Read "Why We Don't Annoy the Author" by Shiori_makiba

[ysabetwordsmith]

Check out the hilarious Creative Jam poem "Why We Don't Annoy the Author" by shiori_makiba.  It is so very true.  :D

Comments

[capri0mni]

Great poem! And now, I'm wondering if Terramagne has any soups who have the power to tell stories, and make them come true ...

Hmm...

[ysabetwordsmith]

The closest I have so far is Hanifa from "Nancy Stories." He can use his nanotechnology to illustrate the stories that he tells -- or do pretty much anything else he can imagine. He just hasn't figured out how to use it fluently yet.

Re: Hmm...

[capri0mni]

I just reminded myself, in a reply to "Why we don't annoy the author," that there's a whole genre of stories in Celtic lore:

The plot resolves around a clan leader/king hiring a bard to entertain his warriors during a festival... and then, not paying them, and/or giving them bad accommodations. So the bard does the gig, but after they leave, starts telling a story about the stingy king who mistreated them. And back in the offending kingdom, all the nasty happenings in the story start happening in real life -- and keep happening until the king pays the bard what they're worth (Which is quite a lot, as we know).

And as I was replying, the thought occurred to me that maybe this motifs keeps appearing in stories (with different nuances in different cultures around the world) because it's an actual superpower that some people have had.

Anyway --It's that background knowledge that led me to disagree with one interpretation I found of the Irish proverb: "Whoever brings you one story, will take away two." The interpretation was that, in Irish society, it's considered basic politeness to give more than you receive. So when someone tells you one story, it's considered rude unless you tell two of your own.

...But proverbs are always more complex than simply reminding people to say "please" and "thank you." And, in that case, anyway, the storyteller would have three stories when they leave. The proverb is actually about why it's important to give more than you get:

The Storyteller leaves with their original tale still in their store -- the one they told you, plus a new story (regardless of how you respond) -- a story about you.

So I reworked the proverb, and made it into my default icon. :-)

Re: Hmm...

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>And back in the offending kingdom, all the nasty happenings in the story start happening in real life -- and keep happening until the king pays the bard what they're worth (Which is quite a lot, as we know). <<

Yep.

>>And as I was replying, the thought occurred to me that maybe this motifs keeps appearing in stories (with different nuances in different cultures around the world) because it's an actual superpower that some people have had.<<

Oh, it is, in various forms. Curses and blessings are another riff -- you'll see that with Mr. Pernicious. Miradoir's talent is reflective probability, which makes good things happen to good people and bad things happen to bad people.

>>The Storyteller leaves with their original tale still in their store -- the one they told you, plus a new story (regardless of how you respond) -- a story about you.<<

Well played.

And I love your icon.

Re: Hmm...

[capri0mni]

And I love your icon.

Thank you.

And considering the importance of storytelling in Irish culture, "Whoever brings you one story" translates to: "Whoever you meet and talk with." So the proverb is a reminder to treat everyone well.

Re: Hmm...

[shiori_makiba]

I think I like your explanation for the proverb better. ;)

Otherwise I might have to think me Irish ancestors sucked at math.

Re: Hmm...

[capri0mni]

Which, we know, they did not!