Week 7 Storytelling, The Unlucky Well
One upon a time there was an old man who was very sick. He went to sleep one night and had a very vivid dream, almost as if the spirits were talking to him. He dreamed that a spirit came and got him from his bed and took him on an adventure. The spirit lead him to a boat which he got in and paddled down a river and ended up at the foot of a mountain. Then the spirit lead him all the way up the mountain without going on one single path. When he reached the top of the mountain there were two huge walls made of rocks which what seemed to be a gate in the middle. The gate looked like it could lead to something very important. From here it was his decision to walk through the gate or go back down the mountain. The old man decided to walk through the gate and was surprised as to what he found on the other side. On the other side of the gate was a large well that was very hard to get to. He tied a cup onto a stick and dipped it into the well and retrieved water from the well. After the long journey up the mountain he was very tired and thirsty so he drank the water from the well. The spirit informed him that it would heal him from his sickness.
After waking up from this dream, the old man immediately went to the prince to tell him about the vision and all of the details. The prince believed the old man and got a group of servants prepared to go on this journey with him. The boats were prepared and the group set out to find the well with the old man leading them in the front. They reached the mountain with no problem and set out on foot to the top of the mountain. Once they reached the top of the mountain, everything looked the same to the old man. They went through the gate and the well was right there. The prince got very anxious and tried to reach into the well to feel the water and fell into the well. There was nothing the servants or the old man could do to help the prince. The prince drowned in the well. From that day forward, the well was no longer lucky. In fact, it was very unlucky. Anyone who drank from the water or was touched by the water was infected with a sickness that could never go away.
The Magic Well
Bibliography:Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson, with photographs by W.A. Briggs (1899).
Author's Note: In the original story, There was an old man who was very sick and begged to see the doctor. He was brought into the presence of the prince and the old man explained that last night he had a vision that a spirit came and touched him and lead him to a river bank. There he entered a boat that had been prepared for him and rowed it swiftly down the stream. It stopped at the foot of a mountain and a spirit lead me up the mountain without a path. When he reached the top of the mountain there were two great rock walls and between the rock walls was a gate that looked like it was leading into a city. There was a well at the top of the mountain. He then held a cup tied to a stick and dipped it in the pure water form the well. The spirit explained that the water alone would heal his sickness. The prince did not doubt the sick mans story but did command that boats be prepared for his use. The prince and a large retinue of servants departed to the mountain. The aged sick man was leading them. After making just the journey in which the old man described in his visions, they made it to the top of the mountain and saw the gate. The aged man went to the well and dipped the cup into the well and retrieved the water. The chow drank the water and poured it upon himself and was healed of sickness for the rest of his life and almost became a new man. Now the water is used to heal people all over the world day after day.
After waking up from this dream, the old man immediately went to the prince to tell him about the vision and all of the details. The prince believed the old man and got a group of servants prepared to go on this journey with him. The boats were prepared and the group set out to find the well with the old man leading them in the front. They reached the mountain with no problem and set out on foot to the top of the mountain. Once they reached the top of the mountain, everything looked the same to the old man. They went through the gate and the well was right there. The prince got very anxious and tried to reach into the well to feel the water and fell into the well. There was nothing the servants or the old man could do to help the prince. The prince drowned in the well. From that day forward, the well was no longer lucky. In fact, it was very unlucky. Anyone who drank from the water or was touched by the water was infected with a sickness that could never go away.
The Magic Well
Bibliography:Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson, with photographs by W.A. Briggs (1899).
Author's Note: In the original story, There was an old man who was very sick and begged to see the doctor. He was brought into the presence of the prince and the old man explained that last night he had a vision that a spirit came and touched him and lead him to a river bank. There he entered a boat that had been prepared for him and rowed it swiftly down the stream. It stopped at the foot of a mountain and a spirit lead me up the mountain without a path. When he reached the top of the mountain there were two great rock walls and between the rock walls was a gate that looked like it was leading into a city. There was a well at the top of the mountain. He then held a cup tied to a stick and dipped it in the pure water form the well. The spirit explained that the water alone would heal his sickness. The prince did not doubt the sick mans story but did command that boats be prepared for his use. The prince and a large retinue of servants departed to the mountain. The aged sick man was leading them. After making just the journey in which the old man described in his visions, they made it to the top of the mountain and saw the gate. The aged man went to the well and dipped the cup into the well and retrieved the water. The chow drank the water and poured it upon himself and was healed of sickness for the rest of his life and almost became a new man. Now the water is used to heal people all over the world day after day.
This was such a unique concept! Normally one goes to a well in order to throw a coin in or something to make a wish. I like that this is opposite to that archetype. I wonder what made this prince fall into the well? Maybe the well is actually cursed. It made the old man dream of it for the soul purpose of getting people to come to it so it could claim theirs lives or something. That is just my imagination running wild though! I enjoyed your story :)
ReplyDeleteHey Christina!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading this story! It's so interesting to see the contrast in the man's dream to what happened when he was awake. Obviously, there was a very different and unfortunate ending. But I really like how you told the story because the audience is engaged at all times. Also, I think it is ironic how the prince's impatience causes him to fall in the well. There is a deeper meaning behind that. Great job!
That is an interesting story! I am not familiar with the original story, but I wonder what it would be like if you included some dialogue between the man and the spirit in the beginning of the story! So that may be something to consider adding in your next story retelling, but I did really enjoy your story. Good job!
ReplyDeleteHi Christina! Your story was really interesting, and I thought changing the original so that the water was changed to cause illness rather than healing was a cool twist! I was wondering though, who the spirits in the story are and if they foresaw that the prince would be overeager. Did they actually intend for him to be healed, or did they know he would fall in and intend for him to be punished for some misdeed? Either way, good job!
ReplyDeleteHi Christina! Your story was super interesting! One thing: it would be awesome if you could add dialogue. Dialogue adds so much to a story, and really makes the characters seem more alive because we are hearing their voices. It will really help characterize the characters as well to hear their own thoughts in their own tongues! Good job so far and can't wait to see more of your plot twists!
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