fandomhigh | Traditional Fairy Tales, Class Eight (03/05)

Entry tags:

traditional fairy tales

Traditional Fairy Tales, Class Eight (03/05)

Monday, March 5, Period 2

Students arriving at the Danger Shop will find themselves in an idyllic country setting. A thatched hut stands nearby, and in the yard grazes a rather thin-looking cow. Once the students are assembled, Aziraphale gives his instructions for the lesson.

"Before we begin today's lesson, I have just a bit of business to take care of. First, I'll need written excuses for absences for the following students:

Armony Eiselstein (two absences)
~~Conner McKnight (one absence)~~ excused
Matilda Wormwood (one absence)

"Also, come prepared next week to participate in an open discussion. This will be a chance to study for your upcoming test, and to discuss any questions or ideas you have about the lessons and assignments so far. You may also use the time to meet with your project groups.

"And one final announcement: our field trip with the Conflict Management class will be on March 16-18. We'll be traveling by train up to New York City, where we'll visit the United Nations and take in a Broadway play. More information will be handed out next week, along with your room assignments."

LESSON: "Today you'll be participating in another Immersion Study. This one is based on your reading from our previous class: "Jack and the Beanstalk". You'll each be taking on the role of Jack, and your assignment is to get into the giant's tower and steal three items: a bag of gold, a hen that lays golden eggs, and a singing harp. You can slip in on your own, or try to get assistance from the giant's wife. However, be aware that you can only carry one item at a time, and the giant's wife will become more suspicious each time you return. Also, if the giant himself discovers you, he'll attempt to capture you. If the giant gives chase, you may use whatever means you like to defeat him. The assignment is completed when you return with the third item."

[OOC: There are OCD threads below for three encounters: first to steal the bag of gold, second for the hen, and third for the harp. As mentioned above, you can play out the scenario as it is traditionally told, or you can be creative and put your own spin on it. The giant and his wife will respond accordingly. The Danger Shop will provide you with whatever materials you might need, but keep in mind that it will also equip your adversaries in the same manner. If you feel you won't have time to do all three phases, feel free to skip ahead, or to SP the tags. You have until the end of the week to play it out.]

ASSIGNMENT: Write a brief essay on your experience with the Immersion Study, focusing particularly on the theme of Coming of Age or Morality as it applies to this tale. There is no reading assignment for next week.

[ooc: Class is going up early because I may be somewhat AFK in the morning. ~~Please wait for~~ OCD is now up, and class is in session. I will catch tags for Aziraphale and the lesson in the morning.]

Syllabus
Class Roster
Project Groups
Linkdrop for classes

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Jude looked up. "Dude. Awesome."

So he hitched up his shorts and began climbing, pausing occasionally to hitch them up again. He really needed to invest in smaller belts.

Eventually Jude made it to the top, shorts and all. When he emerged from the clouds, he was able to see an immense tower looming over him, with a wooden door. The door was massive, as if made to accommodate someone ten times Jude's size.

Jude looked up, looked way up, and idly wondered if he'd see a giraffe wandering around outside. Then realised that this was the US and only the CBC had the good kiddie crack like that.

He knocked on the door.

There was a heavy iron knocker on the door, and when Jude rapped it, the sound echoed inside the tower. After a moment, the door was opened, by a woman in an apron and mob cap. She was very tall, much taller than Jude, but not as immense as the surroundings might suggest.

"Eh, what is it that you want, boy? You'd best be off quick, before my husband gets home."

"Uh . . ." Jude blinked for a moment before smiling and pretending she was a really really big Ron. "Good afternoon, ma'am, I'll only take a moment of your time. I'm with Avon, may I come in?"

The woman looked surprised, then held the door open wider.

"Why, of course you can. We haven't had an Avon visit in ages up here. Too far off the beaten path, I suppose. Would you like a bowl of stew?"

And she led Jude merrily into the tower, into a room with a huge fireplace that had an enormous kettle simmering in it, and a table so tall that Jude could easily have walked underneath it.

[ooc: *dies!* Avon! You totally win. :D]

"Thank you, ma'am," Jude said politely, digging in his pocket to see if the junk mail he had crammed in there on his last run to the mail for his mom was still there. "I think I, uh, misplaced my catalogue but I'm sure a woman of your taste and style doesn't need one - you must moisturise, your skin is perfect!"

"Oh, that's so nice of you!"

The woman beemed, and patted her cheek, before dishing up a huge bowl of stew. "It's so hard to get good beauty products up here, you know. I usually have to resort to rendering the fat of the Englishmen my husband roasts and eats. Which reminds me, you'd best not stay too long. He'll be coming home to eat his lunch and count his gold soon, and if he catches you he'll roast you and eat you and crack your bones."

Jude blanched a little bit but recovered.

"With a complexion like that? Rendered Englishman fat will never do - I'm Polish, by the way. Uh, speaking of gold, Avon's started a new system - we now take payment in advance and your order will be delivered in four to eight business days."

"Oh really? Oh, that's wonderful!"

Obviously excited about this new payment policy, the woman pulled up a tall stepladder and fetched down a massive wooden box the size of a steamer trunk (she was obviously much stronger than she looked). Setting it on the table, she unlocked it with a heavy iron key, and opened it.

""Oh really? Oh, that's wonderful!"

Obviously excited about this new payment policy, the woman pulled up a tall stepladder and fetched down a massive wooden box the size of a steamer trunk (she was obviously much stronger than she looked). Setting it on the table, she unlocked it with a heavy iron key, and opened it.

"Maybe I'd better place a big order, in case you don't come this way again anytime soon?"

"Absolutely, ma'am." Jude nodded, managing to find at least a piece of paper in his pocket and a working pen to take her order. "But maybe we should do this quickly? After all, if your husband comes home you'll have to wait until the next time they send a lady out."

"Do you think I should make a big order, in case they don't send anyone for a long while?" the woman asked, dictating her order to Jude while she rummaged about in the box of coins. After a moment, she thunked a heavy bag on the table.

"This should be enough, I think."

"Absolutely," Jude agreed, nodding as he eyed the bag of gold and tried not to grin. He totally rocked. "You have wonderful taste, ma'am. And your home is beautiful, thank you for your hospitality, I should get going."

"Oh, you're such a sweet boy!" the woman replied, with a huge grin that showed off the gap in her teeth. "Now, you run along with my order, and see that you don't lose it."

Which was good advice, as just then, the front door flew open, and a deep voice bellowed, "Where is my lunch, and my gold?!"

Frick onna stick with a brick!

Jude grabbed the bag of gold and looked around. "Ma'am, do you have a back door? Giant cat flap? Ground-floor window? Because that delicate bone structure would look gorgeous with this toner."

"Oh dear, it's my husband! And when he catches you, he'll roast you and eat you and crack your bones!"

The woman did seem to be kind of stuck on that idea. Grabbing Jude's hand, she dragged him through the tower to a window in the back, then shoved a chair up to it and motioned frantically at him. "Hurry! Get out before he finds you!"

Dragging the gold with him and trying not to dwell the roasting, eating, and cracking, Jude hurried after the giantess and scaled the giant chair, limber and fairly agile for his ineffectual belt. He balanced on the windowsill and wished again for the giraffe.

"Pleasure speaking with you, ma'am, Avon appreciates your business," he said quickly, dropping the gold outside the window and looking for a convenient vine.

Luckily for Jude, there were plenty of vines growing up the side of the tower, good thick giant-sized vines. The woman hurried away as he climbed out, to intercept the giant as he bellowed for his meal.

"Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman, Be he alive, or be he dead, I’ll have his bones to grind my bread."

"I'm Polish," Jude muttered quietly to himself as he scrambled down a convenient vine to the ground and collected his gold, making a break for the beanstalk and wishing he had his board.

The giant was already inside by the time Jude rounded the tower, so he was able to make it safely to the beanstalk and climb down. When he returned home, his mother was overjoyed at all the gold, and didn't even scold Jude for running off on dangerous adventures.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Traditional Fairy Tales, Class Eight (03/05)

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE

Re: IMMERSION STUDY: PHASE ONE