The Tales of beedle the bard

1. The Tales of beedlethe bard J. K. Rowling

2. TITLE OF THE LITERARY WORK: The Tales of Beedle the Bard • WRITER: Joanne Kathleen Rowling • GENRE: Fantasy • LITERARY FORM: Collection of Short Stories

3. [Getting to Know the Writer] • Joanne Rowling (born July 31, 1965), who goes by the pen name J.K. Rowling, is a British author and screenwriter best known for her seven-book Harry Potterchildren's book series. • J.K. Rowling was living in Edinburgh, Scotland, and struggling to get by as a single mom before her first book, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, was published.

4. [Getting to Know the Writer] • The children's fantasy novel became an international hit and Rowling became an international literary sensation in 1999 when the first three installments of Harry Potter took over the top three slots of The New York Times best-seller list after achieving similar success in her native United Kingdom.

5. [Getting to Know the Writer] • The series has sold more than 450 million copies and was adapted into a blockbuster film franchise. Rowling published the novel The Casual Vacancy in 2012, followed by the crime novel Cuckoo Calling under the pen name Robert Galbraith in 2013. In 2016, she released a play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, and a movie, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.

6. The Harry Potter Series • Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (26 June, 1997) • Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (2 July, 1998) • Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (8 July, 1999) • Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (8 July, 2000) • Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (21 June, 2003) • Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (16 July, 2005) • Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (21 July, 2007) • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (31 July, 2016)

7. Harry Potter Related books and Stories • Quidditch Through the Ages (2001) • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2001) • The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008) • Harry Potter Prequel (2008) • Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them: The Original Screenplay (19 November, 2016) • Pottermore Presents • Hogwarts: An Incomplete and Unreliable Guide (6 September, 2016) • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Power, Politics and Pesky Poltergeists (6 September, 2016) • Short Stories from Hogwarts of Heroism, Hardship and Dangerous Hobbies (6 September, 2016)

8. [The Context of the Literary Work] • The book was originally produced in a limited edition of only seven copies, each handwritten and illustrated by J. K. Rowling. • One of them was offered for auction through Sotheby's in late 2007 and was expected to sell for £50,000 (US$77,000, €69,000); ultimately it was bought for £1.95 million ($3 million, €2.7 million) by Amazon, making the selling price the highest achieved at auction for a modern literary manuscript. The money earned at the auction of the book was donated to The Children's Voice charity campaign

9. [The Context of the Literary Work] • The book was published for the general public on December 4, 2008, with the proceeds going to the Children's High Level Group (renamed Lumos in 2010)

10. [The Context of the Literary Work] • Rowling started writing the book soon after finishing work on the seventh Harry Potter novel. During an interview with her fandom she also stated that she used other books as a source of inspiration for the tales. More specifically, "The Tale of the Three Brothers", the only story included entirely in The Deathly Hallows, was inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Pardoner's Tale" from The Canterbury Tales.

11. [The Context of the Literary Work] • Sotheby's deputy director Philip W. Erringtondescribed the handmade edition as "one of the most exciting pieces of children's literature" to have passed through the auction house. • After buying the book, Amazon also released a review, describing it as "an artifact pulled straight out of a novel". • The Times reviewed the published book favourably, calling the tales "funny, sinister, wise and captivating" and likening them to the Brothers Grimm. • The Telegraph reviewed it unfavourably, noting that they "would be unremarkable were it not for the body of work that lies behind it" and that there was "an element of padding to make it a respectable length".

12. [SUMMARY / PLOT] The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers’ attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, thanks to Hermione Granger’s new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J. K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore. The Tales of Beedle the Bard consists of five short stories which are, “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot”, “The Fountain of Fair Fortune”, “The Warlock's Hairy Heart”, “Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump”, and “The Tale of the Three Brothers”.

13. [SUMMARY of “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot”] The narration starts with introducing a kind old wizard who brews magical potions and antidotes in his cauldron in order to help people. Unfortunately, his son does not share his opinion. After his father’s death he expects to inherit gold or some fortune, but unfortunately, he founds only a cauldron with a single slipper inside. In anger of his father madness, he refuses the first villager, who came to ask for help. Since then, the pot starts to show symptoms of the problems that wizard refuses to solve. As the problems accumulate the pot becomes too noisy and repulsive which leads the young wizard to give up and solve the problems of the muggles. When everyone gets the help they deserved, the pot calms down and as friends they head home.

14. [SUMMARY of “The Fountain of Fair Fortune”] Every year in “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” an unfortunate individual is given the opportunity to tread towards the fountain to receive fair fortune. Three witches and one knight find themselves being the individuals that are able to gain entry past the wall, towards the fountain’s benison. After completing three tasks that guard the fountain, one witch named Asha, who is sick, collapses from exhaustion. A second witch, named Athelda, aids Asha by curing her of her ailment; by doing so, she realizes that she could make good money by making her own cures. The third witch, named Amata, refuses to bathe in the fountain’s waters since the memory of her broken heart disappeared and she no longer feels the need to be aided by its waters. Lastly, the knight, named Sir Luckless, becomes the chosen person to bathe in the waters. After bathing, he falls in love with Amata, who gladly accepts him. As the four leave the fountain, the narrator reveals that the fountain was not magical but that the people who believed in its magic made it real.

15. [SUMMARY of “The Warlock's Hairy Heart”] The story describes talented young wealthy warlock, who despises of his friends falling in love and their foolish behavior. In order to protect himself from doing so, he uses Dark Arts. After the death of his parents, he puts his heart in the crystal casket and hides it in the castle's dungeon. Once he hears the servants talking about him being without wife, from that point he decides to find one; the one superordinate to others. Fortunately for him, he finds one and decides to organize a huge feast to honor her. However, she feels he does not have heart and he decides to show her his secret. Unfortunately, his heart became wild and perverse. Putting his heart back into his chest makes him a beast that eagers for the pristine heart of the witch. He kills her by ripping her heart off her chest and then ripping his own heart. Guests find him holding both hearts in his hands and collapsing on the dead maiden body.

16. [SUMMARY of “Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump”] This story is about a king who wants to keep all magic to himself. To do this he needs to solve two problems: he must capture and imprison all of the sorcerers in the kingdom and he has to learn magic. He creates a "Brigade of Witch Hunters" and calls for an instructor in magic. Only a "cunning charlatan" with no magical ability responds. The charlatan proves himself with a few simple tricks and begins to ask for jewelry and money to continue teaching. However, Babbitty, the king's washerwoman, laughs at the king one day as he attempts to do magic with an ordinary twig. This causes the king to demand the charlatan join him in a public demonstration of magic and warns that the charlatan will be beheaded if anyone laughs. The charlatan later witnesses Babbitty performing magic in her house. He threatens to expose her if she does not assist him. She agrees to hide and help the demonstration.

17. [SUMMARY of “Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump”] During the performance, the brigade captain asks the king to bring his dead hound back to life. Because Babbitty's magic is unable to raise the dead, the crowd realizes the previous acts were tricks. The charlatan exposes Babbitty, accusing her of blocking the spells. Babbitty flees into a forest and disappears at the base of an old tree. In desperation, the charlatan states that she has turned "into a crab apple" and has the tree cut down. As the crowd departs, the stump starts cackling and makes the charlatan confess. The stump cackles again, demanding the king never hurt a wizard again, and build a statue of Babbitty on the stump so that he is reminded of his foolishness. The king agrees and heads back to the palace. Afterwards, a "stout old rabbit" with a wand in its teeth hops out from a hole beneath the stump and leaves the kingdom.

18. [SUMMARY of “The Tale of the Three Brothers”] The story is about three brothers, who tricked Death when they created a bridge upon the river. As a reward, they are offered a prize, each one up to his choice. The first brother, who wished for unbeatable wand; the second brother asked for a stone, which can bring dead to live and the youngest asked for something that would prevent Death from following him. The Death let them pass the bridge and they go separate ways. Two elder brothers die very soon, one because of his pride and boasting in an inn; the second brother brought from death women he loved, unfortunately, she was not fully alive so he killed himself in order to join her. The youngest brother lived a long life, when he decided it was his time to greet with Death, he took off the Cloak of Invisibility, passed it on his son and voluntarily went with Death.

19. The Wizard and the Hopping Pot Setting:Wizard’s Cottage at night time Point of View: Third Person Conflict: man vs nature Theme: There is no pain in giving out kindness and generosity.

20. The Fountain of Fair Fortune Setting: One specific day in a year between the hours of sunrise and sunset at the enchanted garden Point of View: Third Person Conflict: man vs self Theme: Perseverance is the key to success. It is in one’s hand that has the ability to change one’s future.

21. The Warlock's Hairy Heart Setting: The Warlock’s Castle Point of View: Third Person Conflict: man vs self Theme: There is no escape of being vulnerable. Everyone of us has a weakness.

22. Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump Setting: A long time ago in the foolish king’s palace of a far-off land Point of View: Third Person Conflict: man vs man Theme: Cleverness used for wickedness is punished while cleverness used for the good of others is rewarded. No power on earth can reverse death.

23. The Tale of the Three Brothers Setting: A long, winding road near a very deep river at twilight Point of View: Third Person Conflict: man vs nature Theme: Death is inevitable. Being humble and wise has its own reward.

24. [EXCERPTS] “No man or woman alive, magical or not, has ever escaped some form of injury, whether physical, mental, or emotional. To hurt is as human as to breathe.” - J.K. Rowling (The Warlock’s Heart) • This explains that experiencing pain is a very human characteristic.

25. [EXCERPTS] “Clever as I am, I remain just as big a fool as anyone else.” - Albus Dumbledore (The Tale of the Three Brothers) • This quote was taken from his review on the tale of the three brothers. He implies that he is more tempted on the objects given to the first and second brothers than the third brother. It can also be seen as his admittance to the temptation of human greed.

26. [EXCERPTS] “Death comes for us all in the end.”  - Albus Dumbledore (The Tale of the Three Brothers) • This is very self-explanatory. It is common sense that every living thing must end given their own time. We have no escape from death.

27. [EXCERPTS] “Magic causes as much trouble as it cures.” ― J.K. Rowling, The Tales of Beedle the Bard • This statement of Rowling makes this book differ from the other fairytales. Since the muggle’s fairytales, like sleeping beauty or beauty and the beast, makes magic as a power who only creates unhappiness, the tales of beedle the bard are fairytales that makes justification in using magic for good or for evil.

28. [EXCERPTS] “The heroes and heroines who triumph in his stories are not those with the most powerful magic, but rather those who demonstrate the most kindness, common sense and ingenuity.” ― J.K. Rowling, The Tales of Beedle the Bard • The heroes and heroines of magic folks are most likely the same as the heroes and heroines of muggles. The characteristics above are the basic qualities of a classic hero/heroine.

29. [WHAT MAKES THIS WORK “LITERATURE?” The Tales of Beedle the Bard has the quality which appeals to our sense of beauty since it provides an original collection of wondrous and beautiful, cruel and magical tales. The book provides stimulations in the imagination and makes the readers see views of the magical world. The book also has the quality of suggestiveness since it enables the readers to feel different emotions in the five stories. When the HP series was deemed as most popular, this book has the quality of universality since it appeals to all. This book would be considered as a new style of fairytales in contrast to the classic fairytales like Cinderella and the like.

30. Submitted by: Jason V. Añasco