#193: A Bear's Favor
One of the perks of being a Reedsy Prompts judge is the constant exposure to new ideas and words. While reading Olivia Lake’s story ‘Grateful Nuisance’ recently, I was introduced to a new (to me) Japanese word that instantly captured my imagination. The story explores the idea of arigata-meiwaku, a combination of arigatai (thankful), and meiwaku (nuisance). In essence, it describes the all-too-relatable phenomenon when someone insists on doing you a “favor” against your will, only to wind up causing you even more inconvenience than you started with.
In Northern Europe, this concept is often referred to as a “bear’s favor,” derived from a fable about a bear who kills his master by hitting him in the head with a boulder, when he was in fact trying to kill a fly.
I’m sure the mere mention of such a favor has already conjured some examples from your own life, and this week’s prompts draw on the idea of “bear’s favors” and half-baked acts of kindness. Is it truly always the thought that counts?
🥇 Winner
“To Plant a Garden. ” by SCOTT GEORGE
🏆 Winner of Contest #193
⭐️ Shortlisted
“A Plum Tree's Neighbors” by Russell Mickler
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
“Beragrub and the Beast” by Laurel Hanson
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
“The Totem Pole” by Chris Miller
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
“Black Bear, Russet Hen, Brown Dog, White Elephant” by Anne Shillingsburg
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
“Iggie, Obsessed” by Shawn Wier
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
This week's prompts
Write a story containing the words “it’s the thought that counts.”
Dialogue – 46 stories
Stories
“To Plant a Garden. ” by SCOTT GEORGE
🏆 Winner of Contest #193
“A Plum Tree's Neighbors” by Russell Mickler
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
“Friar Lawrence ” by Michelle Oliver
Submitted to Contest #193
“Hell Spelled Backwards” by Michał Przywara
Submitted to Contest #193
“Please Hold While I Kill a Bad Man” by Delbert Griffith
Submitted to Contest #193
“Beragrub and the Beast” by Laurel Hanson
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
“The Backdoor Diner” by Wally Schmidt
Submitted to Contest #193
“Hugging Sleep Deprivation ” by Daniel Fernandes
Submitted to Contest #193
“Best Basset” by Mary Bendickson
Submitted to Contest #193
“Early Release” by Chris Campbell
Submitted to Contest #193
“Well Enough Alone” by Story Time
Submitted to Contest #193
“The Totem Pole” by Chris Miller
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
“What He Wanted Me To Do” by Akhlys Ivy
Submitted to Contest #193
“A Good Bet” by Amanda Lieser
Submitted to Contest #193
“Black Bear, Russet Hen, Brown Dog, White Elephant” by Anne Shillingsburg
⭐️ Shortlisted for Contest #193
$250
Prize money
186
Contest entries
115
Stories
Ended on 23:59 - Apr 14, 2023 EST
Won by SCOTT GEORGE 🏆
Title: To Plant a Garden.
Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.
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