For my extra reading diary I chose half of the unit, Indian Fairy Tales. Here are a few of my favorite stories.
The Lion and the Crane: I enjoyed the story of The Lion and the Crane. The story shows the unlikely relationship between a lion and a crane. The lion gets a bone wedged into his mouth and the crane pops it free. There was a small sense of suspense to see if the lion would end up devouring the crane. However, the lion kept his word and did not kill the crane. The turn of events is that the crane wanted a favor in return, but the lion did not give one to the crane. It shows that if one gives a good deed, they should not ask for one in return. Good is good unless you ask for something in return.
The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal: I really liked the story of The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal. This story contained plenty of twists. First, a tiger is stuck in a cage and pleads to the brahman to let him out. The brahman agrees only if the tiger will not attempt to eat him. The tiger agrees, however, he turns on the brahman and says he will eat him. The brahman pleads to various creatures, but they all say to basically "take it and be a man without crying." Finally, the brahman comes across a jackal. The jackal pretends to not understand the story and makes them act it out again. The tiger gets back into the cage and the jackal traps him in it. I like that the tiger put himself as the highest threat, but a small jackal outsmarted him. It was a good ending twist to a wonderful story.
Harisarman: I enjoyed the story of Harisarman. I have never read a story like this before. Every aspect about this story and the events that happen in Harisarman's life is pure coincidence. It is interesting that he started as a poor beggar, but ended as a rich "sorcerer." It is a surprising that his riches were given to him because him and his wife lied about performing real divination, but he was never caught for it. Even though Harisarman is not a bad man, he is a villain because of his acts. The villain wins in this story by mere coincidence.
The Talkative Tortoise: I liked the story The Talkative Tortoise. I found it interesting because it is so similar to one of Aesop's Fables in that a tortoise grabbed a stick, but fell because he couldn't hold his tongue. However, this story is far less sinister and includes a palace of people explaining how one must hold their tongue when other people speak. I like how the concept of "holding your tongue" is visualized in this story. Ultimately, it is sad that the turtle had to meet his demise to explain the overall point.
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