Microfiction: Men to Monkeys
Story 1 || 6 words:
Men who disobeyed turned into monkeys.
Story 2 || 2 sentences:
God told men to not fish on Sundays. Yet, the men fished, so they were turned into monkeys.
Author's Note: For this set of microfictions, I opted to write my own versions of The Origin of Monkeys. The original story tells of how a man of God came to men and told them not to fish on Sundays, for the fish needed a day to feed. The men obliged and went about home to rest. Then, a woman came and saw the many fish feeding in the water. She came home to the men at once and bid them to go fish, else they be loved no more. So, the men head out to fish again, but God turned them into monkeys for disobeying. For my first microfiction of 6 words, I tried to remain abstract in my word choice. Readers who know the original story will be able to make sense of the few words. Conversely, readers who are unfamiliar with the original story will be able to use their imagination and create their own stories, knowing that disobeying men get turned into monkeys. With this key aspect of the original story, readers can openly interpret their own stories and breathe life to new stories. For my second microfiction of 2 sentences, I added in some more detail and plot from the original tale. I told of how God told men not to fish on Sundays, but they fished anyway and were turned into monkeys. However, the actions of the men due to the woman's threat of no love were omitted. Thus, the reasoning for the disobedience of the men was lost, and the men appear to be at fault. As such, this story has a subtle difference from the original; this story illustrates the men as ill-listeners, while the original story illustrates them as seekers of love. The latter is suitably more fitting, but is absent from this rendition. Personally, I like how the first microfiction leaves much to the imagination, invoking readers to write their own tales and spark their creativity.
Bibliography: The Origin of Monkeys from Magana Hausa: Native Literature or Proverbs, Tales, Fables, and Historical Fragments in the Hausa Language
Men who disobeyed turned into monkeys.
Story 2 || 2 sentences:
God told men to not fish on Sundays. Yet, the men fished, so they were turned into monkeys.
Fishermen on a Lake - Courtesy of Phelps Law Office
Author's Note: For this set of microfictions, I opted to write my own versions of The Origin of Monkeys. The original story tells of how a man of God came to men and told them not to fish on Sundays, for the fish needed a day to feed. The men obliged and went about home to rest. Then, a woman came and saw the many fish feeding in the water. She came home to the men at once and bid them to go fish, else they be loved no more. So, the men head out to fish again, but God turned them into monkeys for disobeying. For my first microfiction of 6 words, I tried to remain abstract in my word choice. Readers who know the original story will be able to make sense of the few words. Conversely, readers who are unfamiliar with the original story will be able to use their imagination and create their own stories, knowing that disobeying men get turned into monkeys. With this key aspect of the original story, readers can openly interpret their own stories and breathe life to new stories. For my second microfiction of 2 sentences, I added in some more detail and plot from the original tale. I told of how God told men not to fish on Sundays, but they fished anyway and were turned into monkeys. However, the actions of the men due to the woman's threat of no love were omitted. Thus, the reasoning for the disobedience of the men was lost, and the men appear to be at fault. As such, this story has a subtle difference from the original; this story illustrates the men as ill-listeners, while the original story illustrates them as seekers of love. The latter is suitably more fitting, but is absent from this rendition. Personally, I like how the first microfiction leaves much to the imagination, invoking readers to write their own tales and spark their creativity.
Bibliography: The Origin of Monkeys from Magana Hausa: Native Literature or Proverbs, Tales, Fables, and Historical Fragments in the Hausa Language
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