Mr. Fox
The beginnings of yet another fairy tale adaptation...though I claim legitimacy in that this is actually for class.
The courtship was a surprisingly brief one, but there were no objections to be made on the part of the girl's parents, for they all were impressed with Reynard. For her part, Eloise was enthralled and enchanted by this particular suitor and, dazzled by his brilliance, quite eager to marry him.
Reynard was, aside from being upstanding and incredibly wealthy, a stunningly handsome man. He was tall, well-built and strong. His age was indeterminable from his appearance; he had one of those ageless faces that could have been twenty five or could have been fifty. Whatever the man's age, though, his face was very handsome indeed. His eyes were sharp and brown, and he had a short well kept red beard.
Simply seeing him from afar at some function or other Eloise had felt herself to be instantly in love. She herself was far from plain and had more suitors than she knew what to do with, but Reynard had caught her attention and her heart from the beginning.
When their engagement was announced the wedding date was set and gifts of great variety and clear expense began to show up at their door for not only Eloise but also her parents and her brother and sisters. Her sisters were jealous but being good hearted said nothing but kind and encouraging words. They too found themselves caught up in enchantment with Reynard.
In fact, the only one who was not pleased with the whole affair was Eloise's brother. He was quite suspicious of Reynard. However, no one was willing to listen to him, and he felt he had no choice in the end but to try to be happy for his sister.
Despite all of these lavish gifts and grand parties, Eloise had never been to Reynard's home. He seemed, as a rule, to never throw parties but only to attend them. She knew only that it was an elegant, expansive and beautiful place where, he told her many a time, she would be very happy.
One evening, he sent her a message requesting she visit. Impropriety of seeing her fiance alone before their wedding thrown aside in her excitement, she determined to go by herself, without asking her parents. She had no desire for a chaperone and wished to hear nothing of it from her brother, who would still on rare occasion voice some concern.
As she set out in the evening, a night when her parents were gone and her brother otherwise occupied, riding her horse down the road and away to visit Reynard.
The problem is I'm not sure how to make it more interesting, as per the assignment, as opposed to a simple retelling of Mr. Fox. Also, it feels a little clumsy where she decides to visit him.
Neil Gaiman did a beautiful retelling in Smoke and Mirrors, maybe I'll read that again.
Suggestions, however, would be appreciated. Ideas. That sort of thing.
Spring break so soon! In the meantime I'm finding it ever so hard to focus on anything...
The courtship was a surprisingly brief one, but there were no objections to be made on the part of the girl's parents, for they all were impressed with Reynard. For her part, Eloise was enthralled and enchanted by this particular suitor and, dazzled by his brilliance, quite eager to marry him.
Reynard was, aside from being upstanding and incredibly wealthy, a stunningly handsome man. He was tall, well-built and strong. His age was indeterminable from his appearance; he had one of those ageless faces that could have been twenty five or could have been fifty. Whatever the man's age, though, his face was very handsome indeed. His eyes were sharp and brown, and he had a short well kept red beard.
Simply seeing him from afar at some function or other Eloise had felt herself to be instantly in love. She herself was far from plain and had more suitors than she knew what to do with, but Reynard had caught her attention and her heart from the beginning.
When their engagement was announced the wedding date was set and gifts of great variety and clear expense began to show up at their door for not only Eloise but also her parents and her brother and sisters. Her sisters were jealous but being good hearted said nothing but kind and encouraging words. They too found themselves caught up in enchantment with Reynard.
In fact, the only one who was not pleased with the whole affair was Eloise's brother. He was quite suspicious of Reynard. However, no one was willing to listen to him, and he felt he had no choice in the end but to try to be happy for his sister.
Despite all of these lavish gifts and grand parties, Eloise had never been to Reynard's home. He seemed, as a rule, to never throw parties but only to attend them. She knew only that it was an elegant, expansive and beautiful place where, he told her many a time, she would be very happy.
One evening, he sent her a message requesting she visit. Impropriety of seeing her fiance alone before their wedding thrown aside in her excitement, she determined to go by herself, without asking her parents. She had no desire for a chaperone and wished to hear nothing of it from her brother, who would still on rare occasion voice some concern.
As she set out in the evening, a night when her parents were gone and her brother otherwise occupied, riding her horse down the road and away to visit Reynard.
The problem is I'm not sure how to make it more interesting, as per the assignment, as opposed to a simple retelling of Mr. Fox. Also, it feels a little clumsy where she decides to visit him.
Neil Gaiman did a beautiful retelling in Smoke and Mirrors, maybe I'll read that again.
Suggestions, however, would be appreciated. Ideas. That sort of thing.
Spring break so soon! In the meantime I'm finding it ever so hard to focus on anything...