boy and married him and took care of him everyday. He later showed his true identity and she was thrilled.

Reading Diary: Week 9: Native American Hero Tales

The Jealous Uncle
There was an "Unnatural Uncle" who always killed his nephews, it had happened twice before. When a third sone was born to his sister they tried to tell him that he was a girl so that he didn't kill him. It worked for a while but the uncle soon found out and planned to kill the boy. The uncle asked him to get wood with him and trapped him in wood so he would die, but the boy rubbed a sour cranberry on the wood and escaped. The next day the uncle asked the boy to help him gather ducks and eggs and tried to kill him again. The boy successfully escaped. After that the uncle asked him to get clams, and the boy got trapped inside a huge clam but then escaped. The uncle then made a man sized box and had the boy get inside. The uncle set the box off to sea and it later washed up on the land of eagles. The boy married the chiefs daughter and told the chief about his parents and uncle. The chief let him take the eagle skin and go to his homeland and retrieve his parents. The boy made his uncle pay for treating his parents poorly by dropping him into the sea and making him attempt to swim to shore. The boy got his parents and returned to the Eagle land
Bluejay and His Companions 
There was a group of five companions and they went seal hunting together and gave Grouse all the lean meat and no fat. Grouse then had a seal drag these five men far out to sea. When they men realized they started paddling back and got stuck and seaweed and one of them downed. They then got to a strange shore and a squirrel challenged the bluejay to a climbing match. The bluejay won. They were then called to more challenges that they cheated and won all of them. After the horrible journey the men learned to give the fattest best seal to grouse.

Dug-From-Ground

An old women and her granddaughter happened to find a baby that called the young women mother. This women didn't accept him as her son until he killed a white deer and gathered long acorns. The boy did so and the women finally called him son. After that he set out to go to a town and found out he was more than human. He played many games and won them all. 

Attack On The Giant Elk and The Great Eagle 

In the early days there were monstrous sized animals who would terrorize and kill human, like the elk and eagle. The sons of the Sun were sent out to kill these animals and stop them. Jonayaíyin set out to kill the elk and had help from animals friends.