stevenpiziks (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
stevenpiziks) wrote2011-11-01 09:28 pm
stevenpiziks) wrote2011-11-01 09:28 pm
An Evening of Mythology
Aran is starting THE ODYSSEY in English class. He often has trouble with comprehension when he's reading something brand new to him, so I decided to give him an oral primer on it. I was making supper, so I sat him down at the kitchen table.
"Just listen," I said, "and we'll go through it."
And then a thought occurred to me. I called Maksim into the kitchen to hear it, too. Why should he miss out? (Sasha flatly refused.) Mackie was reluctant, but I coaxed him in, and then we began.
See, I used to be a professional storyteller. "Professional" as in "people paid me lots of money." I don't do it anymore because I don't have the time, but I've honed my skills at keeping a crowd's attention with just my voice. I used those skills now on Aran and Mackie with Greek mythology.
We started with Eris getting ticked off because she was excluded from Poseidon's wedding. We progressed to the golden apple, the judgment of Paris, and the wooing of Helen. From there we went to the War of Troy (greatly condensed, since Aran wasn't covering that in class at all) and the Trojan Horse and the cursing of Odysseus.
By now Maksim was getting intrigued. Right at the moment Odysseus arrived in the Cyclops's cave, supper was ready. Sasha didn't want to hear about Greek mythology over supper, but the moment he was done eating, Mackie (Mackie!) demanded that the story continue. We went through Circe, the Underworld, the crashing rocks, the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the Isle of Winds, Calypso, and the arrival at Ithaca. Aran fell into the role of Odysseus, filling in the hero's lines and reactions as we went, stabbing at enemies with his fork.
We had long finished supper and the leftovers were growing cold on our plates and platters. I thought the boys would want to stop and finish it later, but no, they wanted it all, so I kept going.
We still had the suitors at Ithaca, the death shrouds, the betrayal of Penelope, the disguise of Odysseus, the test of the bow, the battle in the great hall, and the reunion of Penelope and Odysseus.
At long last, we got up from the table to clear up.
It was one of those evenings I'd always dreamed of having.
"Just listen," I said, "and we'll go through it."
And then a thought occurred to me. I called Maksim into the kitchen to hear it, too. Why should he miss out? (Sasha flatly refused.) Mackie was reluctant, but I coaxed him in, and then we began.
See, I used to be a professional storyteller. "Professional" as in "people paid me lots of money." I don't do it anymore because I don't have the time, but I've honed my skills at keeping a crowd's attention with just my voice. I used those skills now on Aran and Mackie with Greek mythology.
We started with Eris getting ticked off because she was excluded from Poseidon's wedding. We progressed to the golden apple, the judgment of Paris, and the wooing of Helen. From there we went to the War of Troy (greatly condensed, since Aran wasn't covering that in class at all) and the Trojan Horse and the cursing of Odysseus.
By now Maksim was getting intrigued. Right at the moment Odysseus arrived in the Cyclops's cave, supper was ready. Sasha didn't want to hear about Greek mythology over supper, but the moment he was done eating, Mackie (Mackie!) demanded that the story continue. We went through Circe, the Underworld, the crashing rocks, the Sirens, Scylla and Charybdis, the Isle of Winds, Calypso, and the arrival at Ithaca. Aran fell into the role of Odysseus, filling in the hero's lines and reactions as we went, stabbing at enemies with his fork.
We had long finished supper and the leftovers were growing cold on our plates and platters. I thought the boys would want to stop and finish it later, but no, they wanted it all, so I kept going.
We still had the suitors at Ithaca, the death shrouds, the betrayal of Penelope, the disguise of Odysseus, the test of the bow, the battle in the great hall, and the reunion of Penelope and Odysseus.
At long last, we got up from the table to clear up.
It was one of those evenings I'd always dreamed of having.