Story Planning Week 13: The Headless Prince

For my story planning post I wanted to focus on the story called, "The Headless Princess". There is a lot to this story that I think I would do to change it. For starters, I would call it, "The Headless Prince". After reading the original story, I thought that the boy should end up getting his head chopped off and that he should be of higher status, such as a prince. Most of the stories in this series had to do with some bad fortune to women most of the time, so I felt like the roles should be reversed.

In the original story, there is a Princess who is able to take her head on and off. She only does so in the privacy of her castle. The boy catches her taking her head off. This is where I would change things up a bit. After the boy catches her doing so, he goes and spreads the word. This is then where I would make things a little more interesting happen to the prince. In the original story the princess dies, and tries to get revenge on the boy for watching and he called her a witch. I think that I wouldn't make her evil, but just have her teach the boy a lesson not to invade other's privacy.

For the beginning of the story,  I think I should also talk about why the princesses head is detachable. Was she born that way? Maybe. I feel like it could be some type of legend. Maybe the princess caught someone else doing that so it could end up being some type of spell that is cast upon whoever watches. Maybe the king and queen were evil to the princess in the earlier years of her life.

I also thought may be this could be some type of love story between the princess and the boy. Maybe they somehow end up together after both of their heads are chopped off. I think it could be kind of romantic in a way. They might end up different from everyone else that they know, but at least they have each other.

(Headless princess)

Bibliography: Russian Fairy Tales by W.R.S. Ralston

Reading Notes: Russian Folktales; Part B

For Part B, I enjoyed reading The Headless Princess. I was expecting something entirely different than what the story turned out to be. I thought that the princess would have her head chopped off or something in the story. The story already has her with her head attachable and detachable. That would be so weird if people could just take their heads off and on. I bet I could add a back story to why her head was chopped off in the first place. In addition, I liked how it did involve a neighbor who spread rumors about her. When she died, the kid had to read stuff to her that terrified him, but he listened to the granny and stayed safe. Eventually, they told the king that the princess was evil and the boy was rewarded. Seems very interesting that he was rewarded for something like that.

The Warlock was another good story to read in Part B. I liked how this time it was the father that had died and he left special instructions to his sons after he was dead that their wives needed to do. He had three sons and left special instructions for a cross to not be laid on him. The sons wives would be sent in to spin wool. The first two wives were tricked and strangled by the father. The third wife, however had better luck as she decided to not be fooled and bring a cross in. When he tried to strangle her, she set the cross on him and he died and she was left with treasure. Maybe I will add more to the story of what happens and what the cross on the father really represents?

The last story I wanted to take notes on was called "The Two Friends". I wasn't sure what to expect, but I thought the story was a bit strange. It had to do with two friends who promised they would invite the other to the wedding even if someone was dead. One of them was dead, but the other still went to his grave to invite his friend. His friend ended up somehow tricking the groom into drinking and a few hundred years had passed. I wonder what could have made his friend do this? Was it jealousy? I should add to the story to make for something more interesting.

(Grave site)

Bibliography: Russian Fairy Tales by W.R.S. Ralston

Reading Notes: Russian Folktales; Part A

The first story for Part A was quite interesting. I read The Dead mother and there were aspects that I like and didn't like at the same time. I felt like it was a change from all of the other stories I have read and could eventually be turned into a scary movie or something. The basis of the story has to do with the mother dying during childbirth and her "ghost" coming back to feed the baby and keep him calm at night when no one is around. When the nanny starts to notice this, she notifies others and they seek out waiting for what is to come. I find it interesting that they do catch her in the act and suddenly the baby is dead. Maybe there is more to the story? I think I could try to add some dialogue to this story or  I would rewrite the ending to explain more of what was happening.

(Pot of Gold) 

The next story started off with another couple and the wife dying... I hope there isn't a common theme of that. Maybe I'll make the husband die to give the female a stronger role? Anyways the rest of the story I actually enjoyed very much. The poor man whose wife had died just wanted someone to help him bury his wife. He went to the pope was turned down because he did not have any money. Somehow the old man acquired a pot of gold and went back to the pope and asked him again. The pope accepted this time, but still questioned how the old man got the money. The pope talked with his wife and decided to rob the poor old man. Things didn't turn out so well for the pope as he took the money, but his disguise ended up being stuck to him. I like the idea of karma happening. The poor man seemed to be very good and realized that he had survived before being poor. Maybe I will do a story with a lesson about being greedy?

The final story that I want to discuss is The Bad Wife. At first I really liked where the story was going, even though maybe I should create a story called "The Bad Husband", since they seem to devalue the woman's character. I did like how whatever the man said, the wife did the opposite. I think there could be a lot to add from a story based off of one like this. After she got tricked into going into the forrest I got a little confused. I think I would make a completely different ending and have her trick the husband into it? I could also make her into a better character and not into a Demon like the story makes her out to be.




Bibliography: Russian Fairy Tales by W.R.S. Ralston