Story Week 11: Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La

The Dream of Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La

She wakes up with a jolt. Confused and processing, she makes her way out of bed and downstairs. Thinking to herself, what just happened. Knowing she could think clearer with a cup of coffee, she starts the Keurig. As it grumbles, her roommate walks in, chirpy and excited for the day. "Hey, Jordan. Oh my god. I just had the strangest dream." 

Jordan, one never to miss a chance to hear a story, sat down at the table and replied, "Well, are you going to tell me about it? Is it about that guy you have been texting?"

"No. No, not at all. Let me fix this coffee first, so I can think." 

When she had finished, her coffee, she joined Jordan and said, "Ok, I am ready. It was so weird. I was little again playing with my brother in our backyard. You know at my house how we have that big lot behind our fence with all those trees? We were back there and there was a boulder. Never have I seen it before in my life. We played till we passed out on the boulder." 

Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La or El' Captain, the rock this story is about

Jordan interjected, "Your mom would have never let that happen." 

"Yeah, I know, but that's not how the dream goes. So I wake up from a nap inside of my dream, on the moon. Trippy, huh? My brother is still there. While we were asleep The boulder grew until it was nearly touching the moon. I don't know how we were breathing. So five-year-old me starts freaking out. I can't get home."

"That's when you wake up right?"

"No, then the animals gather below. I don't know how I can see them, but I can, and they meet in like a council to figure out how to get us down. First, the rat and the mouse jumped up and tried to get up the wall, but they barely got off the ground. Then, the grizzly bear jumped. He got higher than I thought he would but did not make it over the boulder. Finally, the lion tried and despite getting the farthest up the boulder, he didn't make it up."

Jordan looked at me confused, " So, then you woke up, right?" 

"Not yet. Then, my brother started crying because we thought we were going to be stuck up there. But the inchworm said, 'Never Fear,' and started crawling up the side of the boulder. He made it all the way to use and yelled 'jump on my back! My name is Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La' and I can help you!' I had nothing to lose, so I did. My brother took a little bit more convincing, but he got also got on the inchworms back. Then the inchworm carried us down the boulder." 

"An inchworm?

"I said it was a dream, didn't I? He got us all the way down and walk us home. When I walked in my backdoor, that's when I woke up" 

"Ok yeah. That is a strange dream."

Author's Note Legend of Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La (El Capitan)

This is based after the Legend of Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La. I kept the story mostly the same but I changed the narrator. I wanted to use mostly dialogue so I thought about recent conversations I have had that this would work in. I chose a conversation between me and my roommate early in the morning because the dynamic is fun, it's unlike anything I have written, and I like the change in perspective. I felt as if the change in perspective made the story a little bit more interesting because imagine if you were taking a nap and woke up on the moon. It would be something you told people. 

Famous Last Words

A Note to Myself

Last semester I was surviving learning how to handle a really demanding job with a lot fo hours and my class load. This semester I have gotten that down better, but I still never said no to anything. SO when my work schedule decreases, I said yes to more involvement, never getting more sleep. Then, if I ever have a slightly easy day, I think about applying for more. I really need to change this behavior of mine because I am completely aware of how foolish it is. 

The reading for this class has been going well. I have not loved the content because the stories are kinda repetitive and there is not a lot of character development. However, I got through it and enjoyed some of them so it is good.

I really like my writing for my story in the storybook this week. I liked how I gave women power despite my main characters being men. 

Cleopatra- a character in my story

My other classes are going well this week. I am in my capstone and it is just so much reading. So, I am just trying to get through it. Once I do, it's not bad. The subject matter isn't too difficult, just way too much. 

I tried to enroll on Monday for this last time. It was so sad. I am graduating early so it is really sad to think that this is my last semester with my friends and on campus. There are still things I want to do! Then, I also had issues because my major sent out times for classes but then the times for the enrollment were different. It really screwed up my schedule and I might not be able to get a specific minor I really want now. I really hope they figure out which time it is. 

Reading B: Week 11

California Southwest

Origin of the Sierra Nevadas

There was a pole standing out of the water and hawk and crow would take turns sitting on the pole. They created fish for birds to eat and other birds. The duck died because she dived too deep. She had mud in her beak and they used it to make mountains. They worked together and the crow made more when they met at Mount Shasta. The hawk didn't like that so he took some and added them to his. 

Legend of Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La

Two boys fell asleep on a bolder and the boulder grew until they ended up on the moon. They slept up there until the animals tried to get them down. The lion, cougar, and grizzly bear all tried but did not make it. The inchworm worked his way up the boulder and got the boys and inched his way down. So now the rock is named after him. 

Coyote and the Hair

A coyote caught the hare but the hare asked him to wait to kill him. He had something to tell him. He made him wait to tell him until he was at the doorstep of his house.  The hare said he was scared of the people then escaped. Coyote was determined to kill the hare but he couldn't get into his house- he tried to kill him with fire but he could not use grass or trees. He decided to use the gum of the pinon. It started to boil like grease so the coyote tried to blow it into the hares home and the hare threw it into his face. 

A Coyotes

Reading A: Week 11

 Southwestern and California Legends unit

The Creation of the Great World

In the beginning, there was nothing, only darkness. SO the Earth Dcotor made the earth by using dust he fashioned. H grew the trees and plants on the earth. Made the sun, then ice. Then the moon and the sea. Then so it wasn't lonely, blew into the sky a bunch of stars to fill the sky. 

Spider's Creation

The spider was the first animal. He placed parcels with life in them and set it free. All the animals left out of them. The first women were the first mothers. He separated the people into clans. Then they all made the sun. The two mothers created the star people.

The Brightest Star

The Fable of the Animals

Kareya created the world. man last. Everyone was equal until he made man the leader and everyone else rank underneath. He decided rank with bow and arrow so coyote wanted to get there first and tried to stay awake all night. Then he fell asleep with his eyes pinned together. Every animal got there before him but the man felt sorry and made him more cunning. 

Story Lab: Week 10

Advice to Writers

Gibson’s idea of writing the characters is interesting. I kinda like it. Because in a compelling story, the characters keep you coming back, not some weird cabin in the woods. However, I wish he expanded further because a bunch of separate characters in a story without something like an unfortunate accident, or a common goal keeps them from their potential. This was almost amazing advice. Just too short. 

Yiyun Li’s advice that the character should explore herself and the world is important. Books usually aren’t just one day, and if they are they are important day and people grow. The character has to grow as a person over the time and that requires self reflection. It isn’t easy to write but it is what makes people relate to the characters and is necessary to the story. And- it can be so much fun, so more people need to remember this!! 

Self Relfection

Week 10 Story B Pacific Northwest

Cry-Because-He-Had-No-Wife

There was a little orphan boy who was crying because he wanted a wife. His grandparents sent him to a girl. He came to a giant's house. He told him to turn into a little dog to survive a rock-cliff. He then got to the house and saw her guard-horse. He made it inside. They got married and they went back to the grandparent's house. They did not follow her directions, so they died. They then escaped the giant. 

Two Thunder Bird Stories

Only the thunderbird lived, When he touched the water, he created the earth. Next time he created animals. He gave the tinne a scared arrow. He lived as long as he had the arrow. Then they used the arrow and died.
An Indian's Vow to the Thunder Gods

Thunder spoke to a woman in a vision so she promised him her first child. She could not give herself to give her kid away. A year later she tried again but she couldn't. One day thunder gathered quickly and struck him dead.

Storms!

Chinook Ghosts

The ghost wanted to buy a wife so he bought blue Jay's sister. She disappeared the next day. He confirmed that she was alive. They became skeletons. Blue jay didn't know what he was doing and when he was going home he didn't follow the directions. He came back a skeleton. 

Origin of the Tribes

The monster lived in Wishpoosh. People wanted to fish there but they were killed. Coyote killed him after fighting hard. Their fighting created a bigger lake. The coyote used the beaver parts to create the tribes.
How the Ermine Got Its Necklace

Between Koyukuk and Yukon, an old man lived there. They made their way to the village and went into the big house. The women were better hunters and they competed until the older brother was killed. He went around to a bunch of animals and got a necklace.
Coyote and Grizzly

There was an always angry grizzly bear. She ate a band of Indians. She sent for a medicine man. He told her why she was sick. She chased the coyote. She fell from a bridge breaking. 

Coyote in the Buffalo Country

Coyote took to the trail again. Eagle said he couldn't go anywhere so he went. He needed food so he killed a buffalo-- he saved some for the bear. He became chief but the people thought he sucked. He played a trick on wolf and was a great chief.
Coyote and the Salmon; Coyote and the Fire

When coyote went to Klamath river he found everyone poor. He said it would have salmon soon. He stole the key from skookum and broke down the dam,
Falls of the Willamette

Tallapus found the Willamette poor but they could get salmon. He made tum-tums. Because he disrupted Tallapus's fire people now spearfish.
Tallapus and the Cedar

He made himself a coyote. He went into a cedar tree. He then couldn't get into it. He got the birds to peck holes into it. The raven stole his eyes, but he refused to show it. He traded eyes with the squaw. 

Week 10 Story- Pacific Northwest Native Stories

Pacific Northwest

How Silver-Fox Created the World

There was only water. Silver-fox wanted to make things. Coyote did not. He made islands when coyote was gone and then he got stuck on the earth. Silver-fox made the islands slowly bigger so he had more more room. He made other animals and trees so he wasn’t lonely. He also made the year 4 moons.

Three Coyote Stories

The silver-fox and the coyote lived together. They gave the shavings of the strive berry sticks away. They turned into people.

How Coyote Got his Cunning

They made fishes, then animals, then man. So the coyote became the meanest because he got the smallest bow. The Charley’s decided he would be the most clever instead. 

How the Coyote was killed

The coyote tried to follow the star. One day he jumped on. Then he got really cold and slipped to the earth. 

Coyote

How Kemush created the world

Kemush was the old man of the ancients. He made the earth from the ashes of the northern lights. He had his daughter help him. 

He tried to use the lynxes as a robe. It got stolen from him by an antelope. 

How old man above created the world

The world was flat. So he made a hole in the sky. He planted trees. He made animals. 

How Beaver stole Fire

There were no people. There was a cold winter.There was a council about it and the beaver did go. The pine trees had fire. The beaver hid the fire and took it.Cedar helped.

How dog stole fire

Pine marten stole the two wives. He brought rain which killed hawk-man. But, fires had been put out. The dog had fire still and put out the people who mad it rain. Then he gave it back.

The story of Ashish. 

The gambled. They lost everything. He dressed as Kemush and gambled again. Ashish’s wives looked for him and they stopped gambling because they missed him. He gave explanations of why he was at the top if the tree when he was found. 

Chinook Wind

There were five brothers. They would always argue. Their fights mad the area hard to live in. The wrestled and whoever fell off got their head cut off. Their grandparents put oil and ice so the chinook brothers fell. His son grew up and wanted revenge. He killed 4 of them then made a pack with he last walla walla brother that winters would only be a little cold. 

The first totem pole

wakiash never had a dance. He thought about it and ended up on the raven’s back to a gathering of animals. He wanted the totem pole. They called it the pole that holds up the sky. 

Three raven stories

There was no light. The world was a box and the gull could open the box. The raven got him to open a box. 

Wood rat and rabbits

The rat wanted to fight. The woodrat kept fight with everyone until he and his mother were burned to death. 

Why there are no snakes on Takhoma

The medicine man shot an arrow into a cloud, making a chain to the cloud. A bunch of bad animals followed him up including snakes so he broke the arrow chain and they fell to earth. All the good animals 

Week 9 Story

The Old Man's Flower

A teenager was walking home one day from school. She was 15, so she couldn't drive yet so every day she walked home and her mom drove her to school in the morning. The walk was not very long, only about 10 minutes, so it was not very bad. On her way home, she passed a retirement community. Within the community, each of the houses had groom gardens because they would have gardening competitions. This section of the walk was her favorite. 

On this particular day, she saw an elderly man planting a flower in his garden. It was not a seed, but a full flower. The flower was the prettiest flower she had ever seen with unique colors on its petals. She walked up to the man, wondering what the flower was so she color use it for her date's boutonniere at homecoming and asked, "What type of flower is that? I have need seen such a pretty flower!" 

The Flower

Scared, the man threw the flower at her and ran off (very well for his apparent age). She caught the flower, confused, and continued home, taking it with her. She kept the flower in her room and it didn't die. For years, the flower stayed alive. During that time, she had success in all the endeavors she wanted. She was accepted into her number one school, aced tests she did not study for, and was overall lucky. 

Years later when she was grown and successful in her career, she was at dinner with friends. They all got up to pay at the cash register, but she stayed behind because she had already done so. An elderly man approached her and grabbed her purse. She grabbed it back, asking what he wanted. He reached inside grabbing the flower and replied, "You have had my flower and luck for too long. Now, it is time for me to take it back." 

Not wanting to make a scene in the restaurant and realizing she had her time with the lucky flower, she let the man take it. 

Author's Note- Fox-Fire

This story originally was about a farmer who stole the elixir of life from a fox by swallowing it. He has it for 15 years then the fox steals it back at dinner. I changed the characters and setting of the story to make it more relatable. Then I changed it to a flower because when I think of an elixir, I think of a potion, not a glowing orb. I thought a magical flower would be fun and color possibilities were endless. 

Reading B Week 9

Chinese Fairy Tales

The Little Hunting Dog

In Shansi, a scholar moved to a Buddhist temple but there were too many bugs. One night his room was invaded by tiny knights. He pretended to be asleep and watched them. They came and went but forgot a hunting dog. The little dog ate all of the ghats in his room. 

Fox Fire

A farmer walked past a wealthy man's gardens and saw a glowing light. It was a fox preparing the elixir fo life. He hid until it came back down and swallowed it. He used its powers for 30 years, and then the fox got it away from him. 

The Talking Silver Foxes

Way out in the middle of nowhere, there are temples. Talking foxes used to live there. A woman became possed but she wasn't scared of anyone, only Wang. The foxes tried to help but an archer killed one after even he talked to him. 

Retribution

Ma was homeschooled. He watched old Wang and the water carried spill all the water watering chrysanthemums and the water carried fall down the mountain.  Ma told the judge but was the only witness. When he was older and teaching he saw he carrier again. The water carrier had been reborn in a wealthy family. One day he was throwing stones and one hit Old wang and he fell. 

The Night on the Battlefield

A merchant was trying to get to Shantung with his wares but because of the weather stopped at an inn. They didn't have any wine left because of a bunch of soldiers but his room was free. The merchant stayed awake all night hungry while the soldiers got ready for the battle the next day. He then watched Asti kill the general. Turns out it was just ghosts. 

The Maiden Who was Stolen Away

A maiden was stolen from her home by a cyclone to a pagoda. Next to her when she landed was a student. He said that she had to marry him and kept her locked at the top. Ine day he didn't lock the door and she saw he was an ogre. To get someone's attention she threw down her clothes and it was her neighbor. He told her family and her brother got rid of the ogre and saved her. 

Shrek an Ogre

The Flying Ogre

A monk found a girl in a red coat. She asked for help and she hid in a tree. Following her was an armored steed, and he was looking for her. He told her that the girl was actually an ogre and he needed to get her. He said deceiving him was a sin so he told.

The Sorcerer of the White Lotus Lodge 

There was a sorcerer who was great at deception. He wanted to go out and told his students to watch over a bowl. Inside was a boat that they made sink when they played with it. He did it again with a candle they had to watch. One of the pupils insulted the sorcerer so he turned him into a pig and sent him to a butcher. His dad looked for him and told the leader/ They grabbed his family and placed them in front of a giant who ate his family.  But he wanted to be eaten by the giant. 

Yang Gui Fe

The favorite wife of Ming Huang was Yang Gui Fe. She got him to do whatever (Marie Anttonetee style).  His solider's mutinied and the emperor tried to protect her. Then she disappeared and he couldn't find her. A magician helped. When he went to that location he found out she was a spirit. She said they would be reunited in 20 years and gave him a ring.

H.E.A.R.T. “Yes, Your Sleep Schedule is Making You Sick”

H- Learning about sleep 

Yes Your Sleep Schedule is Making You Sick

I really need this one so I am excited—Let’s get started!

I was very surprised-- but then not when I thought about it- to hear that lack of sleep can make people mentally ill. I have heard statistics about driving without sleep compared to driving drunk and they are scarily similar. Also, after pulling an all-nighter, I am never okay. However, it was scary to see the relation to jet lag and asylums next to international airports and our brain's reaction to light. I know this is relationship is more messed up with blue light and electronics, so I need to read further on it-- maybe another one of these!

A baby sleeping-- How I want to sleep

To change my sleep schedule, I need to wake up at the same time every day. I wake up at 5 am on Sundays because I work very early. So, the next day I sleep way in and it is hard for me to get on a schedule. I need to (maybe not at 5 am) always wake up at 7;30 and go to bed at the same time ideally. This would give my life a little bit more schedule and stabilize it more.

Reading A Week 9

Chinese Fairy Tales

The Favorite of Fortune and the Child of Ill Luck

the princes' daughter had no luck finding a husband. She decided to choose her husband by throwing a ball of red silk to have them decide. A beggar but a lucky one caught it. His father hated it so much. They married and the beggar left to find his fortune for 18 years. He became an emperor and they lived happily until she died 18 days later.
The Cave of the Beasts

A father had 7 daughters and found 7 ducks eggs. He wanted to eat them with his wife not his kids. His wife gave one to the oldest, then so on to all the children. He planned to drive the children off to the woods and abandon them to the wolves. The two girls got left behind under the guise they were going to their grandmother's house and found a cave of a fox and a wolf full of jewels when their dad didn't come back. The animals didn't notice the girls and the girls woke up and put them in the kettles. Their dad found them and they brought the treasures home. 
The Panther

A widow had three kids. The widow went to see her mom. A panther tried to get her to stop along the way. He got her to stop and ate her. He then ate her son. The daughters at home he went to get next. They tried not to let it in but it tricked them. Once it came in they knew it wasn't their mother. The panther gave them their little brother's finger so they escaped. They the panther to reveal itself then a needle seller, a scorpion catcher, an egg seller, and a turtle dealer to give them things to fight the panther. They ended him.
Why Dog and Cat are Enemies

A family sold a lucky ring and started to grow poorer. They had dog and a cat who tried to figure out to get their owners back to fortune. They worked together to get the ring back. The cat took the credit and the dog got in trouble for not helping. Since then they have been enemies. 

The dog and cat at the beginning of the story

Yang Oerlang

The second daughter of the ruler of heaven became the wife of Yang. She had a baby with him and her dad upset banished her. Her son tried to save his mother but she died. He started crushing suns in response. But he left one. 
The Lady of the Moon

Prince Hou I shot down nine suns for the people. He got the herb of immortality and his wife ate some and became the lady of the moon. She brought him up there when it was a full moon. 
The Girl with the Horse’s Head or the Silkworm Goddess

AN old man went on a journey and left his family at home. The daughter missed her dad so she told the horse that if he brought her dad back she would marry it. It brought her dad back and he found out so he killed the horse. She got mad at the horse then the hide wrapped itself around her in a cocoon. In heaven, she was given the task of watching over silkworms. 
The God of War

His name was really Quan YU. At the rebellion of the yellow turbans, he made a pact of friendship. He was virtuous. He went to help the emperor but was taken captive by Tsau Tsau. He would not join their side so he was killed. His horse and human followers refused to eat after he died and died.  He became a god ad each dynasty saw him differently. 
The Miserly Farmer

The farmer wanted to sell his pears and tried to cart them to the market. The bonze would not move till he got a pear. It upset the farmer until he gave in. He planted the seed afterward and it immediately began to sprout. Everyone watch the tree sprout and returned back to see his cart gone. 
The King of the Ants

A scholar rented a supposedly haunted house. One night a bunch of knights came into his room after a hunt. The serving-men came in with kitchenware.  All the invaders were very small. Their king tried to get him to join them. So the scholar smoked them out.

Wikipedia Trials Week 8 Lilith- merism

Trails

I looked up the Demon Lilith who legend has it was made from the same clay as Adam and was supposed to be his wife. But, she refused to be subservient to him and left the garden and found herself a man who respected her. This got her a very bad rap and following stories she steals babies, but her first story is iconic. Her man, my next trail, was the Archangel Samael. She def got a bad boy. He was on of the main angels of death and the prince of Rome—the main enemy of Israel. So not the most popular choices but better than Adam. More goth.

Add caption

LilithHe plants the tree of knowledge so I clicked on that. It is the forbidden tree in the garden that eve eats a fruit from. The tree is the tree of knowledge of good and evil. Good and evil is a literary device called a merism. It’s often used in Hebrew but many other languages. It is often used in the legal field (Last will and testament). 

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

Feedback

I have gotten better feedback this class than last class! The lass class a couple people would focus on one sentence and say you spelled this wrong or something too detailed. I don’t find much use in that. I want to know if it makes sense to you and tips on concepts. The spelling is a scrinver’s mistake, not a real feedback comment.

My feedback this year has likely been better too. I have been scared of hurting peoples feelings but also telling them what I think because emotions are not really expressed over the screen well. But since I do have some practice, I think I have the right mix now.

I hope people are getting to know me. Due to high demand, I put pictures of my pets on my intro post so hopefully now they enjoy that!

For the rest of the semester I hope to read everyone else’s stories. This is a big class and I know I haven’t read my favorites yet!

Feedback and Growth!

Week 8 Reading and Writing

I am somewhat satisfied. I said at the beginning of the year I wanted to write better stories than last year and I think I have. But I think I can do better. I am going to continue working on clarity, then descriptions. Once I do more of that, I'll try other writing styles.

My favorite reading style thus far has been the Jewish stories. My dad is Jewish but my mom was more in charge of my religious upbringing so I don't as much as I could about my heritage. The peak into stories some of my cousins learned growing up was nice. I have been researching more about Judaism too so it was cool to see current references to some story.

When I looked at my layout, I wasn't happy. It didn't show my style, nor look cohesive. So, I remodeled. I edited the layout and the color scheme to nearly the opposite. It looks more like dark-mode on twitter so I like that its modern too. I am happy with my story layout currently, but I look at it every time I edit it.

My favorite picture I have used because it actually looks kinda like my sister

Week 7 Story

Why Do We Always Watch What Allie Wants to Watch? 

A young girl named Harper was frustrated. She never was able to watch the shows her friends watched at school on TV. Instead, when she was at home, they always watched what her younger sister, Allie, wanted to watch, and she was just so sick of veggie tales and Elmo. As seven years old, she was mature enough to watch Hannah Montana and deserved to. She behaved well and always did her homework. Allie never listened and always climbed on the counters. She just did not understand why Allie always had control of the TV. 

Allie was home alone all day with her mom because she was only three. She had not yet started preschool. During this time she planned control of the TV at night.  The girl's mom limited their electronic usage, so she never watched TV when she was home alone. She wanted the TV all to herself later when everyone was home. 

The girl's mom started picking up on what Allie was doing and she wanted to stop the fighting between Harper and Allie, so she tried to get Allie to spend her electric time earlier. She told Allie, "Hey, your favorite movie is on, let's sit down and watch it."

A Screaming Toddler

Allie, not willing to give up her time later, screamed, "Only if I get to watch Magic School Bus tonight with dad." The mom saw a losing battle and reluctantly agreed. They continued to play this dance for a week until the mom just asked Allie why she insisted so persistently on watching her TV shows every night with everyone. Allie responded, "If you guys watch my shows you pay attention to me! When you watch your shows you don't."

The mom was moved by the answer and as long as Allie stayed off the counter, they always watched what Allie wanted to watch.

Author's Note-- Spider Tales

This story is loosely based after the story "How we got the name 'Spider Tales.'" In that story, the spider is really conceited and wants every story to be about him. He goes through the trials which seem impossible and it gets them named after him. I thought he sounded a bit like my little sister growing up who always wanted control so I wrote a story along those lines. The three trials did not fit with a toddler so I adjusted it a bit but still made the family come to a consensus after some trial.

Reading Week 7 B

West Africa

The Moon and Stars

With like no food, A and KT went to kill food. KT killed a deer and his dad went to go get a basket. He called out for his dad after a while and then a dragon came. He left and A showed up. The dragon returned and took them both away to his palace. KT made a plan to escape. The gods were impressed with his cleverness so they made him the sun. 
How the Tortoise Got Its Shell

The god wanted to have a yam festival. He sent out his messengers to invite everyone. One guy refused to sell his wine. Then Klo got drunk on the wine he won. It started raining and Klo died with the pots on his back. When everyone brought him back to life- he was never the same.
The Hunter and the Tortoise

A hunter deep in the forest heard a beautiful voice. it was a tortoise. He brought her home to listen to her sing, but he had to keep it a secret. HE didn't. He said kill him if she didn't sig so they beheaded him. She spoke after he died. 
The Leopard and the Ram

A ram and leopard were working together to clear an area. They liked each other and lived together at the end. While they worked their sons played. The son told his dad how the ram hunted so he was scared whenever the ram went backward. One day he slipped and the leopard left forever. 
King Chameleon and the Animals

Animals decided they needed a king. The lion was rejected and they couldn't decide so they had a race. The hare made it first but the chameleon held onto his tail and got it to the chair first. They had to make the chameleon but they didn't want to, so he had no subjects. 
Elephant and Wren

The king decided to cut a huge tree down. He decided to award whoever dod it with a wooden ax with an elephant. The spider had one of steel. He tricked the servant into never seeing the other ax. He ended up losing the elephant. 

Elephant

The Ungrateful Man

A hunter found a snake, leopard, a rat, and a man in a hole. To get set free, the snake gave him an antidote. The leopard hunted for him for weeks. The rat gave him a bundle full of things that would make him rich. The man got jealous and turned him into the king. He saved the king's son with the antidote so his story was believed. 
Why Tigers Never Attack Men Unless They Are Provoked

A tiger and a man became friends. When the man's dad died he brought him money. On his way home, he was shot but not killed. He pretended to be dead to see if the man knew about it, but he didn't. 
How Mushrooms First Grew

Two brothers became robbers because they had debts. They were not happy with that life so they started farming. A bird stole their crops so they transferred the debts to the bird. The bird's eggs died bc of a tree so the debts became the tree's/ Then the elephant took the silk cotton of the tree, gaining the debt.  A hunter killed the elephant and got the debts. Then he tripped on a stump and passed it over to it. Then ants ate it into the ground and got the debt. The created the mushroom. 

Reading Notes

West African Folktales

How We Got the Name "Spider Tales"

The spider was very conceited and wanted every story to be about him. So he requested that from Nyankupon and he agreed if he brought him some stuff. He tricked the bees into getting in a jar. He then tricked the boa by tying him to a stick. Then he sewed the tiger's eyes shut and sent him to Nyankupon. Because of he completed the three things all the old tales are called Anansi tales.

How Wisdom Became the Property of the Human Race

Father Anansi had all the wisdom in the world. His son was named Kweku Tsin and he suspected his dad of something. He was trying to hide all the wisdom of the world in a tree. His son asked why he didn't put it on his back and he got frustrated that he was wiser and threw the pot. All the wisdom escaped. 

A pot

Anansi and Nothing

There was a rich man named nothing. He and Anansi switched clothes for a little bit and they went and got wives. Nothing was having a hard time doing so because he was dressed as a beggar. But then when they got home, Nothing's wife had a palace and Anansi's wives didn't have enough food. Anansi's wives went to nothing and didn't return. So Anansi killed him. She asked kids to cry for her husband-- crying for nothing.

Thunder and Anansi

There was a famine. He found a boat and tried to get it an island. He tried to get the nuts on this island but kept missing the boat. He threw himself in the water upset and found thunder's house. Thunder gave him a pot. He hid it from his family. His son caught him hiding it and the family tried to give food to everyone. Anansi returned to Thunder's house and got a violent stick that beat him. 

Why the Lizard Moves His Head Up and Down

A king promised his daughters to anyone that could figure out their names. Anansi tricked them into saying it in front of them. He told his friend the names and Lizard got the girls. He killed a chicken and placed the evidence at Lizard's house.

Tit For Tat

The famine rid the land of meat. KT found a bunch of animals and did not tell his dad bc see above. Anansi figured something was going on so he tracked KT. His dad drove him out of the place and killed a ton of animals. SO KT tricked him out of this meat with an image. 

Why White Ants Always Harm Man's Property

A spider found a dead antelope and wanted to keep it for himself. Everyone knew he wasn't to be trusted so they scared him and he dropped the mat. He sent a lizard to talk to them with sharpened teeth. He then took the antelope and threw a festival. In a search for revenge, the white ant tried to help but was screwed over so he decided to harm people's stuff. 

The Squirrel and the Spider

The squirrel was a hard worker with his farm. The spider then started stealing corn. The court gave it to the spider bc the squirrel did not have a road. Then the crow did the same thing to him.

Why We See Ants Carrying Bundles As Big As Themselves

Anansi and KT were great farmers. But there was no rain, KT found out how to get rain and his crops started doing well. Anansi tried the same thing but killed the dwarf. the dwarf was the king's jester and Anansi was tricked into bringing him to him. Anansi was stuck with a box on his head for punishment and then tricked an ant into taking it. 

Why Spiders Are Always Found in Corners of Ceilings

Anansi was a great farmer, but selfish and greedy. He tricked his family into leaving and feasted on the crops for two weeks. They put a rubber man in the fields and Anansi got stuck to it. When everyone found him he was embarrassed and hid.

The Grinding-Stone That Ground Flour By Itself

A famine. One family was doing well though. Kofi had found a stone that ground flour by itself and he would only take enough for his family. Anansi wanted in and He followed his cousin to the stone. A took the stone with him and the stone wanted down so the stone ground him up.