What readings did you like best?
I think it might be easier for me to tell you out of the sections that I read which ones I liked the least because I basically like them all! I did readings starting in week two and ending in week 11, and out of all of those the ones I disliked were 22 Goblins, it was far too long and repetitive, and the riddles weren't good. I also disliked some of the stories and elements of the Eskimo Folk tales Unit, the same things kep happening over and over again and every story involved the same things- seals, whales, ghosts, cannibal, wrongful killings. I also thought the Native American Hero Tales unit could have been better labeled as something else, I didn't find what many of the characters did to make them worthy of being called heroes.
* What reading diary strategies were most effective for you?
It was most effective for me to try to sum up the plot in a sentence or two and then type down my analysis of the story. I also tried to let my min run free in the moment and I would try to write down storytelling ideas immediately after I read the originals. This was super beneficial because I could come back the next day and pick one of the retelling ideas I had already thought of.
* What did you think of the overall balance between reading - writing - commenting in the class assignments?
I thought the balance was spot on. I liked that we got a mixture of all three throughout the week and that there were also bonus point option for all three each week as well. I will say I did often find the 150 word comments to be a little hard to do in a good way.
* As you look back from the end of the semester, what advice about the reading do you have for students who will be getting started next semester?
I would advise them to take the time each week to read part one and part two of their selected story unit. I did this each week, and although it was a little time consuming, I learned so much more about the culture that the stories came from. Also, reading and documenting your thoughts on both parts gave me so many more options to choose from when it came to retelling a story. Another bonus- I often found the perfect story each time that I was super eager to retell.. this made writing the 500-1000 word story a breeze!
Thursday, April 14, 2016
Course Reflections
I have thoroughly enjoyed taking this course over the last semester. I wasn't sure what to expect when I signed up, I just knew that the course title sounded interesting and I had some friends tell me they really enjoyed it. Well starting with our first mythology and folklore readings in the second week, and upon rewriting my own story tale I knew I was going to gain so much from this course.
I think I am most proud of my work on my storybook. This was basically a semester long project where I created a storybook site and then filled it with a few story retellings that had a common theme. I started off very worried about not being able to pick a good topic or to make things flow, but then my mother suggested a storybook about garden creatures. I started playing with the idea and my professor for this course, Laura, loved it as well. Now as I am doing my last round of final revisions for the whole storybook, I am so proud of this project. I plan to leave it online for forever. And, I will be showing my family the next time I go home, I know they will be super proud too!
Some other things from this course that I will take away with me are a strengthened intellectual curiosity for the cultures and history of other places and people groups. Simpler than that, another thing I will take with me is all of the nursery rhymes and short stories that I learned. I hope to be able to share lots of these with my own kiddos and with my friends kiddos one day. I also learned over the past couple of weeks how to plan out your work time and then I got better at sticking with my schedule and getting my work done early. I also think that I have made some good friends in this course and that I got to know more of the OU student body. One of the things I will remember most though is my teacher, Laura. We didn't physically interact with her in a classroom setting, but I was always so excited to get an email back from her because I could tell she was a kind soul that genuinely wanted us to have fun and learn a lot in this course.
So, thank you Laura Gibbs! You rock and this class was a million times better because of your passion for the subject matter and your constant encouragement and guidance.
I think I am most proud of my work on my storybook. This was basically a semester long project where I created a storybook site and then filled it with a few story retellings that had a common theme. I started off very worried about not being able to pick a good topic or to make things flow, but then my mother suggested a storybook about garden creatures. I started playing with the idea and my professor for this course, Laura, loved it as well. Now as I am doing my last round of final revisions for the whole storybook, I am so proud of this project. I plan to leave it online for forever. And, I will be showing my family the next time I go home, I know they will be super proud too!
Some other things from this course that I will take away with me are a strengthened intellectual curiosity for the cultures and history of other places and people groups. Simpler than that, another thing I will take with me is all of the nursery rhymes and short stories that I learned. I hope to be able to share lots of these with my own kiddos and with my friends kiddos one day. I also learned over the past couple of weeks how to plan out your work time and then I got better at sticking with my schedule and getting my work done early. I also think that I have made some good friends in this course and that I got to know more of the OU student body. One of the things I will remember most though is my teacher, Laura. We didn't physically interact with her in a classroom setting, but I was always so excited to get an email back from her because I could tell she was a kind soul that genuinely wanted us to have fun and learn a lot in this course.
So, thank you Laura Gibbs! You rock and this class was a million times better because of your passion for the subject matter and your constant encouragement and guidance.
Monday, April 4, 2016
Week 11 Storytelling: "Therapy for Gold-tree"
"Miss Gold-Tree, the doctor will see you now," said the receptionist.
Gold-tree got up from her seat in the waiting room and walked toward the receptionist who was holding the door open for her. Gold-tree was a beautiful woman of about 35; she walked through the threshold with poise and grace, but also with what appeared to be a huge worry on her shoulders.
"Okay you'll be in the third room on the left, go inside, lie down on the sofa, and the doctor will be with you shortly," the receptionist said.
Once inside the room, Gold-tree began to feel antsy. This was her first time visiting a therapist, and she wasn't quite sure what she was going to say. Maybe she could bring up how her mother tried to kill her... twice, or that she was a sister wife, or maybe the fact that she lay dead for 6 months when all someone had to do was pull the thorn out of her finger to revive her. Yeahhh, she had a lot to get off her chest. This poor doctor, she thought. Just as she was thinking about the poor guy that would have to listen to her ramble for hours, the therapist walked in.
"Hi there, I'm Dr. Mahon," the Dr. said as he shook Gold-tree's hand and took a seat in a large, comfy chair across from her.
"Well, let's just go ahead and jump right in why don't we. Why don't you tell me what has brought you here today... and start from the very beginning. Think of this as if you're telling me the story of your life and I'm just hear to listen until you're totally done. Then, and only then, can we begin to analyze these things and how you feel. Does that sound good?" said Dr. Mahon.
Gold-tree nodded "yes."
"Perfect then you may begin," said Dr. Mahon.
"When I was little my mother, her name was Silver-tree, and I used to go out to the well behind our castle and chat with the trout that swam in it. One day when I was about 15 my mother asked the trout if she was the most beautiful woman alive, and he said "No." She asked who else could be more beautiful and he pointed his fin at me... I blushed, but my mother's face grew angry and she pulled me back to our castle. I guess you could say things were pretty weird from that day forward.
Late that night my father came into my room and told me to get up and pack my things. He said it was time for me to go off and marry the prince of another country who had been courting me. This was so sudden, and I was reluctant to go. That's when my father told me the real reason why I had to leave... my mother wanted me dead.
He said when we came back from the well earlier that day, all my mother could do was scream at her mirror and say how she had to kill me and eat my heart and liver to become the prettiest woman in all the land. He heard this and knew she meant business, so he arranged for the prince to take me away that night.
In my new castle with my husband I lived happily and I felt safe from my mother's grasp. After all, my father had told my mother I died so she shouldn't even be concerned with me anymore. That is until one day, years later, I got this feeling that she was on her way. Then my dad sent me a letter to warn me that she had taken the boat and was sailing to see me. I was right, and so I had my servants lock me up in the castle tower.
Unfortunately, my husband was on a hunting trip that same day. My mother arrived and pleaded to see me, but I wasn't having it. Eventually she asked just for me to stick my finger out the keyhole so she could kiss it. Well, sure enough she jabbed a poison-covered thorn into my finger and I died... right there on the spot.
My husband mourned my death and laid my body to rest on a bed in the tower, he locked the door and kept the key on him always. He remarried soon after. On another of his hunting trips one day, his new wife unlocked my door and saw me lying there. She saw the thorn and pulled it out and I immediately filled with life. I know, how ridiculous that that's all it took... what an idiot husband I have. When he came back he decided he would have both of us as wives instead of the other one going away.
Well after this time my mother again visited the trout in the well to reassure herself she was the most beautiful. The trout told her I was still the most beautiful and that I was alive. So naturally, that woman hopped on the ship and sailed over again to try and end my life. I could feel that she was coming again, but this time I had the support of my sister wife, so we hatched a plan to kill her before she killed me.
When my mom arrived we met her outside the castle gates. She offered me a drink... just like we knew she would. But, as is customary, the person who provides the drink must take a drink of it first before sharing. When my mother pretended to tip the glass back, my sister wife tapped the glass so that the liquid actually went down her throat. She immediately died and my life was spared.
I have since moved my father in with us... but as you can assume he isn't too happy about my husband having another wife," said Gold-tree.
"I see... and how does all of that make you feel?" asked Dr. Mahon.
Author's Note: For this retelling I thought the storytelling style of a therapy session would be the perfect choice. The main character, Gold-tree, as you can see went through a lot and so I figured her sharing those rough experiences with a therapist would be a good way to convey the story. I didn't change many aspects from the original, basically the only thing I changed was how and by who it was told. Because of this I wont summarize the original for you now; all you need to know is above. I may have left out some minor parts of the story but I covered all the big things, and I was totally out of room to write anymore even if I had wanted to. That brings me to this, I would have liked to have more of a conversation between the therapist and Gold-tree in the end but I just didn't have room so I thought it was okay to end it how I did. The line of "how does that make you feel" is kindve ironic considering how much Gold-tree just told him so I thought it was somewhat of a comical ending. I chose the image to show what a therapy session like this might look like.
Bibliography: "Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree" from Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).
Gold-tree got up from her seat in the waiting room and walked toward the receptionist who was holding the door open for her. Gold-tree was a beautiful woman of about 35; she walked through the threshold with poise and grace, but also with what appeared to be a huge worry on her shoulders.
"Okay you'll be in the third room on the left, go inside, lie down on the sofa, and the doctor will be with you shortly," the receptionist said.
Once inside the room, Gold-tree began to feel antsy. This was her first time visiting a therapist, and she wasn't quite sure what she was going to say. Maybe she could bring up how her mother tried to kill her... twice, or that she was a sister wife, or maybe the fact that she lay dead for 6 months when all someone had to do was pull the thorn out of her finger to revive her. Yeahhh, she had a lot to get off her chest. This poor doctor, she thought. Just as she was thinking about the poor guy that would have to listen to her ramble for hours, the therapist walked in.
 |
| Gold-tree on the couch for her therapy session |
"Well, let's just go ahead and jump right in why don't we. Why don't you tell me what has brought you here today... and start from the very beginning. Think of this as if you're telling me the story of your life and I'm just hear to listen until you're totally done. Then, and only then, can we begin to analyze these things and how you feel. Does that sound good?" said Dr. Mahon.
Gold-tree nodded "yes."
"Perfect then you may begin," said Dr. Mahon.
"When I was little my mother, her name was Silver-tree, and I used to go out to the well behind our castle and chat with the trout that swam in it. One day when I was about 15 my mother asked the trout if she was the most beautiful woman alive, and he said "No." She asked who else could be more beautiful and he pointed his fin at me... I blushed, but my mother's face grew angry and she pulled me back to our castle. I guess you could say things were pretty weird from that day forward.
Late that night my father came into my room and told me to get up and pack my things. He said it was time for me to go off and marry the prince of another country who had been courting me. This was so sudden, and I was reluctant to go. That's when my father told me the real reason why I had to leave... my mother wanted me dead.
He said when we came back from the well earlier that day, all my mother could do was scream at her mirror and say how she had to kill me and eat my heart and liver to become the prettiest woman in all the land. He heard this and knew she meant business, so he arranged for the prince to take me away that night.
In my new castle with my husband I lived happily and I felt safe from my mother's grasp. After all, my father had told my mother I died so she shouldn't even be concerned with me anymore. That is until one day, years later, I got this feeling that she was on her way. Then my dad sent me a letter to warn me that she had taken the boat and was sailing to see me. I was right, and so I had my servants lock me up in the castle tower.
Unfortunately, my husband was on a hunting trip that same day. My mother arrived and pleaded to see me, but I wasn't having it. Eventually she asked just for me to stick my finger out the keyhole so she could kiss it. Well, sure enough she jabbed a poison-covered thorn into my finger and I died... right there on the spot.
My husband mourned my death and laid my body to rest on a bed in the tower, he locked the door and kept the key on him always. He remarried soon after. On another of his hunting trips one day, his new wife unlocked my door and saw me lying there. She saw the thorn and pulled it out and I immediately filled with life. I know, how ridiculous that that's all it took... what an idiot husband I have. When he came back he decided he would have both of us as wives instead of the other one going away.
Well after this time my mother again visited the trout in the well to reassure herself she was the most beautiful. The trout told her I was still the most beautiful and that I was alive. So naturally, that woman hopped on the ship and sailed over again to try and end my life. I could feel that she was coming again, but this time I had the support of my sister wife, so we hatched a plan to kill her before she killed me.
When my mom arrived we met her outside the castle gates. She offered me a drink... just like we knew she would. But, as is customary, the person who provides the drink must take a drink of it first before sharing. When my mother pretended to tip the glass back, my sister wife tapped the glass so that the liquid actually went down her throat. She immediately died and my life was spared.
I have since moved my father in with us... but as you can assume he isn't too happy about my husband having another wife," said Gold-tree.
"I see... and how does all of that make you feel?" asked Dr. Mahon.
Author's Note: For this retelling I thought the storytelling style of a therapy session would be the perfect choice. The main character, Gold-tree, as you can see went through a lot and so I figured her sharing those rough experiences with a therapist would be a good way to convey the story. I didn't change many aspects from the original, basically the only thing I changed was how and by who it was told. Because of this I wont summarize the original for you now; all you need to know is above. I may have left out some minor parts of the story but I covered all the big things, and I was totally out of room to write anymore even if I had wanted to. That brings me to this, I would have liked to have more of a conversation between the therapist and Gold-tree in the end but I just didn't have room so I thought it was okay to end it how I did. The line of "how does that make you feel" is kindve ironic considering how much Gold-tree just told him so I thought it was somewhat of a comical ending. I chose the image to show what a therapy session like this might look like.
Bibliography: "Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree" from Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).
Week 11 Reading Diary, Continued: Celtic Fairy Tales
Continued reading diary with highlights of Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).
King O'Toole and his Goose
The old King was no longer to hunt and fish and be outdoorsy like he so loved to do. This also meant the people didn't respect him as much. The kings old age required that he have something to fetch him his hunt and play game with, so he got a goose. Then eventually the goose aged as well and was no good. One day St. Kelvin came to his disguised as a boy and made a deal to made the goose young and new if King O'Toole gave him all the land under the goose. The deal was made and then St. Kelvin revealed himself to the King. The goose was eventually killed when he caught an eel instead of a trout.
The Shee An Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire
This was an extremely long story about a fairy of Gannon and the once laughing goblin. The fairy man wanted to win the kings daughter for marriage, but to do this he first had to find out why the goblin who used to always laugh loudly never laughs anymore. Should he fail his head would be put on a stake with the previous other 11 suitors who failed to solve the mystery. He went on a journey and become the cow herder of the goblin to find out why he no longer laughs. I couldn't tell you how it ended because it was so long and weaving that I couldn't bring myself to follow it consciously all the way through.
Beth Gellert
This was an incredibly sad story. The king had his favorite and best hunting dog, a great dane named Gellert. One day when he went outhunting Gellert didn't come so he didn't return with much game and he was angry. Gellert greated him happily at the gate but he was covered in blood, dripped from his mouth. The King though immediately to his baby so he went to check on him. Sure enough when he entered the room the baby was gone and the crib turned over. Without hesitation the King stabbed the dog. The the baby cried and he saw a dead wolfs body beside it. How sad.... he killed the dog who saved his babies life. And Gellert looked at him with such loving eyes. Now the dogs grave is in the castle yard and everyone must look at it when the pass by.
The Tale of Ivan
Ivan and his wife lived in a place with no work so he went off and became a farmer for a man and earned 3 pounds each year. At the end of a few years the man gave him advice instead of wages until finally Ivan wanted to go home to his wife. On the last day the bosses wife gave him a cake to give to his wife once they were happy again. On the way home he followed the advice and he was spared unlike his friends. When he got home he and his wife gave the king apurse of jewels they had been given. Then the king made him his servant. They then broke apart the cake and in it was all the wages from the years he worked. Honesty was the best policy for Ivan.
Andrew Coffey
This grandfather knew everyone and the land well so it was a surprise when one day he and his horse got lost in the woods. They came up a cabin in the woods and Andrew was sitting by the fire warming when a voice told him to tell him a story. He would not so a man who was thought to be dead jumped out from the cupboard. He ran and the man chased him. He climbed in a tree and four other men put the cupboard man on a stick on top of a fire to roast him. Andrew was put in charge of not letting him burn. He was thinking deeply when the cupboard man untied himself. Then Andrew ran again and ended back in the cabin. Again a voice told him to tell and story and this time he did- the story of that night from start to finish.
Brewery of Eggshells
A mom left her twin babies alone one day and as she returned she saw blue elves crossing the road. Her babies were fine when she got inside so all was well. Until, neither of them ever grew, then everyone including her husband suspected something was wrong. She went to the smart guy of the village and he told her to made a eggshell brew for the reaper and to stand at the door to listen to see if her babies talked about baby things of adult things. She did this and heard mature things so she knew they weren't her babies. She threw them in the river as instructed and they turned blue. The other elves saved them and she got her real babies back.
King O'Toole and his Goose
The old King was no longer to hunt and fish and be outdoorsy like he so loved to do. This also meant the people didn't respect him as much. The kings old age required that he have something to fetch him his hunt and play game with, so he got a goose. Then eventually the goose aged as well and was no good. One day St. Kelvin came to his disguised as a boy and made a deal to made the goose young and new if King O'Toole gave him all the land under the goose. The deal was made and then St. Kelvin revealed himself to the King. The goose was eventually killed when he caught an eel instead of a trout.
 |
| The King holding his goose |
The Shee An Gannon and the Gruagach Gaire
This was an extremely long story about a fairy of Gannon and the once laughing goblin. The fairy man wanted to win the kings daughter for marriage, but to do this he first had to find out why the goblin who used to always laugh loudly never laughs anymore. Should he fail his head would be put on a stake with the previous other 11 suitors who failed to solve the mystery. He went on a journey and become the cow herder of the goblin to find out why he no longer laughs. I couldn't tell you how it ended because it was so long and weaving that I couldn't bring myself to follow it consciously all the way through.
Beth Gellert
This was an incredibly sad story. The king had his favorite and best hunting dog, a great dane named Gellert. One day when he went outhunting Gellert didn't come so he didn't return with much game and he was angry. Gellert greated him happily at the gate but he was covered in blood, dripped from his mouth. The King though immediately to his baby so he went to check on him. Sure enough when he entered the room the baby was gone and the crib turned over. Without hesitation the King stabbed the dog. The the baby cried and he saw a dead wolfs body beside it. How sad.... he killed the dog who saved his babies life. And Gellert looked at him with such loving eyes. Now the dogs grave is in the castle yard and everyone must look at it when the pass by.
The Tale of Ivan
Ivan and his wife lived in a place with no work so he went off and became a farmer for a man and earned 3 pounds each year. At the end of a few years the man gave him advice instead of wages until finally Ivan wanted to go home to his wife. On the last day the bosses wife gave him a cake to give to his wife once they were happy again. On the way home he followed the advice and he was spared unlike his friends. When he got home he and his wife gave the king apurse of jewels they had been given. Then the king made him his servant. They then broke apart the cake and in it was all the wages from the years he worked. Honesty was the best policy for Ivan.
Andrew Coffey
This grandfather knew everyone and the land well so it was a surprise when one day he and his horse got lost in the woods. They came up a cabin in the woods and Andrew was sitting by the fire warming when a voice told him to tell him a story. He would not so a man who was thought to be dead jumped out from the cupboard. He ran and the man chased him. He climbed in a tree and four other men put the cupboard man on a stick on top of a fire to roast him. Andrew was put in charge of not letting him burn. He was thinking deeply when the cupboard man untied himself. Then Andrew ran again and ended back in the cabin. Again a voice told him to tell and story and this time he did- the story of that night from start to finish.
Brewery of Eggshells
A mom left her twin babies alone one day and as she returned she saw blue elves crossing the road. Her babies were fine when she got inside so all was well. Until, neither of them ever grew, then everyone including her husband suspected something was wrong. She went to the smart guy of the village and he told her to made a eggshell brew for the reaper and to stand at the door to listen to see if her babies talked about baby things of adult things. She did this and heard mature things so she knew they weren't her babies. She threw them in the river as instructed and they turned blue. The other elves saved them and she got her real babies back.
Week 11 Reading Diary: Celtic Fairy Tales
Reading diary covering "Celtic Fairy Tales" by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).
Connla and the Fairy Maiden
Connla was the son of the king, Conn. One days fairy appeared and everyone could hear her speaking but only COnnla could see her. She loved COnnla and wanted him to come away to her land with her. The king didn't want this so he got his Druid to cast a spell in the fairies direction and no longer could they see or hear her, but she tossed an apple to Connla. He ate only that for a month, the apple kept re-growing. After a month the fairy reappeared to see and hear and she enticed Connla to be even more in love with her. He jumped in her canoe at seas and took off with her to her land to love her and never be seen again.
The Field of Boliauns
A man named Tom was walking home beside a line of bushes when he heard a noise up ahead. When he came to it he saw a Leprechaun and a dark pitcher of liquid. He asked what it was and the Leprachuan said beer made of heath not malt like Tom guessed. Tom wanted to try it but the Leprachaun was rude so Tom snatched him up but spilt all the beer in the process. Then since he didn't get to try the beer he demanded that the Leprachaun take him to his gold. He took him to a field of boulians (ragweed plant) and to the one that the gold was buried under. Tom tied a red fabric around the one and went home to get a trowel. He told the Leprechaun not to move the red bow and to go away, he said okay. When Tom returned all of them had red bows on them now. Tom was defeated and empty handed.
The Horned Women
One night a rich woman was carding wool by the fire while her family and servants slept then there was a knock at the door. One horned woman witch entered and she had a horn on her head. She sat by the fire and carded wool as fast ad lightning. This happened 11 more times until 12 witched were carding, weaving, using the wheel, each one had a horn more than the last until the final one had 12 horns. They put a spell on the woman to make her still and not able to speak and they told her to make them a cake. She went to the well and got water for the cake. The well told her to say something when she returned, she did this and the witched fled. While they were gone she took care of their spells to prevent them from coming back. The witche made a cake while she was gone, of the families blood, and she fed that to the sleeping people. She did other things and when the witched returned
The Shepherd of Myddvai
He always took his sheep to a lake and one day three beautiful maidens came out around him and danced and sang. He gave one the bread he had but she said it was too hard and went into the water. The next day he gave her softer bread but she said too soft. The third day he gave her bread from the lakes edge and she said shed marry him. They got married and she took cows/oxen from the lake with her to their home. They had three sons. The shepherd unfortunately tapped the lake bride three times too hard and she ended their marriage. She returned to the lake with her animals and they left a trail on the ground. She only came out once to give her sons the healing gifts and they became doctors.
The Sprightly Tailor
A king hired the tailor to stich him an outfit for a large bonus, but the catch was that he had to do it in a church at night time that was supposedly haunted. No one had even gone there at night and stayed. The tailor was sprightly and agreed to this. When he was sitting on a grave stone stitching inside the church the floor shook and huge ghostly head appeared saying "Do you not see this head of mine" and the tailor said "I see it but I sew this." This happened multiple times until finally the ghosts whole body was almost out of the ground and then the tailor finished with long stitches and ran out. The ghost was fully out of the floor now and was chasing him. The tailor made it safely into the castle and the ghost was mad. The tailor got his nice bonus from the king.
Munachar and Manachar
These two Muna and Mana went out and picked raspberries each day, but just as they picked them Mana ate all of them. Muna was mad and wanted to end this by hanging Mana but to do this he needed a gad, which needed a rod, witch needed a flag, which needed water, which needed a deer, etc, etc. Until finally he got the end and was able to use a sieve to give someone water and they gave him what he needed so he could go through the chain and give each what they requested until finally he got him gad to hang Mana. But by them he discovered that Mana had burst from eating all the berries. What a tiring story, even to just read.
Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree
Silver tree was jealous of her daughters beauty, gold tree so she set out to eat her heart and liver. The trout in the well outside their castle kept telling silver that gold was prettier and so he caused all these problems. The dad wanted to keep Gold safe so he married her to a prince in another place. The mom sailed there and pricked her finger with poison. She laid dead until lock and key until the princes second wife pulled out the prick. Then the mother, Silver returned again but with a drink of poison. She had to drink first bc it was a custom so the second wife tapped it and it really went down Silver's throat and killed her. Then the prince lived forever with both of his wives. I liked this story. I also liked how the end ended with "So I left them" instead of "they lived happily ever after."
Connla and the Fairy Maiden
Connla was the son of the king, Conn. One days fairy appeared and everyone could hear her speaking but only COnnla could see her. She loved COnnla and wanted him to come away to her land with her. The king didn't want this so he got his Druid to cast a spell in the fairies direction and no longer could they see or hear her, but she tossed an apple to Connla. He ate only that for a month, the apple kept re-growing. After a month the fairy reappeared to see and hear and she enticed Connla to be even more in love with her. He jumped in her canoe at seas and took off with her to her land to love her and never be seen again.
The Field of Boliauns
A man named Tom was walking home beside a line of bushes when he heard a noise up ahead. When he came to it he saw a Leprechaun and a dark pitcher of liquid. He asked what it was and the Leprachuan said beer made of heath not malt like Tom guessed. Tom wanted to try it but the Leprachaun was rude so Tom snatched him up but spilt all the beer in the process. Then since he didn't get to try the beer he demanded that the Leprachaun take him to his gold. He took him to a field of boulians (ragweed plant) and to the one that the gold was buried under. Tom tied a red fabric around the one and went home to get a trowel. He told the Leprechaun not to move the red bow and to go away, he said okay. When Tom returned all of them had red bows on them now. Tom was defeated and empty handed.
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| Leprechaun and his pitcher of beer |
One night a rich woman was carding wool by the fire while her family and servants slept then there was a knock at the door. One horned woman witch entered and she had a horn on her head. She sat by the fire and carded wool as fast ad lightning. This happened 11 more times until 12 witched were carding, weaving, using the wheel, each one had a horn more than the last until the final one had 12 horns. They put a spell on the woman to make her still and not able to speak and they told her to make them a cake. She went to the well and got water for the cake. The well told her to say something when she returned, she did this and the witched fled. While they were gone she took care of their spells to prevent them from coming back. The witche made a cake while she was gone, of the families blood, and she fed that to the sleeping people. She did other things and when the witched returned
The Shepherd of Myddvai
He always took his sheep to a lake and one day three beautiful maidens came out around him and danced and sang. He gave one the bread he had but she said it was too hard and went into the water. The next day he gave her softer bread but she said too soft. The third day he gave her bread from the lakes edge and she said shed marry him. They got married and she took cows/oxen from the lake with her to their home. They had three sons. The shepherd unfortunately tapped the lake bride three times too hard and she ended their marriage. She returned to the lake with her animals and they left a trail on the ground. She only came out once to give her sons the healing gifts and they became doctors.
The Sprightly Tailor
A king hired the tailor to stich him an outfit for a large bonus, but the catch was that he had to do it in a church at night time that was supposedly haunted. No one had even gone there at night and stayed. The tailor was sprightly and agreed to this. When he was sitting on a grave stone stitching inside the church the floor shook and huge ghostly head appeared saying "Do you not see this head of mine" and the tailor said "I see it but I sew this." This happened multiple times until finally the ghosts whole body was almost out of the ground and then the tailor finished with long stitches and ran out. The ghost was fully out of the floor now and was chasing him. The tailor made it safely into the castle and the ghost was mad. The tailor got his nice bonus from the king.
Munachar and Manachar
These two Muna and Mana went out and picked raspberries each day, but just as they picked them Mana ate all of them. Muna was mad and wanted to end this by hanging Mana but to do this he needed a gad, which needed a rod, witch needed a flag, which needed water, which needed a deer, etc, etc. Until finally he got the end and was able to use a sieve to give someone water and they gave him what he needed so he could go through the chain and give each what they requested until finally he got him gad to hang Mana. But by them he discovered that Mana had burst from eating all the berries. What a tiring story, even to just read.
Gold-Tree and Silver-Tree
Silver tree was jealous of her daughters beauty, gold tree so she set out to eat her heart and liver. The trout in the well outside their castle kept telling silver that gold was prettier and so he caused all these problems. The dad wanted to keep Gold safe so he married her to a prince in another place. The mom sailed there and pricked her finger with poison. She laid dead until lock and key until the princes second wife pulled out the prick. Then the mother, Silver returned again but with a drink of poison. She had to drink first bc it was a custom so the second wife tapped it and it really went down Silver's throat and killed her. Then the prince lived forever with both of his wives. I liked this story. I also liked how the end ended with "So I left them" instead of "they lived happily ever after."
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