Mythology and Folklore Fall 2020

Once upon a time lived a magical forest that was ruled by a great king. The king had three daughters who loved to play in the forest. One day, the daughters were walking to there favorite spot when they noticed an unusual red bird that was as big as the youngest daughter. The girls had seen numerous birds in this forest before, but none so fiery red and large before.  They were terrified! However, t he bird was fast asleep on a branch of the tree, so the eldest daughter quietly led the girls out of the forest and back to the castle. When they got back, the girls ran screaming to their father, the king, "Papa! Papa! There is a bird as red as blood and as big as Ella [the youngest girl]! He was invading our favorite play spot. Oh, Papa, we are so scared! Please do something so that we may return to our play!" The king loved his daughters very much, so he sent his guards after the giant red bird. After a couple days, the guards returned to the castle with the bird held captive. ...

  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 ...