Essay: The Strange Myths of the Cherokee

Myth-Folklore Unit: Myths of the Cherokee

These myths were interesting. In the first part of the reading, I enjoyed the stories. I like myths and folklore that explains how certain things come to be; for example, how the deer got their antlers, how the sky turned blue, etc. They're creative and allow for an entertaining approach to how certain things came to be.

While I liked the first half, I wasn't too fond of the second part of the reading for this section. They semi-kept my interest through each of the stories, but they weren't extremely entertaining to me. They were also a little too disgusting for me...especially the one about the bullfrog. (The Bullfrog Lover)

(bullfrog)

Some of the stories were also strange, especially The Rattlesnake's Vengeance. I hope that I'd marry someone that would never consent to my death. Especially to a bunch of snakes. Also I wish that songs could heal people. If this were true, her death would not be in vain. These stories creep me out and give me uneasy feelings.

Another story that I don't understand is The Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting. I really don't understand the point in this story. Also, it was a gross image I got in my head when they author described the rabbit eating its own fur. I want my readers to come away knowing why I told the story and have them glad that they read it, not wondering why they spent time reading something that made them feel so strange.


They were all well-written and creative, I just don't always have the attention span to get through readings if they don't pull my attention the entire time. I also don't always like reading stories that creep me out or make me feel uneasy unless I'm specifically in the mood to read something like that (which is extremely rare).

They were all well-written and creative, I just don't always have the attention span to get through readings if they don't pull my attention the entire time.

Storytelling Week 10: The Jackalope

 The Jackalope

There once was a time in this world that the deer was antler-less. He had absolutely no horns growing out of his head.
One day, he saw some antlers and took great interest in them.
"Hmm... I wonder what those would look like on me. I'm sure they'd fit well and make me look majestic..." the deer thought to himself. He stood by them, admiring each grand curvature and great point.

Just then, a rabbit came up beside him. Te absolute beauty of the antlers stole the rabbit's attention. His gaze on the antlers was unfaltering. 
"Wouldn't those antlers look absolutely wonderful atop my head?" the rabbit asked the dear.
"Actually...I was thinking the same thing...but about myself," the deer replied.

Now, the rabbit was a sucker for a good gamble. Especially if it was over something as special as a beautiful set of antlers. He saw the opportunity to win the antlers fair and square - and he jumped on it.

"Let's make this interesting," the rabbit suggested. "We will race. And the winner gets the antlers. How does that sound?"

The deer thought about it. He could easily outrun the rabbit's hops. He knew that the strength of his legs would completely destroy any chance the rabbit had at winning their wager. All he could think about was the antlers atop his head and he knew that this was his chance.

"That sounds absolutely perfect," the deer replied, not wanting to give away his complete confidence. He thought that if he was too over-confident that the rabbit would recall his previous offer.

And so they raced. It was close, with the deer leading in the beginning.
However, as the race wore on, the deer began to become tired. His legs were failing him and his efforts were slowly declining. The rabbit, on the other hand, was steadily completing the race. His muscle was not betraying him, but instead it strengthened his lead.

The deer was utterly wrong-his legs weren't stronger and would not easily allow him to win.

By the end, the rabbit was clearly ahead and crossed the finish line way before the deer.

The deer finally completed the race, and while he was upset, knew that a deal was a deal and graciously let the rabbit have the antlers.

The rabbit put the beautiful antlers atop his head and never took them off.
And that was how the jackalope was created.

 Jackalope. Source: Wikimedia

Author's Note: The original story is about how a deer got his horns. There was a race between him and a rabbit in which the winner was awarded horns. The deer won the horns and thus the legend about how the deer got his horns. When I read the original story, I immediately thought of a jackalope. The possibility of the antlers ending up on the rabbit is what inspired me to write this story. Even though that's not what happened or how the story ended, that's what inspired me. I usually write my stories in a way that are closely aligned with the original one, but I have decided to try to expand my writing style in order to expand my creativity by writing stories that are inspired by but not extremely connected to the original story. The image is a picture of the animal I imagined.

Bibliography: This story is part of the Cherokee Myths unit. Story source: Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900).

Reading Diary B: Myths of the Cherokee

Myth-Folklore Unit: Myths of the Cherokee

The Owl Gets Married
Question 1: Why can't she hunt herself?
Question 2: Woah. Living with her already?
Question 3: Why do the Cherokee myths seem to always have something gross and/or violent?
I don't really like flesh, and that ending freaked me out. In my stories, I don't want the reader to feel uncomfortable.


The Rattlesnake's Vengeance
Uhm, I hope that I'd marry someone that would never consent to my death. Especially to a bunch of snakes. Also I wish that songs could heal people. If this were true, her death would not be in vain. These stories creep me out and give me uneasy feelings.


The Bullfrog Lover
These stories are so odd to me, though I'm not sure why. I've read weirder, but these freak me out for some reason. They aren't bad, but they haven't been my favorite weekly readings. This one is no exception. But then again, I'm not too fond of bullfrogs.
 

(bullfrog) 

Reading Diary A: Myths of the Cherokee

Myth-Folklore Unit: Myths of the Cherokee

How the World Was Made 

This is a really in-depth and interesting tale about how the earth was made. I appreciated the detail in the story telling. Though this didn't quite keep my interest the entire time, it was still a good story. I want my stories to be this detailed but still be thrilling for the reader to read.

The Rabbit Goes Duck Hunting 

I really don't understand the point in this story. Also, it was a gross image I got in my head when they author described the rabbit eating its own fur. I want my readers to come away knowing why I told the story and have them glad that they read it.

The Deer and the Rabbit

Stories like this are so interesting - how animals get to be how they are according to folklore and myths. However, at first when they decided the winner would get antlers, I thought about a jackalope and wasn't sure who was going to win! This kept the story interesting and allowed me to read it without losing interest.

(deer)

 

Essay: How Things Come to Be in Tejas Legends

This week was cool because I got to read a lot of stories in the Tejas Legends. Something that stuck out to me was how many of them included tales of how things came to be/how they came to exist. I love stories like this because it shows the character and creativity of humans and cultures. It tells of how things came to exist and why they have certain traits. I admire the creativity of these stories and aspire to one day be able to tell stories just as well.  The two stories that I found the most interesting were Why Hummingbirds Drink Only Dew and Maidens Who Broke a Drought. The first told a magnificent tale of why hummingbirds only drink dew, revealing the character of the hummingbird along the way. The story dove into the hummingbird's background and showed the events that occurred in order to secure the hummingbird's dew-drinking fate. The other showed how the end of one form of life can transfer into something even more beautiful and live on forever. This one was a bit more depressing, but still showed how something came into being in a lovely manner.
I liked the style of these stories (and the Tejas Legends in general). They were written in a way that kept me entertained. I also appreciate how the title told what the story would be about/what specific thing would be described, yet the true meaning would not come until the very end. This tactic is what kept me engaged and reading. These stories are interesting, because it always seems like the stories have absolutely nothing to do with the title, yet in the end it always comes down to why something occurs or how something came into existence. The creativity to produce these stories is high and very admirable. I hope there are more like these as the semester continues!

Hummingbird. Source: Wikipedia

Reading Unit:

Myth-Folklore Unit: Tejas Legends

Storytelling Week 9: The Happiest Fish Under the Sea

The Happiest Fish Under the Sea

Oh my, oh my, oh my.
My life as a little fish has been awful up until today.
Let me just say...thank goodness for my Grandma.

You would think I would be living the life under the sea. I mean, up on the shore they work all day. Up in the sun they slave away! We get an endless supply of water and we get to swim around all day long. It's always clear and there's never any disruption from the world above. But let me tell you. It's not all happiness down here. We've been miserable since..well...forever!

Why, you ask?
Well...these awful and mean garfish have been absolutely horrible to me, my family and my friends. They've been terrorizing us all since we were born!
Who does such an awful thing?
I used to fear for my life daily - always wondering when one of them was going to be just around the river-bend, and even beyond the shore.

So finally us kids had enough. We cried out to our Grandma (who is the river) - she always knows what to do in any situation. Whenever we need her, she's always there...and this was no exception. She didn't like the garfish, either, so it was easy to convince her to help us. And help us she surely did!

Shortly after our talk with Grandma, it started to rain...and not just any kind of rain. It was a torrential downpour. The river got so extremely full in just a few hours! We had never seen anything like it. Sometimes we go through droughts and sometimes it rains a lot, but this was a totally different ball game. We knew that something strange was up.

Turns out Grandma had a favor called in to the rain cloud that she knows. Grandma has the best of friends that always come to her help since she is so helpful herself.

Of course when the water extended to new territories, the garfish got so greedy and wanted to see if there were any other creatures for them to feast upon and terrorize.

But the joke was on them! Right as they swam up the river, Grandma dried up her banks and showed the big garfish what it was like to feel terror.

So that's why today is so great. We all get to live fear free and don't have to worry about being eaten all day long anymore!

Cute, happy fish. Source: Pixabay
Author's Note: The original story tells the same story that I wrote, but from an outsiders perspective. I didn't change any details, but I changed the style of writing. I wrote this story in a diary-style because I want to practice for my storybook. My storybook entries and stories are written in the same style and I thought it would be good practice to keep writing in that manner so that the storybook can be successful. I chose this image to include because it really looks like a happy, little fish to me.

Bibliography: This story is part of the Tejas Legends unit. Story source: When the Storm God Rides: Tejas and Other Indian Legends retold by Florence Stratton and illustrated by Berniece Burrough (1936).

Reading Diary B: Tejas Legends

Myth-Folklore Unit: Tejas Legends

Why Hummingbirds Drink Only Dew 

Hummingbirds not drinking the water they bathe in is probably smart for their health. I relate to this story because I feel like that's how my friends would act in bets. Making and playing sneaky tricks to technically win, but maybe not in the most ethical way. It's cool to see that even though he was sort of tricked that he still stayed true to his word, though! The hummingbird seems like a good character who probably (and hopefully) learned his lesson about gambling.

How Sickness Entered the World 

This story legit freaked me out and made me uncomfortable. Imagining that many snake eggs and thinking of one next to me was gross. And that they hatched sickness - how awful. The storytelling and creativity was good, but I didn't like the story.

Maidens Who Broke a Drought

Though this was a sad story of the girls ending their human lives, it was cool to read about how they were transformed and honored forever. Again, like I stated in my reading diary A, I love to read about how different people and cultures talk about how things come to be and/or exist...though these in the Tejas Legends have been more sad than happy.

(beebrush)

 

Reading Diary A: Tejas Legends

Myth-Folklore Unit: Tejas Legends

 Why the Woodpecker Pecks

I appreciate how easy this was to read. It kept me entertained and never bored. I also love stories like this - it's always fun to see how different people and cultures describe how things came to be and/or exist. Also...him eating the plants sounded like a drug experience. But I guess interesting stories come out of that, too!

The Cloud That Was Lost

This intro was really great - it had my imagination going. I could really see the clouds bumping into each other and curling up at night. That sounds so nice right now! I also felt so sad for the cloud - I'm not sure why I have such an emotional attachment to a cloud, but this story is great. Poor cloud - but you can always see its beauty in the flowers, so that's neat.

(Wild phlox)

Grandmother River's Trick

This one got to me because of the garfish. I had been to places growing up that had garfish and the thought of them scared me so much. Ha- the beginning of this story definitely didn't help that! But I did like the end. All of the fish got to be happy and free from the garfish. It'd be fun to tell this from the fishes perspective.

Week 8: Growth Mindset

Marching band. Source: Pixabay

I completed the 'beyond school' challenge. This was a useful challenge because it made me think about how I can inspire others and have them effectively incorporate the growth mindset in their own lives.
I teach band every morning. Sometimes the students aren't always eager to push themselves and get better. Having the growth mindset myself makes me aware that I can always be a better teacher and work on the traits that allow this to occur.
Band itself teaches students the growth mindset. You're constantly practicing and getting better, no matter your talent level. There's always room for growth.
My favorite instructor once told me that "it's not about perfection, but the perfect approach" and I feel like that is applicable in all situations in life.

Tech Tip: Blogger Template

I chose a new design for my blog! My other one was simple and boring; just something I picked out in the beginning to get my blog started. I like the colors and how the text fits and is easily readable.

Reading Plan

Reading Plan

Weeks 9-10 Native American 
Weeks 11-12 British and Celtic 
Weeks 13-14 European

Week 9: Stories for CHILDREN (simple language): EuropeanWeek 10: Contains SHORTER stories: European
Week 11: Stories for CHILDREN (simple language): Native American
Week 12: Contains SHORTER stories: Native American
Week 13: Stories for CHILDREN (simple language): British
Week 14: Contains SHORTER stories: British

Cat reading a book. Source: Pixabay

Reflections: Looking Forward

Reflections: Looking Forward

For the second half of the semester, I would like to try completing the week's assignments on either Sunday or Monday to not get behind. This semester has been full of things popping up at the last second and if all of my classwork is done, I won't have to worry about deadlines.
I would also like to try different writing styles. I've mostly kept with the same structure the entire semester, but I think it would be interesting to explore creatively.

I am currently on track for the grade I desire. However, I would like to finish early. In order to do so,
I need to do more extra credit in the coming weeks. I've just been completing the assignments and not doing extra credit, so doing so should help me finish before the end of the semester.

Cat. Source: Wordpress

Reflections: Looking Back

Reflections: Looking Back

 I've really enjoyed this class so far. It has given me the opportunity to have a creative outlet. This class allows me to take something and make it my own. I appreciate being able to read the stories and explore the realms they exist in and then being able to take that and create something brand new.

I have been the most successful in this class when I complete my assignments on Monday. That's easiest to do, since my week gets busier as the days go on. Also, I always seem to have things pop up that I was not expecting - so doing things sooner rather than later is always a safe bet.

I've enjoyed getting to know other students through their introductions. I've found people similar and not similar to myself, and it's really interesting to get to see what parts they share of themselves on their blogs. Following reading their introductions, it's just as fun to see their creative side and how their personality and voice shines through their personal stories.

My project is going well! It has been fun to develop an idea and to see it grow week by week. The progress has been slow but steady. I like being able to expand upon one subject and to write multiple stories and develop the character of the wolf more in depth.

My favorite readings by far have been from Aesop's Fables. I LOVE the morals and that it includes them with each story. I found myself relating them back to how I can improve my own life and attitude with each story. Plus they were entertaining!

I do the work for this class in multiple locations - pretty much wherever I have my laptop and whenever I have time. This ranges from at home to on campus.

I've done a few 'famous last words' posts for extra credit. I really like doing these because it forces me to take a moment a look back at what has happened/what I've accomplished in the past week. A lot can happen in just a few days, and taking it a week at a time and really forcing myself to see my growth (even if it is small) is a good positive thing to have in my life.

 Cat. Source: Wikipedia

How this cat looks is how I have felt most of this semester. Exhausted and a little out of it.

I can't wait to finish out this semester and to learn more about this class subject, others and myself.

Famous Last Words: Week 7

It was sexaT week this past week!



The week was filled with fun and events.
Though stressful, it was a great time and a fantastic last Texas week for me (even though we lost the game).
I got to spend a lot of time with my friends and the entire Pride.
Our trip to Texas always includes a banquet on Friday night. It’s nice to see everyone dressed up and not sweaty and in athletic gear. 

Here’s a picture from the banquet of me and my roommates:















From left to right: Ryan, Hannah, Me and Dylan
Source: Myself

We are all in the saxophone section and have been living together since we moved out of the dorms. We’re all seniors and graduating in May! It’s crazy how fast time flies. It seems like just yesterday we all met and were getting ready for our first day of classes. Living with my best friends has given me some of my favorite college memories so far.

After the game we got to go to the fair and eat fried food and people watch.
I got a fried Reese’s and it was delicious.
The lines were ridiculous for some of the food, but so worth it.

Here’s a picture from the fair:

Source: Myself





That’s Dylan - one of my best friends. He’s from Oklahoma and he had never seen Big Tex before, so he was super excited to see him this year. I was excited, too, since I haven’t seen the new Big Tex since he burnt down.

When the rest of the band headed back to Norman, I got to stay in Dallas with my parents. It was awesome getting to spend time with them, since this semester I’ve been consumed by schoolwork, my job and organizations. We got to see the Rangers play! It was disappointing because they lost, too...but we still had a great time.

Storytelling Week 7: The Kind Monkey Turned Wicked

 The Kind Monkey Turned Wicked

There once was a monkey who lived in a tree in the middle of the forest. He was just like any other monkey; he ate his bananas, he went to school and he helped with tree chores.

However, there was something a little different with monkey. He didn't have many friends. In fact, he didn't have a single friend at all.

He would go home each day and cry out to himself, "How can I make friends? I'm so lonely."




There was nothing terribly wrong with the monkey. He was kind, handsome, smart, funny and charming. Yet no one would ever talk to him when he sat alone at school.

He had attempted everything in his power to engage in conversation with anyone. Every time he tried, he was shot down and ignored. Monkey was the loneliest creature on the planet.

One day, something finally snapped within him.

"If they won't be my friends, than they'll be my enemies. They'll learn how it feels to be on the outside," Monkey thought to himself.

And so his wicked ways began. His nice, friendly personality turned cold and bitter. He no longer attempted to make contact with anyone. Monkey decided that he had tried to long and hard and it was time for a drastic change.



He schemed and schemed for hours a day, training his clever mind. His evil plans floated through his mind during school, at home and even in his dreams. He eventually decided that he would trick people when they least expected it.

His trickery started small, by telling people there was no homework when there actually was, by conning people out of their lunch money and even by telling people wrong directions to places.

However, day by day the tricks got bigger and bigger. The monkey had many, many enemies.

"It's so much easier to get enemies than to gain friends," Monkey thought to himself.

One day he decided to trick a turtle and a crocodile. This was the worst one yet. They were starving after a long trek form their home, so he lead them to a farmer's patch of pumpkins to feast, knowing that would get them killed.

The turtle and crocodile met their fate and that's when Monkey knew his transformation was complete. He truly was a wicked being. He surely didn't have to worry about making friend any longer; all he made now were enemies.

(macaque, photo by thinrhino)

Author's Note: The original story is about a monkey, a turtle and crocodile. The monkey was very deceptive and tricked the turtle and crocodile into eating from a farmer's patch of pumpkins. The turtle and crocodile ended up being killed in the process because of the monkey's deceptive ways. My favorite part and why I picked this story was the moral, which was: Never trust a new friend or an old enemy. This made me want to write with this story as the inspiration. I then decided to do the backstory on the monkey and how he turned evil. I also chose this image because the monkey looked wicked.

Bibliography: The original story is part of the Filipino Tales unit. Story source: Filipino Popular Tales by Dean S. Fansler (1921).

Reading Diary B: Filipino Popular Tales

Myth-Folklore Unit: Filipino Popular Tales

Why Mosquitoes Hum and Try to get into the Holes of our Ears

(land crab)

I love that the story has nothing to do with the title until the very end. It kept me engaged the entire time and wondering how it related to the title. Though it was frustrating to not know, it was a great and interesting storytelling technique.

The Lost Necklace

The thought of a crow with a necklace cracked me up. Probably because of my lack of sleep, but my imagination found it hilarious. How rude of the crow, though...and a tattletale. I'm sure the hen didn't mean to lose it and she had been looking all day for it. If the crow was so worried about it, the crow shouldn't let anyone borrow it. Also how weird. To eat someone's children because you lost a necklace. Like...what...the crow is an odd and disgusting character.

Why the Ocean is Salty

An ocean of tears - how depressing. Most of this story was really sad. I don't like sad stories. However, I did think that the picture chosen for this was really cool. I've never seen mounds of salt.

Reading Diary A: Filipino Popular Tales

Myth-Folklore Unit: Filipino Popular Tales

The Three Friends: the Monkey, the Dog, and the Carabao

(macaque, photo by thinrhino)

My first thought was that them taking those items was strange for hunting purposes. What good would kitchen utensils do? The monkey was very clever, but it's unfortunate that his friends were killed. The monkey always seems to be the clever character in many of the stories I have read this semester, which is a cool similarity.

The Wicked Woman’s Reward

How unfortunate and sad for the baby girl - to not be wanted by her own mother or father simply because she was a girl. So much that her mother planned on stealing the boy and was killed. Also why would she replace the baby with a cat? Also why would he kill the woman when he didn't even know if it was her fault? And what if the baby were to be found? It was also really creepy that the river smelled good from the dead woman's body. I didn't really like this story, but I do admit that it was quite creative. Why would he be remorseful and then do the same thing by killing someone else?

The Monkey, the Turtle, and the Crocodile 

What a rude monkey. Also I love this moral. Never trust a new friend or an old enemy. This speaks to me because I am way too trusting of new friends and sometimes I trust old enemies. I forget and forgive and believe in change, which sometimes doesn't work out for me in the end. It's a good moral to remember - always be cautious.

Extra Reading Diary: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang) - Reading A

Myth-Folklore Unit: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang) 

 

The Two Frogs

Two frogs. Source: Wikimedia

How often we trust ourselves when we might not know all of the facts. These frogs are silly. I think it was wonderful that they wanted to help each other out and I love the story of how they met. I always find how people meet interesting. There always has to be the right circumstances, but everything always falls into place. It's interesting that the frogs didn't complete their journey after traveling so far already. Why not keep going if you're already halfway there? These frogs were so alike and it was interesting to learn about these characters.

 

The Stonecutter

I appreciate the conversational tone this story is written in. It made it easy and interesting to read. The story itself was also great. I like the lesson that the man learned in the end. If you're greedy, you'll always want more, no matter how much you have, when you might've had all you truly needed to begin with.

 

The Cat's Elopement

I love how happy this ending is! Stories with happy endings are my favorite to read because they leave me with a happy feeling in my heart. I don't like reading stories with sad endings. The cats ending up together in the end was great. It was also wonderful that the princess promised to never separate them and kept that promise. And the fact that she married someone who shared those feelings brought much happiness all around.