A magician came along and wanted to help the boy. The boy asked to be given all the riches in the world so that he could do whatever he wanted with his days.
For a while, the boy found happiness in the money. He purchased whatever his heart desired. After some time, though, he grew bored and could not find fulfillment in spending rather than earning. He asked the magician to instead show him the opposite life: He wanted to work hard for his money and feel like it was well-earned.
After a while of an impoverished life, the boy grew exhausted and bored once again. He told the magician that he did not enjoy such a hard life. Maybe if he lived somewhere else with his average life he would be happy. The magician granted him the wish.
The boy enjoyed his new home for a while but soon grew bored of it. "I want to go home and go back to my normal life," said the boy. The magician granted the wish, and the boy was content.
A few years later, the magician came again for a visit to see how the boy had grown. The boy was delighted, as he had been growing weary of his monotonous life yet again. He asked the magician to be given a new life of adventure and riches. The magician was shocked and said, "Have you learned nothing? You have seen the best and the worst of life, and yet you still lack the ability within yourself to be happy in spite of your circumstances."
So the magician turned the boy into a bird and said, "Now it will be in your nature to be content with life, as animals live day-by-day and never ask for more."
The bird flew away and found a joy he was not able to find as a boy.
(Image from goodfreephotos)
Author's note: For my story I used "The Man in the Moon" and kept the general pattern of a discontented person asking for change, but I altered the details and ending. I wanted to write a story about how easy it is for a person to forget how good they once had it as well as how difficult it is to be content with yourself. I appreciated how the the original story was very simple, but I saw potential in it for a more complex story that had multiple layers.
Bibliography. "The Man in the Moon" from Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson. Web source.
Hi Brooke!
ReplyDeleteYou put a lot of thought into this story! The theme of finding happiness in whatever your circumstances are really showcased through your story. The ending was such a nice twist and added to your theme! Animals do not ask for anything; they simply live their life and enjoy life to its fullest. The image you included is so beautiful and added a sentimental feeling! I loved reading your story!
Hi Brooke,
ReplyDeleteThis is the retelling of this story I’ve read, and it’s fun to see how you put a different twist on it! I actually thought it was based on a different story at first, which is awesome: it means you did something interesting and new with it.
It’s also an interesting change that your wizard is much more well-intentioned than the wise man of the original story: yours wants the boy to be fulfilled, while the original just gets fed up and decides to teach the man a lesson.
Best,
A.M.
Hi Brooke!
ReplyDeleteI actually liked your version of this story a fair amount more than the original, so great job! For one thing, I like that yours has a happier ending (and, in my opinion, a more thoughtful one). I also like the tone of your story a little more - a person seeking fulfillment rather than comfort like in the original. Great job!