1. 4. Tales and Tellings

2. Conor’s O’Malley’s mother is very ill
Conor’s O’Malley’s mother is very ill. She is dying, and Conor is having recurring nightmares.
One night at a monster calls him and appears outside his window. Conor watches the yew tree in the garden turn into a huge monster.
At school, Conor is being bullied by Harry and his gang, and his friendship with Lily is damaged because she told everyone about his mother’s illness.
The monster appears again and tells Conor the first story, about the wicked queen.
Conor’s father comes over to visit from America.
The monster appears again and tells Conor the second story, about the apothecary and the parson.
Conor wrecks his grandma’s living room, damaging all the furniture and ornaments.
The monster appears again and tells Conor the third story, about the invisible man.

3. Conor beats up Harry so badly that Harry is hospitalised
Conor beats up Harry so badly that Harry is hospitalised. But he is not punished because the school knows he is having a tough time with his mum’s illness.
The treatment is not helping Conor’s mum, so the doctors switch to a new drug, which is made from yew trees. Conor believes this will heal her and that is why the yew tree monster has come to him.
The new treatment does not work and it becomes clear that Conor’s mum is very close to death. Conor’s mum talks to him and tells him that she does not have long to live.
Conor is angry and kicks the yew tree because it has not healed his mother as he had hoped.
The yew tree monster urges Conor to tell his own tale, about the truth of the nightmare. The nightmare recurs, this time with the yew tree monster encouraging Conor to say what happened. Conor eventually explains that he let go of his mother’s hands and let her fall.
The tree monster creates a nest in his branches for Conor to sleep in and rest.
Conor goes to the hospital and tells him mum how he feels and sits with her holding her hand.

4. climax
problem
resolution
opening
ending
THE STORY MOUNTAIN

5. Stories are the wildest things of all. Stories chase and bite and hunt
Stories are the wildest things of all. Stories chase and bite and hunt. * * * It is a true story. Many things that are true feel like a cheat. Kingdoms get the princes they deserve, farmers’ daughters die for no reason, and sometimes witches merit saving. How can a queen be both a good witch and a bad witch? How can a prince be a murderer and a saviour? How can an apothecary be evil- tempered but right-thinking? How can a parson be wrong-thinking but good-hearted?