I'm in a rhetoric class right now and we are working on Roman stylistic devices. Yesterday we had to look up fables and re-write them. We could change anything except the moral. This was mine:

Once upon a time there was a proud and powerful Wizard. His Niece was his opposite. She was kind and cheerful, but most of all, she was beautiful. Her eyes were sparkling sapphires and her hair was made of strands of purest gold. They and their chickens lived in a large house near the small village of Froghopperspittlebug.

One day the mayor of Froghopperspittlebug decided to have a grand party. He invited all of the rich and powerful people from the village and the surrounding countryside. But he didn’t invite the Wizard because he had never really liked him any way.

The Wizard didn’t find out about the party or that he hadn’t been invited until the day before the party was due to be held. When the Wizard did find out, he exploded. He shouted so loud that the mayor could hear him in the town. He said, “I’ll get you and your little do—town too!”

The niece was frightened and ran to her room. She threw herself on her bed and began to cry.

Her scarred, old, wooden wardrobe creaked its doors sympathetically and asked, “Why so sad, my dear sweet thing? What troubles you, this day in spring?”

The Niece replied, “Oh Wardrobe, the Wizard is angry because he hasn’t been invited to the mayor’s party. I don’t know what to do, I’m afraid for myself and the people of the town and my chickens.”

The Wardrobe said, “Don’t fret, my dear, about that man. Our lives follow a greater plan. Your uncle will pay for his crimes, you’ll see! What goes around, comes around, take it from me! Now go to the window, look ye well, and see what happens to those destined for hell.”

The Niece did as the Wardrobe advised and ran to her window, threw open the shutters, leaned out and saw—

The Wizard still shouting in the general direction of the town. He turned and looked furiously about the yard and his eyes settled on her chickens. He began to mutter and to gesture in their direction.

The chickens began to slide towards each other as if they had suddenly become magnets. They fwumped and thumped together, forming legs, then a square body, two arms, and a head. The pieces of the body assembled themselves in the same way the Power Rangers united to make Megazord. And then in the middle of the yard stood a giant man shape made of chickens.

The Wizard-made chicken monster turn towards the town. It took a faltering step. He said, “I shall crush the whole town! It will be smashed, squished, squashed, mashed and flattened! Mwahahahaha!"

But the Wizard’s attention had wandered while he was speaking and his control of the chicken monster had slipped. The chickens, who were very frightened and not very smart, turned back towards the Wizard, trying to get to the safety of their chicken house. The monster took a step… and came down right on top of the madly laughing Wizard. Immediately the magic dispersed and the chickens were all returned safely to the ground. They ran frantically for their chicken house and refused to come out again for weeks.

And so the Wardrobe was right, the Wizard did indeed pay for his pride and cruel intentions because, “Evil wishes, like chickens, come home to roost.”


I know it is not perfect or smooth or polished. That was not the intent of the assignment. The intent was to practice using stylistics devices and have some fun. I am posting this here not for criticism, but for entertainment. I hope you enjoy it. 3nodding