Aayoga With Many Excuses

Aayoga With Many Excuses Storytelling

Intended Audience: Children ages 4-9

Read MacDonald, Margaret. The Story-tellers Start-Up Book: Finding, Learning, Performing and Using Folktales. August House Publishers, Inc. 1993

Aayoga with many excuses

Aayoga was the most beautiful girl in her village

She knew just how beautiful she was and she would stare at her reflection.

      Just look at my dainty little eyebrows!

     Just look at my red rosy cheeks!

     Just look at my cute little mouth!

     It’s no wonder why everyone says that I am beautiful!

One day her mother called to her:

“Aayoga, go down to the stream and bring me some water. I’m going to make cheesecakes!”

But Aayoga could not be bothered. And that girl had an excuse for everything!

      Oh Mother, I couldn’t do that… I might fall into the stream

Just hang onto a branch, Aayoga. You will be alright.

     Oh no, I couldn’t do that… The branch might break.

Then hang onto a strong branch.

Oh no, I couldn’t do that… My gloves might tear.

And so on…

Her mother was frustrated.

      Then never mind Aayoga, I’ll send your sister!

And she did.

Aayoga’s sister brought water from the stream and her mother made lovely cheesecakes. When they were done they smelled so good that Aayoga looked up from her mirror.

                Give me a cheesecake, Mother.

     Oh, Aayoga, I couldn’t do that…

     They are still hot. You might burn your little hands.

             That’s no problem. I will wear my gloves.

     Oh no, you couldn’t do that… Your gloves might get dirty.

             That’s no problem, I could wash them.

Oh no, you couldn’t do that… your gloves would get wet.

And so on…

No, Aayoga, you must not touch the cheesecakes. They are too dangerous for a delicate beauty like you. I will give them to your sister.

And her mother gave Aayoga’s sister a large cheesecake. She took it down to the stream to eat.

Aayoga came and sat next to her, stretching her neck out looking…looking…

      Aayoga you can have the rest of my cheesecake, said her sister.

Aayoga was furious!

I don’t want your half-eaten cheesecake! Go away!

And Aayoga began to flap her arms at her sister.

      Go…go…go…go…go…!

Her sister started running away but Aayoga followed her making shooing motions.

      Go…go…go…go…go…!

Aayoga flapped her arms more and more.

Then something began to happen to her: She was flapping her arms like bird’s wings. Suddenly feathers started coming out of her arms. She kept stretching her long next out. Her neck began to lengthen into a goose neck. Aayoga was turning into a goose!

She kept flapping and shooing and she fell right into the stream!

But that didn’t matter to Aayoga. She now had wings and the body of a beautiful goose!

      Just look what a beautiful yellow beak I have!

Just look what smooth white feathers I have!

Just look what lovely eyes I have!

To this day the goose still lives in that stream looking at her reflection.

And so no one forgets her name, she calls out:

Aayoooooogaaaaaa, Ayooooogagaaaaa

This is the story of Aayoga who made excuses.