Myths and Folklore with Karissa

The Haunted House : more torches to see the spirit  Monsieur de Grignaux - fell asleep only to be awoken by a sound box and someone calling the name of his diseased grandmama along with a clamor of tumbling tables and stools Brenigne Vexed at not getting a full 8 hrs of sleep Following night: Master Goblin = spirit pretended to sleep and snore caught the hand of the spirit it was the girl that slept in their chamber reason for spooking: she had fallen in love with a domestic and wanted the master and mistress gone so they could play house had them beaten and fired them - got rid of the spirits who had haunted the house for 2 yrs conversation of those on the bridge - comments about the story who had sense, sinning, pleasure The Spanish Widow: set in Saragossa merchant who wanted to honor God after his death sell his fine Spanish horse and bestow this wealth on the poor Mendicants responsibility with the wife after death - decided to cha...

The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots A mill, an ass, and a cat youngest only gets the cat cat speaks just needs a bag and a pair of boots that fit set a trap for rabbits - takes it to the king a trap set to get the fortune of the Marquis of Carabas (master of the cat) washing in river, needs to be saved by King's men, catches the eye of the princess Monsieur Puss threatened the workers of fields to say his master owned them Came to the ogre's estate - shapeshifter? lion and then mouse castle now Marquis of Carabas' married to princess Puss became a great lord How the Dragon was Tricked Jealous brothers younger tied to tree Bc he was crooked but now his back is straight able to outwit everyone - persuade them news reached the king - wanted to see the young man sentenced to death unless he can bring the flying horse kept by the dragon young man went to stable where horse and dragon lived horse neighed and dragon woke - happened 3 ...

Tasks Done for a Wife Remembers the story of his brother, cousin - some relative Seeking marriage - dowry paid by a suiter for my daughter First Elephant - failed Gorilla - came back "disgusted" Hippopotamus - thought he would succeed because of his size and strength Everyone failed - only Leopard and Tortoise left both believed in themselves despite the failure of others Gold diggers! Leopard went first failed audience still doesn't know what the tasks are Tortoise tried them and did them all cracked calabash filled with water mended it with the gum of the Okume (mahogany tree) pick fruits from the top (slippery, soapy trunk - couldn't climb it) dug up the tree - didn't cut it down technically Did three more tasks set my the merchant's assistants Now he can marry the daughter! Leopard (Njega) sees that Ekaga has been gone for 5 days - wonders if the task has been completed "If Ekaga succeeds in getting that wife, I will t...

Why the Skunk Walks Alone: Skunk first given spots so he could blend in still afraid - given sharper teeth and claws Greed: wanted more The Great Spirit gave him a strong smell Writing idea: incorporate how the skunk got its distinct markings (the stripe on the back) The other animals asked the Great Spirit to give them the ability to know when the skunk was coming - something like that Why the Woodpecker Pecks: Start story out with young girl daydreaming, looking out of her window Hears the Tap! Tap! Tap of the woodpecker Looks out to the pecan tree and sees a woodpecker Woodpecker is shy - stops pecking and sneaks around to the other side Makes her think back to a tale her grandmother told about the mescal plant mescal plant had little buttons on it - when eaten, the medicine men could talk with their ancestors No one else could touch them = bad luck Curious boy wanted to know what the medicine men were seeing snuck out to try some in the desert...

The Welsh Fairy Book: The Red Dragon : King Vortigern trying to beat the Saxons wants to build a citadel on a mountain, but supplies keep disappearing Merlin or Myrddin Emrys exposes the folly of the sorcerers boy born without a father pool beneath them - two vases - two tents - two serpents (red for britons and white for saxons) Welsh Fairy Book: Bala Lake : The harper was lead away by the bird - why? "vengeance, vengeance" What happened to the other people? The palace was covered by a lake. to this day you can see lights at the bottom of the lake Who wanted vengeance on the prince? Image information: Valley Water Lake Bibliography: The Welsh Fairy Book: The Red Dragon ; story source: The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas with illustrations by Willy Pogány (1908). Welsh Fairy Book: Bala Lake ; story source: The Welsh Fairy Book by W. Jenkyn Thomas with illustrations by Willy Pogány (1908).

Plot: Clever rabbit when to Muzimu, the animal wizard, to get more knowledge Wise already - not wise enough, great one bring live snake picked up a stick before going to the home of the snake challenged the snake to prove it was longer than the stick slipped a string around the snake's neck If you can fool the snake, you already have all the sense you need No, wants more bring swarm of bees found gourd - cut hole in bottom and cleaned it out added honey and tied it to long pole bees attracted to honey - rabbit closed hole song Muzimu - sense shall become more and more everyday white spot between ears to represent the sense you possess in your head all make rabbits carry it to this day change to it being carried down to his descendants.  Note: the Wizard from the Unnatural Mother story cursed them and said that they would only be free if they succeeded in helping a lost soul - were scared of failing because they had in the past.  ...

The Crane and the Hummingbird Another version of slow and steady wins the race I like the ending with the woman saying no the the marriage with the crane New idea: include a story where the woman participates? Able to describe various landscapes The Huhu Gets Married Make the bird a whippoorwill maybe? If a huhu can't, a whippoor will Plot: Daughter marries a "hard" worker Man: disappears during the day Turns out to be a lazy huhu shews him from the house Image information: Whippoorwill: Migratory Bird Bibliography: The Crane and the Hummingbird . Story source:  Myths of the Cherokee  by James Mooney (1900) The Huhu Gets Married . Story source:  Myths of the Cherokee  by James Mooney (1900)

Tortoise - Ekaga boasts Challenges them to a tug-of-war or lure-lure essentially tricks them into a tug-of-war with each other interesting - elephant and hippopotamus gathered leaves of medicine to ready their bodies nicked the vine ended as equals Elephant - Njagu "foot is as big as ekaga's body" Hippopatamus - Ngubu Hyperbole  trunk was 8 miles long; ears as big as a house Use of the word - Mwera (equals) Bibliography: A Tug-of-War ; Story Source: Where Animals Talk: West African Folk Lore Tales by Robert Hamill Nassau (1914). Image information: Vector Tug of War

Creation story - creating the world of molecules How Kemush Created the World Background of creator wanted to build from small to big - make sense of the world as smaller things coming together to make bigger, more complex things ex: atoms - made up of neutron, electrons and protons why they are different masses and charges before neutrons, etc - quarks beings - increasing order organelles- cells - tissues -  Break into days Use metaphors that relate back to original Image information: Mount Shasta Bibliography: How Kemush Created the World . Story source: Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon , by Katharine Berry Judson (1910). How Old Man Above Created the World . Story source: Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest, especially of Washington and Oregon , by Katharine Berry Judson (1910).

Izanagi and Izanami Poetry - rhyming with every other line Sun and moon as flowers Meet cute for Izanagi and Isanami born to them = 8 islands of Japan Many more offspring last = fairest The Heaven-Descended Discord and unrest in Sunny Land of Rice Plains Story idea: don't want to gods interference (like wars in other countries) God fell in love with princess Arrow thro bird, arrow thro heart of god Sun Goddess gave son 3 gifts - charge to rule Sunny Land of Rice Plains Very focused on beauty and light The Labors of Yamato: The Rescue of the Princess First interested in the siren, then got married to another? why have the info about the siren at all? Bandits came upon them and kidnapped the bride, Tacibana Dressed like maiden to rescue bride Image information: Izanami and Izanagi, by Kobayashi Bibliography: Japan: Izanagi and Izanami . Story source: Romance of Old Japan, Part I: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (19...

Patience-Stone and Patience-Knife I like the repetition in this story The noise the bird makes and the thing it says Stayed inside bc of the warnings eventually ventured out wall between maiden and others awoke with doors filled with precious things 40th door - Bey  Fan for forty days = find her kismet Fallen from maiden to cook gifts: patience-stone and knife Bey's journey to find them Used them to tell her life's story Bey saw and knew the truth - she was his rightful wife The Soothsayer: An ultimatum  A prank take chief-soothsayer wife's ring, hide it and find it happy ending - from artisan to chief soothsayer  How'd his wife feel about this? Image information: Illustration by Willy Pogany in book: Forty-four Turkish Fairy Tales Bibliography: Patience-Stone and Patience-Knife ; Story source: Forty-four Turkish Fairy Tales by Ignacz Kunos, with illustrations by Willy Pogany (1913). The Soothsayer ; Story sou...

Fear: Quest to understand what fear is Little journeys along the way to figure out what fear is I could explore a different emotion Fish-Peri Father ashamed of his profession Son did not know what to do  - saw father's fishing net resolved to be a fisherman caught magical fish that did housework threw maiden's skin in fire Padishah wants to marry maiden - gives youth impossible tasks the Arab - grants the wishes of the youth and maiden Bibliography: The Fish-Peri ; story source: Forty-four Turkish Fairy Tales by Ignacz Kunos (1913) The Fish-Peri (cont.) ; story source: Forty-four Turkish Fairy Tales by Ignacz Kunos (1913) Fear ; story source: Forty-four Turkish Fairy Tales by Ignacz Kunos (1913) Image information: Illustration by Willy Pogany in book, Forty-four Turkish Fairy Tales

The Two Brothers Anpu - older house with wife believes his younger brother abused his wife decides to ambush his brother hears truth - grieves and kills his wife comes to brother's rescue after king has the forest cut down (make my story into something about deforestation?) raised Bata from the dead Bata - younger; loyal to his brother laborer understood oxen wife of brother admired his strength "angry as a panther" - used to describe both brothers at diff times calls on Ra creates wide stream with crocodiles day dawns - tells brother truth quest to regain brothers trust goes to new land - gods fashion him a wife (prophecy that she will die a speedy death) raised from the dead becomes a sacred bull Sea spirit Saw Bata's wife - enthralled, chased after her was gifted a lock of her hair made it to Egypt - perfumed King sent messengers across world to find this woman Bata's wife comes back with the woman - answer why?...

The Wax Crocodile: Affair between handsome youth and scribe's wife Add more to story by adding more characteristics/descriptors of the character and setting Chief butler told scribe (magician) magic wax crocodile Caught lover in lake - threw wax crocodile into lake and it was given life captured the youth Pharaoh was told and declared a punishment Osiris - Pharaoh after Ra ascended to heaven Agriculture, peace and prosperity Death: chest becoming a coffin (morphing) Set the usurper Tyranny - add examples Isis: searching for body of Osiris Image Information: Horus, Osiris, Isis  (22nd dynasty; Louvre, Paris) Bibliography: The Wax Crocodile ; story source Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie (1907). The Death of Osiris ; story source Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie (1907). Osiris ; story source Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie (1907).

Cyclops description: lawless, aggressive, lazy Live on a fertile island - paradise Gore: Cyclopes took two of his men and smashed them on the ground - brains ran out - and tore them limb from limb Plot: Ships came to the land of the Cyclopes Men came to the cave of the cyclopes - asked for hospitality Cyclopes took two of his men and smashed them on the ground - brains ran out - and tore them limb from limb Made spears from cyclopes club Wait for sleep to bury them into cyclopes eyes Made the wine a gift to the cyclopes gift to Nobody - kill him last Heated spear/stake in fire and then buried it into eye - twisting description Cyclopes - Polyphemus cries out to his neighbors Ask who as hurt him and he responds Nobody. To escape Polyphemus: tied 3 rams together and placed a man underneath the middle one. Last act of men - herded Cyclopes' sheep onto ship and brag Polyphemus through a large rock - tidal wave that forced ship back to shore Me...

My UnTextbook Plan: Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4. Week 3: _ Ovid's Metamophoses_ _ Week 4: _ Women Saints__ _ Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6. Week 5: _ Ancient Egypt_ _ Week 6: _ Turkish __ Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.] Week 7: _ _Congo_ _ Week 9: _ _Japanese Mythology__ __ Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11. Week 10: _ Pacific Northwest_ __ Week 11: _ Cherokee__ Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13. Week 12: _ Beowulf_ _ Week 13: _ Welsh Fairy Book (Thomas)___ Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15. Week 14:    Russian __ Week 15: _ Heptameron __ I am excited for some of the topics that I am not familiar with. I'm most excited about the units that are completely unfamiliar to me. I have read a lot about Greek and Roman mythology. I love it, but I want to read so...

Pyramus and Thisbe: Plot points: Both describes as "on fire" Spoke throw a fissure in the wall Plan to meet at Ninus grave Lioness tears  Thisbe's veil Pyramus sees and plunges his sword into his side Thisbe sees this, mourns, and does the same. Descriptions: "As he lay back again on the ground, the blood spurted out, like a pipe fracturing at a weak spot in the lead, and sending long bursts of water hissing through the split, cutting through the air, beat by beat." - I like this description of how the blood spurts out of Pyramus's wound. I think describing something in this way adds gore indirectly, because it is much easier to visualize the movement of something that we are more familiar with - burst pipe vs spurting blood. Perseus and Medusa: Description of Medusa: snakes for hair, Attack on sea monster (Andromeda): described like a struggle for life and food between predator and prey animals. Plot points: Begins as a story ...

Dis and Proserpine "You might see her limbs becoming softened, her bones seeming pliant, her nails losing their hardness." - I like this description of Cyane becoming water. I is a very visual and tactile description. I think it is interesting that within the larger story there are often smaller ones mixed in. For example, Ceres turned a boy into a creature while looking for her daughter. Plot points: Venus asks Cupid to shoot Dis Dis takes Proserpine Cyane turns into a sacred pool Ceres searches for her daughter Boy into creature Makes the lands infertile Arethusa saw Proserpine in the Underworld as queen Ceres asks Jupiter if Proserpine can return to heaven Yes if no food has touched her lips (Fates) Proserpine ate some seeds Ceres turned messenger of this into a bird (bad omen) Jupiter: Proserpine will divide the year between the two - Dis and Ceres Setting the scene: I liked how for the Proserpine and Dis story that Calliope was always ...

Beauty and the Basilisk  This fairy tale had an abrupt transition from Mary nursing the Basilisk to it asking her to cut off its head (twice). As a writer, I want to make those plot twists make a little more sense, maybe giving more reasons as to why, without taking away from the surprise. It is a hard balance to find. The Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi "Red as a ripe mountain cherry" - I just like the alliteration with red and ripe. The Hare that Was not Afraid to Die I like the repetitive structure of this story. How each small story within the bigger story is ended with the same phrase. It brings the reader back to the overarching story after being diverted. I also enjoyed how the actions of the animals were used to expose their personality traits. I think this technique sometimes has more of an affect than an author outright telling the readers what the characters were like. "pores of the hair" - I like the imagery of this. It is not common to think o...