The week we learned the story of “Hagar is Sent Away” (Gen. 21:8-14) I did a follow-up round: “Identify one part of the story that especially stands out for you and explain why you chose that part.” I gave titles to each part so that in reviewing them, the storyline was reviewed.
It was a good round. Everyone picked a part and explained the reason for their choice. Most reasons were very serious. Mine not so much. I picked part three because when I was telling the story for the storyboard exercise I forgot to tell about Abraham being distressed until I told about God saying to him, “Don’t be distressed.”
We tallied the responses; here are the results:
- Isaac is weaned—2
- Sarah is adamant—0
- Abraham is distressed—2
- Hagar is sent away—3
The first person who picked part one did so because she thought the story went “The child grew and was winged. Abraham gave a great feast on the day Isaac was winged.” [Check out her storyboard.] We all had a good laugh and she gave me permission to tell the Winged Isaac story on this blog.
I pointed out that’s exactly the kind of thing that happens with oral tradition. For the first part of the Circle, the only exposure she had to the story was my telling it, and she heard “winged.” We also decided there was a close connection between being weaned and being winged. Both have to do with separation from mother.