It was the first day of third grade and Timothy's backpack filled with books, school supplies and lunch money. He swung the straps onto his back as he ran to catch up with his friends. As they waited for the bell to ring the group of boy sat on the ground to catch up. Most of them spent part of their summer at a camp and told stories of kayaking, campfires and picking on girls.
Suddenly, a shadow passed over them. Timothy turned around and his stomach dropped. Fifth grader, Aaron Crawley towered over them. He was big for his age and wasn't afraid to speak his mind. He was the student every teacher dreaded having because he didn't pay attention, follow the rules or have any manners.
"Hey, little boys," he growled, "Hope you like the sight of dirt in your face because you'll be seeing a lot of it this year!" He cackled at his own joke with two of his fifth grade friends.
Timothy and his friends quickly stood up and walked away. Nobody wanted to mess with Aaron. Days passed and it got worse and worse to be around Aaron. He took lunch money, pushed people into lockers and made jokes about everyone. Timothy was sick and tired of putting up with it and he had an idea.
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One day, while Aaron was skipping class to sleep on a bench in the hallway Timothy crept quietly with a cup of warm water. He carefully placed Aaron's hand into the warm cup of water. Everyone knows what happens when you place someone's hand in warm water while they're sleeping. He then took the cup and ran away so Aaron wouldn't see him.
When Aaron woke up and realized what happened he was extremely embarrassed. Being 11, he knew he was much too old to pee in his sleep and everyone who got out of class saw him on the bench. The whispers started and they turned into laughs. People pointed and talked behind their hands as he shamefully walked down the hall. He had to finish the entire school day before he could go home and change.
From that day on Aaron left the third graders alone. He ended up transferring schools while Timothy was treated as a hero among his classmates. Timothy was glad to teach Aaron a lesson.
Bibliography. Shin-ge-bis Fools the North Wind from American Indian Fairytales by W.T. Larned, with illustrations by John Rae (1921).
Author's Note. This story was loosely based on Shin-ge-bis Fools the North Wind. I changed pretty much everything except the theme of standing up to a bully. In the original, the North Wind bullies a group of people while they're fishing so all the fishermen decide to go home. One stays and proves that the North Wind can't hurt him. He fights the North Wind and eventually the North Wind runs away. I changed everything to be about some boys and bully to keep the same general idea. In then end I wanted the bully to leave, just like the North Wind, so I had him transfer. Even though in the end Timothy bullies the bully, he deserved it.
Hi Jessica!
ReplyDeleteI love your story for this week! I feel like you brought it to a very relate-able point of view. Granted, we aren't third graders anymore, but we've been in those types of situations! I've never had to tell the wind to go away, so I loved how you tweaked it! Great job and keep up the good work!
Jessica,
ReplyDeleteI also read this unit! It's kind of funny because I didn't even realize that this was Shin-ge-bis Fools the North Wind until the end! I thought you did a really good job of modernizing this story. You kept the storyline very similar but changed the characters and made it much more relatable. I like that you still let the bully get what he deserved in the end. I liked your version more than the original for sure! Good job.
Great job adapting the story to the present day! I did not read this unit but your description in the Author's Note allowed me to see how your story connects with the original. Your story was very clever and you used a great approach in drawing the connection of having the boy stand up to the bully, as the one boy stood up to the North Wind. Your adaptation of the story allows the reader to relate more to the story because we can all relate to bullying. We understand the strength and courage it takes to stand up to a bully at school, but we may not understand the courage it takes to stand up to the North Wind. By making it set in the present, in a modern setting, with a typical scenario, it allows the reader to connect more to the story. Great Job!
ReplyDeleteI thought you did an excellent job of capturing the nervousness of Timothy's first day of school! It's the hardest day of the year because who knows what could happen! I found it incredibly enjoyable that you chose to compare the North Wind to an elementary school bully. I read another story about that North Wind and let me just say, a bully fits him perfectly! Great Job!
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