Week 2 Story: Rest
Current Version found on my portfolio:
https://sites.google.com/s/140RBjl71FyocsySJDm8D0MXnPkYyI2Pc/p/1scOQRDTZ0wwIcp5uFBQP68nkuohSHCbf/edit
My story:
Once, there lived a blacksmith in a small village. He worked very hard every day, crafting and fixing many things for himself and the people of his village.
His work was hard, and the rewards not enough to satisfy him.
So one day, he went seeking a wise man who lived on top of the mountain, for he knew this wise man could give him the escape he desired.
He made the climb, and it took all of three days for the blacksmith to reach the wise man.
Finally, he reached the top and found the wise man.
"Wise man, I grow tired of this life as a blacksmith. The work is too hard, and it is too hot in my shop and the rewards are not enough. Make me into a stone on this mountain, so that I may rest the remainder of my days in peace and cool air."
This was not the first person that had sought out the wise man, and he knew it would not be the last.
The wise man, having power over all things, gave the blacksmith what he desired, and turned him into a stone so he could live out the remainder of his days on the mountain.
After three days, the blacksmith grew cold and uncomfortable. It rained constantly and the wind blew the blacksmith this way and that.
The blacksmith pleaded with the wise man, "Please, make me the mountain itself. So I can withstand the cold and the wind and live out the remainder of my days resting."
The wise man, having power over all things, turned the blacksmith into the mountain so he could live out the remainder of his days resting.
After a week, the blacksmith grew lonely for he had no friends and family. The blacksmith was annoyed for people slept on him day and night, and worked on him and would not leave him alone.
He begged the wise man, "Please wise man. Make me into the moon, so I may live out the remainder of my days in peace and live among the sun and stars."
The wise man, having power of all things, turned the blacksmith into the moon.
And there, the blacksmith found rest.
Thanks for reading.
The blacksmith
Author's Note:
I chose the Man in the Moon and did a basic retelling, while changing a few things such as the ending and what the blacksmith wanted to change to.
Bibliography:
The Man in the Moon
Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson
Link to the story
Hi Rhett! I did not really explore the Southeast Asian stories when coming up with my schedule for this class, so I am glad to have read your story! I have always liked short stories such as this where the plot ends in such a witty way. I think it is interesting how you made the man a mountain rather than the sun! All in all, a good short story!
ReplyDeleteHello, Rhett!
ReplyDeleteI found your story very captivating and I was intrigued to see what would become of the blacksmith. I also really enjoy the way in which you type your story, it makes it very ascetically pleasing and easy to read. Maybe in a revision to the story you could explain why the wiseman was so willing to change the blacksmith into anything he pleased, and why the blacksmith was finally content in being the moon even though he was lonely as the mountain. Also you could spice up your story by maybe changing the ending into a not so happy one, what if the wise man would not help the blacksmith be at peace. You could do something totally unexpected and have the blacksmith plot vengeance against the wiseman for not giving him the peace he so desired. You could end the story the same, but the blacksmith could be turned into the moon for punishment for plotting against the wiseman instead of trying to achieve peace.
-Sam
Hi Rhett!
ReplyDeleteI really liked your alternate ending to this story about the blacksmith. It is really clever that the man found rest and people are usually resting when the moon is out. The basic retelling style worked really well too because it was easy to see what you changed from the original. I was kind of confused as to why the man felt lonely as the mountain but did not seem to have the same problem as the moon. The moon if anything seems more lonely. What if you took that part out or changed the man's reasoning for not wanting to be a mountain any longer?
Hi Rhett!
ReplyDeleteI love your retelling of this story! I like how you added the theme of how the blacksmith just wanted to find rest. I also like the alternate ending - where instead of wanting to be a blacksmith again, he finally finds what he's looking for and gets a happy ending. In the original, I thought the blacksmith was very complacent and whiny. But in your story, I had sympathy for the blacksmith because he just wanted to peacefully rest and not be alone. Great job!