Myth & Folklore

Bibliography: Europe's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs and illustrated by John Batten (1916) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-europas-fairy-book.html (Image Information: The Soldier lays a honey trap)  -Unlike the Disney Cinderella story we all know and love, in the original story Cinderella goes to the dance twice. The first time, the maid impresses the Prince during the dance but has to go home before midnight as that is the limit of the magic. -After she goes home, the Prince goes crazy as no one seemed to know who the mysterious girl was. So, as they hold another ball/dance, the Prince orders his soldiers to put glue tar on the lower steps of the stairs, so her shoes would get stuck and he would find out who the girl was. -Like the first dance, when the sisters came home, they mocked the maid and did not realize how much fun she was actually having.  -The King ordered the soldiers to take the golden shoe around the entire kingdom trying to see who w...

  Bibliography: Europe's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs and illustrated by John Batten (1916) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-europas-fairy-book.html (Image Information: The Step-Sister cuts off her toe:  http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/europa-cinder-maid.html) -The Cinder-Maid is the exact same story as the well-known children's story, Cinderella. The story is told in older text, rather than easier basic English like the Cinderella story that we have been told. -The story takes place in an old kingdom where a Prince is having trouble looking for a new wife. The King holds a ball in the kingdom where he will invite all the families and their daughters, hoping to find his son a future Queen. -Upon hearing the news, all the single ladies in the kingdom planned to go the dance to capture the Prince's heart. There was a maid though, a daughter of a noble who was set to do all the drudgery and the chores of the house. They called her Cinder-maid...

Bibliography: Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists by Roger L'Estrange (1692) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/aesops-fables-more-foxes.html (Image Information: Sweet Grapes:  https://kathakids.com/fables/sweet-grapes/) -While Roger L'Estrange tells story in a more classic way, Smart tells the stories like a poem. I mentioned wanting to write a story of similar type in earlier reading notes and it may be a more difficult than I originally planned. -In this story, a fox who sees a clump of grapes hanging from a tree and decides to eat them to quench his thirst.  -The fox attempts to jump and retrieve the grapes, but they are out of reach. The fox is determined that the grapes must be sour and confidently, yet disappointedly, eventually walks away from the grapes when he sees that he cannot get them. -The moral of the story is basically that you often hate what you cannot have and we all want what we cannot have.  -Aesop likes to use third-person point of ...

  Bibliography: Fables of Aesop and Other Eminent Mythologists by Roger L'Estrange (1692) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/aesops-fables-another-lion.html (Image Information: The man and the lion:  https://discover.hubpages.com/literature/the-man-and-the-lion-Aesops-fables-retold) -In this story, a lion and a man chances to travel in a company through the forest and soon they began to boast each other about how their own species and kind was far more superior. -The story is written in old English writing as expected and it may be a bit more difficult to understand the story but it is very much manageable.  -The lion and the man reached a clearing in the forest and saw a statue that was a representation of Hercules in the act of tearing the jaws of the invincible Nemean Lion. -When the man saw this he told the lion that it is obvious that the man is stronger as the King of the Beasts was beaten by Hercules, a man.  -The lion proceeds to say that the status is ...

  Bibliography: Ballads of Robin Hood by Francis James Child in The English and Scottish Popular Ballads  (1882-1898) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/robin-hood-progress-to-nottingham.html (Image Information: Robin Hood:  https://disney.fandom.com/wiki/Robin_Hood_(character)) -It is important to note that the old ballads of Robin Hood differs from the idealized view of Robin Hood that we remember as children.  -This story is told in quartets, four short sentences or lines per paragraph. It feels as if I am reading old poems which I practically am.  -The story is also told in rhymes, the second and fourth line of each paragraph rhymes with the last word. -Even if it is told in rhymes, the details of each action is well described, especially when Robin Hood is fighting against the forresters.  -Robin Hood absolutely destroys the forresters, even making some lose arms or legs and enough blood to bleed out and die. -I am very intrigued the way this sto...

  Bibliography: Myths of the Cherokee by  James Mooney (1900) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/04/cherokee-how-world-was-made.html (Image Information: Native American History: The Cherokee  https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/native-american-history-the-cherokee.html) -This book contains many different myths of the people of Cherokee. The First Fire  tells a story of the beginning of time where the world was was cold without any fire. These beings called the Thunders managed to send their lightning and put fire in the bottom of a tree growing on an island.  -A strange note I picked up reading this story was that the author emphasizes that this story is from a long time ago. This, I thought was a pointless effort when the story starts off with the phrase, "in the beginning of time. " -This story is heavily infused with animal characters rather than humans so far.  -Story switches to The Journey to the Sunrise  and it tells a tale of several young m...

  Bibliography: The Labors of Yamato - The Grotto of Love  Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/japan-labors-of-yamato-grotto-of-love.html (Image Information: Prince Yamato take made his wife help him to attire himself like a woman  https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Japanese_Fairy_Book/The_Story_of_Prince_Yamato_Take) -Yamato was a Japanese prince of the Yamato dynasty who became the 12th Emperor of Japan. -In a story of an anime I read called One Piece , Yamato is a daughter of one of the four Yonkos and the strongest creature in the world named Kaido.  -Kaido traps Yamato in the island they live and wants her to become the next shogun. However, Yamato grows angry of his father and becomes a self-proclaimed Kozuki Oden, a legendary shogun samurai who once fought Kaido to gain control of Wano.  -Yamato is inspired by Kozuki Oden's story and becomes him in order to f...

  Bibliography: Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Myhology and Legend  by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/japan-izanagi-and-izanami.html (Image information: Hatzudo: Izanami  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2789414/) -Izanagi is the God of the Heavens, the highest being in the beginning of time. Izanami is the beautiful goddess of love who became the wife of Izanagi. -The reason why I chose to read and write notes on this story is because of an anime I used to watch called Naruto.  Naruto is an anime about ninjas and Izanagi and Izanami happens to be the name of jutsu that is extremely over-powered in the series. -In the beginning of time, hordes of gods and goddesses emerged out of the hearts of the earth's blossoms, and the last god to come out was Izanagi and Izanami. -Life on earth started through Izanagi and Izanami, making countless generations of man and beasts.  -Amaterasu is a jutsu that engulfs whatever the user ...

  Bibliography: The Ape Sun Wu Kung in The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm, translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/myth-folklore-unit-monkey-king-sun-wu.html ( Image Information: Qi tian da sheng zhi da nao long gong:  https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9698044/) -Through the two memorials, the Lord of the Heavens earned of the unmannerly conduct of Sun Wu Kung, and ordered a god to go down to earth and take him prisoner.  -A god named Evening Star advised the Lord of the Heavens that because Sun Wu Kung was born with such pure powers from all across the world, it'd be better for him to give an order to be called up to heavens for a position. -Lord of the Heavens agrees and the Evening Star tells Sun Wu Kung that he has been ordered to come up to the heavens. Sun Wu Kung gladly accepts as he has been wanting to go to Heaven.  -Sun Wu Kung was very disrespectful to the eyes of the servants of Heavens, but the Lord forgave hi...

Bibliography: The Ape Sun Wu Kung  in The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm, translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/myth-folklore-unit-monkey-king-sun-wu.html (Image Information: Monkey King Sun Wukong on Behance:  https://www.behance.net/gallery/42425851/MONKEY-KING-Sun-Wukong) -The story begins in an island called the Mountain of Flowers and Fruits far away to the East. There is a high rock on the mountain that has been absorbing energy from heaven and earth and sun and moon for a very long time. -This rock contained a monkey who broke free obtaining all the energy and power within. -As the heavens worried for the birth of this strange beast, they sent down two gods to find out what had happened. The report was that two rays of shine came from the rock and split the heavens itself.  -As the magical ape found other apes to interact with, the other apes told him that anyone that can force his way through the waterfall of the...

  Bibliography: Ancient Egyptian Myths and Stories from Egyptian Myth and Legend  by Donald Mackenzie (1907) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/myth-folklore-unit-ancient-egyptian.html (Image Information: Osiris Egypt art, Ancient Egyptian gods  https://www.pinterest.com/pin/498281146252171669/) -Story begins with how the world started as a waste of water called Nu, who was the Great Father. -He eventually made a sun god named Khepera at dawn, Ra at high noon, and Tum at eventide.  -The text is a bit confusing to understand, I can't tell who they are talking about when "he" is mentioned.  -Lot of gods in Egyptian myths and stories including; Shu the wind god, who become known as "The Twins" with "The Spitter." Seb is the earth god, and Nut is the goddess of the firmament who became parents of Osiris and his consort Isis and also of Set and his consort Nepthys.  -Ra becomes the first king upon earth as the Creator and the ruler of the gods.  -As R...

  Bibliography:   The Divine Archer:   Ramayana in Indian Myth and Legend by Donald A. Mackenzie (1913) Story of Rama, Prince of Ayodhya http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/07/myth-folklore-unit-ramayana.html https://archive.org/details/divinearcherfoun00gouliala/page/n7/mode/2up (Image Information: The divine archer,  https://theo_droulez.artstation.com/projects/gv9ye) -The Indian King of the five princes had two wives, Koontee and Madree. (Note to self: be more creative with names for next story) -Two sons came from Madree, and three sons came from Koontee. They were sent to wander around in a forest as they were hiding in exile from their foes.  -When the sons got thirsty, Yudhisthira, one of the sons but also a king, told his half-brother Nakula to climb a tree to look for a source of water. When he spotted one, Nakula ran to the source of water with his quiver in hand.  -Upon arrival, Nakula was stopped by a voice that forbid him from drinking the wa...

 Bibliography:  The Arabian Nights' Entertainments by Andrew Lang and illustrated by h. J. Ford (1898).  The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/myth-folklore-unit-voyages-of-sindbad.html (Image Information: The Thunderbird of Native Americans;  https://www.legendsofamerica.com/thunderbird-native-american/) -The second half of this story starts off similar to how the first part started, a little background information and a somewhat of a reminder that Sindbad is an individual who had a nice life but chose to be weary of its pleasures and look for a change and adventure in his life. -Sindbad decides to go on another trip/adventure, but on his own boat this time so he built and fitted one on his own at the nearest seaport. -This will allow Sindbad to decide his own journey, stop wherever he wants, take his time, and also invite whoever he wanted. -On this particular travel, they come across a huge roc's egg that was already nea...

  Bibliography:   The Arabian Nights' Entertainments  by Andrew Lang and illustrated by h. J. Ford (1898).  The Seven Voyages of Sindbad the Sailor http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/myth-folklore-unit-voyages-of-sindbad.html (Image Information: Jonah & The Whale of A Story  https://www.israelrevealed.com/what-whale-of-a-story/) -Sindbad was a wealthy individual who inherited considerable riches from his parents. As any other normal young kid will do with all that money, he too was foolish and was spending the wealth recklessly upon every type of fun and things he wanted to do.  -In order to spent the rest of his money in a meaningful way, he decided to sell all his belongings and buy a ship in Balsora and head for an adventure.  -They began landing at many different islands where they exchange or sold their merchandise. -One day, the wind died and they were forced to furl the sails and the captain of the boat gave permission to Sindbad and t...

 Bibliography: Homer's Odyssey, translated into English by Tony Kline (2004) http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-homers-odyssey.html -As Odysseus and his crew set their way back to Ithaca, they reach an island that belongs to Cyclopes (one-eyed uncivilized humanoid creatures). -The story is told in first-person by Odysseus himself as he leads his men through the Land of the Cyclopes. -Including such unpredictable and dangerous creatures such as Cyclopes in a story certainly helps a story be more mysterious and jumpy.  -The Cyclopes were blessed by the gods and never had to plough or sow in order to grow their own food, but rather the gods let the food grow like mountains.  -Odysseus and his men decides to go into the cave of the Cyclopes and eat some of his food and is caught.  -Absolutely terrified, Odysseus tries to explain why they are there using the gods, hoping that would scare the giant into not harming them. He mentions Poseidon, the g...

 Bibliography:  - Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917). http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/japan-eight-forked-serpent-of-koshi.html - Laos Folk-Lore by Katherine Neville Fleeson (1899).http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/06/laos-man-in-moon.html -Upon reading the stories;  The Man in the Moon and The Hare that was not Afraid to Die , I am beginning to be encouraged to write a more dialogue based story for this week as it really brings a picture of the characters together.  -Each actions committed between dialogues are so well described with kind adjectives and clear visualizations.  -These stories include older texts such as 'thou' and older way of communicating with others.  -Maybe I won't write the stories as if I am a 7 year old child explaining to their parents what happened at school that day.  -The Divine, Heavenly Beings: Susanoo and Orochi already had my undivided attenti...