Week 9 Story: The Twelve Daughters
An old, poor villager and his wife lived in a mud hut on a barren farm. They had twelve daughters that they could no longer feed and their guilt overcame them. The guilt ate into their hearts until there was no love left for their daughters and it was a burden to keep them.
Late one night when the couple only had four grains of rice left, they discussed the options that remained. They knew of an cannibal in the woods that would pay a handsome price for twelve young bodies.
Deep in the night, the old villager crept off into the forest. He feared not the wild beasts, for he knew they could not attack him if he was at peace in the jungle. The sun was poking its head through the trees by the time the villager reached the cottage of the cannibal. The quaint cottage was nestled between two dour gardens. At the sight of the villager, the cannibal woman stepped out of her garden of human bones.
"It is very kind of you to offer yourself as my meal, old fool," the woman smiled.
"If the cannibal woman wishes, I will off her a meal far more valuable in taste and virtue," the villager shivered scared. The cannibal woman was interested in his offer.
"Go on."
"I will give you twelve young maidens who shan't be missed and will taste of innocence. I only ask for a piece of gold per head."
"That is a steep price. But it is one I shall accept."
The gleeful villager ran off to gather his daughters. Once home, he told the twelve that he had found a suitors for each and every one, they need only follow him into the forest. Overjoyed by their apparent change in fate, the daughters hurried after their father into the woods. On the journey there, they dreamt of who their mysterious suitors might be. Some hoped for princes, others for merchants, and even some for farmers. Their hopeful chatter did not discourage their father. He led them straight to the den of the cannibal.
At the cottage, the father yelled out to the woman. "I am here with the twelve I promised. Give me my gold."
The daughters looked over the gates of the garden and saw the human bones. They saw the evil in their father's heart, and they realized his intent. Before they could run, the cannibal woman stepped into view. With a jagged dagger, she ran at the father and plunged it into his heart. She licked her lips hungrily as his body sank to the ground.
"Children of this evil man, my tongue does not desire the taste of virtue or innocence. I long for dark hearts and wretched souls. Take the gold I promised your father and go to the lands of the east. There fortune will favor you."
The twelve daughters bade no time and ran through the woods to the land of the east. There, the cannibal woman's prophecy came true. Each and every sister lived happy and well.
Author's Note: In the original story, Why the Lip of the Elephant Droops, a poor farmer hates his twelve daughters and leads them into the woods and leaves them. There in the woods, a cannibal woman finds the daughters and plans to eat them. The daughters escape by hiding first in the mouth of a cow and then in the mouth of an elephant. I changed the story by punishing the father and having cannibal support the abandoned sisters.
Bibliography: Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson
Late one night when the couple only had four grains of rice left, they discussed the options that remained. They knew of an cannibal in the woods that would pay a handsome price for twelve young bodies.
Deep in the night, the old villager crept off into the forest. He feared not the wild beasts, for he knew they could not attack him if he was at peace in the jungle. The sun was poking its head through the trees by the time the villager reached the cottage of the cannibal. The quaint cottage was nestled between two dour gardens. At the sight of the villager, the cannibal woman stepped out of her garden of human bones.
"It is very kind of you to offer yourself as my meal, old fool," the woman smiled.
"If the cannibal woman wishes, I will off her a meal far more valuable in taste and virtue," the villager shivered scared. The cannibal woman was interested in his offer.
"Go on."
"I will give you twelve young maidens who shan't be missed and will taste of innocence. I only ask for a piece of gold per head."
"That is a steep price. But it is one I shall accept."
The gleeful villager ran off to gather his daughters. Once home, he told the twelve that he had found a suitors for each and every one, they need only follow him into the forest. Overjoyed by their apparent change in fate, the daughters hurried after their father into the woods. On the journey there, they dreamt of who their mysterious suitors might be. Some hoped for princes, others for merchants, and even some for farmers. Their hopeful chatter did not discourage their father. He led them straight to the den of the cannibal.
At the cottage, the father yelled out to the woman. "I am here with the twelve I promised. Give me my gold."
The daughters looked over the gates of the garden and saw the human bones. They saw the evil in their father's heart, and they realized his intent. Before they could run, the cannibal woman stepped into view. With a jagged dagger, she ran at the father and plunged it into his heart. She licked her lips hungrily as his body sank to the ground.
"Children of this evil man, my tongue does not desire the taste of virtue or innocence. I long for dark hearts and wretched souls. Take the gold I promised your father and go to the lands of the east. There fortune will favor you."
The twelve daughters bade no time and ran through the woods to the land of the east. There, the cannibal woman's prophecy came true. Each and every sister lived happy and well.
Author's Note: In the original story, Why the Lip of the Elephant Droops, a poor farmer hates his twelve daughters and leads them into the woods and leaves them. There in the woods, a cannibal woman finds the daughters and plans to eat them. The daughters escape by hiding first in the mouth of a cow and then in the mouth of an elephant. I changed the story by punishing the father and having cannibal support the abandoned sisters.
Bibliography: Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson
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| Cabins and Cottagesby Timea Kerekgyarto |
Haley, I liked your rendition on this story! When I read the original I immediately thought of making the same changes - punishing the dad for being so awful to his daughters rather than having them suffer. I loved the dialogue you included in this story because it made you really understand the interactions in the story as a reader. Good job explaining the differences in stories from the author's note, too, because i had forgotten some details. Great job!
ReplyDeleteHi Haley! The original story sounds kind of sad so I'm glad you changed the hate to guilt because it's a better emotion to relate to! Although I guess he does change it's emotion to hate later on but I guess at that point he was just desperate for the gold! I'm glad everything worked out and the daughters all survived! Nice job!
ReplyDeleteHi Haley! I liked your twist on the original story. As I was reading your story, I was afraid that the cannibal woman was going to eat the 12 daughter. I was also surprised that a father was willing to give up his daughters for money. Although it was sad, I liked the twist in that the cannibal woman only wanted dark hearts and wretched souls.
ReplyDeleteHey Haley! I loved how you changed up the original story. A good revenge on an evil parent story is always welcome. I wasn't expecting the cannibal woman to actually help them. I think at best, I was expecting her to eat their father as well. Overall, very nice story and I hope I can read more of your work soon!
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