reading notes: week 2 anthology

One of the stories that I enjoyed reading was "The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die" by Marie L. Shedlock. It was an easy story to follow, but I was intrigued with where the story was going to go or how it would end. The story kind of briefly follows each character--curious with what they would do next. I jotted down a couple of notes for myself that are related to the story. 

• The story was easy to follow and I liked the meaning(s) behind it.
• Maybe use people instead of animals.
• The hare’s strength is that he is honest and generous.
• The story could be retold from the Brahmin’s point of view.
• I wonder why the Brahmin put the hare on the moon.
• Plot changes:
• Turn it into kind of a love story or competition?
• Or have one of the animals/people be dishonest

Silhouette of a rabbit in front of the moon--a twist on the story of seeing images of a rabbit in the moon. (Source: http://moon-rabbit.com/ancient-legends/) 

Another story that I enjoyed reading was "The Lion in Love" by Joseph Jacobs. It is a fable, so it was very short, but it teaches a moral lesson. One of the lessons I got out of it was that you shouldn't change yourself for anyone, or for love--the lion removed his claws and big teeth because he wanted to marry the beautiful maiden; in the end, he got scorned by her parents. Another lesson I think one could learn from the story is that you should treat people with kindness and respect. The maiden's parents manipulated the lion from the beginning and laughed at him; they didn't think he was good enough for their daughter. I feel like this story could retold in a variety of ways. 

• The story was short and easy to follow.
• I did not expect the parents to do what they did. 
• Instead of a lion, the lion's character could be a person. Maybe he's not conventionally attractive, but he falls in love with the maiden. He could be a wealthy man and the parents don't know this, so they disapprove of him. 
• The daughter could go behind her parents' backs and end up falling in love with the lion.
• The lion could be a magical lion and grow his teeth and claws back out to eat the parents. 
• It could be turned into a modern day love story.
• There could a man who has a pet lion and falls in love with a girl. He ends up scorned, so he lets the lion eat her? 

Some say Carole Baskin fed her husband to the tigers. In the retelling of this fable, the lion could also eat the maiden. (Source: Sky News)