Storytelling: The Legacy of Robin Hood Lives On

"ROBIN!" Maid Marian thrust the door open to the room her love was being held captive, but she was already too late. Robin lay there, looking weak for the first time in his life. It was a sight for which no one was prepared, including the merry men who followed Maid Marian closely after. Robin was their fearless leader, and they did not know what to do when they saw him in that sad state. He was too weak to even speak, but he could hear every word Maid Marian spoke into his ear. "Oh Robin. I can't believe this is the end. I love you, my dear, with all my heart, and I will never belong to another." Robin lifted his hand for her to grab. "There is something you need to know, Robin. I am with child." Tears began to roll down Robin's cheek as she placed his hand on her belly. Then, in an instant, the light fled from his eyes, and he was gone.

Robin ran through the forest, shooting his bow for practice. He had a sack of gold coins tied to his belt, and he was laughing and running as fast as he could. Soon after, the sheriff came running after him. He was new to the job, and, quite frankly, not very good at it. He stumbled on the rocks and vines on the ground as he tried to catch up to his enemy. Eventually, he could no longer see even a trace of Robin, so he gave up, trying to catch his breath. This is not my thing, the sheriff thought to himself. Father is going to be so disappointed in me.

Robin Hood, link to online source

"Mom!" Robin yelled as he returned home from his day in the forest.

"Oh, Robin! Where have you been? It is late! I sent Little John out to look for you."

"I'm sorry, Mom. I decided to give the new sheriff an opportunity to get his heart racing. Boy, he sure is terrible."

"Now Robin, why was the sheriff chasing you?" Robin tossed the sack of gold coins onto the table in front of him.

"Thank you, bishop," he said with an ornery smile.

"Oh, you are just like your father, aren't you?" Robin's smile grew wider at the mention of his father. He loved hearing stories about his dad, and he wanted to be just like him. He began to daydream about his father racing through the woods, a smile on his face as the sheriff and his men chased after him, unable to catch him, but his mother soon interrupted his dream. "Robin. What did we talk about just this morning?"

"Umm... I'm not sure I remember..." Robin answered, although he knew exactly to what his mother was referring.

"I admire your dedication to your father's plight, Robin. However, if you are going to engage in such risky activities, I would like Little John or any of the other merry men to accompany you." Robin fought the urge to roll his eyes, but he understood his mother's reasons for being worried. After all, he had never met his on father due to his risky tendencies.

"Yes ma'am," Robin replied reluctantly.

The next day, Robin headed into the woods to practice shooting his bow. He planned on taking heed to his mother's words, but things changed when he ran into the sheriff.

"I have caught you now, Robin!" The new sheriff exclaimed. Robin did a true eye roll now.

"Sheriff, I have done nothing wrong. I have committed no crime. So, if you will excuse me, I will be on my way."

"Stop right there, Robin. I know that you stole those gold coins from the bishop. I saw that sack around your waist yesterday."

"Number one, sheriff, you have not the slightest idea as to what was in my sack yesterday. Number two, if it had been gold coins, who is to say that they were not mine? Now, if you will excuse me," Robin said as he walked past the sheriff.

"You won't get away with this!" The sheriff yelled, simply because it is something he had heard his father say many times. Honestly, he did not feel that those words sounded right coming out of his mouth.

Robin stopped mid-step and turned around. "Get away with what exactly, sheriff? Charitable acts? You know just as well as I do that the bishop deserved what he got. You know where those gold coins ended up? In the hands of a family so poor that they had not eaten in days. If you ask me, I think they needed those coins whole lot more that they bishop ever has in his life. The rich don't care about anyone but themselves. I'm sure you know this. I can see you are trying to walk in your father's footsteps, but wake up, sheriff. I am not the problem here. I think you know what is the true crime." Before the sheriff could reply, Robin was gone. The sheriff sat there pondering what he had just heard. Robin was right. He had always had that same thought in the back of his head, but he had suppressed it so as not to let his father down. He would not compromise his morals any longer.

The sheriff left a note for his father, explaining everything.

Dear Father,
I write this note to inform you that I resign from my position as sheriff. I do not agree with the actions of the nobility, and I will work for them no longer. I am sorry to disappoint you, but I have to do what is right. That is why I am joining Robin Hood and the merry men. I believe in justice, and the poor deserve it just as much as the rich. I hope one day you may see the flaw in your perspective. 
Much Love, 
Son

Bibliography: Ballads of Robin Hood from The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child, link to online source

Author's Note: Robin Hood is an extremely ornery character who carries himself with extreme confidence and what seems like arrogance at times. Despite this though, he is an extremely likable character who is generous and kind. His many adventures create this illusion that he is truly invincible, so when I read the story about him dying, I could hardly accept it. Of course, Robin Hood was a real person, so it had to happen eventually. I would like to see his legacy live on though in some way other than through the stories. This is why I wanted to write a story about the offspring of Robin Hood who continue his wild yet admirable antics. I also chose to have the new sheriff join Robin because I wanted there to be some unity between the two rivals. I thought it would be nice to have the two characters on the same moral compass.

Story Planning: The Adventures of Robin Hood Live On

Source Notes: Robin Hood is an extremely ornery character who carries himself with extreme confidence and what seems like arrogance at times. Despite this though, he is an extremely likable character who is generous and kind. His many adventures create this illusion that he is truly invincible, so when I read the story about him dying, I could hardly accept it. Of course, Robin Hood was a real person, so it had to happen eventually. I would like to see his legacy live on though in some way other than through the stories. This is why I want to write a story about offspring of Robin Hood who continue his wild yet admirable antics.

I could not find anything online about Robin Hood ever having a child after doing a little research. He did, of course, have a love interest named Maid Marian. She was rather on the rebellious side as well, and I think it would be great if the two of them had a child together.

Robin Hood and Maid Marian, online source

I want to write a story where Robin Hood’s legacy lives on through his offspring. I could give it a tragic beginning where Maid Marian finds Robin Hood on his death bed and tells him she is with child. Then, Maid Marian can join the merry men, and they can help her raise her son. He will, of course, be a prodigy and can butt heads with the new sheriff of Nottingham who can incidentally be the old sheriff’s son. That way, the rivalry could live on through the sons. My story could be the first meeting between the two.

Characters:

Robin Hood’s son: He is just as cocky and ornery as his father, but he is also dedicated to his father’s values.

Sheriff of Nottingham: He is only sheriff because he is trying to live up to his father’s expectations, but he is not as adamant about stopping the outlaw as his father was. He actually agrees with the outlaw in some ways, but he is conflicted because he does not want to disappoint his father.  

Bibliography: Ballads of Robin Hood from The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Francis James Child, link to online source

Storytelling: The Woman Who Fostered the Bear

There once was a childless woman who longed for a baby to care for. The people in the village up above always brought her meat and blubber, but this day was different. The wife of one of the hunters approached the woman and asked her if she would like to foster a bear cub. The woman could not have been more delighted. She went out to get the bear cub and brought him into her home to help him get warm. She fed the bear cub and loved him as her own child, even letting him sleep with her at night. As the bear got older, his body grew bigger, but his mind grew too. Since he had had so much human interaction with the woman, he had developed a human-like mind, being able to communicate with his foster mother.

                                             Polar Bear Cub, online source

                

The village children would play with the bear, and he would be as gentle as he could. Eventually though, he got too big to play with the children, so the adults would play with him. Everyone in the village loved the bear. Unfortunately, the bear soon grew too big for even the grown men to play with him. They did not want the bear to feel left out, so they began inviting the bear on their hunting outings. He helped the men find seal and kept them well-fed. The foster mother even made him a necklace of sinew to distinguish him from the other bears, so he would not be hunted himself.

Polar Bear, online source

The bear’s foster mother had always told him to never harm a human unless that human wished to harm him. So, when the bear returned late one night with the dead body of a man, his mother knew that her bear had only been protecting himself. The body turned out to belong to a man from another village who had heard of the bear that should not be killed, and people had heard him vow to kill him if he saw it. The bear’s foster mother knew that her baby could not stay with her any longer though. He would be killed if he did.

Sad Polar Bear, online source

So one day, early in the morning before the sun came up, the mother prepared to send her baby off into the world. She told him that there were others bears like him who would take him in, but she really had no clue if this was the case. The two held each other and wept; they were both heartbroken. The old woman finally decided that it was time, and she sent the bear off to find a family of his own. The bear searched for what seemed like forever until he finally found them. Other bears. Just like him. He approached them timidly, but they welcomed him as if they had known him his whole life. Mother was right. The bears recognized him, and they had known his bear mother who was killed by hunters. He told them of his life with the woman and the villagers, and they were all in awe. He lived with them and was happy, but he missed his foster mother terribly.

Polar Bears, online source

His foster mother missed him too. So, one day, she asked to join the hunters on their outing with hopes that she could catch a glimpse of her baby. The hunters from her village no longer hunted bears, but they did come across them from time to time. A couple of hours into the outing, the foster mother began to lose hope. But then, she saw him. Her baby! She knew it was him because he was still wearing his sinew necklace. He showed his foster mother his new family. He now had cubs of his own! The visit did not last long, but the woman left satisfied and filled with happiness for her baby, and the bear was so excited to have gotten to see his foster mother again.

Polar Bear and Cubs, online source

Here ends this story.

Bibliography: The Woman Who Had a Bear as a Foster-Son from Eskimo Folk Tales by Knud Rasmussen, link to online source

Author’s Note: I did not change the original story much. I really liked the original and thought it was a sweet story. The original story gave more detail in the beginning of the story, but I wrote my version differently for fear of copying too much of the original story. However, I did make some changes to the end of the story. In the original story, the bear leaves, and the two never see each other again.  This was too sad an ending for me. Also, the original story never tells us if the bear found a bear family after leaving his foster mother. So, I decided to give the characters a happy ending and give the readers some closure. I also chose to include the detail of the hunters in that village no longer hunting for bears because it didn’t make sense to me that they could have such a familial relationship with a bear but still kill others of his kind. I thought it was important to include the reunion because the original story left me with so many questions, and I really wanted to know if the two would ever see each other again and if the bear would be happy out there since he had grown up with humans. My first and last lines were modeled after the Inuit stories as well.

Storytelling: The Fox-Woman and the Hunter

There once was a hunter who lived alone in a cabin in the woods. He was a very kind man who longed for a companion. Sadly he had been victim of a childhood accident that left him an orphan and with his face badly deformed. No woman had ever taken the time to look past his physical appearance and get to know the man inside.

There once was a fox who was also a woman, or a woman who was also a fox, rather. She had been cursed by a jealous witch, forcing her to spend some time each day in fox form. She was really a very beautiful woman with bright eyes and a an alluring smile. Although she was very beautiful, she had a lingering musky odor due to the part of her life she spent as a fox. Because of this, she spent her life alone, choosing her fox form more often than her human form. Men could not stand her musky smell. She longed for love as well, and one day, she came across a lonely hunter which changed both their lives forever.

The fox woman had observed the poor hunter, leaving his house in the mornings to hunt and coming back home to an empty house. She felt bad for the man because she knew what loneliness was like. She thought she could make this man happy, and he could be the companion for which she was looking. She decided to give him a chance. She watched him leave his house one morning, and then she sneaked in and shed her fox-skin. She began tidying the house and washing the man's clothes and cooking him a meal. By the time the hunter came home she had turned his house into a warm, welcoming place- something he never thought possible. He was struck by her beauty instantly. She flashed him a smile when he crossed the threshold, confused by the situation but not scared. He saw her fox-skin hanging on a line in the washroom. "Is this yours?" the hunter asked.

The Fox-Woman in her Fox Form, online source

Looking ashamed, the fox woman simply answered, "Yes." She explained her story as the man listened intently. The fox-woman was worried he would send her away, but he only grabbed her hand and began explaining his own life story. She gave him the same amount of attention as she listened to him explain. When he finished, she flashed him that breathtaking smile that he had fallen in love with just hours before. She got up to serve him the meal she had made him, and the two ate dinner together, something that neither of them had done in years. The joy they both found in each other's company was beautiful. Once their meal was over, the fox-woman washed the dishes while her husband watched her, admiringly.

Once night fell, the fox-woman began to look worried. Her new man asked her what was bothering her, and she explained that she had to put her fox-skin on for three hours. She told him she would love if he would prefer, but he would not have this. The fox-woman put on her fox-skin and the two cuddled on the couch by the fire until she could return to her human form. The two retired to bed and lived happily ever after.

Bibliography: Fox-Woman from Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson, link to online source

Author's Note: The original story tells of a hunter who comes home after an outing to his house being taken care of as if he had a wife, but he does not have one. So, he goes off on a fake outing to determine who it was who did it. He watches a fox enter and thinks it is just looking for food, but when he goes in to check, he sees a beautiful woman and a fox-skin hanging. So, they live together for a while, but the man can't stand her musky smell, so she leaves an never returns. I didn't like this sad ending, nor did I like the fact that the man was so shallow that he did not appreciate her efforts. So, I decided to make my story all about what matters on the inside. This is why I added the detail about the man having a deformity and gave them a happy ending.

Story Planning: Fox-Woman

Source Story: The original story of the fox-woman tells of a hunter who comes home after an outing to his house being taken care of as if he has a wife, but he is completely alone. So, he goes off on a fake outing to determine who it was who did this. He watches a fox enter, who he think is looking for food, but when he goes into his house to check it out, he sees a beautiful woman and a fox skin hanging. It turns out that she was the one who had been doing these things for him, So they live together for a while, but the man realizes he doesn't like her smell. She tells him that she will leave if he doesn't like it, so she does, vowing to never visit a man again.

Bibliography: Fox-Woman from Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson, link to online source

Fox-Woman in Fox Form, online source

Ideas for New Story: I do not like how the original story ends with a bad ending. It makes me sad that the poor fox-woman who works really hard to be a good wife for the hunter has to leave because he doesn't like her smell. I think that her new husband should be grateful for his new wife since she is doing things for him that she doesn't have to. I would like the idea of my story to be that it is what is on the inside that counts, and I want there to be a happy ending for the love story of the hunter and the fox-woman.

Characters:

Hunter- He is a lonely man who longs for someone to love him, but his face is deformed. No woman will take the time to look past his physical appearance and get to know him for the person he is inside.

Fox-woman- She is lonely as well, also longing for love. It is difficult for her because she really is a beautiful woman, but she has an odd odor due to her also being a fox.

Week 6 Storytelling: Why the North Star Lives in the Sky

There once was a star who shone brighter than any other, but she did not know this. See,there was one problem; she was living down on the ground with the people. Don't get me wrong; she loved the people! They would always come to her when they needed her bright light, and they made her feel special. They would compliment her and thank her, but no matter how hard they tried to make her feel like she belonged, she knew this was just not the case. She would look up into the night sky and see the other stars up above, knowing that's where she truly belonged. She just could not bring herself to leave the people who needed her. She felt she owed it to them to remain on the ground for them.

Well, one day some of the villagers were planning a long journey. The journey was going to last several days, and they knew that it would be best if they could travel at night as well as during the day to make the trip faster. However, there was a problem. During the day, directions were easy. They could use the sun's position in the sky to guide their way. The Sun was the Great star; the Ground star admired her so greatly. At night though, there was no such star. There were many stars that illuminated the sky but none bright enough nor consistent enough for them to count on to guide their way. That's when the Ground star had a brilliant idea. She could be like the Sun. She could not only help the villagers but all of mankind each night, as the Sun does each day.

"I will guide you!" She told the villagers, excitedly. "Come nightfall, look for me in the sky. I will shine brighter than any other. When you see me up above, I will be in the north, always there to guide you." The Ground star was not completely sure if her plan would work, but she had to try. She knew there was something special about her, so she decided to follow her instincts. The villagers were sad to see her go but grateful for her offer. Just before nightfall, the ground star ascended toward the sky, excited about what this new life had for her. She passed many stars on her way to her post, and they all complimented her on how bright she was and how they'd been waiting for her to come join them so they could meet her. They had been admiring her from the sky! They immediately treated her like family, and finally, she belonged.

The North Star, online source

When darkness settled, the villagers looked for their star friend, afraid that they would not be able to point her out from all the others. Once they saw her though, there was no mistaking which one she was. They all smiled as they saw her shining down brightly on them. "The North Star," one of the villagers proudly proclaimed, and they set off on their journey.

Bibliography: Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky from Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria, West Africa by Elphinstone Dayrell, link to online source

Author's Note: The original story is an origin story explaining why the sun and the moon live in the sky. This particular collection of stories had many origin stories, but most of them were explaining things about animals. I liked the personification of the moon and sun more, though, especially because the sun and moon were husband and wife in the original story. The waters kept getting higher and higher, eventually forcing the sun and moon out of their own home and into the sky. I liked the idea of them having feelings, which is why I gave the North star feelings and emotions, but one thing I did not like about these origin stories were that they mostly had a negative undertone. Let's face it; getting forced out of one's home isn't exactly a happy ending. I wanted the North star to be happy about her outcome in life, which is why I wrote the story the way that I did.

Storytelling: Happiness

Once upon a time, there was a man who lived by himself. One day, he was walking along the sidewalk when he heard the little girl next door exclaim, "I'm so happy!" The man had never known happiness. He grew up in the orphanage all his life where all the children teased him. He was a smart boy, and he grew up to be an esteemed mathematician. This brought him public recognition and wealth, but these things did not bring him happiness as he had expected. His life goal was to find happiness, but he did not even know where to start.

                                                         Happy Little Girl, online source

He called to the little girl, "Little girl?"

"Yes?" She responded sweetly.

"What does that feel like?" He asked.

"What does what feel like?" She responded, confused.

"Happiness," he replied.

"Oh! Well, it's when you feel... happy!" She stated proudly before bouncing back into her home.

It was at this moment that the man realized he would not put off his quest anymore. He would find happiness. He had heard people finding great beauty in watching the sunset on the beach. So, he headed to the beach. He found a secluded area where he could enjoy the sunset by himself. He watched the beautiful colors as they spread across the sky. There was no denying that the sunset was magnificent, but when night finally fell and darkness filled the sky, the man still felt empty inside. No happiness.

As he sat on the beach disappointed, he heard a loud engine behind him. Parking next to his car was an old man in a fancy sports car, a Lamborghini. "Excuse me?" The man said to the older man as he approached the beach.

"Yes?" He replied.

"Are you happy?"

The old man looked confused, but he replied. "Well, yes. I am. Did you see that car I stepped out of? How could I not be happy?"

"Oh yes, of course," the man said, pondering what he had just heard. Well, maybe I should get a Lamborghini. It made him happy. The man thought to himself. So, the next day, he visited a car dealership. He bought a Lamborghini with excitement. Maybe he would finally find happiness. As he drove off, he came to a sad realization. This fancy car had not brought him happiness.

He drove to the park where he spent many afternoons longing for this happiness. As he was sitting on the bench, a little boy ran up to him. He looked frightened. "I lost my mommy!" He cried. The man put his hand on the little boy's shoulder and assured him that they would find her.

"What is your mommy wearing?" The man asked the little boy.

"I don't know!" He cried again, this time with a little more panic behind his voice.


"It's okay, it's okay!" The man assured him again. While he was comforting the little boy, he heard a woman yelling.

"Jackson! Jackson!" She was yelling as she frantically searched.

"Mommy!" The little boy exclaimed as the two reunited. The two embraced before the woman addressed the man.

"Thank you so much!" The woman said to the man, relieved and with true appreciation.

                                             Little Boy Hugging His Mom, online source

The man watched the two reuniting and was touched. A smile spread across his face as he watched the two together. Then it hit him. Happiness. I am happy. This makes me happy.

Bibliography: Fourty-four Turkish Fairy Tales, link to online source

Author's Note: The original story is a boy's search for fear. The typical things that would scare people do not scare him, but he ends up being scared when a bird flies out of pot that he thought was filled with soup. His fear was found unexpectedly as the man's happiness was in my story. I liked the idea of a search for an emotion because when I thought about describing emotions, I realized that it was nearly impossible. One must experience the emotion to truly understand it. I chose happiness because I think this is something for which all people search.

Storytelling: The Story of the Third Old Man and of the Cat

O, prince of the Genii! I tell you that my story is the most marvelous of them all, for I, in fact, am a cat. I was a loner. I would spend my days perched on a windowsill of whichever place I chose that day. I would watch the passersby, longing for companionship. I would often get shooed away; no one wanted me for a pet. It was a sad life to live, but I had learned to make the best of it. One day though, my boring, lonesome life took an exciting turn.

I was perched in the window of my favorite place, the home of a beautiful, young woman. She lived alone, although I do not know how she had not come upon a suitor. She was always smiling, at her neighbors, strangers, and even me. Although she never took me in, she never shooed me away like the others. She would smile, give a little pat, and continue with her day. Well, this day was different. Shortly after she had entered her home, a man I had never seen before approached her doorstep. I watched him carefully because I had a bad feeling about this one. He gave me a nasty look as he waited for her to answer the door. I hoped she would not hear his knock. He knocked louder this time, and still, I hoped she would not answer. As I heard her footsteps finally drawing nearer to her door, I watched the stranger pull a blade out of his boot. I panicked.

Whatever this man’s business was, it was not good. I only had seconds to act. Everything seemed to happen at once. My beautiful friend opened her door as the man lifted his blade in an attack motion as I leaped from the windowsill toward her assailant. Those next few seconds remained a blur. I landed with precision on the man’s face, causing him to drop his blade as he tried to free his skin from my sharp claws. I would not let any harm befall this woman. While I wrestled with the man, that gave the woman enough time to retrieve his blade. He rushed toward her, my body still obstructing his vision as I held on for dear life- her dear life. She was ready though. She bravely shoved the blade toward him, leading him to be the cause of his own demise as he ran straight into his own blade.

Cat sitting on windowsill, Art by Danielle

By this time, her neighbors and passersby had gathered around her home. Some checked on the woman while others removed the body of her attacker. “Are you hurt?” One woman asked my dear friend.

“No, I am just fine. Thank you,” she replied.

“How did you manage to fight him? He is sucha large man, and you are so small.”

“I had some help,” my love answered as she sent a smile my way. Her neighbors helped her into her home to rest and then returned to their homes. I returned to my spot on her windowsill, now taking on my new role as her protector. I heard a lovely voice call to me from inside. “Cat?” I did not hesitate; I jumped down from the window as I had done so many time, but this time I jumped to the floor inside. I bounded toward her and jumped into her lap. She rubbed my fur affectionately. “You have saved my life,” she said to me. “I can never repay you for this act of service you have done for me.” I nuzzled her hand as she went on. “I would like to do my best to try, though.” And then it happened.

In an instant, I was a human being. My fur had disappeared, leaving only skin. I was standing upright on sturdy legs. I outstretched my arms, staring at them in amazement. I no longer had paws, but I had hands and feet. And fingers and toes! No more claws but nails! As I examined this new form of mine, the magical woman before me brought her lips to mine. “We can now be together, never having to be alone for the rest of our lives,” she said to me, staring into my eyes before she kissed me.

Arabian Nights from The Arabian Nights' Entertainment by Andrew Lang, online source

Author's Note: The original story is actually a collection of stories. Scheherazade must tell these stories to her husband, the evil Sultan, to literally keep herself alive. It is necessary to keep he stories captivating, so the Sultan will spare her life for at least one more day until the next story. She tells one series of stories about three old men, but once she gets to the part about the third old man, she says she cannot remember that one and moves on to a different one. I decided to give that third old man a story. The first two old men told stories of humans turning into animals, so I decided to twist that and tell a story of an animal turning into a human.

Week 3 Storytelling: Blessing in Disguise

"That is a mighty fine woman there, Pete."

Pete was too busy gawking at the beautiful woman walking by the pool below to answer his co-worker.
"Pete!" John tried again to gain his attention. This time Pete turned his head to John, a confused expression on his face.
"What?"
"Are you staring hard enough as Mrs. Rhodes?"
"My staring at her is making me hard enough, if you know what I mean," Pete answered with a perverted wink.
"Come on, man. That's our boss's wife! Plus, that's just plain distasteful," John responded as he shook his head.
"I'd like to taste her," Pete stated, completely disregarding his co-worker.
"Yeah well, you can't. So you better just get over it. Come on, let's finish trimming these bushes so we can go home."

"John, we are going to have her tomorrow," Pete said to John from the passenger seat of the truck on their way home.
"What are you talking about, man?"
"We are going to have her. Plain and simple."
"First of all," John started, "there is no 'we' here. She is a married woman, and she is not just a piece of meat to take as you please."
"Oh, shut up Johnny! Please!" Pete said with an exasperated sigh. "You'll see."
"Don't do anything stupid, Peter. Number one, she is married. Number two, she doesn't like you. Just grow up," John said sternly. He had had enough of Pete's disrespect and insensitivity.
As John pulled up to Pete's house, Pete simply said, "you'll see," before hopping out of the car and walking to his door. John worried the whole way home. He knew his co-worker was bad news, but surely he wouldn't hurt anybody.

The next day John arrived at Pete's house at 8am sharp. Pete got in the truck, grinning. "You're awfully perky today," John said.
"That's because today is the day, Johnny boy." John shook his head and turned up the radio, oblivious to the ideas brewing in Pete's head. They arrived to the Rhodes residence right on time, as Mr. Rhodes was walking out the door, giving Susanna a goodbye kiss before he left.
"The pool needs a good cleaning, boys. And I need you to replace the lightbulbs in the master bathroom. Ah yes, and tend to anything my sweet Susanna should request!" Mr. Rhodes exclaimed as he entered his vehicle.
"Yes sir," the men said in unison, Pete looking a bit too happy. The two men began fulfilling their daily duties. They started with the pool since that was Mr. Rhodes' first request. Susanna was sitting poolside as she did every morning. They begin clearing the pool of leaves, one man on each side. Pete grinned at Susanna from across the pool; she smiled back innocently. John walked by Susanna, and she asked him if he could get her a glass of orange juice. Of course he agreed since Mr. Rhodes instructions were to tend to Susanna, but he did not want to leave her alone with Pete. The kitchen was all the way on the opposite side of the mansion, but what could he do? It will be fine, he told himself.

Rhodes Mansion, link to online source

Pete watched as John walked to the house. Once he saw the door closed he approached Mrs. Rhodes. She smiled at Pete as he got closer. "How is your day today, Peter?"
"It's about to get way better Mrs. Rhodes," he said as he rushed toward her. He threw himself on top of her, going in for a kiss. Susanna started to scream, but Peter covered her mouth before she could do so. While keeping his hand over her mouth, Peter told Susanna to remain quiet or he would tell Mr. Rhodes that this was her idea. He began undressing Susanna, which did not take long enough, as she was in a swimsuit. Suddenly they heard a car engine. Pete looked up to see Mr. Rhodes pulling in the driveway. He bolted as Mr. Rhodes got out of his car and headed towards the pool. Susanna was in shock and did not know what to do. Simultaneously John returned with the orange juice as Mr. Rhodes walked on the scene. John was just as shocked as Mr. Rhodes, but before anyone could speak Pete suddenly reappeared.
"John how could you!" Pete cried, pretending to be shocked. Mr. Rhodes was furious.
"Somebody tell me what is going on right now!" Pete began explaining to Mr. Rhodes the situation, completely twisting it. He led Mr. Rhodes to believe that John and Susanna were having an affair. Because Mr. Rhodes is away a lot and arrogant, he believed this story. "Get off my property-the both of you! You'll be hearing from my lawyer, Susanna!" Susanna walked away in tears, not knowing where to go, as John followed her in disbelief. John hurried to his car, but before he got in, he turned back to look at Susanna. She looked hopeless, and she had no clothes to wear. John quickly grabbed his sweatshirt from the back seat and ran to Susanna. She was crying when he approached her, but she gladly took the sweatshirt. John nervously asked, "Mrs. Rhodes, would you like a ride somewhere?"
"Just call me Susannah," she said, wiping away the tears. "I'm not Mrs. Rhodes anymore. But yes, that would be lovely." The two got in the car as Mr. Rhodes and Pete watched from the pool. Mr. Rhodes was already on the phone with his lawyer.

two years later:
Mr. and Mrs. Rhodes got a divorce.
Mr. Rhodes remarried... But she left him and took almost everything in the divorce.
Pete ended up incarcerated for rape-serving 20 years.
John and Susanna are dating, and John plans on popping the question soon!

Author's Note: I changed this story a whole bunch, but I had a lot of fun with it. The story was developing even as I wrote it. I used the story in the Bible as my inspiration. Susanna is falsely accused of being unfaithful by her attackers who attempted to rape her. She is almost sentenced to death, but Daniel finds a way to prove her innocence. There was a lot of betrayal in that story, so I used that as a recurring theme in my story as well. In addition to using the same idea from the story to have Susanna have a happy ending while her attacker have a just one.

Bibliography: The story of Susanna from the Book of Daniel in the Bible, link to online source

Week 2 Storytelling: Sister Wives

"Asher."
"Here."
"Benjamin."
"Here."
"Dan."                                                                                  
"Here."
"Dinah."
"Here!"
"Gad."
"Here."
"Issachar."
"Here."                                                                                 
"Jospeh."
"Here."
"Levi."          
"Here."
"Naphtali."
"Here."
"Reuben."
"Here."
"Simeon."
"Here."
"Zebulun."
"Here."

Jacob's Flight by von Carolsfield, mythfolklore

"Wow. That took much longer than expected. When I took this job, I did not realize how many children I was taking on. Your father just instructed me to take care of his children. Who knew he had thirteen of them!" Jacob's children watched their teacher silently as she recovered from her surprise.
"Well, we don't all have the same mom," Asher said bluntly.
"Asher!"  Benjamin exclaimed. "That's not really 'first day' information."
"You only say that because Dad loved your Mom, Ben. The rest of us think our moms should get some recognition too," Judah stated from the back of the room."
"At least your mom is still alive!" Joseph blurted out.
"Oh, shut UP, Joseph!" Dinah said with an exasperated tone. The kids all began bickering at once. The volume in the room grew louder and louder. Ms. Carolyn knew she needed to gain control over the kids before they got out of hand. She was an experienced caretaker, but she had never worked with a family with thirteen children before.
"ENOUGH!" Ms. Carolyn shouted. The room grew still and silent as the children stared at Ms. Carolyn. All twenty-six eyes were opened wide, shocked by their caretakers outburst.
"Excuse us, Ms. Carolyn," Reuben, the oldest, apologized on the behalf of himself and his siblings. "It's just, our family is a bit complicated. It may be better if we explain this to you." Ms. Carolyn immediately regretted taking on this job. But Rebekah (Jacob's mother) had been a great friend to her. She wanted to return the favor by helping Rebekah's son, but she was not aware of how complicated Jacob's family was.
"Okay. Maybe I should get some background information. What was your name again, son?"
"I'm Reuben. I'm the oldest of us all. My mother is Leah. Our mother gave our father seven children, six sons-"
"And one daughter," Dinah interrupted.
"I see. Wow! Seven children. Sounds like a hero." Ms. Carolyn said.
"Pft... You want to know who a hero is?" Joseph asked. Before Ms. Carolyn could answer, Joseph continued, "Our mother, Rachel."
"Both Rachel and Leah will be remembered as great women, Joe," Issachar pointed out to ease the tension.
"Excuse me... what about our mother?" Naphtali questioned, Dan nodding in agreement behind him.
"And ours!" Gad and Asher exclaimed in unison.
"Okay, wait one minute kids," Ms. Carolyn said in her calmest voice. Things were really getting interesting now. She was extremely curious but did not want to see to eager to learn more. "Reuben. Since you are the oldest child, I would like you to explain this all to me." Her statement was met with groans and eye rolls, but Reuben began.
"Let's see. Our father, Jacob, worked for Leah, my mother's, father. He was given my mother in turn for seven years work. As I said, she gave birth to seven of us: Me, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Zebulun, and Dinah."
"Ahem," Asher cleared his throat obnoxiously.
"Since Asher seems to have something to say, I will let him speak now." Reuben stated calmly.
"That was very respectful of you, Reuben," Ms. Carolyn said. "Go on," she instructed Asher.
"My mother, Zilpah, was Leah's handmaid. Leah gave our mother to our Dad to wife," Asher explained.
"Leah claimed us as her own," Gad added.
"But that doesn't change the fact that Zilpah is our Mom," Asher spat. Ms. Carolyn knew she needed to change the subject.
"Dan! I haven't heard much from you. Why don't you tell me your story?"
"Oh. Well, my mother is Bilhah. Rachel's handmaid. Rachel was barren, so she gave my mother to our father to bear children-which are me and Naphtali." Naphtali waved to Ms. Carolyn. She smiled in response. "So where are Rachel's children?" Ms. Carolyn inquired.
"Right here!" Joseph and Benjamin said in unison. "Dad waited fourteen years to make our mom his wife. He loved her so dearly. He was always the one she wanted, but her father kept her away from our dad in order to get more work out of him. She passed when she gave birth to Ben. Everyone got quiet. Dinah looked down, ashamed of her outburst earlier. She grabbed Joseph's hand.
"I am sorry for your loss," Ms. Carolyn said. "All of you." The children looked at each other and smiled. "You all seem like a wonderful family. I am looking forward to caring for you all," she expressed with genuine enthusiasm.

Bibliography: Stories of Women (Rachel and Leah) from the Bible, link to online source.

Author's Note: When I read the story of Leah from the Bible, I was immediately intrigued. In addition to this though, I was extremely confused. There were so many children and so many mothers and so many weird names that I could not keep track of who belonged to who. I figured others had had the same problem as me, and so I decided to write a story in which all of those relationships are expressed clearly. The Bible stories I enjoyed most these past two units were those with dialogue, so I knew that had to be an important part of my story. I kept the relationships all the same, but I was able to do some character development with the children that was not at all there in the Bible stories I read. The jealousy among the women though, especially between Leah and Rachel, which I feel I expressed through the children's comments. In reality, the family really was quite broken and the children did not end up interacting as family, but I decided to take a lighter, more positive approach with my story where the children realize that no matter what, they are still one, big family.

Week 1 Story: The Tortoise and the Hare

   
                                                                                 

     Tortoise was taking a leisurely stroll through the woods one day when he overheard Hare bragging about his lightning speed.
     "Who wants to race? Anyone? No one? Eh. I'm not surprised. No animal could ever beat me in a race." Tortoise rolled his eyes as he creeped by the woodland animals gathered around Hare. "What was that Tort-y?" Tortoise HATED that nickname, but he kept creeping along. Don't pay him any attention, Tortoise. He is not even worth it. "Ohhhh Tort-y Tort? Not gonna join the party?"
     "DON'T CALL ME THAT, HARE!!" Ohh man. I snapped.
     "Okay Tort-y. I'll make you a deal. You. Me. The East Trail. From the Old Oak to the edge of the creek by Mystic bridge. If you can beat me, I will never call you that again. But if you lose... I will make sure to greet you with that nickname every day. You will never win. Do NOT take that deal.
     "Deal!" What? What is wrong with you, Tortoise? Hare cackled.
     "I'll see you at sunrise, Tort-y," Hare said as he hopped away, still cackling. The woods were silent. Fox broke the silence.
     "Uhhhhh, Tort.. Why did you do that? I lost to Hare two weeks ago. He wouldn't quit making 'What does the Fox say?' jokes. I was so angry, and not even my adrenaline could win that race." Before Tortoise could even respond, Doe piped in.
     "You're doomed, Tortoise. I think you should just back out now. Save your dignity." Tortoise took a deep breath to calm down.
     "Look guys. I appreciate the advice, but I will not take this anymore. It's time we stand up against Hare. He's a bully. He doesn't run us." The woodland animals whispered among themselves as Tortoise crept away.
     Woodpecker spoke aloud, shaking his head and saying, "He's a fool..." The other animals nodded in agreement before heading back to their homes, ready to get some sleep before the race in the morning. Tortoise tossed and turned. He could not fall asleep to save his life. He was too nervous about the race. Meanwhile, Hare was fast asleep, dreaming of crossing the finish line in record time.
     The sun was rising. The animals began to arrive at the Old Oak. Hare was hopping around, warming up for the race. "Little Tort-y probably won't even show," Hare announced.
     "I'm over here you cocky fool," Tortoise said from the other side of the trunk of the Old Oak.
     "Oh yay! I am so glad you showed, Tort-y! This should be fun," Hare exclaimed as he flashed an evil smile. Let's do this Tortoise! Show 'em what you're made of! Hare interrupted Tortoise's personal pep talk. "Okay, who shall send us off? Fox? Doe?"
     "I'll do it!" Squirrel squeaked from the tree branch.
     "Fantastic! I love the enthusiasm Nutty!" Hare smiled up at Squirrel as he rolled his eyes. Hare and Tortoise lined up at the sticks that Doe had put together.
     "On your marks... Get set..." CRACK. Squirrel snapped a tree branch to commence the race.
Hare was off. He disappeared over the hill in a matter of seconds. Tortoise gave his best effort to get a quick start but to no avail. Who am I kidding? This was a huge mistake.
     "Pssst." Squirrel interrupted Tortoise's pity party. "Head left," Squirrel whispered from atop the branch. Tortoise looked at Squirrel skeptically. What is he talking about? Squirrel widened his eyes so Tortoise would get the hint. I know I will lose if I run straight... Soo... I guess listening to the crazy squirrel is better than accepting defeat. So Tortoise headed left.
     Hare was bounding through the woods, full speed ahead. He was almost halfway to the finish. Hahahaha! I am the quickest of them all! Hare encouraged himself as he sped ahead.
     A few meters after Tortoise changed directions, he realized that the crazy squirrel wasn't so crazy at all. He heard running water near the bushes, but there was no water in sight. Then it hit him. It rained three days ago. The water levels of the creek were rising last I saw. Tortoise followed his suspicions and walked toward the noise. Then he saw it. A TRIBUTARY! When the creek overflows, it creates tributaries branching off of it. This one led straight to the bridge.  He darted (slowly) toward the water and slunk in.
    Hare approached the finish line. The animals were crowding the line as they awaited the winner's arrival. Hare stopped just short of the edge of the creek  as he called to the crowd. "I am the winner! I am the quickest! You all should just stop trying! I run this neck of the woods. There is no one quicker."
     "You sure about that? Hare-y?" Hare snapped his neck toward the voice behind him. It can't be. Hare was in disbelief. "I... You... Cheater! You cheated!"
     "The rules clearly stated that the race would commence at the Old Oak and end at Mystic Bridge. The path of the race was at the discretion of the participant," Tortoise smirked as he winked at Squirrel, sitting on the rail of the bridge. The woodland animals laughed and cheered. "Quick minds beat quick feet any day... Hare-y."

Author's Note: The original story begins with Hare bragging about his speed, but the tortoise confidently challenges him to a race. Hare quickly accepts, thinking it will be an easy win, but the story ends with tortoise winning the race due to his persistence and slow and steady pace. Hare's cockiness gets the best of him as he lolly-gags and falls asleep during the race, allowing Tortoise to win. In the original story, Tortoise is confident, but I wanted to give him a nervous personality to make the victory even sweeter when he conquered his bully. I maintained Hare as the antagonist, but I exaggerated his bullying to create a greater desire for Tortoise to win. I understand the lesson being taught by Aesop's original fable, but let's face it. Slow and steady does not always win the race. I wanted to teach another lesson with my story, one that encourages critical thinking and teamwork as Squirrel and Tortoise collaborated, as well as discourages bullying and cockiness.

Bibliography: The Hare and the Tortoise from The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs. Web Source.

Image: Tortoise beats the Hare, OvationPress