© Eshu Bumpus, 2018 STF Presenter
Eshu loves to reimagine old stories, playing with genre, time, setting, and the identities and motivations of the characters. Want a sample? Here’s a letter he’s written to an old familiar character: the Gingerbread Man.
Dear Gingerbread Man,
I am deeply concerned about your apparent inability or unwillingness to learn from your mistakes. Time and again, I read or hear stories about your allowing the Fox to eat you. Sometimes it’s the Gingerbread Man or Boy. Sometimes it’s the Cornbread Man or the Little Cornbread Girl. But the outcome is always the same. You lead the entire neighborhood on this ridiculous chase through town inevitably ending at the river. The Fox is always there waiting for you and you always fall into his trap.
Let’s look at what’s behind this.
First of all, I’m sure if something I baked something came out of the oven talking, I would at least be willing to listen before trying to eat it. You should have a little more faith in those who created you more than you would in the Fox. After all, no life is created without at least a little bit of love.
Secondly, you’re running through the community bragging. You should be representing the community not competing with us. Imagine how proud we would all be if you came home with an Olympic Medal. You are fast. That’s true. But don’t brag. It’s unbecoming and it makes people feel bad. You should be about spreading good feelings in your community.
Third, there is the issue of trusting the Fox. This shows an obvious lack of education. Any child who has heard even a few fairy tales and folktales knows better than to trust a Fox in a situation like that. It’s not that you should believe in stereotypes. There are plenty of good and kind Foxes in stories too. But when a Fox is being flattering and sly, you should be able to recognize it. Of course, the only way that can happen is if you get a good education.
So, next time you find yourself being pulled out of an oven on your baking tray, say hello to the person who baked you. Ask nicely if you can sit and talk for a while. Ask to be sent to school. Join the track team. Run errands for your neighbors. Grow up to be a part of the community.
Who knows, someday maybe you’ll meet a nice cupcake and settle down to a long and happy life.
Yours Sincerely,
Eshu
Want to learn more about putting a new spin on an old folktale. Take Eshu’s workshop , New Stories from Old, (Saturday, March 24 from 3:30 am – 5 pm) – part of Sharing the Fire 2018. Visit the STF Conference Details page to register for the conference. Want to share your own experiences on this topic? Leave a comment.
About Eshu: Eshu has worked as a professional teller in schools, libraries and festivals for over 30 years. Prior to that, he taught creative writing workshops and storytelling in schools and in his own classrooms. He has presented storytelling performances and workshops in over 20 states around the U.S. He was awarded Teaching Artist of the Year by Arts For Learning, CT in 2015. www.folktales.net
