Reading Notes: Heptameron, Part A

Heptameron

The Boatwoman and the Monks:

- It's a story within a story.

- "A boatwoman who did nothing day and night but convey people from point to point." So she takes people from port to port for wage

- SO they decided to rape her.. Okay and a woman is telling this story, so I hope she punishes them well.

- Oh and they're friars and monks.... great.

- Oh, the boatwoman has something up her sleeve!

- When they begged not to be isolated on the island that made my blood boil.

- I am so glad this woman does not take the men with her - I was honestly excepting her to take them because a majority if these stories have the people take the individuals who wronged them and they end up in a worse situation

- A husband!

- The biblical illusion was so ironic, I love it.

- I like how they bring up hypocrisy, especially with the bad people with good situations and examples while its usually good people with bad situations and examples who show better virtue than the first.

The Lady from Milan and Her Lover: Part I and II

- I can already tell I am not going to like this story.

- How the story begins with telling the reader how great this mysterious man is is probably to make us like him.

- She was admired by not taking another husband? Usually, widows are cast out but this woman is admired maybe because she is wealthy and has lots of brothers?

- I like how she is aware of his actions and how she tries to thwart them, but I am calling it now that she will find his advances charming and fall in love with him.

- He's stalking her!!!! NO, this is not healthy.

- I hate how his stalking is perceived as devotion.

- She is stubborn and prideful, I love it despite how she will most likely give in to his advances.

- And he is determined as well... three years, wow.

- I called it!

- I am not surprised he did not listen to her and tell her to sit in the bed quietly while he confronted her brothers - what a man thing to do.

- Oh, it was a test of his adoration of her.

- How gross.

A Villager, His Wife, and the Priest:

- I was confused on what was going on - but I realized rather quickly she was sleeping with the priest.

- I laughed so hard, but they played it off rather nicely. I am kinda glad they can talk about adultery with a priest and a woman and make a laugh out of it. Or I took it that way.

- Nevermind.

- "In a word, they lack what we have, and have abundance of what we have not." I like this phrase.

(Winnowing basket from WikiMedia Commons.)

The Virgin with Child:

- I have a feeling that they are not going to believe the woman who is pregnant.

- Very scandalous.

- I know many church goers who are well mannered and save face while in public, but its a different story when they are away from the church and anyone they know from church. 

- Man, this girl is confident.

- "She told you that never man touched her any more than her brother." I honestly thought it was her brother as well.

- Because torture always brings out the truth... not.

- The truth is revealed!

- Both burned, well alrighty then.

The Monks and the Butcher:

- You should never listen in to someone else's conversation, never a good thing.

- Oh well, I guess this could be a different scenario. 

- Nevermind!

- Physics is never kind to heavier people.

- He went into the pigsty!

- "The first idea that came into their heads was that St. Francis was angry with them because they had called pigs Cordeliers (friars)." I laughed so hard, oh my goodness. 

-

The President of Grenoble's Revenge:

- "I will spare neither man nor woman." I am curious.

- If they lived happily, why would the woman cheat with a clerk?

- The husband did not believe the old servant.

- Oh, no he's planning his revenge.

- This is probably going to take a lot of patience...

- He poisoned his wife.

- I don't know if I am awed by his patience or just put out by it.

- Murder should not be the answer for finding your spouse cheating.

- Also, so far, the woman are the only spouse that has committed adultery AND I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT MEN ARE MORE LIKELY TO CHEAT THAN WOMEN.  I might have a story idea!

The Heptameron of Margaret, Queen of Navarre, translated by Walter K. Kelly (1855).

 

Reading Notes: Russian Folktales, Part B

Russian Folktales

(The Witch2 from Salon.)

The Witch Girl:

- "Come in, if you don't fear death!" Well this is an interesting way to keep people out of the house, but apparently not this man. 
- He probably plans to find the person who is missing the arm and then condemn them. 
- The folktales refer to the midnight hour as the most unholiest time of day and is conveniently when the ghouls and evil souls come out to play with the normal people.
- Why was she lying on a stove? Don't they have beds?

The Headless Princess:

- I am a little shocked that peasants were allowed so close to the palace without being spotted by guards or anyone.
- "The boy was lost in wonder." So he gossips to everyone, I wonder if this is gong to come back and get him!
- You know this would make doing hair so much easier! I would never miss a strand of hair if I straightened or curl it!
- She died?
- But she asked for the little boy!
- So I guess its common knowledge that witches come back from the dead for three nights? What happens after the third night?
- "trace a circle around you; then read away from your psalter and don't look behind you." So circles are naturally formed in nature and are holy protective shields - very cool!
- A hammer and four nails... What do they represent? Christ being nailed to the cross, does the irony kill her?
- A stake driven into their breast, like a vampire!

The number three has been repeated multiple times within the tales as well as the midnight hour and stakes through the heart.

I think I'll make a story about a woman vampire!


Russian Fairy Tales by W.R.S. Ralston (1887)

Reading Notes: Russian Folktales, Part A

Russian Folktales

(Leshy from Wikimedia Commons.)

The Dead Mother:

- The babe slept through the night? I don't think so, I think the mother comes back from the dead to feed her child.

- I was right!

- "suckled at her dead breast." Wouldn't that kill/poison the baby?

- She gazed sadly at her baby... Oh, maybe when the townspeople revealed her by light she could not come back or the baby dead because of the townspeople revealing the dead mother?

- However, this has taught me to leave well enough alone and count your blessings.

The Treaure:

- I hope this Pope get's bitched slapped by karma or God since these folktales are super religious.

- Ducats are a form of monetary; gold I suppose since that is how the characters refer to it as gold pieces. 

- I would if the beggar stopping his digging will come back to the story, maybe there are more riches buried deeper?

- I don't understand why the beggar man would go back to the Pope after the treatment of him. Is this because he is the only one to properly bury the body on holy land or something to that nature?

- Putting on the goat's skin... Oh, I hope this is going in the direction I think it is.

- IT DID!

- Yes, God did punish the "godly man."

- Its so ironic.

The Bad Wife:

- So she did the opposite of what the husband said...

- Honestly, this is a little annoying, but the husband seemed to know exactly how to get his wife to do the things he wanted anyway. Did he just get rid of her so he wouldn't have to deal with it anymore?

- "Don't send e back again, O peasant! Let me go out into the world! A bad wife has come, and absolutely devoured us all, pinching us, and biting us - we're utterly worn with it!" I love that demons are afraid of this woman.

- Their con is actually very clever, I wonder if the Bad Wife will come back as a demon to torment them.

- I don't think the husband took the threat seriously or as he should, and I also think the husband is not longer frightened of him since he has been working with him for a while.

- "Why I didn't come here to turn you out. I came, out of pity to you, to say that the Bade Wife has come here." Conning the con man, classic.

- I wonder what the demon thought when he realized he was tricked. 

- "But the Bad Wife sits to this day in the pit - in Tartarus." This could be a cool story idea of the wife stewing in the pit to become a demon herself and wreck havoc on the world when she gets the chance to resurface.

The Three Copecks:

- So I am guessing copecks are a form of money?

- "All three copecks floating on the surface." Good karma?

- I would have beaten those boys, if I saw them tormenting an animal.

- This cat is probably not a normal cat.

- The cat wasn't with him when he tried to return and decided to keep the money for himself.

- I am honestly surprised, the merchant give all the money away to the orphan - he actually kept his promise.

- So is the old man suppose to be the cat or God?

- Wouldn't it be obvious the eldest brother is not the three-year old boy? Good lord.

The Miser:

-  The rich man asked the poorer of the two to spare him a copeck to give to the beggar... how stingy.

- He doesn't have small change, how egotistical is this man?

- "Cover me up with a cloth, and sit down and cry, just as you would over a corpse." I am honestly impressed on the lengths he will go not to pay the man.

- At least the man has enough common sense to realize the man is trying to con him.

- I can't imagine how the robbers reacted when they thought this dead man jumped up. I laughed so hard.

- So Marko never paid the man back and he was not punished.

The Water Snake:

- Usually, when the characters have common sense, it backfires on them. Of course, you can't marry a snake what would it hurt?

- When the mother asked how to call her husband, I knew it was not going to end well. I just didn't think the mother would behead the husband...

- I don't understand the ending of this folktale, is it supposed to tell us why the nightingale, wren and a cuckoo were created?

Friday:

- Don't work when you are not supposed to!

Wednesday:

- Always remember to sign the cross before or during your prayers.

The Léshy:

- Went strolling in the forest without her parents permission and then disappeared for three years... can anyone say scare tactics?

- This reminds me of SnowWhite when the Hunter goes into the woods and finds the daughter.

- Amnesia, how convenient. That's probably how the Léshy kept her complacent for three years along with his magic.

The Metamorphosis of the Dnieper, the Volga, and the Dvina:

-This gave me Game of the Thrones vibes, especially for the Targaryen siblings who took over Westeros.  

Emilian the Fool:

- How do these stupid people stumble upon good fortune when other people deserve it more?

- Why were they trying to pull him off the cart? Was he going to fast in the cart and disturbing the peace?

- Why would the King throw his daughter into a tub after marrying her to the Fool? That is ridiculous.

- The thing is why would the Fool and the Daughter trust the King after he tried to murder them? Doesn't sound very smart.

Russian Fairy Tales by W.R.S. Ralston (1887). 

Reading Notes: More Celtic Fairy Tales, Part B

More Celtic Fairy Tales

(Ploughed field, Dundonald from geograph.)

The Farmer of Liddlesdale:
- I wonder why it was necessary to include that is wife and child died, is this to make us relate to him and create sympathy for him?
- "Only has much of the corn when it shall be dry as I can carry with me in one burden-withe." This is going to come back to haunt the Farmer.
- So the ploughman must be supernatural or something else that's NOT human, which means he'll most likely have super strength.
- "Then the corn spread over the field, and the ploughman went away in a white mist in the skies, and was seen no more." - I called it!

The Legend of Knockgrafton: Part I and II
- Envy is much a theme in Celtic stories, but I none of them really mention karma against those he who wronged the protagonist.
- NEVERMIND
- We immediately have sympathy for Lusmore, and know he is a kind soul.
- Singing within the moat, what an interesting description...
- ".. it was determined to bring the mortal among them whose musical skill so far exceeded theirs and little Lusmore was conveyed into their company with the eddying speed of a whirlwind." I am pleasantly surprised the fairies enjoyed Lusmore's singing - usually, if someone is better at an activity or has better luck then envy and hatred is thrust upon them. I like this twist!
- I find it funny how realistic it is that no one recognized Lusmore without his hump which reveals how shallow they are.
- "...up came an old woman to him, and asked him if he could direct her to Cappagh. 'I need give you no directions, my good woman,' said Lushmore, ' for this is Cappagh. And whom may you want here?'" I was so worried that he had done something to anger the fairies and they would cripple him again.
- I am also surprised and not, that Lusmore told his secret about the fairies.
- Usually when people tell others where they have been (supernaturally) then they are punished.
- "..who was peevish and cunning creature from his birth..." This is not going to go well for Jack Madden, I can already tell.
- Jack did not have much patience and got his 'reward' for badly interrupting the fairy music.

Elidore:
- I do not understand the reasoning behind mentioning his mother is a widow? Is this implying that the reason Elidore is such a fool is because he doesn't have a father figure in his life? That's ridiculous.
- "...Only this there curious about it, that the sun never shone and clouds were always over the sky, so that neither sun was seen by day, nor moon and stars at night." This is curious and there is no exclamation about why this is or am I missing it?
- They are Hobbits!
- I am surprised he is getting the best of both worlds, but I am sure it will not last long.
- Apparently, the yellow balls are very special to the Little Men.
- "... and though he searched again and again in the years to come, he could not get back to that fair country." This reminds me of Narnia.
- I am not sure I understand the ending.

How Cormac Mac Art went to Faery:
- "Cormac, so of Art, son of Conn of the Hundred Battle" Reminds me the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings with titles
- Nine apples of red creates the illusion of the forbidden fruit for me.
- I don't understand why Cormac did not ask what the youth wanted in return before agreeing to the trade.
- Dark magical mist sounds likes he is entering a different world.
- I actually thought the heads were actual human heads, so I laughed when I realized it was metaphorical.
- "There is meat; cook it for yourself." Cormac is a king! I did not expect that to happen, but this does confirm that he is not in a human world.
- They tell truths that should not be true, so they have to have magic in them or have magical cattle.
- I figured the events he saw before coming into the house were significant for a reason: they were lessons.
- So why did Manannan take away his family only to give them back? Was it to teach him a lesson? The tale never indicated why he would need a lesson..?

The Ridere of Riddles: Part I and II
- "Then it struck the queen that it was not her son who would come into the kingdom, and she set it before her that she would poison the eldest son." This is typical...
- I am very surprised no one told the guard or the King that the queen was wanting to poison his eldest. I mean the Cook would have been rewarded most likely if he had told the king the truth instead of following the queen.
- I am really surprised that they need more proof that this poison, is actually poison that they poison both their horses? Stupid.
- Their riddle is more of a trick question and that's why the King could not figure it out.
- How does someone have a wedding that lasts 366 days? That's a bit excessive.
- I was confused when the brothers started fighting, but then of course! They don't recognize each other somehow...? How? This story is full of plot holes.
- Wait, how did he get 12 sons?

More Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs (1895).

Reading Notes: More Celtic Fairy Tales, Part A

More Celtic Fairy Tales

(The Children of Lîr, A Book of Myths.jpg from Wikimedia Commons.)

The Fate of the Children of Lir: Part I, II and III
- He threw a temper tantrum.
- Dearg thought of a great way to combine the houses, plus ensure peace in the kingdom they had fought for.
- I was a little surprised Lir picked the oldest daughter, but their exact ages were never mentioned, so this girl could have been young anyway.
- And she died...
- I was getting the evil-stepmother vibe from Oifa, however, I was a little irked that 'her womanhood and her weakness prevented her...' Not that I wanted her to kill the children, but I did after the narrator decided she could not do something because of her gender. 
- I was also getting the swan princess vibe when she turned them into swans.
- "This she said because repentance seized her for the evil she had done." 
- I wondered why the children did not follow him back to his home or to the 'trial' they gave Oifa.
- I wonder what the significance is of how Fingula held her siblings, I wonder if it is a culture thing.
- Did the children not go to their father because they were cursed to stay on the lakes and rivers of the Erin? So they couldn't live anywhere else besides the water of Erin? Hmm.
- "...found all desolate and empty, with nothing but unroofed green rafts and forests of nettles-no house, no fire, no dwelling-place." This provides a nice picture!
- OH! They did not stay young, I was not expecting that ending. Not quite the Swan Princess ending I was expecting, but still entertaining. I wonder how Oifa saw the entire thing, I think it would be interesting to see her point of view.

The Vision of MacConglinney: Part I and II:
- In the beginning, I thought he was in it because it would ruin the kingdom. I was a little shocked when he wanted profit for helping King Cathal, but at the same time I wasn't too surprised.
- He is very smart and manipulative... I can't decide if I like this character or not. 
- Such a descriptive vision, it made me hungry reading it. 
- "The lawless beast that dwelt within the king, came forth until it was licking its lips outside its head." Oh, this gave me chills!
- Very smart, but I have decided I do not like MacConglinney 

Dream of Owen O'Mulready:
- I did not except him to be in the dream until Owen was told to go to America and send a letter. Because why would he give him a letter to send in the middle of the night? Why send him when they probably have a postal system in place?
- Plus the cow-boy was a bit interesting. I do not know if this is to be taken in the literally sense or that is what the boy's title is as a cow herder - I first took it literally because I assumed it was a dream and dreams are a bit wonky sometimes. 
- Flying on a crane is something I would like to include in my stories.
- I laughed when I read the last sentence: ' Owen came down off the rock and washed himself and from that out there was no envy on him ever to have a  dream again.' 

The Story of the McAndrew Family:
- I honestly did not enjoy this story, it just wasn't entertaining. I know this teaches a lesson (many in fact), but I just didn't enjoy it. 
- I was also surprised the people manipulated the brothers out of their wealth (besides their wives).

More Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs (1895). 

Reading Notes: Eskimo Folk Tales, Part A

Eskimo Folk-Tales

(Polar Bear from Wikimedia Commons.)

The Coming of Men, A Long, Long While Ago:

- The ancestors could not read or write, so they told stories (memorization), this could be 'magic'; the power of words 

- "Old women do not waste their words idly, and we believe what they say. Old age does not lie."

- "Hok - hok - hok!" Commanding dogs to come forth

- They lived in the dark.

- A FLOOD

- water was flammable, interesting - IDEA for STORY

- "Two old women began to speak thus: ' Better to be without day, if thus we may be without death,' said one."

- I WAS RIGHT - WORDS HAVE POWER

- Dead men become stars in the sky

Nukúnguasik, Who Escaped from the Tupilak:

- Wait, what is a Tupilak?

- "...nibbling at the body of the dead man."

The Woman Who Had a Bear as a Foster-Son:

- OLD WOMAN AND A BEAR, I love it already

- She spoke to it as a human and it gained the mindset of a human

- I liked this story. It was very heart warming.

Qalagánguasê, Wha Passed to the Land of Ghosts:

- Seaweed is not good for you, you'll definitely die if you eat it.

- Ghosts walk among the living, though they do not interact with the living. 

- Why did they mention he turned into a woman when he turned into a ghost?

Isigâligârssik:

- "This girl would like to have you."

- What does this wizard have against him?

- Yay, a happy ending.

The Insects that Wooed a Wifeless Man:

- A different type of people

- I'm a little confused on this story.

- I just imagine this grown man talking to these tiny insects

Makíte:

- this reminds me of Hansel and Gretel 

Atungait, Who Went A-Wandering:

- Kissing! Eskimo kisses!

- Interesting

- I was surprised he did not kill the man, but I admire that he did not kill him because he spoke to truth.

The Giant Dog:

- Clifford the big red dog, haha

- MMMMM, a story idea!

Eskimo Folk Tales by Knud Rasmussen with illustrations by native Eskimo artists (1921). 

Reading Notes: Pacific Northwest, Part A

Pacific Northwest Reading Unit

(Silver Fox Moncton by James Mann; Flickr)

How Silver-Fox Created the World (Hat Creek Native)

- Water

- A heaven concept, with living in the sky

- They have human qualities

- Five is an important number

- Thinking about animals, and ending up creating them as result

- "Two moons of winter, one of spring, and one of autumn. That's enough."

Three Coyote Stories 

- Wood to mankind

- "Coyote ran after some of the women and after a long chase caught them. But so soon as he touched them, they turned to shavings."

- Chary ordered the man to decide the rank of the animals - sounds similar to God and Adam

- Coyote was cheated out of rank, and as a result became the cunning and mean creature he is today

- The Sky World

- and killed?

How Kemush Created the World (Klamath)

-The naming of the animals
- He created different tribes

How Old Man Above Created the World (Shasta)

- The grizzly bear was made master of all
- Leaves became birds
- Small sticks turned to fish, middle sticks became all other animals, and the big end of the stick he made the grizzly
- When the white man came Old Man from Above disappeared

How Beaver Stole Fire (Nez Perce)

- People were not yet created, so animals and trees talked and walked upright.
- Pine Trees had the secret of fire... was that because they catch on fire easily?
- Its strange that the fire survived being soaked in water when beaver jumped in the river.
- "Cedar still stand all alone on the very top of the hill. He is very old. His top is dead.... Old men of the tribes point him out to the children. They say, 'There is Old Cedar. He stands just where he stopped when he chased Beaver.'"

How Dog Stole Fire (Pit River)

- wives-stealing
- the power of dance is similar to the power of prayer?
- Someone stole his wives, but the people in the end call him bad/evil?
- Coyote does not like joking.
- hiding the punk in his ear...

The Story of Ashish (Klamath)
- Purple blue was the fire of Ashish
- yellow was the fire of Silver-Fox
- Kemush had only smoke
- Ashish's FIVE wives
- The wives could tell that Kemush was portraying Ashish
- Ashish is a fool
- I would love to see two little butterflies, carrying down a grown man

Chinook Wind (Yakima)
- FIVE BROTHERS

As-Ai-Yahal (Tillamook)
- He is a terrible sport, but then he redeems himself?

The First Totem Pole  (Kwakiutl)
- Why did Raven take the chief around the world?
- "Taken off her animal clothes, and appeared to be a woman." Like a selkie?

- AND Mouse liked the chief.
- THe illusion of time. 
- Instead of five, the number was FOUR

Three Raven Stories 
Nanaimo: 
- A little savage, but hey Raven was responsible for the daylight
Eskimo:
- A white raven is an interesting concept, the blubber oil turned him black
- Owl does not have any patience
Klamath:

- I don't know what they became rocks when Raven laughed.. I do not get the culture aspect.
- War between Old Gray Wolf and Old Grizzly people seems like an interesting topic to use for a story.

Woodrat and Rabbits (Modoc)
- FIVE cottontail rabbits
- Why does he want to fight Rabbit?
- KARMA, don't kill individuals because you are most likely to be killed as well

Why There Are No Snakes on Takhoma (Cowlitz)
- Ah, I was wondering when a great flood would make its appearance in the tales

Myths and Legends of the Pacific Northwest by Katharine Berry Judson (1910).

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairytales, Part B

(Uraschima Taro Returning on the Turtle by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi from Wikimedia).

Schippeitaro:
- I wonder why the cats feared the dog, other than that he was a dog. I am glad the young man was able to find a great feat he accomplished.
- I am also glad that the dog was the main hero and that the young man did not try to take away the dog's life to claim all the glory himself.

The Crab and the Monkey:
- Personification of animals!
- I enjoyed how the other animals banded together to support Crab, it brings a sense of community.
- Karma and justice are very typical for these fairytales.

The Magic Kettle:
- A majority of the story focus on old couples or older individuals as their characters, I love this because western stories usually have young men and women.
- The lessons of humility and honesty are rewarded with good fortune (usually).

How the Wicked Tanuki was Punished:
- Shaping shifting fox and tricks
- And now I am disappointed with this story since the Tanuki killed his wife...
- However, I do like the statement that he was forever changed after "killing" his wife - it shows how one thought/action can corrupt someone.
- Justice for the fox wife!

The Slaying of the Tanuki:
- Being called a weak woman would have angered me rather than soften my heart. Personally, I would have tightened the bonds.
- Phenomenal, he made the man eat his wife. THAT IS A BIT MUCH.
- Setting the bundle of sticks on fire was a great trick, but I agree wit the man that it would only cause the Tanuki to become even angrier and seek retribution.
- Revenge for the wife!

Uraschimataro and the Turtle:
- I fell like I have read this story many times before with Cupid and Psyche, I hope the story endds on a happier note.
- 300 years! Woah, however I like how the world is described as changed. That is wonderfully believable.
- Not on a happy note...

Bibliography: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang) by Andrew Lang.

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairytales (Lang), Part A

Japanese Fairytales (Lang)

(Cat by Mars87 from Pixabay).

The Two Frogs:

     - 'The foolish things forgot that when they stood up their great eyes lay in the backs of their heads and that, although their noses might point to the places to which they wanted to go, their eyes beheld the places from which they had come.' They saw the reflections of their homes in the other frog's eyes. What vivid irony and imagery!

The Stonecutter:

     - Envy is a dangerous emotion

     - I wonder who the mountain spirit is because I could see how some of these wishes would be         cruel, but then again it was stated in the tale that this man is not the brightest of minds.. 

     - I am glad he had a realization he was happier as a stonecutter.

     - There was a moment when I thought the mountain spirit was working its way up to switch places with the stonecutter. When the stonecutter said he wanted to be the mountain, I thought the mountain would be a different stonecutter who went through the same/similar process like our stonecutter. I thought it was a cycle.

The Maiden with the Wooden Helmet:

     - This makes my heart happy.

     - I am very glad that the mother tried everything in her power to keep the girl humble and gracious. Beauty is usually spoiled by ugly attitudes.

The Envious Neighbor:

     - All I can think about is a white trash family showering their little rat-dog with attention and dressing it up in ridiculous outfits.

     - And I think I died. 

     - This makes me sad... BUT KARMA IS GOOD

The Sparrow with the Slit Tongue:

     - sparrow -> woman

     - Little sparrow woman if vicious, I love it. Blood demands Blood

     

The Cat's Elopement:

     - Its so sweet! 

     - I figured the princess would not have been able to take the cats with her and that is why she told her husband the cats' story, so she would be able to keep them with her.

Themes: Old married couple; envy will lead to doom; happy endings (thats a first!); beautiful maidens; humility

Bibliography: Japanese Fairy Tales (Lang) by Andrew Lang.

Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology, Part A

Japanese Mythology

(Izanagi and Izanami from Web Source.)

Izanagi and Izanami: 

• "Out of her plenteous womb sprang the numberless worlds in commotion." She is literally the mother of everything and I like how she is such in the beginning of the story, hopefully this continues. 
• Gloomy chaos, born in chaos the tiredness. Weary in their bones and the desire for peace is so great they would fight to get it. IDEA.
• The sacred jewel of Izanagi's spear, the water droplets that clutched to the spear as he brought it back up, the water dropped back into the sea and created islands
• Whelp, the equality did not last long!
• eight islands: Yamato (male) , Tsukushi (male?), Iyo (female), Tsushima (gender), Ahaji (gender) , Shikoku (gender) , Oki (gender), Lado (female)?
• two offsprings: one daughter and one son, Amaterasu and Susa-no-wo-no-mikoto 

Izanagi and Izanami (cont.):

• Amaterasu is beautiful and outshone the heavens - this could be really good or really bad for Amaterasu.
• Susa-no-wo, was like the moon: morose, turbulent and sinister
• "seas-chariots" I love it.
• Her children did not like the idea of elevating the Earth children to that of gods, she back so upset and when she had her next child this affected the actual birth and the son: God of Fire and she perished. I think it is very interesting how her emotional state affected the type of child/god she birthed.
• Balance to all gods: Fire and then water
• Izanagi going to find Izanami in the world of the departed reminds me of a Greek myth, but I cannot remember the names.
• Izanagi returned to Earth and dwelt thenceforth upon the isle of Ahaji (grieving island).

The Miraculous Mirror:

• green: life; scarlet: slaughter; silver: peace; red: war
• Now that Izanagi has disappeared, Susa-no-wo has gone after Amaterasu
• Jewel of Heaven 
• ... she deemed her reflection a rival...
• I am confused about the ending.

The Eight-Forked Serpent of Koshi:

• I remember I did my Tech Tip on Reverse Image search and I used this image!
• Of course, he is only helping if he can get the girl for marriage.
• The "hero" gets the girl.

The Heaven-Descended:

• "Thereupon she took the arrow and flung it forth to the earth, saying: 'If this arrow be one shot by Amewaka at the Earth Spirits, let it not attain to him, but if he hath an evil heart, may the heavenly arrow fly straight to that mark.'" - And it did!

The Heaven Descended (cont.):

• Used a pretty girl/goddess to cause a distraction 
• And they get married, very original
• This reminds me of a biblical story where a man wants to marry the youngest daughter, but is tricked into marrying the oldest, and then marries the youngest.
• Marriage is a really prominent theme in the tales

The Fortunate Fish-Hook & Fish-Hook (cont.):

• I recently watch Moana, so when I read Fish-Hook I thought of Maui!
• I find it strange that men immediately fall in love with women at first sight, I also think it is very ironic since western men are not supposed to be so romantic.
• "Then the ever-bountiful Sun Goddess sent Yatagarasu the raven to guide him upon his way, and Jimmu, bearing with him the sacred regalia, necklace, sword, and mirror, sailed through the Sea of Myriad Isles to the flowery land of Yamato."

Bibliography: Japanese Mythology from The Romance of Old Japan by E.W Champney and F. Champney 

Reading Notes: Ancient Egypt, Part A

Creation:
     - being more powerful than the one who created you
     - Ra created his consort, how unsurprising
     - Seb + Nut = Osiris + Consort Isis... oh the incest.
     -  Ra could take on the human form and walk among men, centuries were years for him.

The Secret Name of Ra:
     - Ra a secret, names have power over their owners... like the Fair Folk
     - "He concealed it [Ra's name] in my heart so that no magician might ever know it and, knowing           it, be given power to work evil against me." Names have power!
     - He just keeps going on and on about how he created the earth and the heavens; I am bored of this        topic.
     - I am actually surprised that Isis actually healed Ra after he gave her is secret name.

Ra and Hathor:
     - Ra calling forth all the Gods makes me wonder what he has up his sleeves.
     - I am actually so surprised that Ra is asking Nu for advice. This would never have happened in            the Bible and it makes me giddy.
     - A great flood is a theme I remember hearing in many Native American and other creation tales, it        seems there might have been a great flood a long time ago.
     - I also like how heirs and the power struggles associated with them are not present here when Ra          mentions Osiris taking the throne and then Horus.
     - Hathor is lovely.
     - Oh my goodness. I like how Hathor, a women, is offered beer.

The Sun's Journey:
     - Slaughter atones for slaughter; Blood must have blood (The 100 reference)
     - We have a grudge against the reptiles of the world (Similar to the Bible's disdain for reptiles)
     -  Ra changes into 'different' beings depending on the time of day.
     - Anubis, for he is "Opener of the Ways."
     - "Whom he finds to be full of sin, he rejects, and these do the serpents fall upon, dragging them             away, while they utter loud and piercing cries of grief and agony, to be tortured and devoured;             lo! the wicked perish utterly." Lovely.

Osiris:
     - He brought peace to the land
     - Isis was a woman of exceeding great wisdom
     - I like how even Gods need a break, after Osiris put mankind back in order he took a vacation.
     - Isis  was stronger than Set (yes!), who regarded with jealous eyes the good works of his brother,          for his heart was full of evil and he loved warfare better than peace.
 
The Death of Osiris:
     - Set comes in under joyful pretenses but plots to kill Osiris.
     - Lead, the chest became a coffin. What did Osiris' soldiers or followers do? NOTHING
     - She loved him.
     - She set out on a quest to find Osiris' body.
     -  The queen became a fugitive
     - Scorpions.... giant scorpions aided the queen. They bit a child whose mother wailed, Isis felt pity        and revived the child, then the mother worshipped Isis.

The Journey of Isis:
     - Having a child on the run from Set is probably the worst possible timing.
     - How did Horus die? I mean, he was under the protection of Uazit, so I am confused on how he            was alone and dead.
     - A giant tree memorial
     - Apparently Egyptian gods do not decay... hopefully not since she kissed his dead body.
     - A Medusa feel to her eyes blinding the prince and killing him.
     - What was the purpose of cutting Osiris' body into 14 pieces?
   
King of the Dead:
     - Horus was trained his whole life to battle Set to take back the thrown.
     - Finally some divine intervention, Horus is the rightful king and given the throne.
     - From the text, it sounds like Isis and Nepthys weeped together over the death of Osiris, which I          find satisfying.
     - Osiris is alive! The burial ritual of wrapping the dead in linen is created!

The Wax Crocodile:
     - I read this story for the Feedback Project in Week four and I honestly do not want to reread it              again.
     - I am surprised though after seven days in the jaws of the crocodile and under water, the man did          not die?
   
The Green Jewel:
     - The girl said no to the king, and she was not executed... this delights me.

(Portrait of God Osiris and Isis from Web Source)

Bibliography: Ancient Egypt, Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie

Reading Notes: Persian, Part B

Fayiz and the Peri Wife:
- A married man, who was true-hearted and honest, and very handsome (how long will this last?).
- Knowing the identity of your spouse is on a need-to-know basis: trick!
- She willingly suspects her human husband to be unfaithful while cursing him to have sorrows for the rest of his life if he is unfaithful to only her... 
- This story reminds me of Psyche and Cupid's love palace in the beginning of the story, but the Peri actually kept her vowels and never let her human husband see her or their sons again.

The Hemp-Smoker's Dream:
- A dream story. 
- Demanding the king's daughter with only a handful of men... while a king has an army.
- Seventy pots of ash, not the soup.
- The arrow went all the way from China to under the chenar tree to the west.
-  This was an interesting story.

The Story of the Wolf-Bride:
- You cannot cheat death or fate.

The Man Who Went to Wake His Luck:
- The embodiment of one's luck
- A woman king! and then the reason the people will not obey her is ... because she's a woman. Great.
- The wolf ate him! He forgot to ask his Luck for his own fortune, and walked away from people who would have given him his fortune.

Tortoise Bowl-On-The-Back and the Fox:
- This story is similar to the Fox and the Hare who race each other.
- But the tortoise is smart than the fox this time around.

The Shepherd Who Found Treasure:
- The green fly is the soul..
- an iron bridge, great abyss, white water
- jars of gold/jewels are used many times throughout a majority of the Persian stories

The Merchant and the Saffron:
- fortune man soon turned into a man with nothing.
- good fortune will return (luck will reawaken) if you are fortunate to others

Shah Abbas and the Poor Mother:
- I am so tired of men being the main character of stories. 
- Well, I suppose this man is decent, but the others are not.
- I am glad that the woman and the children were able to be taken care of by the Shah while the Darogha and the Baker were killed for their deceit!

The Apparition of the Prophet Khizr:
- "I made such and such an arrangement with the King, and now what harm will it be if I, a single individual, die? You at any rate will love on in comfort." This does not happen often. 
- Baker's are common theme in Persian stories
- I am refreshed that the King kept the fourth Wazir who spoke of mercy and generosity.

The Story of the Baker and the Grateful Fish:
- Those who you are generous to may show you kindness later in life.
- a Lot of these stories are about revenge and disguises. I will probably write my story based on the themes presented in the Persian stories.

Bibliography: Persian Tales, translated by D.L.R. Lorimer and E.O. Lorimer

Image: Fish by Jeremy Cai from UnSplash

Reading Notes: Persian, Part A

"Once upon a time there was a time when there was no one but God... And now my story has come to an end, but the sparrow never got home."

The Wolf and the Goat:
- Four children: Alil, Balil, Ginger Stick and Black Eyes
- The animals possess human qualities and are described as doing human actions: throwing, carrying and climbed.
- The topic of the wolf's teeth being pulled never came back in the story and the sparrow was never mentioned in the beginning of the story, so I am confused on why those scenes were important to the story.

The City of Nothing in the World:
- This little girl is a pathological liar...
- I am so confused on what is going on in this story. Maybe if I had previous knowledge of the mythology and cultural meanings I would understand, but I have no idea what this means. The sparrow was mentioned again, so I am beginning to think it is a metaphor.

Susku and Mushu:
- Mushu is the mouse and Susku is the beetle.
- They have human characteristics.
- They are getting married. You'll sleep in your arms and I'll beat you with my tail.
- The human and the mouse converse easily.
- ladders of gold
- Instead of being burned to death making her ash soup, she drowned.
- Ashes symbolism
- Everyone is sad, and each are showing sadness in their own way.
- Oh my, that was intense. Why did the farmer feel compelled to spear himself?
-  Why is this happening?

The Boy Who Became a Bulbul:
- "'You two ought to lay a wager to-day and agree that whichever of you collects the more firewood should cut off the other one's head.' The father and son agreed to do this." - WHAT, WHAT, WHAT!!! WHY?
- The boy collected more, and his father stole some of his boy's stash...
- THE FATHER AND STEP-MOTHER ARE CANNIBALS
- The little girl is the only sensible one.
- The little boy turned into a bird and took revenge on the evil step-mother and father then gave his sister sweets.
- I like this story. It is the only story that makes sense so far!

The Wolf-Aunt: (oh my goodness, werewolves)
- And of course she the antagonist of the tale.
- such and such is a way of telling if people are telling half truths or just straight lying.
- "Go and carry this to your aunt." When the child reached her aunt's door she peeped in before entering and saw her father's sister had turned into a wolf and was eating a man." - Very Little Red Riding Hood.
- Faith in your spouse is key to survival.

Nim Tanak, or Half-Boy:
- Magical apples representing the bodies of the babies, since one of the mothers ate only half of the apple she resulted in half a boy.
- The boy was still allowed to live at the palace, but never entered is father's presence.
- THE DAUGHTER WAS HUNTING WITH HER BROTHERS
- but she became a damsel...
- I understand that the two other brothers were not going o save their sister, but Nim Tanak was and I understand the differences in eating and drinking habits played a role in determining the Div's victory and defeat, but I do not understand how.

Muhammad Tirandaz, The Archer:
- I wish I was as lucky as Muhammad.
- I just do not understand why they did not ask him to perform or provide evidence of his feats.

The Praying Baker:
- Lets see if this baker is sincere in his prayers, if he's not I will kill him. The employed: try to get the ring back. If he succeed, he will be reward. If he loses, he's be decapitated. WHAT
- The baker was sincere and it's a happy ending!

The Sad Tale of the Mouse's Tail: 
- This mouse is having a hard time. I think if it was not a cumulative story, the mouse would have her tail sewn on faster. I think when the mouse tells the others what she is doing for the other characters in the story, they think they can get something for themselves.

Bibliography: Persian Tales translated by David Lorimer and Emily Lorimer.

Image: Red Whiskered Bulbuls from Web Source

Reading Notes: Adam and Eve, Part B

I know some of my notes could be taken the wrong way, so I want to halt any misunderstandings. The points I make do not 100 percent reflect my beliefs. I take points because I plan to use the themes the original story used and recreating them to fit my story.

Bibliography: Adam and Eve from The Forgotten Books of Eden, by Rutherford H. Platt, Jr.

The Darkness:
-"This darkness is not a punishment. But, O Adam, I have made the day, and have placed the sun in it to give light in order that thou and thy children should do your work."
- "O Lord, take Thou my soul, and let me not see this gloom any more, or remove me to some place where there is no darkness." But God the Lord said to Adam, "Verily I say unto thee, this darkness will pass from thee, every day I have determined for thee, until the fulfillment of My covenant when I will save thee and bring thee back again into the garden..." Basically, you have to suffer a little bit to get back in my good graces.

The Sunrise and the Serpent:
- "And a wind came to blow from heaven by command of God that carried away the serpent from Adam and Eve, threw it on the sea shore, and it landed in India." So India is not considered a great place, and thats why the serpent was 'banished' to India or the reason India is not considered great is because the serpent was 'banished' there?

Worship and Blessing:
- "Therefore did He say unto him, 'O Adam, do not again kill thyself as thou didst, by throwing thyself down from that mountain.'" Despite everything that has happened between 'man' and the powerful being, the powerful being still cares and worries for the 'man.' The 'man' realized this and offered to do what ever it he could to please go once again.

(Photo by Daniel Burka; from Web Source.)

Reading Notes: Adam and Eve, Part A

I know some of my notes could be taken the wrong way, so I want to halt any misunderstandings. The points I make do not 100 percent reflect my beliefs. I take points because I plan to use the themes the original story used and recreating them to fit my story.

Bibliography: Adam and Eve in Legend of the Jews by Louis Ginzberg and Genesis in the Bible by multiple prophets. 

The Creation: 
- a sacred day where no one is allowed to do any work
- the earth was a key ingredient in the creation of man
- A powerful being needed another being to appreciate the work they created, so the powerful being made 'man' (and because perhaps they were lonely)
-A realization that maybe the 'man' could become lonely too, so the powerful being created another being to bring the 'man' companionship
- allowed exclusive access to everything except one tree
- nudity is fun

The Fall:
- serpent represents wittiness and manipulation 
- "Your eyes shall be open, and ye shall be gods." The powerful being keeps up a cascade that maybe they are not lonely and only wanted another being around to be worshipped and appreciated by the 'man' and the snake could represent another being that is jealous or has a dislike for the powerful being. The snake could tell the 'man' that if he eats the 'fruit' then his eyes will be open to the truth that the powerful being is not so powerful after all, but just another being looking to be accepted by others.
-nudity is not so good anymore, a dead giveaway that something is not right
- 'A mother of all living' things
- they are no longer ignorant
- a paradise is locked away, and no one will ever enter again

The Ideal Man:
- every trait similar to 'man' which were passed down to his offspring were their downfall
- I am laughing that 'Eve is to ape compared to Adam's handsome perfection'; its so sexist I cannot stop laughing at how ridiculous it is. I do not even want to finish this unit anymore. 
- 'so the soul sees, but cannot be seen'
- foretelling all the generations to come later
- thousand years to 'man' equals one day to 'powerful being'
- 'man' was given the opportunity name everything
- mankind owes all crafts to 'man' 

The Fall of Satan:
- 'man' was envied of other powerful beings
- "How can I love this creature more than I can love you?"
-  The powerful being cheated to show the 'man' favoritism 
- 'Michael' bade 'Lucifer' to reconcile with the powerful being
- Love became twisted and corrupted

Lilith:
- a case of mistaken identity on the 'man's' part
- 'woman' was also made of earth and insisted upon her equality due to their identical origins 
- 'man' complained - how am I not surprised.
- 'demon children' would be taken - a mother to all dark things instead of all living things
- influential over babes

Eve:
-  powerful being and 'man' did not want the same thing to happen to 'man's' next companion so they took away origin equality so that could not be a valid excuse. Can you tell how much I despise this?
- 'chaste portion of the body'... so 'man's' companion is to be chaste... 
- "Nevertheless, in spite of the great caution used, 'companion' has all the faults God tried to obviate - daughters of Zion were haughty and walked with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes; Sarah was an eavesdropper in her own tent, when the angel sale with Abraham, Miriam was a talebearer, accusing Moses, Rachel was vinous of her sister Leah; Eve put out her hand to take the forbidden fruit, and Dinah was a gadabout." I'm so tired of sexism.
- But you know what, Adam took the damn fruit too.
- perfumes is a must.... because boys do not stink of body order...
-  because women brought death to the world... but Adam was just another idiot who accepted the damn fruit. But no, lets not share the blame.

Paradise:
- if the soul is worthy, the gates will open
- a 'mother' stream that quenches the entire earth
- 'man' had friendships with those in higher ranking than him, so being this could be beneficial if the powerful being becomes angry

The Fall of Man:
- his mental gifts result in his infidel, envy made him mediate and plan the death of 'man'
- The servant obviously forced the 'companion' against the tree and ate the fruit himself, this could be taken as a form of physical and mental abuse
- Hahaha, 'man' ate the fruit
- However, this reminds me of Romeo and Juliet when Eve thinks Adam will take another wife if  she dies, so she is desperate for him to eat the fruit as well so they could die together. 
-  You can only find assistance where you found disgrace. 

The Punishment:
- The angels gave Adam one of their days, meanings he would live for nine centuries of life and 70 years to his offspring.
- the reason snakes slither on their stomachs.

The Punishment, cont.:
- "The moon's light is obscured by night. Instead of shining like the sun, all the length of the day, she grows old quickly, and must be reborn and reborn, again and again."

(Lilith by John Maler Collier; from Web Source.)

As you can tell, I am a child of Lilith because I demand equality.