I should probably introduce myself at this point. I am a lowly genie who made a critical mistake about three hundred years ago: I disobeyed the king of the genii. I was young and immature, and I didn't know any better. However, he decided to punish me by sealing me into a vase and enchanting it so that I would be trapped until someone freed me. Each day was torture as I did not know how long it would be until I saw my family again, how long I would be cooped up. I held out hope though--I told myself that if anyone freed me before the first century was over, I would bless him and his family with riches beyond belief. I was still faithful that I would be rescued during my second century of captivity. But after that passed and still nobody had released me, I vowed that I would immediately kill the person who set me free.
The vase that held me captive. Source: deviantArt.
When I had escaped the vase completely and taken my true form, I examined my surroundings. Looking down, I saw a feeble fisherman. So, this was my savior, I guess. I scrutinized him, taking in his dirty, ragged clothes and his emaciated appearance. He didn't look like he'd put up much of a fight. He spoke to me as if he were expecting a reward; bitterly, I demanded that he show me more respect before I killed him.
This certainly caught him off guard. He hastily asked, "Why must you kill me?"
Wearily, I explained my entire story. I told him of my former king and his unjust punishment, and the thoughts that raced through my head during the entirety of my imprisonment. The fisherman just looked at me incredulously throughout my account. "But you are so large!" he said. "How did you fit into that tiny vase?"
My pride took over here, and I wanted to show this lowly human my powers. I turned myself into wisps of smoke and fitted myself easily once again inside the vase. Suddenly, I heard a loud clank. I looked up and realized that the man had replaced the lid, closing me in again. No matter how hard I tried, I could not push past the enchantment.
I cried out of frustration: how could I have been so stupid? Oh well. I guess I'll just have to wait for another liberator to come along. Maybe this time I'll be a little more reasonable.
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Author's note: I chose to retell the Story of the Fisherman from the Arabian Nights unit. In this account, I stuck to the original fairly closely, except for the fact that I changed the point of view from third-person omniscient to that of the genie. This story jumped out at me because of the fisherman's cunning, and I also wanted to tell it from the perspective of the bitter genie so that the reader could get more insight into his feelings. In the original story, the genie is shown as a wholly harsh, unfeeling being with no reason or logic behind his actions, and I wanted to change that a little and give him at least an inkling of compassion. I tried to do this by injecting a bit of remorse at the end when he is captured again. Of course, this story continues as the fisherman teaches the genie a lesson through another tale in this frametale, but I had to find a way to end this particular account.
Bibliography:
The Arabian Nights' Entertainments
Andrew Lang, illustrated by H.J. Ford
(1898)
Source: Project Gutenberg
Chelsea I loved your take on this story! I read the Arabian Nights unit last week and once I started reading the first paragraph I knew you had decided to take the original story and switch the point of view. I think it was an amazing idea. You made it fit perfectly how the genie was bitter and that is why he insisted that he must kill the fisherman. In the original story, I was somewhat surprised when the genii was released from the bottle and he told the fisherman he could only wish how he would die and nothing else. By switching it to the genie's point of view and his anger at being trapped for years, it makes sense why he would want to kill the fisherman. I think you did a great job! I never would have thought to retell the story this way.
ReplyDeleteGreat job in retelling this story! I read Arabian Nights last week, and I too thought the fisherman was very clever in tricking the genie back into his vase. I really like that you chose to tell this story from the point of the genie. I can only imagine how upset he would have been to be locked up for that long, although, I still don't understand why you would want to kill the person who saves you. Great job on your story! I loved getting to read it. I thought you took a very creative approach to it! :)
ReplyDeleteChelsea,
ReplyDeleteI really liked this retelling! To begin, I really liked the fact that you weren’t afraid to have a little fun with your story. It was more than just a retelling of the Story of the Fisherman, but more of a fun and quirky retelling. I couldn’t help but think of the story of Aladdin when I was reading this story, although the ending is much different.
Your use of details and imagery were absolutely wonderful. I really felt like I was in the story and that I was experiencing it in real time. I didn’t read the original story, but your use of vocabulary and many expressive adjectives were very beneficial to the readers. I loved that you started to tell the story but went back. I picture the Genie as a little scatter-brained and this helped bring the character to life even more.
This story ended up much differently than I thought it was going to. I thought it would end as it did in Aladdin, but that was definitely not the case. I loved at the end of the story you added in the element of frustration by the character. I felt the Genie’s frustration and his pain at being trapped again.
Overall, I thought you did a really great job! I loved reading this story.
Chelsea,
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job with this retelling! I read the Arabian Nights unit, and I have seen how one story always led to another. When I recognized what story you had chosen, I began to wonder how you were going to wrap it up. I can say you did an amazing job! I like how you made this story your own by changing the point of view, and ending the story with the fisherman leaving him in the vase. I like how you expanded on the genie's background, and told the story from his perspective. As you have explained in your author's note, I like that you gave him a personality versus how he is originally portrayed as cold, and quick to kill the person who will finally free him from entrapment. I feel that this was especially important for those who has not read the unit prior to reading your re-telling. I cannot wait to come back and read more of your stories!
Chelsea, This is another great retelling. I liked the switch of viewpoint to the genie. It was interesting to read. When the genie was talking about being sucked out of the vase, the description was great. I could picture it happening and the relief of the genie finally being able to spread out. The ending with the genie being retrapped in his vase was a good ending point. The realization of the genie that maybe he had been unreasonable was a good note to leave on. Great job again!
ReplyDeleteHey Chelsea!
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed your retelling of this story! I had read this story before, in both other storytelling posts and the original, so I was excited to recognize the tale after the first paragraph. However, your story had a change I hadn't seen before: it was the genie telling the story! I had always thought the genie in the original tale seemed one dimensional and evil to a point that lacked reason, so it perfect to see a background to his story that made him a little more sympathetic and provided a reason for his blood lust. (Although, it is still pretty messed up to kill the person who just freed you from centuries of torture, even if you are angry!) I was pleased to see a genie at the end of the tale that wasn't angry and bitter for being tricked, but instead a little more self aware, realizing that it was his own anger and foolishness that had gotten him trapped in the bottle once again. Perhaps it was these traits that had gotten the genie imprisoned in the bottle the first time! Hopefully, the next time the genie is freed from his bottle, he will react with more kindness and understanding.
Chelsea, I really liked your story about the Monkey King that I read a few weeks ago so I was glad we're in the same group again! I read the Arabian Nights unit as well and I completely forgot about this story! I love that you told this story from the genie’s point of view and you did a great job of portraying his feelings. I like that you had the genie show a little remorse once he realized what he had done to himself. One would think that he would just be encompassed by pure rage at that point but you have him as being just kind of contempt with it all, so that was interesting as well.
ReplyDeleteI think my favorite part of this story was the first paragraph. You give great details and perfectly set the story to describe someone who is being freed for the first time in three hundred years! This was a great retelling and I’m glad you took a different route than the original story, good job!
On a side note, I really like the picture you choose to be the genie’s “home.” We usually just think of lamps but you show an elegant vase and it provides a whole new perspective since the story didn’t really say what he came out of in the first place, I think.