Storybook Favorites

 I chose the three stories discussed in this post because their titles intrigued me. The first, Goddess of the Rising Sun: Amaterasu, is from Japanese mythology. This story was completely new to me, as most of the mythology I know is Greek, Roman, Egyptian, or Norse. This myth also interested me because in most mythologies, the sun is masculine and the moon is feminine. In Japanese mythology, the sun is a Goddess and the moon is a God. This storybook was very well written, and it drew me in and made me want to know more about Amaterasu and her brothers, Tsukuyomi and Susanoo. Tsukuyomi is the moon God, who was banished for an unforgivable crime, which is why it will never be day and night at the same time. Susanoo was banished to the underworld, Yomi. 

                                                    Amaterasu Emerging From the Cave

The second story, The Lost Tales of the Avatar, tells the story of Wan Shi Tong, he-who-knows-ten-thousand-things, and Koh, the face stealer. These stories are from the show Avatar the Last Airbender. The author of this storybook notes that the tale of Wan Shi Tong is very similar to the tale of the Spirit-Guarded Cave. The author also writes that Koh, the face stealing spirit, bears a resemblance to the Noppera-bō. In Japanese mythology, Noppera-bō, are faceless trickster spirits.

In the third story, The Gods and Goddesses of Daily Life, the author takes the form of Janus, a minor god representing endings and beginnings. The author tells the stories of how Hestia and the Horae (three goddesses, Eirene, Dike, Eunomia), were called upon only after praying to the 'Big 12' did not work. The author also writes about Iris, who, despite carrying messages from humans to the gods, gets almost no recognition and no prayers. These goddesses are overlooked in most cases, yet they show up to provide help to those who ask. 

                                                            Iris, the Messenger Goddess

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Introduction to a WGS Major

Image
Hello everyone! My major is Women’s and Gender Studies. I am aiming to graduate this summer (knock on wood). The best class I took last semester was called Contemporary Feminist Thought because it was really interesting, and it changed the way I thought about a lot of things. I would say my biggest accomplishment last semester was getting an A in my Contemporary Feminist Thought course! There was so much writing involved. There was a reading response on two readings due every week, and at least three big papers, plus discussion posts! And of course, I think keeping my head above water last semester is an accomplishment given all the craziness that was going on. Kudos to all of us! I am living at home with my parents and my brothers. We have three dogs. Shadow, Seph, which is short for Persephone, and Echo, who is my dog. Echo is kind of an oaf. He loves to jump onto my ribs when I am not expecting it. Given that he weighs upwards of eighty pounds, this is not exactly the most fun thing
Read more

Week 7 Story: Brer Fox and the River

Image
                                                                               Brer Fox      Brer Fox was ambling down the path toward his home. He paused when he heard Brer Frog croaking about another Fox by the river. Intrigued, Brer Fox rushed toward the embankment, nearly falling when he tripped over thin air in his excitement. Brer Fox caught sight of another Fox below the surface of the river! He moved to try to pull the other Fox up, but the ripples from the water Brer Fox displaced made it hard to see the other Fox. Eventually, after trying several times to pull the other Fox up out of the river, Brer Fox settled in the sand at the bank of the river. He could wait until the other Fox decided they were ready to come out. Only, Brer Fox had underestimated the how boring waiting would be. Brer Fox determined that he would go back home, get a few of his books and some food, and then return. Maybe the smell of the food would help encourage the other Fox to come out! Brer Fox rose an
Read more