English Assignment that isn't an Essay

[Tyrannigon64]

Assignment: Take a short story and retell it from someone else's perspective (and put it in a booklet with pictures)

I chose the Tale of the Three Brothers, by Beedle the Bard (Beedle the Bard is a fictional writer in the Harry Potter world, so technically it's written by J.K. Rowling) from the perspective of Death.

Original story, verbatim from the books.

There were once three brothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight. In time, the brothers reached a river too deep to wade through and too dangerous to swim across. However, these brothers were learned in the magical arts, and so they simply waved their wands and made a bridge appear across the treacherous water. They were halfway across it when they found their path blocked by a hooded figure.

And Death spoke to them He was angry that he had been cheated out of three new victims, for travellers usually drowned in the river. But Death was cunning. He pretended to congratulate the three brothers upon their magic, said that each had earned a prize for having been clever enough to evade him.

So the oldest brother, who was a combative man, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death! So Death crossed to an elder tree on the banks of the river, fashioned a wand from a branch that hung there, and gave it to the oldest brother.

Then the second brother, who was an arrogant man, decided that he wanted humiliate Death still further, and asked for the power to recall others from Death. So Death picked up a stone from the riverbank and gave it to the second brother, and told him that the stone would have the power to bring back the dead.

And then Death asked the third and youngest brother what he would like. The youngest brother was the humblest and also the wisest of the brothers, and he did not trust Death. So he asked for something that would enable him to go forth from that place without being followed by Death. And Death, most unwillingly, handed over his own Cloak of Invisibility.

Then Death stood aside and allowed the three brothers to continue on their way and they did so, talking with wonder of the adventure they had had, and admiring Death’s gifts.

In due course the brothers separated, each for his own destination.

The first brother travelled on for a week or more, and reaching a distant village, he sought out a fellow wizard with whom he had a quarrel. Naturally, with the Elder Wand as his weapon, he could not fail to win the duel that followed. Leaving his enemy dead upon the floor, the oldest brother proceeded to an inn, where he boasted loudly of the powerful wand he had snatched from Death himself, and of how it made him invincible.

That very night, another wizard crept upon the oldest brother as he lay, wine-sodden, upon his bed. The thief took the wand and, for good measure, slit the oldest brother's throat.

And so Death took the first brother for his own.

Meanwhile, the second brother journeyed to his own home, where he lived alone. Here he took out the stone that had the power to recall the dead, and turned it thrice in hand. To his amazement and delight, the figure of the girl he had once hoped to marry before her untimely death appeared at once before him.

Yet she was silent and cold, separated from him as though by a veil. Though she had returned to the mortal world, she did not truly belong there and suffered. Finally, the second brother, driven mad with homeless longing, killed himself so as to truly join her.

And so Death took the second brother for his own.

But though Death searched for the third brother for many years, he was never able to find him. It was only when he had attained a great age that the youngest brother finally took off the Cloak of Invisibility and gave it to his son. And then he greeted Death as an old friend, and went with him gladly, and, equals, they departed this life.

My version (some of the details are made up, but not contradicted e.g. the core of the wand being a strand of Death's cloak)

I couldn’t believe it! These people crossed the river! Everyone who tries to cross the river should belong to me, but these three brothers have found a way around it by using their wands to create a bridge so they could cross safely. They will pay dearly, for no one cheats Death! Or so I thought…

“Good day, sirs,” I said. “Who are you?” the eldest one asked. “I am Death. For being able to escape my grasp, you have each won a prize of your choosing.” I knew that, whatever prize I gave them, I could turn it against them.

The eldest one said “I desire a wand more powerful than any in existence: a wand that must always win duels for its owner, a wand worthy of a wizard who had conquered Death!” This sounded like it would give what was rightfully mine and more. With a strand of my cloak and the wood of a nearby tree, I made the wand he desired.

The second one said “I desire the power to recall others from you.” Not as easy to exploit, but there was a way to use it to my advantage. I took a stone and gave it the power he described.

The youngest one said “I desire something that would enable me to go forth from this place without being followed by you.” This was obviously a very smart man. I could not use his wish to my advantage. In addition, the only thing that could possibly hold this power was my own cloak. I couldn’t deny him, so I handed over my cloak.

They all went their separate ways from there. The eldest one went to a distant village to kill an old, powerful enemy of his. He bragged of the wand’s power, stating how easy it was to kill that man. He proceeded to an inn, where he slept for the night. A man had heard of the wand and how it had so easily killed the enemy of the eldest brother, so I led him to it by taking forms of signs to direct him. He took the wand and slit the eldest brother’s throat. I had taken the first brother, and the wand would be around for ages to keep bringing me more victims.

The second brother went to his home. A few months prior, I had taken the woman he loved through an illness, just before they got to marry. Since he loved this woman very much, he used this stone to take her from me. I willingly gave her, knowing what would happen next. Although she was not mine, she is still deceased. Those who are dead belong to me for a reason. This drove the second brother mad, and he hung himself, willingly giving himself to me. Few who found the stone knew its power, so I cared little about it.

The youngest brother, naturally, could not be found. He scarcely took off the cloak I had given him. He was safe from me at all times. After many years, he had a son, to whom he gave the cloak. When he did this, I came to take him. He was perfectly calm, and went with me without a fight. He was to be respected, having evaded me twice. We saw each other as equals. The cloak would be passed down from father to son, for centuries to come, preventing me from ever touching them.

I made it into a booklet with pictures from the movie.

It's not great, but I figured some people would find it interesting, because I know some of the Topaz members are Harry Potter fans (e.g. IB, Cyndadile, SS)

[Cyndadile]

I liked it! It is always fun to see how differently the story seems to be depending on the protagonist. It would probably have been a little better if the original story had been a bit more detailed, though. There wasn't much you could do about that. Good job!

What is with all the talk about death?

[Tyrannigon64]

Thanks!

What is with all the talk about death?

What do you mean? You read the original, right?

[Tyrannigon64]

Just got the mark from the teacher today. It got a 76%

[ImmunityBow]

I haven't read the Tales of Beedle the Bard, but was planning to at some point. Would your story happen to have any spoilers or something?

[Tyrannigon64]

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of five stories. One of them is the Tale of the Three Brothers, which is taken almost verbatim from the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. The other four have nothing to do with each other or the Tale of the Three Brothers, and are all about the same length as the TotTB. My story is pretty much the same as the original, just from Death's perspective, so it doesn't really spoil anything.