Feedback Thoughts

Another fun topic to read about. I did not think I would cover useful things like this.

The first article I read was Why Rejection Hurts So Much — and What to do About It by Guy Winch (https://ideas.ted.com/why-rejection-hurts-so-much-and-what-to-do-about-it/). I chose to read this one because I am not great at taking criticism very well. I like the way he conceptualized it. I understand that criticism important, but sometimes it is just so hard to hear.

The other article I read was Why It's So Hard to Here Negative Feedback by Tim Herera (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/26/smarter-living/why-its-so-hard-to-hear-negative-feedback.html). I appreciated how he really captured the emotions you go through when you know you are about to get feedback. Specifically I liked how he discussed the anxiety you get when you are waiting for your feedback. At least for me I always assume the worst; I go into it thinking my professor or boss hates whatever I did. I'm just bracing myself for the impact which makes it so much worse. Running through all the scenarios of things they could tear me apart. In reality it's never that bad, but the anticipation is killer.

A pretty kitty with a good message.

(The image is from cheezburger.)

Topic Brainstorm

The first topic I think would be interesting is a trickster story. I really liked the trickster story we read in the anthology this week and I am a fan of tricksters in general. I can appreciate a nice clever scheme. The only trickster myths I am really familiar with are stories about Loki, but I would love to read up on more. After looking at the wikipedia for tricksters this is a lot of material and inspiration to work with. https://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/07/project-idea-tricksters.html

Another topic I think I would enjoy writing about is the Greek underworld. I'm sure I'm not the only one who loved Hercules as a kid, and Hades was a great villain. However, I think the non Disney version of Hades is much more fascinating, as he is not just some one-dimensional bad guy. To my understanding he isn't even much of a villain. I also think I would enjoy writing about Persephone or Cerberus. https://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/07/project-idea-greek-underworld.html

What's behind door number three? It's ghost stories! I love being scared. Well I don't like being scared in real life but I like suspense, and I think ghost stories are a great outlet for that. I enjoy a good spook. For this one I also think there will be plenty of great source material to go off of. I was a huge fan of Casper growing up. Writing a comical ghost story would also be a lot of fun. https://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/07/project-idea-ghost-stories.html

Finally the fourth topic I think I could write about is the devil. Sympathy for the Devil is one of the best songs of all time, and that's really all the inspiration that I need. Kidding! Kind of. I think the devil is a really interesting character to write about. He has a lot of depths and different things to explore in a story. After browsing some of the devil stories I think I could come up with some pretty interesting stuff. https://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2017/07/project-idea-devil.html


A spooky ghost. Source

Week 2 Story: The Four Brothers

Once upon a time there were 4 brothers that lived in an ancient kingdom. The brothers were simple farmers who lived quiet lives. Every year their was a festival where the people would present gifts to the king.

Before the festival the brothers pondered what they could offer to the king.

The first brother was a cattle farmer. He looked over his animals and decided he would offer the king the best of his herd. However, he reconsidered and decided he wanted those to himself. He was going to offer his next best instead.

The second brother had a flock of sheep. He made the decision to present the king with wool, but he did not know how much. After he thought about it he decided he had to save some of the wool to sell at the market, but he still set aside a great offering off his finest wool for the king.

The third brother worked in the fields. He had much respect for the king so he decided he would present him with the best harvest of his crops. He gathered what he needed and was ready to go before the king the next day.

The final brother helped his brothers with their animals and crops, but he himself did not specialize in anything. He could not figure out what gift he could bring that would be fit for a king. After much reflection the brother decided that he would offer his own life to the king, the ultimate sacrifice.

The day of the festival arrived, and all the brothers lined up to present their gifts to the king. The first brother approached the king, but the king declined the gift because he knew the man had not given his best.

The second brother presented the king with the fine wool, but once again the king declined the gift. He said he had no use for the wool, and that his stores were already full.

The third brother approached the king and offered up his finest crops. The king turned down the gift because he had no need for them. He told the farmer to go and feed his family with it.

Finally, the last brother went up to the king empty-handed. The king asked where his gift was, and the brother told the king all he had to offer was his life. This made the king curious. He asked the brother if he was serious, and the brother assured the king he was. The king called for his executioner to come take the man up on his offer.

The brother closed his eyes and was waiting for the sword to come down, but the executioner just stood there. After time had passed the brother asked the king what was wrong. The king replied that he did not want to take his life, he just wanted to test him.

The king recognized his conviction and made him an advisor and gave him a position in his palace. The brother lived there the rest of his life and maintained a close relationship to the king.

The brother waiting to be executed. Source

This story was a retelling of The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die. I changed the animals to brothers and Sakka to a King.

Bibliography
Marie L. Shedlock, The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die from Eastern Stories and Legends (1920) https://sites.google.com/view/mythfolkloreanthology/origins?authuser=0

Reading Notes: Week 2 Anthology

Well the first reading is in the books. One down fifteen to go.

My favorite of the readings was The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die. I am a fan of stories about clever animals.

The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die started out like a lot of other fairy tales and stories I have heard. The next day is a fast day and the rabbit instructs the other animals to give food to any beggars that ask them for food. The animals go out to find food to offer up. The otter searches for food and comes across some fish. He can't find who the fish belong to so he takes them for himself. The jackal searches and comes across a lizard and milk curd in a house. He also can't find who the food belongs to so he takes it for himself. The monkey goes out and forages some mangoes.

The rabbit contemplates what food he could forage and give to anyone in need. After some reflecting he decides no one would want any of the grass that he could collect, so he makes the decision to offer his flesh to anyone in need.

The King of the Gods, Sakka heard this and decides to put the rabbit to the test. Sakka goes up to the otter, the jackal, and the monkey and asks for food. They all offer to feed him, but he says he will take them up on their offer the next day. Finally he goes up to the rabbit and the rabbit tells him the food he has to offer him is his flesh.

Sakka put the hare to the test and summoned a fire of hot coals. Immediately the rabbit jumps into the fire to show his conviction. This reminded me of the biblical story of Meshach, Shadrach, and Abednego. When the rabbit is in the fire he does not burn. He tells Sakka that the fire is cold and he isn't cooking. Sakka says that he was testing the rabbit and the rabbit responds, "No god or man could find in me an unwillingness to die."

Sakka rewards the rabbit by putting his sign on the moon. The rabbit and his friends continued to live on after that and kept the moral law.


The moon rabbit. Source

Bibliography
Marie L. Shedlock, The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die from Eastern Stories and Legends (1920) https://sites.google.com/view/mythfolkloreanthology/origins?authuser=0

Week 2 Reading Overview

Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4.

Week 3:Homer's Iliad

Week 4:Cupid and Psyche

Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6.

Week 5: Ancient Egypt

Week 6: Life of the Buddha:

Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.]

Week 7: Japanese Mythology

Week 9: The Monkey King

Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11.

Week 10: Apache

Week 11: Cherokee

Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13.

Week 12: King Arthur

Week 13: Looking-Glass

Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15.

Week 14: Inferno

Week 15: Russian


Where to begin? If I had to pick I think I am most looking forward to learning about Japanese mythology. I find Japanese art and culture captivating, and I would love to learn some of the background stories that shaped Japanese culture.


I think learning about the origins of the world from various tribes and cultures will be fascinating. Our origin is something humanity has always pondered. It will be fun to here some of the wackier ideas people had.

Painting from the album, Untold Stories in Japanese Mythology

Source