Let's Talk Mythology and Folklore

How the initial character can go from "something hit my head" to "the sky is falling" is a mystery to me. Still, the story was interesting and the fox was clever in its taking advantage of the other animals' stupidity. Why did the other animals go along with Henny-Penny in the first place? Were they all so easily convinced that the sky was falling? Molly Whuppie is fearless. And does the King not feel any trepidation about sending someone back into the lair of a giant over and over? Is this story the origin of the "Fee Fi Fo Fum"? Mr. Fox certainly got what was coming to him. Though it seems that his downfall was more due to mere coincidence than any noble action on the part of anyone else. I do like how quick her brothers and friends were to kill Mr. Fox when they saw the danger. I would have thought that Mr. Fox would have caught on a little quicker and perhaps have tried to make an escape.  Wow I didn't think the gingerbread sto...

The bad deeds in this first story are so casual and wildly spin out of control. One could argue that the daughter is at least partially responsible for her own predicament. The King seems especially casual about the whole "I'll cut off your head" bit. So the girl successfully uses Tom Tit Tot to produce the skeins But then she says his name to avoid becoming his. But she never sees him again? So how will she survive the next year? This could make a fun sort of epilogue story. This second story is undeniably dark.  Though I like the idea of the daughter reincarnated in the bird. Maybe a less dark rewrite? The third story I did not think would actually work out in the end. I thought for sure it would just get more and more convoluted until the old woman just ended up giving up or something. Though it was interesting seeing the relationship between all the objects and animals that the old woman talks to. I think the moral here could be: It's som...

Could a doll see through the fabric of reality? Wasn't there a movie not too long ago that had a little something to do with not marrying someone when you first meet them? So they say that Bear's heart is "between his eyes" and that striking him there will kill him. I wonder if they're, in some way, referring to the brain. The whole pulling a women in two thing is sort of gruesome. But it's an interesting explanation for regional specialties. And the idea of a doll coming to life speaks to horror stories to me. But this story has a really interesting idea in that Doll looks through the torn fabric of the sky and sees another Earth just like that one. Kind of seems like an early idea of multiple realities. The idea that eating food in the afterlife means that you are stuck there is one explored in Greek/Roman mythology too with the story of Persephone and the pomegranate.  Also, creepy idea of returned spirits being invisible but physically presen...

And become human... I've always been a fan of these stories where it's not just an animal personified as a man, but where there is an actual transformation back and forth. The fact that the story says that Raven pulls his beak up and down like taking off or putting on a mask is really cool. In this first story, Raven is really a helpful person and a seemingly benevolent creator of so many things. He takes the time to tell Human about all of the animals that he is creating and what each of them is good for. I find the fact that flies and mosquitoes were made to make the Earth more "cheerful" woefully ironic. A-mi-kuk. Can't have a good story by the ocean without a good sea monster. I'm really curious about the variations that Raven mentions that I can't seem to find a good real life companion for. Such as the sea fox or the dog walrus. Reindeer with sharp, dog-like, teeth with an appetite for human flesh? Sounds like a good horror story to me. S...

But maybe he prefers it that way... I like that all we learn about Duck from this first story is that she was: Created Small She died almost immediately because she got some mud in her beak. An interesting origin story for El Capitan.  I wonder why the boulder was growing in the first place. Why did the boys sleep so long? Could these be things to explain in a retelling? So the boys turned into agave? For....no reason? Could explain this in a retelling. Interesting story with the father testing them so much. So the next story has a youth become a god. He learns dances and songs from around the world? And takes them back to his people to teach them. They wear masks during the dances to represent the other gods that danced with the youth. I feel like the Raven and Macaw story is an explanation of why different some parts of the world have four seasons and why some only have two (wet and dry). The Raven people stay in the north and have to toil to grow cro...

Some cultures seem to have an origin story for fire that involves it being stolen from elsewhere. i.e. coyote steals it from "somewhere in the west" Prometheus steals it from the gods They also include a flood story that seems to eliminate everyone but just a few people. Is this indicative of a similar series of floods that may have actually killed many people a long time ago? The sun made of ice. What an interesting concept. Now a great fire instead of a great flood. Also, that guy was a real jerk. Couldn't get the girls so he decides to literally light the entire world on fire. It seems like there are three major creation animals in most of these myths: Coyote Spider Eagle Interesting explanation for why the moon is not as bright The reeds were wet and did not burn so well What if it was explained as just being smaller? ...were there lions in North America? Apparently, sort of? They lived until like 11,000 years ago. Still not sure wh...

A really, really, big hand... Gosh darn it. I knew that Sun was generating too many complaints to the Lord of Heavens. "I had just been thinking I ought to pay Heaven a visit some time..." What a sentence. I guess it's a testament to Sun's power (and arrogance?) that he thinks he can just casually visit Heaven? He's definitely still excitable. The Lord of the Heavens seems to be a rather patient person. This is another instance in which Sun has yet to learn the rules of a polite society. He may soon regret that. So why exactly does Sun take so well to every task that he attempts? He learns them really quickly and (for the most part) seems to excel at and enjoy even the more mundane things. Sun is very prideful and he knows what he wants.  When he saught immortality, he rejected the lessons of the master until he could learn the secrets of immortality. Now he is face to face with literal gods and can't help but to demand a better position or mor...

Or monkey as the case may be... These are some long-living monkeys. Even though the Handsome Monkey King fears death, it seems like he's already lived a pretty long and happy life. It's really interesting that there is such an importance of Buddhism in this story, even though Buddhism originated in India and spread to China. The story says that only three beings are exempt from death: The gods The spirits And....the Buddhas? I guess they're really talking about exemption from the cycle of death and rebirth. I like how the king does not take a large number of subjects or a retinue or anything with him. It's just him on his travels. Very hermit or sage-like. This is, of course, immediately contrasted by the fact that he assaults and robs the first person he sees. But it seems that he learns more or less the "rules" of polite society immediately following this transgression.  That naming was kind of anti-climactic. I feel like a retelling cou...

Or, well, his friends are at least... In The Moon and the Stars , while Anansi is present in the story, his role is actually very minor and what few actions he does take give no indication of his trickster nature.  Kweku Tsin is, instead, the main focus and hero of the story.  When Kweku Tsin and his friends are rewarded at the end of the story, even Anansi is rewarded (in a way) by being made into the moon. This happens despite his past and his trickster/selfish ways? Though, as was mentioned at some point, this may be a slight against Anansi as Kweku Tsin was made into the sun, and, quite literally, he would always outshine his father. The story of the tortoise also interested me for one key reason. The tortoise Klo only made the mistake of drinking a little too much of the strong wine.  He didn't try to weasel out of his duty and even struggled as hard as he could to complete his task. But he still failed and even died because of it. Even after he was bro...

His son was cooler than him... Anansi always tricked and ripped people off. It seems that he did eventually develop a reputation with those around him. However, he was still able to convince many people to go along with his schemes. Most people in these stories have a really quick sense of when they were tricked and act accordingly. While Anansi is a classic trickster, he doesn't ever seem to get away with his tricks. I'm not sure whether this is common in other culture's mythologies but I feel like sometimes the tricksters tend to get away with their tricks. All of Anansi's schemes are usually quite clever, even if they usually end up failing him.  There are lots of famines in these stories. Of course, I am willing to bet that this was (is?) a harsh reality for that area of the world. It makes sense that many of the stories of Anansi's selfishness would come of his own desperation for food.  The fact that Kweku Tsin is such a contrast to the wicked ways of...

And boom! You're the Buddha! Or a Buddha? Were there more before? Siddhartha has a son and wife when he leaves. While he is destined to become the Buddha from birth, it still seems strange (in relevance to other religions) that he does not begin his true search for truth until he is a full-grown adult. The fact that he marries and has a kid is also a deviation from most other messianic figures from other religions. Siddhartha tells the horse Kanthaka that he is a magnificent animal and that his reward is one day coming. But the Kanthaka just dies? I find it interesting that Chandaka was not really punished in any way for failing to keep the prince in the palace. "...mortifications in this world are followed by gratifications in the next, and thus the reward of piety is impiety." I think that this is a very powerful line. What is the point of piety in this life if your goal is to be impious in the next? "If, to be sanctified, it is enough simply to be a...

That your mother literally dies of joy... It is interesting that the kind of peace and happiness that the Buddha was known for bringing later in life sort of seems to happen to his parents before he is even born. Healing miracles performed by Queen Maya. Similar in some aspects to the miracles of Jesus in Christianity, though several hundred years before, Easiest. Birth. Ever. Sometimes with these "Birth of Savior" stories, there is a reason that a savior is born at a specific time. Is there a specific reason that the Buddha was born when he was? Did the gods have some specific plan? Since the gods pay tribute to Buddha like he is a god himself (or something greater), did they decide when the Buddha would be born? Or did he "decide"? The language kind of suggests that the Buddha determined his own parents so why not also his time of birth? Was he born because of his parents? They are said to be very generous or with great virtue. Did the Buddha decide to...

How many times do you have to be shipwrecked before you learn that sailing may not be for you? There seem to be a lot of islands within drift-able distance at any given point for Sindbad. I wonder if this is accurate for the area that he supposedly sails? Sindbad always makes a point to say that, on returning to Bagdad, he gives lots of money to the poor. Is this something to do with the custom or religion of the time? Sindbad's luck seems to only come in the extremes. Either it's extremely bad or extremely good. How can a river that flows directly from a mountain and away from the ocean have a cave that is strewn with ambergris? The dynamic of the man drawn to the sea but the sea that always seems to seek to kill the man is very interesting. The story of the Old Man of the Sea was interesting. I feel like I've heard the phrase "Old Man of the Sea" used in other myths or stories but I cannot recall exactly where.  I think there is a Greek myth about a ti...

Seriously, there are some weird fish in this story... I like the way that he just casually mentions some really strange things: Fish that were "two hundred cubits long" Fish that had the heads of owls Huge snakes that could swallow an elephant A valley full of diamonds. Camphor trees big enough to shade a hundred men. Fish that looked like a camel Fish that was "like a cow" with skin thick enough to make shields out of The cavern he was trapped in just happened to have diamonds and rubies and emeralds strewn about the floor Lots of bird riding. The Roc Honestly, Sindbad is incredibly lucky. Or he's making a lot of things up. Either way, it's a good story. Tells a story of how rhinoceros fight elephants, transfix them on their horns, get elephant blood in their eyes, and then get carried away by a roc. He then suggests that if the listener doesn't believe this story they should "go to Rohat and see for yourself."  I fe...

Pride goeth before the fall and all that... The Farmer and His Sons Oftentimes the best lessons are taught through a little trickery.  To this extent, it is important that the sons engaged in the activity in order to understand the rewards that it gave. The father understood that he would have to trick them to get their willing participation.  The reported moral of the story is that "Industry is itself a treasure." I've heard variations on this story several times. It would be fairly easy to write a new version of it. The Cat and the Birds Be wise and shun the quack. A lesson that I think is really relevant today. It's best to take your advice from those with the proper education and experience. Not from people who looked up the topic on Google.  I'm looking at you anti-vaxxers. "Dressing up" as or pretending to be an authority does not make you one. Interacting with frauds can be dangerous.  The Astrologer Take care of th...

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't listen... The Wolf and the Kid Did the kid know that the Wolf's piping would catch the attention of the Shepherd Dogs? The reported moral is "Do not let anything turn you from your purpose." but there a couple of others. If you're going to go out, may as well go out having fun. (Kind of.) Listen to your elders. Don't be in a hurry to grow up. The Tortoise and the Ducks Kind of a bummer. Punished for curiosity. But also for hubris or vanity. Morals: Know when to keep your mouth shut. Hubris will lead to your downfall. (Literally) Don't piss off the gods? (You should've gone to that wedding sir.) Maybe: Be content with what you have. I'm not a big fan of being punished for curiosity but that moral could be changed more to "Be cautious when adventuring into the unknown." The Monkey and the Dolphin Lies often lead to more lies. Don't speak of things that y...

But I'll be damned if she isn't a tough old bat... This story, like many other myths or legends, is told from the third-person omniscient point of view. It might be fun to change the perspective of this story to first-person, possibly someone outside of the main action of the story, such as the aforementioned Zephyr. Though the overall story (This being a story within a story.) is told in first-person. Despite how Demeter and Hera advise against Aphrodite's fury towards Psyche, neither is willing to give her shelter. This is a plot point that could be changed. The tasks that Venus gives Psyche are somewhat reminiscent of the tasks given to Hercules by Hera. (Forgive me if I continue to switch between the Greek and Roman names, it's sometimes easier.) The actual tasks could easily be changed in a retelling. Hercules achieved his feats through his own might and the help of others. Psyche's are seemingly only accomplished with help from others. I feel tha...

Without the flying part... A story within a story.  The old woman tells the girl not to worry about the "fantasy" of the dream. She claims that dreams during the day are false and that nightmares usually signal the opposite of their content.  This seems kind of contrary to dreams in many other myths or legends, as they can be prophetic. Especially nightmares. Prohibition: (The first one was to not even talk to her sisters. But the husband eventually relents on that.) The actual prohibition was not to investigate the appearance of the husband. "Not even Cupid could compare to you." - There's some irony for you. Psyche does use her seductive powers to get what she wants for the most part. Zephyr the West Wind is hardly mentioned in this telling of the story (at least so far) but could be relegated to a more important role in a retelling. Maybe make Zephyr the close friend or best friend of Cupid. One who delights in the love that his friend has found...

Story Information Author: Joseph Jacobs Title: The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal  For this section of reading notes, I chose The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal  from the Indian Fairy Tales collection by Joseph Jacobs. I've always enjoyed a clever trickster character in literature and the Jackal in this story was fun to read about. Notes for this reading: While the main characters for this story were a tiger, a brahman, and a jackal, these three fill archetypal roles and do not necessarily need to be these precise figures. Any combination of predator, prey, and trickster would work. All three characters could be human just as easily. No mention is made of the person who set the trap for the tiger, but they could be an interesting or relevant character as well. The others that the brahman asks for advice before the jackal all seem to project their own hardships in life onto the brahman, encouraging him to suck it up and accept his fate just because the...

What a wonderful assortment of literature... With so many options, how can I ever choose? I've done my best, but I suppose I might always change my mind later. Well, without further ado, here are my picks for reading units! Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4. Week 3: Cupid and Psyche Week 4: Aesop (Winter) Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6. Week 5: Sindbad Week 6: The Life of Buddha Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.] Week 7: West African Folktales Week 9: The Monkey King Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11. Week 10: California and the Old Southwest Week 11: Alaskan Legends Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13. Week 12: English Fairy Tales Week 13:  Alice in Wonderland Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15. Week 14: Grimm (Librivox) Week 15: The Decameron by Boccaccio So, ...