French Folktale. Some folktales send mixed messages. Bluebeard, a serial killing nobleman, gets his just deserts. But does his last wife (a vain, greedy woman who seemingly only marries Bluebeard for his riches and then betrays his generosity and trust) deserve a “happily ever after” future?
Short Story by Zora Neale Hurston. Everyone in a poor black community seems to know about a woman’s brutal mistreatment at the hands of her cheating, abusive husband. However, nobody offers to help. She finally reaches breaking point and, in an ironic twist, manages to turn the tables.
Short Story by John Gardner. When a twelve-year-old boy kills his seven-year-old brother in a horrific farm accident, he and his family are devastated. His father falls apart, his mother and five-year-old sister put their faith in God and the boy, knowing the accident was preventable, relives it every day.
Short Story by Herman Bosman. A South African farmer and native warrior die next to each other in a war. When the farmer’s friends come to take his body home for burial, they find that wild animals have made it almost impossible to tell the two lots of bones apart.
Grade 5-6 Story by Oscar Wilde. A nightingale sacrifices its life in exchange for a red rose to help a love-smitten student attend a dance with the girl of his dreams. Sadly, the fickle girl’s request was a ploy (red roses are not in season), and she has other plans.