There once was a young grasshopper who could not walk very well and only jumped when moving about. His father was quite concerned for the boy because he wanted his son to fit in with the rest of his friends and the father was worried the neighbors would talk and outcast his son. The father did not say anything and hoped his son would realize his odd habit and learn to walk normally. Finally one day he asked his son, "Why do you only jump when you want to move? Why don't you try walking?" The young grasshopper replied, "Well Father, I find walking to be more difficult and jumping much easier because of the shape and bend of my legs." His father told him to try to walk so he would fit in better among his friends. So the young grasshopper practiced for days and days. He quickly stopped spending time with his friends in order to practice his walking because he thought they were secretly ashamed of him for not walking like they do. His school work suffered as well, because he was so concerned with trying to be like everyone else, that he was not able to pay attention in class. His father finally approached him one day because he was very concerned for his son. His father ask, "Why are you not spending time with your friends like you used to or doing well in school anymore?" The young grasshopper answered, "Because I am ashamed." "What are you ashamed of?" the father replied. His son replied, "I am ashamed of not walking as well as my friends. I feel like I do not fit in and that they are ashamed of me. Can you show me how to properly walk?"
His father tried to show him how to walk but it was very difficult and he jumped most of the time. He found out his son was right.
Bibliography:
"The Young Crab and His Mother" by Aesop, from The Aesop for Children (1919). Web Source: Aesop for Children, illustrated by Milo Winter
Nice job on retelling this story! I liked how you changed the crab in the original fable to a grasshopper--it was a small change, but it switched up the setting and the dynamic of the interactions between the characters. I also liked the story choice itself, as it has a very applicable moral. You did a great job adding detail and making the original story more complete.
ReplyDeleteLiz, I really enjoyed your adaptation of the fable and the moral of this story. I think it really showed the importance of not worrying about what others think, as well as not changing yourself to fit the ideals and normality decided by society. Especially when worrying about them so much means losing what was once important to you. I think you did a good job showing this moral, as well as the original "not criticizing others for what you do".
ReplyDeleteI feel that you did a really good job of retelling this story! I think that you put a good amount of emphasis on keeping the important aspects of the original story but you were then able to add in other parts that allowed you to be creative! I really liked this post and I think the picture is simple enough to strengthen the post and not overwhelm!
ReplyDeleteHi Liz, Can I just say that as humans all we seem to do is criticize others. If not others then we criticize ourselves “I’m not tall enough, skinny enough, smart enough etc…” I think its human nature that we do this. Sometimes it makes you a better and stronger person other times it breaks you. I think our parents are our worst critic yet our biggest supporters (well in most cases, I hope). Your writing is very simple and easy to follow. May I’m saying this because I am quite a simple writer myself. I think it would be an interesting read for even younger audiences. Well done.
ReplyDeleteLiz,
ReplyDeleteThis was a great retelling of the story The Young Crab and His Mother. I think it is great that you took the original story and put it in a different context, but the same basic idea and moral stay intact. What I like about rewriting Aesop tales is that one gets to really expand on the story and give a little more insight on the characters in the story, and I think you did this very nicely. It could be a story that you could include in your portfolio. I could see this story written as diary entries from the young grasshopper and his father.