The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale

Review:MichelleB
If you love the story the Beauty and the Beast, then try this magical adaptation that blends ancient Chinese mythology with fairy tale romance (and a hearty dose of sibling rivalry):

Long ago in China there lived a poor farmer and his seven daughters. One day, a fierce dragon pounced on the farmer and demanded that he give up one of his daughters to be his wife – or meet certain death! The farmer begged his oldest daughter, One, for help, but she ran away. The second oldest, Two, also refused. So did Three. Finally Seven, the youngest, prettiest, and kindest daughter, humbly agreed to marry the creature to save her father. The dragon flew Seven to his palace under the sea. He magically transformed from a hideous beast to a handsome prince and showered his new bride with riches beyond her wildest dreams. While she loved her husband dearly (and the riches were a nice perk), Seven longed to see her family. Her husband allowed her to return home to visit.

Big mistake!

In a delicious new twist that diverges from the sugarplum Disney version (sorry Belle), Seven returned for a homecoming she will never forget. It turns out that her older sister, Three, had been jealous of Seven their whole lives. Now that Seven had a handsome husband, fine jewels, beautiful clothes, and servants to cater to her every whim, Three was absolutely livid (of course, Three had initially turned down the chance to marry the dragon, but that’s beside the point). Three creates a wicked plan to get rid of her sister and take her place in the dragon’s palace. Author Laurence Yep weaves a fascinating tale right down to the happily ever after ending that will enchant fairy tale fans of all ages.

Readers who love fairy tales with a twist may also enjoy Anklet for a Princess: A Cinderella Story from India or The Rumplestiltskin Problem. Or try Beastly, a beauty and the beast tale with an urban flavor (click on links below).

The Dragon Prince: A Chinese Beauty and the Beast Tale Originally published in Shvoong: http://www.shvoong.com/books/children-and-youth/2029698-dragon-prince-chinese-beauty-beast/

Summary of “a Photograph” – by Shirley Toulson

Review:akso6o175

The cardboard; here it refers to the photo frame; showed the speaker how life was when the two cousin sisters went paddling; to propel or travel in a canoe or the like by using a paddle: to row lightly or gently with oars: to move by means of paddle wheels, as a steamer: to propel with a paddle: to spank or beat with or as with a paddle: to stir, mix, or beat with or as with a paddle: to convey by paddling, as a canoe: here it means walked barefoot in shallow water; with each one of them holding the speaker’s mother’s hands. The bigger girl of the cousin sisters must be about twelve years old. All three of them stood still shoulder to shoulder to smile through their long hair at the camera whose picture was taken by the uncle holding it. The mother had a sweet and pleasant smile before her child was born into this world. The sea in which they were paddling; which seemed to not have been changed; washed their terribly transient; not lasting, enduring, or permanent; transitory: lasting only a short time; existing briefly; temporary: staying only a short time: here it means short lived; wet feet.

After twenty to thirty years later, the mother took out the photograph and laughed at the snapshot. The two cousin sisters were Betty and Dolly. She found it so hilarious at the manner that they dressed up for the beach. The sea holiday was her past for the mother while it was laughter for the speaker. Both mother and daughter wry; produced by a distortion or lopsidedness of the facial features: abnormally bent or turned to one side; twisted; crooked: devious in course or purpose; misdirected; contrary; perverse: distorted or perverted, as in meaning: bitterly or disdainfully ironic or amusing; at the labored ease of loss. But now the mother has been dead for the past few years just as one of those cousin sisters’ lives. Out of all these circumstances, there is nothing else left to say. The matter is closed and silence has sealed its fate.

Summary of “a Photograph” – by Shirley Toulson Originally published in Shvoong: http://www.shvoong.com/books/poetry/2023585-summary-photograph-shirley-toulson/

Summary of William Shakespeare's-'the Seven Ages of Man'

Review:akso6o175
‘The Seven Ages of Man’ is taken from William Shakespeare’s famous play, ‘As You Like It’ (Act-II, Scene-VII), describes the seven phases in a man’s life-from childhood to old age. The world is but a global stage and all men and women presented here are mere puppets in the hands of destiny. Just like the infrastructures of a stage, the world has its own entrances and exits. Every man in his full lifetime has many parts to play. His total number of acts in his lifetime is the seven ages.

The first and foremost act of every human being is the stage of infancy, where he makes his presence felt by crying at the top of his voice and many a times vomiting any food or drink that is repulsive, at the nursing arms of his mother. This period normally last till four years of age. The second stage is the ‘whining’ schoolboy where he learns to utter a plaintive, high-pitched, protracted sound, as in pain, fear, supplication, or complaint. His shiny morning face and his satchel; a small bag, sometimes with a shoulder strap; he creeps like a snail and not willing to go to school.

The third stage is his early youth, the peak of love and high romance. He sighs like a burning furnace and sings the sad ballads of romance; full of woe; affected with, characterized by, or indicating woe: woeful melodies; to impress his lover’s heart. The impression of her reply can be seen in her eyebrows. The fourth stage is that of a soldier where life if full of obligations, commitments, compliances, oaths and vows. His beard is like a leopard or panther. He endlessly fights for his honor, a full presence of mind which is sudden and quick in quarrel and a heart to maintain a dignified reputation.

The fifth stage is the adult-hood where a man tries to live a fair and justified life. His belly becomes bigger than normal. He is conscious about his diet and consumes a good intake of ‘capon’; a cockerel castrated to improve the flesh for use as food. His eyes are severe with seriousness and his beard is leveled to a formal cut. He is to take a lot of correct decisions to keep up with the ever changing times. So this stage is the most powerful stage in life.

The sixth stage is the middle-age. Here is where he prepares himself for the next level in life i.e. old age. He learns to relax from the hustles of life. His strength begins to weaken and spends more time within the roof of his house. He looks like a buffoon and an old fool in his rugged old slippers. He hangs his spectacles on his nose for reading and all his youthful hose; a flexible tube for conveying a liquid, as water, to a desired point; saved for the world too wide. His shank begins to shrink with time; the part of the lower limb in humans between the knee and the ankle; leg. Even his voice begins to descend to a lower tone. In his free time, he smokes his pipe and whistles his matured melodies.

The last stage is the old-age where he enters his second childhood. It is also the beginning of the end of his eventful history. It is also the stage of oblivion; the state of being completely forgotten or unknown; the state of forgetting or of being oblivious; official disregard or overlooking of offenses; He is without everything; without teeth, eyes and taste.
Summary of William Shakespeare's-'the Seven Ages of Man' Originally published in Shvoong: http://www.shvoong.com/books/classic-literature/2017176-summary-william-shakespeare-seven-ages/