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Two Old Women: Book Review

One day, I was browsing the bookshelves of my local library looking for something interesting to read. There’s one particular shelf in an adult section of the library that I like to browse all the time, and it’s one that has books of myth, folklore, and fairytales . I eventually found a book that I had never heard of or read before; Two Old Women . Two Old Women is a book written by Velma Wallis . It is an Alaskan legend of the Gwich’in people that Wallis’s mother told her after they had finished collecting firewood (p. xi). According to Wallis, her mother had told her this story because of an earlier conversation they had while collecting firewood (p. X.) Wallis was amazed by the fact that her mother still collected her own firewood despite being in her early fifties, and despite the work being physically difficult for her (p. xii) According to Wallis, the elders amongst her people would work until they couldn’t move or until they died (p. xii). After talking about these things, her ...

The Jungle Animals Vs. the Monkeys

Once upon a time, there were animals who lived in the jungle. They had lots of delicious fruits, like mangos, pineapples, oranges, papayas, and lemons. There was enough for everyone to share, and they lived happily.

But one day, a band of naughty monkeys looked at all the delicious fruits and said amongst themselves, “Why should we share the fruit with everyone else? Come, let us eat the fruit and take it for ourselves!” So, the naughty, greedy monkeys stole the animals’ fruit and hoarded it. They ate and ate and ate and didn’t share with anyone.

The other jungle animals were furious. They would die if they had nothing to eat. So the great elephant, the representative of the jungle animals, went to the monkeys and said, “It is wrong to steal the food and hoard it for yourselves. Share with the other animals, for there is plenty for all.”

But the monkeys threw rotten bananas at him and jeered, saying “We won’t share! We stole it fair and square!”

The jungle animals grew even more angry. They had a meeting and decided on a different course of action.

The great elephant went to the monkeys the next day and said, “The animals of the jungle will not rest until something is done about your greediness. Let us have war, you and all the other animals of the jungle, after a week has passed. If we win, we shall take back the fruit that they may be shared with everyone. But if you win, you may keep the fruit and grow fat and lazy your heart's content.”

The monkeys laughed. They spoke amongst themselves saying, “There’s no way those animals could defeat us after going days without food. We can beat them easily.” Then they said to the great elephant, “We shall have war, then. And we shall beat you so that you’ll stop pestering us!”

So the jungle animals prepared for war. Each day, they worked hard and practiced fighting. But the monkeys did not practice fighting at all. Instead, they laid in the tree branches sleeping and stuffing themselves with fruit and most of them became very fat. They were so fat, they looked as if they had swallowed up a basketball whole.

After a week had passed, the jungle animals and the greedy monkeys went to the chosen battlefield and the fight began. The jungle animals were strong and fast, but most of the monkeys were slow and weak. The monkeys got a huge beating and ran, or waddled, or limped away in terror. The jungle animals won!

The jungle animals cheered, got back the fruit that was stolen, and celebrated with a wonderful feast. Then they all lived happily ever after. Except for the greedy monkeys, who were the laughingstock of the whole jungle, and who had become so fat, they had to go on a diet to lose weight.

THE END


I first made this story when I was little. I had drawn out the story in a small notebook. I misplaced it and I thought I probably wouldn't find it again. However, my sister found the notebook in a tub in our basement. I have revised and added some things to this story, and I hope you have enjoyed it.

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