Apr 29, 2018

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Librivox) Part B


Honey Bee from Pixabay

The Queen Bee
  • Two princes went out into the world to find riches but instead started living like fools and couldn't go home.
  • Little brother, a dwarf, went to find them.
  • The brothers didn't want his help and laughed at him. Nevertheless, the set out for the journey back home.
  • The little brother keeps the older brothers from terrorizing some ants.
  • The little brother keeps the older brothers from roasting two ducks.
  • The little brother keeps the older brothers from stealing the bees' honey.
  • Found a castle with some weird stuff going on (everything was turned to marble). Find a man.
  • The man gave them food and stuff but didn't say anything.
  • The little man basically tells the oldest brother he can have riches if he finds all these pearls, but if one is still lost at sunset, he will be turned to marble.
  • Same situation with the second oldest brother.
  • When it came to the dwarfs turn, all the animals he saved helped him find the pearls, plus the extra riches he had to subsequently find.
  • Dwarf succeeds and breaks the spell, turning all those who were marble back into living beings. The dwarf married the youngest princess of the man of that castle. The other brothers married the sisters.
Bibliography
The Queen Bee from Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Ashliman) Part B


Cat from Wikimedia

The Fox and the Cat

  • Cat and Mr. Fox met in the woods
  • Cat approached Fox in a friendly manner, mislead with tales of his intelligence
  • Mr. Fox was arrogant, however.
    • Called the Cat many great horrible names.
  • Mr. Fox demands to know what tricked Cat knows, but she only knows one.
    • She can save herself by jumping in trees.
  • Mr. Fox is unimpressed and teaches her a new way to escape dogs.
  • He is interrupted though by a pack of dogs and a hunter. 
  • Cat saves herself, but the fox gets caught by the dogs.
  • Cat pities Mr. Fox because in all those tricks he supposedly knew, he couldn't jump into a tree like she could.
Bibliography
Ashliman's Brothers Grimm Tales: The Fox and the Cat

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Librivox) Part A


Rapunzelturm from Wikimedia

Rapunzel

  • Man and woman are unable to have children.
  • Woman starts to crave the rapunzel she saw in the enchantresses garden.
    • Husband stole her some to satisfy those cravings, deciding to pay whatever cost.
  • She loved the rapunzel so much, she had her husband steal some more.
    • Enchantress catches him and is very angry, until she hears his explanation. 
    • Enchantress uses this as an opportunity to make a deal; their baby for her rapunzel.
  • The woman has a child and the enchantress takes it.
  • The child was named Rapunzel, after the food that had been stolen from the enchantress.
  • She was shut into a tower when she was twelve, one she couldn't escape. Only the enchantress could enter by climbing the girls long hair.
  • After years passed, the King's son heard her singing and became curious.
    • After witnessing the enchantress climb Rapunzel's hair, he decided he too would climb her hair.
  • Rapunzel was frightened by him, but he was a charmer. He proposed to her almost instantly, to which she said yes.
  • She doesn't know how to escape the tower and convinces him to bring her some silk so she can make a ladder (rope?).
  • The enchantress was angry when she found out that Rapunzel had pulled the prince up into her tower. In that anger, she cut Rapunzel's hair and relocated her to a desert.
  • Enchantress used Rapunzel's cut off hair to pull the prince into the tower, who she then blinded with birds.
    • Because of his blindness, he began to roman around for years.
  • The prince eventually found Rapunzel. She cried tears that healed his eyes and they lived happily ever after.

Bibliography
Rapunzel from Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm 

Apr 27, 2018

Week 14 Story: John Smith


Spinning Wheel from Wikimedia

There once was a girl with an extraordinary talent. If she concentrated hard enough, she could spin straw into gold. She had kept this a secret for most of her life, only spinning gold when her miller father wasn't bringing in enough money.

One day, however, her father became suspicious of where she was magically getting the money when they most needed it. He started following her closely and investigating her. Finally, after weeks of snooping, he caught her in the act of spinning the straw into gold.

"How could you keep such a thing from me?" he bellowed. "We could be living in riches! I demand you spin us more gold."

"I won't do it! You'll only use the money to get drunk! Or worse!" she argued.

"If you won't spin me gold, then perhaps I could get some gold from the King when he hears of your abilities," he mused.

"Father, no!" she cried, but it was futile. Her father had made up his mind to sell her to the King. They set out to his palace the next day.

Upon arrival, the miller's daughter was thrown into a tower prison cell, and her father was given a fat sack of gold, enough to live on for the rest of his life. In her prison cell, there was a massive pile of straw and a spinning wheel. Reluctantly, she got to work spinning the gold, afraid she would lose her life if she didn't.

For weeks, the miller's daughter was confined to the tower. Finally, after spinning more gold than she could fathom, she fell to the ground in tears. If only she could escape this tower.

Magically, as if summoned by the pleas in her heart, a little man appeared. He had long curly hair and appeared as if he hadn't had a good bath in years.

"I can grant your wish, but what shall you give me in return?" the little man said.

"You can get me out of here?" she asked in disbelief. "All I can give you is the gold I spin."

"I haven't any need for such a thing. I, too, can spin gold. Perhaps... you can give me your firstborn child?" he pondered.

She thought on this for a moment. She didn't really see herself having a future with a husband and children, and this was probably going to be her only opportunity to escape. "Fine, you may have my firstborn child," she finally said aloud.

In the blink of an eye, the miller's daughter was back at home. Her father had abandoned the place, probably in search of a nicer home with his sack of gold coins. This worked well enough for her. Over time, she had the place in proper condition and became a miller herself. She also met a man and married him. Then the fateful day arrived --she had a child.

"I'm here to collect!" the little man piped, suddenly appearing at the foot of the miller's daughter's bed.

"Please, is there any way for us to forget this trade? I never thought I'd have a child when I made our deal!" she begged.

He looked at her with false pity and considered this. After staring at her for a few seconds, he finally said, "Sure, little miss, we can nullify our deal --if you can tell me my name." He laughed slightly at his own proposal.

"Deal. John Smith," she immediately replied.

In a state of shock, the little man started screaming, "How did you know that?? I've never told a soul my name!"

"I simply guessed the most prevalent male name in the villages," she stated. She was starting to look triumphant, surprised her guess was good.

With that, the little man fled the scene and the miller's daughter lived humbly with her husband and child.



Author's note:
I rewrote the story of Rumplestiltskin. In the original, the miller lies and tells the king his daughter can spin gold. When she can't spin it, a little man appears. She trades trinkets for days in order to have the little man spin her straw into gold. On the last day, however, she runs out of things to trade. He offers to take her firstborn child after she becomes Queen, something the King promised her if she could spin some gold one more time. She agrees to this deal but later comes to regret it. The little man offers to break their deal if she can guess his name. She never can guess it, but her guard (or something) overheard the little man celebrating in the woods, shouting his own name. She guesses his name right the next time, and their deal is broken.

In my story, the girl actually can spin gold. Her father sells her, and the little man helps her escape. There is still the trade of a firstborn, but when she goes to guess his name to break the trade, it is just an easily guessable name. It falls apart quickly. I just thought that would be funny to be honest.



Bibliography
Ashliman's Brothers Grimm Tales: Rumplestiltskin

Apr 25, 2018

Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Ashliman) Part A


Rumpelstiltskin from Flickr

Rumpelstiltskin
  • Miller lies to King and tells him his beautiful daughter can spin straw into gold.
  • King believes him and forces the miller to bring his daughter to the castle to spin him some gold.
  • King threatens to kill her if she doesn't spin the straw into gold.
  • She sat there and started crying because she couldn't do it.
  • She gives a little man her necklace so he will spin her the gold.
  • King was greedy and wanted more gold.
  • Girl gives the little man her ring so he will spin some more.
  • King says she will become his wife if she spins even more the next night.
  • The little man offers to take her first born after she is queen. She agrees and he spins more gold.
  • The little man gave her three days to learn his name. If she could figure it out, he wouldn't take her child.
  • Rumplestiltskin gives his own name away when doing a celebratory dance.
  • He tore himself in two????

Bibliography
Ashliman's Brothers Grimm Tales: Rumplestiltskin

Apr 20, 2018

Week 13 Story: The Stuffy-Nosed Wolf

The Stuffy-Nosed Wolf

Wolf from Wikimedia


There once was a mama wolf. She had nearly a dozen pups and couldn't afford to properly raise them all. As soon as her oldest was of age, she put him out in the wild to fend for himself.

Fearing he would never be able to take care of himself, he went from door to door begging for anything that could help him survive. To his dismay, no matter where he went, no one would open the door for him, as he was a wolf. They were scared of him and refused to help him. Sometimes he managed to find sustenance, but things were looking dim.

One day, he came across a house made of straw. Out of curiosity, he went up to the house to see what kind of creature would live in a straw house. When he looked through the window, he saw a pig. Thinking the pig might have some kindness in his heart, he knocked on the pig's door.

"Hello, little pig. I am a wolf looking for any sort of help you can offer me. I am hungry and cold with nothing to my name," he hollered through the door. 

"Get out of here, you wolf. I won't help a predator," the pig snapped back. 

Suddenly, the wolf's nose started to tickle. It appeared that he was allergic to the straw. "Are you sure there is nothing you can--," he started to say before suddenly he let out a giant sneeze. All at once, the entire house collapsed with the strength of his breath and fell on top of the pig. The wolf tried to save the poor thing, but it was too late.

Saddened by the death of the pig in the straw house, the wolf decided to move on to look for anyone with pity in their heart. Curiously enough, the next house he saw was a house made of flowers. Perhaps the type of person who'd build such a beautiful house would be kind and give him some food. To his amazement, he saw another pig inside the house.

"Hello, little pig. I am a wolf looking for any sort of help you can offer me. I am hungry and cold with nothing to my name," he hollered through the door exactly as he did at this first pig's house.

"A wolf?" the pig cried out in fear. "I can't let you in! You might eat me." After that, the wolf heard the sliding of a deadbolt in the door, keeping him firmly out.

"Please, can you not find it in your heart to--," he began to plead when his nose started to itch, similarly to how it did with the straw. He must also be allergic to the flowers this house was made of. Before her could control it, he sneezed and the house fell to the ground with the pig in it. Feeling guilty, he fled the scene.

After wandering the path for a long time, the wolf finally saw a house made of brick. Surely he couldn't be allergic to brick. He walked up to the house, looked in the window, and saw yet another pig.

"Hello, little pig. I am a wolf looking for any sort of help you can offer me. I am hungry and cold with nothing to my name," he hollered for a third time. Hopefully the pig in this house would be benevolent, unlike the others.

"Oh no, you poor thing. Tell me what happened and perhaps I'll let you in," the pig responded through the door. With that, the wolf told the pig everything that had happened to him.

Just when he was at the end of his story, his nose started to twitch. What could he be allergic to this time? He looked around and saw that there was a flower bush next the the door, with flowers similar to the ones the second house was made of. Before he could stop himself, he sneezed another large sneeze. To his shock, however, the house stood strong.

"Your story has touched my heart, dear wolf. I'll let you in and we can enjoy a nice bowl of soup together. I even have some allergy medicine," the pig said. The wolf thanked the pig many times and they lived happily together from that point on.


Author's Note: I decided to take the very popular story of the Three Little Pigs and make it all about the wolf. In the original, the the pigs' mom sent them to live on their own, so I gave the wolf a similar background. Then, instead of going to each house to eat the pigs, he is just asking for food. Also, instead of trying to blow the houses down to eat the pigs, he just has allergies and the houses falling kills the pigs. At the end, instead of the pig eating the wolf, they become friends.


Bibliography
The Story of the Three Little Pigs from English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs

Apr 18, 2018

Reading Notes: English Tales Part B

Fox from Wikimedia

Johnny-Cake

  • Old man, old woman, and little boy.
  • Little boy is told to watch the johnny-cake while the mom and dad work in the garden
  • Johnny-cake came alive and jumped out of the oven while the boy wasn't paying attention.
  • Outran the family
  • The cake taunts two well-diggers into chasing him, basically
  • Also outran two ditch-diggers.
  • Then outruns a bear.
  • Then a wolf.
  • Fox outsmarts the cake by forcing him to come closer until the fox can eat him.


Bibliography
Johnny-Cake from English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs

Apr 17, 2018

Reading Notes: English Tales Part A

Third Pig in a Butter Churn from Wikimedia

The Story of the Three Little Pigs

  • The mother pig couldn't afford to take care of her pigs so she sent them out into the world.
  • First pig asked a man for his straw so he could build himself a house. The dude did give the pig the straw, for some unknown reason.
    • Wolf knocked on the straw house's door, and demanded to be let into the house. The pig said no, so the wolf threatened to practically destroy this pigs door. He made good on that threat and ate the pig.
  • The second pig met a man with furze and asked for it so he could also build a house. This guy was also surprisingly benevolent. 
    • Wolf did the same thing to the second pig.
  • The third pig was clearly smarter and convinced some poor soul to give him some bricks, with which he built a house. 
    • Wolf came along with his usual scheme but was unable to blow the house down.
    • Wolf had to find a way to trick this pig, so he told him of a turnip field to meet him at so they could cook the turnips for dinner
  • The pig went and got the turnips without the wolf, which made the wolf angry.
    • Wolf suggested some apples instead. 
  • The pig tried to go before the wolf again, but it took too long. He threw the wolf an apple to distract him so he could get away again. 
    • Wolf was mad again and suggested going to a fair together. 
  • Pig went without the wolf, again, but the wolf saw him there, so the pig hid in a butter churn and rolled down a hill. These animals are weird tbh.
  • Finally, the wolf gave up and said he would eat the pig and decided to get into the house through the chimney. 
    • Pig boiled the wolf and ate him instead. 


Bibliography
The Story of the Three Little Pigs from English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs

Apr 15, 2018

Tech Tip: Canvas Dashboard

Honestly, I have to say I like Canvas over the old D2L. I know I am not exactly in the majority for this, but it is so easy to use. The dashboard makes everything so convenient, with everything in the same place. At the start of every semester, I change the colors on my classes so they are all a variant of the same color. For example, this semester, I have it is varying shades of grey, and last semester, I had it in varying shades of blue. I do this so it looks nice but each class is still separate from each other. I don't know if people realize they can even change the color overlays or remove them on the dashboard. If you use the Canvas app, the dashboard will even show you the current grade you have in every class. I really appreciate this because my grades have me stressed all the time, so I like to be on top of them. Finally, you don't even need to have all your classes on your dashboard. Only care about one? Hide the others. I would never do that though, my anxiety forbids it. Or even change it so it just shows recent activity. Honestly, it is pretty versatile.

Apr 12, 2018

Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales Part B

Cottage from Wikimedia

Brewery of Eggshells

  • Place of Strife (Twt y Cwmrws)
  • Man and wife with their twins lived there
  • Wife had to leave her twins for a day.
    • She saw old elves with blue petticoats
    • rushed home to see if her twins were okay and they were
    • Over time, noticed the twins didn't grow
  • Husband claims the twins aren't their real twins
  • This is the strife that the house is named after... the husband and wife fighting
  • Wise Man of Llandiloes
    • wife went to him for advice
  • "When you are getting dinner for the reapers, clear out the shell of a hen's egg and boil some potage in it, and then take it to the door as if you meant it as a dinner for the reapers. Then listen if the twins say anything. If you hear them speaking of things beyond the understanding of children, go back and take them up and throw them into the waters of Lake Ebyr. But if you don't hear anything remarkable, do them no injury."
  • She threw those babies into a lake cuz they weren't hers. Stone cold. 
  • Elves returned her children in exchange for their own.



Bibliography
Brewery of Eggshells from Changeling Legends from the British Isles by Dan Ashliman

Apr 11, 2018

Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales Part A

Well from Pixabay

The Horned Women

  • Someone comes to the door, demanding it be open
    • the person is Witch of one Horn
  • Both the women are carding wool
    • What does this mean? Look it up later
  • Horned women talks of other women, and then they show up
  • Next women has two horns, also starts to spin wool
  • This goes on 12 times total, each adding one horn
  • None talk to the actual mistress of the house, just like.... taking up space in her home. Who does that? Just goes into someone's place and starts a wool spinning club?
  • Mistress is paralyzed with a spell cast by the horned women
  • They are using her as a servant it seems. They speak Irish.
  • Some voice helped her repair her jug.
  • "Return, and when thou comest to the north angle of the house, cry aloud three times and say, 'The mountain of the Fenian women and the sky over it is all on fire.'"
    • This call hurt the horned women
  • Voice helps the woman enchant her house so the horned women can't come back
  • Had to do a series of things to restore the home.


Bibliography
The Horned Women from Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs

Apr 5, 2018

Week 11 Story: The Yellow Bird and the Red Coyote

Coyote from Pexels

There once was a pretty yellow bird who was surrounded by other pretty yellow birds all day long. While he could appreciate his own beauty, he was bored with the same old, same old. Once day he and his best friend, another little yellow bird, were perched on a little branch in a tall, narrow tree.

"Say, why do you think it is that we are all yellow?" he asked his friend. "I've never seen another color bird in my life. Surely there are other colored birds."

"I've never thought about it before," his friend replied. "I do love being yellow though! Isn't it just the best color?" he piped in a singsong voice. The bird examined his friend and could see that he truly meant it; he loved being yellow.

At that point, the bird started to think something was wrong with him. Why did he feel so blue about being the color yellow? At that thought, a light bulb metaphorically popped up above his head. Maybe blue was more his color.

Per chance, there happened to be a coyote prowling below the tree where the two little birds sat. She was hunting some other prey, but became interested in the conversation between the yellow birds. She started to ask herself a similar question. Why was she red? She'd like to be a different color too.

"Hey, little bird!" she howled from the base of the tree.

"Yes?" he responded in a tiny voice. Usually talking with coyotes was a sure sign of trouble to come. They were a predator who hunted the yellow birds.

"You've made me consider why I am the color I am. Why don't we go find a way for us to change colors together?" she asked sincerely. She could protect the little bird, and the bird could use his flying to help scope out ways to change color.

After pondering it for some time, the bird agreed. He said his goodbyes to his friend, and before sunset, the coyote and the yellow bird were on their way.

Around three days into the trip, the coyote and the yellow bird happened to come across a wise old tortoise. They told the tortoise of their adventure, and to their surprise, the tortoise knew of a way the two could change color. He had heard of a lake, just two days across the hill, that had magical abilities. If they bathed in it three times a day, for a week, while singing a special song, they could change into any color they so desired.

After hearing this wonderful piece of news, the yellow bird and the coyote set out for the lake. Once they found the lake, the did as they were instructed. Within a week, they could feel the magical powers of the lake finally filling them with confidence. When they stepped out of the lake for the final time, the yellow bird was missing his feathers and the coyote was missing her fur.

"What do we do now, little bird?" the coyote asked nervously. What if their fur and feathers didn't grow back?

"Well, now we think hard about what color we want to be of course!" he replied with confidence. At that, the bird wished to be blue and the coyote wished to be grey. They wished as hard as they could, with their eyes squeezed shut.

When they opened their eyes, they were pleased with what they saw. The bird was now a magnificent royal blue and the coyote was a cool dusty grey. Having got what they wanted, they went their separate ways. The bird returned home, met with fame over his new color, and the coyote went back to prowling, with greater success now that she blended in with the brush.



Author's note: This story is heavily based on the story How Bluebird and Coyote Got Their Colors. The original is rather short, lacking many concrete details. Before, the bird turns blue first after bathing four times a day for four days in this magical lake while singing a song. The coyote wants to be blue too, and follows the ritual the bird described, but when he went on his way, he fell into dirt and the blue color was lost. In my version, I changed it so that the bird is yellow, rather than some ugly color. He is beautiful already! But he wants more. I also made the coyote a girl, purely so pronouns would get mixed up. I am kind of bad with ambiguous pronouns (lol). Then, I had them go on this color changing adventure together. Also, they desire to be different colors. Basically, I made the story a lot longer and changed a few key details. But it is mostly the same story. Also, forgive me if the coyote picture is of a male. I have no idea how to tell (lol), just pretend she is a girl. Also, is it even a coyote? I kept finding wolf pictures. Ugh, I don't know wild life very well.



Bibliography
How Bluebird and Coyote Got Their Colors from Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson (1912)

Reading Notes Half Unit: Southwestern and California Legends

Western Bluebird from Wikimedia

How Bluebird and Coyote Got Their Colors

  • Bird starts out an ugly color
  • Found an isolated lake to bath in multiple times a day while singing a magic song
    • There's a blue water. It lies there. I went in. I am all blue.
  • The fourth day, Bluebird no longer has feathers. 
  • The fifth day, the feathers regrow blue.
  • Coyote has been watching the bluebird.
    • wanted to eat the bird but is now mesmerized by its color
  • Bird teaches the coyote how to bath in the lake and sing the song
  • Coyote is now blue just like the bird
  • Became so vain that he got distracted and fell in dirt. Now coyotes are dirt colored.


Bibliography
How Bluebird and Coyote Got Their Colors from Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson (1912)

Apr 2, 2018

Tech Tip: Canvas Calendar

Okay, I am going to preface this post by saying that I am horrible at managing my time. I procrastinate at all times and cannot for the life of me do things when I am supposed to.

2018 Calendar from Pixabay

With that being said, I heavily rely on the Canvas calendar. I love how it tells me when things are due. Without it, I would forget to turn in assignments all the time. Every day, I check it on my phone using the Canvas Mobile App.

I also use it for some personal things. I put my own little events into it, so I don't forget to do things on my own time as well. I am in a sorority, so I often put my sorority's events into my Canvas calendar. This way, when I am looking at my to-do list to reduce my procrastinator's anxiety, I can also see the things I need to do outside of school. This constantly saves me. I don't know why I am so forgetful.

Outside of Canvas, I don't use any kind of planner or calendar. This is the peak of my organization. I know a lot of people benefit from using a physical planner, but this is the best bet for myself.