Week 15 Storytelling: The Two "Friends"

Many, many years ago, in a small village, there lived to young men. They were as close as two people could be. Some referred to them as brothers, but they shared a different sort of bonded love. Because of how close they were to each other, neither young man had married by the time all the other young people in town had married. They were more than content in each other’s company. 

One day, one of the young men became terribly sick. His partner was right by his side every second, waiting on him hand and foot. Even the strong bond the young men shared was not enough to stave off the inevitable coming of death.

Many months after mourning the loss of his partner, the still living young man met a young woman whose time he enjoyed sharing. The two grew close, and about a year later, they made the decision to be wed.

On his way to the place where he would marry his bride, the man passed by the cemetery where his first love was buried. He decided to stop and pay his respects.

(Jay's Grave on Wikimedia)

Sitting in front of his partner’s grave, the man talked about his new engagement. He sat there for many minutes, telling old stories and new. At the end of his talk, he stood and looked over the grave. As he turned to leave, he spoke: “Comrade, dear. I invite thee to my wedding.” He knew he would never marry this woman here his partner still living, but he liked to think his partner would like to see him happy now.

As soon as the young man spoke these words, the grave shifted and began to open. From the hole, the dead man rose up. He smiled, as much as he could, and responded: “Thanks be to thee, love. Let us act upon this happy chance. Come into my new home and drink in celebration with me.”

The living man was surprised and he explained that the entire wedding procession was waiting for him.

“Eh, dear! Surely you can spare a moment for one last drink with me,” the dead man replied.

The living man thought for a moment. He had heard stories of people drinking with the dead. Every glass was rumored to make a hundred years of time pass. As he looked to his fallen partner, he remembered the time they had spent together, and how he had wished many times he could spend just one more day together.

One could argue a hundred years is better than a day.

The living man looked back to the gate of the cemetery where his procession was waiting for him, and he turned his back to them and stepped into the grave.

“Surely, you know what this means?” the dead man questioned him.

The living man smiled and answered him, “I do.”

(Festival Meadow Drinking Glass on maxpixel)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: In the original story, the two friend promise each other that whoever gets married first will invite the other to his wedding, even if the second man dies. One young man does die, and the living man goes on to get engaged. The day of his wedding, the living man passes by his friends grave and invites him to the wedding. The dead man raises up and thanks his friend, inviting him in for a quick drink. The living man accepts, thinking it will not take very long for one drink. The has three drinks, and three hundred years pass by. When he emerges, everything is different. He eventually makes it to a town where someone explains that three hundred years ago, a groom went missing, never to marry his bride. 

In my story, I wanted to change the relationship between the two men. They are lovers, and the living man consciously chooses to spend however many hundreds of years with his partner, instead of getting married. 

Bibliography: "The Two Friends" from Russian Fairy Tales by W. R. S. Ralston (1887). (Web Source)

Week 14 Storytelling: Dante in the Ninth Circle of Hell

(Rocky cave from pxhere; edited by me)

Dante watched as Virgil floated over the dangerously sharp rocks as he made his way to a two-story-tall black iron door. Dante walked behind him, but his still-living, mortal feet were sliced on contact with the razor sharp floor.

It took a few minutes for Dante to navigate the floor in a way that he would be cut as little as possible. When he joined Virgil by the door, the soles of his feet were bleeding. He looked up at Virgil, who smiles reassuringly down at him.

Without saying a word, Virgil pushed the large, black door open and floated inside the ninth circle of Hell. 

(Venice - Campo Pescaria from Wikimedia)

Standing outside the door, Dante imagined what horrors might be inside. He thought back to the monsters he had seen over the past couple of days. Giants, harpies, all of the eternally damned. He knew this final circle of Hell was were Satan himself resided.


Dante had grown up hearing the stories of Satan. A huge creature that made giants look small. Three heads, six eyes, three wings, and three mouths endlessly chewing on those who committed the worst crimes while on Earth.

As he stood in front of the cracked-open door, he could feel the cold nerves settling in his stomach. But, Virgil had already gone in, and Dante was there to follow him and see all nine circles of Hell.

So he went in.

At first Dante was blinded because it was so much brighter inside the door. Before everything was dimly lit by unseen lighting that gave just enough of a glow so one’s eyes could adjust to the dark. But this light was bright white, almost luminescent.

When his eyes adjusted Dante was astonished. Before him were linoleum floors, so shiny he could see everything reflected in them. Paintings and tall pillars alternated down the long hallway in front of him. There were furniture arrangements scattered about, creating small sitting areas. At the end of the hallway, Dante saw Virgil hovering next to a large table that someone was sitting behind. The two chatted idly.

(European-Style Walls And Pillars Design For Hotel Lobby from 3dhousedownload.com)

This was not what Dante was expecting.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: Dante’s Inferno is a classic. Everyone has either read it or at least heard about it. In the original story, Dante is led by Virgil through the different circles of hell, learning about the creatures that dwell there and how it all came to be. In the ninth circle of Hell, Dante and Virgil originally see Satan, with his three heads, chewing on Judas, Brutus, and Cassius, all traitors when they were alive. After seeing this final scene, Dante and Virgil climb up Satan and reemerge on Earth. In my retelling, I wanted something different. When I was think about what to write, I remembered Elizabeth Harper’s storybook that I read at the beginning of our class. She wrote about a new perspective of the underworld as a sort of office where Hades is the boss and has a new secretary, Kyle. I really enjoyed this new imagining of Hell and I thought it was great. So I wanted to incorporate that into my story by having Dante find the ninth circle of hell to be a hotel/office setting. I think it makes the story funny because the lead up of the rest of the story is dark and grim and horrifying, and then you get a different sort of “horror” with working in public service.


Bibliography: "Canto 34: Satan" from Dante's Divine Comedy, translated by Tony Kline (2002). (Web Source)
“Hero Visa Pending” by Elizabeth Harper (Web Source)

Week 11 Storytelling: Mondamin

Many, many years ago, there was a young man who, at the beginning of spring, began his yearly fast. This fasting was a tradition for his tribe, and the young man was proud to take part in it. However, his father was not a skilled hunter, which meant that there was normally no food in their home, anyway.

While his father went out daily to hunt, hoping to catch something to eat so there would be food when his son’s fast ended, the young man would wander the forest and wonder at the different plants he found there.

After fasting for the first four days, the young man became weak with hunger and decided to lay down inside of his tepee. He got comfortable on the floor, staring up at the light let in by the small opening at the top. He watched the dust float through the beams of light for many hours.

Suddenly, a handsome youth appeared inside the tepee with him. The human man could tell that this stranger was from the Sky-land because of his elaborate green and yellow robes that flowed around him and the soft plume of feathers in his hand. The young man could not help but think how truly beautiful this man from Sky-land was.

“The Great Mystery has sent me so that you may learn all that you wish to know,” the handsome stranger explained. “To gain knowledge, you must wrestle me.”

The human man explained that he could not wrestle, for he was too weak from fasting. After convincing the man that this was indeed the only way to gain knowledge, he accepted. After a few minutes, the handsome stranger said that was all for that day, and left silently.

The next day, the stranger came again, still in his beautiful green and yellow robes, and wrestled again with the young human man. After a few minutes, the handsome stranger said that was all for that day, and left silently. After the stranger was gone, the young human man reflected on how he seemed to best the stranger when wrestling. He wondered how, and what he might learn from him.

The third day came and the two young men wrestled once again. Finally, the stranger stopped. “This has been enough. You have prevailed.”

The young men settled in on the floor comfortably and began to talk. “The Great Mystery has decided you are worthy enough to gain the knowledge you seek. Tomorrow, after I have come and we have wrestled once more, you must throw me down, strip me of my robes, and bury my body in the ground.”

The human young man began to protest, but the handsome stranger spoke over him. “From this place where you bury me, keep it well. Do not let weeds and grass grow over where you have laid me there. Also, you must not eat until after we have finished wrestling tomorrow.” After he spoke, the handsome stranger rose gracefully and vanished. The young human man stayed sitting there for a while, thinking on what was asked of him. He did not want to bury the beautiful stranger. He had come to think of him as a friend.

When the next morning came, the young man’s father brought him some food he had caught, for it was the seventh day of fasting. The young man declined the food and waited patiently for the handsome stranger.

When evening came, so did the beautiful stranger. The two young men wrestled as usual, and at the end, the beautiful young man from Sky-land stayed on the ground, waiting for the young human man to do what he was told.

Minutes went by, but nothing happened.

The beautiful young stranger sat up and found the young human man standing across the tepee from him. “My friend, why have you not continued?”

“I do not wish to bury you. You are my friend, just as you have said,” the human man responded.

The beautiful young man got off of the ground and smiled. “I understand your concern, but I will be all right. It is my purpose to come here and do this for you. So that you may gain the knowledge you are seeking.”

“I do not know what I am seeking, so how will you aide me in this,” the young human man questioned his friend.

After a long pause, the beautiful stranger turned friend spoke. “I do not know, but it is what I was sent here to do.”

The two young men talked about this for a long while, well into the night. By the time day broke, they had reached an agreement.

“I will bury you,” the young human man said. “And I will accept the knowledge you leave behind.”

Both young men were saddened, but they accepted that the beautiful young man from Sky-land had a purpose to fulfill.

The young human man buried his friend and tended to his grave daily to make sure no weeds or grass would grow there. He visited right until it was time for winter to come. On the last day he was to visit, the young man found that from his friend’s grave, a tall plant had grown. The plant seemed graceful and was as bright and colorful as his friends robes has been, with silk-like hair in places.

This is how we came to have Mondamin, also known as corn.

(Maize Corn Field on max pixel)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: In the original story, the human boy wrestled the stranger without question, buried him, and from his grave corn grew. In my story, I wanted there to be a little more depth so I explore the option of the two actually becoming friends. I still wanted the outcome of the stranger being buried and corn growing, though. 

Bibliography: "Mondamin" from Myths and Legends of the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes, edited by Katharine Berry Judson (1914). (Web Source)

Week 10 Storytelling: Raven

Before there were humans on Earth, there were Animals. Animals like Bear roamed the silent forests, Snake slithered across fallen leaves, Beaver built sturdy dams, and so on. One such Animal was Raven. Raven was different from some of the other Animals because he could create things. Beaver might have been able to create dams, but Raven could create plants, new animals, and anything else he wanted. 

When Raven first started creating, he created grass. Before, the land was covered in dirt as far as the eye could see. Raven found this rather boring, and wanted something better. So, Raven landed on the dirt and used his beak to pull at it, as if pulling something out of it. After a few tries, Raven pulled up a single blade of fresh, green grass. He continued this way for years and years until grass grew in most places.

(Agriculture Grass on Wikimedia)

After creating many types of plants, Raven decided to create something more. He started small and created a caterpillar. He did this by taking a small bit of wet clay from the ground and wrapping it in a dark green leaf from one of the trees. He flapped his wings over the small form and watched as it started to wriggle with life. Over the next few days, Raven watched the caterpillar closely, studying its movements. 

(Papilio machanon Caterpillar on a leaf from Wikimedia)

Eventually, Raven wanted to create something bigger. Starting with tiny mice, Raven began creating all sorts of animals. Bears, snakes, beavers, and more were created day after day. It took many years, but Raven created all the different animals, one animal at a time. This filled Raven with great pride, and he spent many happy years among his animal creations.

One day, Raven decided his life could be better if he gave some of the other animals the ability to think like he did. Raven chose one animal of each species, and granted them a sort of higher thought. These animals became known by their names, Bear, Snake, Beaver, and so on, just like Raven. All of these higher animals made up a great court which operated under Raven. And so it was for many millennium. 

(Kamchatka Brown Bear from Wikimedia)

Years and years later, Raven was flying through a forest that rested on the edge of a beach when he saw something strange. A large pod had been hanging from a vine, similar to when caterpillars transformed, but much larger. Raven flew closer to investigate. As he drew nearer, he noticed the large pod was broken open at the bottom, and beneath it in the sand was a strange creature.

Raven landed on the sand beside the creature and looked over it curiously. Being the creator of all other creatures, Raven was confused because he certainly did not remember creating this one. While he was pondering, Raven remembered something. Using his wing, he lifted his beak which suddenly transformed into a type of mask and was lifted away from his face. It had been thousands of years since Raven had changed from his bird form, and he had forgotten what his other form felt and looked like.

Now that he was transformed, Raven could see this strange creature very much looked like his non-bird form. Raven shook the creature awake. When it woke up, it seem dazed and unsure of where it was. After talking for a bit, Raven called the creature Man, and decided this man was to be the first of many. 

(People on pixabay)

Over the next few years, Raven taught Man how to navigate the world they lived in. Raven even created more men and some women so that Man could have a community. Raven and Man went on this way, teacher and student, until the day Man could teach what he had learned to the other people.

As humanity expanded, Raven was always there watching, proud of the people, animals, and plants he had created.

(Planet Earth by Dawn Hudson on publicdomainpictures.net)

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: In the original story, Raven creates all sorts of animals, plants, and non-living things. He finds Man on the ground one day, where Man had broken out of a pod. Raven then takes Man and creates many animals for him to hunt and eat, and explains which animals are good to catch. Raven eventually makes Woman out of clay for Man. More men and women are created and they all live together while Raven continues to teach Man different things about the world.  

I wanted to tell more about the world before Man came to be. In that way, I guess this is sort of a prequel to the original story. I also wanted to challenge myself to keep the story shorter this time, instead of right at the max word limit. 

Bibliography: Bibliography: Alaskan Legends Unit from Myths and Legends of Alaska, edited by Katharine Berry Judson (1911). (Web Source)

Week 9 Storytelling: The Man Who Wished to Die

Once there was a man named Sentaro. He was a fairly well-off man, living comfortably in a large home by himself. He had inherited all of his wealth from his father. Sentaro spent his time as he pleased since he never had to worry about working to earn a living.

When he was about thirty-two, Sentaro started to feel sadder and sadder about his life. Living all alone with not a care in the world had once been the most magnificent thing in the world. But as he aged, Sentaro found he was more and more depressed, until the day he realized he very much wished to die.

“Why should I live,” he muttered to himself, “if all I do is spend my days alone. Without the comfort of any living soul. This life of mine is not truly living.”

He wondered to himself if it might just be easier to end his loneliness, pain, and suffering by ending his own life. Surely he could find some easy way to do it that would also be painless for him. He had heard stories of people in similar states that had done similar things.

Sentaro decided he would travel around and see what he could find out about these people, and if any of their stories could help him in his quest.

After a week or so, Sentaro had been through a couple of different villages, but no one had shared any information with him about people in his state who had come before him. Feeling even more defeated, Sentaro found his way to a local shrine. 

(Oomatono Tsunoten Shinto Shrine in Inagi on wikimedia)

The shrine was a simple one, it was obviously kept clean and there were only a few offerings there. Sentaro knelt down at the shrine and covered his head and prayed.

He prayed for seven hours, asking that whoever might hear him would give him advice about what to do. Sentaro still very much wanted to die, but he was unsure of how or what might happen to him afterwards.

At the end of the seventh hour, someone appeared beside Sentaro. Sentaro was startled and jumped to his feet in surprise. In front of him stood a man staring at him.

“I have heard your desires, and they are very selfish indeed. What man shall request help in killing himself, and to ask as if to absolve yourself of the blame? Do you now know what death is? Cold clinging to you until you draw your last breath? It is truly an unpleasant thing if it is brought about before its time.”

Sentaro listened to this person, and at the end he felt upset with the person. He stormed off, not looking back at the shrine, all the while muttering to himself about he was not a selfish man and he knew what was best for himself.

As he was walking back to the nearest village through the woods, he stepped onto a venomous snake. Before Sentaro could even react, the snake lashed out and bit his foot. Sentaro stumbled back and landed on his back on the trail. For a moment, his entire foot felt like it was on fire. Quickly after that, his foot felt ice cold, and that coldness started making its way up his leg, down his other leg, up his torso, down his arms, up his neck, and into his face. As Sentaro felt the cold wash over him, he became sleepier and sleepier. Letting himself embrace the cold touch of death, Sentaro closed his eyes.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(Black Background on publicdomainpictures.net)

With a start, Sentaro woke up. He found himself no longer in the forest, and instead somewhere where everything was completely dark. He wandered around for hours, thinking eventually the sun would come up, or he might stumble across someone else in this place. But he found nothing. The sun never rose.

Sentaro spent years this way. For the first few, he found it easy to entertain himself with singing songs, telling himself stories, or reenacting some of his favorite things. After a while, however, he could no longer pretend that he was not incredibly alone and bored.

Even after this acceptance of being alone, Sentaro continued existing this way for many more years. Eventually it got to the point where Sentaro spent most of his time screaming into the black void, cursing everything he could think of.

One day, after having spent almost three hundred years in the black space, Sentaro laid down and closed his eyes. Trying to sleep, to die again, he wasn’t sure.

When he opened his eyes, though, he was back at the small shrine where he had met the other person who warned him about an untimely death. Sentaro jumped up and looked around, confused, but overjoyed.

He left the temple and headed back to where he was from, careful to avoid any snakes. As he walked, he had time to reflect. Sentaro’s dream version of death had surely only been a manifestation of Sentaro’s greatest fear and unhappiness, being isolated and alone. He decided, that is not what he wanted from the rest of his life. And he made a promise to himself that we would reach out to others, make friends, and maybe one day even have a family with a son of his own.

(Light Road Path on maxpixel)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: In the original story, Sentaro is a man who does Not want to die. He seeks out a shrine and Jofuku to ask for the Elixir of Life so that he might live forever. Jofuku gives Sentaro a dream where he lives for three hundred years. After living for so long, Sentaro wants to finally die. He is eaten by a shark, but at the last minutes cries for help because he did not want to die that way. After waking up, Jofuku explains to Sentaro that he does not really want to live forever, but he needs to live a full human-length life, and then he can die satisfied. 

I wanted to write a story about a man who Did wish to die, but in the end realizes he really wants to open up to people to fill his life. 

Bibliography: "The Man Who Did Not Want to Die" from Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki (1908). (Web Source)

Week 7 Storytelling: Cycles

Once there was a small village on the very outer edge of a great kingdom. In this humble village, lived two boys who were best of friends, Benjamin and Raphael. Both boys were born into poor farming families, as were most of the people in the small village. One of their neighbors had a beautiful garden of chrysanthemums that they loved to play in. All the neighbor asked is that the boys help with watering the flowers.

(Different colors of Chrysanthemum  x morifolium from Wikipedia)

One day, as the boys were entering the garden to play, they saw the neighbor had some kin over. They went to the back door of the house and peered inside. The neighbor saw them peeking and invited them in. Inside, the boys saw the loveliest girl they had ever seen. The neighbor introduced her as Iliana, a niece from far away. Both boys were immediately enamored with the girl, and each set a goal in his mind that we would marry her.

The boys left the house and set off for the river they fetched water from for the garden. As they walked, they talked.

“What a lovely niece our neighbor has,” remarked Raphael.

“For sure. She is the most beautiful girl I have laid my eyes on,” commented Benjamin.

And though they were only nine years at the time, each boy recognized that his friend sought to marry the lovely Iliana.

As they reached the river, they made sure to step carefully, for the wet stones on the bank were awful slippery. They each filled their bucket silently at first. Then, Benjamin turned to Raphael and asked him a question.

“Surely, my dearest friend, you do not plan to grow up and marry the girl. For you must know, I do love her dearly.”

Raphael looked at his friend, shocked he would comment on their situation. He straightened up with his bucket and stood tall and proudly before answering.

“Surely, my most loyal companion, it is not /you/ who seeks to marry the sweet girl. For you must know, it is I that truly loves her.”

At this, a scuffle broke out. The two boys pushed and shoved the other, until Benjamin’s foot slipped out from under him. He fell, and a loud crack sounded as his head hit the rocks below him. Raphael watched as his friend lay too still for his comfort.

Scared of what would happen, Raphael took his bucket, returned to the neighbor’s house, mumbled something about feeling sick, and went home.

The next day the village constable came through the town, alerting everyone that a young boy had slipped and fell to his death by the river. Raphael was overcome with grief and guilt, but he did not say a word to anyone.

(Rocky River on pexels.com)

Many years passed, Raphael was now twenty years of age, and living in his own small house in the village.

The beautiful Iliana had been wed a few years prior, to a wealthy knight from the kingdom. She was back at the neighbor’s house, visiting while she waited for the birth of her child.

Raphael was behind the neighbor’s house, in the garden, for he helped the neighbor a lot in their old age. As he worked the soil, he saw none other than Benjamin walking down the dirt path towards the house. His friend looked just as young as the day he died, and Raphael was terrified. He watched as the ghostly boy entered the house.

Raphael made his way to the front of the house, where he ran into his neighbor.

“Neighbor, tell me, where is the boy who entered the house?”

The neighbor looked at Raphael in confusion.

“What boy? There was no boy. I am off to the market to buy some water, for my niece has gone into labor, and will birth her child at any moment!”

Before Raphael could insist there had been a boy, a midwife poked her head out of the door.

“There be no need for water, sir. The baby is already here!”

They all rushed inside to see the child. Raphael looked at the newborn, who unmistakably looked like Benjamin as a babe.

Shaken to his core, Raphael left the house. As he walked home, he pondered the irony that his friend was born wealthier, and to the lovely Iliana, no less! 

(Village House on Wikimedia)

Many more years passed by. Raphael eventually married and had a son of his own.

Sometimes, the lovely Iliana would visit her aging uncle and her son and Raphael’s son would play together in the garden.

It was one such day when the two boys went racing to the river to fetch water for the garden.

Raphael sat with his neighbor and Iliana and talked about days gone by. After a while, Iliana’s son returned to the garden, looking pale with a bucket in his hands, but no water.

And no sign of Raphael’s son.

Raphael locked eyes with the young boy, and recognized a familiar fear, a familiar guilt.

Rushing to the river, Raphael thought back to all those years ago when something similar had happened.

Sure enough, on the bank of the river, he found the small, still body of his son. The man wept and grieved and recognized that fate was truly cruel, indeed.

(Garden Chrysanthemum Cluster on maxpixels)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: In the original story, everything is from the perspective of Ma, a boy who lived in the village. There was a man, old Wang, who kept a chrysanthemum garden. One day there was a water-carrier who wanted to help him get some water. Old Wang did not want the help but the man was persistent. They argued and old Wang accidentally pushed the water-carrier and he fell to his death. Old Wang went home and never said anything. Years later, the spirit of the water-carrier entered the home of a wealthy woman about to give birth, and he was born again as her child. The child grew up, and was trying to throw a stone at a pigeon one day, when it hit old Wang, and killed him. The boy, like old Wang in the past, did not say anything. 

For my story, I wanted to keep the same sort of repeating pattern. Accidental death leading to another accidental death later. I changed the setting and characters to make the story more my own and to also give a little more insight and irony to what was happening. 

Bibliography: "Retribution" from The Chinese Fairy Book, ed.  by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H.  Martens (1921)

Week 6 Storytelling: The Ghost-Brahman

Once there was a spoiled Brahman, who always got whatever he wanted from the world. Growing up he was allowed to do whatever he wanted, have any toys he wanted, and say whatever he wanted. When he was grown, and it came time for him to find a wife, he went around his village to all eligible women. He criticized each one harshly, causing many of the women to cry. After examining every last woman, he made his decision. He chose a woman who he saw to be the loveliest and best suited for him, and they were wed the next day. He took his new bride home to live with him and his mother.

In the Brahman’s home, he was even more vile than he was in public. Not only that, but he was violent as well. Any time things did not go his way, he would lash out at his new wife, often resorting to hitting her. When he stormed off in a rage, the mother would comfort the younger woman, for she had been on the receiving end of her son’s anger before he married. The women formed a bond this way that was as strong as anything.

One day, the Brahman told his mother and wife that he would be leaving to travel for a while. “I grow tired of this place,” he told them, “and I wish to go and see what else is in the world that can entertain me. I will be back whenever I please.” After dinner that night, he packed a small bag to take with him in the morning. Before the sun had risen the next day, he started off on his journey.

With the Brahman gone, the two women felt like they could breathe again, though neither had realized she was holding her breath. When the Brahman hadn’t returned by nightfall, they held a small celebration, eating and drinking some of their finest foods. Both women slept peacefully that night, for the first time in a long time.

The next morning, when the women awoke, they saw who they thought was the Brahman outside of their house. Unknown to them, this was a ghost who shared the exact likeness of the Brahman. He entered the house to find the two women looking frightened. With a large, warm smile, he held out his arms and said, “Fear not, mother and wife. I have returned a new man. Going forward, we shall live our lives very differently.”

Over time, the women saw what the ghost-Brahman had spoken was true. He was kind to the mother and wife, doting on them with love and caring for them at all hours of the day. For a month or so, the wife and mother were very skeptic of this seemingly reformed Brahman, but after a while they came to trust in his new nature. The three were living happily.

Some years went by, and eventually the real Brahman returned home. On the day he came back, he was shocked to find another Brahman, in his exact likeness, living with his wife and mother. Outraged, the Brahman stormed into the house and demanded that the imposter Brahman leave immediately. The ghost-Brahman refused. The Brahman vowed to set things right, and set off to do just that.

The angry Brahman searched until he found a king willing to hear his case. The king listened intently, and not knowing how to solve the dispute. He told the Brahman to come back the next day. This cycle continued for a week before the Brahman decided he had had enough. Seeking a second opinion, he stumbled upon some ranchers who claimed to have their own king. The Brahman asked to see this king, and they agreed.

The rancher king heard the Brahman’s case and said, “If you truly wish you settle this issue, return here tomorrow with this imposter Brahman, and I will set things right.” And so, the Brahman left to get the ghost-Brahman.

The next day, the Brahman returned with not only the ghost-Brahman, but also with his wife and mother. The four of them stood before the rancher king. He examined each Brahman, being sure to note any small differences he could find. After many hours, he concluded everything about them was exactly the same. To this, the wife spoke up.

“Your Majesty, I disagree. The Brahman who sought you out is a cruel and horrible man. He left many years ago to travel as he wished. This other Brahman has been here since he left, and he has been kind to us.”

Seeing a way to test the Brahman, the king asked, “Brahmans, you are willing you allow your wife to speak such things in your stead?”

The ghost-Brahman looked at his wife and then to the king. “Of course, King. She only speaks the truth, how can I be upset?”

The actual Brahman’s face flushed red. “Well,” he said, full of anger, “I will not stand for it. This woman speaks blasphemies and should be punished!”

The rancher king nodded after each Brahman spoke. After a few moments, he responded. “I have lived here a long time, so I do remember you, Brahman,” he said to the actual Brahman. “I remember how terrified your wife and mother were of you.” He then turned to the ghost-Brahman and said, “I remember when you first came to the village to live as the Brahman. You have treated these women well these few years, and even further you have been a strong, kind member of this community that the first Brahman never was. Because of these things, I declare you the new Brahman, rightful husband and son.”

Hearing this, the actual Brahman became even more enraged. Sensing this, the other ranchers grabbed him and carted him away. The ghost-Brahman revealed he was a ghost, but the wife and mother did not mind. The three went home and lived there happily for the rest of their days.

(Novovoronezh Sunset Summer on maxpixel)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: In the original story of The Ghost-Brahman, the Brahman was actually a poor man who left to get enough money for him, his wife, and his mother to live on. He was kind and not a bad man. The Ghost-Brahman came the day after he left on his journey. When the original Brahman came back, he was distressed that there was an impostor Brahman in his place. Seeking council with a nearby king, he told his story and was asked to come back every day for a long time because the king could not make a decision. After he left the palace crying one day, some gopis (cowboys) invited him to see their king. This king told the Brahman to return with the ghost-Brahman. The next day, the cowboy king told both Brahman that whoever could shrink down and fit inside of a tiny bottle would be the true Brahman. The actual Brahman said ti was impossible, but the ghost-Brahman complied and got in the bottle. The cowboy king put a stopper on the bottle, trapping the ghost, and the Brahman was free to go back to his mother and wife. 

I chose to change the story because I think the pattern of the impostor being outed is a good one, but is has definitely been done many times. Instead, I thought it would be interesting to have the ghost-Brahman be a better man than the actual Brahman, so he was allowed to stay. 

Bibliography: "The Ghost-Brahman" from Folk-Tales of Bengal by the Rev. Lal Behari Day, with illustrations by Warwick Goble (1912).

Week 5 Story: Riddle Me This

Riddle Me This
(click the link to read!)

(Calvary Cemetery, Queens, New York on Wikipedia)

Let me know your result in the comments, if you'd like!

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: This week I wanted to re-tell a few of the riddles from the Twenty-Two goblins unit. Because of my Project, I have been learning how to use Twinery to create branching stories, so I thought this was the perfect practice. 

In the original stories, there is a King who is sent by a monk to bring a body containing a goblin back. The King gets the body, but the goblin tells him riddles. If the king answers correctly, the goblin goes back to his tree. The king repeats this cycle, you guessed it, twenty-two times. The last riddle stumps the King, and he is finally able to continue. In the original story, the goblin warns the king that the monk will try to kill him to gain power, and advises the king on how to kill the monk instead. In my interactive story, I took those parts out because it was getting a little long. 

Bibliography: Sanskrit Vetālapañcaviṃśati translated by Arthur Ryder

Week 4 Story: Ursa Major

Jupiter sees Callisto

(An urban farm in Chicago on Wikipedia)

Jupiter was in charge of a local community garden. Most days, while he was working in the gated off area, a young woman would walk by who caught his eye. She wasn’t like other women he knew; she wore a fitted leather jacket with a large bow and arrow patch on the back, jeans, and combat boots. Her long hair was always tied back with a white ribbon, the only soft looking element about her. He didn’t personally know the woman, but he did know her name: Callisto.

From what Jupiter had heard, Callisto belonged to a sort of… girl gang, headed by the toughest woman in the whole city, Diana. Their group was composed of women who took control of their lives and did what they wanted, when they wanted. But, what Jupiter wanted, was Callisto.

Jupiter rapes Callisto

(Boscombe: The Opera House on geograph.org.uk)

One night, as Jupiter was leaving the garden after working all day, he noticed Callisto walking by. He watched as she turned a corner, and made the decision to follow her. Walking behind her a ways, Jupiter saw Callisto enter into a nightclub that had a particularly harsh reputation. He went in a little after her, determined to speak to her.

----------------------------------

Callisto made her way across the dance floor to the bar. After ordering some water, she leaned against the counter and let the noises around her blur together. As she got her water, she noticed someone standing uncomfortably close to her. She turned around to come face to face with a man she didn’t know.

“Hi,” he yelled so he would be heard over the music.

“Uh, hi,” Callisto responded, stepping to the side to gain more space.

The man didn’t seem to notice her uneasiness. “You’re Callisto, right?” Finally sensing wariness from the woman, he added, “I’m a friend of Diana’s. The name’s Jupiter,” and he held out a hand. Callisto seemed to relax a bit and she shook his hand.

“Jupiter, nice to meet you. I don’t think Diana has ever mentioned you.

“Oh really? We were uh, classmates, in high school.”

“Oh cool...”

As Callisto trailed off, unsure of what to say, Jupiter leaned in closer so she could hear him better.

“Do you wanna go talk somewhere? It’s really loud in here.”

Trusting anyone Diana would call a friend, Callisto agreed and they made their way to an exit. They walked the nearby streets and talked for a while. Callisto thinking she had made a new friend, Jupiter formulating a plan.

After walking around for a while, Jupiter offered to walk Callisto to her apartment. She agreed, enjoying the company, and they made their way there. Once outside of the building, Callisto started saying goodbye, but Jupiter suggested hanging out a bit longer. Hesitantly, she agreed and let him in. Once the apartment door was locked, Jupiter made his move. Callisto fought him, but she couldn’t overcome him.

Afterwards, Jupiter left, leaving Callisto vulnerable and shaking in her living room.

Diana discovers Callisto’s shame

(Patch for The Golden Arrow, designed by me, ft. arc archery arrow)

The next night, Callisto showed up late to the meeting for The Golden Arrows, the all-woman group she was a part of. She slunk in the door, staying close to the back of the room and keeping her eyes down. Toward the center of the room, Diana stood talking with the rest of the group. They all wore the same leather jacket with a bow and arrow patch on the back. After the meeting had officially ended, Diana approached Callisto.

“Hey Callie, what’s up? You look like you’ve seen a ghost,” the boisterous woman joked. Seeing the look in Callisto’s eyes as she got closer, Diana’s pulse spiked. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Callisto turned her face away, but not before Diana could see the tears start falling.

“Callisto, please talk to me. What happened?”

By this point, the other members had noticed and they made their way over to the pair. After a few minutes of silence as the others waited for Callisto to decide if she wanted to tell them, she faced them again and explained what happened. At the end, Diana had her hands clenched into fists so tightly her knuckles were completely white.

An hour and a half later, all of the women walked out of the front of the building, silent and strong with a goal in mind. They piled into different cars and all set off in the same direction.

Callisto turned into a Bear

(Copper brass knuckles on flickr)

Later, five cars pulled up to a small apartment complex. A woman got out of the front car and walked up to the door and pressed the button for the buzzer. Moments later, Jupiter’s voice cracked over the small speaker.

“Jupiter. Who is it?”

“Hey Jupe! It’s Egeria! I never took you up on that movie hangout and I am here to collect.”

There was silence on the other end, and then the door buzzed and popped open. Egeria motioned to the others. Twenty women made their way up to Jupiter’s third floor apartment and knocked on the door. Jupiter answered, a grin on his face that fell as he came face to face with Diana with the other women behind her.

“Hello, Jupiter,” Diana said before pushing into his apartment.

After they were in the apartment and Jupiter was shoved to the floor, Callisto made her way to the front of the group to stand beside Diana. Jupiter started to open his mouth, but was cut off by a knee connecting with his chin.

Fifteen minutes later, twenty women exited the apartment building, most of them wiping of blood and sweat from knuckles, boots, ect.

Callisto becomes a Constellation

(Ursa Major on Wikipedia)

Months later, Callisto walked down the street with Diana. They talked about Callisto’s new work, talking to girls and women at a nearby YWCA about surviving sexual assault. As they talked, Diana said she could see the fire in Callisto’s eyes.

“Not fire,” Callisto explained, “but stars. Sort of my… guiding light.”

---------------------------------------------------

Author's note: This week I wanted to retell the story of Callisto. In the original story, Jupiter takes on the appearance of Diana and rapes Callisto. When Diana finds out, she kicks Callisto out of her hunting troupe. The Juno, Jupiter's wife, sees that Callisto has given birth to Jupiter's son, she beats Callisto and turns her into a bear. Later, Callisto's son is about to kill her, so Jupiter turns them both into constellations. 

I wanted a different ending. I wanted Callisto to be supported by Diana's group and I wanted repercussions for Jupiter. I will clarify, he didn't die in this telling. Just got the crap beat out of him. To change the story to fit the outcome I wanted, I couldn't have it set in the original Greek setting, or at least, I didn't want to. So instead the setting is a major city of some sort. Diana's group is a gang and they all fiercely support each other. Jupiter is crap, I left that part. I also left the different section titles the same (except for the last one) because I wanted that parallel to the original story. 

Bibliography: Ovid's Metamorphoses: Callisto translated by Tony Kline

Week 3 Story: The Venus Games

(The Alnwick Garden : Sunshine and Roses In The Walled Garden by Richard West)

The shot opens on a beautiful archway covered in foliage and pink roses before panning up to view a large grassy courtyard. The camera moves slowly over the field where there are eleven people standing in a group, all waving to the camera. The scene cuts and instead we see a gorgeous woman with blonde hair, wearing a flowing white dress with the palest pink tint to it. Next to her sits a young man with strikingly similar facial features and the same golden blonde hair, except his is shorter and in disheveled mop of curls. He wears a similar flowing fabric, tied over one shoulder and secured with a belt at the waist. He has wings on his back, pure white and looking soft as clouds. As the music in the background fades, a band on trumpets picks up. The woman opens her mouth to speak:

“Listen to those beautiful trumpets swell! I love a good lead in, you know. And with that, we are glad to welcome you to the third annual Venus Games! I’m your host, Venus herself an-“

“And I’m your co-host, Cupid!”

“Yes, dear…Anyway! Back to this season’s contestants, my they are a lively bunch. Psyche, can you tell us a little about who we will be watching today?”

The camera switches to a front shot of eleven people down on the grass, and now their faces can be seen. Ten of them stand paired off in five sets, and one woman stands to the side. She, like our hosts, is incredibly beautiful. Her blonde hair is tied up in an intricate knot and her light blue dress seems to float on its own. She smiles at the camera and begins speaking: 

“Thank you, Venus! We have some wonderful contenders here today! We have Viola and Dante, Oscar and Sebastian, Alfie and Alice, Owen and Vanessa, and finally Eve and Illiana!” 

As Psyche recites the names of the couples, the camera moves by them and they all wave enthusiastically. 

The camera cuts back to Venus and Cupid in their booth. Cupid speaks: 

“So let’s talk a little bit about what today will look like. Here on Venus Games, each season we will have five couples compete in our games to challenge the strength of their love and see which couple can stand the tests of time, or the tests of Venus, I should say. Each day, we focus on just one challenge where each couple takes turns completing, or attempting to complete, it. However, at the end of the day, one couple is eliminated. The couple with the lowest score, either from not completing the task, or having the slowest time, will go home. Our last two couples take on the final challenge and one emerges victorious!” 

“A lovely explanation, my dear. You may recall our past winners, Pygmalion and Galatea from season two and our very own Cupid and Psyche from season one! Today we will be focusing on the sorting challenge. Psyche?” 

The camera is back with Psyche and the five couples. Psyche smiles warmly as she explains. 

“For their first task, our couples must sort a mountain of mixed beans, peas, and other similar items into different piles based on what they are. A pile for green peas, a pile for red beans, and so on! Let’s see that mountain!” 

The camera pans back and then past the group to show a pile as tall as one of them in the center of a large blue mat. After a few seconds, it cuts back to Psyche who is standing next to one of the couples. The woman has dark brown hair tied up in a ponytail, sharp cheekbones, and a mid-thigh length toga. The man has curly black hair, a jaw line that could rival Cupid’s, and a similar toga. 

“Our contestants will have fifteen minutes to sort the whole pile! First up are Viola and Dante. They have been married for only three months now, and they are confident they have this challenge in the bag. Let’s see if they’re right. On your marks, get set, go!” 

With that, Viola and Dante sprint to the mat and begin sorting. 

Only ten minutes later, Dante drops the final bean into its pile and a buzzer sounds. Psyche walks over and joins them on the mat and addresses the camera. 

“Well wasn’t that amazing! Viola and Dante have done it! Can I just say, I am truly impressed? This is the first task but it is not meant to be simple! Our other competitors have a lot to live up to after that!” 

The camera follows Viola and Dante as they leave the mat hand in hand, beaming. Then it cuts to Venus and Cupid. Cupid has his hands on his head in surprise. 

“That was incredible! Only ten minutes to sort the whole pile. That is going to be hard to beat!” 

“Yes, it will be. After a commercial break, we will see who gets to try next!” 

The camera fades to black.

------------------------------------------------------

Picking back up after the other four couples have competed: The camera opens to Psyche and Cupid, standing with all five couples. In Cupid’s hand, a golden envelope with a kiss mark from Venus.

“Well after an intense day of competing, it is unfortunately time for one of our couples to go home. In my hands, I have the names of those two people.”

He faces the line of couples and slowly opens the envelope. While waiting, the camera shows different shots of worried expressions.

“Today’s couple that is going home is…Owen and Vanessa, so sorry loves.”

One of the couples hugs each other and cries. The other couples console them and hug them goodbye as they walk off. The camera then switches back to a shot of Venus.

“That’s all for day one, and we hope you join us for day two to watch our sheep shearing challenge! Until then, goodnight from us here at the Venus Games!”

-------------------------------------------------

Author's Note: In the story of Cupid and Psyche, the couple must overcome things like Psyche's jealous sister's, mistrust, and Venus' wrath. In the original, after Psyche finds out she is married to Cupid, she is brought before Venus and Venus makes her perform tasks thought to be impossible. However, with the help of different creatures, Psyche completes all of her tasks and she and Cupid are finally together at the end. 

For this week, I did a retelling of Cupid and Psyche, but I wanted it to be really different. The setting is now a couple's game show hosted by Cupid and Venus where couples compete (performing the same tasks Psyche had to do) for the chance to win the grand prize of...ultimate love? I wanted it to be about Venus testing love because that is why I believe she made Psyche complete the tasks in the first place. I know this was long, so thank you if you stuck it out!! 

Bibliography: "Cupid and Psyche" from within The Golden Ass written by Apuleius, translated by Tony Kline

Week 2 Story: From Man Into Moon

From Man Into Moon

According to the law of the conservation of energy, energy can neither be created nor destroyed, but simply changed from one form into another.

---

Once, in a place where it was always day, there was a blacksmith’s apprentice, only but eighteen summers old. He was a lazy sort of boy who always found comfort napping in the warm, bright sunlight. When he wasn’t working, he spent his days humming a favorite tune, sipping cold tea, and lounging around in the grass until the knees of his trousers were stained green.

One day, while lying in the sun in the field where stone-cutters find their stones, he sighed to himself. “Oh how I wish I were a stone. I tire of working in the overly hot blacksmith’s workshop. I want to lie here in the warm sun for all my days.”

A wise man who was walking by overheard the boy. Because he happened to be a wise man who could control any manner of things, he decided to grant the boy’s wish. The man raised his elegant hand into the air, and snapped his long fingers.

Instantaneously, the lounging boy began to feel heavier and heavier until he was a stone. Thrilled at his new life of forever lounging in the sun, the stone settled into the grass and basked.

However, since a new stone was made, one must go.

---

Nearby, there was a large stone that was being chipped at by a stone-cutter. Spending its days in the sun, it had wished time and time again that it might instead be like one of the stone-cutters who came by day after day to cut it. “Oh how I wish I were a stone-cutter. I tire of long hot days in the sun, and never ending chipping away. I want to stand and walk and chip at stone myself.”

As the boy transformed into a stone himself, the first stone felt an odd sensation flow over it. Soon, the stone realized he was no longer a stone at all, but instead a stone-cutter. He stretched his new torso, examined his new hands, and pushed himself up with his new arms and legs.

For the rest of his days, the stone-cutter would walk around the fields barefoot, relishing in the feel of grass between his toes. He would marvel at the beautiful sun and collect anything he could that was blue, for that was the color of the rushing river. His favorite thing to do, by far, was to climb the tallest tree he could find, a complete change from being stuck on the ground.

However, since a new stone-cutter was made, one must go.

---

In the nearest town, there lived a stone-cutter. He was a quiet and thoughtful man who rose with the sun and breathed in the summer. He could always be found with a warming smile on his face. He loved to watch the birds and strum his guitar. Though he seemed a happy man, he was truly sad.

One day while going out to cut stone, he looked to the sun and sighed. “Oh how I wish I were the sun. I tire of days spent alone, bending over stones. I want to shine above the earth and smile down on everyone to bring them warmth.”

Suddenly, the stone the stone-cutter was chipping at started to change. As the stone turned into a stone-cutter himself, the first stone-cutter felt himself growing warmer and warmer. Soon, he realized he was looking down on the earth from far away.

The stone-cutter had turned into the sun, as he had also wished. He rejoiced when he saw he could now smile down on the earth to bring people warmth.

However, since a new sun was made, the other must go.

---

The sun had been the sun for almost longer than it could remember. Once, the sun had been a boy who lived on earth. One day he had wished to be the sun, and his wish was granted. The sun was not upset by this, but it had grown tired of millennium after millennium of constantly pouring warmth over the earth and its inhabitants.

From the sky, the sun could see that beyond the reaches of its light, there lived a darkness that was speckled with smaller lights. Not knowing what these smaller lights could be, the sun always wished to see them closer. “Oh how I wish I were something else. I tire of this constant brightness and heat. I want to rest and be with the mysterious smaller lights.”

On this particular day, when the sun made its wish, changes where happening down below on the earth. A boy transformed into a stone, a stone transformed into a stone-cutter, and a stone-cutter was transforming into the sun.

Here, the magic set forth by the wise man paused. For if there was to be a new sun, what would the sun become? The wise man pondered, and using his wisdom made a decision.

The sun felt itself moving closer to the earth and becoming smaller. When its transformation had finished, it had become the moon. Never before had this earth known a moon, or night time for that matter. The sun had always been in the sky, bringing warmth and light.

However, now there was a beautiful moon, able to rise after the sun to provide light at night and sit among the stars.

And so the boy had become a stone, the stone had become a stone-cutter, the stone-cutter had become the sun, and the sun had become the moon. They had all received their wish, and all the world and sky was happier for it.

 

(Moon by rkarkowski on pixabay)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author's note: I took the story of the man in the moon and changed it up a bit. In the original story, there is a blacksmith who complains that he is always hot in his work so he would rather be a stone. A wise man changes him into a stone, but then he complains the heat from the sun is too hot, so he would rather be the sun. The wise man changes him into the sun, but the man complains he is still to hot and wishes to be the moon. The wise man changes him into the moon, but the man still complains that being the moon is worst of all and asks to be changed back into a blacksmith. The wise man refuses and the man stays as the moon. 

I wanted to re-imagine this story because I wanted the meaning of it to change. I did not want it to just be one character who complains over and over again, instead I wanted multiple characters with a similar desire to be something else, and when they get it they are thankful.

Bibliography. "The Man in the Moon" from Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson.