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.