Johnny Gloke by Joseph Jacobs
This was a pretty good story. It set up the protagonist as an underdog, and who doesn't love a good underdog story? So many stories have an underdog arc because it's something that we can identify with when we feel like we have to overcome something. When people think about overcoming something, they see themselves as weaker than what they have to overcome, but that is not always the case. Sometimes, we're stronger than whatever we are facing, but we convince ourselves that we are the underdog so that when we fail it's expected, but then when we emerge victorious the victory is so much sweeter.
The story begins with Johnny Gloke, a tailor who wanted to do more with his life. One day, he was laying outside when a bunch of flies were swarming his ankles, so naturally he did what anyone would do and he swatted at the flies. He saw that he killed 50 of them and he was pleased with himself. He decided that he had found a new calling. So then, he started training with a wooden sword and went out to conquer the world.
He came upon a village that had been terrorized by two giants. The king of the village put out a notice that he would give his daughter's hand in marriage to anyone who could slay these two giants. Johnny took on the challenge and slayed the giants.
Then, Johnny took the daughter's hand in marriage.
A war broke out and Johnny came on horseback, but he lost control of the horse and it started running towards the rebel soldiers. He scared them off and they scattered, so he was victorious again.
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| Horses (Wikimedia) |
This was a pretty good story. It set up the protagonist as an underdog, and who doesn't love a good underdog story? So many stories have an underdog arc because it's something that we can identify with when we feel like we have to overcome something. When people think about overcoming something, they see themselves as weaker than what they have to overcome, but that is not always the case. Sometimes, we're stronger than whatever we are facing, but we convince ourselves that we are the underdog so that when we fail it's expected, but then when we emerge victorious the victory is so much sweeter.
The story begins with Johnny Gloke, a tailor who wanted to do more with his life. One day, he was laying outside when a bunch of flies were swarming his ankles, so naturally he did what anyone would do and he swatted at the flies. He saw that he killed 50 of them and he was pleased with himself. He decided that he had found a new calling. So then, he started training with a wooden sword and went out to conquer the world.
He came upon a village that had been terrorized by two giants. The king of the village put out a notice that he would give his daughter's hand in marriage to anyone who could slay these two giants. Johnny took on the challenge and slayed the giants.
Then, Johnny took the daughter's hand in marriage.
A war broke out and Johnny came on horseback, but he lost control of the horse and it started running towards the rebel soldiers. He scared them off and they scattered, so he was victorious again.
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