An Immoral Portfolio

My portfolio will be focused on some type of immorality found in my weekly stories, with the end goal of creating an immorality alphabet.  This theme is inspired by A Moral Alphabet by Hilaire Belloc.

As of now, my portfolio will consist of a revised version of my original story, but with a short poem describing the immoral theme I saw within the original story or even in my own.

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(D)eceit & (G)reed: Shortcut to Treasure :
Taking shortcuts isn't always a good idea, especially when the motivation is greed.  When you deceive others in the process, well, that's even worse.  Fables are full of moral lessons, and that's from which the first story of my portfolio is derived.

(M)urder & (T)heft: Life & Death, Horror & Theft  :
Taking things without permission is something you should never do.  Taking a life with the intention may arguably be worse.  But what if you steal in order to heal; does that make it right?

(J)ealousy & (A)dultery: The Chronicles of the Wonderful Turtle  :
If you look to hard at what you lack, you may lose track of the good you already have.  Jealousy is known to often emerge in relationships; does that ever end well?

(P)ride & (V)engeance: The Feathers :
If you get too high on your horse, you'll probably just look like a jackass.  Acting against something that caused you harm may be justified, but if you hold on too long and let it turn into vengeance your character will suffer. 

Story: The Feathers

 P is for pride.

If you let yourself become too proud,

Your reality will start to cloud.

And when your ego becomes inflated,

everyone around will feel nauseated.

 V is for vengeance.

Severe anger and

plotting continuous harm

will consume your soul.

“Papa, tell me the story about the peace pipe’s feathers again,” the young boy chirped. 

“Sure, my boy,” the grandfather replied.  “Many years ago the Omaha people gathered to make peace pipes to use for settling conflict between tribes.  They made the pipe out of the bark from an ash tree, but to complete the pipe they needed the feathers of an eagle.  They performed a ceremonial dance, and called for the feathers of a great and mighty bird to help them bring peace.  A Bald Eagle, a Spotted Eagle, and an Imperial Eagle all offered their feathers to the tribe, but the chief only allowed the Imperial Eagle’s feathers to be used, because he was the only moral bird.”

“What about the feather of the Bald Eagle?” the boy asked. 

“No, they could not use them,” the man replied. 

“Why not?”

A Bald Eagle feasts on a carcass.  Courtesy of USFWS' Flickr

“The Bald Eagle is a mighty bird, but is also the proudest bird, and this quality has caused it grief.  The Bald Eagle is proud because, many years ago, the other birds admired a Bald Eagle’s beauty, and they were quick to let her know.  Soon the eagle felt superior to the other birds, and demanded that they serve her.  At first, many of the birds complied – they brought her food, built her nest, and defended her eggs while she was away.  She ruled over the other birds, but soon forgot how to do many things herself.  As winter approached, the other birds prepared to migrate south, but not the Bald Eagle.  The Bald Eagle had become very proud; she did not think the cold would cause her trouble, and she did not expect the other birds to leave her.  She barely made it through that winter, so she was happy to see the other birds return in the spring.  When the Bald Eagle demanded that the other birds serve her once again, they refused. The Bald Eagle decided she would still not hunt for herself, and thus began stealing the prey of other birds and searching for dead creatures to eat.  She remained in the north throughout the harsh winters, even if it meant suffering or losing an egg to the weather.  The Bald Eagle would have had a much better life without her pride. Still to this day Bald Eagles steal prey, feast on dead animals like vultures, and refuse to migrate south to more suitable weather, because they are too proud to ask for help.”  

The boy nodded and then asked, “What about the feather of the Spotted Eagle?”

“No, they could not use them,” the man replied.

“Why not?”

Spotted Eagle. Courtesy of Wikimedia

“My boy, the Spotted Eagle is a creature of revenge.  Many years ago, a snake was crawling through the grass searching for food. He had not eaten in many days and was very hungry.  He came upon a nest containing three very large eggs.  He began to eat of one of the eggs, but before he could finish, he heard a loud shriek behind him.  The mother of the eggs, a large Spotted Eagle, had returned from gathering food and caught the snake in her nest.  To punish the snake, she slaughtered him and displayed his corpse near her nest to warn other intruders.”

“Yes, Grandpa, but he was eating her children!” the boy exclaimed with wide eyes.

“Yes, boy, and his punishment may very well have been appropriate, but I am not yet finished with the story,” the man replied.  “As I was saying, the mother Spotted Eagle was still very angry at the snake for trying to harm her children, so she began to hunt for other snakes too.  She wanted to kill them before they could get to her eggs.  Hunting for snakes soon turned into hunting for other lizards, but her lust for revenge still was not satisfied.  The eagle began killing lizards, destroying their eggs, and making their nests into her own.  The mother taught all her offspring the same habits, and now to this day, all Spotted Eagles continue her endless desire for revenge.”

“Grandpa, tell me more about the Imperial Eagle! Why were his feathers chosen for the pipe?” the boy begged.

“That is a story for another night, my boy, for now you must go to bed.”







Author's Note:
My source story was The Legend of the Peace Pipes from Myths and Legends of the Great Plains by  Katharine Berry Judson (1913).  In this story, people of the Omaha tribe come together to construct a peace pipe.  Peace pipes are usually ceremonial pipes that represent war and peace within and between tribes, and in this story the Omaha chief wants the pipe to be made of certain materials. The pipe is made out of the bark of an ash sapling, but is missing something... Three types of eagles - the Bald Eagle, the Spotted Eagle, and the Imperial Eagle - offer their feathers to the tribe to use to finish the peace pipes.  The chief declines to use the feathers of the Bald and Spotted Eagles, but is satisfied with the Imperial Eagle's feathers.  The story does not explain why the other feathers are unappealing to the chief, so my story works to fill in those gaps.  I think that the chief would have had spiritual reasons for not using the feathers of the Bald and Spotted Eagles, and I assume they would be related to the character (or morality) of the birds.  The theme of an immoral alphabet comes from A Moral Alphabet by Hilaire Belloc, 1899. The letters P and V are courtesy of Maelle K on dafont.com

Story: The Chronicles of the Wonderful Turtle

J is for jealousy:

He’s got a calm demeanor.

He’s kind and he’s wise.

But which is greener: 

His grass or your eyes?

A is for Adultery:

When you say "I do"
it’s beyond your purview
a new love to pursue,
for what may ensue
is he bid you adieu. 






Extra, extra! Read all about the rise and fall of the reptile known as the "Wonderful Turtle"!

A hero is born.  Image made using canva. Photo courtesy of yum9me on Flickr

Full Article:

A local turtle became a tribal hero this week after defusing a conflict between two of the fiercest Chippewa warriors. Akecheta, 27, and Chaytan, 32, got into a heated argument over a personal matter, which nearly escalated to bloodshed. The two men visited the chief in an attempt to resolve matters, but despite speaking with the men for hours, they did not find a resolution. “I started to worry when the men did not seem pleased with my solution,” Chief Sassaba tells our reporter. “I knew I had to find another way to resolve this conflict.”

The chief finally decided to ask an unexpected party for advice on the matter, so he reached out to his personal friend known as “Mr. Turtle.” Mr. Turtle resides near the large lake just south of the Chippewa village, but had never before visited the village.
“Mr. Turtle is very wise, so I thought he may be able to help with this matter. When I asked him for assistance, he said he’d come right away,” the chief explained. When Mr. Turtle arrived, the entire village was tense, and many were worried about a battle breaking out between the men. Mr. Turtle sat in the chief’s throne, and began deliberating with the men; this lasted several hours before they finally compromised.

According to the two men, Mr. Turtle explained that they were both correct, and offered them “very wise” advice regarding the matter. The men declined to provide details about the conflict and the advice. Nevertheless, the entire village seems to have fallen in love with the reptile, who they are now referring to as the "Wonderful Turtle." We briefly talked with Mr. Turtle, who said, “I’m honored that the chief asked me for assistance in this matter, and I’m delighted I could help.”
“I’m very grateful for the love and support the Chippewa tribe has shown me. I’m going to make this village my new home,” Mr. Turtle told the Sun.
On behalf of the Chippewa Sun: we are very thankful to have you, Wonderful Turtle!

The turtle finds love.  Image made using canva.  Photo courtesy of StarsApart on Flickr

Full Article:
Chippewa’s local hero the “Wonderful Turtle” is set to marry the chief’s daughter this December. The two met after the turtle helped prevent a violent fight between two Chippewa warriors earlier this spring. Those who know the couple state that they are “soulmates” and say that they are, like many other villagers, excited for their ceremony.

Not every resident of the village is excited for the marriage though. We talked with a few local men, who wish to remain anonymous, about how they feel about the upcoming wedding. “I think it’s absurd! Such a beautiful woman should be with a warrior, not a turtle,” says one man.
Another man stated, “I think the chief’s daughter deserves to be with someone else. There are many more eligible men in the village besides that old reptile.” Sources tell us that those expressing anger or jealousy over the wedding will be barred from attending the ceremony.

Whether you are looking forward to or dreading the ceremony, it will be held at sunset on December 11th at the chief’s residence. Further details regarding the guest list, food and drink, and more will be published as we are made aware of them.

The Wonderful Turtle involved in a scandal.  Image made using canva.  Photo courtesy of Wikimedia

Full Article:
An idealistic marriage was torn to shreds recently when local hero and husband of the chief’s daughter, Mr. Turtle, discovered that while he was away his wife had an affair and bore a child. Our sources tell us that Mr. Turtle went on a trip over the winter, and returned home to find his wife cradling a child that he says “looks nothing like” him. The Chippewa village has been eager for the couple to have children, and many claim the couple was actively trying before Mr. Turtle’s trip. Both Mr. Turtle and the chief’s family declined to comment on the matter, but an insider revealed to us that Mr. Turtle will be moving out of the village. It is unclear at this time who the father of the chief's daughter's son is.

Author's Note:
The Wonderful Turtle tells the story of a turtle who is asked by his friend, the chief of a Chippewa tribe, to help resolve a potentially violent conflict between tribe members. Thanks to his great wisdom, the turtle is able to resolve the conflict, and soon becomes known as the "Wonderful Turtle" by the tribe. His wisdom and fame win him the love of the chief's daughter, and they wed. The turtle gets left behind during a journey, and ends up just sleeping through the winter. When he awakes and returns home, he sees that his wife has had a baby! He is excited until he notices that the child is not his. This story is from Myths and Legends of the Sioux by Marie McLaughin, 1916. I chose to use a newspaper headline type theme for this story to highlight the many "newsworthy" events that happen to the turtle in this story. I enjoyed the simplicity of the story, as well as the twist at the end in which the Wonderful Turtle's wife commits adultery - how immoral! The original story also highlights the jealousy of the other men in the village; they want to marry the chief's daughter. I couldn't find a way to incorporate much of that into my own story, but I do consider it to be an "immorality" in this story.

The theme of an immoral alphabet comes from A Moral Alphabet by Hilaire Belloc, 1899. The letters J and A are courtesy of Maelle K on dafont.com

Story: Life & Death, Horror & Theft.

T is for theft.

It violates the norms,

Yet it comes in several forms.

Robbery and theft,

Reveal a life so bereft.

M is for murder.

The state of living:

Once taken, never regained.

Irreplaceable. 

The monk traipsed through the dark, foreign woods. The sound of the autumn leaves crunching beneath his boots was the only thing distracting him from the sinking pain in his chest.  He wiped a cool bead of sweat from his forehead and perched on a mossy rock.  He had been walking for what felt like an eternity, desperately trying to escape his village and the harrowing events that he witnessed merely hours ago.  He closed his eyes, but his eyelids only showed him the image of what he was trying so hard to ignore.  He saw Coral’s face - her smooth porcelain skin and her long brown eyelashes framing her twinkling blue eyes.  He savored her image for a moment, inhaling deeply in hopes to catch a whiff of her delicate perfume.  As he exhaled, a sharp gust of wind rushed past him, mimicking Coral’s soft giggle, and he winced as it stung his face.  He shut his eyes tighter and tucked his face in his arm, but the peaceful image of his wife was suddenly replaced by a replay of her last moments - drenched in sweat, quivering under pounds of blanket and wool.  Despite the freezing air, he felt the warmth of fire on his cheeks as he pictured her burning corpse. The monk slumped to the ground in sorrow. He forcefully opened his eyes to rid himself of the nightmarish scene, releasing a frigid stream down his cheeks.  He carefully stood up and continued to walk north, hoping to find a warm place to sleep.  Eventually he caught a glimpse of a dim light in the distance, and began to trek toward its source.  He approached a cabin on the outskirts of a small village and quietly peered in a window.  A small family bustled around the kitchen, preparing for dinner, so the monk decided to knock.

The forest, courtesy of Moyan Brenn on Flickr

The door cracked open and a lanky, bearded man craned his neck through the opening and peered at the monk. The monk explained that he was traveling to the monastery to become a bhikkhu after the death of his wife, and that he needed a place to sleep.  Before the man had a chance to reply, the door swung open and the man’s wife greeted the monk and ushered him into the warm house, insisting that he join them for dinner.  The monk glanced at the lamb cooking over an open flame, breathed in the aroma of freshly baked naan, and gladly accepted. 

A fire roars from within the house. Courtesy of Pixabay

The wife began serving everyone as they sat around a small kitchen table.  She filled her husband’s plate, the monk's, and lastly the plate of her son, whose young eyes were fixated on the monk.  Halfway through the meal, the boy became unsettled and began to whimper.  The boy’s whimpers soon turned into wails and his legs began to flail.  The parents tried to comfort the boy, whispering in his ear and patting his head and shoulder, but their efforts were futile; the boy continued to sob.  The mother looked over at the monk and mouthed an apology.  Before the monk could reassure her, the woman forcefully yanked the boy up by his arm and slung him into the roaring fire.  The monk watched in horror as the boy drowned in the flames.  The smell of burnt flesh filled the house, and after what felt like an eternity, the only remaining noise was the crackling of the calm flames.  The mother noticed the monk’s terror and laughed, the father slowly stood up and walked into the next room.  The monk began to tremble; he felt that his fate was sealed.  The man walked back into the kitchen holding an old ivory book.  Frozen in fear, the monk grimaced as he saw the parents of the boy walk over to his ashes. He began surveying the home for the quickest way out.  Before the monk could dart, the man and woman began chanting strange words and dancing around the boy’s remains.  Slowly, the ashes began to rise and swirl about the room.  A dark cloud filled the room, causing the monk to cough uncontrollably.. 

When the air cleared, the monk looked at awe as the little boy stood up, appearing unharmed but slightly confused.  The man and woman revealed the secrets of the ivory book, explaining that it could bring back the dead.  The monk masked his bewilderment as he listened to the couple, frequently looking back at the boy, who was now playing with a toy.  Soon it was time for bed, and the monk knew he had to flee, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the powers of the book.  When he was sure they had drifted to sleep, he quietly got up, gathered his things, and then began searching for the book.  He eventually spotted the book, grabbed it, and then quickly snuck out of the front door, eager to get back to his wife’s remains. 

The Ivory Book of the Dead. Found in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City. Wikimedia Commons

As he exited the house, the monk heard a loud shriek, so he began to run.  The noise followed him, but gradually became quieter and eventually stopped as the monk got further from the house.  When he felt he was a safe enough distance away, the monk held the book to his chest and sat down.  The monk soon dozed off, but was suddenly awaked by a familiar voice.  He looked up; it was Coral.  The book started to feel warm on his chest - it continued to grow hotter.  The monk stood up, but as soon as he opened his mouth to call out for her, he burst into flames.  The monk yelled in agony.  The image of Coral disappeared as the flames consumed him.  After the monk took his last breath, the blaze dissipated; the only trace of his presence was the ivory book lying on the ground unscathed.  

Author's Note:

I pulled this story from Twenty-Two Goblins: The Three Lovers translated by Arthur Ryder.  Twenty-Two Goblins tells the story of a king who sets out to help a monk recover a body from the woods.  Here's the catch: the body is possessed by a goblin, who makes the king answer riddles in order to transport him.  If the king answers the riddle correctly, the body/goblin are transported back to where they were originally found, and the king must go back to retrieve them.  If the king does not know the answer to the riddle, he can continue to carry the body to the monk, who is also waiting somewhere in the woods.  If he king does know the answer, but lies and says he doesn't, his head will explode.  What a fun game!  My story is based off of one of the goblin's riddles, where he describes the death of a beautiful woman with three lovers.  Each man reacts to her death differently.  One man becomes a monk and travels around and encounters a family who offers him dinner and a place to stay.  The mother ends up murdering her son during dinner, but then uses a mysterious book to bring him back to life.  The monk steals the book in the middle of the night, and goes back home, where he eventually uses it to bring his dead wife back to life.  A bhikkhu is an ordained male monk in Buddhism.  

The two immoralities in my story are theft and murder.  The monk steals the magical book from the family in order to attempt to bring his wife back from the dead.  He's only made aware of this book's magical powers due to the demonstration of the woman using it to bring back her dead son that she brutally killed in front of him.  Although the boy brought back to life, this is obviously not possible in real life, hence my haiku.  The theme of an immoral alphabet comes from A Moral Alphabet by Hilaire Belloc, 1899. The letters T and M are courtesy of Maelle K on dafont.com

Story: The Shortcut to Treasure

D is for deceit -
it's more than a trick.
For when you're a cheat
you're also a dick.

G is for greed,
wanting more than you should.
When enough you exceed,
you are doing no good. 

John rushed to Paul’s hut, eager to show him what he discovered during his shift.  Paul’s eyes widened as he realized the significance of the tethered piece of parchment – it contained coordinates.  These weren’t just any coordinates... they appeared to be the coordinates to the fabled map that led to King Henry’s treasure. Legend has it that many decades ago, a thief stole old King Henry’s gold and jewels and buried them in the woods.  Before the thief could return to retrieve his spoils, he was caught and hanged.  Although many have searched for the treasure, it has never been found, and it soon became a legend in the surrounding villages.  John and Paul were impoverished young men, both with families and low-paying jobs digging irrigation ditches, so a chance for riches enticed them.  They were fortunate enough to have some time off, and both had a few coins to spare, so they didn’t think twice about embarking on the journey. They packed a few things and left.

After a long day of travel, the men approached a village that matched the coordinates. The parchment contained a sketch of a tree, which the men were sure was the spot containing the map.  They searched for the old, enormous tree with a large knot in its center, which they eventually found behind a small tavern. It was late and the men didn’t see anyone lurking around outside, so they began to dig.  They quietly dug for several minutes before Paul’s shovel finally struck a wooden box.  They opened the box and gazed at the crudely drawn but surprisingly well preserved map when they suddenly heard a voice behind them.  John and Paul quickly turned around and attempted to conceal the map without appearing suspicious.  In front of them stood two men who appeared to be around their age, dressed in raggedy tunics, their faces dusted with soot.  Paul and John quickly surveyed the men and determined they were not dangerous.  The men all began chatting; the strangers seemed friendly enough.  Eventually the men all went into the tavern for some drinks where they shared stories of their lives and struggles.  Paul and John empathized with the two men, and after a few drinks, they began discussing their quest for the legendary treasure.  The discussion soon became an offer for the young men to join them on their journey, as they were also in need; what could just two men do with so much treasure anyway? The men - David and Frank - happily agreed, and the next day the four men set off.

The Treasure Map. Credit: Mario_ruckh on Flickr

After three long days of walking, the men were about halfway to their destination.  Although they were eager to reach the treasure, they were tired and felt like a drink.  They stopped in a small town and found a bustling tavern. After several whiskeys, the men were having a grand time, laughing and sharing their fantasies about what they’d soon find.  Frank excused himself and walked out back toward the outhouse, not noticing that he was being followed.  After Frank exited the tavern, a crippled, ancient man grabbed Frank’s arm and began whispering to him.  The man told Frank that he knew of a shortcut to the treasure – he claimed the legendary thief was his great-grandfather, and that by taking this shortcut, he could arrive at the treasure in a mere day.  Frank was hesitant, but the man went on about how much better it would be to split the treasure between just two people, and that he was never able to make the trip due to his disability.  Frank had always been greedy, so he convinced himself that he was the worst off of the four men, and that they didn’t deserve the treasure or his help finding it.  The man drew Frank a map, which Frank recognized as the same destination as Paul and John’s map, just with a different, much shorter route.  With a wide grin, Frank slipped the map into his shirt and slid back into the tavern.

The next morning the men awoke and saw Frank’s bed empty.  They found a note on the pillow, which explained that Frank had turned back because he felt homesick and was worried about his wife.  David confirmed that it was Frank’s handwriting, but he was confused by his sudden disappearance.  The men spent an hour searching the town for Frank, but decided to move on without him.  Meanwhile, Frank followed the old man’s map to the treasure, working to get there as fast as possible.  After a full day of walking, Frank reached the chest, overgrown with moss and ivy.  Frank eagerly opened it, but found nothing.  He frantically scoured the nearby area in hopes of finding even a few gold pieces, but alas, nothing.  He plopped down in defeat.  The next morning he followed the shortcut back to the town.

The Empty Treasure Chest. Credit: Christopher Porter on Flickr

It was day six of Paul, John, and David’s journey, and they estimated they had but a day left of travel before they reached the treasure.  As they were walking, Paul wandered off the trail to use the restroom, and tripped over what he thought was a rock.  After he fell to the ground, he realized that it wasn’t a rock, but a skull covered in moss and leaves.  He called the others over, and the men hesitantly uncovered the body. They were shocked to discover that the body was lying on top of a large velvet bag brimming with gold and jewels.  The men decided that it was best to assume this was the treasure, split it evenly, and head back to their villages; perhaps what lay ahead was responsible for this man’s death, and they did not want to find out.  John, Paul, and David lived happily ever after, their financial troubles over forever, while Frank was never heard from again.  The last place he was seen was the tavern where he met the old man....  

Author's Note: This story was initially inspired by The Ass and His Driver from Aesop for Children with illustrations by Milo Winter.  In this story, a stubborn ass wants to take a shortcut down a cliff, but his driver tells him no.  The ass is stubborn and attempts to take the shortcut anyway, which results in him tumbling down the cliff, presumably to his death.  The moral of this story is "they who will not listen to reason, but stubbornly go their own way against the advice of those who are wiser than they, are on the road to misfortune."  Although the story is more about listening to well-intentioned advice, I wanted to focus more on the "taking shortcuts" element.  As my story went on, I noticed it involved another theme too, which was partly inspired by The Ass, the Fox, and the Lion.  In this story, a fox attempts to betray a donkey into being killed by the lion, but the lion sees through his tricks and kills the fox instead.  The moral of this story is "traitors may expect treachery."

Two immoralities in my story are deceit and greed, both demonstrated by the character Frank.  He deceives his friend and fellow travelers because of his greed - he'd rather split the treasures with one other person instead of three.  In the end this does Frank no good, and in fact may have caused him harm.
The theme of an immoral alphabet comes from A Moral Alphabet by Hilaire Belloc, 1899. The letters D and G are courtesy of Maelle K on dafont.com