#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?
This week's prompts
Write a story containing the words “it’s the thought that counts.”
Dialogue
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46 stories
Stories
“From Breakdown to Breakthrough” by Abigail Selinger
Submitted to Contest #193
“White roses ” by Jennifer Cameron
Submitted to Contest #193
“The Kittens and the Cardboard Box (or Why Cats Can't Have Nice Things)” by Philippa Hibberd
Submitted to Contest #193
“The Case of the Medgrove Murders” by Kennedi McCoy
Submitted to Contest #193
“Forward Motion” by Pari Ghodsi
Submitted to Contest #193
“Fish Food” by Amanda Aanestad
Submitted to Contest #193
“The Drifter” by Mofope Olaleye
Submitted to Contest #193
“Dislike and Delete” by Emanuel Diaz
Submitted to Contest #193
“Housekeeper ” by Malik Coley
Submitted to Contest #193
“Sweet Potato Delight?” by Laurie Yost
Submitted to Contest #193
“A Little Push” by Hilary R. Glick
Submitted to Contest #193
“Route 173” by Cassandra Fan
Submitted to Contest #193
“High There” by Kevin Marlow
Submitted to Contest #193
“A Beautiful Day” by Kendall Defoe
Submitted to Contest #193
“The Extrazirconial” by Josephine Harris
Submitted to 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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