Week 12 Story, The Hunger Games

 The Banyan Deer , Ellen C. Babbitt

The Hunger Games

It was reaping day. The day everyone dreaded all year long. I had been entered an extra 30 times this year so my family could have more food. This was also the first time my little sister prim had ever been entered into the drawing. This was the first time she was old enough to be entered, only 12 years old.

The Hunger Games was the Capitol's way of punishing us for rebelling 74 years ago. Now each of the 12 districts had to have a boy and girl enter the Hunger Games where they would fight to the death. There could only be one winner. My family and I live in district 12, one of the poorest districts. We had not had a winner come from our district in nearly 30 years.

I got my sister and I ready for the reaping. I did her hair in too pigtail braids and she wore a white dress. My dark hair was in one single braid that wrapped around my head, and I wore a light blue dress. My mother always thought the blue brought out my eyes.

The crowd of people walking to the town square was silent. Every single person afraid of a loved one's name being called or even their own. We had to stand in our own age groups so Prim and I were separated as soon as we got their.

A woman from The Capital stepped onto the stage. Her whole outfit probably cost more than many people made in a year in District 12. She had huge blonde hair, a pink velvet suit, and blue eyeliner. She cleared her throat into the microphone. 

"Hello District 12" she said in her high pitched voice

The crowd was silent. No one amused by what was about to happen.

"Okay well lets get this rolling." She went on as she reached her dainty manicured hand into a giant bowl filled with a bunch of names. My name at least 30 times.

"Primrose Everdeen."

My whole body went numb as the crowd distanced themselves around my little sister. Her name was only entered one time how could it be her. As the guards went to grab her something over came me.

"I VOLUNTEER!" "I volunteer as a tribute." I yelled desperately.

This story is based of the Hunger Games and the Banyan Deer. Katniss is the equivalent to the King deer who chose to sacrifice himself for the mother deer. Primrose is the equivalent to the mother.

Katniss Everdeen

Reading Notes Part B, The Banyan Deer

The Banyan Deer, Ellen C. Babbitt

 There is a Gold Deer

He was the king of 500 deer

There were also monkey deer who had a king

That king liked killing and eating deer

The King always had townspeople come with him

and the other townspeople didn't like that because while they were gone no one did their work

the king wouldn't kill the deer kings though

the deer were being injured at high rates

so each day they started picking a deer to be slaughtered

One day a mother deer lost and it was her turn to be killed

The banyan deer king felt so bad he took her place

When the king came to hunt and saw the golden deer laying with his head on the block he was confusxed because he granted this deer his lofe

The banyan deer explained why he was there and the king thought it was so nice he decided to not kill any deer ever again

The Golden Deer

Reading Notes Part A, The Sandy Road

The Sandy Road , Ellen C Babbit

Merchant is going on a journey

He and his men stop and camp

They start to journey across the desert

On the last night they threw away their water bc they thought they would be there soon

The oxen took them the wrong way

The merchant goes to look for water for his men and for the oxen

He finds grass and thinks there must be water near

They dig but hit a rock

A man smashes the rock and water floods the well

The men and Oxen are saved

Ox

Extra Credit Reading Notes, Week 11 The Otter and the Wolf

 The Otters and the Wolf, Ellen C. Babbit

A wolf wants to eat fish

Otters are catching fish

The otters cant decide how to split up the fish

They ask the wolf to do it for them

The Wolf splits it into 3 pieces

He takes the middle and best piece for himself and runs

Otters

Week 11 Story, The Hippo and the Bird

 

    A hippo waded in the water at a waterhole in the African wilderness. The hippos name was George he was a young teenager insanely bored with life in his ecosystem. He would sit and watch the birds. Overtime George became jealous of the birds, and the way they flitted and floated above the trees. George wanted to feel weightless and fly above the tree line, but he was bound by his weight to the ground and bound by his family to this specific watering hole.

    Eventually George's jealously got the best of him and he wanted to punish the birds for their freedom. He began to devise a plan to catch a bird and kill him. 

George called to the Bird "Hey tommy come here." 

Tommy flew to George and circled around his head.

George started "Tommy have you ever wanted to now what its like to swim under the water?"

"Well no I've never really thought about it. This watering hole seems so small compared to the giant sky."

George immediately became irritated and defensive. "Well its actually really cool its full of all kinds of fish and other animals you've never met before."

Tommy's face showed that he was trying to process that there was this whole underwater world he wasn't familiar with.

"Yeah  actually George I would like that!" exclaimed Tommy.

"Perfect" George said with a smirk. "All you have to do is hop inside my mouth and I'll take you for a spin."

George opened his mouth wide revealing a mouth full of very big teeth. It made Tommy kind of nervous just looking at them but he went ahead and sat on George's tongue. To George's surprise he started to feel regret. He had never had a true friend at the watering hole. All the other animals were scared of his massive jaws. So he was careful when he took Tommy underwater to not crush him. When he came back up Tommy stayed sitting on his tongue. They carried on their strange friendship for many years.

This story is based on Ellen C Babbit's, "The Monkey and the Crocodile" Jakata Tales: The Monkey and the Crocodile. I went for a happier ending because I am a romcom regular. The Hippo in this story is the parallel for the crocodile and the bird is a parallel for the monkey. Instead of the bird outsmarting the hippo like what happens in the regular story he trusts him. I think this a great life lesson to because sometimes when we open up and allow ourselves to be vulnerable like Tommy was we can make great friends. Added Inspiration was the codependent relationship hippos and birds have in real life.

Hippo With Bird

Week 11, Reading Part B

 Jakata Tales: The Wise Elephant and the Foolish Merchant Ellen C. Babbitt

There is a foolish merchant and a thrifty merchant

they decide they shouldn't leave at the same time

The foolish merchant goes first

A demon sees the foolish merchant and wants to control him so he turns himself into a noble gentleman

The demon tricked the foolish merchant into emptying all his water jars

The wise merchant cam through a month and a half later.

He knew the gentlemen was a demon because he didnt cast a shadow

He got to the next town and made bank.    Shadow

Week 11, Reading Part A

 Jakata Tales: The Monkey and the Crocodile Ellen C. Babbit

monkey lives on a tree by the river bank

all the crocodiles watch him

A little crocodile wants to eat the monkey

The crocodile offers to take the monkey across the river on his back

The crocodile reveals that his mother wants to eat the monkeys heart

The monkey tricks the crocodile by telling him he left his heart at the tree

the crocodile take the monkey back to get his heart

Part 2

The monkey moved to a new tree but the crocodile found him

The monkey hops over the river bank on a rock and the crocodile has been waiting for him

The crocodile reveals his plan again

The monkey tells him to open his mouth wide

The monkey jumped on top of his snout and got away

The crocodile says he will now leave the monkey alone and the monkey says he doesn't believe him

Crocodile and Monkey