Reading Notes: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Part B

Notes: 

The second half of the book explains who the Wicked Witch of the West is and how she came to have so much power. It also introduces the Winkies: the Witch's slave minions who are too afraid of her to revolt. In this half, the golden hat gives the wearer power to have the flying monkey's do their bidding three times. There is also a sad story included that dives into why the flying monkeys have to do anyone's bidding at all. It's a new part that is not included in the Wizard of Oz movie. 

Caption: Little Dorothy Using the Monkeys for the First Time

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winged_monkeys

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Bibliography: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

Week 7 Story: Brer Donkey Takes the Fence

One of dem days, Brer Donkey wuz kiken in de wu'ds w'en he saw ther' wuz a fence. He never'd sen de fence befo', en he saw der wuz de preetius' flowr's en gress to et o'er it.

Dat fence wuz nuttin' but sticks en yern, en Brer Donkey rekn'd he might be eble to kik it dern. He kik'd it one time. He kik'd it two times. Nuttin hapn'd. 

Right 'bout den, ole Brer Rabbit hop'd up. "Howdy, Brer Donkey! Watch'a try'na do der?"

Brer Donkey wuz puzzl'd en say, sezee: "I wan'a et de preety gress o'er yond'r dat fence, but I dunner how ter kik it dern." Brer Rabbit tho't en tho't, en as Brer Donkey wuz a fren en n'er hed tri'd te et Brer Rabbit, he tho't he might help 'im out.

Brer Rabbit say, "Brer Donkey, do yer see dem yern's ti'en up dem posts? Dem ones wit der ends frey'd," sezee. 

"I do, I well 'nuf do Brer Rabbit. What say yer help'n out a fren en knaw'n off a lil' bit of dat for me," said Brer Donkey, sezee.

Brer Rabit tho't that shur'ly the yern wud hurt hims teeth, but tho't it may be worth the eff'rt for a fren. "I will sheur 'nuf if only you breng me back to my home after yer dun. We heve a deal, Brer Donkey?"

"Shur' 'nuf, Brer Rabbit," says Brer Donkey, sezee. Brer Rabbit got right on dem yern clipp'ns, en soon 'nuf dey wuz on de ground. Brer Donkey brey'd, "Thenk ya, kindl'y Brer Rabbit. Yer a wonderful fren." Brer Donkey kik'd de lest of de fence down to de ground, prenced o'er en et and et 'til he wernt gonna et no mo. Den bimeby, he took Brer Rabbit as promis'd back to de Brer Rabbit Hol'. 

The little boy asked sleepily, "Is that how the story ends, Uncle Remus? No sneaky ideas from Brer Rabbit? Brer Donkey just took him home?"

Uncle Remus said, "Wel' lil' boy, don'chu 'no? Re'l frens don bre'k a deal wid a nudder re'l fren."

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Bibliography: Brer Rabbit I by Joel Chandler Harris

Picture Caption: Brer Donkey Dream'n uv Dem Flowr's

Link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3559630/Dogs-bunnies-TIGER-sniff-spring-flowers-photos-guaranteed-make-smile.html

Author's Note: This story is loosely based upon the collection of stories in the Brer Rabbit I unit by Joel Chandler Harris. His stories feature the dialect of the African/African Americans of the south in North America. The words embody a way in which to hear the words even though they are written and not spoken. Also, many of the characters in the stories are mischievous, and can rarely get along. I felt like this story could be one in which Brer Donkey and Brer Donkey could get along. They are not out to eat each other. Brer Donkey was just hungry for "gress" and Brer Rabbit merely asked for a ride home for his troubles. 

Reading Notes: Brer Rabbit I, Part B

Bibliography: Brer Rabbit I by Joel Chandler Harris

Caption: Brer B'ar (Right), Brer Rabbit (Left)

Link

Notes: 

Many of the stories told by Uncle Remus include some wisdom. This wisdom is sort of like the Aesop Fable snippets. They go along with the story, and refer mostly to the fools who get tricked. The stories also remind me of a grown-up Winnie the Pooh. All the animals interact: they are friends in some stories, and they are trying to eat each other in other stories. 

In this section, I actually like the Mr. Terrapin Shows His Strength. Brer Terrapin (turtle). If I was to write a story about this section, I would base it off of this story and then add a wisdom snippet to it.

Reading Notes: Brer Rabbit I, Part A

Bibliography: Brer Rabbit I by Joel Chandler Harris

Caption: Brer Rabbit (Left), Brer Fox (Right)

Link: https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/uncle-remus-and-brer-rabbit-kindle-edition-free-download-amazon-2611932

Notes:

Main Characters: Brer Rabbit, Brer Fox, and other Brer (insert animal name)

The Britannica Encyclopedia says brer is actually just a contraction for brother. Link.

The Oxford Dictionary online says the same. Link.

Since this folktale story collection is written in a "speak as you would read" dialect, a good story based upon these stories could be written with the same speech. Also, since most of the stories either mention or include Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox, a good story could be safely written with them as the main characters. It would not be too far fetched to add in a new Brer character like Brer Bear (this is what Disney did in their movie Song of the South). 

For this particular story, it would not be very hard to think up a plot, but it would be difficult to pick up the dialect in word form.