Week 14 Story: A New Partnership

(Image Information: Report Card

Amboo Who Source: Flickr)

Two girls in their Organic Chemistry class had not done well on their past exam. They decided to go visit the professor during office hours but little did they know they would walk out forming a new partnership. While walking out, one of the girls, Ally,  asked, "Okay, so let's make study guides for the next exam and share them over a Google Drive?" The other girl, Anna, replied, "Sure, and I'll even make practice questions that might help prepare!"

This plan was followed, and it was 2 weeks before the exam. Both girls had already created a study guide, practice questions, and even uploaded handwritten notes. They both had every desire to pass this next test with an A. Anna and Ally walked out of class that day, and Anna asked, "So, when do you want to study together?" 

Ally hesitantly replied, "Well, see, I have to go to my parent's house this weekend. It's my mom's birthday. But, you could keep the stuff that you prepare for the exam in the drive! I'll take a look at it." Anna had no idea that Ally was actually just making up an excuse to go study with a different group of people. 

Ally avoided Anna the whole weekend and studied with another group. This group had an old test file for the upcoming exam, and Ally knew she needed to have a copy in order to do well on this next exam. 

Anna and Ally met up after class the next week. Anna said, "So, I don't think the SN1 and SN2 reaction mechanisms will be asked on the test." Ally, having seen an old test file replied, "You know, I actually think we should know it. I heard it would be on the test for sure." 

Confused by how Ally was so confident with her answer, Anna replied, "Well, alright. I will make sure to upload my handwritten notes about those tonight. Want to study together tomorrow?"

Ally hesitantly replied, "Uhhh, well. I have to go to my friend's birthday dinner tomorrow night. So, I don't think I'll be able to study. But, you go on ahead. I'll just take a look at what you put in the drive."

Ally had overheard a separate group earlier that day talk about how they had a more recent test file. Hearing about this, Ally made arrangements to study with them the next day. Ally was going to do anything she could to do well on the next test. 

After class later that week, Anna asked, "So, how was your friend's birthday?" 

"Oh, it was, you know. Just like any other birthday dinner," replied Ally. 

"Well, hey, I was looking through the notes and I doubt the professor will ask any questions about E1 or E2 mechanisms," said Anna. 

"Uhh.. you know, I think I heard that this test actually will. I mean it's such a common mechanism," said Ally. 

Confused again as to Ally's weird tone in her response, Anna began to think something was going on. "How do you happen to be so sure about what's going to be on this test? Do you old test files?" asked Anna. 

"Yes, I do. Doesn't mean I have to share them with you," said Ally.

Disbelief was shown all over Anna's face. Anna worked long and hard to create all that was in the Google Drive, thinking that Ally would be her partner in studying. Instead, Ally was selfish about her own grade and just used other resources to gain her own grade. You see, that is the way of the world. 

Author's Note: In the original story, "Cat and Mouse in Partnership", a cat and a mouse become acquainted and decide to get a pot of fat for the upcoming winter. They knew it would be long and hard, so they decided to share it and wait to eat it. However, the cat got greedy and started eating the fat before time even came to eat it. Every time the cat went out to go eat the fat from the pot, the cat made an excuse as to why he was leaving the mouse. He would say that he was going to visit his godchildren, and upon his return, would tell the mouse the new god child's name as a result of how much fat he ate from the pot (e.g. Half-Gone, All-Gone, etc). The mouse caught on that the names of the godchildren were actually representing how much the cat had eaten from the pot. Winter had arrived, all the fat was gone, and the mouse was in shock. The cat told the mouse not to utter another word, and ate the mouse. In my story, I decided to take a modern approach with studying and showing how the same greed can be represented among students trying to make good grades.

Bibliography: Dan Ashliman's Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales Reading Guide

Week 11 Storytelling: Dirty-Girl

(Image Information: Wedding Party

The Smithsonian Institution Source: Flickr)

The people of the Great Plains were one of the richest. They lived in in a large camp full of crops and machinery to conduct business. However, there was a problem. There were more men than women in this area. It was time for the chief's two sons to be married, but there were no suitable women. Many women were already taken, and those that were left were not of appeal to the chief's sons. 

Sun and Star, who were brother and sister, were noticing the problem. Sun said to his sister, "These two boys are struggling to find their future wives. Maybe we should go down there and help them." With this, Star agreed, and the two dressed and went down to Earth. 

One night, two women came to the camp. Both looked as if they had been traveling for days. They had ripped clothes and a sack on their backs. Sun and Star sent these two poor women. They needed a place to spend the night, so the two of them slept on the ground of the camp until morning arrived.

When morning came, the chief's wife noticed these two men on the ground and went to her husband to report her findings. "My dear husband, two poor women have arrived on our campgrounds. They are sleeping on the ground. Should we help them?" asked the chief's wife. 

"Let me speak to them," said the chief. 

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"What has brought you both here?" asked the chief.

The older sister replied, "Well, we have come from our old campgrounds. Everyone was killed in a fire. We were only to escape. We come with treasures that could be saved from the fire in order to pay you for your hospitality."

"Do not worry. You may stay here. But, you must contribute to our campgrounds businesses. Find a place to work, and I will house you here," said the chief.

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Days had passed and the two women were now a part of this society. One afternoon, the chief called all single women to the center of the campgrounds for a brief meeting.

"Hello everyone. I come with you today a challenge. My two sons are seeking wives and in order to settle who should marry them, I have set out the next two days for contests to prove your abilities to be one of their wives."

The two poor women decided this might be a chance to prove their worth. For they had lost everything, and while they did not have a family or riches, they knew they could be the best wives the chief's sons could ever marry.

The two sisters looked at each other and decided they would compete. 

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Day 1 had arrived. The chief began to gather all of the potential wives and began explaining the first-day contest rules.

"Today, you all will be making a cooked meal for my two sons. You will be judged on presentation and taste. Your dishes will also be given a comparison to my wife's cooking. These two men will be looking for the women who can cook like their mother. Please bring your dishes by sundown."

The women ran back to their kitchens and began cooking. The two sisters had luckily been housed by the chief, so they had been eating the chief's wife's cooking for the past few days they had arrived. The two sisters began making all they had eaten while at their time here. This was going to be an easy win.

What these two women didn't know was that the sons had already had their desires to be with the chief's friend's daughters. These two daughters also really knew the cooking of the son's mother due to being invited to several dinners. 

Sundown had arrived and the women brought their dishes. The two sons began tasting, and a decision was made. 

"Thank you, everyone, for your dishes. They were all very good. However, there are 4 women who are going to proceed to tomorrow's contests," said the chief.

The chief announced that the two poor women and the two daughters of his friend were moving onto the next day's contest.

Before parting, the chief announced the next day's contest.

"The two women who can weave a basket with the best design will be the ones to marry my sons," said the chief. 

Excited to hear about this, all 4 women left to sleep and prepare for the next day. 

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The next day arrived and having already known the challenge the women began to weave.

People around the campgrounds began to gossip about who they think would win.

"Haha, those poor women do not have a chance. I doubt they have had any practice weaving," said one. 

"You are right. Those poor women don't have a chance against the other two women. We have all known all along that those two were the ones made for the chief's sons," said another. 

Sundown came and was time to face the decisions made by the chiefs and his sons. 

"While it was a hard decision to make. I stand before you today to announce that the newcomers of our campgrounds will now be wedded to my sons. These women have proved themselves to be the best caretakers and will contribute great success to the businesses of this campground with the skills they have," said the chief. 

The people of the campground were shocked. How could these two poor, filthy women be the winners? 

The two sons began to read the expressions held by the people around them and realized this decision had shocked everyone. The older son stood up to speak and said, "Now, I can see that many of you are surprised. But, we must think about how we got to be one of the most successful camps in the Plains. We did not judge each other. We supported each other. These two women here have proved themselves, and we know the future of our people will be in great hands with these two women as our wives. We mustn't judge from the outside."

People began to see what the elder son was saying, and over time, began accepting the two women. The people of the Great Plains became the most successful, and the past of the two poor women did not matter. They were in a better place now. They had a family. This was their home. 

Author's Note: This story was based on the Native American Hero tale titled "Dirty-Boy" where a poor grandmother and her grandson arrive at a campsite and the chief's daughter eventually marries him. I decided to change the gender roles and made it where the sons were looking for women to marry. The original story had one daughter marry against the chief's will and the other daughter married the "dirty-boy", but in this story, I had two poor women arrived and the two sons marry both of the "dirty-girl". The contests used for story involved the roles that most Native American women must have played at this time in this story - cooking, taking care of a family, and involved with making clothes, baskets, and jewelry. 

Bibliography: Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson Reading Guide 

Week 9 Story: Tinder Gone Wrong

                                      

(Image Information: Man Proposing to Woman

Clkr-Free-Vector-Images Source: Pixabay)

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Bill was one of the most successful Senior students from the University of Texas. He was top of his class, was on UT's Homecoming Court, and won the admiration of all faculty and students. All the people he met wanted to be his friend.

Bill began to ponder about his college career, and how he never took the time to really invest time in finding someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. On a whim, Bill decided to download Tinder and see if this would be a step towards achieving the one thing he never has: love. 

It was a Thursday night in the town of Austin, and Bill decided to take a night out with his friends. Before going out, Bill decided to take time to swipe on Tinder. A girl by the name of Cassie popped up. Bill swiped right, and to his surprise, Cassie had already swiped right as well. 

"Hey, are you going out tonight?" questioned Cassie.

"Yes, we're heading to the local bar on Main Street. You should come" said Bill.

"Sounds great!" said Cassie. 

They had met at the bar, and had a great time. Before Cassie left for the night, Bill had asked Cassie for her number. Smiling, Cassie gave him her number. 

A few days passed by, and Bill realized that he might really like a girl for the first time. Bill began to go out of his way for Cassie - bring her Starbucks, offer to drive her wherever she needed to, made plans and paid for every meal they shared. Cassie began to enjoy the treatment, but for her, this was all a way to have fun. 

"Would you like to go to a movie with me tonight?" asked Bill.

"Of course!" said Cassie.

"Listen Cassie, I really like you and would love to see our relationship grow into something more. Would you like to be my girlfriend?"

"Oh, wow Bill. I'm sorry, but I've never liked you like that this whole time. I thought we were just friends?" said Cassie.

Crushed, and heartbroken by what Cassie had said, Bill came up with an excuse to not attend the party. He realized that this was all a mistake. He should not have thought that Tinder would be a great way to find a life partner. 

Never have expectations when trying to date a stranger, no matter if they swiped right, too.

Author's Note: I decided to take a more modern take on the Nigerian Folktale "Of The Pretty Stranger Who Killed the King". In the original story, a successful man is envied by several of his hometown people. They get a witch to disguise herself as a pretty woman and lure the man into marrying her. She eventually kills him, and the whole town is in disbelief. In my story, I decided to take a modern take where I show how Tinder may not be the best choice when expecting to meet your life partner. Bill learns that just swiping right on a person, and spending time with them doesn't mean that something serious will become of it. Everyone has their own motives with Tinder. 

Bibliography: "Folk Stories from Southern Nigeria" by Elphinstone Dayrell Reading Guide Part A

Week 2 Story: Love Has No Boundaries

(Image Information: Love Knows No Bounds

Andrew Mager Source: Flickr)

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A girl once fell in love with a boy.

She admired the way he laughed, and he admired the way she smiled.

The way they were able to understand each other, making loving each other that much easier.

Every day was a new adventure.

She would learn something new about him.

He would learn something new about her.

There was not a day that went by that they weren't together.

As they grew older, the relationship became even more special.

She could tell someone all of his bad habits.

He could tell someone all of her favorite movies.

The day had arrived. 

The day that girls always dream about.

The day a girl is asked to marry the guy of her dreams.

While the boy could have gone straight to the girl,

the boy visited the girl's father.

Approaching the house, the boy was ready to the girl's father for her daughter's hand in marriage.

As he arrived at the door, he told the girl's parents his desire to marry their daughter.

At last, the father said, "You both are completely different religions. My daughter will not be able to live the life we intended for her and her future family if she marries someone that is not within our religion." 

The boy expressed his desire to be with the girl and said he would do anything to be with her. His love for her mattered the most. He vowed to convert to the same religion in order to marry the father's daughter. The boy left intending to return to marry their daughter.

When the boy came back again to the parents of the girl, he told them that he had decided to convert to the same religion. He had no objections. The only thing he wanted was to marry their daughter. They simply smiled and said, "We are sorry. We still cannot accept this marriage proposal. You may ask to marry her, but she will not accept, as we have told her we would not be accepting this marriage. "

Love has no boundaries. 

Author's Note: I decided to emulate the same style that Aeosep did in his lion fable titled "The Lion in Love". I wanted to express a simple message just as Aesop did in his fable regarding love. While I know that in Aesop's fable the message was about a lion loving a girl, I did a more 21st century take away message about a girl and a guy loving each other, but from completely different religions. I kept it very vague, so readers could come up with their own perception of the characters. I also put the takeaway message in italics at the end as a closing, just as Aesop did in his fable. 

Bibliography: "The Lion in Love" from Aesop's Fables: The Lion by Joseph Jacobs. Web source.