**Just to let everyone know I am basing my story from the musical Into the woods. I am telling the story from Jack's mothers point of view which is what i think might of happened to her.
One day that seemed ordinarily beautiful turned into one of the darkest days of my life, it was about 11 years ago. The birds singing their beautiful tunes that all the little kids were dancing to. The sun shining its sweet rays onto our little shack. My wonderful husband smiling toward the window with his book in hand. We lived in the woods in our fairy tale of a town. It was wonderful. I felt like the richest woman in the world. Which to be honest was the total opposite of who I was. Our shack was not the best but I tried to keep it as clean as possible. I only wanted the best for the two men in my life, my husband and my one year old child Jack. As the day progressed the sun began its usual journey of setting as the glorious moon took its place in the night sky. I laid my little one into his crib where his little eyes instantly gave into a deep sleep. I walked to where my husband was sitting in his chair watching the stars from the window. He just smiled as I kissed him on the cheek and whispered goodnight. He didn't reply back but he rarely ever did once Jack came into the picture. I walked into my room where our worn out mattress lay. I got myself ready for bed and as my head hit the pillow the thunder began. The pouring rain was the key which unlocked the doors to my dream world. That very next day I woke alone. I figured my husband was up and about doing something. Maybe taking to Jack who must of woke yearning for attention. I walked to where Jack was silently dreaming. No husband just silence. The day progressed and my love had not been home. No notice of anything of his where about. It was that night I was stripped of who I used to be. I was not rich anymore instead I turned into what I looked like and people would assume me to be. A poor woman raising a child which would age me to desperation and anger. I blamed the only person I could think of. Jack.
Now at age 12 Jack has grown up fatherless. His shaggy carrot top hair and sunny although vague disposition reminded me so much of his father. Just the thought of how Jack resemebeld his father made me age in a way I never knew was possible. In a matter of years our shack which I made to look as clean as possible turned into the dumpiest place I could have imagined. I just gave up. I did love Jack. I always would, he is my son, my flesh and blood. The one of the two men who hadn't left me. Yet, I couldn't help the anger, the misery that would build as I looked into his eyes. Before he was born all was well now it is not.
It was a normal day in April. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Jack could never get it through his thick skull that cows were meant to stay outside. I would yell everyday for him to bring her by the big tree out in front. But no Milky white was his friend. Milky white was not meant to be treated any differently than humans. For God sakes Jack couldn't even get the right sex of the cow. Milky white is a she but to him it was a he. Why was I cursed to have a son as stupid as Jack? The only reason I took in Milky white was because she was just wandering in town and had no where to go. It was a few months after my husband left and I needed to find some source for food and money. A cow seemed to be perfect. Heck she even got Jack off of my back for a while. But as time moved on Milky white started to become dry. " her withers wither with her" as she stayed by Jack's side. I yelled at him to go to market but he ended up just running around in the woods pretending no one wanted to buy her. Seriously does he think I am that stupid? Especially since I watch him run the other way of town. Well, today I had enough. I was tired of our measly crumb of bread that we got to eat once a day. I yelled for Jack to march Milky white to market and this time for real. I watched as he tried his usual trick of going down a "new path" to market. New path my tucus I thought as I scowled at him to take the regular route. He ungratefully gave in and I watched Jack and Milky white disappear into the trees.
Hours worth of waiting and Jack had not been home yet. Not too long as I was beginning to worry that the last person who could love me left I saw him. His head hanging low with his shaggy hair covering his eyes. Something wasn't right. He walked right in and smiled saying he found a new friend. I gave him questioning eyes as he held his fist out which I thought might be gold. My eyes lightened up seeing that maybe my son did something intelligent for once. Now thats a lot to ask for isn't it? When I see him showing me three green beans. I thought he was kidding but no. Apparently they aren't just beans they were " magic beans." God now I see why my husband left. He must have known what an idiot Jack is. He was sad and I was mad and in the end we had no food to eat.
It wasn't till a few days that Jack start smiling. Why the hell would he smile after he cried about loosing his cow friend? He wouldn't say. Something was up and I didn't like it one bit. He left the house and began his journey through the woods. I'm his mother if he doesn't tell me what he is doing I must follow. It's the motherly thing to do of course. It was a longer journey then I thought it would be but boy was I surprised. I never knew Jack could actually keep a place liek this a secret. It was a calming scene with one huge bean stalk traveling to the sky. That little lake pretty much took my breath away. Then seeing Jack climb that bean stalk nearly gave me a heart attack. I waited minute after minute after minute and no Jack. He was still up there and it was getting a bit past noon. I decided he would come down when he wanted to.
As the sun was setting Jack walked in the door. He just smiled like I use to smile when my husband was around. He was in love. But who in their right mind would love my son like that? Heck even I can't understand why I love him. He told me he fell in love. But it gets better. He told me who he was in love with. A giant. I thought he was out of his mind crazy. He said he had other news. News about the giants mother and my husband. Well, lets just say I had no problem burning down that oh so big beanstalk.
One day that seemed ordinarily beautiful turned into one of the darkest days of my life, it was about 11 years ago. The birds singing their beautiful tunes that all the little kids were dancing to. The sun shining its sweet rays onto our little shack. My wonderful husband smiling toward the window with his book in hand. We lived in the woods in our fairy tale of a town. It was wonderful. I felt like the richest woman in the world. Which to be honest was the total opposite of who I was. Our shack was not the best but I tried to keep it as clean as possible. I only wanted the best for the two men in my life, my husband and my one year old child Jack. As the day progressed the sun began its usual journey of setting as the glorious moon took its place in the night sky. I laid my little one into his crib where his little eyes instantly gave into a deep sleep. I walked to where my husband was sitting in his chair watching the stars from the window. He just smiled as I kissed him on the cheek and whispered goodnight. He didn't reply back but he rarely ever did once Jack came into the picture. I walked into my room where our worn out mattress lay. I got myself ready for bed and as my head hit the pillow the thunder began. The pouring rain was the key which unlocked the doors to my dream world. That very next day I woke alone. I figured my husband was up and about doing something. Maybe taking to Jack who must of woke yearning for attention. I walked to where Jack was silently dreaming. No husband just silence. The day progressed and my love had not been home. No notice of anything of his where about. It was that night I was stripped of who I used to be. I was not rich anymore instead I turned into what I looked like and people would assume me to be. A poor woman raising a child which would age me to desperation and anger. I blamed the only person I could think of. Jack.
Now at age 12 Jack has grown up fatherless. His shaggy carrot top hair and sunny although vague disposition reminded me so much of his father. Just the thought of how Jack resemebeld his father made me age in a way I never knew was possible. In a matter of years our shack which I made to look as clean as possible turned into the dumpiest place I could have imagined. I just gave up. I did love Jack. I always would, he is my son, my flesh and blood. The one of the two men who hadn't left me. Yet, I couldn't help the anger, the misery that would build as I looked into his eyes. Before he was born all was well now it is not.
It was a normal day in April. Nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Jack could never get it through his thick skull that cows were meant to stay outside. I would yell everyday for him to bring her by the big tree out in front. But no Milky white was his friend. Milky white was not meant to be treated any differently than humans. For God sakes Jack couldn't even get the right sex of the cow. Milky white is a she but to him it was a he. Why was I cursed to have a son as stupid as Jack? The only reason I took in Milky white was because she was just wandering in town and had no where to go. It was a few months after my husband left and I needed to find some source for food and money. A cow seemed to be perfect. Heck she even got Jack off of my back for a while. But as time moved on Milky white started to become dry. " her withers wither with her" as she stayed by Jack's side. I yelled at him to go to market but he ended up just running around in the woods pretending no one wanted to buy her. Seriously does he think I am that stupid? Especially since I watch him run the other way of town. Well, today I had enough. I was tired of our measly crumb of bread that we got to eat once a day. I yelled for Jack to march Milky white to market and this time for real. I watched as he tried his usual trick of going down a "new path" to market. New path my tucus I thought as I scowled at him to take the regular route. He ungratefully gave in and I watched Jack and Milky white disappear into the trees.
Hours worth of waiting and Jack had not been home yet. Not too long as I was beginning to worry that the last person who could love me left I saw him. His head hanging low with his shaggy hair covering his eyes. Something wasn't right. He walked right in and smiled saying he found a new friend. I gave him questioning eyes as he held his fist out which I thought might be gold. My eyes lightened up seeing that maybe my son did something intelligent for once. Now thats a lot to ask for isn't it? When I see him showing me three green beans. I thought he was kidding but no. Apparently they aren't just beans they were " magic beans." God now I see why my husband left. He must have known what an idiot Jack is. He was sad and I was mad and in the end we had no food to eat.
It wasn't till a few days that Jack start smiling. Why the hell would he smile after he cried about loosing his cow friend? He wouldn't say. Something was up and I didn't like it one bit. He left the house and began his journey through the woods. I'm his mother if he doesn't tell me what he is doing I must follow. It's the motherly thing to do of course. It was a longer journey then I thought it would be but boy was I surprised. I never knew Jack could actually keep a place liek this a secret. It was a calming scene with one huge bean stalk traveling to the sky. That little lake pretty much took my breath away. Then seeing Jack climb that bean stalk nearly gave me a heart attack. I waited minute after minute after minute and no Jack. He was still up there and it was getting a bit past noon. I decided he would come down when he wanted to.
As the sun was setting Jack walked in the door. He just smiled like I use to smile when my husband was around. He was in love. But who in their right mind would love my son like that? Heck even I can't understand why I love him. He told me he fell in love. But it gets better. He told me who he was in love with. A giant. I thought he was out of his mind crazy. He said he had other news. News about the giants mother and my husband. Well, lets just say I had no problem burning down that oh so big beanstalk.
I love it as you already know. There are definite symbols that can be taken in as an idea of religion. In the end, it's like the mother has no problem burning her belief to the ground and letting it go in a way.
ReplyDeleteI liked how you based your story on a play. It was very creative and cool to see a different view of it. good job.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very good twist on a classic tale. I really like the perspective too. I didn't know that "Into the Woods" had a perspective like that. It's nice that a mother could love her son in ways she can't explain. That is what love is.
ReplyDelete