Week 9 Story: The Cost of Water
Once upon a time, in a very hot country, a man fell very ill. He asked his wife to go out to the local river and draw some water for him. This water was famous for its healing properties and so the wife set out to retrieve some for her husband.
The wife sneaked past the ogre guarding the river and collected water before returning back home. When he wife presented the water to her husband he quickly drank it and asked for more. The wife admitted that she did not have more and that the amount she brought back should've been enough to heal him. The husband loved being tended too almost as much as he loved the taste of the water. He demanded that she get more for him. The wife expressed how concerned she was about the ogre who was guarding the river but the husband did not care. The wife set out again to fetch more water.
This time the ogre was expecting her and quickly moved in between her and the great river. The woman pleaded for her life but the ogre claimed he had not eaten in awhile and craved the taste of a human. The woman told the ogre she would take him to her husband who was much heavier and would be a better meal. The ogre agreed and let her draw water from the river as they prepared to leave for her home.
As they neared her home she led the ogre into a shed that was in their backyard . She then locked the door behind him, trapping him inside! The ogre yelled with fury and began to break the lock down. The woman knew she did not have much time so she ran inside where her husband was and gave hi the healing water. The husband was now back to full health. He had just enough time to chop at the ogre's knees with an axe, as the ogre busted through the lock. The ogre groaned in agony and promised the couple they could have unlimited access to his river as long as they spared his life. The couple agreed and allowed the ogre to travel back with his life.
Ogre Image
Author's Note: I did not change many details from the original story. The original story was called Motikatika which was the name of the woman's son. She agreed to give the ogre her baby in exchange for water for her husband. The baby was a magician and tricked the ogre into eating the husband in the original. I clearly took the baby completely out of the story and tried to make the wife out to be a more caring character this time around.
Bibliography: story is part of the African Stories (Lang) unit. Story source: The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1903).
The wife sneaked past the ogre guarding the river and collected water before returning back home. When he wife presented the water to her husband he quickly drank it and asked for more. The wife admitted that she did not have more and that the amount she brought back should've been enough to heal him. The husband loved being tended too almost as much as he loved the taste of the water. He demanded that she get more for him. The wife expressed how concerned she was about the ogre who was guarding the river but the husband did not care. The wife set out again to fetch more water.
This time the ogre was expecting her and quickly moved in between her and the great river. The woman pleaded for her life but the ogre claimed he had not eaten in awhile and craved the taste of a human. The woman told the ogre she would take him to her husband who was much heavier and would be a better meal. The ogre agreed and let her draw water from the river as they prepared to leave for her home.
As they neared her home she led the ogre into a shed that was in their backyard . She then locked the door behind him, trapping him inside! The ogre yelled with fury and began to break the lock down. The woman knew she did not have much time so she ran inside where her husband was and gave hi the healing water. The husband was now back to full health. He had just enough time to chop at the ogre's knees with an axe, as the ogre busted through the lock. The ogre groaned in agony and promised the couple they could have unlimited access to his river as long as they spared his life. The couple agreed and allowed the ogre to travel back with his life.
Author's Note: I did not change many details from the original story. The original story was called Motikatika which was the name of the woman's son. She agreed to give the ogre her baby in exchange for water for her husband. The baby was a magician and tricked the ogre into eating the husband in the original. I clearly took the baby completely out of the story and tried to make the wife out to be a more caring character this time around.
Bibliography: story is part of the African Stories (Lang) unit. Story source: The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang and illustrated by H. J. Ford (1903).
Hey there Donovan! I really enjoyed reading your story. I haven't had the chance to read the original, but I felt that I could really grasp the overall idea of it after reading your author's note. I liked that you decided to put it at the end of the story instead of the beginning because if it were the other way around, it wouldn't have made as much sense. In regards to the changes you made, I really liked them more in comparison to the ending of the original story quite frankly. It made the characters more relatable and the ending much happier.
ReplyDeleteI loved how your story was short and simple. You did have a few minor typos, but nothing that I couldn't get past. Reading your author's note, it sounds like the original story was pretty interesting with a magician baby. I do like your version though, because I don't like the idea of a woman saying she will trade her baby for something, even if it was all a trick. I honestly did not expect the ending. In fact, when she told the Ogre that he could have her husband, I was like "Hell yeah, you go girl!" However, I really enjoyed your ending, and I think it fit well.
ReplyDeleteHi again Donovan! I love your re-telling of this story. I didn't read the original but your note does a great job of explaining the changes you made. I really like how you took out the baby part because it doesn't really feel relevant anyways. Your re-telling made more sense, and nothing felt unnecessary. I definitely felt that the wife was caring in your version so you did also did a great job there!
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