The School Play
This Gary Soto story is about facing fear. The protagonist is scared of forgetting his only line in his sixth-grade play. In addition to worrying about being laughed at, another student has threatened to “bury his face in the ground” if he messes up. The play is about the infamous Donner Party. The fear theme is supported in its concluding words: You gotta suck it up (endure hardship) in bad times. Interestingly, although intended to suggest that the starving travelers should have been stronger in resisting cannibalism, this expression could also be used to justify eating dead bodies to survive?
Although attributed to the folklore of Schoharie County New York, this folktale almost certainly has German origins. In common with Perrault’s famous 
This Scottish folktale is one of those rare stories where the character who successfully defeats a giant is a girl. As often happens in folktales, Molly achieves this through gruesome actions. First, she tricks the giant into killing his three innocent daughters. Later, she tricks him into severely beating has kind wife, who had helped when Molly and her sisters needed food. As a reward, the girls marry into the family of a cowardly king who is happy to send Molly into danger three more times to satisfy his greed. There don’t seem to be any true heroes here. 
In this English folktale, a young man works for a year and earns a magic donkey. An innkeeper tricks him out of it, so he works for another year and earns a magic table. The same innkeeper tricks him out of this. For his next job, the boy earns a magic stick. This helps the young man get his donkey and table back, as well as to marry his true love. Unfortunately, in winning the girl the young man shows a side of his personality that will make readers wonder if he really deserved all the magical help! 
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