I first started capturing her storytelling using the video mode on our digital camera, around about April, but she soon refused to let me film her. So I tried writing her stories while she told them, using pen and paper. That lasted for only a few stories too, before she caught on. Since then, I've been recording her using a mini MP3 recorder, which is pretty unobtrusive, and transcribing the audio later. She then objected strongly to this as well... Nowadays I use a combo of MP3 and video to record her before transcribing. I only manage to record a fraction of the stories she tells. I always have a backlog of stories on the recorder that still need transcribing, as it's impossible for me to keep up with her. To help new readers, I've marked my favourite stories with a star (*), so at least you have somewhere to start if you don't know where to begin. Don't forget to check the older archives too - there are some gems in there as well!

Saturday 15 September 2007

Corythosaurus is sad, 2007-08-31*

This story was told while waiting for the train to Singapore at the Central Train Station, in the waiting room. There were strangers around, but she seemed apparently oblivious to them. The story apparently revolves around Corythosaurus who is finishing writing his new book and doesn't want the rest to read his not yet complete manuscript... within the story, you can see how he feels sad when his fried T-rex is not accepted by the other dinosaurs.


I have colour-coded it for easy-reading. Black is the shell story and navy blue is the story that Corythosaurus is writing.


Listen to Bethany tell this story HERE.


Only that night, Corythosaurus left and goed away to the orange stage, but not continue it, but didn’t continue the story in there.


“At night, free it.”


“Not free it.”


“Only for that night,” he said.


“No... we won’t. We will sell.”


“Corythosaurus, what are you doing Corythosaurus? You’re almost not finished yet!”


“Nope! Ahhhh... don’t read that! That is not right!”


They stand up and didn’t do anything else.


Only do a night, nooooo kit(?). But also kittenin(?).


There was no... peeked and peeked and peeked and peeking, but not a noise came. Only a BANG!!!!!!!!!!! Came near the open sea of the sea serpent that morning.


That morning boys behind. That morning, they almost begin to wander out. Corythosaurus and the others.. into the fold, and into the forest. One day, Corythosaurus went into the forest and didn’t say anything, but only a mouse came near him. But there were bills and knight and might, mighty thingymajiggies, but there were no type but only a knight came. But the knight he was, he was so kind, so friendly and so doing out thingymajiggies. And everybody shouted out “Quick! Hide from the knight!” Everybody hided, then a BOOM came. Then a BOOM!!!!! came! Then everybody shouted out “QUICK! HIDE!!”


Everybody hided. Then it came nearer and it was T-rex. Then T-rex said, “What are you doing? That is my suit, why you step on my suit?”


“Becaaause... we don’t like your suit or knight. Because there no time to lose. We have to go for the train! (Train bell in the background). The right way, you follow the wrong way, this is the right way. This is OUR house! You can’t come to our house.”


“You see? Corythosaurus... Corythosaurus so, so sad... he wanted T-rex to come (sounds very sad), but the others said no.”


“Ohhh no.... no... why?...”


“Don’t be saaad... that he just not our friend... you don’t have to be saaad, that is not right... you don’t have to be sad. That is just not.... riiight...”


“(Screams loudly) DAAAAAAHHH!!!!” There were no cush(?).

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