Week 11 Story: The Bully and the Kid
There once was a bully that loved taking lunch money from random kids. One day, as he was walking to school, he noticed a weak-looking kid from across the street. The bully yells at the kid, "Hey, come over here. I have something to show you." The kid knew that he was a bully but decided to go anyways just because. Suddenly the bully grabs the kid and says, "Give me all of your lunch money." The kid, unfazed, said "I would except I left it all at my house!" The bully was skeptical at first. "Who goes to school without his lunch money," he says. "Trust me," said the kid. "Let me go back home right now and I will grab you your lunch money." The bully let the kid go back home but instead of getting him his lunch money, he got a ride to school from his parents. The bully waited all day for the kid and ended up missing school.
The next day, the bully had a plan to get the kid's lunch money. He would find him right when he got to school and confront him then. That way, he knows that the kid would have the money and he can't run away from him. The bully then hides in a bush right outside the school gate. When the kid is approaching the school, the bully suddenly jumps right out of the bush in front of the kid. "You can't run away now," said the bully. "I know you have your lunch money with you." The kid thought for a while and then he goes, "Alright you got me. I have nowhere to run to. Close your eyes and open your fist and I will put my lunch money there." The bully happily obliged. With a wide grin on his face, the bully closes his eyes and opens his palms, thinking that he would get some free cash. The kid instead puts a piece of paper in his hands and then runs inside the school. The bully, realizing that he can't outsmart the kid, then decides to stop bothering him forever.
Bibliography: Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt
Author's Note:
This story is based off of "The Monkey and the Crocodile" from one of the Jataka Tales. Essentially, the crocodile wants to give the monkey to his mom to eat but the monkey keeps outsmarting it every time it tries to capture it. I decided to do an alternate retelling of the story since I enjoyed the original so much.
Bullying
The next day, the bully had a plan to get the kid's lunch money. He would find him right when he got to school and confront him then. That way, he knows that the kid would have the money and he can't run away from him. The bully then hides in a bush right outside the school gate. When the kid is approaching the school, the bully suddenly jumps right out of the bush in front of the kid. "You can't run away now," said the bully. "I know you have your lunch money with you." The kid thought for a while and then he goes, "Alright you got me. I have nowhere to run to. Close your eyes and open your fist and I will put my lunch money there." The bully happily obliged. With a wide grin on his face, the bully closes his eyes and opens his palms, thinking that he would get some free cash. The kid instead puts a piece of paper in his hands and then runs inside the school. The bully, realizing that he can't outsmart the kid, then decides to stop bothering him forever.
Bibliography: Jataka Tales by Ellen C. Babbitt
Author's Note:
This story is based off of "The Monkey and the Crocodile" from one of the Jataka Tales. Essentially, the crocodile wants to give the monkey to his mom to eat but the monkey keeps outsmarting it every time it tries to capture it. I decided to do an alternate retelling of the story since I enjoyed the original so much.
Hi Anthony!
ReplyDeleteI love your interpretation to the story of "The Monkey and the Crocodile"! I knew which story the the Jataka Tales you were retelling this week that is the first time I have known the story! I really enjoyed reading this story of the bully and the kid. I want to continue to read to see how the kid was going to outsmart the bully next or to see if the bully would win. But luckily bullies never win.
Hi Anthony!
ReplyDeleteAlways glad to see a story where the buddy gets beaten or outsmarted by the kid they are bullying. I did not recognize the source story until you mentioned it in your author's notes. Great job in translating it into a relate able story that is easy to understand. Hopefully we can hear another story about how the kid keeps getting the best of the bully.
Hi Anthony, it took me a second but then I figured out which story you were re-telling. This was a great version and very cleverly written. I think it’s great that you completely changed it but kept the bones the same. It was interesting to see the ideas the kid came up with to outsmart the bully. I love when intelligence wins over unkindness in stories. - Jillienne
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