Reading Notes: Tibetan Folk Tales Part B
Overall Impression:
I really enjoyed this unit. When I first selected it back in week two, it was the aspects of animals that drew me to it. I am glad to have read them because they gave me some insight into a culture I knew little about. Through these stories I was able to read more about common foods and delicacies, aspects of their religion, and specific aspects of their language. I think this is the first time this semester I have engaged with something I wasn't very familiar with and ended up learning a lot.
The story telling style was something I enjoyed a lot as well. As mentioned in my last reading notes, it felt very similar to fairy tales. However, these stories didn't always have happy endings or focus on a damsel in distress who meets an awesome prince. These were more realistic stories that explained aspects of nature, religion, or acted as lessons for social behavior. While our princess fairy tales are entertaining, I think these Tibetan tales are better suited for learning and could be more beneficial for children.
Likes/Dislikes:
I liked that you can see similar elements in these stories to other common stories. The stories that describe and explain nature are similar to creation stories of other cultures and ideologies. There are similar elements of tricksters, magic, and talking animals to convey morals but also keep the reader engaged. It is easier to learn about a new place and culture when there are some similarities to others you already know about.
One thing I didn't like about this unit was that sometimes it felt like the stories were cut too short. There could have been more expansion on the characters feelings and emotions to add that extra level of understanding. There also could have been more exposition in a few of these stories instead of the simple basic intro.
Favorite Stories:
I think my most favorite story from this unit would be A Rabbit Story. This rabbit really went off the deep end and it was quite shocking what he accomplished. It was a little scary the fist time reading it as it seemed a little sadistic... but after reading it a second time, I actually found it a little humorous. Imagining that a rabbit could outwit a bear, tiger, wolf, and human, in the was he did, was rather funny.
A few other favorites would be The Story of the Violinist, The Man with Five Friends with Different Colored Eyes, and The Two Little Cats.
Bibliography: Tibetan Folk Tales, by A.L. Shelton with illustrations by Mildred Bryant (1925).
I really enjoyed this unit. When I first selected it back in week two, it was the aspects of animals that drew me to it. I am glad to have read them because they gave me some insight into a culture I knew little about. Through these stories I was able to read more about common foods and delicacies, aspects of their religion, and specific aspects of their language. I think this is the first time this semester I have engaged with something I wasn't very familiar with and ended up learning a lot.
The story telling style was something I enjoyed a lot as well. As mentioned in my last reading notes, it felt very similar to fairy tales. However, these stories didn't always have happy endings or focus on a damsel in distress who meets an awesome prince. These were more realistic stories that explained aspects of nature, religion, or acted as lessons for social behavior. While our princess fairy tales are entertaining, I think these Tibetan tales are better suited for learning and could be more beneficial for children.
Likes/Dislikes:
I liked that you can see similar elements in these stories to other common stories. The stories that describe and explain nature are similar to creation stories of other cultures and ideologies. There are similar elements of tricksters, magic, and talking animals to convey morals but also keep the reader engaged. It is easier to learn about a new place and culture when there are some similarities to others you already know about.
One thing I didn't like about this unit was that sometimes it felt like the stories were cut too short. There could have been more expansion on the characters feelings and emotions to add that extra level of understanding. There also could have been more exposition in a few of these stories instead of the simple basic intro.
Favorite Stories:
I think my most favorite story from this unit would be A Rabbit Story. This rabbit really went off the deep end and it was quite shocking what he accomplished. It was a little scary the fist time reading it as it seemed a little sadistic... but after reading it a second time, I actually found it a little humorous. Imagining that a rabbit could outwit a bear, tiger, wolf, and human, in the was he did, was rather funny.
A few other favorites would be The Story of the Violinist, The Man with Five Friends with Different Colored Eyes, and The Two Little Cats.
(By Translator W. F. O'Connor. Source: Wikimedia)
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