Famous Last Words "My Dogs Are Like Family"

Dozer

We have all heard stories of children claiming their family dog ate their homework. I know most of us think that the likely hood of such a situation taking place is unrealistic. Don't think my purpose is to change your opinion, but on occasion I KNOW that it does happen. Ask me how i know, go ahead ask me. That's right, I know because my dog ate my homework. In fact, it must have been a conspiracy between my three dogs; Dozer, Toby, and Lexi. While Dozer, my bulldog, pulled everything out of my backpack. Toby, my male shitzu, found his favorite thing to chew on, my pencils. He must have gotten bored of the pencils because he moved on to my notebook, which contained my homework. To top things off, Lexi, my female shitzu, decided to eat through my tablet charger and that was only the beginning of my week.

Lexi

Toby

Over the weekend, Dozer decided to aid the smaller dogs in another adventure. As I was doing my homework, I put the dogs in the backyard to play. After about fifteen minutes, my stepson came to be me yelling that someone had my dog and was walking away with her. Now you might think after the events that occurred earlier in week that I might just let them have her, but no. Anyway, I walked outside to find my neighbor holding Lexi and trying to get Toby out of her backyard. My neighbor handed me Lexi, who seemed excited to see me,  and helped me get Toby out of her backyard. Naturally, I thanked her for her help and for watching out for my dogs. After all they are part of my family. Once again, I found myself asking how my dogs were able to get themselves into such a situation? As I walked into my backyard, I discovered that Dozer ate through our fence. He made a hole just big enough for the two smaller dogs to escape. It is truly amazing that my famous last words are still my dogs are like family.

Reading Notes: "Humans and Gods"

Wooden Idol

photo

In the old days men used to worship stocks and stones and idols, and prayed to them to give them luck. It happened that a Man had often prayed to a wooden idol he had received from his father, but his luck never seemed to change. He prayed and he prayed, but still he remained as unlucky as ever.

One day in the greatest rage he went to the Wooden God, and with one blow swept it down from its pedestal.

The idol broke in two, and what did he see? An immense number of coins flying all over the place.

My Thoughts: I think this story will be a great inspiration for this weeks story assignment.

Bibliography: "Humans and Gods" written by Jacobs 41. The Man and the Wooden God (Perry 285)
Humans and Gods

Reading Notes: Native Americans: Hiawatha "Four Winds"

This story was very interesting not so much for its content but because it was written in the form of a poem. I think I would like to write a story using this kind of format. The story describes some of the hunting practices of the Native American Iroquois tribe. The story is called the "Four Winds." The name of the story is what first caught my attention. I studied Cherokee language and culture for a year and a half. I find Native American culture to be very fascinating. I am going to copy an excerpt from the poem to show how beautiful this poetic style of writing is. The picture I have included is a book cover for a story about Hiawatha, an Iroquois Indian.

Shades of Hiawatha

Photo & Book Info

 Silently he stole upon him
Till the red nails of the monster
Almost touched him, almost scared him,
Till the hot breath of his nostrils
Warmed the hands of Mudjekeewis,
As he drew the Belt of Wampum
Over the round ears, that heard not,
Over the small eyes, that saw not,
Over the long nose and nostrils,
The black muffle of the nostrils,
Out of which the heavy breathing
Warmed the hands of Mudjekeewis


Bibliography: The Song of Hiawatha. "Four Winds" written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1855). Hiawatha: Four Winds

Reading Notes: Cherokee "The Owl Gets Married"

Beautiful Owl

photo

The Cherokee story "The Owl Gets Married" is similar to some other stories I have read from different cultures. A young maiden is looking for a husband. Her parents advise her to marry a good hunter. Several suitors made proposals and eventually she picked one. The young man claimed to be a good hunter, but after they were married that did not appear to be the case. One day the women followed her husband. She watched him turn from a man into an owl. She confronted her husband that night and kicked him out of the house. The owl sat in the forest. He was consumed by grief until nothing remained but his head.

My thoughts: The ending of this story is horrific. It could be used as inspiration for a very dark tale.
Bibliography: Cherokee: "The Owl Gets Married" written by James Mooney (1900).
The Owl Gets Married