Reading Notes: Georgian Folktales, Part B
Of the Part B stories, I think the most fun to rewrite would be that of "The Strong Man and the Dwarf." In this story, a strongman arrives in Georgia and challenges anyone who thinks they can beat him to a wrestling match which, of course, no one accepts. That is until a dwarf arrives and challenges the strongman. Before the match, the two show off their strength to one another, with the dwarf using some tricky sleight of hand to mimic the strongman's feats of strength, such as squeezing water from a stone or smashing a rock. Impressed, the strongman offers friendship, rather than wrestle with the dwarf. The rest of the story plays out much the same, with the dwarf tricking the strongman repeatedly so as to avoid being caught in his con.
The reason I would like to retell this story is, being a relatively short (5'6") but strong (strapless deadlift pr is 485 for 2) guy myself, I feel somewhat obligated to stand up for us stocky fellers. If I choose to rewrite this story, I would like to switch it around, such that the dwarf is just actually as strong as the strongman. I think the ending would feel better as well if their friendship was actually built on muscle, rather than lies and manipulation.
Story Source: The Strong Man and the Dwarf from Georgian Folk Tales by Marjory Wardrop
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