Introduction
In this storybook you will
read about the marriages of male celestial
bodies and their wives. I'm very interested in stories that have
to do
with love between humans and non-human figures, especially in Native
American cultures. I believe that love, along with companionship
and
marriage, is universal. To love and to be loved is something
every
person (and celestial body) longs for. My topic will deal with
the
roller coaster of love-the extreme highs and overwhelming lows that
couples endure in their relationships. Furthermore, in every
relationship, communication is the key to avoiding or resolving
conflicts between individuals. My vision for my storybook is to
turn
the stories I've chosen into a modern couples therapy session in which
the celestial husband and wife talk about their likes and dislikes
about their relationship.
The source I've chosen
for my storybook is "Canadian Wonder Tales" by Cyrus Macmillan
(1917). This book is a compilation of oral stories of the First
Nations tribes of Canada. "First
Nations" is the
Canadian term similar to the "Native American" term used in the United
States. The overall purpose
for the publication of the oral traditions found in this book is to
have a written form of the First Nations culture and to present their
ideas as they see the universe.
The first story I'd like
to use is "Star-Boy and the Sun Dance."
This fable is about a woman who falls in love with Morning Star, the
son of Moon and Sun. The two get married and live in the sky,
where
they have a son named Star-boy. Will the woman be happy living so
far
from home? Can love for a husband replace the love we have for
our own family?
"The Moon and his Frog-Wife"
is another tale I'd like to incorporate into my storybook. This
story
explains how the moon used to be the sun, giving light to the earth
during the day, and the sun used to be the moon, only emerging at
night. The people became irritated with the moon because he would
not
rise and set on a definite schedule. During his court hearing,
the
moon's frog-wife jumps on the moon's surface and gets stuck due to the
heat emanating from the moon. How might the frog's disobedience
of the
moon's wishes affect their relationship? Will this dispute cause
a
bigger gap in their relationship?
The third fable I'd like
to use is "The Northern Lights."
I thought the marriage of Strong Boy and the Fairy, which is the
subject of this story, could relate
perfectly to my topic. In this story, Strong Boy returns home after
marrying the Fairy, but soon forgets her after a dog licks his
hand.
Will the two lovebirds be reunited? I think this a very romantic
story
and could touch on issues of forgetting the passion in a relationship
dwindling as their time together increases. This is a problem
with
couples who have been married for quite some time.
Finally, "The Indian Cinderella"
is a classic story of the least likely woman capturing the heart of the
most-wanted bachelor. The fairy tale of Strong Wind and the
Chief's
youngest daughter brings to life the importance of honesty in any
relationship. Of all the suitors, the youngest daughter was the
only
woman who answered Strong Wind's sister's question truthfully. Is
truth enough to capture Strong Wind's hand in marriage? Or does
outer
beauty play a large role?
To mesh all the stories
of marriage
together, I think the frametale should be set during a couples' therapy
session. The therapist will ask questions pertaining to the likes
and
dislikes within each couples' relationship. What is
missing? How have
they drifted apart? What do they think is the source of their
arguments? What attracted them to each other and how has
that
changed? I would like to humanize the celestial husbands to help
add
humor and relate the couples to modern-day husbands and wives.
The marriage
counselor will question the couple together to help mediate and add
insight into the problems in the
marriage. The lack of communication or emotional distance will be
brought into the open so that they may be able to save their marriage
and family. The marriage counselor will meet with each couple and they
will discuss their marriage. By the end of the session, the
couple
will decide whether their relationship is worth repairing or if their
differences are irreconcilable (a term divorce documents claim all too
often).
Picture of
Wedding Bands
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