Reading Notes: King Arthur, Part A

King Arthur Unit from King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang

I have always wanted to hear of how the Round Table became. What a delight.

This story differs from the Disney movie in the way that Arthur's step-family actually loved him and did not make him do all their dirty dishes.

I did not know that Merlin was buried alive.. I also had no clue who Morgan was.

Arthur's is an engaging story. A story written about this unit would need to include either a knight of the round table spin-off or another encounter with Morgan Le Fay.

Caption: Not Excalibur, just the sword in the stone. (They are different)

Link: https://www.sydneyvapour.com.au/top-shelf-e-liquid/kings-castle-premium-e-juice/excalibur

Reading Notes: Native American Hero Tales, Part B

The Native American Hero Tales Unit from Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson.

I wanted to yell at the father of the Thrown-Away boys to just stop telling them where not to go!

I liked the Jealous Father story the best in this selection. The family ties really didn't run very deep in this culture, did they? Or, if they did, they certainly liked to speak on times when a family wanted to kill each other.

A story based upon this reading could involve a semi-hero as these stories did. They were not perfect, however, they got the job done. He could be a hero of himself.

Caption: I am the hero. White Cloud, Son.

Link: https://www.nga.gov/education/teachers/lessons-activities/heroes-heroines/white-cloud.html

Reading Notes: Hero Tales, Part A

The Native American Hero Tales Unit from Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson.

As most Native American prose, a story based upon these tales would have a narrator so as to be orally told easily.

My favorite story to read from this section is the first: Unnatural Uncle. He killed his poor nephews, and no one did anything about it. This must have been accepted then if no one liked it but also did nothing about it. He spoke at the end that he was chief, so maybe that had something to do with it.

A story based upon this would be an obvious murder without mystery. Perhaps this time the wife would kill all girls, or maybe there would be some sort of explanation for the behavior of all involved.

Caption: They Dressed Him as a Girl So His Uncle Would Not Kill Him

Link: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/569986896567468781/?lp=true

Reading Notes: Native American Marriage Tales, Part B

Native American Marriage Tales Unit from Tales of the North American Indians an anthology by Stith Thompson.

I'm afraid, after reading these tales, that the Native Americans encouraged beastiality (intercourse between a human and an animal). The family of a girl who lay with a dog only left when she was pregnant by the dog.. so strange.

My favorite story in this Unit is the True Bride. She was coincidentally lucky to have such kind random estranged brothers. My favorite line: "She asked her to spit, but instead of gold she spat a bad-smelling toe-nail. She told her not to spit again."

A story based on this Unit would be a mixture of this and Cinderella and maybe you could throw in a few more brothers for the fun of it. Or you could retell the story based upon what the haughty step-sister thought.

Caption: Her Favorite Dog, Spióola

Link: https://www.pinterest.com/istanbul408/henry-justice-ford-british-painter-1860-1941/?lp=true

Reading Notes: Native American Marriage Tales, Part A

Native American Marriage Tales Unit from Tales of the North American Indians an anthology by Stith Thompson.

I chose this unit because I am recently married, and because it reminds me of the Disney movie Big Brother II.

In these stories people just happen to pop in and out of animal-ness, injuries result in new people, and dead people don't have to stay dead. Very strange way to cope with death. It seems to have been effective for the people. 

A story told based off of these stories will be an "explanation" for something no one who does not believe in God can attest to knowing fully. It will have animals. This story can be told in first person, but most likely to aid in retelling, it will be told by a narrator. 

Caption: Be My Bear Wife Please

Link: http://www.indigenouspeople.net/bear.htm

Reading Notes: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Part G

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

This is the LAST section of the Wonderful Wizard of Oz much to my dismay. It is a lovely book that would be a great addition to a literary library read to children. 

Here is where they finally meet Glinda, the Good Witch of the South. The book does not specifically state whether Glinda and the Good Witch of the North spoke to one another often. It does make sense to me that the directors of The Wizard of Oz the movie would merge these two characters into one for clarity and to lower the character count. 

Glinda wants the magic of the winged monkeys, and Dorothy replies that she will gladly give her the hat if she will help her home. This is funny, because all Glinda wants to use the hat for is to get the other three in the party home as well. Very clever Baum.

And all along, the magic silver shoes on Dorothy's feet could have carried her all the way across the desert. Too bad the Good Witch of the North did not enlighten her about that coincidence. 

Dorothy still have to knock the heels three times, but now she can go anywhere. This is so important, because it means that she will be able to travel back to Oz whenever she pleases! OH, just kidding. The shoes fell off Dorothy's feet. 

However, when she got home for the first time in ages, a new home built by Uncle Henry was waiting for her. How sweet. 

This story was made May 15, 1900. Wow.

Caption: She LOST the Silver Shoes! How will she return?

Link: https://archive.org/stream/wonderfulwizardo00baumiala#page/n307/mode/2up

Reading Notes: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Part G

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

Almost to the land of the Quadlings! The forest between the team and the Land of the Quadlings was not a treacherous as I had thought it would be. I suppose there are only so many adventures one can tell about while on a quest. They were met by some Hammerheads on a hill right before their destination who gave the team a good bit of trouble.

This is something that I like about Baum's storytelling. The land of Oz gives him constant creative freedom. He can come up with new characters whenever he pleases. 

This happens to be the last time Dorothy can call the winged monkeys. I'm not sure why she couldn't just give the hat to another character. Then they could have had multiple uses of the monkeys. This is a plot hole. 

But the monkeys get the team to the land of the Quadlings all safe and sound much to the displeasure of the Hammerheads.

Caption: The Strange Hammerheads

Link: https://archive.org/stream/wonderfulwizardo00baumiala#page/242/mode/2up

Image by W. W. Denslow

Reading Notes: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Part F

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

Now has come the time for the Lion to show his newfound "courage" given to him by the wizard. I had forgotten to mention, the wizard just mixed together a few things to have the Lion drink that weren't really magical. It was just a placebo and the Lion believed it. He of course had the courage the whole time. The place they came to was murky, but the Lion seemed to find it very agreeable as compared to the other characters. Here is the "If iiiiI, were Kinnnnng, of the ForRESSSST." They defeat a giant, animal eating, spiderlike creature to claim the now Brave Lion's kingdom. It seriously only took a half of a page to defeat. As in, it only took him a paragraph to defeat. Maybe there was something in that potion after all...

Caption: The Animals Crowing the Lion King of the Forest

Link: https://archive.org/stream/wonderfulwizardo00baumiala#page/238/mode/2up

Image by W. W. Denslow

Reading Notes: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Part E

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

The china land is all rainbows and sunshine. The colors, which must have been very important to Baum for he mentions them often, are describes as pinks and blues and purples and golds and silvers. There are even some little china dogs and cats and cows. The people, being china, are also as delicate as china. A cow kicked and broke its whole leg off! I missed a part in there with a princess because some of the pages are missing from the book above. Most likely due to the age of the story. Poor china people, though. If they are taken from their country, they become statues and no better than little figurines who cannot talk or move. I believe a story written about these characters would be so fun to write. The antagonist could be an antique collector who has figured out a way to travel to Oz and back to carry away the little china people in their sleep!

Caption: Climbing Over the China Wall

Link: http://oz.wikia.com/wiki/China_Country

Reading Notes: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Part D

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

After Oz, the Great and Powerful Humbug, left in the balloon (much like the movie), the characters were now left with a dilemma. How is Dorothy to get home now? Unlike the movie, however, Glinda the Good Witch of the South (not North) does not come in to rescue quite yet. The characters actually have to travel to her. This is where the attacking trees come in. They only shake the travelers instead of throwing apples at them. Then they come to the China country. I find it satisfying that this is a real place that the newest movie brings to life. 

Caption: The keepers of the forest 

Link: http://storyberries.com/the-wonderful-wizard-of-oz/

Reading Notes: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Part C

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

The thing about this book is that, unlike the movie, the climax of the book is not Dorothy defeating the wicked witch of the West. She does still go on to see the wizard (who is actually from Omaha, Nebraska). Oz is actually the one who had the Emerald City built and named. The people were so scared of him that they did whatever he said to do. He is a great showman, and a story written about him would be very dramatic. I do think the new movie about Oz did him some credit as a character.

Caption: The Wizard of Oz - Humbug

Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizard_of_Oz_(character)