My portfolio consists of different stories all told in diary format. Enjoy!
Crow Diaries
Cat and Fox Diaries
Diary of a Maiden
Suzy's Diary
Prince Fredrick Diaries
Monday, November 24, 2014
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Storytelling Week 13: Prince Fredrick Diaries
Dear Diary,
Being a prince rules (get it?) so hard. Seriously, it is so awesome. I get to boss people around and make everyone do everything I need for me. I'm not even writing this myself right now! My personal assistant, more like servant, Heinrich is writing all of this. The poor chump. Sucks to suck! It's not my fault I was born into royalty and live in the lap of luxury and riches. Anything I want, I get. I would say the world is my oyster and I its pearl, but pearls are for commoners and far too below me. Gross. But we need commoners to do everything for us and to be the cogs in the machinery of the kingdom. I can't wait to be king. Until then, I will continue causing mischief and tormenting the castle's servants.
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
UghGh the castle is SO boring today! All of the servants are too busy to be bothered by any of the pranks I've played on them and Heinrich is helping my parents today and not me. What does he expect me to do all day?! I've had to do EVERYTHING myself today! I can't even believe I'm writing this with my own hand today. It is just awful. I guess I'll go take my horse out and roam around the kingdom until I find something to do. Maybe something, anything, remotely interesting will happen and I can make Heinrich write it for me when I get back.
-Prince Fredrick
---------
Well, that was a total bust. This kingdom blows. Where are all the young people and fun things? And other nobles? I swear everyone here is a commoner. I did meet this super spiteful fairy today. She told me she was going to turn me into a frog for my terrible behavior and personality. She told me I was selfish and arrogant, and that I need to be humble and generous. She told me I would stay that way until a princess takes me out of the spring that I will have to live in, lets me eat from her plate, and sleep upon her bed for three nights in a row. As if. Crazy fairy. She doesn't even know me! I am the best and everyone loves me! Even if she were to turn me into a frog, it's not like I would be one for very long. Ugh, I am just so annoyed with her. Maybe I can find her again tomorrow and find a way to throw her into the pillory. That will show her!
Goodnight,
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
My life is over. I am a disgusting, slimy, and probably wart-ridden frog. GROSS. And to make it all worse, Heinrich didn't know who I was since I didn't tell him what happened yesterday, and he almost killed me! When I get changed back, he is going to get it. How dare he try to kill me! So now I am in the disgusting spring not too far from the castle. How could anyone live like this? It's vile. Hopefully some girl will find me soon and change me back so I can destroy that stupid fairy.
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
Today, after several months of me not finding a princess, a young girl was playing with her ball close to the spring. She had been throwing it high up into the air and catching it. She threw it way too high the last time and was unable to catch it so it rolled right into the spring and almost hit me in the head. Rude. I heard her crying like a big baby so I asked her what was wrong even though it was clearly obvious. So I made a deal with her that if I swam down and got her stupid ball for her, she would have to let me live with her, and eat off her plate, and sleep on her bed. The silly girl believed it. She agreed so I went down to get the ball. When I gave it back to her, she ran away! Um, miss, that was not what we agreed to. I will find her and make her keep her word.
Goodnight
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
I found the girl's house. She closed the door in my face initially, but her father told her she had to keep her promise. Then, she made me hop everywhere, as if I hadn't done enough of that already. Whatever, I have one night down and only two to go. But since I left once it was light outside, I am going to sleep all day since she snored the whole night. How can someone as lovely as she is make such a terrible noise? The nerve of some people, I swear.
Good day
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
I went again to the girl's house for the second night in a row. This girl needs some serious nose strips to help with that snoring; it's so unbecoming. Luckily I was able to mostly sleep through it last night.
-Prince Fredrick
-----------
Well, I'm off to my last night! Hopefully when light breaks tomorrow I will be back to my devilishly handsome self and won't ever have to hear this girl's snoring again. She has started to grow on me a bit. She's quite beautiful and very interesting. Maybe will be friends.
Goodnight,
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
I couldn't sleep again last night. Not because of her snoring, but because I actually like her. When I woke up, I was human again and she was staring at me in awe. I told her the whole story and proposed, and she said yes! Sweet and loyal Heinrich came and brought the eight-horse coach. He actually missed me and I surprisingly missed him too! And all the other castle workers! I can't wait to see them and introduce them to my beautiful fiancée!
-Prince Fredrick
Image: Illustration by Walter Crane (1912) in the un-textbook
Author's note:
This is from the Frog Prince story from the Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm LibriVox unit. I was familiar with the frog prince story, but not this one. I always knew it as the princesses trying to find her prince after he has been turned into a frog by a wicked witch for some reason that I can't remember. The princess has to kiss all the frogs until she finds her prince. In this story, the princess had it so easy. She wasn't even looking for a prince. She was by a spring one day and playing with a ball. It accidentally rolls into the spring, but it is too deep for her to see and she starts to cry at her loss. The frog - the prince who had been turned into a frog by a fairy for an unknown reason - offers to swim down to get it for her on the condition that she take him home and let him eat off her plate and sleep on her bed for three nights in a row. That's it. That sounds like a much better deal than kissing a bunch of frogs. In the original story, there isn't an explanation as to why the prince was turned into a frog. I thought it would be fun to give him some back story and give a reason to why he is being punished. It's very similar to Beauty and the Beast but the prince is the only thing that is changed. Because I wrote it from his point of view, I didn't really keep too close to the original but I think the message is still the same: be nice and help others.
Bibliography:
The Frog Prince from the Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm (LibriVox),
translated by Marian Edwards, with illustrations by Anning Bell (1912).
Being a prince rules (get it?) so hard. Seriously, it is so awesome. I get to boss people around and make everyone do everything I need for me. I'm not even writing this myself right now! My personal assistant, more like servant, Heinrich is writing all of this. The poor chump. Sucks to suck! It's not my fault I was born into royalty and live in the lap of luxury and riches. Anything I want, I get. I would say the world is my oyster and I its pearl, but pearls are for commoners and far too below me. Gross. But we need commoners to do everything for us and to be the cogs in the machinery of the kingdom. I can't wait to be king. Until then, I will continue causing mischief and tormenting the castle's servants.
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
UghGh the castle is SO boring today! All of the servants are too busy to be bothered by any of the pranks I've played on them and Heinrich is helping my parents today and not me. What does he expect me to do all day?! I've had to do EVERYTHING myself today! I can't even believe I'm writing this with my own hand today. It is just awful. I guess I'll go take my horse out and roam around the kingdom until I find something to do. Maybe something, anything, remotely interesting will happen and I can make Heinrich write it for me when I get back.
-Prince Fredrick
---------
Well, that was a total bust. This kingdom blows. Where are all the young people and fun things? And other nobles? I swear everyone here is a commoner. I did meet this super spiteful fairy today. She told me she was going to turn me into a frog for my terrible behavior and personality. She told me I was selfish and arrogant, and that I need to be humble and generous. She told me I would stay that way until a princess takes me out of the spring that I will have to live in, lets me eat from her plate, and sleep upon her bed for three nights in a row. As if. Crazy fairy. She doesn't even know me! I am the best and everyone loves me! Even if she were to turn me into a frog, it's not like I would be one for very long. Ugh, I am just so annoyed with her. Maybe I can find her again tomorrow and find a way to throw her into the pillory. That will show her!
Goodnight,
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
My life is over. I am a disgusting, slimy, and probably wart-ridden frog. GROSS. And to make it all worse, Heinrich didn't know who I was since I didn't tell him what happened yesterday, and he almost killed me! When I get changed back, he is going to get it. How dare he try to kill me! So now I am in the disgusting spring not too far from the castle. How could anyone live like this? It's vile. Hopefully some girl will find me soon and change me back so I can destroy that stupid fairy.
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
Today, after several months of me not finding a princess, a young girl was playing with her ball close to the spring. She had been throwing it high up into the air and catching it. She threw it way too high the last time and was unable to catch it so it rolled right into the spring and almost hit me in the head. Rude. I heard her crying like a big baby so I asked her what was wrong even though it was clearly obvious. So I made a deal with her that if I swam down and got her stupid ball for her, she would have to let me live with her, and eat off her plate, and sleep on her bed. The silly girl believed it. She agreed so I went down to get the ball. When I gave it back to her, she ran away! Um, miss, that was not what we agreed to. I will find her and make her keep her word.
Goodnight
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
I found the girl's house. She closed the door in my face initially, but her father told her she had to keep her promise. Then, she made me hop everywhere, as if I hadn't done enough of that already. Whatever, I have one night down and only two to go. But since I left once it was light outside, I am going to sleep all day since she snored the whole night. How can someone as lovely as she is make such a terrible noise? The nerve of some people, I swear.
Good day
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
I went again to the girl's house for the second night in a row. This girl needs some serious nose strips to help with that snoring; it's so unbecoming. Luckily I was able to mostly sleep through it last night.
-Prince Fredrick
-----------
Well, I'm off to my last night! Hopefully when light breaks tomorrow I will be back to my devilishly handsome self and won't ever have to hear this girl's snoring again. She has started to grow on me a bit. She's quite beautiful and very interesting. Maybe will be friends.
Goodnight,
-Prince Fredrick
Dear Diary,
I couldn't sleep again last night. Not because of her snoring, but because I actually like her. When I woke up, I was human again and she was staring at me in awe. I told her the whole story and proposed, and she said yes! Sweet and loyal Heinrich came and brought the eight-horse coach. He actually missed me and I surprisingly missed him too! And all the other castle workers! I can't wait to see them and introduce them to my beautiful fiancée!
-Prince Fredrick
Author's note:
This is from the Frog Prince story from the Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm LibriVox unit. I was familiar with the frog prince story, but not this one. I always knew it as the princesses trying to find her prince after he has been turned into a frog by a wicked witch for some reason that I can't remember. The princess has to kiss all the frogs until she finds her prince. In this story, the princess had it so easy. She wasn't even looking for a prince. She was by a spring one day and playing with a ball. It accidentally rolls into the spring, but it is too deep for her to see and she starts to cry at her loss. The frog - the prince who had been turned into a frog by a fairy for an unknown reason - offers to swim down to get it for her on the condition that she take him home and let him eat off her plate and sleep on her bed for three nights in a row. That's it. That sounds like a much better deal than kissing a bunch of frogs. In the original story, there isn't an explanation as to why the prince was turned into a frog. I thought it would be fun to give him some back story and give a reason to why he is being punished. It's very similar to Beauty and the Beast but the prince is the only thing that is changed. Because I wrote it from his point of view, I didn't really keep too close to the original but I think the message is still the same: be nice and help others.
Bibliography:
The Frog Prince from the Fairy Tales by the Brothers Grimm (LibriVox),
translated by Marian Edwards, with illustrations by Anning Bell (1912).
Monday, November 10, 2014
Week 13 Essay: Grimm But Not Grim
I read the LibriVox Brothers Grimm unit this week and I really enjoyed reading all of the different stories. I was surprised that they all had fairly happy endings. I'm used to most of the stories, especially the ones that Disney uses, to end rather tragically and not so happily as most of these stories did. These definitely seem to be more kid friendly than some of the other ones that we've read in past units. I don't think some of the past stories would be good for bedtime haha. I also really liked that most of the stories focused more on mercy rather than justice. There were some deaths but for the most part it was a different punishment - either having to marry someone they didn't want to or giving their child to an enchantress. I definitely needed some happy endings this week!
I was pretty surprised by the ending of The Twelve Dancing Princesses . The king doesn't understand how his daughters' shoes have holes in them every morning when they are locked in their room at night. He has princes try to find out and if they fail after three nights, they are beheaded. He even beheaded his own son! He promises that whoever finds out will be king when he dies. The old soldier finds out and then he picks what daughter he wants to marry and then he becomes king. It was just so random to me. Especially since so many princes were beheaded and the only punishment his daughters get is that one of them has to marry the soldier. It's not much of a punishment compared to getting beheaded. I was a little sad for the underground princes though. I wonder what the soldier did to the trap door and if the other sisters were able to see their princes.
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I was pretty surprised by the ending of The Twelve Dancing Princesses . The king doesn't understand how his daughters' shoes have holes in them every morning when they are locked in their room at night. He has princes try to find out and if they fail after three nights, they are beheaded. He even beheaded his own son! He promises that whoever finds out will be king when he dies. The old soldier finds out and then he picks what daughter he wants to marry and then he becomes king. It was just so random to me. Especially since so many princes were beheaded and the only punishment his daughters get is that one of them has to marry the soldier. It's not much of a punishment compared to getting beheaded. I was a little sad for the underground princes though. I wonder what the soldier did to the trap door and if the other sisters were able to see their princes.
Image source: wikipedia
Illustration by R. Anning Bell
Reading Diary Week 13: Grimm (LibriVox)
Grimm (LibriVox)
Part A:
The Frog Prince:
I don't remember the full details of the original, but I really liked this version! I would much rather let a frog eat from my plate and sleep on my pillow for three nights than have to kiss several ones before finding the prince. I just wonder how old she must have been to get married since she was crying over losing a ball.
Rapunzel
What is a rampion (rapunzel)? I know it's something edible but I was just wondering what exactly.
This version was pretty dark at certain points: the prince going blind and Rapunzel living in the desert, but I really liked the ending how her tears cure the prince's eyes. I was also wondering how she had twins and how long they had gone without seeing each other.
Briar Rose
Is this where the superstition of unlucky 13 comes from since the 13th fairy was the evil fairy? I was surprised that this is practically the exact same as the Disney version, other than a few minor details. I really like that this version had the prince and Briar Rose as complete strangers. It just sounds so crazy!
Part B:
The Twelve Huntsmen
Oh this is such a cute story! The ending was not what I was expecting at all. "Someone who had just found an old key did not require a new one." How sweet! I feel like so many of the love stories we've read end in some tragic death so this was a nice surprise!
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
This was quite an odd story. It just ended kind of suddenly with the soldier picking which of the twelve sisters would be his wife when he became king.
Part A:
The Frog Prince:
I don't remember the full details of the original, but I really liked this version! I would much rather let a frog eat from my plate and sleep on my pillow for three nights than have to kiss several ones before finding the prince. I just wonder how old she must have been to get married since she was crying over losing a ball.
Rapunzel
What is a rampion (rapunzel)? I know it's something edible but I was just wondering what exactly.
This version was pretty dark at certain points: the prince going blind and Rapunzel living in the desert, but I really liked the ending how her tears cure the prince's eyes. I was also wondering how she had twins and how long they had gone without seeing each other.
Briar Rose
Is this where the superstition of unlucky 13 comes from since the 13th fairy was the evil fairy? I was surprised that this is practically the exact same as the Disney version, other than a few minor details. I really like that this version had the prince and Briar Rose as complete strangers. It just sounds so crazy!
Part B:
The Twelve Huntsmen
Oh this is such a cute story! The ending was not what I was expecting at all. "Someone who had just found an old key did not require a new one." How sweet! I feel like so many of the love stories we've read end in some tragic death so this was a nice surprise!
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
This was quite an odd story. It just ended kind of suddenly with the soldier picking which of the twelve sisters would be his wife when he became king.
Famous Last Words Week 12
I keep telling myself "I just need to make it through this week and I'll be fine and will be able to relax a little bit." Then, I finish each week and still am unable to take a break and it just never stops. I have three group projects to finish in the next 2-3 weeks and a motion graphics project due in two weeks and I have no idea what I want to do for it. Motion graphics is like animation stuff, like the opening credits for Juno. It's really fun and I am really glad I took the class, but it is really difficult and it is all about the tiniest details. It took probably 10 hours for me to have a rough cut for my last 30 second project, but I'm pretty proud of what I have so far.
I am glad it's the 13th week of school but I wish I didn't have to go to class so I could work on all of my projects haha. But if that were to happen I would be way too excited about not having to go to class that I would just stay at home and re watch 30 Rock. It makes me really wish that Time Turners were real because I would definitely use it. I just can't believe this semester is already almost over. I swear, the older I get and the longer I'm here, the semester go faster and faster.
I've also really enjoyed this class. I like reading everyone's storybooks and storytelling posts to see the creative ways people tell stories. I feel it has gotten a little difficult to do the internet assignments just because it's hard to choose which storybook or I've already commented on everything. I was pretty excited that my last portfolio story turned out so well. I thought I wrote it really awkwardly haha.
Image source: RFP
Seriously, why aren't these real??
I am glad it's the 13th week of school but I wish I didn't have to go to class so I could work on all of my projects haha. But if that were to happen I would be way too excited about not having to go to class that I would just stay at home and re watch 30 Rock. It makes me really wish that Time Turners were real because I would definitely use it. I just can't believe this semester is already almost over. I swear, the older I get and the longer I'm here, the semester go faster and faster.
I've also really enjoyed this class. I like reading everyone's storybooks and storytelling posts to see the creative ways people tell stories. I feel it has gotten a little difficult to do the internet assignments just because it's hard to choose which storybook or I've already commented on everything. I was pretty excited that my last portfolio story turned out so well. I thought I wrote it really awkwardly haha.
Seriously, why aren't these real??
Friday, November 7, 2014
Essay Week 12: English Fairy Tales
This week I read the Joseph Jacob's English Fairy Tales unit. I really liked that they were all unfamiliar stories, besides the Three Little Pigs. Although, this version of the Three Little Pigs was different then the one we all know. In the "nicer" version, the first two pigs - the ones that live in the house of straw and the house of twigs - live and run the house made of bricks. In the English Fairy Tale version, the first two pigs are unable to escape from the big bad wolf and actually get eaten. I almost didn't read that story because I thought it was going to be the one I was so familiar with and I was definitely wrong.
All of these stories were short and easy to read. Some of them though were really cutesy and rhymed or added a -y suffix which kind of made it difficult to read. It made me feel tongue-tied a few times. The story of Henny-Penny was very easy to get tongue-tied while reading because of all the character's silly names and the way the story accumulates. I really enjoy reading accumulation stories because I like how everything slowly builds on top of each other and then quickly dissolves at the end. The ending is also usually interesting since you don't really know what to expect since everything is just building and building. I also liked the story of the Fairy Ointment . Fairies are very secretive creatures and people seem to dislike them, which I don't really understand why. I was confused as to why the baby would need ointment if he were a fairy. What does the ointment do for the fairies as opposed to humans?
Image source: mythfolklore.blogspot.com
The cover of the book.
Bibliography: English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1890)
All of these stories were short and easy to read. Some of them though were really cutesy and rhymed or added a -y suffix which kind of made it difficult to read. It made me feel tongue-tied a few times. The story of Henny-Penny was very easy to get tongue-tied while reading because of all the character's silly names and the way the story accumulates. I really enjoy reading accumulation stories because I like how everything slowly builds on top of each other and then quickly dissolves at the end. The ending is also usually interesting since you don't really know what to expect since everything is just building and building. I also liked the story of the Fairy Ointment . Fairies are very secretive creatures and people seem to dislike them, which I don't really understand why. I was confused as to why the baby would need ointment if he were a fairy. What does the ointment do for the fairies as opposed to humans?
The cover of the book.
Bibliography: English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1890)
Tuesday, November 4, 2014
Reading Diary Week 12: English Fairy Tales
English Fairy Tales
Part A:
The Rose-Tree
What the heck?! This story is so absurd and creepy. Does the dad not care that his wife murdered his daughter and then tried to feed him her heart and liver? Also, how is a bird able to carry a millstone to kill her stepmother? That's pretty impressive.
The Old Woman and Her Pig
This reminds me of another story that I used for my portfolio. I like that it accumulates and then at the end it dissolves. It was all so much work to get a pig to jump over a stile, but at least the old woman made it home that night.
Part B:
Henny-Penny
All the silly names kind of make it difficult to read without getting tongue-tied but this story is still pretty cute. I like the accumulation stories because it always leads to a pretty interesting ending. This one was pretty funny! I like that Henny-Penny didn't even try to help her friends haha so loyal.
Fairy Ointment
I definitely was not expecting that ending. I understand that the ointment makes the Dame see the fairies but what does the ointment do for the baby fairy?
Part A:
The Rose-Tree
What the heck?! This story is so absurd and creepy. Does the dad not care that his wife murdered his daughter and then tried to feed him her heart and liver? Also, how is a bird able to carry a millstone to kill her stepmother? That's pretty impressive.
The Old Woman and Her Pig
This reminds me of another story that I used for my portfolio. I like that it accumulates and then at the end it dissolves. It was all so much work to get a pig to jump over a stile, but at least the old woman made it home that night.
Part B:
Henny-Penny
All the silly names kind of make it difficult to read without getting tongue-tied but this story is still pretty cute. I like the accumulation stories because it always leads to a pretty interesting ending. This one was pretty funny! I like that Henny-Penny didn't even try to help her friends haha so loyal.
Fairy Ointment
I definitely was not expecting that ending. I understand that the ointment makes the Dame see the fairies but what does the ointment do for the baby fairy?
Monday, November 3, 2014
Storytelling Week 11: Suzy's Diary
Dear Diary,
Owen is finally coming to visit me tomorrow! I feel bad that he has to drive all the way to Norman from Houston though. I wish he could fly here so it would be faster. I just can't wait to see him! I wish we lived in the same place or that we both weren't so busy with work all the time. He works at Conoco and is such a hard worker. I miss working with him at Highland Dairy but Conoco is a much better place and he loves working there. I feel so lonely at Highland without him there to brighten my day. I just know things will get better and I will feel so much better once I see him tomorrow.
Goodnight,
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
Owen is coming today! Eeeee I can't wait to see him! He called me around 9 o'clock this morning, so if the traffic isn't as horrible as it usually is he should get here in the early afternoon! I really hope the construction isn't bad so he can get here quickly. I have so many fun things planned for us! I want to take him to the Oklahoma City Zoo since the weather is supposed to be really nice and sunny this weekend. We're going to go to all of our favorite restaurants and just have the best weekend ever. I better clean my apartment and get ready since he should be here in a few hours!
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
It is now 9 o'clock at night. Owen left about twelve hours ago. It only takes about six hours to get here from Houston. I have called him several times and left several messages. He hasn't called me back or texted me and I am really worried. I've been watching the news to see if there have been any bad accidents on I-35 but I haven't heard anything. Surely if something had happened to him I would have heard by now, right? I hope his phone is on silent and there's just really bad traffic. Or maybe he's lost. I really hope he is okay and that he gets here soon.
Goodnight,
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
I couldn't sleep at all last night. I don't even know why I tried. I was so worried that I would fall asleep and Owen would call or finally show up and I wouldn't hear it. I called his phone again and still no answer. I called his mom too to see if she had heard anything and she hasn't either. Now I feel bad for worrying her. I don't know what to do. I want to go look for him but I don't even know exactly where to look or where to start. I'm also scared I'm going to find something I don't want to see. I think my best option is to call the police and report a missing person.
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
A month has gone by and the police haven't found anything. It's like Owen disappeared into thin air. Where could he be? Why did he do this? I am so sad and I don't know if I'll ever get over this.
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
OWEN IS HERE! I don't know how but he is here! He showed up last night while I was crying by the fireplace and put his arms around me. I couldn't believe it was him! I thought I was imagining things. He hasn't told me all of the details but he said he drove through a tunnel, which terrified him, and the next thing he knew he couldn't get out. He had no idea where he was at that point. When he finally found the end of the tunnel, there was an inn, so he stopped to ask for directions. He said the chubby man behind the desk was very friendly and showed him around. Owen said he had only been there for a few hours and was completely unaware that he had been missing for a month. I don't know if any of this is real but I am just so happy that he is here that I don't even care.
-Suzy
Image source: mythfolklore.blogspot
It is the image used in the story illustrated by William Pogány.
Author's note:
In the original story Suzy is actually Siwsi but I wanted to have easier names so the reader could focus on the story rather than trying to figure out how to pronounce names. That is also why I changed Dol y Clochydd to Norman. I also did that to make it modern and more relatable. In the original story, it seems as though Owen and Siwsi live fairly close to each other since Owen is walking. I chose to make Owen from Houston and have him drive because I thought it would make more sense to have him live relatively far away so Suzy would be excited to have him visit. Also in the original story Owen falls into a lake and doesn't know how to swim and then meets a man at the bottom who shows him around and tries to get Owen to stay. Since I decided to make Owen drive in my story, I didn't know what I should do that would make him get lost. I thought having him go through a tunnel and finding an inn worked out well and still made sense.
I wanted to tell this story from Siwsi's point of view because I can't imagine expecting to see someone and then they go missing for a month. It was kind of difficult at first, especially since it's a fairly short story, but I had a lot of fun writing it.
Bibliography:
Owen Goes a-Wooing from The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas with illustrations by Willy Pogány (1908).
Owen is finally coming to visit me tomorrow! I feel bad that he has to drive all the way to Norman from Houston though. I wish he could fly here so it would be faster. I just can't wait to see him! I wish we lived in the same place or that we both weren't so busy with work all the time. He works at Conoco and is such a hard worker. I miss working with him at Highland Dairy but Conoco is a much better place and he loves working there. I feel so lonely at Highland without him there to brighten my day. I just know things will get better and I will feel so much better once I see him tomorrow.
Goodnight,
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
Owen is coming today! Eeeee I can't wait to see him! He called me around 9 o'clock this morning, so if the traffic isn't as horrible as it usually is he should get here in the early afternoon! I really hope the construction isn't bad so he can get here quickly. I have so many fun things planned for us! I want to take him to the Oklahoma City Zoo since the weather is supposed to be really nice and sunny this weekend. We're going to go to all of our favorite restaurants and just have the best weekend ever. I better clean my apartment and get ready since he should be here in a few hours!
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
It is now 9 o'clock at night. Owen left about twelve hours ago. It only takes about six hours to get here from Houston. I have called him several times and left several messages. He hasn't called me back or texted me and I am really worried. I've been watching the news to see if there have been any bad accidents on I-35 but I haven't heard anything. Surely if something had happened to him I would have heard by now, right? I hope his phone is on silent and there's just really bad traffic. Or maybe he's lost. I really hope he is okay and that he gets here soon.
Goodnight,
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
I couldn't sleep at all last night. I don't even know why I tried. I was so worried that I would fall asleep and Owen would call or finally show up and I wouldn't hear it. I called his phone again and still no answer. I called his mom too to see if she had heard anything and she hasn't either. Now I feel bad for worrying her. I don't know what to do. I want to go look for him but I don't even know exactly where to look or where to start. I'm also scared I'm going to find something I don't want to see. I think my best option is to call the police and report a missing person.
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
A month has gone by and the police haven't found anything. It's like Owen disappeared into thin air. Where could he be? Why did he do this? I am so sad and I don't know if I'll ever get over this.
-Suzy
Dear Diary,
OWEN IS HERE! I don't know how but he is here! He showed up last night while I was crying by the fireplace and put his arms around me. I couldn't believe it was him! I thought I was imagining things. He hasn't told me all of the details but he said he drove through a tunnel, which terrified him, and the next thing he knew he couldn't get out. He had no idea where he was at that point. When he finally found the end of the tunnel, there was an inn, so he stopped to ask for directions. He said the chubby man behind the desk was very friendly and showed him around. Owen said he had only been there for a few hours and was completely unaware that he had been missing for a month. I don't know if any of this is real but I am just so happy that he is here that I don't even care.
-Suzy
It is the image used in the story illustrated by William Pogány.
Author's note:
In the original story Suzy is actually Siwsi but I wanted to have easier names so the reader could focus on the story rather than trying to figure out how to pronounce names. That is also why I changed Dol y Clochydd to Norman. I also did that to make it modern and more relatable. In the original story, it seems as though Owen and Siwsi live fairly close to each other since Owen is walking. I chose to make Owen from Houston and have him drive because I thought it would make more sense to have him live relatively far away so Suzy would be excited to have him visit. Also in the original story Owen falls into a lake and doesn't know how to swim and then meets a man at the bottom who shows him around and tries to get Owen to stay. Since I decided to make Owen drive in my story, I didn't know what I should do that would make him get lost. I thought having him go through a tunnel and finding an inn worked out well and still made sense.
I wanted to tell this story from Siwsi's point of view because I can't imagine expecting to see someone and then they go missing for a month. It was kind of difficult at first, especially since it's a fairly short story, but I had a lot of fun writing it.
Bibliography:
Owen Goes a-Wooing from The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas with illustrations by Willy Pogány (1908).
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