The Possum and the Terrapin went out together to hunt persimmons and
found a tree full of ripe fruit. The Possum climbed it and was throwing
down the persimmons to the Terrapin when a wolf came up and began to
snap. The Possum waited his chance, and at last managed to throw down a large one. It lodged in the wolf's throat as he jumped up at it and choked him to death.
After a while he came to a house and was invited to have some gruel. He sat down
beside the jar and dipped up the gruel with one of the wolf's ears as a
spoon. Soon the news went around, that the Terrapin had killed the Wolf and was using his ears for spoons. The wolves came together and took Terrapin prisoner. They agreed to boil Terrapin in a pot.
They brought in a pot, but the Terrapin only laughed at it and said that
if they put him into that thing he would kick it all to pieces. They
said they would burn him in the fire, but the Terrapin laughed again and
said he would put it out.
Then they decided to throw him into the deepest hole in the river and
drown him. The Terrapin begged and prayed them not to do that, but they
paid no attention, and dragged him over to the river and threw him in.
That was just what the Terrapin had been waiting for all the time, and
he dived under the water and came up on the other side and got away.
Once the animals challenged the birds to a great ballplay, and the birds accepted. The captain of the animals was the Bear, who was so strong and heavy that he could pull down anyone who got in his way. The birds had the Eagle for their captain.
Bibliography
Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900).
Thursday, October 31, 2019
Wednesday, October 30, 2019
Read Notes Part A Cherokee
The Earth is a great island floating in a sea. It is suspended at the four cardinal points by a cord hanging down from the sky vault.
When all was water the animals were above. One day they wondered what was below the water, so the son of the Beaver, Water Beetle, volunteered to go down and check. He couldn't find a firm place so it kept diving down deeper and deeper. It got to the bottom of the sea, and it came back up with mud. The mud began to spread until it became the land we call the Earth.
The land was fastened to the sky, but no one remembers who did it. At first the Earth was very soft and wet. Birds were sent out to see if the land was dry. At last it was time. They sent out the great buzzard. He flew all over the Earth, but it was still soft. He came to the land we now know as Cherokee Country. He was extremely tired. His wings flapped and wherever they struck the earth there was a valley, and where they turned up again there was a mountain. Cherokee country remains full of mountains to this day.
When the earth was dry and the animals came down, it was still dark, so they got the sun and set it in a track to go every day. There is another world under this, and it is like ours in everything except that the seasons are different. The streams that come down from the mountains are the trails by which we reach this underworld, and the springs at their heads are the doorways by which we enter
When the animals and plants were first made they were told to watch and keep awake for seven nights.
Bibliography
Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900).
When all was water the animals were above. One day they wondered what was below the water, so the son of the Beaver, Water Beetle, volunteered to go down and check. He couldn't find a firm place so it kept diving down deeper and deeper. It got to the bottom of the sea, and it came back up with mud. The mud began to spread until it became the land we call the Earth.
The land was fastened to the sky, but no one remembers who did it. At first the Earth was very soft and wet. Birds were sent out to see if the land was dry. At last it was time. They sent out the great buzzard. He flew all over the Earth, but it was still soft. He came to the land we now know as Cherokee Country. He was extremely tired. His wings flapped and wherever they struck the earth there was a valley, and where they turned up again there was a mountain. Cherokee country remains full of mountains to this day.
When the earth was dry and the animals came down, it was still dark, so they got the sun and set it in a track to go every day. There is another world under this, and it is like ours in everything except that the seasons are different. The streams that come down from the mountains are the trails by which we reach this underworld, and the springs at their heads are the doorways by which we enter
When the animals and plants were first made they were told to watch and keep awake for seven nights.
Bibliography
Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney (1900).
Friday, October 25, 2019
Story Laboratory: Crash Course Mythology
First off I wanna say that I really enjoyed these videos. I started watching crash course when I was in European history in high school and I loved them. I've watched the for classes I take whenever they have them, but it never occurred to me that they would have one for mythology. I'm definitely going to be watching more of these on my own time!
I enjoyed how the host went into the nitty gritty of what a myth is. He came up with such a surgical definition for something so abstract. I like how the hosts approach to mythology is very similar to the one we take in the class - it isn't just Greek mythology. When I signed up for this class that's what I thought this class wold be over. I think it is really cool how in both the class and the videos the focus is on exposing people to myths they aren't familiar with.
I'm not good with theory - it usually just goes over my head, but I loved the video of him breaking down the theory of mythology. I'm not gonna pretend like I understand everything he said, but it was still a great video. I like the point about Plato equating myths with lies. Myths were a way for people to blame all of the evils of humanity on the gods. I had never thought about myths like this before.
Finally I really loved the hero video - it was my favorite of the three. I enjoyed learning about monomyths. I didn't know how structured and formulaic these myths are.
All in all I still love crash course videos. The rapid-fire delivery and neat animation are still as cool as they've ever been. I'm a huge fan of educational content that is actually entertaining.
I enjoyed how the host went into the nitty gritty of what a myth is. He came up with such a surgical definition for something so abstract. I like how the hosts approach to mythology is very similar to the one we take in the class - it isn't just Greek mythology. When I signed up for this class that's what I thought this class wold be over. I think it is really cool how in both the class and the videos the focus is on exposing people to myths they aren't familiar with.
I'm not good with theory - it usually just goes over my head, but I loved the video of him breaking down the theory of mythology. I'm not gonna pretend like I understand everything he said, but it was still a great video. I like the point about Plato equating myths with lies. Myths were a way for people to blame all of the evils of humanity on the gods. I had never thought about myths like this before.
Finally I really loved the hero video - it was my favorite of the three. I enjoyed learning about monomyths. I didn't know how structured and formulaic these myths are.
All in all I still love crash course videos. The rapid-fire delivery and neat animation are still as cool as they've ever been. I'm a huge fan of educational content that is actually entertaining.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Reading Notes B: Apache
An old woman gave her boy a present so he might become a medicine man. One day the woman said to the boy, "I am hungry. Do you have any food?"
The boy told her to come back tomorrow and she won't be hungry. The next day the son made a corral close to the river. He gathered men and they killed antelope. Then they did the same thing the next day. After that if the son whistled the antelope would come in to the corral. Eventually the woman said, "that is enough. My wrists ache."
The woman asked her son for the gift back, but he told her he already gave it to the supernatural. The woman cursed him. The son left and he came across a place called Sticks Swim Around. He set up his home there. People came after him, but they could not find him. Two years later men came to his home. They were at war with another tribe. They heard a voice that said, "you must be my people.
They replied, "yes we are."
Then he dropped them a buffalo with its head and back to them. They wanted to leave to attack the warring tribe, but the man said to go in a day becasue they aren't aware of their presence. He told the men, "you'll surround them at noon. Bring me the all black horse. The one with no white spots."
He continued, "If at any time you are in need, make smoke for me. My home is by Sheep Horn Mountain. If you want anything blow smoke towards that place."
The next day the people went in daylight and surrounded the other tribe at noon just like the man said. They saw the black horse with no white and kept it with them. They came by the mans home and the horse took off towards the lake.
Bibliography
Jicarilla Apache Texts edited by Pliny Earle Goddard (1911) = New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII.
The boy told her to come back tomorrow and she won't be hungry. The next day the son made a corral close to the river. He gathered men and they killed antelope. Then they did the same thing the next day. After that if the son whistled the antelope would come in to the corral. Eventually the woman said, "that is enough. My wrists ache."
The woman asked her son for the gift back, but he told her he already gave it to the supernatural. The woman cursed him. The son left and he came across a place called Sticks Swim Around. He set up his home there. People came after him, but they could not find him. Two years later men came to his home. They were at war with another tribe. They heard a voice that said, "you must be my people.
They replied, "yes we are."
Then he dropped them a buffalo with its head and back to them. They wanted to leave to attack the warring tribe, but the man said to go in a day becasue they aren't aware of their presence. He told the men, "you'll surround them at noon. Bring me the all black horse. The one with no white spots."
He continued, "If at any time you are in need, make smoke for me. My home is by Sheep Horn Mountain. If you want anything blow smoke towards that place."
The next day the people went in daylight and surrounded the other tribe at noon just like the man said. They saw the black horse with no white and kept it with them. They came by the mans home and the horse took off towards the lake.
Bibliography
Jicarilla Apache Texts edited by Pliny Earle Goddard (1911) = New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII.
Monday, October 21, 2019
Reading Notes Part A: Apache
In the beginning it began in the underworld. They made a mountain that kept on growing. Then reeds grew. When the reeds got to the top four girls twisted them so they stopped growing. A messenger goes up and discovers the twisted reeds. He tells the people what has happened. He goes back up and sees that there is much water. Then Beaver goes up and see that the water is receding. Beaver doesn't return so they send Badger up. So badger goes up and he see Beaver building a dam so people will have something to quench their thirst when they get up there. Finally the people use all four of the ladders they had to ascend, but they leave and old man and woman behind.
Raven divined to see if people would die. The old couple gave the people lice in their heads and their beds so they wouldn't be able to sleep.
Father tells four children to sit by the fire. He asks them "Why did you come to see me?"
The children responded "We want something to play with."
The father made them the hoop and pole game but tells them to not move to the north. Of course the children don't listen and they head to the north. Owl sees the children and says to quickly put them in the pot to cook. Owl's wife chops them up, puts them in a pot, pours water on them, and sets them over a fire to boil. However, the boys just sit at the bottom telling stories. Owl says "you are something bad. You are using supernatural powers."
The boys continue to tell stories and jump out of the pot again. Owl asks "why do you come here and practice magic?
He gives them the hoop and the pole back. The boys return to their father and he tells them "I told you so."
Bibliography
Jicarilla Apache Texts edited by Pliny Earle Goddard (1911) = New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII.
Raven divined to see if people would die. The old couple gave the people lice in their heads and their beds so they wouldn't be able to sleep.
Father tells four children to sit by the fire. He asks them "Why did you come to see me?"
The children responded "We want something to play with."
The father made them the hoop and pole game but tells them to not move to the north. Of course the children don't listen and they head to the north. Owl sees the children and says to quickly put them in the pot to cook. Owl's wife chops them up, puts them in a pot, pours water on them, and sets them over a fire to boil. However, the boys just sit at the bottom telling stories. Owl says "you are something bad. You are using supernatural powers."
The boys continue to tell stories and jump out of the pot again. Owl asks "why do you come here and practice magic?
He gives them the hoop and the pole back. The boys return to their father and he tells them "I told you so."
Bibliography
Jicarilla Apache Texts edited by Pliny Earle Goddard (1911) = New York: Anthropological Papers of the American Museum of Natural History, Vol. VIII.
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Friday, October 18, 2019
Week 9 Story
Long ago in the far off mountains of the east there lived a man and his daughter. The man loved his daughter very much. He wanted to give his daughter a gift for her birthday, but they were very poor. However, he had the ingenious idea to make a sock monkey for her. He used the nicest sock they had. The daughter loved her gift, but as she grew old she played with it less and less. One day the man and his daughter packed up their belongings and moved, and the daughter left the sock monkey behind.
As time passed and the monkey sat on the floor collecting dust he began to be able to move his limbs. Over time he became able to crawl, walk, and eventually leap and perform impressive acrobatic feats. The monkey’s button eyes, which had been old and faded now gleamed gold.
His golden eyes shined so bright that even the God of the Universe noticed them and he sent two of his servants to investigate. They reported back to their king that it was just a harmless sock monkey having fun by himself. He presented no danger at this time.
The monkey continued to play by himself until one day he came across a pack of real monkeys. The monkeys were hesitant to hang out with the sock monkey, but once they saw that he could do anything that they could they became friends.
It was a particularly hot summer and the sock monkey and his friends were all cooling off by a secluded pond. One of the monkeys felt adventurous and did a cannonball into the pool. Another monkey had an idea and said, “Whoever can make the biggest splash will be king of us all.”
The sock monkeys turn came, and he mustered all his strength. He prayed to the gods that gave him life. When he jumped, right before he hit the water his sock body became as hard as stone. He produced a splash so giant that all the other monkeys were completely soaked. And from that time on he was known as the King of the Apes.
Author's Note:
I took the story of how Sun Wu Kung got his name and made it more absurd. I changed a monkey made of stone into a sock monkey. In the original story Sun Wu Kung jumped off a cliff into a waterfall and finds a heavenly cave. In my version he just makes a big splash.
Bibliography:
The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
As time passed and the monkey sat on the floor collecting dust he began to be able to move his limbs. Over time he became able to crawl, walk, and eventually leap and perform impressive acrobatic feats. The monkey’s button eyes, which had been old and faded now gleamed gold.
His golden eyes shined so bright that even the God of the Universe noticed them and he sent two of his servants to investigate. They reported back to their king that it was just a harmless sock monkey having fun by himself. He presented no danger at this time.
The monkey continued to play by himself until one day he came across a pack of real monkeys. The monkeys were hesitant to hang out with the sock monkey, but once they saw that he could do anything that they could they became friends.
It was a particularly hot summer and the sock monkey and his friends were all cooling off by a secluded pond. One of the monkeys felt adventurous and did a cannonball into the pool. Another monkey had an idea and said, “Whoever can make the biggest splash will be king of us all.”
The sock monkeys turn came, and he mustered all his strength. He prayed to the gods that gave him life. When he jumped, right before he hit the water his sock body became as hard as stone. He produced a splash so giant that all the other monkeys were completely soaked. And from that time on he was known as the King of the Apes.
Author's Note:
I took the story of how Sun Wu Kung got his name and made it more absurd. I changed a monkey made of stone into a sock monkey. In the original story Sun Wu Kung jumped off a cliff into a waterfall and finds a heavenly cave. In my version he just makes a big splash.
Bibliography:
The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Reading Notes: The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung B
Hoping that a promotion and a rank amongst the gods will make him more manageable, the Jade Emperor invites the Monkey King to Heaven. The monkey believes he will receive an honorable place as one of the gods but is instead made the Protector of the Horses to watch over the stables, the lowest job in heaven. He rebels and proclaims himself The Great Sage, Heaven's Equal and sets the Cloud Horses free in vengeance.
The Heavens are forced to recognize his title; however, they again try to put him off as the guardian of the Heavenly Peach Garden. When he finds that he is excluded from a royal banquet that includes every other important god and goddess, his indignation turns to open defiance. He steals and consumes Xi Wangmu's Peaches of immortality, Laozi's pills of longevity, and the Jade Emperor's royal wine, then escapes back to his kingdom in preparation for his rebellion.
The Monkey King later single-handedly defeats the Army of Heaven's 100,000 celestial warriors, all 28 constellations, four heavenly kings, and Nezha, and proves himself equal to the best of Heaven's generals, Erlang Shen. Eventually, through the teamwork of Taoist and Buddhist forces, including the efforts from some of the greatest deities, and then finally by the Bodhisattva of mercy, Guanyin, Sun Wukong is captured.
After several failed attempts at execution, Sun Wukong is locked into Laozi's eight-way trigram Crucible to be distilled into an elixir (so that Laozi could regain his pills of longevity) by samadhi fires. After 49 days, however, when the cauldron is opened, the Monkey King jumps out, having survived by hiding in a corner in which there was no fire and is now able to recognize evil with huoyan-jīnjīng (lit. "golden-gaze fiery-eyes"), an eye condition that also gives him a weakness to smoke, and proceeds to destroy the crucible, following Heaven's remaining forces.
Bibliography:
The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Week 9 Part A: The Monkey King Sun Wu Kung
On a mountain, a monkey befriends various animals, and joins a group of other monkeys. After playing, the monkeys regularly bathe in a stream.
One day, they decide to seek the stream's source, and climb the mountain to a waterfall. They declare that whoever goes through the waterfall, finds the stream's source, and comes out again will become their king. The stone monkey volunteers and jumps into the waterfall.
He finds a large iron bridge over rushing water, across which is a cave. He persuades the other monkeys to jump in also, and they make it into their home. Sun Wu Kung then reminds them of their prior declaration, so they declare him their king. He takes the throne and calls himself Handsome Monkey King.
The Monkey King establishes himself as a powerful and influential demon. In search of a weapon, he travels to the oceans and acquires the Golden-banded staff, the stabilizer of the Four Seas and a treasure of the dragon-king of the Eastern Seas. The Monkey King is the only creature strong enough to wield the staff-like weapon. It can change its size, elongate, fly and attack opponents according to its master's will. It is very heavy. When not wielding the weapon, the Monkey King shrinks it down to the size of a sewing needle and tucks it behind his ear.
In addition to taking the magical staff, the Monkey King defeats the Dragon King's henchmen and forces him to hand over a golden chain mail shirt, a phoenix-feather cap, and cloud-walking boots. The cap was one of the treasures of the dragon kings. Traditionally it is depicted as a metal circlet with two striped feathers attached to the front. Upon his return to the mountain, he demonstrates the new weapon to his followers and draws the attention of other beastly powers, who seek to ally with him.
Bibliography:
The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
One day, they decide to seek the stream's source, and climb the mountain to a waterfall. They declare that whoever goes through the waterfall, finds the stream's source, and comes out again will become their king. The stone monkey volunteers and jumps into the waterfall.
He finds a large iron bridge over rushing water, across which is a cave. He persuades the other monkeys to jump in also, and they make it into their home. Sun Wu Kung then reminds them of their prior declaration, so they declare him their king. He takes the throne and calls himself Handsome Monkey King.
The Monkey King establishes himself as a powerful and influential demon. In search of a weapon, he travels to the oceans and acquires the Golden-banded staff, the stabilizer of the Four Seas and a treasure of the dragon-king of the Eastern Seas. The Monkey King is the only creature strong enough to wield the staff-like weapon. It can change its size, elongate, fly and attack opponents according to its master's will. It is very heavy. When not wielding the weapon, the Monkey King shrinks it down to the size of a sewing needle and tucks it behind his ear.
In addition to taking the magical staff, the Monkey King defeats the Dragon King's henchmen and forces him to hand over a golden chain mail shirt, a phoenix-feather cap, and cloud-walking boots. The cap was one of the treasures of the dragon kings. Traditionally it is depicted as a metal circlet with two striped feathers attached to the front. Upon his return to the mountain, he demonstrates the new weapon to his followers and draws the attention of other beastly powers, who seek to ally with him.
Bibliography:
The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Week 8 Reading and Writing
Overall the reading and writing assignments are working well for me. So far I have had no trouble knocking out the readings and the notes. The readings are definitely the easiest part because I get to have story time as an assignment. So far none of the stories have been dis-interesting enough to where reading them felt like a chore.
I am as satisfied with my blog as I am going to be. I really appreciate well designed and creative things, but I am not good at executing the creative for myself. I think the minimalist layout I have going is just right for me.
I need to step up my writing for my project. I've had quite a bit of work in my other classes these past two weeks so unfortunately my project has been put on the back burner. I am having fun with what I have researched so far, but I need to finish the research for my other two stories so I can crank out the writings. I feel like my story posts are going great though. I have a good time writing them.
My biggest accomplishment has to be the story posts. There is something very fun about taking classic tales and adopting them to sillier, more elementary versions.
I haven't really even used my reading notes when making my story posts. I have written them while the story is still fresh in my mind so I haven't had to go back and look at anything. When I am reading the stories I will get ideas for how I could adapt them, and then once its time to write the story post I just go with one of my ideas.
My main note taking strategy hasn't changed; I always focus on the plot. However, I really enjoy taking note of beautiful sentences now. They don't contribute much to my reading posts, but I like being able to appreciate when someone has crafted something truly remarkable with words. It helps me become a better wordsmith myself.
I am as satisfied with my blog as I am going to be. I really appreciate well designed and creative things, but I am not good at executing the creative for myself. I think the minimalist layout I have going is just right for me.
I need to step up my writing for my project. I've had quite a bit of work in my other classes these past two weeks so unfortunately my project has been put on the back burner. I am having fun with what I have researched so far, but I need to finish the research for my other two stories so I can crank out the writings. I feel like my story posts are going great though. I have a good time writing them.
My biggest accomplishment has to be the story posts. There is something very fun about taking classic tales and adopting them to sillier, more elementary versions.
I haven't really even used my reading notes when making my story posts. I have written them while the story is still fresh in my mind so I haven't had to go back and look at anything. When I am reading the stories I will get ideas for how I could adapt them, and then once its time to write the story post I just go with one of my ideas.
My main note taking strategy hasn't changed; I always focus on the plot. However, I really enjoy taking note of beautiful sentences now. They don't contribute much to my reading posts, but I like being able to appreciate when someone has crafted something truly remarkable with words. It helps me become a better wordsmith myself.
Listen to Car Seat Headrest.
Thursday, October 3, 2019
Week 7 Story
Once upon a time, before King Arthur was King Arthur, he was just a young knight. One day he was hunting in the woods when he came across a man, a woman, and a dazzling damsel. As he approached them he noticed that they were all weeping.
"Why are you crying? What is troubling you?" Arthur asked.
The man explained to Arthur that they were crying because all eight of his other daughters had been killed. He told Arthur about a great eight-headed dragon. This dragon was the most powerful beast in the land. He explained that every year the beast has come and taken one of his daughters from them. He is terrified of losing his last daughter.
The father explained that they had tried moving or hiding, but it was all in vain. The dragon was inevitable. Arthur saw the family's pain and asked if there was anything he could do to help. He offered his protection, but the father declined because he said it would be to no avail. No human or being could take on the dragon head on. It was too powerful.
However, Arthur was not one to give up. He deliberated and then he spoke too the man.
"I will defeat the dragon for you do not worry. No man or creature has ever been able to conquer me. However, when I return from battle I want your daughters hand in marriage. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."
The man gladly obliged. He said he would do anything if it meant his daughter wouldn't be taken from this world. So Arthur set off to go defeat the dragon.
Arthur knew he would have to set a trap to best the beast. He gathered a herd of cattle, and he fetched several barrels of wine. He set them out as bait, and he waited. As he expected the dragon came and devoured the herd and drank all the wine. Then the dragon passed out.
Arthur cut off each of the dragons head, and then he cut the dragon into 1000 pieces. He returned to the family and married the daughter.
Author's Note:
I took the story of Susa-no-wo and the eight-forked serpent of Koshi. I adapted it to be in medieval times and our protagonist is King Arthur.
"Why are you crying? What is troubling you?" Arthur asked.
The man explained to Arthur that they were crying because all eight of his other daughters had been killed. He told Arthur about a great eight-headed dragon. This dragon was the most powerful beast in the land. He explained that every year the beast has come and taken one of his daughters from them. He is terrified of losing his last daughter.
The father explained that they had tried moving or hiding, but it was all in vain. The dragon was inevitable. Arthur saw the family's pain and asked if there was anything he could do to help. He offered his protection, but the father declined because he said it would be to no avail. No human or being could take on the dragon head on. It was too powerful.
However, Arthur was not one to give up. He deliberated and then he spoke too the man.
"I will defeat the dragon for you do not worry. No man or creature has ever been able to conquer me. However, when I return from battle I want your daughters hand in marriage. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen."
The man gladly obliged. He said he would do anything if it meant his daughter wouldn't be taken from this world. So Arthur set off to go defeat the dragon.
Arthur knew he would have to set a trap to best the beast. He gathered a herd of cattle, and he fetched several barrels of wine. He set them out as bait, and he waited. As he expected the dragon came and devoured the herd and drank all the wine. Then the dragon passed out.
Arthur cut off each of the dragons head, and then he cut the dragon into 1000 pieces. He returned to the family and married the daughter.
Author's Note:
I took the story of Susa-no-wo and the eight-forked serpent of Koshi. I adapted it to be in medieval times and our protagonist is King Arthur.
Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology Part B
One day Yamato begins to grow weary of his princess's devotion. He has no more battles to fight and is unsure if she needs him. Because of this he begins to yearn for the mysterious siren. He wanders to the Isle of Enoshima to try and find her.
He follows a haunting melody to get there. Eventually the melody leads him down the side of a jagged cliff. At the bottom he finds a grotto that glowed with an emerald light. He can still hear the haunting voice, and he begins to see shadows of celestial girls on the wall so he swims to the mouth of the cave. However, he begins to hesitate because he has been warned about grottoes before. They are often a trap that unsuspecting victims get lured into. He gives it some thought, and then he hears the voice again so he decides to keep following it.
Once he reaches the cave he comes across a monstrous dragon. Yamato was afraid of nothing so he pushed on past the dragon. As he ventures further in he comes to a grand entrance. The floor of the entrance was covered with gold sand and white pebbles.The gate of the entrance was made with diamond and encrusted with jade.
He enters and he encounters the siren he has been searching for. She is playing a melody on her lute. She tells Yamato that she is Benten, the Goddess of deathless love. There are lesser siren there swimming around and singing that haunting song. Yamato has come all this way to ask the siren for her love so he does. The siren says he can have her love, but it is not going to be easy. She tells him that if he wants love he has to defy death. She tells him he has sail to Horaizon and get the golden apple of immortal youth.
Bibliography:
Romance of Old Japan by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).
He follows a haunting melody to get there. Eventually the melody leads him down the side of a jagged cliff. At the bottom he finds a grotto that glowed with an emerald light. He can still hear the haunting voice, and he begins to see shadows of celestial girls on the wall so he swims to the mouth of the cave. However, he begins to hesitate because he has been warned about grottoes before. They are often a trap that unsuspecting victims get lured into. He gives it some thought, and then he hears the voice again so he decides to keep following it.
Once he reaches the cave he comes across a monstrous dragon. Yamato was afraid of nothing so he pushed on past the dragon. As he ventures further in he comes to a grand entrance. The floor of the entrance was covered with gold sand and white pebbles.The gate of the entrance was made with diamond and encrusted with jade.
He enters and he encounters the siren he has been searching for. She is playing a melody on her lute. She tells Yamato that she is Benten, the Goddess of deathless love. There are lesser siren there swimming around and singing that haunting song. Yamato has come all this way to ask the siren for her love so he does. The siren says he can have her love, but it is not going to be easy. She tells him that if he wants love he has to defy death. She tells him he has sail to Horaizon and get the golden apple of immortal youth.
Bibliography:
Romance of Old Japan by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).
Tuesday, October 1, 2019
Week 7 Reading Notes A: Japanese Mythology
One day Susa-no-wo saw an omen and journeyed far into the forest to learn more. He came across a man with a gray bear and an old woman who was crying. Between them was a fair maiden.
"Who are you? Gods or Mortals?" asked Susa.
The man responds, "I am the foot-stroke elder. This is my wife the hand-stroke elder, and this is our daughter, the fair princess."
"Why are you crying?" Susa asks.
"We lost eight daughter to the eight forked serpent. He devoured them. This is our last daughter." The man says.
Susa asks what the serpent looks like, and the man tells him that it has red eyes, a blood-inflamed body, eight heads, and eight forked tails. He says its back is overgrown with firs, cedars, and pines, and it cools over eight valleys and mountains.
Susa says he will say the serpent if he can have their daughter's hand in marriage, and her father obliges. The father tells Susa that he is the brother of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, and a descendant of Yamato. Susa transforms the daughter into a comb, puts it in his hair, and goes to slay the serpent.
Susa fashioned a rampart of logs where he hung eight goodly doors, and he set up a vat filled to the brim with sake next to them. Then he waits. The serpent shows up and laps up all the liquor. This is all a part of Susa's plan, and the serpent gets tired and falls asleep.
Susa draws his sword and cuts the serpent up into 1000 pieces. When he cuts open the serpents tail he discovers a miraculous sword, the Kushanagi. He brings the sword to heaven. Then he transforms the comb back into a girl, and they marry and live happily ever after.
Bibliography:
Romance of Old Japan by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).
"Who are you? Gods or Mortals?" asked Susa.
The man responds, "I am the foot-stroke elder. This is my wife the hand-stroke elder, and this is our daughter, the fair princess."
"Why are you crying?" Susa asks.
"We lost eight daughter to the eight forked serpent. He devoured them. This is our last daughter." The man says.
Susa asks what the serpent looks like, and the man tells him that it has red eyes, a blood-inflamed body, eight heads, and eight forked tails. He says its back is overgrown with firs, cedars, and pines, and it cools over eight valleys and mountains.
Susa says he will say the serpent if he can have their daughter's hand in marriage, and her father obliges. The father tells Susa that he is the brother of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu, and a descendant of Yamato. Susa transforms the daughter into a comb, puts it in his hair, and goes to slay the serpent.
Susa fashioned a rampart of logs where he hung eight goodly doors, and he set up a vat filled to the brim with sake next to them. Then he waits. The serpent shows up and laps up all the liquor. This is all a part of Susa's plan, and the serpent gets tired and falls asleep.
Susa draws his sword and cuts the serpent up into 1000 pieces. When he cuts open the serpents tail he discovers a miraculous sword, the Kushanagi. He brings the sword to heaven. Then he transforms the comb back into a girl, and they marry and live happily ever after.
Bibliography:
Romance of Old Japan by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917).
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