When the “Can Do” Kids arrived for Storytelling class, Storyteller Bill was just finishing writing on the blackboard. He turned and greeted each “Can Do: as they came into the room. As they sat down they read what he had written. It was the story of The Three Little Pigs that they had gone over the week before.
Storyteller Bill said, “Today we are going to review the story together, pick out the scary parts and talk about making some changes that make the story less scary and more fun. After we have done that, I will show you what I did with the story of The Three Little Pigs.”
For the next 45 minutes, the “Can Dos” picked out the parts that scared them in the story of The Three Little Pigs. They talked about the wolf blowing down the house of pigs one and two. They talked about making the wolf not such a bad guy. Maybe he didn’t have to be so mean; maybe he didn’t have to try to eat The Three Little Pigs.
With only 15 minutes left in the class, Storyteller Bill stopped the “Can Dos” who were hard at work trying to rewrite the story. “Boys and girls, let me share with you how I rewrote the Three Little Pigs.”
The “Can Dos” all sat back in their seats, glad for the chance to be listening, not writing.
Storyteller Bill began, “This story takes place in a forest just before Halloween.
One fine autumn day, three little pigs broke out of their pig sty. They ran from the farm. They ran into the woods. They ran beneath the open sky.
The three little pigs agreed there was no more space in that run down place; it was like living as sardines in a can. “We need room to spread. We can’t sleep three in one bed; we were squeezed together like a tin filled with Spam.”
One pig wanted to play; the other wanted to roam. The littlest one wanted a home of her own. They decided to build houses without any mice so finally they could be what they are.
The littlest pig started to build as soon as she could, for winter was not far away. The other two pigs roamed but didn’t build homes of their own. They wasted time day after day and soon it would be Halloween.
The littlest pig was fast at work when she heard…tweet…tweet…tweet. She jumped with fright, then squealed with delight when she saw it was a bird. “You can be my first friend,” she said. “I will call you Tweet.”
Tweet nodded and smiled and said, “Why I ‘d be pleased to be your friend. If there is danger about, I’ll tweet. When you are sad, I’ll sing something sweet. It’s something you do for a friend.”
Just then the first and second little pigs passed by and seeing Tweet they began to sing, “When summer is over frost is on the clover and the pumpkins start to grow, that’s my favorite time of the year because Halloween is near. It’s time to trick or treat, you know!
We’ll put masks on our faces and visit lots of places where candy and treats are found. We’ll knock on someone’s door and see what we can score. Then we will pass the goodies around.”
Just then, who was coming down the street dressed like a grandma but Woof, and he was singing…”For food I am looking, that doesn’t need cooking. I need just a bite and a chew and a crunch. Something soft, or something fat for breakfast or dinner or lunch.”
Just then the bell rand signaling the end of the session. The Can Dos” moaned and groaned. They knew they had to leave , but the story was really getting exciting and now they would have to wait until the following week to hear how the story ended.
Storyteller Bill wished them all a good week and encouraged them to think about possible endings for The Three Little Pigs.
“Remember when telling a story, or writing a story,” said Teacher Pat,”a good story answer’s the 5 Ws and 1H questions.”
