Week 2 Reading Overview

My reading choices:


Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4.

Week 3: Aesop (Jacobs)

Week 4: Ovid's Metamorphoses

Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6.

Week 5: Ancient Egypt

Week 6: Arabian Nights

Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9.

Week 7: The Monkey King

Week 9: Tibetan Folktales

Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11.

Week 10: Inuit (Eskimo) Folktales

Week 11: Marriage Tales

Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13.

Week 12: Robin Hood

Week 13: Faerie Queene

Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15.

Week 14: Brothers Grimm: Crane

Week 15: Hans Christian Andersen

I am really excited to do the Ancient Egypt, Brothers Grimm, and The Monkey King units, as I think these sound incredibly interesting! I also am looking forward to the Hans Christian Andersen and Tibetan Folktales units, as well. I am glad that there are lots of options to choose from and lots of different cultures represented in the options--I also appreciate the fact that the stories are free and that I do not have to purchase a textbook! My main problem was choosing just two for each unit, as so many sounded incredibly interesting. I will probably do the extra credit readings in order to read a few more stories and earn credit in the process. 

I think it will be interesting to see how various myths and folktales stand up to what my current perceptions of them are as I am at least vaguely aware of most of these tales but have no real in depth knowledge regarding their contents. For instance, I know of the general nature of Robin Hood but have never actually read any of the stories about him. Same with the Brothers Grimm and Hans Christian Andersen--I've heard of their stories and seen them in movies and shows, but have never taken the time to read the original stories before (which I have heard are quite different from some of the representations out there!). I have not really read a lot of folktales or myths before, or at least not since I was quite a bit younger, so this will be new for me. I tried to choose stories that I think will be fun to work with when it comes to making stories out of stories and am excited to read the ones I have chosen and to write my own versions! All of these stories lend themselves to the creation of more stories, so I am excited to give that a try and see how my stories turn out (hopefully they will turn out well!). 

The Monkey King by Yoshitoshi. Source: Blogspot

I choose this particular image because I am excited to read The Monkey King and because I really like this style of art and love monkeys! I am sure the rabbit will make more sense once I read the story but, as of now, I have no idea why it is there (but it sure is cute!).