Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Mouse Deer licks back

Brief A to Z intermission, and a follow-up on the REAL HUNGER GAMES.

I went back to 4th grade today, and was happy to discover that the Hunger Games was nothing but a light ripple on the surface of the eternal entity that is Mouse Deer. Katniss forgotten, they demanded Kantchil tales like they were the last morsel of food on planet Earth.

Happy to have an answer for their demand, I first told them the story of Mouse Deer and the Tar Baby. Now they have heard this one before with Anansi (any trickster at any point in time can be tricked by these three simple steps), but they didn't remember or didn't care, because they thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing. I like to do Mouse Deer tales because they give me a chance to be completely silly and speak "modern" at the same time.

Once this one was over they demanded more Mouse Deer. I started on the Moss-covered rock, but I only got as far as Anansi's name and I had a riot on my hands - "We want Kantchil NOT ANANSI!". I only survived without being lynched because I told him Mouse Deer will show up later. Geez.
I have only told the MCR once, years ago - but theit absolute enthusiasm was rubbing off on me, and resulted in a telling that was tons of fun! Complete with silly voices, gestures, weird sounds, and of course, the dramatic entrance of Kantchil, at which point one of the boys punched the air: "SPY VERSUS SPY!". We discussed the awesomeness of a trickster vs trickster showdown, and from that point on the cheered loudly through the entire second half of the story until Mouse Deer triumphed. I did not dare tell the tale any other way for fear of my own personal safety.

All is well in the world now. The Hunger Games are over. Kantchil won.
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1 comment:

  1. Hello! This is so cute. How fun to read stories to fourth graders! Have a lovely week and happy A to Z!!

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