I chose to read half of the Eskimo Folk Tales unit this week.
In The Coming of Men a Long, Long While Ago, I enjoyed the imagery of the Earth falling from the sky. But the thought of a woman finding children in the woods, dressing them, and bringing them home is sort of creepy.
I think it's interesting how many parallels are present between this creation story and the Christian creation stories. The creation of man and woman from the Earth and the flood.
It's cool that the Inuits believe that people become stars when they die.
I really didn't understand the story of Nukúnguasik, who Escaped from the Tupilak.
I love the idea of adopting a bear cub! That sounds like so much fun. I think it's really cool how the bear develops the mind of a human in the story of The Woman Who Had A Bear As A Foster-Son. I think this one would be fun to retell for my storytelling assignment.
In the story of Qalagánguasê, Who Passed to the Land of Ghosts, it's cool to think of the ghosts being able to give the boy back his strength. This story reminds of Pinocchio in the way that the boy's lies have physical ramifications.
In the story of Isigâligârssik, I didn't understand why the wizard took away the man's wife. So the rest of the story was very confusing.
Similarly, I didn't understand The Insects that Wooed a Wifeless Man. Why did insects offering to marry him change anything?
I was totally following the story of Makíte until he threatened to kill the lone-dweller over not knowing what the things that looked like candles were. That escalated quickly.
I understand that anything is possible in folk tales and myths, but I still think that the characters need to have believable motivations, and I just don't see those in this unit.
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Thursday, October 16, 2014
Week 9 Essay: Believable Atmospheres
Because the stories in the American Indian Fairy Tales unit were about early Native Americans, all of them were set in the great outdoors. I loved the different atmospheres that Iagoo created through is storytelling. These natural environments were so believable that they made the story events seem more realistic even when they had to do with magic. The seasons were also a key factor in the stories. The storyteller used the undesirable elements of the current season to bolster his story about the season everyone was wishing for.
In the first story, an unknown narrator introduces Iagoo as the future narrator for the other stories. Iagoo's stories are often motivated by the weather. So when it is a cold and blustery winter, he tells stories about balmy summers. In Iagoo, the Storyteller, the author does a wonderful job of incorporating the body's senses into the mix. "The snow lay deep on the ground" brings in imagery for the audience, and "the North Wind came howling from its home in the Land of Ice," gives the environment sound. "Iagoo sat by the fire of blazing logs" helps the reader feel the heat of the fire.
The scene that is set in the story of how Shin-ge-bis Fooled the North Wind is also very encompassing. "When he breathed upon the land, violets appeared in the woods, the wild rose bloomed on the yellow prairie, and the cooing dove called musically to his mate." This description gives enough details for the reader's imagination to take off without bogging down the plot with over-description.
I liked the atmosphere in The Fairy Bride the best. So much of this story depended on the reader coming to understand Neen-i-zu's fascination with the fairies. The description of the environment was important here, but I think the imagery of the fairies was even more key. "It was just the place for leap-frog and all-hands-'round; in the twilight of summer days they were said to gather here in little bands, playing all manner of pranks." This characterization of the fairies made me want to meet them as much as Neen-i-zu did.
In the first story, an unknown narrator introduces Iagoo as the future narrator for the other stories. Iagoo's stories are often motivated by the weather. So when it is a cold and blustery winter, he tells stories about balmy summers. In Iagoo, the Storyteller, the author does a wonderful job of incorporating the body's senses into the mix. "The snow lay deep on the ground" brings in imagery for the audience, and "the North Wind came howling from its home in the Land of Ice," gives the environment sound. "Iagoo sat by the fire of blazing logs" helps the reader feel the heat of the fire.
(Image information: "The North Wind" from American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae 1921.)
The scene that is set in the story of how Shin-ge-bis Fooled the North Wind is also very encompassing. "When he breathed upon the land, violets appeared in the woods, the wild rose bloomed on the yellow prairie, and the cooing dove called musically to his mate." This description gives enough details for the reader's imagination to take off without bogging down the plot with over-description.
I liked the atmosphere in The Fairy Bride the best. So much of this story depended on the reader coming to understand Neen-i-zu's fascination with the fairies. The description of the environment was important here, but I think the imagery of the fairies was even more key. "It was just the place for leap-frog and all-hands-'round; in the twilight of summer days they were said to gather here in little bands, playing all manner of pranks." This characterization of the fairies made me want to meet them as much as Neen-i-zu did.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Storytelling for Week 9: Rose Fairy
Once upon a time, there was a Native American girl named Rose. She was only two months shy of turning eighteen, and then she would have to get married.
Her mother and father loved her dearly and only wanted the best for her. They had spoken with the parents of Running Bull about an impending wedding. Running Bull was nineteen and a hunter. All he cared about was tracking animals, killing animals, and eating animals. Rose got tired of hearing about it.
Their tribe lived in a field that brushed up against the woods. Tepees and fire pits dotted the area, and the tribe members worked merrily at gardening, crafting, and preparing food.
But when Rose wasn't supposed to be helping her mother weave baskets, Rose sneaked off into the forest to look for the tiny fairies. She had heard stories about the miniscule species growing up. They left little footprints in the soft sand by the brook in the forest. They wove ropes from grasses and coaxed lightning bugs to land on them to make garlands of twinkling lights.
Rose was entranced by the evidence that the fairies left, but she had never seen any.
"Rose, darling, if you spent more time with Running Bull and less time wandering around in the woods, you might like Running Bull more," Rose's mother said.
Rose just rolled her eyes. No matter how much time she spent with Running Bull, she would never like him.
"Mother, do you believe in the fairies?" Rose asked to change the subject.
"I heard the stories about them when I was a girl, but it's hard for me to believe in something I cannot see, Rose," her mother said.
"If I could show you the fairies and how much they mean to me, would you not make me marry Running Bull?" Rose asked.
Rose hoped that her mother would find the deal so farfetched that she would agree to it, and she got her wish.
From then on, she spent even more time in the woods searching for the fairies. She didn't have much time to prove her mother wrong.
On the day of Rose and Running Bull's wedding, Rose stole off into the forest during her last hour before the wedding. The guests were already dressed and waiting for the ceremony to start.
Rose ran through the woods in her flowing white wedding dress. She wore a crown of flowers in her hair. She had to find the fairies.
"Come out! Come out!" she called.
Suddenly, she stopped. As if the fairies had finally understood the urgency of her request, one appeared to her.
(Image information: "Fairies Looking Through a Gothic Arch" by John Anster Fitzgerald 1864.)
He was only about eighteen inches tall. He had raggedy brown hair that hung in his eyes, ivory skin, and deep green eyes. His translucent wings stretched far above his head.
Rose fell in love with him instantly.
The fairy reached out his hand to Rose, and when she took it, she began to shrink. When she, too, was only eighteen inches tall, the two ran off into the woods together.
And Rose was never seen from again. But every year on her mothers birthday, she wove a rope of grasses and hung miniscule woven baskets.
Author's Note: This story is inspired by "The Fairy Bride" from American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae 1921. In the original, Neen-i-zu is supposed to marry a hunter, but she doesn't want to and spends most of her time daydreaming about the fairies. In the end, she does become a fairy. But the rest of the story seemed very slow and passive to me. So in my story, I gave the main girl a more active goal in trying to prove the existence of the fairies in order to get out of an arranged marriage. I chose to retell this story because I really liked the imagery of the fairies.
Her mother and father loved her dearly and only wanted the best for her. They had spoken with the parents of Running Bull about an impending wedding. Running Bull was nineteen and a hunter. All he cared about was tracking animals, killing animals, and eating animals. Rose got tired of hearing about it.
Their tribe lived in a field that brushed up against the woods. Tepees and fire pits dotted the area, and the tribe members worked merrily at gardening, crafting, and preparing food.
But when Rose wasn't supposed to be helping her mother weave baskets, Rose sneaked off into the forest to look for the tiny fairies. She had heard stories about the miniscule species growing up. They left little footprints in the soft sand by the brook in the forest. They wove ropes from grasses and coaxed lightning bugs to land on them to make garlands of twinkling lights.
Rose was entranced by the evidence that the fairies left, but she had never seen any.
"Rose, darling, if you spent more time with Running Bull and less time wandering around in the woods, you might like Running Bull more," Rose's mother said.
Rose just rolled her eyes. No matter how much time she spent with Running Bull, she would never like him.
"Mother, do you believe in the fairies?" Rose asked to change the subject.
"I heard the stories about them when I was a girl, but it's hard for me to believe in something I cannot see, Rose," her mother said.
"If I could show you the fairies and how much they mean to me, would you not make me marry Running Bull?" Rose asked.
Rose hoped that her mother would find the deal so farfetched that she would agree to it, and she got her wish.
From then on, she spent even more time in the woods searching for the fairies. She didn't have much time to prove her mother wrong.
On the day of Rose and Running Bull's wedding, Rose stole off into the forest during her last hour before the wedding. The guests were already dressed and waiting for the ceremony to start.
Rose ran through the woods in her flowing white wedding dress. She wore a crown of flowers in her hair. She had to find the fairies.
"Come out! Come out!" she called.
Suddenly, she stopped. As if the fairies had finally understood the urgency of her request, one appeared to her.
(Image information: "Fairies Looking Through a Gothic Arch" by John Anster Fitzgerald 1864.) He was only about eighteen inches tall. He had raggedy brown hair that hung in his eyes, ivory skin, and deep green eyes. His translucent wings stretched far above his head.
Rose fell in love with him instantly.
The fairy reached out his hand to Rose, and when she took it, she began to shrink. When she, too, was only eighteen inches tall, the two ran off into the woods together.
And Rose was never seen from again. But every year on her mothers birthday, she wove a rope of grasses and hung miniscule woven baskets.
Author's Note: This story is inspired by "The Fairy Bride" from American Indian Fairy Tales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae 1921. In the original, Neen-i-zu is supposed to marry a hunter, but she doesn't want to and spends most of her time daydreaming about the fairies. In the end, she does become a fairy. But the rest of the story seemed very slow and passive to me. So in my story, I gave the main girl a more active goal in trying to prove the existence of the fairies in order to get out of an arranged marriage. I chose to retell this story because I really liked the imagery of the fairies.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Reading Diary Week 9: American Indian Fairy Tales
For this week, I chose to read the American Indian Fairy Tales unit.
In the story about Iagoo, the Storyteller I really liked the atmosphere that is set by describing the snow, the wind, and the moon. It made me want to get comfortable and enjoy the stories much like I'm sure the children did.
The king in the story about how Shin-ge-bis Fooled the North Wind reminded me of the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in the way that we wanted the whole earth to be covered in snow year-round.
This story continues to use the settings that draw the reader in. "When he breathed upon the land, violets appeared in the woods, the wild rose bloomed on the yellow prairie, and the cooing dove called musically to his mate."
It makes since that Iagoo would tell this story about longing for lighthearted summertime during the winter. The children would probably be tired of the cold and snow and would be able to understand winter personified as the antagonist.
It's interesting to me that the people knew that the South Wind was magic and that he could turn himself into a duck, but they didn't believe that he was powerful enough to beat the North Wind. They must have been very scared of the North Wind.
I like the inclusion of the song about the North Wind. Songs are something that children pick up very quickly, and I think it would make the story more fun for them.
At the end, I thought it was interesting how the South Wind was strong enough to conquer the North Wind in his own cold environment. It shows who truly was the most powerful.
I liked this story a lot. It might be a good one to use for my storytelling assignment.
In the story about The Child of the Evening Star, I thought it was interesting why her sisters didn't like her. "They could not understand her; so they ended by despising her as a silly and unreasonable girl." This is unfortunately many people's reactions to things they don't understand.
In the story about The Boy who Snared the Sun, Iagoo talks about how there used to be only one fire source guarded by two witches. This makes me wonder where the fire came from. Did the witches create it for their own personal use?
I have a real problem with the gender roles in this story. The brother thinks himself high and mighty for shooting the birds, but his sister made the coat. And then he just orders her around, telling her to weave a rope together. You can't act all strong and independent when really it's a team effort.
I know that this story is a myth and that it doesn't have to be super factual. But there is no way for the brother to wait at the hill where the sun would come up because the sun always appears far away on the horizon. I think that if the story is going to boast about a bot snaring the sun, then there should be something a little more exciting to it. And then ending didn't make too much more sense either. I wasn't a fan of this story.
In the story about How the Summer Came, the father knows that he doesn't have to worry about dying because the son can hunt for game. "If some accident should prevent O-jeeg from supplying the family with the game upon which they lived, his son felt sure that he himself could shoot as many squirrels and turkeys as they needed to keep them from starving." This is very illustrative of what it might be like to constantly be in search of your next meal.
I really like this description: "Some wise old men had somewhere heard that the sky was not only the roof of our own world, but also was the floor of a beautiful world beyond, a land where birds with bright feathers sang sweetly through a pleasant, warm season called Summer." I wonder if this could be a version of Heaven.
In the story of The Fairy Bride, I really liked this description of the girl's eyes. "Her eyes had the look of one who has dwelt in secret places, and seen things strange and mysterious."
The fairies in this story are so mischievous that they remind of the brownies in The Spiderwick Chronicles.
I think I've decided to retell this story this week. But I'm going to make it much more active. Neen-i-zu and her mother are going to strike up a deal that if Neen-i-zu can prove that the fairies exist, then she doesn't have to marry the hunter.
In the story about Iagoo, the Storyteller I really liked the atmosphere that is set by describing the snow, the wind, and the moon. It made me want to get comfortable and enjoy the stories much like I'm sure the children did.
The king in the story about how Shin-ge-bis Fooled the North Wind reminded me of the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe in the way that we wanted the whole earth to be covered in snow year-round.
This story continues to use the settings that draw the reader in. "When he breathed upon the land, violets appeared in the woods, the wild rose bloomed on the yellow prairie, and the cooing dove called musically to his mate."
It makes since that Iagoo would tell this story about longing for lighthearted summertime during the winter. The children would probably be tired of the cold and snow and would be able to understand winter personified as the antagonist.
It's interesting to me that the people knew that the South Wind was magic and that he could turn himself into a duck, but they didn't believe that he was powerful enough to beat the North Wind. They must have been very scared of the North Wind.
I like the inclusion of the song about the North Wind. Songs are something that children pick up very quickly, and I think it would make the story more fun for them.
At the end, I thought it was interesting how the South Wind was strong enough to conquer the North Wind in his own cold environment. It shows who truly was the most powerful.
I liked this story a lot. It might be a good one to use for my storytelling assignment.
In the story about The Child of the Evening Star, I thought it was interesting why her sisters didn't like her. "They could not understand her; so they ended by despising her as a silly and unreasonable girl." This is unfortunately many people's reactions to things they don't understand.
In the story about The Boy who Snared the Sun, Iagoo talks about how there used to be only one fire source guarded by two witches. This makes me wonder where the fire came from. Did the witches create it for their own personal use?
I have a real problem with the gender roles in this story. The brother thinks himself high and mighty for shooting the birds, but his sister made the coat. And then he just orders her around, telling her to weave a rope together. You can't act all strong and independent when really it's a team effort.
I know that this story is a myth and that it doesn't have to be super factual. But there is no way for the brother to wait at the hill where the sun would come up because the sun always appears far away on the horizon. I think that if the story is going to boast about a bot snaring the sun, then there should be something a little more exciting to it. And then ending didn't make too much more sense either. I wasn't a fan of this story.
In the story about How the Summer Came, the father knows that he doesn't have to worry about dying because the son can hunt for game. "If some accident should prevent O-jeeg from supplying the family with the game upon which they lived, his son felt sure that he himself could shoot as many squirrels and turkeys as they needed to keep them from starving." This is very illustrative of what it might be like to constantly be in search of your next meal.
I really like this description: "Some wise old men had somewhere heard that the sky was not only the roof of our own world, but also was the floor of a beautiful world beyond, a land where birds with bright feathers sang sweetly through a pleasant, warm season called Summer." I wonder if this could be a version of Heaven.
In the story of The Fairy Bride, I really liked this description of the girl's eyes. "Her eyes had the look of one who has dwelt in secret places, and seen things strange and mysterious."
The fairies in this story are so mischievous that they remind of the brownies in The Spiderwick Chronicles.
(Image information: "Tam Turtledove, a common house brownie" from Arthur Spiderwick's Field Guide, restored by Holly Black and Toni DiTerlizzi, 2005.)
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Week 8 Reading Diary: Assessment
In re-reading the reading diary instructions, I noticed that it said that reading diary posts would differ in length each week depending on how much I liked the reading unit and my reactions to it. I found this really reassuring because some weeks I don't have very much to say, and other weeks I have comments on almost every story.
Typically, when I'm writing, I write about the most positive things like endearing characters, exciting plots, or clever prose. I also focus on negative things like confusing story elements and characters I dislike. In this way, I think I can quickly form opinions about the individual stories.
As far as reading diary tips, I would say that having the reading and your blog post open at the same time is the most effective use of your time. That way when you have comments, you can write them down then instead of trying to remember everything after you finish reading.
While I'm writing my reading diary, I keep notes on which stories I might want to write my storytelling post from. This way, I don't have to skim through all the stories on Wednesdays to remember which ones were my favorites. It also gets me thinking a day or two in advance about how I want to retell the story.
I do like to include quotes when the writer has said something better than I can. Sometimes the descriptions or dialogue really stand out to me.
Often times, a story from the Chinese or Japanese units will remind me of what I consider an American fairytale. I've saw versions of Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel last week.
Compared to my other classes, I would say I remember the readings better than I remember more academic readings. I think this is normal because humans think in the form of stories. We remember stories much better than we remember obscure facts.
Typically, when I'm writing, I write about the most positive things like endearing characters, exciting plots, or clever prose. I also focus on negative things like confusing story elements and characters I dislike. In this way, I think I can quickly form opinions about the individual stories.
As far as reading diary tips, I would say that having the reading and your blog post open at the same time is the most effective use of your time. That way when you have comments, you can write them down then instead of trying to remember everything after you finish reading.
While I'm writing my reading diary, I keep notes on which stories I might want to write my storytelling post from. This way, I don't have to skim through all the stories on Wednesdays to remember which ones were my favorites. It also gets me thinking a day or two in advance about how I want to retell the story.
I do like to include quotes when the writer has said something better than I can. Sometimes the descriptions or dialogue really stand out to me.
Often times, a story from the Chinese or Japanese units will remind me of what I consider an American fairytale. I've saw versions of Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel last week.
Compared to my other classes, I would say I remember the readings better than I remember more academic readings. I think this is normal because humans think in the form of stories. We remember stories much better than we remember obscure facts.
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Week 7 Essay: Crime and Punishment
In The Chinese Fairy Tales unit, I saw recurring themes of crime and justice. Typically, characters would commit wrongdoings and then receive punishment for them. For example, in the story about The Cave of Beasts, the daughters ate eggs that didn't belong to them, and they were lead into the deathly forest as a result. Another example of justice happens in The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away. The ogre traps the maiden in an attempt to make her marry him, and in the end, he is beaten for his wicked ways. A third example from this unit is in the story about The Panther. Because the panther ate the mother and her son, he endures a lot of pain and eventually death.
To go into detail about the daughters in The Cave of Beasts, I would say their crimes seem the most harmless of the three examples above, especially because their mother gave them the eggs to eat. But regardless, the father saw this as a crime and abandoned them in dangerous forest. However, this might be considered the real crime in the story because the father soon missed his daughters and went back to find them, and it seemed like he had seen the error of his ways. He definitely changed his mind about punishing his daughters when he found out about all of the gems they had discovered!
In the story about the maiden who was stolen away, the ogre could have taken a very different direction. When the maiden was blown on top of the pagoda, he could have helped her down and won her over that way instead of trapping her up there until she agreed to marry him. Once he had done that, I felt like his defeat at the hand of the maiden's brother at the end of the story was completely deserved.
Finally, in the story about the panther, it is clear to the reader that eating a mother and her son is a crime. And so the daughters worked up a whole series of punishments for the panther. He sat on a cushion of needles, was stung by a scorpion, had hot egg yolk sprayed in his eyes, and was bitten by a turtle, and finally, he was beaten to death by wooden clubs. If that isn't justice, I don't know what is.
(Image information: "Black Panther" by Bruce McAdam 2008.)
To go into detail about the daughters in The Cave of Beasts, I would say their crimes seem the most harmless of the three examples above, especially because their mother gave them the eggs to eat. But regardless, the father saw this as a crime and abandoned them in dangerous forest. However, this might be considered the real crime in the story because the father soon missed his daughters and went back to find them, and it seemed like he had seen the error of his ways. He definitely changed his mind about punishing his daughters when he found out about all of the gems they had discovered!
In the story about the maiden who was stolen away, the ogre could have taken a very different direction. When the maiden was blown on top of the pagoda, he could have helped her down and won her over that way instead of trapping her up there until she agreed to marry him. Once he had done that, I felt like his defeat at the hand of the maiden's brother at the end of the story was completely deserved.
Finally, in the story about the panther, it is clear to the reader that eating a mother and her son is a crime. And so the daughters worked up a whole series of punishments for the panther. He sat on a cushion of needles, was stung by a scorpion, had hot egg yolk sprayed in his eyes, and was bitten by a turtle, and finally, he was beaten to death by wooden clubs. If that isn't justice, I don't know what is.
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Week 7 Storytelling: Fuxia and The Ogre
Once upon a time, an old run-down pagoda barely remained standing in the outskirts of a small town in China. It was once a beautiful red, but now the paint was peeling from five stories.
Closer to the center of that small town, there lived a beautiful young girl named Fuxia. One day, she met a handsome young man who was strolling by her home. He was tall, dark, and handsome - as every good fairytale hero should be.
"Dear girl," he called out to Fuxia. "I've never seen a woman as beautiful as you are in my whole life! Would you come on an adventure with me?"
Because it was hot and Fuxia was bored, she agreed to go exploring with the man. Soon after, they arrived at the foot of the pagoda.
"Wouldn't it be adventurous to climb up to the very top?" he asked.
Fuxia was a little nervous about climbing that many steps, but she had nothing better to do. So the young man and Fuxia went inside the pagoda and climbed. Fuxia huffed and puffed. Her calves ached, and her back grew weary. At long last, they reached the top. From so far up, they could see miles in every direction. The Chinese countryside was beautiful and lush and captivated Fuxia's attention.
While Fuxia was distracted, the man began to climb down without her! And as he did so, he took the steps with him until she was trapped on top of the old pagoda.
"Stop! Come back!" Fuxia called. But as she watched the man leave, he changed into a hideous ogre! He gnashed yellow teeth and glared with red eyes. He had terrible green horns that protruded from his bald yellow head. Fuxia was terrified.
She was trapped on that pagoda for weeks. Each day the ogre would bring her food to eat, and she would have to endure the sight of his true form.
But one day, another young man walked by the pagoda. She called down to him frantically, and when he saw her stuck up there, he vowed to save her. This man was very fit and very brave, and he knew he could rescue her.
Just then, the ogre came tromping through the trees. The rescuer hid and surprised the ogre. He bravely fought the ogre and cut off his head with his sword.
Then the brave man went to find a very tall ladder, and propping the ladder up against the pagoda, he climbed up to rescue Fuxia.
She was so pleased to be free, and the young man was so pleased to have helped her that he proposed on the spot, and she said yes.
Author's Note: This story was inspired by "The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away" from The Chinese Fairy Book, which was edited by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921). In the original, she is blown away by a cyclone and blown into the path of the ogre, who traps her on the pagoda because she won't marry him. And the rescuer is the girl's brother in the original. I changed it because I wanted this to be a love story after all.
Closer to the center of that small town, there lived a beautiful young girl named Fuxia. One day, she met a handsome young man who was strolling by her home. He was tall, dark, and handsome - as every good fairytale hero should be.
"Dear girl," he called out to Fuxia. "I've never seen a woman as beautiful as you are in my whole life! Would you come on an adventure with me?"
Because it was hot and Fuxia was bored, she agreed to go exploring with the man. Soon after, they arrived at the foot of the pagoda.
(Image information: "Kaijusen-ji's Five-storied Pagoda" by 633highland 2006.)
"Wouldn't it be adventurous to climb up to the very top?" he asked.
Fuxia was a little nervous about climbing that many steps, but she had nothing better to do. So the young man and Fuxia went inside the pagoda and climbed. Fuxia huffed and puffed. Her calves ached, and her back grew weary. At long last, they reached the top. From so far up, they could see miles in every direction. The Chinese countryside was beautiful and lush and captivated Fuxia's attention.
While Fuxia was distracted, the man began to climb down without her! And as he did so, he took the steps with him until she was trapped on top of the old pagoda.
"Stop! Come back!" Fuxia called. But as she watched the man leave, he changed into a hideous ogre! He gnashed yellow teeth and glared with red eyes. He had terrible green horns that protruded from his bald yellow head. Fuxia was terrified.
She was trapped on that pagoda for weeks. Each day the ogre would bring her food to eat, and she would have to endure the sight of his true form.
But one day, another young man walked by the pagoda. She called down to him frantically, and when he saw her stuck up there, he vowed to save her. This man was very fit and very brave, and he knew he could rescue her.
Just then, the ogre came tromping through the trees. The rescuer hid and surprised the ogre. He bravely fought the ogre and cut off his head with his sword.
Then the brave man went to find a very tall ladder, and propping the ladder up against the pagoda, he climbed up to rescue Fuxia.
She was so pleased to be free, and the young man was so pleased to have helped her that he proposed on the spot, and she said yes.
Author's Note: This story was inspired by "The Maiden Who Was Stolen Away" from The Chinese Fairy Book, which was edited by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921). In the original, she is blown away by a cyclone and blown into the path of the ogre, who traps her on the pagoda because she won't marry him. And the rescuer is the girl's brother in the original. I changed it because I wanted this to be a love story after all.
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