Audacious Writer

a fable spun from The Owl and The Grasshopper by Jonas, age 14, Writing Foundations Level 1

Over a series of many decades, Professor Fuddy Duddy created confusing grammar for English speaking nations. He dubbed the colossal term “Coordinating Conjunction” to tiny words such as and, but, for, nor, or, yet, and so. The wretched dictator also pointlessly called action words “verbs”, and gave numerous meanings and spellings to words that sound the same like to, too, and two. During his life time, he exhibited extreme intolerance for rebellious writers.

One bright and jaunty day, Mr. Fuddy Duddy’s vile thoughts drifted to where else he might insert a confounding exception to his myriad comma rules when his loyal minion rudely interrupted him with a report of a puerile author disobeying every one of his infamous English policies. His assistant relayed how other undergraduates admired this clever student’s simple rules, undermining Professor Duddy’s strict grammar regulations. The irascible scholar marched to the college that dared to house the defiant student. At the back door, the professor lay in wait for the blasphemous lad and soon spied the young rival meandering by. Gruffly, he seized his chance and grasped the brash learner by the collar demanding that he comply with his universal grammatical laws. The student retorted, “I refuse to follow your pointless perplexing policies.” He boastfully added, “With my limpid grammar techniques, the world won’t require your nit picky and confusing guidelines.” At this, Mr. Fuddy Duddy absconded to his fortress to plan the demise of the rebellious writer.

The following day, the evil professor conjured up an idea to rid the English language of the annoying graduate. Upon returning to the place of higher education, Professor Fuddy Duddy casually strolled up to the outlandish author and flattered the young novelist in hopes to gain his confidence. “I misjudged your academic talent,” remarked the sinister grammarian. “At my University of English Majors, I will gladly advocate your new grammatical short cuts.” The excited student appreciatively accepted the deceitful professor’s offer as the duo leisurely strolled to his “English” building. When the jubilant graduate entered the crafty critic’s castle, Mr. Fuddy Duddy’s goons snatched the novice and imprisoned him in an undisclosed location. As for the young writer’s work, Mr. Fuddy destroyed every last computer file and floppy disk that undermined his superior grammar edicts. To this day, Mr. Fuddy Duddy’s grammar system enslaves our world. We grieve the courageous young writer who had dared to defy him but failed.

Golden Greed

by Samuel, age 13, Online Writing Basics 1

In the time of the Dark Ages, when nobles were growing rich and constantly fighting, an avaricious countryman owned a goose that laid golden eggs. Her master took those eggs and sold them. Unfortunately, the greedy man was not content with the goose even though she was as beautiful as a queen because she could only produce one egg per day. When he thought of an idea, he rejoiced. If he cut the goose open, he could obtain all the eggs at once. When the deed was complete, however, he did not discover any eggs, and his precious goose lay dead. The depressed countryman wept when his wealth was no more. Throwing himself down, he bemoaned the greed that finished the life of the goose who laid golden eggs.

Seeking Superiority

a fable by Owen, 7th Grade, Online Writing Basics 1 – Fables

One day, the sun and the wind violently argued over who was stronger. “When I blow, plants bow down before me!” the wind screamed.

“If I choose, I never let water touch the ground,” the sun replied.

“Okay, let’s have a true contest,” the wind remarked. “You see that young man traveling down the road? Whoever can strip him of his cloak will win.”

Immediately, the sun agreed. The wind started blowing and puffing. The leaves rippled, but the traveler only pulled his cloak tighter. The wind blew harder. A hundred-year-old redwood tree fell over. Nevertheless, the trekker only pulled his cloak tighter. At that point, the wind was out of breath. “Your turn,” he whispered.

Beaming with delight, for he knew he had won, the sun started to glow. The temperature rose. The traveler loosened the grip on his cloak. The temperature rose even more. The traveler unbuttoned his cloak and mopped his brow. The temperature sweltered. The perspiring man threw off his cloak and sat under a tree for shade. Clearly, the sun had won. To this day, the wind never challenged the sun’s superiority again.

The Canine’s Silly Trick

by Thomas, age 12, Writing Basics 1 Online Course – Fables

One stunning morning, Mr. Fox hastily sprinted through the woods and spotted a trap. He thought to himself, “Only an unintelligent animal would succumb to such a defeat.”

While the hunter watched, the cunning animal sauntered near and frisked his tail over the trap. Snap! His tail disappeared! Shuddering, he darted away.

Underneath a rock a few days later, he thought of a plan to convince all the foxes to snap their back ends off, too. He approached his orange friends while hiding his missing feature behind some trees. Embarrassed, the manipulative canine pontificated to all the foxes about the uselessness of their tails. They did not fall for his silly trick, however. Helplessly, the fox watched as all the other animals laughed at him.

The Vexed Beast

by Thomas, age 12, Online Writing Basics 1 – Fables

Relaxing in the shade, a dog slept under a tree. Suddenly, a wolf approached to devour him. The dog awoke and spoke, “Don’t eat me yet because my master is having an awesome meal in a couple of days. When I am done feasting, you may eat me.”

“Alright,” spoke the eager predator, and he left. After a few days, the grey wolf swaggered back. The beast spotted the canine up on his master’s roof and walked over.

The dog exclaimed, “Sorry, you lose again! If you ever find me on the ground, then you can eat me.”

Vexed, the wolf was extremely angry. He left.

A Scintillating Impression

a fable by Christy, age 13, Writing Foundations Basics, Grades 7-12

Cruising along the Amazon River in a rickety boat just to paint a picture certainly seemed an intrepid thing to do. Nevertheless, Robin Neglegenter attempted it.

The painter brushed a deep blue onto the canvas, then sat back to admire his work. He switched the brush to his left hand and trailed his right hand carelessly in the warm water.

Slyly, a crocodile embraced the opportunity and rose to the surface, wantonly snapping off Robin’s hand in a flash. Robin let out an agonized scream and dropped the brush to clutch at the bloody stub where his hand used to be.

Drowning in Tears

by Ben, age 10, Online Writing Basics 1 – Fables

A milkmaid walked along the side of a road with a pail of creamy milk on her head. She sang merrily as she skipped along. She contemplated all the money the milk would bring. With the money she would receive for her eight quarts of milk, she thought she could buy fifty eggs. Surely at least forty of them would hatch. At Christmas she could sell the chickens at the immense market. With the money, she would buy a gorgeous new dress. She thought to herself, “I think I’ll buy a green one. Yes, a green one. Then I’ll wear it to church. All the young fellows will want to walk with me.“

Proudly she tossed her head, forgetting that she had a pail of milk on her head. All the milk spilled onto the ground and drained into the earth. There would be no green dress, and for a week she had no money for bread. The milkmaid was horrified, and all that week she wept and almost drowned in her tears.

Harvesting By Himself

by Hannah, age 13, Online Writing Basics 1 – Fables

In a field of sparkling wheat, a mother lark crafted her nest one summer. The baby larks grew immensely as the months passed, but had not yet learned to fly high above their home field. One sunny, late summer day, mother lark decided to search for food while the little ones napped safely in their nest. She counseled them to listen carefully and watch everything that happened so they could warn her of danger. After bidding their mother goodbye, the tiny birdies cuddled up in their nest to snooze for a while. However, one of the larks couldn’t sleep, and she lay staring at the kernels of wheat above her.

Suddenly, the little bird heard a voice, “This wheat is ripe! We must harvest it soon.” A farmer and his son agreed to call all of their neighbors to help them.

The lark gasped in shock. Rapidly, she woke her siblings and repeated the words of the farmer. Panicking, they called for their mother. When she returned from hunting, the young ones announced to her all they had heard.

The Horror

by Ben, age 10, Online Writing Basics 1 – Fables

Once a selfish countryman owned a goose. He visited the nest daily. The diligent goose laid one golden egg a day. Gaily the countryman took the eggs to the market so he could earn money. The man speedily grew impatient because the goose only created one golden egg a day, but he wanted more. He thought he was not becoming rich fast enough.

One day the man decided to execute the goose and cut it open to obtain all the eggs at once. When the deed was done, not a single egg was found. The man screamed in horror. This cured the man of his selfish ways.

The Full Field and the Empty Nest

by Alex, age 9, Online Writing Basics 1 – Fables

In the summer, the lark on Grain Street and Harvest Avenue made a nest on the ground in a field of grain next to a vacant barn. She laid her eggs in the new nest. In a few weeks her petite eggs hatched. When the farmer prepared to harvest his wheat, the babies heard that the farmer intended to call his friends and neighbors to help him harvest his wheat. The babies immediately informed their mommy.

Calmly, the mommy softly whispered, “Oh don’t worry about it. He must wait for his friends.”

The babies listened to the farmer again later that week. When the friends and neighbors arrived, they asked, “Why can’t you just do it by yourself?”

“Because I would like tons of help,” mentioned the sluggish farmer.

The friends and surly neighbors spoke, “We have important things to do.”

The wretched farmer declared, “Oh well, I guess I will have to do it by myself.”

The frightened babies recited to their mother, “The farmer must do it by himself.”

She replied, “Oh my, then we better leave fast!” The babies swiftly hopped on their mother’s back, and off she flew. When the farmer reached the lark’s nest, he found nothing but an empty nest.