Week 7 Extra Reading Diary: Khasi Folktales First Half

From the Un-Textbook: Khasi Folktales


Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

Adorable, vicious, baby tiger. Source: Wikimedia

The Tiger and the Monkeys

•  Hahah the monkeys keep digging a deeper hole for themselves. 
• The tiger sounds like my sister...she is so gullible.

The Legend and the lei Tree

•  I like this story about mother nature protecting herself!
• And then I was sad. The poor tiger!

Hunting the Stag Lapalang

• This story is interesting in the sense that the mother teaches men how to mourn properly.
• I sort of go against mourning (although that is easy to say and hard to do) because I enjoy thinking that we should celebrate a life and try to focus on the positive things.

The Goddesses Ka Ngot and Ka lam

• I love twins and therefore this story. I thought it was neat that the turned into rivers to race down the mountain.
• I thought they might turn back into humans, but they did not.

U Biskurom

• He sounds like an engineer!

How the Dog Came to live with Man

• I enjoyed how the mother invited the dog in. It sounds so human.
• Also, the dog is lazy which is a new perspective I hadn't thought of. They provide companionship, loyalty and love in turn for food and shelter.

The Stag and the Snail

• This story had items from the other story (I am not sure it was done on purpose), but I thought it was cool.

Week 7 Reading Diary B: Indian Fairy Tales Second Half

From the Un-Textbook: Indian Fairy Tales

Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

• The Talkative Tortoise
•  I've noticed my development as a leader throughout my college career. One thing a good leader will do is learn when to step back and let others lead. The story reminds me of this because a leader who does not answer all of the questions, allows for others to learn and grow.

• The Gold-Giving Serpent
• I like this story because snakes are generally portrayed as evil in most stories I have read. This snake started out as good and evil was done to him. This is what caused him to turn against humans.

• Pride Goeth Before a Fall
• This one did not captivate my interest as much.

• The Prince and the Fakir
• The ant story was sort of random...
• I feel like the Fakir got ripped off by the King

• Why the Fish Laughed
• I like that the daughter is very clever. She is able to translate the code that the man speaks. 
• This story made me think and has many clever (almost) riddles.

• The Demon With the Matted Hair
• I think it is very noble when I hear a story where a character does not fear death. It almost seems unreal because I am not sure I have met someone who really doesn't fear death.

• How Sun, Moon, and Wind Went Out to Dinner
•  KARMA!
• I love stories that explain why things are they way they are. So, for example, the sun is hot and the wind is miserable because they were inconsiderate and did not think of their mother.

Graceful moon. Source: Pixabay

Week 7 Reading Diary A: Indian Fairy Tales First Half

From the Un-Textbook: Indian Fairy Tales

Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

•  The Lion and the Crane
• I like the poetry in this one.
• Reminds me of the story where the mouse saves a lion from netting (he nibbles the netting so the lion may escape).

• The Broken Pot
• DID NOT like the part where he abuses his wife. Also, don't like where the story displays that women should be doing domestic work.

• The Magic Fiddle
•  The writing didn't flow as smoothly in my opinion so this was a longer read for me

• The Cruel Crane Outwitted
•  I liked this story! 
• The crane has evil intentions and deceives the fish (which means he eats them all). The crab however is not so easily tricked and is able to outwit the crane. 
• This has Karma written all over it

• The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal
•  I've noticed that Brahman's tend to have a kind heart
• This story is very similar to the one directly above. Maybe I could merge the two stories and characters for a possible storytelling post. 

Another image of Karma; what goes around, comes around. Source: Wikipedia

• Harisarman
•  Wasn't as interested in this story...at least compared to the two stories above.

• The Charmed Ring
• I enjoyed this story, but I think it might be hard to recreate it. It was pretty detailed and in order to put a twist on it I feel like I would have to go off on some creative tangents.
• It definitely shows the power of friendships over money!

UnTextbook Online Reading Options

1. I used a Dell desktop computer for this experiment
2. I used Mozilla Firefox as my browser. I didn't download the PDF.
3. The best options were Hathi Trust and Internet Archive because I found them easy to navigate. I consider them equivalent levels of user friendliness.
4. The worst option was Google Books, but it really wasn't terrible. I just found the other two easier to navigate.
5. Most of my reading is offline. The reading that I do online is 
6. When I take notes while I read, I also put both on the screen so that I may view them at the same time. I am lucky because some of the engineering labs on campus have two monitors for a computer so I have plenty of room to open a few browsers or documents.
7. I take the same procedure as in question 6 if I have a PDF file.
8. I have never printed out reading materials so that I may read them as hard copies. Unless its class notes, sometimes I print those. For the most part, I try to save paper.
9. I really really really like the double monitor action. The Rawl Engineering Practice Facility had some massive monitors and it makes my online work more efficient.

Famous Last Words: Week 6

Well, this week started out pretty relaxing and the weekend got a little crazy. School hit harder than I thought it would and a lot of people came to ask me for help this weekend which took some time I wasn’t expecting to give (but very happy to help). I foresee that this upcoming week is also going to take the crazy train.

For this class, I feel like I am doing a little better about managing my time. There were still a few days I waited to do the assignment, but I am getting stuff done on time right now. I plan to get ahead tonight on this week’s assignments.

I’ve been meeting lots of new people, which is one of my favorite things to do. I’ve been hanging out with this chick who I supervise and know we are going to be really good friends. Her name is Christina (see image below). We basically have spent all the weekends together this semester having adventures. Sort of sad we haven’t hung out before this semester, but she is a gem

A personal selfie of Christina and me hanging out being funny.

I also went dancing at Cowboys with my friend Indy and some of her friends. Cowboys is always fun. I LOVE two stepping…although I am pretty tall so I get a lot of shorter guys who ask me or no guys to ask me to dance. Which is fine! There is plenty of line dancing and fun to be had.

Indy and I at cowboys (a personal photo).

Totally getting philosophical here, but have you ever considered how amazing human beings can be? If you just look at a minute section of your life and see all of the activities you have ever handled or balanced. Or all of the negative things life throws at you, but you still just bounce right back up and keep going? I guess I try really hard not to focus on the negative, but I’ve noticed that this past year has thrown me a ton of curve balls. Like a ridiculous amount that hasn’t happened before, but I am so proud at how strong I am. I’ve really handled things well and it’s just cool to look back and see that.

Week 6 Extra Reading Diary Bengal Fairy Tales Second Half

From the Un-Textbook: Folktales of Bengal

Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

The Ghost-Brahman

A Ghostly Wife

The Story of a Brahmadaitya

The Ghost who was Afraid of being Bagged

• The four stories above were all ghostly. I'm not a huge fan of horror (I guess they weren't really horror, but I'm a wimp and almost anything can creep me out)

The Bald Wife

• I think it is funny to imagine what a women would look like with two tufts of hair on her head.
• Wouldn't it be great if I could swim in some water and my hair would magically grow (and maybe thicken too).

Ruby Ring. Source: Wikimedia

The Origin of Rubies

• I immediately like this one....probably because it has a queen in it.
• I am noticing how melodramatic these stories and characters are. The princess threatens to kill herself if she is not given another ruby. She will be such a drama queen when she gets older (see what I did there). Haha. It's okay if you don't laugh. It was royally corny.
• The prince and queen causally turn into a lad and mother. I found this a little confusing and interesting. Maybe it was done so not to confuse the king and princess?
• Kind of gross that the rubies were blood droplets from the beautiful lady's head that was severed from her body.

Storytelling Week 6: The Mouse Queen

Author’s Note

The Origin of Opium is a fable from the Folk-Tales of Bengal. It describes a story about a small mouse who is always wishing for more and a kind Rishi who grants her wishes. At first, the mouse is the only companion the Rishi has and so the Rishi gives the mouse a special power to speak. The mouse wishes to be turned into a cat for self-protection and her wish is granted. The little mouse, now cat, continually wishes to be changed into something new. From a cat, she is turned into a dog, then an ape, a boar, an elephant, and finally a beautiful girl who may charm young princes. Eventually, the girl captivates a king and becomes his queen. Unfortunately, she falls into a well and dies, taking her original mouse form. The prince has the well filled with soil to allow a poppy tree to grow and therefore the drug opium.

I chose to work the story backwards and made a few changes along the way. The biggest change is the elimination of opium from my story. The creation of opium was the final topic of the original story (the mouse constantly wishes to be changed into something better which parallels to how an opium addict feels). Since my story directly changes the queen into a mouse and removes all of the other animal transformations, the character isn’t constantly wishing for more. Therefore, I found it unrealistic to keep opium in my story and instead allowed a willow tree to grow from the well. Willow trees can symbolize sadness, which is how I feel this story ended.

A well with a plant growing out of it. Source: Wikimedia

Queen Postomani quietly sobbed herself to sleep. Every morning, she woke up with red, puffy eyes and unhappy thoughts bouncing around in her mind.

You see, before her reign, Postomani was a beautiful maid and lived an honest life. And while Queen Postomani was still quite beautiful, she grew ugly on the inside...........

One day, Postomani was performing her daily chores when a stranger knocked on the door.

She answered, “Hello. What may I do for you today, good sir?”

“I was hoping that I might rest in your home for the day. That is, if it isn’t too much trouble,” the fellow responded.

“Please, come in. May I get you anything?” Postomani graciously waved the handsome man inside.

“A seat will be plenty. What is your name? Pardon me for my straightforwardness, but I must know because your beauty is so abundant,” said the man.

Postomani was quiet. She knew this man was of wealth and power by the way he carried himself. And she, a lowly maid in comparison. Yet, she desired more. It didn’t help that this man was astoundingly attractive.

“Well, your father must have been royal. You’re too striking to be otherwise!” the man exclaimed.

‘Yes! My father was a king, but a tiger ate him. And my mother died giving birth to me,” Postomani lied.

As soon as the words parted from her mouth, she regretted them. It was as if her filter completely disappeared!

“You will fall in love with the palace. Come with me. Be my queen!” the king requested.

Postomani wed the king and followed him to the palace. As every day passed by, the lie grew larger inside of her and made her inner beauty wither.

She could take the pain no longer. Postomani ran into the forest to the Rishi and asked for a wish.

“Oh, dear Rishi. Please grant me one wish!” Postomani wept.

“Child, what is it? What bothers you so harshly?” the Rishi comforted.

“Please. I have let poison seep from my lips. To the king, of all people! I deceived him and I need to pay for my injustice. I wish to be turned into a mouse. So small and lonely that I may not harm another,” Postomani pleaded.

The Rishi, who was kind and understanding, granted the queen’s desire. He allowed her to live in his shack and they kept each other company.

Many years passed by and Postomani occasionally found herself missing the palace. One day, she decided to visit the king. She ventured through the forest and reached its edge to find the vast, royal garden.  

If only I could find a higher spot so that I might peer into the king’s window.

That’s when Postomani saw the well.

Perfect!

She hopped onto the well and climbed to the top. She could just barely see into the window as she reached the ledge. Postomani stood on her two hind legs and strained her neck in attempt to get a glimpse of the king. Her paw slipped and she tumbled down into the deep well to find her death lying at the bottom.

Ten years later, the king strolled through the garden and stumbled upon an interesting growth.

What an unusual sight to see! A willow tree sprouting from a well.

Willow tree. Source: Wikimedia

Bibliography

“The Origin of Opium” by Rev. Lal Behari Day, from Folk-Tales of Bengal (1912). Web Source: Internet Archive

Week 6 Reading Diary A: Bengal Fairy Tales First Half

From the Un-Textbook: Folktales of Bengal

Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

• The Evil Eye of Sani
• I found it interesting what evil was bestowed upon Sribatsa and how the good came to him (gold dung from a cow).
• This story reminds me that in order to get something you want, you must work hard and earn it. Sort of like in a company where you have to work your way up the ladder.

• The Boy whom Seven Mothers Suckled
• Maybe the seven queens weren't the ones barren..maybe they couldn't bare a child because of him. Humph.
• This story is weird..not my favorite one.

• The Origin of Opium
• This story reminds me of the children's book If you give a Mouse a Cookie
• The mouse is given speech by the Rishi and from there the mouse continues to ask to be turned into some sort of animal. He discovers that each animal has to worry about something 
• Definitely a story of Karma (the mouse ends up dying)
• I think the title to this story is very fitting since the mouse always wishing to be turned into something better parallels with drugs making the abuser always wanting more.
• This is probably my favorite story of the three.

Cute mouse searching for some luck (maybe not so lucky though). Source: Pixabay

Comment Wall

Please share your thoughts, questions, or concerns below!

Storytelling Week 5: Karma's Letter

Dear Kaikeyi,

          I regret to inform you that Bharata is VERY angry with you. It seems as if you betrayed him, as well as the entire city of Ayodhya.

Vasishtha came to me today revealing your actions and expressing how livid Bharata is. I would like to get your side of the story; is it true that you used the two promises King Dasaratha granted you to exile your stepson and heir to the throne, Rama, for fourteen years and to make your own son, Bharata, king?

I am led to believe that Vasistha tells me the truth. Apparently, King Dasaratha was so heartbroken about losing Rama that he passed on and is transitioning into his next life.

I am sorry for your loss. I am sure you grieved after your husband’s death. Perhaps you feel as if his death is some sort of penance (that is assuming that Vasistha is telling the truth and you did, indeed, use your two promises).  Unfortunately, Dasaratha’s death was a consequence from his own actions and I must proceed with different penalties for your situation. With any action that occurs in this world, I must perform at least one outcome according to that action.

Vasishtha displayed a lot of emotion. So much so that I could feel Bharata’s anger in Vasishtha’s words. The conversation was tense and full of worked up thoughts. Therefore, I must warn you, that in order to ease Vasishtha and Bharata’s minds, I gave Vasishtha a list of consequences that you will experience. Again, these consequences will only occur if Vasishtha is telling the truth AND Bharata does not forgive you. You may view the list below:

·        You will find it challenging to tell right from wrong
·        You will have many doubts
·        You will become close-minded
·        You will crave flavors, but never taste them
·        You will be viewed as wretched and ugly
·        You will lose your desire to learn
·        You will desire sleep and never rest
·        You will become poor and beg people for food
·        You will live in a kingdom led by fear
·        You will receive many teaching skills, but forget your lessons and appear a fool
·        You will eventually resort to gambling
·        You will not be able to perform good deeds, no matter how hard you try
·        You will betray your friends
·        You will lose others’ trust
·        You will lie to the people who need the truth the most
·        You will argue your beliefs and values to those that don’t wish to hear
·        You will never see Rama return to Ayodhya

Before I act upon any decision made in this world, I believe it best to gather all of the facts. Hence, this letter. I would appreciate it if you respond to me with your side of the story in ten days or less. If I do not hear from you, I will assume that Vasistha told me the truth and will conduct research to see if Bharata forgives you.

I wish you the best.

Sincerely,
Karma

An endless knot. Related to Karma because Karma can be considered endless. Source: Wikipedia

Author’s Note

In Buck’s Ramayana, King Dasaratha dies and his son, Bharata, returns to Ayodhya. When Bharata arrives, he is told about his father’s death, Rama’s exile, and therefore, his new position as king. Bharata is very angry with his mother, Kaikeyi, for using her two promises to exile Rama and make Bharata king. He speaks with Vasishtha about what will happen to his mother (he prefers she is killed) and Vasishtha has a very long, negative list of consequences that Kaikeyi will experience if Bharata cannot forgive her. Fortunately for Kaikeyi, her son ends up forgiving her.

The major changes include a letter-format with Karma’s perspective (he is not technically introduced in Buck’s version). Also,Vasishtha informs Karma of Bharata's anger towards his mother due to her deeds.

This portion of the story snagged my attention because I believe Karma was at work. Kaikeyi decided to use her two promises and a lot of possible consequences crop up (Vasishtha’s list of what will happen to her) from those actions. I wanted to write a letter from Karma’s perspective explaining to Kaikeyi what would happen to her if she was not forgiven.

I chose an endless knot as my image to display Karma. I feel as if this is perfect imagery since Karma is everywhere and will always be in existence.

Bibliography

Buck, William (1976). Ramayana: King Rama's Way.