Storytelling Week 12: The Bridge to Heaven

"Good morning, class, please have a seat."
"Good morning, Mrs. Myers."

"Kids, gather round. I want to tell you a story about chasing a dream."
"What is the story called?" said Sally.
"It's called The Bridge to Heaven."

"The story begins with a little boy about your age. He was a very sad little boy," said Mrs. Myers.
"Why was he so sad?"asked Sally.

"Well, Sally, this boy had lost both of his parents in a car accident when he was a baby and was now living in foster care. This boy had a dream. He wanted to see his parents again. One night while he was sleeping, an angel came to his bed and said, 'God has heard your prayers, sweet child. But it will not be easy. Here is what you must do,' and the angel proceeded to tell the boy that he needed to build a bridge to heaven to see his parents again."
"But, Mrs. Myers, that's impossible. How can he build that bridge?" asked Sally.

"Oh, Sally, you ask so many questions, haha. The boy had to find a lot of bricks. He would go to the empty lot next to the foster home and steal bricks from there. As soon as he touched the bricks, they became invisible, so no one would know what he was doing. He also turned invisible while he worked on the bridge."
"Wow," said the whole class in unison.

"He worked on building the bridge for fifteen years. He was twenty when he finally finished it. He was ready to climb the bridge to see his family again. So he climbed for two days and two nights until finally he saw a bright light and a big shiny golden gate. He went to the gate and knocked, 'Excuse me, are my parents here? May I please see them?' the boy said. 'Who are you?' asked the guard. 'I don't know. My parents died when I was so young. I forgot who I really am. That is why I am here to meet them. I want to find out who I am,' replied the boy."
"Did the boy get to meet his parents?" asked Jim.

"Yes, he did. He parents came outside the golden gates and talked with him for many days. He learned a lot of things by talking to his parents. He learned his dad was a scientist and his mom was a heart doctor. They laughed and they cried. But the most important moment for the boy came when his dad said, 'Son, you didn't need us to know who you are. You have known all along who you are. Look at this bridge you built! Look at this big dream you chased, son. You are a dreamer. Go back to earth and chase another dream.' So the boy went back to earth, and he began working to help other kids who had lost parents like he had."

*Ring*

"Okay, kids, time for lunch."

The kids ran out of the room like wild animals. Then Mr. Sim came into Mrs. Myers' room. "Why do you always tell the kids that story?"
"I want them to know that nothing is impossible. All too often we try to tell them what they cannot do. I want them to know that the only thing that defines them is themselves."

Author's Note:
Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I really had a lot of fun writing this one. This story is based off the story of the bridge to Lanka from the Ramayana. Crossing the water to Lanka seemed like an impossible task for Rama, but then he was told that a monkey named Nala could make rocks float. So, they were able to build the bridge and cross the water. I refer to this story in two ways: the bridge and the impossibility of the task. I also wanted to focus on dreaming big because I honestly believe people have stopped chasing their dreams. I personally wish people would never stop chasing them. My mom always told me that I could be anything I wanted to be, and I believe her. Building a bridge to heaven to see a loved one really is an impossible task, but luckily in stories we can do the impossible. Unlike the story of the Bridge to Lanka, my character had no help building his bridge. I wanted to show the main character as strong and independent. I also chose a story time setting because I felt like it was an ideal way to share the deeper message of my story. So that is the inspiration behind my story.

Bibliography:
Ramayana by Buck. 1976.

Image Information:
Heaven

Storytelling Week 13: The Story of How I Made it Rain

*Ten years earlier*

"Hey, Ted, what are you doing, buddy?"
"I'm dancing, Marshall!" Ted replied, continuing to make dance moves the resembled a dying chicken.
"Bro, why are you dancing on the roof of our apartment?"
"Because Robin can't go on the office camping trip."
"Why not, Ted?"
"Because if she goes on that trip she will date that loser, Sandy Rivers, and I can't have that. I love her Marshall!"
"But why are you dancing?"
"I'm gonna make it rain!"

*Present day*

"Let me explain, kids. I was in love with your Aunt Robin for a long time. Sandy Rivers had just asked Robin on a date, but I told her I loved her, again. Robin was going to have to go on that date with Sandy Rivers as long as they still had their company camping trip. If it rained, then they wouldn't have the trip. So I was doing a traditional rain dance to stop the rain."
"Dad, that's stupid," Said Ted's daughter.
"But at the time I felt like a warrior fighting for true love."

*Ten years earlier*

"Ted, you look stupid."
"Thanks, Marshall."
"Why do you think you can make it rain?"
"Well, I read a book called the Ramayana the other day, and let me say it was a great read. The plot line is so deep and the characters..."
"Ted, just get to the point." Marshall replied, cutting Ted off.
"Oh yeah, anyway, there was this big battle between Ravana and Rama because Ravana had stolen Rama's wife Sita. And at a point in the battle, Ravana did a dance under the stars to cause a wind storm. So I figured, if Ravana can do it, so can I."

*Present day*

"Oh dad..." Both of the kids lowered their faces and shook their heads.

*Ten years earlier*

"Oh Ted..." Marshall replied while lowering his face and shaking his head.
Ted ignored him and kept dancing.
"Ted, you really don't think those stories are true, do you? I mean come one, buddy? If you just watch the weather report you'd know there is absolutely no chance it is going to rain today."
"I know that, Marshall, that is why I am dancing. If Ravana can cause a wind storm, I can cause a rain storm."

Then there was a quiet rumble.

"What was that?" Asked Marshall.
"Why, Marshall, could that be thunder you hear?"

There was another rumble, but it was louder this time. Then there was a big boom followed by a big strike of lightening.

"Come inside, Ted, you're gonna die out here."
"Not yet, not until it rains."

Then one drop fell. Followed by three more, then twenty, then a hundred. Thousands of little drops fell from the sky.

"I made it rain Marshall! I really made it rain! Look, look it's raining!"
"Ok, ok, ok, it is raining, now please come inside."

*Present day*

"So, I went inside. I was soaked. But then I ran out our front door, hopped into a taxi, and went to see your Aunt Robin. That is the day your Aunt Robin became my girlfriend, and this is just the beginning of how I became the man I needed to be before I met your mother. So that, kids, is the story of how I made it rain."

Author's Note:
So in this class I have written a lot of serious stories, and I wanted to play around with something that had some fun in it. I love the show How I Met Your Mother, and if you haven't seen it I'm sorry but you should really go see it. Like now. Great show. Anyway, as I read the Ramayana I saw how Ravana did a dance to cause a wind storm, which reminded me of a How I Met Your Mother episode where Ted does a dance to make it rain. I had a lot of fun adding in the Ramayana to this scene. It was also a lot of fun to play with characters that have already been developed. I was inspired also by a storybook project that was done in years past. The theme for that storybook was How I Met Your Mother. I hope you enjoy it!

Bibliography:
Ramayana by Buck 2000.

Image Information
How I Met Your Mother

Storytelling for Week 11: Billy and the Punk

The news title read, "WARNING BOY STEALS DOGS WITH NO WARNING." He continued to read the story. Turns out there is a punk kid who just walks up to people, grabs the leash of their dogs from their hands, and runs.

"I'm not going to lie, this seems a bit odd. I mean not that I would steal a dog, but if I were to steal a dog, or anything for that matter, I would be sneakier about it. According to the paper no one has seen the kids face because he is so quick. I'm not worried though. No punk kid is gonna sneak one past this guy. "

So he went on his usual walk with his corgi Kix. Kix is a beautiful little corgi. Those things are like full grown big dogs on mini dog legs. Anyway, he took Kix to Central Park. It is a beautiful time of the year, although Kix has a problem with trying to run off an chase birds.

Corgi

After about an hour he figured Kix was tired and it was time to go. Out of no where he felt a gust of wind and the leash was pulled right out of his hand.

"Ah crap," he though.

So he began chasing after the punk. The punk didn't know that he had stolen the dog of Billy Sams. Billy Sams is no ordinary guy. He currently holds the gold medal in an Olympic running race. Needless to say, Billy was faster. He caught up to the punk, grabbed him by the shirt collar and said, "Your time dog stealing is up my friend."

The punk looked at him started to cry.
"I didn't want this life you know? I was meant to do better things than this. I wanted to be a vet growing up because I love animals. That's why I take dogs. I also take cats occasionally. I don't do anything mean to the dogs, I just love them. All of them are at my house. Are you going to turn me into the police?"
"No, I'm not. I want you to understand you did something wrong, you know? I'm gonna take those dogs from you, tell the newspaper I heard them barking and found them all behind some building, or something. Then I'll tell the newspaper I'll be at the park with the dogs, so the owners can come get them. But, I want you to be at the park with me and see the owners reunite with their dogs."

So they did just that. The punk and Billy gave back the dogs, and the police never found out who stole them. Billy and the punk became close friends. Billy wasn't married and didn't have any kids, so the punk became like his own son. A few years down the road, the punk became the vet.

Author's Note: I was inspired by the story of Sita being kidnapped by Viradha in the Ramayana. To me the episode was odd. Rama and Sita were just talking and then Viradha came and took Sita. I wanted to take the randomness from my story and change it up a bit. That is why I have a kid taking dogs with out a lot of warning. I wanted it to seem very random. I also like happy endings, so I wanted to kid to end up having a good life. Sometimes we just need to invest in others, then we can change their lives. I hope you enjoy the story.

Bibliography:
Ramayana by Buck. 2000.

Week 10 Storytelling: The Greatest of Them All

"Welcome heroes and heroines to the "Greatest of Them All Showcase." Tonight our showcase begins with a bow. A bow is a significant weapon in many cultures, but tonight it is the star item of our showcase! If you know heroes, then you know who I am calling onto the stage tonight. Great Odysseus and Rama come to the stage."

The crowd went wild. These are two of the greatest heroes of all time and they were about to go head to head in this epic show case.

*The stage dims*

"So Rama let's start with you. Tell us your story."
"Let me start off by saying it's an honor to be here Steve. My story begins with a girl."

*The crowd laughs*

"I know don't all great stories begin with a girl" Rama laughed. "Now let's see, yes, I saw this beautiful woman and wanted to be with her. Viswamithra wanted me and my brother to see the bow of Janaka. This bow was very large and was from Shiva. In order for me to marry his daughter, I had to string and shoot this bow."
"So, Rama, why do you deserve to be considered greater than Odysseus?"
"Because I didn't just string the bow. I broke it in two."

*Audience cheers loudly"

"Thank you, Rama, you may return to your seat."
"Odysseus, join me at the front of the stage. Now tell us your story."
"Thanks for having me, Steve. I came home from the Trojan War to find a lot of suitors going after me wife."

*Audience gasps*

"I know. So I was dressed as a beggar. There was a competition to string my personal bow and shoot it through twelve ax heads in a row. I'm not sure if you have ever shot a bow through and ax head before, but it is difficult. I not only shot the bow and shot it through twelve ax heads, but I also killed all the suitors. "

*Audience cheers loudly*

"Thank you Odysseus and thank you Rama. Well, audience, now it is time for you to take a vote. Who do you think is the greater of these two heroes with a bow. Who will be crowned the greatest of them all!"

*Audience looks down and begins writing*

"Find out after this commercial break if the hero of Ancient Greek Epics or the hero of Indian Epics will win this showcase."

Author's Note:
I read Buck's Ramayana  this week. When I was originally coming up with an idea for a storybook I wanted to combine heroes from Ancient Greek Epics with Indian Epic heroes. Instead I went with a Portfolio. I wanted to play a tribute to that original idea I had though. I wanted to but Odysseus and Rama against each other. They are both very similar and very different. One of the ways they are similar is seen in the bow, so I wanted to make a play on that story. I had a lot of fun writing this and I hope you enjoy it.

Bibliography:
Ramayana by William Buck. 2000.

Pictures:
Rama
Odysseus

Storytelling Week 9: No Mother Should Have to Bury Her Child

Dear Daily Gazette, 

No mother should have to bury her child. Can you think of anything more tragic? Children should always outlive both of their parents. This is the natural order, but sometimes war happens. Sometimes war destroys the natural order. Today I had a memorial for my son. 

I gave birth to six beautiful boys. They were all perfectly healthy and very strong. My eldest was the most ambitious, so he moved to the North to be a big business man. My other five sons remained down here in the South with me, although they all moved to different states. I've got one in South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, and Texas. If I were to be completely honest, I never wanted my eldest to go to the North. We do things differently here in the South, and I didn't think that he would adjust well to life up there. I was afraid he would change, but through his letters I learned that he really did enjoy living in the North. He had found his new home. 

I got six letters when this stupid war began from my sons telling me that they were going to war. The problem was I couldn't take a side. I know I live in the South and I should side with the South, but my eldest was fighting for the North. How can I be against one my sons? 

A letter came in the mail about a month ago. It was from a man I didn't know, but he said he knew my son. He told me my eldest son was dead. He was so young. He didn't deserve to die. Growing up he was the sweetest little boy and he was so good to his younger brothers. You see, I lost my husband after my last son was born so my eldest had to step up and be there for his brothers. I would have freed all my slaves willingly if it could have prevented the war. Some people tell me that I am lucky because I still have five other healthy sons. That doesn't make the loss of my eldest easier. No mother should have to bury her son. 

The memorial was beautiful. I buried a box of all his favorite things as a kid in the backyard of our home. It's a miracle we still have this house, but that's a story for another time. All of his brothers came down for this event because they loved their brother. In the end those Southern boys and now dead Northern boy were still family. 

This is the reason why I am writing this letter. To hopefully remind a few of you Southerners that the North is still our family. The United States are just that, united. I know you will call me unpatriotic for saying this, but the dead never die in vain. Really they were both fighting for unity, just two different kinds. Brothers and Sisters, it is time to be a family again. 

Let us be kind to our Northern brothers staying here in the South. Let us open our doors and show them warmth. Let us bury our dead in pride. Let us be stronger than we have ever been and unite with the North. We lost the war, but we still have hope for another day. 
Sincerely, 
A Mother

Author's Note: 
So today I decided to explore the idea of a mother having to bury their child after a war. This sadly is a scenario that has been faced throughout history. I feel like it is an incredibly relatable topic, and a sad one at that. I was inspired by the death of Karna, who was the son of Surya and Kunti. He is a brother of the Pandavas, but not a Pandava himself. This is a story from the Mahabharata. I know in the Civil War family members were fighting family members, so I wanted to place my story in this time frame. I wanted to explore the emotions that a mother might have felt if she had sons fighting on both sides. Although I do not know if a mother had sons fighting on both sides, I believe it is highly likely. I enjoyed writing this story, but it was also hard to write. It was hard to give voice to something that I have no personal experience with. It was hard to find the words to use to express that much pain. War is such a horrible reality. I hope you enjoy my story and the emotion behind it. 

Picture Info: Civil War

Bibliography: Peter Brook's Mahabharata 1989

Storytelling Week 7: The Cycle of the Sun

She was outside of her comfort zone and was somewhere she wouldn't normally have been: a party. She was a bookworm to say the least. Her friends had forced her to come out for the night because they believed she needed to socialize and meet new people. Needless to say, she wasn't having a good time. Everyone was incredibly intoxicated, and then someone spilt booze all over her shirt. That's when she saw him standing in the corner. He was tall and well built like a steady oak tree. He had dark features but his eyes radiated like the sun. He was also handsome, and in her mind he was way too handsome to talk to her. But then he did.

He came right up to her, looked her in the eye and introduced himself. "My name is James." His voice was deep and almost poetic.
"My name is Carol," she replied.
James and Carol spent the night making fun of all the drunk kids and had a wonderful time together.

"It's almost morning. I'm going to need to leave to go get some sleep," Carol said.
"Let me walk you home," James said.

James walked Carol home. They stopped for a moment on the beach to admire the rising sun. They embraced the warmth of its colors. The reds and oranges washed over their bodies and became to brighten the blues in the sky.

"This is beauty," Carol said.
"Yes, it is," James said, looking right at her.

James and Carol spent the next week at each other's side. Completely inseparable. Some might say they had fallen in love. But there was one problem.

"I'm not a student," James said.
"What do you mean?" Carol said, as she took another sip of her coffee.
"I'm not a student. I lied to you to make you like me. Truth is I'm not from here. I'm the son of a sailor. I leave port tomorrow to return to Ireland. I didn't want to lie to you, but I'm just a sailor. How could someone like you ever like me?"
"James, I don't care what you are or where you are from. Let me come with you. Let me be with you. I'd give it all up for you."
"No, Carol, you can't. I can't have you give up your dreams. This is your life. Mine is on the ocean."

Carol looked him in the eyes but didn't know what to say. After a few long moments she said, "I need to go home now."
James replied, "Let me walk you home one last time."

As they walked home the sun began to set. They stopped for a moment to reflect on everything that they had shared that past week. The reds and oranges began to sink beneath the ground and the darkness of night overtook it. They said goodbye and knew they would never meet again.

The next day James woke before the sun rose. He knew his dad would want to set sail before the day truly began. He put on his sea-worn robes and headed to the dock. As they pulled away from the dock, James faced the direction where sun was supposed to rise. He waited to see the red and orange. He wanted to feel the warmth of the sun like that first sun rise with Carol. But it never came. It was cloudy day that day. And the sun was hidden behind the clouds and all James saw was grey.

Author's Note:
So although this might be a stretch, I was inspired by the story of Hidimbi and Bhima. Bhima is one of the five brothers in the Mahabharata. A rakshasa sends his sister Hidimbi to kill them, but instead she falls in love. She changes from her true form into a beautiful woman. They get married, have a son, but then she leaves to another world. I wanted to write about an encounter like this. I wanted to explore the idea of two people meeting, quickly falling in love, one hiding their true identity, and then they are forced to leave to the separate life that they know. I'm in a Spanish literature class right now and we have read a lot of stories that focus on color, so I decided to really focus this story on the sun and the colors it brings. I have learned in my Spanish class that color can really bring a lot of emotions forward, so I wanted to experiment with that. I had a lot of fun writing this story. Focusing on an inanimate object as a source for inspiration is something I haven't done before, so I enjoyed experimenting. I hope you enjoy my story!

Bibliography: Peter Brook's Mahabharata 1989

Picture Information:
1. Sunrise Wikimedia Commons
2. Sunset Wikimedia Commons
3. Grey Sky Pixabay

Storytelling Week 6: Piper

"Hey, Joan! Throw that bag of marshmallows over here!" Jim shouted.
"Ok daddy!"

Jim felt it was necessary to take his kids out to the woods for the weekend. They were too "techy" and it was getting harder and harder for Jim to relate to them.

"Dad I'm bored." Junior said, as he sat slouching in a red lawn chair.
"Well how about I tell you a story." Said Jim.
"Oh I love stories daddy!" Said Joan.

"There once lived a very wealthy man. A man who had so much money that he was never in need and had everything he could ever want. Except this man did have something he needed; his dog Piper. Piper was his only remaining friend. "

"All of his family and friends didn't want to be around him because of his love of money. Now there were a lot of people who were jealous of the man's wealth and wanted to take it for themselves. But they didn't know how. They tried stealing his money, but that didn't work because he kept his money hidden. They had to come up with something creative. So one day the bad people walked into his backyard and stole Piper while she was asleep in her dog house. They called the man and told him that they had Piper and would return her once he gave them all of his money. But the man didn't want to give up his money. So, he lied and only gave the bad men a little portion of his massive wealth. The bad men knew he was lying so they called back and told the man that they had killed Piper, even though they really hadn't. The wealthy man was so upset that he just lay on his floor in his massive mansion. The bad men came and stole everything he had. He didn't move, he just laid on the floor. One day Piper came home. The men had let her go and she found her way back. The once wealthy man rejoiced and was never without his dog again."

"Wow dad that was an awful story." Said Junior.
Joan agreed.
"But there is a moral to this story. You two are so attached to your phones and iPads that you might miss the opportunity to be with someone you love when they need you. You need to give people your full attention not just a portion of it."

The kids didn't give up technology that day. To be honest they never gave up their technology, but they began to spend more time with their family and loved ones. They began to reengage in life.

Author's Note: 
For this story I was inspired by the death of Drona. Although my story follows a somewhat different line of events, Drona was still the inspiration. I really had a hard time finding inspiration in the Mahabharata and this story was hard to write. So essentially I tried to give a moral to the story and add a family who is out camping.

Bibliography:
The Mahabharata by R.K. Narayan Web Source Reading Guide

Photo:
Old Time Farm Shepherd Wikipedia

Storytelling for Week 5: My Wife is a Psychopath

"Hello, you must be Mr. Shantanu. My name is Dr. Smith, and my speciality is relationship counseling. How my I help you?"

Mr. Shantanu looked the doctor straight in the eye and said, "I am married to a psychopath."

Mr. Shantanu didn't plan on marrying a psychopath, but I guess no one ever does. When the new client said this, Dr. Smith didn't know whether he should believe Mr. Shantanu or not. Mr. Shantanu had all the physical signs that he was telling the truth. He wasn't fidgeting, sweating, or avoiding eye contact, but his story just seemed too strange to be real.

"Well, Doc, a couple of years ago I lived in this old log cabin. It was a beautiful place, but I had to always go out and get fire wood. One day while I was cutting firewood I saw a beautiful woman. She didn't seem like she was from this world because she was so beautiful."
"What did you do?" Dr. Smith asked.
"What another young man would do if he saw a pretty girl. I walked right up and introduced myself. She looked at me and said, 'I'm not interested in formalities such as these. What is it exactly that you want?' I replied by saying, 'I want you and nothing but you for the rest of my life.' I was so nervous about what she would say next."
"What did she say next?" The doctor questioned.
"She said, 'Fine, I will marry you, but you must promise to never question what I do.' I was completely shocked because I didn't formally propose, but, hey, she agreed to marry me. Needless to say, I was thrilled. So thrilled, in fact, that I didn't think twice about her rule."

"I don't see what the problem is in your relationship. Her rule is indeed strange, but some woman enjoy their privacy."
"I'm not done yet, Doc. I honestly forgot her promise she made me make. After the honeymoon phase of our relationship was over and life began, I remembered her promise. I couldn't think of a reason why she would say such a thing. During those first few month of marriage I hadn't seen anything that was worth questioning her about. She was normal. In fact, she was wonderful."

Dr. Smith sat intently, but he still wasn't able to see what the problem was in his client's marriage. His client continued, "She became pregnant and I was thrilled. I had always wanted children, and I knew she was going to be a wonderful mother. We endured the pregnancy together and were so happy. Then she gave birth to an absolutely stunning child."
Mr. Shantanu shed a tear of joy as he remembered this joyful time. "This was the happiest day of my life. But I had been up all night during the child birth and decided to take a nap. When I woke up I found my wife sleeping peacefully and the baby missing. I woke her and said, 'Hey, sweetheart, where is our child?' 'In the river,' she said. I was completely shocked. Before I could start questioning her further, she added, 'You promised not to question me. You must stay true to your word. Our child is dead and there shall be no more questions about it.' That's all she had to say."

The doctor was completely silent. He looked at Mr. Shantanu, but didn't have the words to say.
"I just kept wondering who was this woman I married? I mean how could she kill our own child? She seemed so lovely. I just don't understand how something like this could happen. But there is nothing I can do. My firstborn is gone."

It took a few minutes for Mr. Shantanu to compose himself before he continued. "This has happened six other times, Doc. Every time she gives birth, she gets up, takes the child to the river, drowns them and then returns with a smile on her face. But there is nothing I can do about it. I promised I wouldn't question her. Now she is pregnant with our eighth child and I don't want to see this happen again."

The doctor looked him in the eyes and gave him sincere advice. "Mr. Shantanu, this is a problem I have never faced before. I am almost speechless. Clearly we have a lot to unpack with this situation. But for starters, sir, your wife is a murderer. We need to address this issue first in the concern of your eighth child. You and I have doctor-patient confidentiality, so I can't report your wife's behavior. Mr. Shantanu, you need to begin thinking about how turning your wife into the police might be your only way to save your eighth child."
Mr. Shantanu was silent for a few moments then said, "Well, Doc, I'm not sure I can do that yet. But I'll go home and think about it and see you next week."


Author's Note:
This was a story that was briefly told in the Mahabharata. In my opinion, the story was too brief. I wanted to know more about this story, especially how King Shantanu was handling the situation, so I decided to explore the emotions of King Shantanu. Instead of calling him King I decided to call him Mister in order to place him in a more modern time frame. This story isn't a situation that we see in our modern time, but I think that adds to the suspense of the story. I also think it adds to his feeling that his wife is a psychopath. But I also wanted to stay fairly true to the original story. In the original story this "crazy woman" was a goddess named Ganga. She became incarnate as  a human to help the Vasus, gods who are punished to be born as humans. She helped them by killing them as soon as they were born, but her husband was kept in the dark about all this.  I didn't want to add a lot of glitz and glam, just focus on the emotion part of it. That is why I wanted to bring in a counselor. They focus on people's emotions so I thought that would be a good way to help focus my story. Overall, this story was a lot of fun to write and I really enjoyed exploring the emotions. Instead of focusing on the main story of the Mahabharata, I focused on a smaller story and tried to expand on it.

Bibliography:
The Mahabharata by R.K. Narayan Web Source: Reading Guide

Picture:
River Web source: Wikimedia Commons

Storytelling Week 4: What Happened to Sita?

On this episode of the Ramayana we pick up where we left off last week. After last week's episode you took to the internet leaving thousands of comments. You wanted to know was that really the end of Ramayana. You were angry at us and thought that was the end. Well we are here to tell you tonight that the story isn't over. Welcome back folks let's begin.

Narrator: When we left Sita she had just proven her faithfulness to Rama by returning to the womb of Mother Earth. We pick up now with Sita in the realm of the gods with Mother Earth.

Sita: Mother Earth, I know I should feel so happy, being in the realm of the gods but I miss Rama so much. He was my everything. And I look down on the other humans in relationships like Rama and I's and I want to help. I don't want them to suffer like I did.
Mother Earth: Sita my child, you are of such pure heart. I know you miss Rama, but he did not see your purity. But you can't stay here with us forever, so we want to give you a job.
Sita: A job?
Mother Earth: Yes a job. We want you to go to the human world and be the intervener.
Sita: What do you mean?
Mother Earth: Go to the heart broken couples Sita, the ones who are grieve stricken and guide them. The humans will respect you, they will know who you are. Everyone will know who you are. Now go. Return after every couple in the world has been healed.

Narrator: With that Sita was gone. She flew done to earth like a falling star. She went to couple after couple in every corner of the earth to help them with their pained relationships. She enjoyed her job at first. But as the weeks began to pass things became unbearable.

Sita: Oh Rama! Why couldn't you have believed me? I worshiped you! I never looked at any man aside from you!

Narrator: Sita wept every night. There was nothing that could ease her pain. Her tears brought a year long rainy season all across the world. But one day Sita ran across a couple named Sarah and Benjamin. She had come to fix their problems. Sarah had cheated on Benjamin and Sita knew that Benjamin was going to leave her or do something worse, so she was coming to intervene. But before she could intervene she listened to their conversation.

Benjamin: Sarah, I know what you did. What you did broke my heart.
Sarah: Benjamin, I am so sorry! I love you and I didn't mean to do it! It'll never happen again, I promise.
Benjamin: I appreciate your promise Sarah, but...
Sarah: No Benjamin don't do this!

Narrator: Sita was about to stop the fight when all of a sudden Benjamin said.

Benjamin: Sarah I know you didn't mean it. I know you won't do it again. The road from here won't be easy, but we are worth it. I love you with all of my heart and I will not let you go. We can work through this. We might crash in the end, that depends on how much work we both but into this, but I'm willing to commit if you are.

Narrator: Sita was in shock.

Sita: How can a man say something like that? How can he forgive her? She actually cheated on him. I didn't even cheat on Rama and he still wanted nothing to do with me. I was the most loyal and pure woman to ever walk to earth. Why couldn't he trust me like Benjamin trusts Sarah?

Narrator: Sita's perspective of Rama changed after that. She respected him as the father of her two sons and she would always love him for that, but she stopped crying. The world experienced peace and abundance that was unprecedented. Now you might be wandering what happened to Rama. He was doing well. Married someone new and they had a few children together. But one day they had a terrible fight and the intervener came.

Sita: Hello, my name is Sita I have been sent by the gods on a special...Rama?
Rama: Sita?
Sita: I didn't know that I was coming to help you. Who is this?
Rama: This is my wife Rebecca. Sita I have so much I want to say to you. I still love you, I should have never doubted you. I should have known you would always be true to me. I was a fool.
Rebecca: Excuse me?
Sita: Rama, Rebecca I am here to help you both. But to do that I need to say something to Rama first. Rama you are right. You should have known. You shouldn't have tested me the first time with the fire and you shouldn't have tested me a second time. But now you don't get to test me anymore. Rama I loved you and now I have forgiven you. I have nothing but the highest regard for you, but I honestly deserve better than you. So, let me do my job and help you and your wife. Learn from your mistakes and be better to her.

Sita

Narrator: So Sita gave Rama and Rebecca advice and they had a beautiful marriage. Sita was able to watch both of her sons get married and have successful relationships. Sita never remarried. But she was happy. There was always a new couple to help and Sita was never lonely. She found what her heart truly desired.

Author's Note: 
My reading for this week was the movie Sita Sings the Blues. This movie had a slightly modern twist to it so I wanted to add more modern flare to this story. I again wanted to focus on Sita. I wrote my story as if it were a story in a television series and I wanted to tell the story of what happened to Sita after Rama. I honestly don't picture Sita doing this, but it would be cool if she did. I think she should stand up for herself and this was my way of exploring that idea.

Bibliography:
Sita Sings the Blues. Nina Paley. 2008. Web.

Storytelling for Week 3: Till Death Do Us Part

It has been three months since my captors stole me from my love. I honestly didn't think I would make it this long. I remember it all very clearly. My husband and I were walking in the woods. This isn't something I would normally do. I personally dislike the outdoors, but he felt like we needed to get some fresh air. He loves being outside and I love my husband, so of course I went with him on this walk. I remember we stopped at a gas station to get some water and then we embarked on our walk. We were barely into our walk and before I knew it my husband was on the ground bleeding. The thought of it still makes me sick. Before I could even think about screaming for help darkness overcame me.

I don't know how long I was unconscious. I remember gaining consciousness and hysterically crying out for help. I began processing my environment. I was sitting in a dark room and sitting on something hard. I thought that I was dead and that maybe this was what death felt like. But then I noticed a light coming out of a corner of the room and then it slowly began to grow larger.

"I know you probably hate me for what I have done, but trust me. I promise this is for your own good," a voice said. It sounded familiar.
"Who are you?" I asked.
Then a man walked in the room. I remembered his eyes. "You are the man from the gas station. You held the door open for my husband and me as we walked in. What have you done to me? Where is my husband?"

He then explained how he had fallen uncontrollably in love with me as he saw me. I mean I have read the fairy tales so I know about this whole myth of "love at first sight," but that's all it is - a myth. He then proceeded to promise me the moon and the stars. Everything I could ever want he would give to me, if only I would agree to marry him. I refused.

This was three months ago. Three months! I thought by now the FBI or CSI or Superman would have found me. But no. Every day that man comes in here and brings lavish gifts. He hasn't relented. I think he is determined to continue this until I submit. But what does he expect! He kidnapped me and potentially killed my husband.

I have no idea if my husband is even alive. Do you know what that feels like? Hopeless. It feels hopeless. What am I doing holding out for someone who might be dead? God I hope he's dead. Because if he is alive, it looks like he gave up on me. Maybe he thinks I'm dead. Maybe I should be dead. What's the point of continuing? It clearly hasn't gotten me anywhere.

"Psssssst Aria... psssssst Aria," someone was whispering from the corner of the room where the tiny bit of light shines through.
"Hello, yes, I am here."
Silence.

As I walk toward the tiny glimmer of light, I see something sparkling on the floor. I bend down to pick it up and I recognize it immediately. It's my husband's wedding ring with a note attached to it.
"Till death do us part. I'm coming."

Author's Note:
This week I spent a lot of time thinking about what it must have been like for Sita to wait for Rama in The Ramayana . As readers we often don't realize how much time has passed in between the major events of the story. She went months without any sign that he would be coming for her, but she still remained faithful. When I was reading this I wasn't sure how she even survived. I wanted to show the strength of Sita and her faithfulness. Although we won't know for sure what Sita went through, it is still fun to experiment with the possibilities. This story was very easy to write and it was outside my comfort zone  but I really enjoyed it. I didn't include a lot of dialogue because I wanted to focus on the thought process of Sita. I also wanted to add a modern twist to the story. It is fun to place stories in a different time frame and play with the situation and the characters themselves. In a way, it is showing how timeless the Ramayana is. Set in modern times, it is still a fascinating story that can be enjoyed. Sita is a less defined story in the book, so she was an easy one to mold and play with.

Bibliography: 
"The Ramayana" by R.K. Narayan (2006)

Image Information: 
Ghost Light Web Source: Wikipedia

Storytelling for Week 2: The Power of Song

There once was a prince named Gerald and he was the most handsome prince that had ever walked the earth. He also had a magic power: song. Whenever Gerald would go to battle he would start singing and all of the enemy troops would be so mesmerized by his voice, that they would stop fighting. Gerald's army would then slaughter all the enemy troops.

One day Gerald was wandering the streets of a neighboring kingdom and he saw a beautiful princess standing on the balcony of her castle. Then the princess began dancing, the most perfect dance that Gerald had ever seen. He knew at once that he must marry her. So he ran into the castle, found the king and asked for the lovely princess' hand in marriage. The king agreed to give his daughter Maria's hand in marriage.

Once Gerald and Maria were married they were set to have an amazing life. Gerald and Maria would stay out late at night singing and dancing for all the citizens of their kingdom. But one day a wizard came to the kingdom and watched Gerald and Maria's performance. He was incredibly jealous of their talent. So, as the moon rose, the wizard snuck into the castle by casting a sleep spell on all the guards. Then he went upstairs and stole Gerald's voice and hid it in a magic necklace. Whenever the wizard wore the necklace he could sing like Gerald.

Gerald awoke the next morning and was shocked to find that he couldn't speak. He knew someone had stolen his voice. The security cameras in the castle proved that it was a wizard. Gerald began to pack his bags to journey into the forest to retrieve his voice. When Maria arose from her slumber she found her husband in distress. She knew she had to go with him into the forest. He no longer had his song to protect himself, he only had his good looks, which are never enough. At least Maria could dance and keep them safe. So they embarked on their journey together. They also took a magic song bird with them for company.

One day in the forest Gerald went to retrieve water. As he approached the river he noticed a beautiful maiden. This woman was nearly as beautiful as his own wife. When the woman caught a glimpse of Gerald she instantly fell in love. The woman introduced herself as Jasmine, but her real name was Becky the Sorcerer. She was the most wicked and hideous of all the sorcerers in the world.

Witch Head

Deviant Art

She had seen Gerald the day before walking in the woods and knew she must have him. Becky tried to convince Gerald to begin life with her, but Gerald knew after a few moments that Becky (at this time Gerald was still under the impression that she was Jasmine) was nothing more than a beautiful woman. She had no special talents to make her truly worthy of him.

Maria began to worry about Gerald and came down to the river to find him. When Maria saw he was alright she began to dance toward him gracefully. Becky had never seen anyone dance so beautifully. Becky did not know that Maria was Gerald's wife, so she said "My love turn away, this woman is an ugly sorcerer who has merely disguised herself as a beautiful woman. Flee now before she captures you." Instead, Gerald ran to Maria and embraced her. Becky was furious and stormed off.

The next morning while Gerald was away, Becky came to the tent where Maria and Gerald were staying. Becky came to give a poisoned apple to Maria, so that she could have Gerald all to herself. But the magical song bird that had been traveling with Maria and Gerald saw everything and before Becky could give the poisoned apple to Maria, the bird gauged out the eyes of Becky. Then the bird let out a powerful scream and Becky's ears exploded. Becky was so ashamed that she ran back to her home, never to leave it again.

Gerald ended up finding the wizard and getting his voice back. Maria and Gerald lived happily ever after.

Author's Note: 
For this story I was inspired by Rama's encounter with Shurpanakha in  The Ramayana by R. K. Narayan. I really enjoyed reading this story and wanted to experiment with it. The ending to my story is abrupt, but I wanted to focus on the story of Shurpanakha with Rama. Essentially, I wanted to stay fairly true to the original story, but I wanted it to have a new influence. I was inspired by the stories of Disney Princesses. I named Gerald's wife after Jasmine in Aladdin. The stolen voice was took it's inspiration from The Little Mermaid and the poisoned apple took it's inspiration from Snow White. Stories of Disney Princesses are some of my favorite, so I wanted to recreate this story in this style. I also wanted to add humor to the story, because it is rather gruesome. An example of humor I added is the reference to security cameras, obviously security cameras wouldn't exist during the time that this story would have taken place. I like the picture of the witch for this story because it is the stereotypical witch that comes to mind when people think of of witches. Overall, this story was fun to write and I hope you enjoy it.

Bibliography:
"The Ramayana" by R. K. Narayan (2006)

Week 1 Storytelling: The Advice that Stood the Test of Time

There was once a school with two boys, one named Michael and one named Leroy.  Michael was popular and kept up with all the trends, he was never alone and he had many friends. Leroy was uncool and he went straight home to help his mom after school.

One day Michael had a birthday party and everyone in the school was excited, except poor Leroy who wasn’t invited. Leroy sat with his mother and cried until his eyes were completely dried. His mother said to him, “Do not bother about this silly party my dear everything will be alright. Plus you don’t want to be out late because it is a school night. As I always say, early to bed, and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”

Years passed and Leroy never thought twice, he always held on to his mom's advice. In school he always got enough rest to get through each day and knew he would never go astray. After a few years he began to feel content and that his time had been very well spent. The other kids would have big celebrations all through the night, but Leroy knew that although he wasn’t invited he would be alright.

The day came for Michael and Leroy to acknowledge that their time in high school was done and it was time to move on to college. Michael wasn’t ready to leave, and he did nothing but grieve. But Leroy had a plan for his life and future ahead, so he of course had nothing to dread.

                                                                Graduates of Brunswick High in 2007
                                                                                      Wikimedia Commons

Leroy and Michael went their separate ways, just like all kids do in those days. They say goodbye to the life they knew, and look ahead to begin life anew. Michael tried to go to college, but he stayed out too late at parties to ever gain the proper knowledge. Leroy however stayed dedicated, knowing one day he would be truly educated. And each morning he would arise and say his mom’s old advice to start his day, “Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.”One day when Michael was 35 he was down on his luck and needed a job to pass the time, at this point in his life he didn’t even have a dime. He went to the largest company in the city and hoped he could get a job because he was witty. He knew he didn’t have a particular trade, but hoped he could maybe clean the floors to get paid. He walked down a beautiful oak hall on his way to talk to the boss of it all. He knocked on the door and a man said, “Please do come in” Michael did everything he could to muster a grin.

But when he walked in he felt anything but joy, because he was standing in front of Mr. Leroy. Michael was at a loss; the boy who was ignored in school would now be his boss. Leroy could see the surprise in his eyes, so he pointed at a plaque that stated “Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise.” Then Mr. Leroy turned to Michael and said “Please do not dread, for the job I have in mind for you is very simple for you to do. But take the time to memorize this phrase, and maybe some day you will do something worthy of my praise.”

Author's Note:For this story I used the nursery rhyme "Early to bed, and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise."I wasn't exactly sure how I wanted to use this rhyme to make a story, but to me this is solid advice. It contains an important lesson for people of all ages. Getting enough sleep and being responsible are important characteristics for being successful. With this story I tried to present this lesson in a way that could be understandable. The title was inspired by the fact that I see this rhyme as advice. For Leroy in the story, holding true to this advice that his mom gave him did stand the test of time. 

Bibliography: 
The Nursery Rhyme Book, edited by Andrew Land and illustrated by L. Leslie Brooke (1897) Web source: The Project Gutenberg EBook of the Nursery Rhyme Book by Unknown