Reading Diary Essay

I have really enjoyed this unit, Nigerian Folk Stories. This unit offered a variety of topics such as: tricksters and fools, women's roles, and children's stories. The stories were very entertaining and to the point, which I enjoy. 

There were a few stories that consisted of trickery and foolery. Of the Pretty Stranger Who Killed the King, was the first story of the unit. This was a great example that you should always treat others with respect because you never know how karma will come back to get you. A country really disliked their king that reigned over them. He was not friendly and boasted about his riches every chance that he had. A decietful witch dressed up as a pretty young woman, so that, she could attract the attention of the king. The relationship between the two progressed very quickly and they married. While the entire town slept one night, the pretty newlywed sliced her husband's head off! Crazy! Karma came back to retaliate against him in one of the worst ways. 

The women in this unit were the center of attention in a few stories. There are about six stories which women swept off their feet, helping someone less fortunate, or the person deceiving or being deceived. For example, The Disobedient Daught Who Married a Skull is the story that I chose for my week six storytelling. I was really able to be creative with this story and write a story that reminded me of a movie. It was not necessarily a particular movie; but I imagined a move as I wrote it.

The Woman, the Ape, and the Child was a heartbreaking story. A lustful man, Edem Effiong, tried to seduce the wife of Okun Archibong and mother to a newborn. A jealous man told a husband that his wife was romantically involved with an ape. The husband shot the ape, unsuccessful at killing him, so the ape tore the newborn baby to pieces. Next, the husband shot the wife out of anger! Love will make you do some crazy things.

The little baby could have grown to read some of the stories in this unit. Many stories answered questions that most children ask. Why are bats only awake at night? Why do hawks like to eat chickens? Why do cats eat rats? Why do we bury humans, when they die? Why does the moon disappear and come back? These stories answered questions in a rememberable way.

There are many stories that have the answers to these questions. I am twenty-two and still enjoyed these stories. Yes, I know the real reasons why these things happen but it is nice to have a cool story that goes along with it. 

Ape and Baby