Sample Writing Lesson

Basic Structure of Folktales

Objectives

• Students will identify the basic structure of folktale.
• Students will examine messages and morals of the story.
• Students will begin to explore various problem-solving devices in stories.
• Students will write their own adaptation of a folktale.

Story to be used:

Gombei the Goose Catcher, a Japanese folktale

There once was a boy named Gombei. His job was to catch one goose each day. His father had told him never to catch more than one goose a day. So each morning Gombei would set one trap, catch one goose, and take the goose to the market to sell.

But one day Gombei said to himself, "Why must I only catch one goose at a time? What if I caught one hundred geese at once? Then I could lie around and do nothing for ninety-nine days." So he set one hundred traps and waited in the swamps for the geese to land.

He waited patiently for a long time. Finally one hundred geese came and they were all caught in his traps.

Gombei was so excited that he jumped out and startled the geese. All the geese flew up into the air, taking Gombei with them.

They were flying higher than the clouds. Gombei was very scared, and he held on tightly. Finally his arms were too tired, and he let go. Down, down he fell toward the ground. He was sure he would die.

Just before plunging into the earth, something strange happened. His arms grew feathers and he turned into a goose.

Gombei flew around high in the sky. He could see faraway mountains, rivers, towns and villages. He enjoyed the lovely views and loved being a goose.

Then Gombei grew hungry and came down to find some food. When he landed in a swamp, he got caught in a trap. "Oh, no!" he cried. "I have caught many geese in my life. Now I am a goose and I am caught in a trap. Soon someone will come along and kill me. If I had known how this feels, I never would have done it."

As he cried tears of regret, something wonderful happened. When his tears touched his arms and body, he turned back into a boy. Greatly relieved, Gombei became a farmer and never again caught a goose.

Activities

1. Tell the story of “Gombei the Goose Catcher”.

2. 2. With students' input, write the outline of the story on the blackboard.

# 1 Gombei, a greedy goose catcher, decides to catch one hundred geese at once, although by tradition he was supposed to catch only one a day.

#2 He manages to trap a hundred geese, but then all the geese fly up to escape, carrying him away with them.

#3 Gombei falls, and before hitting the ground, mysteriously turns into a goose.

#4 Gombei flies around and enjoys the world from a goose's point of view.

#5 He comes down in search for food, and gets caught in a trap.

#6 Gombei cries tears of regret, which turns him back to human. He learns the lesson not to be greedy.

3. Discuss the structure of the story. Point out that the main character had a character flaw (greed) at the beginning, and he learned a lesson to rid himself of the flaw at the end of the story. Point out how the main character gets into trouble twice (plot # 2 and #5) and gets out of trouble each time (#3 and #6) by means of magical transformation.

4. Identify the "magical transformation" as a "problem-solving device" and discuss with students other examples of devices in folk & fairy tales. "Problem-solving device" is a term coined by storyteller and writing teacher Eshu Bumpus, who defines it as "a thematic idea that a storyteller uses to move the characters from one situation to another, or to help the characters accomplish something in the story." The "devices" are tried and true story ideas that students can draw from. It can be magical, supernatural, or realistic. It can stem from a character's inner resources (cleverness, perseverance, etc.), or come as magic artifacts (ring, lamp, carpet,) given or found, as help from an individual with a special ability (friend, wise person, fairy, etc.), or help from a group of people with special skills. The help may be provided through social relationships such as friendship, repayment for a kind deed in the past, or competition.

5. Discuss the morals of the story. Two important morals this story offers are that one should not be greedy, and that one must see things from the other's point of view. Ask students if they agree with these lessons and think they are legitimate and useful messages to be passed on. Point out that folktales often provide messages that are helpful for the survival of the community.

6. Now students build their own stories based upon the structure of Gombay the Goose Catcher. They will write a story in which a greedy main character learns the lesson not to be greedy. Give instructions and examples for the Planning Sheet.

7. Before students start writing, lay two important ground rules: Our stories must be non-violent and original. Ask students to define these terms. Summarize students' definitions by saying that “non-violent" means we do not use violence to solve our problems, and "original" means we will not use ready-made characters from TV, movies, or books. This is another strategy storyteller Eshu Bumpus uses when teaching children to write stories. It is to encourage students to trust their own ideas and think critically about violent images they constantly encounter in mass media.

8. Give students time to work on the Planning Sheet.

9. Have students read their Planning Sheet aloud to share.

10. Students develop their planning sheet into a full story.

For Further Quest:

Have students brainstorm a list of "problem solving devices" based on stories they have read. Divide them into different categories.

Have students collect messages and lessons from various folktales.

Create an occasion for them to share their stories with each other and with younger children. Encourage them to be aware of their audience/readers.