Mythology and Folklore Fall 2020

Origin of the Sierra Nevadas and Coast Range: nothing but water in world Tulare Lake present day=pole standing out of water--Hawk and Crow perched there fight over standing on perch and prey on fish created Duck, who died with mud in mouth--used to make mountains Hawk made east range, Crow made west--met at Mt. Shasta--crows=larger Hawk accused crow of stealing--chewed tobacco to make him wise--turned mountains around and put range where crows was--Sierra Nevada Range is larger than Coast Range Legend of Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La (El Capitan): 2 boys living in valley--went to swim went to shore and got on boulder by water--fell asleep boulder grew every day and lifted boys beyond tribe=lost council of animals rescued boys from top of rock by leaping--only worm was able to creep up side to reach top got boys down safely--rock="Tutokanula"=measuring worm How Bluebird and Coyote Got Their Colors: bluebird was very ugly color knew of lake where no river flowed in/out--bathed 4x every m...

The Great Fire/Origin of Light: man wanted to marry 2 women but they didn't want to man went north, made a tule boat, then set world on fire--escaped by boat fire burned very very fast and burned everything Old Coyote saw the fire so he tried to put it out by taking honey-dew and spitting it on the fire became very thirsty but no water--took Indian sugar and made water again no light--animals and birds ran but always bumped into each other Hawk and Coyote tired of darkness--Coyote made ball of tule reeds with flint and Hawk took ball and sent it around the world nights were still dark, so made another one, but the reeds were damp--so moon not as bright as sun The Fable of the Animals: Kareya made world--made fishes in water and animals on land, then man first, animals were equal in power--no food source Kareya ordered meeting to rank power man on top--made bows and arrows to give longest to most powerful animal and shortest to least powerful Coyote wanted power so he pretended to s...

How We Got the Name "Spider Tales:" Spider wanted stories to be told about him, not chief of gods asked chief if the men could tell Anansi (the spider) stories--agreed if he brought him 3 things: jar of live bees, boa-constrictor, and tiger went to find bees but was unsure if they could fit in jar bees asked what was wrong--explained that he needed them to go in jar and they did took long stick but was unsure if the boa was as long as the stick boa asked what was wrong--explained he needed to measure him while spider tied him to each end sewed eye with needle and thread then went to tiger den--began to shout as he approached tiger asked what was wrong--spider said his eye is sewn and making him see wonderful sights tiger wanted that so he let spider sew his eyes--took to chief got permission to call all tales Anansi tales How Wisdom Became the Property of the Human Race: Father Anansi=all wisdom--people came fro advice/help someone offended him, so he punished them by hiding ...

Mr. Fox Tackles Old Man Tarrypin: Brer Fox says both eyes of Brer Terrapin are red red from being in a fire literally sat in fire and let smoke go into eyes and fire scorch back did not burn off his tail because it was in his shell terrapin went into river and fox had to grab tail to save him--let him drown (Image of Brer Fox and Terrapin ) The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story: Brer Fox went to get tar and make a contraption called Tar-Baby Rabbit went down road and hid from Fox saw Tar-Baby and was astonished went up to Tar-Baby and tried to talk while Fox hid Rabbit frustrated bc he wouldn't talk--kept trying to get it to talk until finally hit the baby--got stuck to tar head butted him but head got stuck too Fox came up dying of laughter How Mr. Rabbit Was Too Sharp for Mr. Fox: Fox built fire to get Rabbit off of Tar-Baby couldn't get rabbit over flames but Rabbit was scared he'd fling him into briar patch rabbit begged for any punishment except briar patch flung him into briar...

The Plant That Grows in Trees: mistletoe=grows on trees--only birds can reach berries berries only in summer and winter it is only in trees because a bird once put it there out of pity used to grow on bush--thunderbird ate berries because it was hungry bird thanked the bush--mistletoe said he was going to die soon because green year round and berries only in winter so the animals will chew on branches and he will die thunderbird took mistletoe to tree so it won't get eaten The Woodpecker's Stumpy Tail: woodpecker has stumpy tail due to fish biting it off spring flood was coming--frogs knew it and told Indians no one listened, frog tried to yell louder but they just laughed other birds listened and flew out of the tree except for woodpecker storm started and washed Indians away woodpecker could not see to fly all night--fluttered from tree to tree long tail was still under water--fish bit it off (Photo of woodpecker from Wikipedia ) The Cloud That Was Lost: clouds go to sleep on...

  The Story of the Lightning and the Thunder: thunder and lightning live on earth but at far end of town thunder=old mother sheep, lightning=son ram ram got angry--go burn houses and knock down trees, damage farms and kill people mother would call in very loud voice and not stop until damage was done lightning did not care and would do lots of damage when really bad temper people complained to king--king ordered sheep and ram leave town and live in far bush ram still burnt forest and flames would spread to farms still people complained again--king banished both to sky (Photo of lightning storm from Pixabay ) The Affair of the Hippopotamus and the Tortoise: hippo=Isantim--one of biggest kings of land (second to elephant) hippo had 7 fat wives that he loved--threw feast to people but no one knew his name one feast the hippo told the people if you don't know my name then you won't eat--everyone had to leave tortoise asked hippo what would happen if they knew his name before the n...

Why the Bat Flies at Night: rat=Oyot, bat=Emiong bat jealous of rat's soup bat boils self in water--flesh is sweet bat showed rat how to do it rat went home and told wife--boiled wife in water, then he jumped in and died wife rat reported it to the king to arrest bat everyone tried to catch bat but he flew to a bush to hide that's why bat only comes out at night The Fish and the Leopard's Life: fish used to live on land and was good friend to leopard leopards wife and fish fell in love and they would cheat when the leopard was gone old women found out and told leopard leopard came home early to see if it was true and caught them leopard wanted to kill fish but went to court for king king ordered fish to live in water and if they came on land they would die--men and animals could catch and kill them as punishment (Photo of leopard from Wikipedia ) Why Worms Live Underneath the Ground: King Eyo invited subjects to house for feast after feast=speeches head driver ant's spe...

The Legend of the Rice: ancient world, superfood=rice of larger grain switch to larger ones every year (granaries) great haste angered widow rice broke into thousands of pieces--small grain (today) A Boy of the City Streets: boy saw 3 men come to gate of town, asked where the are going men said why is a boy speaking to us boy said he was just asking kidnapped boy and took him with them men didn't have water but boy did men got tired of carrying boy, sold boy for three slaves buyers were from his city The Justice of In Ta Pome: three countries wanted to change stone to gold--worshipped Ta Pome Ta Pome wanted each man to kill one of their children--cut up and put in jar China=killed pig, Siam=kill dog, India=killed only son return to Ta Pome: China=kill pigs for gold, Siam=plow earth for food, India=child resurrected--got to turn stone to gold The Magic Well: old man sick and undiagnosed spirits told him to touch river's brink went to prince and told him of vision prince believed...

The Mountain Spirits and the Stone Mortars: spirits needed money so brought stone mortars to village people didn't want because too expensive and useless spirits were angry so they wanted villagers to help bring them back to top of mountain people didn't want to anger spirits but too heavy to pick up people paid spirits and the stones were left in place still in same spot today Why the Lip of the Elephant Droops: man and women had 12 daughters they didn't love anymore father made basket of rice with ashes at bottom--led daughters to jungle to hunt for game father made them try to construct bamboo water faucet, but he ditched them leaving the basket daughters figured out they were abandoned and slept with wild beasts peacefully women appeared and got daughters to stay with her if they could watch her daughter only rule=no play secret garden one day girls go to garden--find human bones (women=cannibal) ask cow to protect them--all 12 jump in his mouth women asked cow if he...

  The Stupid Monkeys: king gave holiday so he could go into city--getting monkeys to water trees for him monkeys lived in king's garden--allowed to play, eat, and water monkeys checked to see if tree had enough water by lifting them up out of ground (killing trees) The Cunning Wolf: people went to woods for holiday to get stuff to eat man went to go get fresh meat by lake--laid down and pretended to be dead King of Wolves knew it was a trick he went and pulled at his club and the man gave some resistance before getting up the wolf had ran out of the way before getting hurt told man he knew he wasn't dead because he was holding onto club man threw club at wolf and missed--returned home with no meat The Stolen Plow: 2 traders: one lived in town, one in village village trader took plow to town to be mended and left with friend town trader sold it and kept money--told friend mice ate it village trader took town trader's son with another friend but didn't return with him tol...

  How the Turtle Saved His Own Life: King put fished in lake Boys found "demon" (turtle) and were scared king ordered for men to bring turtle to palace boys cried when it came and king ordered to kill it old man suggests drowning in river turtle says that's the worst punishment of all (tricking him) survived The Turtle Who Couldn't Stop Talking: geese and turtle=very good friends geese ask turtle to fly to their home with them turtle can't fly but geese will take him if he keeps his mouth shut geese took stick and turtle held on by his mouth children saw this and were laughing at turtle turtle responded but fell and died geese said i told you so The Banyan Deer: gold deer with jewel eyes and silver horns, etc. king of herd of 500 in Banyan "monkey deer'=humans--forced Banyan into forest and would hunt Banyan deer king asks to stop killing and do one Banyarn one day then a monkey deer the next and so on all agreed Banyan deer king volunteered in spot of a ...

  Lot and the Tree of the Cross: Seth planted tree for Abraham at head of his grave Survived flood but forgotten by mankind Lot was sent by Allah to take jar of water from Jordan to water tree Lot got jar of water but stopped on side of road for pilgrim Lot gave him water, but it turned out to be Satan Happened two more times, so Lot gave up and died Angels had watered tree for Lot and forgave his sins The tree flourished David: David became king of Jews Really wanted to know what people thought, so he disguised and went into town to hear what they would say Angels were sent to tell David he needed to work with his hands David prayed to Allah then began to make armory, a third of his profits went to alms, one third to family, and last third to Temple Created Dome of Rock (Photo of Dome of Rock ) Solomon: Solomon was also a king Kid said he was better than the king and Solomon replied Kid said he only said it to impress a girl King Solomon grew a botanical garden Young plant wa...

  Our Father Adam: Allah formed Adam out of dust, but was lifeless for 40 years and 40 days Allah breathed into his nostrils to give life Satan gave man lots of trials and tribulations Adam=man and woman, but was split to form woman Woman refused to submit to man, so became mother of devils Hawa (Eve) was created from the rib of Adam Satan persuaded Hawa and Adam to eat forbidden fruit  Adam was cast out of paradise, met back in Mecca (200 yrs later) Noah: Noah=one of six great prophets Lived in Damascus until Allah flooded earth Everyone laughed and mocked him for preparing for flood, even his wife The ark saved animals and preserved the Arabic language Satan came on ark as a fly then turned into donkey Job and His Family: Job was rich but Allah took away his fortunes and gave him disease Despite the misfortunes, Job continued serving Allah But, his wife was more devoted than him, by caring for Job the entire time Allah restored his children and made his wife more beautiful t...

  Curing the Leprosy: Women was possessed by Satan from the river Mary had baby Jesus Women went to Jesus and parents used the water from Jesus' bath She was immediately cured, people started calling Jesus, Mary, and Joseph Gods Girl was called into palace because the prince's son is sick and she tells of her cure from Jesus the wife held a feast for Joseph to heal her son Mary healed him and they praised her (catholicism??) The Two Robbers: Joseph and Mary passed through robber town encountered two sleeping robbers on side of road Titus and Dumachus Titus wanted to let them go but Dumachus refused Mary blessed them for being kind Jesus prophesied Titus and Dumahcus being on the two crosses beside him Jesus the Exorcist: girl possessed by Satan--looked dead prince told parents how his son was cured by Mary parents went to Mary and she gave them Jesus' swaddling cloth parents went and the dragon of Satan was terrified and left her body (Image of possession by Rila Monastery ...

  The Nativity Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem to have the baby sent from heaven baby was born in a manger wise men, shepherds, and kings come gather around baby Jesus angel announces the baby is the Savior (The Nativity from 12th Century Bible Illustration ) The Wise Men another version of the Nativity angel came down to Mary and said she would have a baby and to name him Jesus Jesus was born in Bethlehem and people came from far and wide to see him King Herod was scared so he sent wise men to search for this baby they followed a star east and it lead them to Jesus they instead worshipped Jesus and warned Mary and Joseph, telling them to flee to Egypt When Herod died, Mary and Joseph and Jesus returned to Jerusalem The Virgin Grown Big James' story of Mary and Joseph Joseph found Mary pregnant (6 months) but she claimed to be a virgin Joseph was confused and scared but an angel told him to help her, so he did they privately got married and he took ownership for the child The Nativ...

 READING B: Jesus and the Blind Man heals another blind man beggar outside of Jericho became instant follower of Jesus (Painting of Jesus Healing Blind Man by El Greco ) Jesus and the Scribe Pharisees try to outsmart/trick Jesus ask what most important commandment is  Jesus replies with love God, love others The Prophecies of Jesus Jesus talks about Rapture the Father is the only one to know exactly when be a follower now because you never know if you have tomorrow The Last Supper bread=body, wine=blood supper before crucifixion predicts Peter will deny him 3x The Crucifixion Pilate tries to convince that Jesus hasn't done anything wrong public insists on crucifixion mocked on cross (King of Jews) centurion is first person to correctly identify Him as Messiah The Resurrection Jesus wants to disciples to preach to the whole world Bibliography. The Gospel of Mark from King James Bible .

  READING A: The Parables of Jesus **could tell from perspective of sheep (He is the shepherd) tells 12 disciples parables (sower) Jesus calmed the storm and the sea Jesus the Healer heals the woman that no doctor could fix healed by touching His robe, but Jesus did not know raised daughter form the dead The Miracles of Jesus feeds the 500 with fish and bread more healing with His robe The Loaves and Fishes Again 2-Part Miracle with the blind man Peter (wrongly) declares He is the Messiah (Painting of the 2-Part Miracle by Assereto ) Bibliography: The Gospel of Mark from the King James Bible .

  Fairy Tale: Beauty and the Basilisk The Three Roses by Josef Baudis mother + 3 daughters--2=greedy, 3rd=only wants 3 roses mother lost in forest, went to palace, remembered roses basilisk wanted to trade roses for 3rd daughter, mother forced to trade took 3rd daughter to palace (she didn't mind)--everything she wanted was there basilisk wanted Mary (daughter) to nurse him 3hr/day 3rd day, brought sword for Mary to cut off his head--forced her to do it serpent came out of body(holding golden keys)--cut off head again (asked again) serpent turned to handsome boy--got married I liked this story because it was the Beauty and the Beast before  Beauty and the Beast  (Disney). As a Disney fanatic, I felt compelled to read and I was not disappointed. It reminds me of a cross between Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. (Picture of Basilisk from  Friedrich Johann Justin Bertuch ) Origin Stories: The Moon The Man in the Moon by Katherine Neville Fleeson blacksmith wished to ...

Choose from CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units for Weeks 3 and 4. Week 3: __Cupid and Psyche_______ Week 4: ____Bible Women_____ Choose from MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units for Weeks 5 and 6. Week 5: ____Arabian Nights_____ Week 6: ____Ancient Egypt_____ Choose from ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.] Week 7: ____Brer Rabbit_____ Week 9: ____Japanese Mythology_____ Choose from NATIVE AMERICAN units for Weeks 10 and 11. Week 10: ____Alaska_____ Week 11: ____Pacific Northwest_____ Choose from BRITISH and/or CELTIC units for Weeks 12 and 13. Week 12: ____Celtic Tales_____ Week 13: ____Alice in Wonderland_____ Choose from EUROPEAN units for Weeks 14 and 15. Week 14: ____Italian_____ Week 15: ____Hans Christian Anderson_____ I am not going to lie... I was worried I wouldn't find some of the units interesting. However, after browsing through the storybooks, I am genuinely excited for EVERY unit, especially European (that's where the Disney sto...