Belgium: exposition
Once upon a time there was a very, very, very frightening snake. He had a green skin and was so huge... He also had shiny teeth. It was just as if he bleached them from time to time. His name was ‘Terry Fying’. He lived in a big dark cave called ‘The Yakobracave’. Everyday he looked up to watch the sky and each time, he saw the white swallow. Her name was Noëmie. She was as white as fresh snow and very pretty. She flew so high and in such a gallant way that the snake became very jealous because of her skilled way of flying. This made the snake suffer a lot. The pain was hardly unbearable. He wished that he could fly just like her, but as he was a snake, this was impossible.
There also was an eagle that lived in the biggest tree in the forest in a huge eyrie. His name was Aladdin. His feathers were dark and they shone in the sun. Aladdin had a strong spirit and he was brave because he had been through a lot of awful situations. The other birds excluded him because he came from a very far and unknown land in the east and because he was black.
Czech Republic: rising actions
It was sunny day. Eagle's friend snake had newborn baby and eagle was invited to baptise him. Aladdin was looking forward to it, but he was also very nervous. During his flight to snake's house he was thinking about it. But suddenly something interruped him from thinking. He looked down and saw a man in a yellow shirt, who was standing in a pack. Eagle knew immediately that the man's behaviour wasn't good and he was doing something bad. Aladdin saw him as he was stealing a woman's handbag and then started to run to his den. Eagle didn't follow him for a long time, because he had to fly in a different direction, but he saw very well the robbers' den, place, where the robbers live together. He was shocked, because he hated crimes and violence, but he couldn't do anything about it. He flew to the baptism and he couldn't be late.
He continued thinking. He was planning what he'd do and what he'd sayd. It was for the first time of his life and he wanted to do it well. He was finding a way to interpret some of his thoughts and thinking about advice that he'd give to the newborrn child.
He was nearer and nearer to snake's house. Only a few meters remained when he heard a terrible cry. Something's happened, it was the only thought in his mind.
He landed and the first thing he saw was a snake. He was very sad and the eagle started to expect the worst thing. What if the baby isn't alright? What if the baby is dead?
Aladdin was running to snake as fast as he could. He held him and asked what happened.
"My baby...", said snake named Terry Fying, "...he's...dead." His voice was so silent, nearly inaudible. "He was dead all the time, my wife was expecting him."
Aladdin didn't know what to say. He felt a great pain and tried to understand snake's emotions.
"I don't know how I can live without my baby", snake said. "Maybe if I kill myself I'll meet him in heaven and then I might be a father to him"
"Don't think this way", eagle answered. "You've my promise that I'll help you with everything you need."
France: climax
When he left Terry Fying's house, the Eagle saw the woman –whose bag had been stolen- again. She was with her two other sisters. Aladdin decided to go and speak to them.
"Hello!" he said from the sky. "From here I saw a man stealing your bag. Do you know what way he took?" The eagle asked.
"He went over there, behind the rampart, but it is inaccessible."
The eagle headed towards the place and he saw a piece of yellow fabric attached to the rampart. He was keeping on his way when he saw a den. And in the darkness, he caught sight of the robber. The terrifying shadow of the eagle scared him and he ran away. But Aladdin saw the old woman's bag. He picked it up and brought it back to her.
The woman didn't know how to thank the eagle. Aladdin had an idea:
"Do you know how I could bring a dead snake back to life?"
"There is a prophecy… Take a swallow feather and pronounce the following magic words:
'May your rest be infinite
Your Sorrows Alleviated
And the World filled with Happiness…"
Norway: falling action
All night Aladdin had been thinking of the prophecy given by the three sisters. He needed a swallow feather, but how was he going to get that? Just as he was about to fall a sleep, still wondering where the feather could be, a bright light appeared in the end of the room. Aladdin bounced up and rubbed his eyes. A fairy with a beautiful, pink, sparkling dress and big blond hair glanced at Aladdin and smiled from one ear to the other. “I'm the good fairy Ullrikke and I am here to help you to find what you seek. Fly into the forest, and you will find what you need.” The fairy danced her way out of the window, and Aladdin the eagle fell asleep.
Early in the morning Aladdin went for a flight in the forest, looking for something that could help him. After flying for a long, long time he saw a small green thing running on the ground. Aladdin went down to see what it was, and it was an elf. She was crying and sobbing her eyes out, and finally Aladdin managed to understand that she was lost in the labyrinth. Aladdin said he would help her, and maybe she knew something about the swallow’s feather? “Yes, yes”, she said, “go far into the woods, and look for a castle. The three witches live there, and they will give you what you need to catch this swallow.” After letting the elf down outside the labyrinth, he continued to the forest.
He started to get very tired when he saw the big castle that the elf had told him about. The castle was very dark and scary. He knocked on the door three times, and the woman who got her handbag stolen opened up. She invited Aladdin in for a cup of tea, and introduced him to her sisters. They told him that the only way of getting a swallow feather was to take it from the swallow when it was asleep. “Follow the sparkly road behind our castle, find the golden tree. That is where the swallow lives.” And Aladdin was on his way again.
Aladdin flew and flew, following the road. It was very easy to see it, since it was shining and sparkling a lot. He was still tired after all the flying so he went down to the ground to sit on a stump. All of a sudden a huge shadow came over him, and he was very scared. A purple dragon walked up to him. “You need to look for the feather in the labyrinth, not a tree. The three witches are evil, don't trust them! Here is what you need to do: go to the labyrinth in the end of the forest, find the swallow, and say to her “shimshallabom, shimshallabam” and repeat it three times while you use this amulet to hypnotize her.”
By now Aladdin was starting to get tired of all this magical whimsical things, but he did as the dragon said, and flew back to the labyrinth. After some circling above the ground, he spotted the swallow, sleeping in a hidden corner. He landed in front of her, and before she knew what was happening he had her hypnotized, and pulled out a beautiful, white feather.
Poland: twist of action
The Eagle took the feather in his beak and went on his way. It was night, but he wanted to see the snake as soon as possible. However, after a short time he came across a large group of giant and ugly trolls. Alladin was afraid of trolls and he didn’t want to join them. So he had to choose a longer way around which led over the sea. He flew for a long time, but finally he saw a small island covered with ice. He wanted to rest there. However, when he approached the island, suddenly a storm unleashed. A terrifying figure appeared – it was a sea monster, Draugen. The Eagle heard his terrible laugh and after a moment all he felt was the cold. He fell deep into the abyss of the sea. He thought that that was his end, but something caught him. Before he could understand what was happening, he found himself on the edge of the island that he was looking for. “I’m King Valemon and I noticed that you had been caught by Draugen. Fortunately, I managed to help you,” said the white bear, his rescuer. Alladin was very grateful to him, but he soon remembered that he had to continue his flight. Suddenly, he realized that the swallow feather had disappeared!
Norway: falling action
All night Aladdin had been thinking of the prophecy given by the three sisters. He needed a swallow feather, but how was he going to get that? Just as he was about to fall a sleep, still wondering where the feather could be, a bright light appeared in the end of the room. Aladdin bounced up and rubbed his eyes. A fairy with a beautiful, pink, sparkling dress and big blond hair glanced at Aladdin and smiled from one ear to the other. “I'm the good fairy Ullrikke and I am here to help you to find what you seek. Fly into the forest, and you will find what you need.” The fairy danced her way out of the window, and Aladdin the eagle fell asleep.
Early in the morning Aladdin went for a flight in the forest, looking for something that could help him. After flying for a long, long time he saw a small green thing running on the ground. Aladdin went down to see what it was, and it was an elf. She was crying and sobbing her eyes out, and finally Aladdin managed to understand that she was lost in the labyrinth. Aladdin said he would help her, and maybe she knew something about the swallow’s feather? “Yes, yes”, she said, “go far into the woods, and look for a castle. The three witches live there, and they will give you what you need to catch this swallow.” After letting the elf down outside the labyrinth, he continued to the forest.
He started to get very tired when he saw the big castle that the elf had told him about. The castle was very dark and scary. He knocked on the door three times, and the woman who got her handbag stolen opened up. She invited Aladdin in for a cup of tea, and introduced him to her sisters. They told him that the only way of getting a swallow feather was to take it from the swallow when it was asleep. “Follow the sparkly road behind our castle, find the golden tree. That is where the swallow lives.” And Aladdin was on his way again.
Aladdin flew and flew, following the road. It was very easy to see it, since it was shining and sparkling a lot. He was still tired after all the flying so he went down to the ground to sit on a stump. All of a sudden a huge shadow came over him, and he was very scared. A purple dragon walked up to him. “You need to look for the feather in the labyrinth, not a tree. The three witches are evil, don't trust them! Here is what you need to do: go to the labyrinth in the end of the forest, find the swallow, and say to her “shimshallabom, shimshallabam” and repeat it three times while you use this amulet to hypnotize her.”
By now Aladdin was starting to get tired of all this magical whimsical things, but he did as the dragon said, and flew back to the labyrinth. After some circling above the ground, he spotted the swallow, sleeping in a hidden corner. He landed in front of her, and before she knew what was happening he had her hypnotized, and pulled out a beautiful, white feather.
Poland: twist of action
The Eagle took the feather in his beak and went on his way. It was night, but he wanted to see the snake as soon as possible. However, after a short time he came across a large group of giant and ugly trolls. Alladin was afraid of trolls and he didn’t want to join them. So he had to choose a longer way around which led over the sea. He flew for a long time, but finally he saw a small island covered with ice. He wanted to rest there. However, when he approached the island, suddenly a storm unleashed. A terrifying figure appeared – it was a sea monster, Draugen. The Eagle heard his terrible laugh and after a moment all he felt was the cold. He fell deep into the abyss of the sea. He thought that that was his end, but something caught him. Before he could understand what was happening, he found himself on the edge of the island that he was looking for. “I’m King Valemon and I noticed that you had been caught by Draugen. Fortunately, I managed to help you,” said the white bear, his rescuer. Alladin was very grateful to him, but he soon remembered that he had to continue his flight. Suddenly, he realized that the swallow feather had disappeared!
