Week 7 Story: The Eyes Deceive

There once was a great hero of the village that lived in solitude named Batman. He was a handsome and wealthy man that lived in a sprawling mansion. Next door lived Joker who was Batman's best friend. Joker lived in a small shack and had very little in means of possessions. Joker called Batman on the morning of the village farmers market to ask if he would accompany him. Batman obliged and met joker at the intersection to their two houses. Batman appeared in a purple Lamborghini Aventador dressed in a matching purple suit. Joker got in the Lamborghini wearing clothes that resembled Kanye's clothing line with holes and stains all around them, although they were free. As they departed Joker expressed sorrow in his life and his wish for a life as grand as Batman's. Batman sympathized with Joker and told him he would fulfill his wish for a day. They proceeded to switch clothes and Joker now drove them. As they arrived at the farmers market all the women came out to meet this rich man in an attempt to marry him. Three of the most beautiful women in the village married Joker on the spot and consummated their marriage on the hood of the Aventador. Batman who had always longed for this same bond looked to the women in hopes of finding a wife. None of the village women wanted to marry Batman because even though he was a handsome man he appeared desperately poor. A woman came to him and gave him her daughter to marry out of sorrow.

Lamborghini Aventador S in purple
Source

With the four women sitting safely on the wing of the car, they departed for their homes. Arriving at the intersection Batman and Joker switched all of their possessions and proceeded to their respective houses with their wives in tow. The wife of Batman came to live a exquisite life filled with servants and her every desire. The wives of Joker hated their life. They were forced to eat rats and consume laughing gas to survive. They sent many letters to Batman's wife complaining about their situation. Feeling sorrow for her friends she invited them over for dinner one night. After dinner they pleaded with batman, "Let us stay here please! Do not force of to live such a life of destitution! We will do anything you ask, even becoming your wives if you should ask." Batman agreed to this. Joker soon learned of this treachery. He became enraged, vowing retaliation for stealing away his wives.

 Joker began gathering mercenaries from nearby villages to enact his plan. He gathered guns, fog machines, and a whole assortment of gadgets. The night the moon was full his plan game to fruition. The area around Batman's mansion was so foggy that it covered the approach. Once beside the house, Joker and his mercenaries burst through every entrance beginning the slaughter. Servants were cut down by bullets as they fled. The wives were beaten and dragged through the courtyard. Batman, who was now in his suit, came to face joker. As Batman charged at him, he drew a sawed off shotgun and shot killing him instantly. Joker hung up the bodies of batman and his wives in the center of the village as a sign not to cross him.

This story resembles that of Anansi and Nothing, in which Anansi take the image of the rich man and the rich man takes the image of Anansi who is very poor. Anansi gets three wives and goes back to his poor life with them. While Nothing gets one wife and takes her back to his rich life. The wives of Anansi go over to Nothings house and refuse to leave. They eventually settle in permanently with Nothing and his Wife. Anansi gets revenge by luring Nothing into a hole filled with glass and knifes which kills him. I took this story and made it more modern. I also told the story as if Quentin Tarantino wrote it, in which the last paragraph aestheticized violence.

Anansi and Nothing from West African Folktales by William H. Barker and Cecilia Sinclair