Mythology & Folklore

This week I am reading a translated version of Edmund Spenser's Fairie Queen. The version in the Untextbook is translated from the original poetry into a modern plain English version. I have to admit that from what I remember, I much preferred the poem for it's beauty,  but that it took considerabl y   longer to read! So this version is nice if you just want to read the story. The story itself is one of great adventure and it very fun! I believe for my writing assignment tonight, I will tell of the adventures of Britomart and the unnamed knight from the perspective of the knight she rescues from his six attackers.It could be fun to "see" the Lady of Delight flirt with Britomart in disguise from his perspective. I hope I am up to the challenge and am very grateful that I will not be expected to do so in poetic form! Britomart viewing Artegall through Merlin's magic mirror. Source: Wikipedia Commons . Story Source: The UNtextbook.

I love the Celts! I'm really enjoying these myths especially The Tale of Ivan and Andrew Coffey! These stories are fantastic if you read them aloud with a lil hint of an accent. So fun. Thinking of what I would like to write this week, I would LOVE to try to mimic the way the prose flows and the slightly reversed turn of phrase, but I don't know if I'm up to the challenge! I think I will try to find something that mimic the fantastic nature of Andrew Coffey (with the silly twists and turns) with the style and plot line similar to The Tale of Ivan. This is a big task. I will need some time to brainstorm pieces of advice and plot twists. It's tough not to smile when you're reading these stories. Maybe it's just the voice in my head and the memories of Darby o' Gill and the Little People. Perhaps, it's a little culturally insensitive, but I mean no harm! Rainbow Leprechaun. Source: Wikipedia

I love the Raven. I love how peaceful and helpful the Eskimo creator is. He shapes animals and landscape and always looks back to see if it pleased the man. I'm not real thrilled with the man who cursed the mosquitos to "eat man" over some measly deer fat! I feel like my story might center on that guy and his uberselfishness! I did notice men grew from pods and women needed to be shaped. I suppose it beats having a women eat the forbidden apple and curse all of mankind, but it still strikes me as odd. Although it also seems to indicate that woman was shaped specific to compliment men. Perhaps it is a celebration of the symmetry of man/woman. Perfect compliments. Just random thoughts. I think that would be a controversial story if I try to retell it. I might stick with the animals and the stupid mosquitos. Really happy that Raven made the bear specifically to keep Man from getting too cocky! More thoughts later. Kodiak Bear. Source: Public Domain Reading S...

I found the story of Izanagi and Izanami to be interesting in many ways. One I have always like Japanese creation stories because they incorporate so much of the unique and beautiful landscape of Japan. Being made up of islands, the people of Japan seem to be very respectful of the sea and the natural resources of the islands, and that is evident in their stories. I was intrigued more with this story by the sad fate of Izanami and the justification. It seems she was banished to the world of mortals because of the loved she held her for children (the islands) and then she dies in childbirth and is doomed to, essentially, hell. Somewhat...ungrateful. I was also drawn to the "assymetry" of the story of "The Fortunate Fish Hook." Grief over losing the hook led our Prince Fire-Fade from his home to the kingdom under the sea and to meet his great love. However, guilt and the need to return the hook took the Prince back to land and away from this love and their coming c...

I found the stories in Part B to be quite a bit darker in theme than Part A. I did enjoy the cleverness of some of the animals (finally the tiger gets to outsmart someone!), but overall I didn't enjoy the stories of Part B as much.  While Part A was relatable and easily transferable to modern day, this section seemed more like harsh creation stories and cautionary tales. Specifically the Leap of Ka Likai and What Caused the Shadows on the Moon  with aspects of cannibalism and incest seemed to shock the conscious a little more than I am appreciate. Even though I did like the clear imagery of evil letting the darkness in that was so evident in What Caused the Shadows on the Moon.  Overall, I still plan to model my story after one of the happier stories from Part A. 

I really enjoyed this week's reading. The Indian animals were far more descriptive and clever. I especially enjoyed The Tiger and the Monkeys . The story was clever and the premise was so relative to today.  I think it relates a lot to politicians and leaders of today that are so far removed from the "little guy" (or the little bug) that they don't understand what is happening at all on behalf of their constituents. It also points out the mistake in the way that "Kings" are chosen. The very thing that led to his being chosen was the crux of the deception that undid him. (The monkeys used his strength, and even hubris about his strength against him.) I will be thinking of a fun but socially relevant way to retell this story! Beware the Mighty Tiger. Source: Wikipedia I also really really loved the The Legend of the lei Tree . The imagery and symbolism of the malevolent shadow was so rich! It also sparked creative ideas about recreating the story. It ha...

Apparently, I mess up last week. Rather than doing Aesop's Jacobs Part A & B, I did Part A of Aesops, and then moved on to Adam and Eve, which I was supposed to do this week. No worries; I shall do more Aesops this week. And since I was very much not excited by Jacob's translation of Aesop's, I decided to take a look at Winters. I hope this was ok. Success! I really enjoyed Winters' versions of the fables. It included a little more detail, description, and maybe a little poetic license. I also thought the morals were better written and therefore more relatable. I particularly enjoyed the Oxen and the Wheels. Even though animals don't talk and so it should not be too much of a stretch of the imagination to personify the wheels, it still through an extra layer of fun into the story. I can also relate strongly to the moral of "they complain most who suffer least" through my years in the workplace. I may try to retell this story with an office spin. ...

For the second part of this weeks reading, I chose to focus on the First Book of Adam and Eve from the Forgotten Book of Eden anthology. I chose poorly. While this may very much be an un-Christian thing to say, I found the text and the message to be overly repetitive and boring. One could easily believe that the repetition is designed to drive home  the overriding message of the text, it seems to me that in the last few thousands of years of translations, the message gets lost as the reader begins to distance himself from the "hero" to which he is suppose to relate. As a religious text, it's intention it to instruct, not to entertain. So it stands to reason that the message should be plain and irrefutable. The intention of these passages was to convey the message that Adam and Eve have sinned against God and must now face the consequences. That seems a simple concept. But in this text, we are left rehashing the same things over and over again. Adam wept and smote, bec...

Part A of this selection of Aesop's fables included a few tales of Lions, Foxes, Asses, Hares, Deer and others. Each story was extremely brief with very plain morals spelled out for the reader. Certain common themes jumped out at me, such as Appearances/Disguises vs. Reality (Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, Ass in Lion's skin, Fox and the Mask, and Dog and Shadow), Security/Safety vs. Greed (Town Mouse & Country Mouse, Horse and Ass, Dog and Shadow), and how the weak will return to prey on the fallen (The sick Lion, The Wolf and the Kid). Town Mouse and the Country Mouse, Rackham. Source: Wiki Commons I am surprised at the brevity and simplicity of these stories. I expected (and I suppose hoped for) more substance to the story with more details. These are extremely short with only the most relevant details mentioned. I am also curious about the translations and the differences between them. For example, In the Fox and the Lion, one moral is "Familiarity breeds...

A tentative schedule for the semester: Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4. Week 3: Aesop (Jacobs) Week 4: Adam and Eve Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6. Week 5: Panchatantra Week 6: Khasi Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.] Week 7: Japanese Mythology Week 9: Tibet (Folktales) Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11. Week 10: Alaska Week 11: Inuit Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13. Week 12: Celtic Tales Week 13: Faerie Queene Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15. Week 14: Kalevala Week 15: Russian Fairy Tales First, I would like to say that I am very happy that the course will cover myths and legends from all around the world. In my first year of college, I completed a mythology course in which we spent the first 14 weeks on Greek myths and weeks 15 & 16 on Rome and "the rest of the world....