Week 14 Storytelling: The Miner

When I was a young man, my wife and I could barely get by. She stayed at home to cook and take care of the house, and I was a miner in the local mine. My job was tough and took its toll on my body. Some days the air would be so thick with dust and dirt, I could barely breathe. I'll never forget the time when I found something interesting down in the mines. I was working alone one afternoon, when my pickaxe struck something that wasn't rock. I stopped and got down on my knees to take a closer look. There was something shining through the rock. I took my smaller hand-pick and tried to chip away at the edges without hitting the object. It took me awhile, but I finally recovered it. It was a small, gold bottle.

I started to rub the bottle with my handkerchief to get the dust off of it. All of a sudden, a voice came from the bottle. I stood there for a minute trying to comprehend what I had just witnessed. A few minutes later, and I heard the voice again. It asked if I could put the bottle somewhere safe where no one could find it. I proceeded to ask why, but the only answer I got was the same question again. I decided I would sneak the bottle out at the end of my shift and hide it in the nearby forest.

When I returned home from work that night, I told my wife what had happened.

Miner: You won't believe what I found down in the mines today! I was chipping away and I came across a gold bottle. When I picked it up and dusted it off, it began to talk! It asked me to put it somewhere safe where no one could find it.

Wife: So, what did you do with it?!

Miner: Well, I snuck it out to the forest and hid it there.

Wife: Did you not make your wish?

Miner: No? Was I supposed to?

Wife: You fool! Do you know what that was?

Miner: ......

Wife: That was a magic golden bottle! Everyone knows that it has to grant any wish you ask, or at least most people know. You need to go back this instant and ask the bottle for a cottage! I'm tired of this small, drafty shack!

Miner: If you say so..

Even though I didn't really want to ask for an entire new house, I did because I knew it would make my wife happy. I went back to the bottle and began to shine it with my handkerchief. After awhile, i heard the voice again. I told the voice that my wife wanted a cottage, and it told me to return home and I would find my wife in our new home. I did, and when I got back I couldn't believe my eyes! Right there, where our old shack used to be, stood a new cottage. I entered and found my wife sitting near the fireplace, she was most content!

Wife: Do you see this?! I told you that was a magic golden bottle!

Miner: I can't believe it! This is beautiful! We'll be happy forever here!

Wife: We'll see about that.

Before I knew it, my wife asked me to return to the bottle and ask for a castle. She said the cottage was much too small for us now. I hesitated but eventually did as she wished. After I made my trip, I came home to find my wife on the steps of our castle. It didn't end there though. She then told me she wanted to be King, then Emperor, then Pope! Each time I returned to the bottle I was reluctant to ask for something else. We had already asked for so much and I didn't want to make whoever was granting these wishes mad. Each time though, the wish was granted. Until, my wife sent me to tell the bottle she wanted control over the sun and moon. As soon as I asked, the voice was as clear as ever, "Return home, and find your wife in your old shack." I headed home and just as the voice had promised, my wife was sitting on the porch of our shack with her head in her hands. To this day, we still live in that old shack.

Author's Note: This week I read some more stories from the Brothers Grimm unit. This story is based off the story The Fisherman and His Wife. In the original story a fisherman comes across a fish one day that claims to be a prince and asks the fisherman to release him. When he returns home that day, he tells his wife what had happened and she explained to him that he needed to return and ask for a wish from the fish. He does as she requests over and over. It all started with a cottage, then a castle, then she wanted to be king, then emperor, and then pope. Finally, she wanted control over the sun and moon and when he asked the fish for that, the fish sent him home and told him to find his wife in their old hovel. I re-wrote this story with a different profession. Instead of a fisherman, it was a miner. This was to show that the moral of the story is universal. No matter who you are, or what you do, don't be greedy!

(illustration by Walter Crane)

Bibliography: Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane and illustrated by Walter Crane (1886).

Week 14 Reading Diary: Brothers Grimm (Crane)

Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane and illustrated by Walter Crane (1886).

The Fisherman and His Wife

• A fisherman went fishing one morning and caught a flounder
• The flounder claimed to be an enchanted prince and asked to be released
• The fisherman released him and went home
• When he told his wife she asked why he didn't wish for anything
• She sent him back to the flounder to ask for a cottage because she was tired of the old hovel they were living in
• The fish granted it and sent the fisherman home
• He returned to his wife and she sent him back because she wanted a castle
• The flounder granted the wish again and sent him home
• His wife sent him back again because she wanted to be king
• The flounder granted it and sent him home
• She sent him back again because she wanted to be emperor
• The flounder granted it and sent him home
• She sent him back once more because she wanted to be pope
• The flounder granted it and sent him home
• She sent him back again because she wanted to have power over the sun/moon
• The flounder told him to go home and find his wife in the old hovel
• There they sit to this day

Aschenputtel

• There was a young girl and her mother died
• Her father remarried and the woman had two daughters of her own
• They treated Aschenputtel horribly
• The father asked them all one day what they wanted from town and all Aschenputtel asked for was the first twig to strike his hat
• He brought her back a hazel twig and she planted in on her mothers grave and wept
• A tree grew and every time she would return and weep a dove would appear from the tree and grant any wish she had
• One day the king ordered all of the beautiful women of the kingdom should attend a ball in which his son could choose a wife
• She asked her step-mother to go and her step-mother told her if she could pick up a dish full of lentils from the ashes in two hours she could go
• She called for the birds to help her and they finished the task in an hour
• Her step-mother said no and then told her if she could pick two full dishes of lentils from the ashes then she could go
• She called the birds to help her again and they finished in half an hour
• Her step-mother told her she couldn't go, she didn't have nice clothes and couldn't dance
• She went to the hazel tree on her mothers grave and wept and called out to the tree to let silver and gold fall over her
• The dove brought a beautiful silver and gold dress and shoes
• She went to the ball and her family didn't recognize her because she was so beautiful
• The prince wouldn't let her leave without going with her so she hopped in a pigeon-house
• They cut the house open but no one was inside
• She had snuck out and returned the dress and was in the kitchen
• The next day she returned to the tree with the same plea
• The dove brought down an even more beautiful dress
• She returned to the festival and the prince again wouldn't let her leave without going with her
• She ran and hopped into a pear tree in the garden
• They chopped the pear tree down but no one was in it
• She had snuck down the other side, returned the dress, and was in the kitchen where she belonged
• She did it for a third time but this time the prince had the steps covered in pitch so her left shoe would stick when she ran off
• He began searching for his bride that the shoe fit
• The eldest step sister tried it but couldn't get her big toe to fit
• Her mother told her to chop it off, she wouldn't need it when she was queen
• She did and crammed her foot into the shoe
• The prince took her and then realized the shoe was bloody, so he returned her
• He made the younger sister try on the shoe, but her heel was too large
• Her mother told her to cut off a piece of her heel, she wouldn't walk when she was queen
• The prince took her but too realized the shoe was bloody, so he returned her
• He asked if there was another daughter and they said no, only poor Aschenputtel from his first wife
• He ordered for her and she cleaned herself up, tried on the shoe, and it fit
• He took her off and they were married
• During the bridal procession the birds pecked the two step-sisters eyes out and they were blind because of their wickedness and falsehood

The Robber Bridegroom

• The was a man who had a daughter that said he would give her to any man who seemed worthy
• He met a nice man and decided he was worthy
• The daughter never felt right about the man and didn't know why
• One day the man asked why they had never met, they were to be married
• He convinced her to come visit him at his house deep in the woods
• She went and when she arrived no one was there and a bird inside gave her a warning
• She went into the cellar and there was an old woman
• The old woman told her that her soon to be husband was a robber and would kill her and eat her
• She hid her and told her to wait until the night and she would sneak her out
• The robbers returned with a young girl and begin to cut her up
• They cut one of her fingers with a gold ring off and it fell in the daughter's lap
• One of the robbers began to look for it but the old woman called them to eat and told them to resume tomorrow
• She put sleeping aids in their wine and they soon fell asleep
• The daughter and the old woman escaped
• When the robber came to their wedding the girl told them of her "dream" and then showed the finger with the ring
• The family and friends caught the robbers and executed them

(Grimm)

Week 13 Storytelling: The Cottage in the Woods

A man by the name of Hans and his wife, Gretchen, had just moved to Storybrook. They were staying at the local hotel, but were quickly trying to find a new home so they could get settled. Hans picked up the Storybook Gazette on his way home from work so they could begin browsing the listings.

Gretchen: How was your first day, honey?

Hans: It was great! I think we made a really good decision moving here. The people are so welcoming and Storybrook has that small town charm!

Gretchen: I also noticed how friendly the people were today. All we need now is a place to call home, and we'll be set!

Hans: I picked up the local newspaper to search for listings. Let's take a look.

They browsed for a minute or two. Then, they stumbled across a listing that caught both of their eyes.

Gretchen: Look! There's a small single family cottage just outside of town, and look at the price! That can't be right!

Hans: Hmm. That must be a misprint. There's no way a house with that much land could be that cheap. I'll give the real estate office a call in the morning.

The next morning Hans phoned the local real estate office and set up a viewing for that afternoon. He couldn't wait to surprise Gretchen!

Gretchen: Well, you're home early from work! Is everything alright?

Hans: Everything is great! I got off a little early so I could surprise you! I called the real estate office this morning and set up a viewing for the cottage in the woods. Now hurry and get your shoes on, we're going to be late!

......

Sandra: Hello there, my name is Sandra. I'm with Storybrook Realty! Are we ready to see this wonderful property?

Hans: Hello, I'm Hans and this is my wife, Gretchen, we can't wait to see the house!

Sandra: Great! Follow me! First things first, this isn't your typical cottage. As you're probably already noticing, the house is not made out of the usual materials. Why is this you ask? It's a very interesting story actually. A few years back, two young siblings got lost in the woods. They had been gone for weeks before they finally found their way back home. When they returned they had quite the story to tell. They claimed that they came across a house made of sweet breads and cakes, and windows of sugar. They said the house saved their lives, because they had gone days without food. It sounds absurd right? Well it just so happened they were telling the truth! They led the sheriff back here to this very spot and sure enough, the cottage they spoke of stands here to this day. It's been on the market ever since.

Hans: Is there a reason that no one has purchased the house? Is it.........haunted?

Sandra: Haunted? No, no, nothing of the sort. The reason no one has purchased it is because the children also claimed that a witch lived here when they stumbled upon the cabin. They said they were trapped here for weeks, until one day the younger sibling burnt the witch alive and freed her brother at last. Now, there is no proof that this is true or that witches are even real for that matter, but that's the rumor that has been going around for years.

Gretchen: Sandra, could we have a moment to discuss?

Sandra: Sure! Take all the time you need!

Gretchen: Honey, this house is perfect! It's super cheap and it's one of a kind! A house made of sweet breads and cakes? We'll become famous once we get the word out that we own this place!

Hans: You're right sweetheart. Sandra, we'll take it!

Sandra: Great! I'll have the paperwork drawn up and you two can move in immediately!

A few weeks had passed. Hans and Gretchen were slowly getting settled into their new home. After the first week Gretchen began noticing strange occurrences while she was home alone during the day. Doors began opening themselves, dishes started falling from the cabinets, and the most recent, the oven kept turning itself on. She decided that it was probably nothing and to keep it to herself.

One moonless night, Hans and Gretchen were suddenly awoken by a blood curdling scream. Hans immediately grabbed a bat and ran downstairs to see what was making the noise. When he got to the kitchen, he found the oven with flames bursting out of the cracks, and what seemed to be an old woman's face, screaming through the flames. He grabbed the water faucet from the kitchen sink and began to put the fire out, but it only made matters worse. The screams got louder and the flames more intense. He ran upstairs, grabbed Gretchen, and fled the cottage in the woods. They never returned, and never spoke a word of what happened in that house.

Author's Note: This week I read one of the Brothers Grimm units. This story is based off of Hansel and Grethel. In the original story, when Hansel and Grethel were lost in the woods they come across a cabin made of sweet breads, cakes and sugar. They were famished and began eating the house when the owner approached them. It was an old lady who tricked them into coming inside and then held them hostage so that she could fatten them up and eat them. She was a witch. One day Grethel tricked the witch into getting in the oven and burnt her alive. Grethel and her brother escaped and returned home. The story never mentions the house or the witch again, so I thought I would create a spin-off story that tells what happens to the cottage. Also, I thought I would incorporate the witch as well. Did Grethel actually kill the witch, or did she just think she did? Maybe she did kill the witch, but the ghost of the witch will haunt the cottage forever? You decide.

(illustration by Otto Ubbelohde)

Bibliography: Margaret Hunt's Household Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (1884).

Week 13 Reading Diary: Brothers Grimm (Hunt)

Margaret Hunt's Household Tales by Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm (1884).

Hansel and Grethel

• A father and his wife discussed what to do because they were out of food
• The wife, step-mother, said to take the kids, Hansel and Grethel, into the woods and leave them
• The father said he couldn't, but he did
• Luckily, Hansel and Grethel were awake and heard the conversation
• Hansel collected white pebbles that shone in the moonlight for the next day
• The next day, the parents took the kids into the forest and left them
• Hansel had secretly dropped Pebbles the whole time they were walking
• Hansel grabbed Grethel by the hand when the moon came up and followed the trail back home
• When they arrived the step-mother scolded them, but their father cheered and his heart was heavy for leaving them
• The food supply again was scarce, so the mother decided to take them farther into the forest this time
• Hansel tried to sneak out and collect pebbles again, but their mother had locked the door and he couldn't get out
• So the next day he crumbled the small piece of bread he was given in his pocket, and spears the crumbs the whole walk
• The parents again built them a fire and left them
• When the moon came out Hansel took Grethel by the hand and told her he had dropped bread crumbs the whole path home and they could follow them in the moonlight
• They couldn't find the crumbs, the birds along the way had eaten them all
• They walked all night and all the next day until they grew too fatigued to continue
• They finally sat down under a tree and went to sleep
• Three days later and they only got farther into the forest
• They came upon a bird that sang beautifully and followed it to a house that was made out of bread, cakes and windows of sugar
• They began to feast when they heard someone ask who was eating the house
• Finally a very old woman on crutches came out of the house
• She told them to come in and they would be safe, she fed them and made them up beds
• She deceived them though and was actually a witch that lures children in and eats them
• Early in the morning she awoke before the children and drug Hansel to the barn and locked him up
• She made Grethel collect water and feed her brother to fatten him up so she could eat him
• Grethel got nothing to eat
• After weeks, the day finally came, and the witch had decided to cook Hansel and eat him
• The witch was heating up the oven and asked Grethel to get inside and see if it was warm yet, she planned to lock her in to cook and eat her too
• Grethel realized this and told the witch she didn't know how
• The witch put her head in the oven as a demonstration and Grethel gave her a shove, shut the iron door and locked it
• She witch miserably burnt to death
• Grethel ran to Hansel and released him, they rejoiced
• They went back into the house and collected as many jewels and pearls as they could, the house was covered in them
• They then decided to get out of the witches forest
• After two hours they came across a river with no bridge
• They called upon a duck nearby and asked it to carry them one at a time across the river
• After they crossed the forest became more familiar and they soon saw their fathers house in the distance
• They ran in and jumped into their father's arms and began emptying their pockets of all the jewels they collected
• Their father was sad every day they were gone
• Their step-mother was dead
• They lived together in perfect happiness

Thumbling

• There was peasant who discussed with his wife of how nice it would be to have children
• The wife agreed, and said even if they only had one and it were small, even as small as a thumb they would be satisfied
• The wife soon became ill and gave birth seven months later to a perfect son, the only thing was he was no longer than a thumb
• They loved him and acknowledged their wish had come true, they named him Thumbling
• One day the peasant was getting ready to go cut wood in the forest when he told himself that he wished he had someone to bring the cart to him
• Thumbling offered, but his father told him it was not possible for him to lead the horse by his reins
• Thumbling told his father that if his mother would put the harness on the horse, he would ride in the horses ear and guide him
• His father agreed to try it just this once
• On his way with the cart, two men saw the horse and heard someone leading him but saw no one
• They were intrigued, so they followed the horse and cart
• The cart arrived where it was supposed to and Thumbling's father got him out and set him down
• The two men decided to buy Thumbling when they saw him, they thought they could make money showing him off in town
• The father told them no, but Thumbling whispered in his ear to let them buy him and he would be back soon
• Thumbling rode on one of the man's hat to see the countryside
• When it started to get dark Thumbling asked to get down
• He slipped in a mouse-hole and told the gentlemen good evening, and to continue on without him
• They stuck their sticks in the mouse-hole to force Thumbling out, but he was useless
• It finally got too dark, and the men had to leave without him
• When Thumbling saw they had left, he decided to head home
• He decided it was not safe to travel at night and found a snail shell to sleep in
• Just before he went to sleep he heard two men asking each other how they would rob the rich pastor
• He told them he could help so they picked him up and took him along
• When they got there Thumbling snuck in and began yelling as loud as he could asking them if they wanted everything
• This eventually woke the maid and the thieves fled
• Thumbling found a pile of hay and decided to sleep there until morning
• In the morning he was sleeping so soundly that he didn't realize the maid was feeding the exact hay he was sleeping in to the cows
• When he awoke he was in the cows mouth, and out of fear of being dismembered by the cows teeth he slid down into the cows stomach
• The space grew smaller as more and more hay came pouring in
• Finally Thumbling began to cry out, bring me no more fodder
• The maid was milking the cow and the shouting frightened her, so she fell off her stool and spilt the milk
• She ran into her master and told him about the cow speaking
• When the pastor heard the noise coming from the cow he ordered the cow to be killed, thinking she was possessed
• She was dismembered and just as Thumbling was about to make his way out of the stomach, a wolf swallowed the stomach whole
• Thumbling told the wolf he knew of a house where the wolf could sneak in and eat a feast
• Thumbling tricked the wolf into sneaking into his parents house and he did so
• The wolf ate so much that he couldn't fit through the hole in which he snuck in
• Thumbling began making loud noises until his parents awoke and saw the wolf in the house
• Just as his father was coming with his axe, Thumbling yelled for him and told him he was in the wolf's stomach
• The father killed the wolf and they cut Thumbling out
• They embraced each other and told Thumbling they would never sell him again

Allerleirauh

• There was a king who had the most beautiful wife with golden hair, so beautiful that no one else in the world could compare
• She fell ill one day and knew she would die, she made her husband promise to never marry someone as beautiful as her or someone that had golden hair such as hers
• He promised and she died
• Later on, his council decided that he needed a wife to rule the kingdom again
• They began to search but could not find anyone as beautiful as his late wife
• One day the king looked upon his grown up daughter, who had golden hair such as his wife's and was very beautiful, and fell madly in love with her
• He told his council his intentions and they were shocked, this could not happen, it was wrong
• When he told his daughter, she was even more shocked, she decided to make stipulations she thought were impossible
• She asked for a dress as golden as the sun, a dress as silvery as the moon, and a dress as bright as the stars
• She also asked for a mantle of a thousand different kinds of fur and hair, each animal in the kingdom had to give a piece of its skin for the mantle
• Her father did these things and placed them in front of her and told her the wedding was tomorrow
• She decided to sneak out in the middle of the night and take three things with her; a golden ring, a golden spinning-wheel and a golden reel; the three dresses in a nut shell; and wrapped herself in the mantle of a thousand different furs and put soot on her hands and face
• She walked the whole night until she reached a great forest, found a hollow tree, and went to sleep inside
• She continued to sleep through the following day and the king that resided over the forest was hunting
• The dogs surrounded the hollowed tree and began barking
• The king ordered his men to fetch what was in the tree
• When the men did, the girl awoke and began screaming and telling them she was an abandoned child
• They name her Allerleirauh and told her she could come with them and work in the kitchen
• They gave her a closet under the stairs and she did all of the dirty work in the kitchen
• One day there was a feast in the palace and she asked to go upstairs for awhile
• The cook gave her permission and told her to be back in half an hour
• She went upstairs and washed her face and hands and put on her golden sun dress
• She went to the party and danced with the king and no one knew who she was but they all were so intrigued by her
• After the dance she vanished and the king had his guards search for her with no success
• She took her dress off and covered her face and hands again with soot
• She returned to the kitchen and the cook asked her to make the King's soup and not to get any hairs into it
• She did and she put her golden ring in the bottom of the King's soup bowl
• The King thought it was the best soup he had ever tasted and then found the gold ring in the bottom
• He called for the cook and the cook feared she had gotten hair in his soup
• The King asked who made the soup and the cook replied that he had
• The King knew it was a lie because the soup tasted better than before and was made differently
• The cook finally admitted it was made by the rough animal and the King sent the cook after the animal
• This happened again except she wore the silvery dress this time and put the golden spinning-wheel in the King's soup bowl
• It happened a third time and she wore the bright dress, and put the golden reel in the King's bowl
• This time though she was late and put on her fur mantle over her bright dress and didn't cover her face and hands as well as before
• The King had also slipped the ring on one of her fingers without her knowing and this finger remained white
• When he summoned her this time he noticed her finger and grabbed her, her fur mantle opened a little and her dress shone through
• Her golden hair was revealed and her beauty the she washed her face and hands
• She was the most beautiful woman anyone had ever seen on earth
• He declared they would be wed and they lived happily until death

(Hansel and Grethel)

Tech Tip: Site Clean-Up

For this tech-tip I just went back through my site to make sure all of the comment boxes and search boxes were removed. I also removed one of the tabs in the navigation that took you back to my homepage since it was redundant. You can click on the title if you want to return to the home page. I also made some other changes to my site such as the background, etc. Check it out below!

Adventure of Flight

Tech Tip: Site Navigation

I decided to change the navigation on my storybook site. I didn't like the way it looked on the side, so I switched from vertical to horizontal navigation. I also changed the links from boxes to tabs. I think it just makes it look a little softer and not so template-like. Below is a link, go check out all of the changes I've made.

Adventure of Flight

Week 12 Storytelling: Queen of Hearts

A procession of guards, children and others made their way over the hill. Alice had never seen such a crowd. Down the line, Alice could see two figures that stood out. They were dressed like royalty and were the only ones who weren't walking like the rest. It was the King and Queen of Hearts. After approaching Alice, the Queen made it clear immediately the type of person she was. She seemed harsh, rude and tyrannical. If someone did something she didn't like she would scream, "Off with his head!" Alice was irritated with the Queen, but also fearful that she would lose her head if she did something the Queen didn't like. The Queen eventually asked Alice if she could play croquet, Alice  reluctantly said that she could and joined the procession as the Queen instructed her to.

Along the way Alice carefully examined the Queen. She read her body language and just tried to get a better sense of who she was. One thing Alice had learned at a young age is that you don't judge a book by its cover. Sometimes people put up a front that is completely different than who they actually are. After a while, Alice thought to introduce herself and see if she could get to know the real Queen of Hearts.

Alice: My name is Alice! It's very nice to meet you! I'm not from this place, so I don't really know or understand everything yet. I hope that we can become good friends. What's your name?

Queen: My name is of no importance to you. You may address me as your Queen and that is that.

Alice: I'm just trying to be friendly. Why do you have to be so rude?

Queen: How dare you! OFF WITH HER......

Alice: Yeah, yeah. I know. Off with my head. That's all you say. When someone says something you don't like or do, you just behead them. That's not a very good way to make friends. Didn't your mother ever teach you that?

Queen: Well, uhh, you see....I never really had a mother when I was a child.

Alice: I'm so sorry to hear that! I don't know what I would do without my mother! Why didn't you have a mother?

Queen: Alice is it? Well, when I was very young both of my parents were killed. I don't really remember them. I was raised by my aunt, who assumed the throne when they passed away.

Alice: How tragic! I bet you are thankful your aunt was there to raise you after your parents died!

Queen: I wouldn't say that I was thankful. My aunt was an evil old lady. When she found out my parents had died, she cheered and said she was glad they were gone. She knew that there was nothing in the way of her and the throne. She ordered me to spend my days living in the attic and to be her own personal slave. I was required to do anything and everything she asked, and if my work wasn't to her standards I would end up in the dungeon for a week. It was awful, and the only thing I had to look forward to was my eighteenth birthday. I knew when I was eighteen I would be free from her forever!

Alice: What happened when you turned eighteen?

Queen: Well, the week before my birthday I was gathering up everything I could think of that I wanted to take with me. I didn't have much, but a few keepsakes of my parents and a change of clothes. I was ecstatic the whole week, and my aunt could tell. She would say and do anything to bring me down, but it didn't work. Nothing could bring me down because I knew by the end of the week I would be free, or so I thought.

Alice: Oh no, what did your aunt do?

Queen: On the day of my birthday, I woke up at daybreak. When I walked downstairs my aunt was sitting in the main room, waiting for me. She said, "Well you're up early. Oh right, it's your birthday today isn't it? I'm afraid we'll have to celebrate later. I need you to get down to the barn. My riding instructor is coming this morning and we can't have a barn full of feces when he gets here." I then reminded her, "You're going to have to find someone else to do your dirty work from now on. Today is my eighteenth birthday and I'm out of here!" I turned to leave and a guard stepped between me and the door. She said, "Oh honey, you didn't think that I would let you leave that easily did you? You have no money, no family and nowhere to go. You're staying here with me and there's nothing you can do about it!"

Alice: What did you do?!

Queen: I stayed. She was right. I didn't have anywhere to go and if I did leave she would've done everything in her power to make sure I was homeless and miserable. After that day though, something changed in me. I knew what I had to do. If I wanted to be free, I would have to get rid of my aunt. It was actually pretty simple. My aunt wasn't the sharpest thorn on the rose bush, so I just snuck something in her breakfast one morning and that was the end of her. The doctor ruled it a heart attack and I took my rightful place as Queen.

Alice: You killed your aunt.....but......that just makes you as bad as her, maybe even worse.

Queen: Listen little girl, you don't know what I went through. You don't know what its like to live like that. I did what I had to. Now go on and get your mallet, your holding up the game!

Author's Note: This week I read the readings from Alice in Wonderland. I've seen the animated movie and heard the story as a kid, but I didn't really remember it in much detail. For my story I decided to add in a little piece and kind of give a back story on one of the other characters. When Alice finally gets into the small door where the garden is in Wonderland, she ends up meeting the Queen of Hearts. All that we ever really learn about that Queen is that she is pretty malicious and continuously calls for the beheading of people. So, I thought I would add in a personal discussion between Alice and the Queen on the walk to the croquet ground. My story gives a small taste of the Queen's childhood and how that contributed to the way she is today.

(illustration by Arthur Rackham)

Bibliography: Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

Tech Tip: Embed Tweet

https://t.co/CYwi1fR7lx

— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) March 13, 2016

AG Live Performance = PERFECTION

Tech Tip: Editing Pins

Just added a twitter widget to my sidebar. I chose my twitter timeline because I don't have any lists yet, and there's more content on my actual timeline rather than my favorites. It's pretty cool that you can embed your twitter account right into your blog!

Tech Tip: Sidebar Box

Just added another sidebar box to my blog. I'll be adding my twitter to it soon.

Tech Tip: Twitter Widget in Post

Tweets by @austintfreeman

Week 12 Reading Diary, continued: Alice in Wonderland

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

A Mad Tea-Party

• The hatter, the march hare and a couple others were sitting at a dinner table under a tree in front of the house
• They were all crowded on one end with no room
• Alice sat on the other end in a large armed chair
• The hare said it was rude for her to sit without an invite
• She said she didn't know it was his table
• The hatter said her hair needed to be cut
• They talked
• The hatter stared at his watch uneasily
• He asked Alice a riddle
• She didn't know the answer
• The hatter and the hare said they didn't either
• Alice said they shouldn't waste time telling riddles they had no answer to
• The hatter said it's not wasted if you know him, Time that is
• They talked about how you could manipulate time if you were on good terms with him
• Now time was stuck at six o'clock
• The hatter was to sing and after he got a verse out the queen said he was murdering time, off with his head
• Since then time wouldn't do anything the hatter asked of him
• They woke up the dormouse to tell a story
• They offered Alice more tea, but she said she hadn't had any yet
• The story went on until Alice became so confused that she said she didn't understand
• She said, "I don't think....." and the hatter said, "Then you shouldn't talk."
• She left the tea party angry
• She found a door and opened it
• It led back to the hallway with the table
• She went to the door behind the curtain again and ate some of the mushroom she saved in her pocket
• She shrunk and went into the garden

The Queen's Croquet-Ground

• There was a white rose tree in the entrance
• There were three cards painting the roses red and arguing
• They eventually saw Alice
• Alice asked them why they were painting the roses red
• They explained they planted a white rose tree instead of a red rose tree and the Queen would behead them if she knew
• Then one shouted the Queen was coming
• A procession of guards, children, kings, queen, and the King and Queen of Hearts came upon them
• The Queen asked Alice who she was and who the three cards were laying face down
• Alice said she didn't know, it wasn't her business
• The Queen screamed Off With Her Head!
• Alice said Nonsense!
• The Queen saw the rose tree and told the guards to behead the three cards
• Alice hid them in a nearby flower pot
• The Queen asked Alice if she could play croquet
• Alice said she could and joined the procession
• They got to the croquet ground and Alice learned it was not your typical croquet
• The balls were live hedgehogs, the mallets live flamingoes, and the guards doubled themselves up to make the arches
• Everyone played at the same time in a frenzy
• The Queen kept shouting for the beheading of players so Alice began to worry
• She was looking for a way to escape and noticed the cheshire cat's smile floating in the air
• Alice talked to the cat for a bit
• She was about to say why she didn't like the Queen but the Queen was close behind so Alice played it off
• Then the King came to see who Alice was talking to
• He didn't like the cat and told the Queen to have it removed
• She yelled Off With His Head and the King went to get the executioner
• Alice went looking for her flamingo and hedgehog
• When she returned the King, Queen and executioner were in a quarrel and the crowd was silent
• They eventually went to get the duchess, since it was her cat, and the cat started to disappear
• The King and executioner looked for the cat while everyone went back to the game

Who Stole the Tarts?

• There was a trial for the knave
• He was accused of stealing tarts the queen made
• The jury was made up of animals and birds
• The white rabbit called in the first witness, the hatter who was accompanied with the march hare and the dormouse
• The king demanded his evidence and if he was nervous he would have him executed at once
• Alice began to grow bigger
• The queen was still staring at the hatter
• She then demanded a list of the singers from the last concert
• The king eventually dismissed the hatter and he was out of sight before the queen said to behead him as he left
• The next witness called was the duchess' cook
• During his questioning the dormouse spoke and the queen called for his beheading
• During all the commotion the cook disappeared
• The next witness was called, Alice...

Alice's Evidence

• Alice had gotten so big that when she got up she knocked over the jury box with her dress
• She then picked up all of the jurors and put them back in their place
• After a couple of questions the king told her she was over a mile high and had to leave
• The white rabbit then said he had more evidence
• He had just received a letter, but it wasn't signed and it wasn't in the knave's handwriting
• The king and white rabbit went back and forth of how the knave could or couldn't have written it
• The knave swore he didn't write it
• The white rabbit read the letter
• The king then explained how it was the knave that authored it
• Alice disagreed and the queen finally demanded her head
• The cards began to attack
• The next thing Alice knew she was waking up to her sister wiping the leaves from her face that had fallen from the tree
• She immediately told her sister the curious dream she had
• Her sister agreed and sent her in for her tea
• Alice hurried home and thought of how wonderful her dream was

(illustration by Sir John Tenniel)

Week 12 Reading Diary: Alice in Wonderland

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (1865).

Down the Rabbit-Hole

• Alice was bored and tired of sitting next to her sister
• A rabbit ran by her, exclaimed it was late, checked its watch in its pocket
• Alice thought it was strange so she followed the rabbit
• She saw it go in a rabbit hole so she followed it
• Before she knew it she was falling
• She fell what seemed like forever
• The fall finally ended and Alice plopped down unharmed
• She hopped up and saw the rabbit again running down a passage so she followed him
• He turned a corner and when she reached the corner he was gone and there was a long passage of doors
• Every door was locked
• She came upon a table that had a key
• She finally found a small door behind a curtain that the key fit
• She couldn't fit so she went back to the table
• There was a bottle labeled DRINK ME, so she did
• She shrunk to a size that could fit through the door
• She then realized she forgot the key on the table and couldn't reach it
• She found a box with cake that said, EAT ME, so she did
• She grew larger and grabbed the key and went to the door
• She now couldn't fit though the door
• She cried

Advice from a Caterpillar

• Alice peeks on top of a large mushroom and sees a caterpillar smoking hookah
• The caterpillar asked who she was
• Alice was confused, she didn't know who she was anymore
• The caterpillar made her angry
• He made her repeat a story
• She told him she wished to be larger
• He got up and left and said as he was leaving that one side of the mushroom would make her grow and the other side would make her shrink
• She broke off a piece from both sides and ate one, she started to shrink
• She then ate some of the other piece and her neck grew longer and longer
• She could no longer see her feet or hands
• She began to use her long neck to try and reach her hands
• A pigeon ran into her and began slapping her with his wings calling her a serpent
• She finally got to her hands and ate a little of each piece until she was back to her normal size
• She then came upon a house that was too small so she ate a little of one piece until she was small enough

Pig and Pepper

• There came a fish that knocked on the door and a frog answered
• They exchanged words and Alice laughed
• She hid in the woods so that they wouldn't see her
• The fish left and she went to knock on the door
• The frog told her it was no use cause he was outside and no one inside could hear her
• She kept asking how to get in and he kept repeating himself
• She finally went in and found a lady with a baby and a cook stirring a cauldron
• The kitchen was filled with smoke

(illustration by Sir John Tenniel)

Tech Tip: Twitter Follow

A new account I chose to follow is @TheOklahoma100. The Oklahoma 100 is a new newsletter that goes out every other week. Also, my friend, a recent OU graduate, is the editor. It includes 100 second videos, and 100 word articles over topics of interest around Oklahoma. If you're looking for intriguing stories throughout the state, go give them a follow or subscribe to the newsletter!

Tech Tip: First Tweet

For this tech tip I used my personal twitter account that I already had set up. I don't use twitter very much honestly. The only thing I use it for is to see what's trending, and to keep up with some of my favorite celebrities every now and then. Let's be honest, no one really cares that much about what I'm doing on a daily basis. I think it's a waste of time for me to tweet any and every thing that happens in my everyday life, but that's my opinion. If that makes you happy, more power to you.

Week 11 Storytelling: How the Leprechaun Fooled Grandfather

Jack: Grandfather, would you tell me one of your stories?

Grandfather: Sure kiddo, which one would you like to hear?

Jack: Tell me a new story, one you haven't mentioned before.

Grandfather: Well, let me think..... Have I ever told you the story about the leprechaun that duped me?

Jack: No! Tell me that one!

Grandfather: Well it all started like any other day. It was harvest time. I was out in the field, checking the crops, when I heard a clacking sound coming from behind some of the hedges. It startled me! I almost jumped out of my boots! I decided to slowly and stealthily sneak up on the noise to see what was creating it. Can you guess what I found?

Jack: What was it grandpa? Was it a leprechaun?

Grandfather: It was! I couldn't believe my eyes! He was sitting in a pot made out of pure gold! I had always heard stories about them, but I had never actually seen one in person! I asked him what he was doing and he replied, "That's none of your business, move along!" I was shocked and a little irritated at his response. I decided to snatch him up and take the pot for myself. As soon as I grabbed him, he began to wriggle his way loose. I had a good grip though, he wasn't going anywhere. During the scuffle I knocked the pot over and it shattered to pieces. Now, I was angry. Leprechauns are notorious for stashing gold in different places so I knew he had to have more somewhere. I squeezed him a little tighter and told him to take me to his stash of gold! He seemed frightened, and immediately agreed to take me to it.

Jack: Did you find it grandpa? Did he show you where his stash of gold was hidden?

Grandfather: Slow down, Jack. There's more to the story. Now, I've always heard that once you spot a leprechaun, you can't take your eyes off of them or they'll escape. The whole trip I kept my eyes on him. There wasn't a chance I was going to let him get away. We finally made it to a clearing when he said, "We're here." It was a field of nothing but large yellow flowers. The leprechaun pointed to one of the larger flowers and said, "Dig under that flower and you'll find my stash of gold." It was then that I realized, in all the anger and excitement, I forgot a shovel. I tied my red handkerchief around the flower, so I would remember which one it was under. I made the leprechaun promise he wouldn't remove it while I returned home to grab a shovel. He agreed, so I hurried home. When I returned, the handkerchief was gone, and the leprechaun was nowhere to be found.

Jack: Well grandpa, why didn't you dig under all the flowers until you found the gold?

Grandfather: Oh, Jack. There were hundreds of those flowers in that field. It would've taken me weeks. Also, I no longer trusted the leprechaun at this point. For all I know, he could've made the whole story up and lied about the stash of gold as well.

Jack: I'm sorry grandfather.

Grandfather: It's alright, Jack. I was angry for awhile, but I eventually got over it. One thing I did learn though, you can't trust a leprechaun!

Author's Note: This week I read some of the Celtic Fairy Tales. This particular story is based on one of the tales, The Field of Boliauns. In the original story there is a man that comes across a leprechaun in his field during harvest. The leprechaun has a pot of beer that he brewed, and when the man snatched up the leprechaun he spilt all of the beer. In his anger, the man demands to be taken to the place the leprechaun stashes his money. The leprechaun leads him, and the man keeps his eyes on the leprechaun the whole time so he doesn't escape. When they get to a field of Boliauns, a type of flower, the leprechaun points him to one he claims his money is buried under. The man realizes he forgot his spade and decides to return home to fetch it. He ties a red garter around the Boliaun and asks the leprechaun not to remove it, the leprechaun agrees. When he returns, the red garter is gone. There are too many Boliauns for him to dig them all up. He returns home and cursed the leprechaun every time he thought about what had happened. From the reading you can tell that my story is mostly the same, but with a few tweaks here and there to make it a little easier to understand for a reader in today's world. I also decided to have the setting as a grandpa telling his grandson a story about when he was younger. Was the grandfather telling a true story he witnessed, or was he just entertaining his grandson? You decide.

(Leprechaun)

Bibliography: Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs (1892).

Week 11 Reading Diary: Celtic Fairy Tales

Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs (1892).

Connla and the Fairy Maiden

• The Fairy Maiden pressured Connla to come live in a land of paradise
• Only Connla could see the Fairy Maiden
• A land that saw no sorrow and the people lived happily forever
• Connla's father, the king, called upon Coran the Druid to send the Fairy Maiden away
• He did so, and she was gone
• She gave Connla an apple before she vanished and he only ate from that apple from that day forward, it would grow back after each meal
• Finally the day came and the Fairy Maiden returned and once again called for Connla to return with her
• Connla and the Fairy Maiden rode off in the sunset and no one knew where they went

The Field of Boliauns

• Tom came across a pitcher in his field while harvesting
• In it was a leprechaun and beer
• When Tom snatched the leprechaun up he spilt all of the beer
• Tom was angry and demanded the leprechaun to show him his money
• The leprechaun led him to a field of Boliauns and told him which one he had to dig under to recover the gold
• He forgot his spade so he tied a red garter around the Boliaun, made the leprechaun promise not to remove it and went home to fetch his spade
• When he returned his garter was gone and he couldn't dig up every Boliaun, there was 40 acres
• He returned home and cursed the leprechaun every time he thought of what happened

The Horned Women

• Twelve witches, the first with one horn and the twelfth with twelve horns, entered the mistresses home
• They sat around in a circle and wound and wove
• They told the mistress to make them a cake
• She went to get water from the well and a voice told her when she got back to the house to yell a chant three times, she did so
• The witches left and while they were gone she locked them out
• When they retuned they were outraged
• They returned home and cursed the Spirit of the Well

The Shepherd of Myddvai

• The shepherd took his flock to a lake and lay there while they grazed
• Three sisters came up from the water and he offered one his bread
• She said it was too overcooked and fled back to the waters
• He came back a second time with a loaf that was softer and she said it was uncooked and fled back to the waters
• The third time he gave her a piece that he found on the shore of the lake and it pleased her
• She said if he came back the next day and could pick her out of her sisters she would marry him
• He did and they wed, they returned to his home and she brought some animals with her
• She told them that if he struck her three times without cause she would leave him
• They had children and over the years he tapped her roughly three times
• She fled back to the lake and took the animals with her
• She only returned once when her sons were grown and she gave them the gifts of healing

(Celtic Fairy Tales)