week 4 reading notes: aesop's fables - part b

The stories I read are part of the Aesop's Fables (Jacobs) unit. These stories are called fables, so they are short, but they convey some kind of meaningful or moral message. Animals are mostly used as the characters in Aesop's fables. 

"The Tortoise and the Birds" LINK TO STORY

• I didn't expect the ending to happen like that and to happen so soon. It was sad to read that the birds fed on the tortoise. 
• If I wanted to be an animal, I would probably want to be a bird. They are strong and smart. They can fly anywhere and get to have the "bird's-eye view." I think it would be fun to retell the story from the Eagle's perspective. There could be a much happier ending that doesn't involve dropping the Tortoise and feeding on her. The Eagle could end up not listening to the Crow, but instead, he takes the Tortoise to her destination and they become great friends. 
• Another plot change might be that the Tortoise and Eagle were enemies at first, but something happened that encourages them to form a friendship. 

"The Jay and the Peacock" LINK TO STORY

• This story made me feel sorry for the Jay.
• I think I would want to retell the story of which the Jay falls in love with another a bird (maybe a peahen), but he knows he's not "attractive" like peacocks are with their colorful and impressive feathers. So, he collects the feathers to wear them, so he can attract birds. In the end, the Jay would learn lessons like to be confident in himself, don't change yourself for others, love yourself, etc. 
• Another way to retell the story is to create a similar storyline, but with human characters. 

A majestic peacock. Artwork by Archibald Thorburn. Web Source

"The Belly and the Members" LINK TO STORY

• I thought this was a cute, funny story--giving life to the parts of human bodies. 
• It would be fun to recreate this story; maybe giving more details on physiological aspects.  

"The Shepherd's Boy" LINK TO STORY

• This is like the classic story of "The Boy Who Cried Wolf." 
• A different way to tell this story would be to tell it from the wolf's point of view. Dialogue could be added, where the boy and the wolf end up encountering each other and conversing. 
• Another fun way to recreate the story is to use humans. Maybe a man jokes/plays pranks too much that one day something serious happens to him and no one is there to help him. 

Bibliography: These stories come from The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs.