Reading Diary B: Hans Christian Anderson (Week 14)

Illustration by Dulac

• “We must not imagine that there is nothing at the bottom of the sea but bare yellow sand.”  The story goes on to talk about all the things that live down, deep in the ocean.  It doesn’t really mention anything scary, but I imagine there are some extremely scary things down there.  It’s almost unfathomable.
• I loved the Little Mermaid growing up, so it is really interesting to see the differences between the original story and Disney’s version.  She is quiet in the original and also is uninterested in trinkets from shipwrecks.  Instead, she enjoyed flowers.  Also, her grandmother has a very large presence in the original. 
• She was not allowed to dress as she wanted. ““Pride must suffer pain,” replied the old lady. Oh, how gladly she would have shaken off all this grandeur and laid aside the heavy wreath! The red flowers in her own garden would have suited her much better”
• When the prince falls into the water, she is excited at first.  “she thought he would now be with her; and then she remembered that human beings could not live in the water, so that when he got down to her father’s palace he would be quite dead. But he must not die.” 
• The prince didn’t know that the little mermaid had saved him.
• Her sisters play a bigger role than expected. 
• I wonder how the grandma knows so much about things on land when she too is confined to the waters
• The story really is quiet sad.  And it’s not really the prince’s fault either. 
• The ending is sad, but it is actually a lot more hopeful than I expected.

Hans Christian Anderson - The Little Mermaid part 6

Reading Diary A: Hans Christian Anderson (Week 14)

Illustration in a collection of Anderson's Fairy tales

• The Princess and the Pea is a really interesting story, but it brings up some questions.  For example, why is it that sensitivity is the only way to tell if someone is a true princess?  That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me.  I think it’s funny that the story ends by saying that it was a true story.
• I haven’t heard the story of the Emperor and the clothes before, but I was excited when I saw it in this unit.  I recently heard about it and I’ve been seeing and hearing it mentioned all over the place since then.  Now I finally get what it was all about!  Basically it is all about pride, and only a child is willing to be honest in spite of pride.
• “This is the black goblin’s fault, I am sure. Ah, well, if the little lady were only here with me in the boat, I should not care for any darkness.”
• So I suppose the tale of the Wicked Prince is about greed?  I’m surprised that God actually had any interaction.  I expected the prince to become ruined all on his own.  The fact that such a tiny gnat took down such a “mighty” prince is quite ironic.
• I didn’t realized that the story of the Little Match Girl was from Hans Christian Anderson.
• “Her father would certainly beat her”  Geez, that is intense.
• “ her grandmother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God.”  I’m not really sure how I feel about this.  I’m not really crazy about this story.  It’s so sad.

Hans Christian Anderson unit

Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen, translated by H. P. Paull (1872).

Storytelling: A Poor Mortal (Week 13)

A 19th-century interpretation of Charon's crossing by Alexander Litovchenko.

Charon rowed.  And rowed.  And rowed.  That’s almost all that he did.  His arms had stopped throbbing hundreds of years ago.  Now, the years passed liked days to him.  The screams and wails of the lost souls had also partially deafened him.  Long ago, he had even been able to hear the distant click-clacking of the centaurs’ hooves from so far off circle of hell.  He couldn’t hear much other than the last lamentations of the sorrowful souls he carried across the river.  His beard and head had started greying long, long ago.  Now, his beard only had specks of its natural hue; instead, grey had taken over.  Both in age and appearance, he was an old man.  

Soon, he would have to find someone else to take over his responsibility as the ferryman.  Reflecting was not something he did often, but it was something that he felt was appropriate now that he would be relinquishing his position soon.  He had been alive for far too long to care to remember everything that had happened to him.  Even if he did desire to remember the occurrences that had taken place throughout the course of his post as ferryman, there were so, so many souls that he had taken, it was impossible to remember them all.  In fact, most of them blurred together.  Few souls had interested him during his millennia on the job.  He did vividly recall one soul in particular, though.  His name was Dante, and he was a soul Chiron had yet to take.  He was one of the handful of mortals who had venture down into the Underworld for some reason or another.  

From what he recalled, he was on a quest of some sort and was with a soul that he had previously taken across the river, a soul named Virgil.  In life, Virgil had an importance about him and a way of stirring things up.  In death, the same was true.  He claimed to be a guide to the mortal who had found his way to the ferry.  Charon tried to warn the mortal Dante that his ferry was not for the living, but neither he nor Virgil would heed his warning.  Instead the guide pushed Charon, urging him to let the mortal pass.  He stated something about the mortal’s passage being fated or willed or something along those lines.  Charon remembered deciding not to argue.  He remembered thinking that if it was that mortal’s fate to see the trials of hell, fate was cruel indeed.

Author's Note:

I decided to write my story about Charon's interaction with Dante and Virgil because it really stuck out to me while I was reading the unit.  I placed the story at some point after Charon's encounter with the two of them.  I thought that doing this would give an interesting perspective.  I also got the impression the Charon had seen a lot during his time, so I really wanted to play up his age and maybe his wisdom as well.

From the Gates of Hell and Charon section of the Dante's Inferno unit

Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002).

Reading Diary B: Dante's Inferno (Week 13)

Nicola Consoni's Dante al Limbo

• I wonder how many Cantos there are in this.
• The Minotaur from Crete is in the seventh circle of hell.
• “When he saw us, he gnawed himself, like someone consumed by anger inside.”  Sounds like someone with intense emotional trauma.
• He weaves in the Greek mythology almost seamlessly.  He mentions Theseus and it doesn’t seem forced or awkward.
• “the world has often been overwhelmed by chaos.”
• “we near the river of blood, in which those who injure others by violence are boiled.”
• So our desires are what lead us to destruction and hell?
• For a little bit, I think that I got Chiron and Charon confused.
• Chiron was basically the leader of the centaurs?
• “Divine Justice here torments Attila.”  So he isn’t just taking on Greek mythology.  The word “divine” makes the torture sound righteous.
• “The foliage was not green, but a dusky colour: the branches were not smooth, but warped and knotted; there were no fruits there, but poisonous thorns.”  Sounds like a dark twist on Wonderland or something like that.
• It is super interesting that Dante refers to Virgil as “Master,” especially when Virgil is being considered such a massive sinner.
• 'O Capaneus, you are punished more in that your pride is not quenched: no torment would produce pain fitting for your fury, except your own raving.' That’s interesting.  So each person’s punishment is custom fit to them. 
• It is odd how Virgil talks of Jason.  It is as if he is this great and glorious person who somehow did something bad enough to send him to hell.  The language is both good and bad, which is interesting.  

Dante's Inferno unit

Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002).

Reading Diary A: Dante's Inferno (Week 13)

Sandro Botticelli's Chart of Hell

• “In the middle of the journey of our life, I came to myself, in a dark wood, where the direct way was lost.”  Our is plural.  Who is the other person?  I know one is Dante, but who is the other?  He came to himself?  What does that mean?  Does that mean that he becomes aware?
• He was “so full of sleep.”  That’s like a dream.
• There is some watery language
• Leopards, lions, wolves, oh my!
• “where the sun is silent.”  What?  This sounds a bit like Alice in Wonderland…
• Why does Dante want to travel through Hell?
• Does he go through Hell to escape the animals?
• “Here, all uncertainty must be left behind; all cowardice must be dead”  Interesting
• It is interesting that he is comforted by such a sinner touching his hand.
• They ignore the people who are in between
• “And see, an old man, with white hoary locks, came towards us in a boat.” Charon is an old man.
• Charon does not want to take Dante and Virgil across.
• “My son, those who die subject to God's anger all gather here, from every country, and they are quick to cross the river since divine justice goads them on, so that their fear is turned to desire. This way no good spirit ever passes.”  Good to know
• 'How can I go on, if you are afraid, who are my comfort when I hesitate?'
• Virgil doesn’t fear the first circle of hell, but rather pities those who reside there.

Dante's Inferno

Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002).

Storytelling: A Bedtime Fable (Week 12)

The Wolf and the Lamb by Wenceslaus Hollar

“Mom, will you tell me a story?”  Lucy looked down at her daughter from the doorway.

“Of course, Luna.  What would you like to hear?”

“I dunno!  Just a story!”

“Okay, okay.  Calm down and get into bed.”

Luna ran across the room, almost tripping on the too-long pant legs of her pajama bottoms, and jumped unto the bed.  Her dark hair flew around her face as she bounced to a stop.  Lucy shook her head and smiled.

“Come on, silly.  Under the cover.”

Luna crawled beneath the blankets and wriggled around until she was comfortable.  Lucy sat on the edge of the bed and patted Luna’s leg.

“So, a story.  Hmm.  How about a fable?”

“What’s a fable?”

“It’s a kind of story with lots of animals in it.”

“Ohhhh.  Okay!  Tell me a fable!”

“How about the one with the wolf and the lamb?”

“Yeah!  Wolf and lamb!”

“Okay, well it goes something like this…

There once was a wolf and a lamb drinking from opposite ends of a stream.  The lamb was more than happy to share the water with everyone, but the wolf was greedy and mean.  The water flowed from the wolf then down to where the lamb was.  When the wolf saw the lamb there, he grew very angry.  He snuck up on the lamb and yelled, “Why are you drinking from my stream?  You’re ruining it!”

The lamb jumped away and answered the wolf, “But the water reaches you first, then flows to me.  Even if I were ruining it, you would never taste it!”

The wolf ignored the young lamb’s logic.  Instead, he blamed the lamb for something its father had done long ago.  The wolf was okay with using any excuse he could to be mean to the little lamb, even though he was blameless.

And I believe the fable ends with the lines,

‘To those this fable I address

Who are determined to oppress,

And trump up any false pretence,

But they will injure innocence.’”

Once Lucy was finished with the story, she looked at Luna snuggled up in her bed.  Luna’s eyes weren’t as wide as they had been before, and Lucy could tell that she was fighting a yawn.

“What did you think, kiddo?”

“The wolf was bad.”

“That’s right.  The wolf was bad.  Do you know what the moral of the story was?”

“Yeah, Mommy.  It’s bad people are bad.”  Lucy smiled a bit and tried not to chuckle at the short and sweet answer her daughter gave.

“That’s right, Sweetie.  Bad people, or wolves, are bad.”

Finally, Luna yawned.  Lucy stood up and pulled to covers up to her daughter's neck and tucked her in.  

"Alright, now.  Go to bed."

"Can you tell me another fable tomorrow?"

"Sure thing, Sweetie."

"Good, because I like the animals, even if they are bad sometimes."  This made Lucy laugh a little.

"Alright, Sweetie.  Now, seriously, go to bed.  Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Mommy,"

Author's Note:

I chose to write this like a bed time story because the fables were so short, that it would work as being a part of the story itself.  I felt like a bed time story would be a good way to create a frame for the fable.  The fable included in my story is the actual fable from the Untextbook.  There were several of the fables that seemed to have a similar moral or theme that this one did, so I went with the story of the Lamb and the Wolf to include in my story.

The Wolf and the Lamb from the UnTextbook

The Comedies of Terence and the Fables of Phaedrus

translated by Henry Thomas Riley,

to which is added

a Metrical Translation of Phaedrus

by Christopher Smart.

1887.

Reading Diary B: Aesop's Fables (Week 12)

illustration from Steinhowel's Aesop

• ·         “To those this fable I address
• Who are determined to oppress,
• And trump up any false pretence,
• But they will injure innocence.” Is the moral that bad people are bad?  That’s kind of lousy.
• ·         “When one rogue would another get
• For surety in a case of debt,
• 'Tis not the thing t' accept the terms,
• But dread th' event, the tale affirms.”
• ·         “Liars are liable to rue
• The mischief they 're so prone to do.”  Once again, bad people are bad?
• ·         So the wolf thinks that it is better to be down on your luck and serve yourself than to serve another, even if they are good to you.
• ·         I wonder if the saying, “a wolf in sheep’s clothing” comes from Aesop
• ·         “The churl that wants another's fare
• Deserves at least to lose his share.”  That seems a tad bit harsh.  Everyone is jealous or covetous of other people and what they have every once in a while.  It seems harsh to punish someone for that.
• ·         Dogs are greedy but wolves are shady?
• ·         Seriously, I’m seeing a theme of “bad people are bad.”
• ·         Dogs are loyal, but greedy?
• ·         The weasel tricked the mice, even though the weasel was no longer strong.  Strength does not necessarily win a fight or a situation
• ·         “He that would have the wicked reign,
• Instead of help, will find his bane.”  I think it is really interesting that some of these fables have the moral of the story as the very first lines.  I really like that concept.  It is like a preface

Aesop's Fables (English)

Reading Diary A: Aesop's Fables (Week 12)

illustration from Bewick's Aesop

• This Fable will a general law attest:
• That each one deems that what's his own is best.  Definitely my favorite line out of that fable.
• I’m surprised by how involved the gods are in the fables
• It is interesting to me that Aesop switched a man for Pandora in this fable.  It is a curious thing to do.
• I wonder why the trees were so important to the gods
• “Those who are known to have deceived,
• When they speak truth, are not believ'd.”
• Says a man,
• "Why build you on so small a plan?"
• The Sage replies: "Though small, I fear
• There's more than room for friends sincere."
• A Boy that would not learn his Book was a little odd.  I got what it was saying, but it was silly.
• “The Fox (being one of the Pretenders) stomach’d it extremely to see the Choice go against him, and presently rounds the New-elect in the Ear, with a piece of secret Service that he could do him.”  Why is the fox a pretender?
• The fox as a trickster again.  I wonder where this idea comes from originally.
• The fox flatters the crow, then steals its food.
• We actually discussed the fox and the grapes today in one of my classes!
• “Still meditating self-defence,
• At any other man's expense.”
• “he subtle Fox herself avails
• And by his horns the mound she scales,
• And leaves the Goat in all the mire
• To gratify his heart's desire.”
• “Lion and Man, on some pretense,
• Disputed for preeminence.”  Oh wow, interesting

Aesop's Fables (English)

Storytelling: Of All Things (Week 11)

Illustration by Howard Pyle

Arthur watched as his foster brother prepared for the tournament.  His foster father was fussing with his armor.  Arthur shook his head and continued to saddle up the horses.  This was the second tournament this year, and the year was only three months in.  It was tiring work, but he enjoyed it.  He never actually participated himself, but he helped Kay practice some times.  He wasn’t particularly good yet, but he was slowly getting better at it. 

“Arthur!”  His head snapped up from his work and looked toward the voice that had called him.

“Do you need help with something Kay?”  His foster brother walked towards him quickly.  With all the armor in place, he was a bit clumsy as well.  When he finally stopped in front of him, he struggled to stand up straight under the weight of the armor. 

“I need a sword.”

“A sword?”

“A sword.”

“Okay, but why?  Didn’t you just have one?”

“Well, yes.  But it broke.  Don’t we have a back-up?”

“That was the back-up.  You lost the other on the way here.”

“What?  What kind of squire only has one back-up sword?”

“That’s all your father told me to bring.  Can we go buy one quickly?  Surely one of the vendors have something sufficient.”

“No, none of the vendors here will do.  They charge outrageous prices for shoddy craftsmanship.  From what I saw this morning, the vendor next to the inn we are staying at has a decent select.  Can you run down there before the tournament starts?”

Arthur looked at Kay incredulously.  The inn was nearly a thirty minute trek from the tournament.  They didn’t have that kind of time.  The tournament was meant to start soon.  Kay looked at him impatiently.

“Well?”  Arthur shook his head at his foster brother.

“I’ll see what I can do.”

With that Arthur took off in the direction of the inn.  Ten minutes into the trip, he came across the church.  It wasn’t much of a church really.  It was a small building with a caved in roof.  There was a small cemetery situated next to it.  Most of the grave stones were crumbling.  Only a few stones were still fully standing.  In fact, one of them was an actual stone rather than a grave marker.  Of all the things that could have possibly caught his attention, it was this little, dilapidated church. 

He stopped for a second before moving closer.  It wasn’t until he stood right in front of the church that he really took notice of the stone.  Though there was not much sunlight, a few small beams caught on something and cast a glint his way.  He walked towards it until he was standing right next to it.  With his right hand, he reached out towards it.  Once his hand was wrapped around whatever was sticking out of the stone, he realized what it was.  It was dirty, but it was unmistakably the hilt of a sword.  Of all things, he had found a sword stuck inside of a stone. 

Author's Note:

I chose to write about this particular story of King Arthur because it is one of the ones that I am the least familiar with and I wanted to explore it some.  I took a class on Arthurian legends, so this was a unit I was really eager to read and work on.  I didn't change much, but I did go farther in depth with the story.  I also left off with Arthur finding the stone because I felt like everyone knows the rest of the story, and I felt like it would make an interesting cliffhanger.

The Drawing of the Sword

King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang, illustrated by H. J. Ford (1902).