Part A: I enjoyed reading some of these stories, especially when they gave reasoning for phenomenons today. For example, The Giant Of The Flood revealed one story in Noah's Ark and explained why there are not Ogs today. The Og disobeyed his initial promise to Noah, and therefore the giant perished and why there aren't any now. I also enjoyed reading about what he did with the grapes that were made into wine. Sacrificing certain animals, according to the story, created certain characteristics whenever people drink wine. So now, if people drink too much, they are silly like monkeys and beasts like pigs, and if they only drink a little they are shy like sheep. I think those kind of stories are very interesting and entertaining to read.
I also enjoyed The Quarrel Of The Cat And The Dog, because of the way it showed off each animal's personalities. The cat is sassy, defensive and selfish (and anyone who owns a cat knows this is true) while the dog is honest, forgiving and caring. I liked this story because of how the animals were portrayed and how they has affected their relationship today. I thought it was a cute and accurate way to describe each of their personalities.
I thought The Beggar King was an interesting story as well. I think these themes of humility, empathy and kindness relate back to leadership skills that I've learned about in school. To be a good leader, one must also be a follower. I've learned that leaders shouldn't ask any of their followers to do anything they themselves wouldn't do, and I think through this experience the king has learned a lot more about his subjects and their lives. Sometimes rulers are too distanced from those they oversee, which gives a disproportioned idea of what life is like. This story was interesting to read because I could see the evolution of the king and how he reacted to his situation.
Part B: What I found most interesting about this second set of stories was all the elements of magic present in each story. In King For Three Days, he consults a holy man that can see into the future and predict how he will end his battle. In Higgledy-Piggledy Palace, a spirit saves Sarah from the king all because of and Abraham's prayer. Rabbi's Bogey Man ventures even further into the supernatural when he creates a Frankenstein-like character to do this chores. It makes me wonder where the story of Frankenstein came from and if any of the plot has roots in one of these stories.
I also noticed many talking animals, who turn out to be fairies or Prophets. In The Fairy Frog, the frog ends up being the fairy son of Adam and showers the couple with riches, knowledge and food. Many of these stories have these supernatural elements which reward the characters for doing good deeds or obeying.
Overall, I enjoyed these stories more than my last section. They are more "fun" and a much easier read. I think they hold lessons about character, which are meant to be passed on to those who read them.
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