Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Part B)

I enjoyed these readings a bit more than those for yesterday because these had more magical characters, and I feel like I can incorporate some of them into my storybook. The story of the warrior, Schippeitaro, and the Spirit of the Mountain was one that I think I could pretty easily adapt as the warrior's character is similar to mine in his pursuit of adventure.

I thought it was interesting that we got to see several personalities that the Tanukis had. Some were tricksters while others were downright evil. I like the common theme of shapeshifting magic, which I guess makes the Super Mario "Tanuki Suit" accurate to legend (it lets you transform into a statue).

A tanuki. (Max Pixel)

Reading Notes: Japanese Fairy Tales (Part A)

The second story for this reading, "The Stonecutter", was one of those fables in the same vein as the moon's origin story read for the second week of class. I was happy to find out that this one had a happy ending, as the stonecutter was able to return to his work with a newfound appreciation. Ordinarily I think these kinds of stories end up with a greedy character ending up worse off than when they started.

Statue of a stonecutter (Flickr)

A consistent theme in the stories for Part A was the relationship between emotional and physical health. When the stonecutter was envious of another man's riches, he felt weaker and his work seemed more tedious. When the helmet-headed girl's father lamented his misfortunes, he's said to have slowly died from grief. I think this theme reflects an understanding of the importance of well-being in more than just the physical sense.

Bibliography: The Violet Fairy Book and The Crimson Fairy Book by Andrew Lang. Web Source.

Reading Notes: Raja Rasalu (Part B)

Part of Raja Rasalu's larger-than-life persona in these tales comes from the fact that everybody seems to know about him and (for the most part) respect him. He's constantly stirring up antics, and for the most part it's because everyone around him lets it happen and observes with reverence. In fact, one of the plot points in the "Hunter" section was that the hunter's wife didn't believe he had actually seen Raja Rasalu, his fame so intense.

A painting of a Raja (Wikimedia Commons)

The use of verse is even stronger here in Part B than it was in Part A. The exchange between the two deer is one powerful example, as is the last section in which Rasalu offers the other Raja revisions to his poem.

Bibliography. The Adventures of the Punjab Hero Raja Rasalu by Charles Swynnerton. Web Link.

Reading Notes: Raja Rasalu (Part A)

The most striking writing element throughout the tales of Raja Rasalu was the repetitive verse, usually offered by Rasalu himself. It definitely gave the stories an added mythic quality as sometimes the poetry came as prophecy and other times to tell some of the lore.

Rasalu's game with the king. (Wikimedia Commons)

Throughout Part A, Rasalu accomplishes legendary feats that aren't really explained. In a way this helps him feel like a godly character, as you never really know what he's capable of. Oftentimes, these great feats of strength or skill seem to be played for comedic effect, as in the case with the 70 maidens on the swing. 

Bibliography. Tales of the Punjab, translated by Flora Annie Steel. Web link.

Week 5 Story: The Fisherman and the Goblin

Along a wide gulf there existed a kingdom called Stone Kingdom, named for its steadfastness and resilience. There were many fishermen who sailed out into the gulf day after day to reap a bounty of delicious tuna. One such fisherman was named Strength, and he was fitting of his name. One day while Strength was out fishing, he felt a tug on his line that he knew belonged to something heavier than a tuna fish. Excited, he braced himself and reeled in his line as aggressively as he could. After a great struggle, at last his catch flopped into the small boat. Strength realized that it wasn’t a fish at all, but a man’s corpse.

As Strength was about to dump the body back overboard, it began to speak of its own accord. “Humble fisherman, I beg that you reconsider. If you take me to shore, I will reward you with magic power.”

Strength knew that these were a goblin’s words, and quietly he settled the body into a corner of his small boat. He suspected that the goblin would offer a riddle as he began rowing to shore, and sure enough the goblin spoke again before too long. “Let me tell run a puzzle by you to occupy our time.”

The goblin began, “There once lived a strong fisherman from a kingdom called Stone Kingdom. While out fishing, this fisherman found a goblin who promised him magic power in exchange for a trip to shore. On their way, the goblin asked the fisherman a tricky riddle. Did the fisherman answer ‘no’ to the riddle?”

Strength was no fool, and recognized that the goblin was describing their current situation. He did not know how to answer the goblin’s question, however. “Yes” was surely the wrong answer, because then the answer would be “no”. “No” was also incorrect, because then the answer would be “yes”. Strength stopped to consider the question further. At last, he had his answer.

“Nope.” said Strength, smiling. The goblin laughed and lept overboard. Strength readied his line, determined to catch the goblin once more.



Author’s note: This story is based on the traditional Sanskrit tale Twenty-Two Goblins. The original story features a goblin who asks a wise king a series of riddles. For every riddle the king answers correctly, the goblin runs away and has to be retrieved again. However, if the king refuses to answer the riddle, his head explodes. This continues until the king is honestly stumped. The riddle in my story is much shorter than those in the original, and the framing tale takes precedence. I wanted to throw in a paradox that the fisherman is able to solve in a really cheesy way.

Bibliography. Twenty-Two Goblins, translated by Arthur Ryder. Web Link.
Photo: Fisherman on a boat. Wikimedia Commons.

Reading Notes: Twenty-Two Goblins (Part B)

In this part of Twenty-Two Goblins, some of the riddles didn't have a clear-cut answer among those supplied by the goblin and required the king to give his own answer rather than those provided. This gave those stories more of a "riddle" quality.

Like Greek and Roman mythology read for previous weeks, these stories had themes of righteousness and beauty. As I wrote about for Part A, each riddle seemed to impart a moral message. The exception was with the last riddle that the king was unable to answer. I drew it out and at least to me it looks like a son born to the daughter/father and a son born to the mother/son would be uncle and nephew to each other in both directions.

A painting of Shiva. (Pixabay)

The end of the framing story included a bit about telling the riddles to others in order to cleanse sin, which probably helped the tales propagate.

Bibliography. Twenty-Two Goblins, translated by Arthur Ryder. Web Link.

Reading Notes: Twenty-Two Goblins (Part A)

Twenty-Two Goblins follows a very rhythmic structure; each story begins with the king's retrieval of the goblin, who tells the king a story with a riddle that the king is able to answer. The themes of each story are similar to each other as well, commonly asking about personal traits such as bravery, wit, and beauty.

The Hindu goddess Gauri, featured in one of the Goblin's stories. (Wikimedia Commons)

The "riddles" that the goblin asks are more like moral judgments than they are puzzles. The king is asked about such things as what traits make a good husband or which career choices are most respectable. Because there is assumed to be a "right answer", these stories might be seen as offering a window into the culture that birthed them.

Bibliography. Twenty-Two Goblins, translated by Arthur Ryder. Web Link.

Comment Wall

Here you can leave feedback comments for my class storybook, found at this site.

Thank you for your thoughts!

Week 4 Story: Pleasure's Quest

Pleasure, a goddess of radiant allure, bred of once-mortal Psyche and Cupid himself, sat listlessly in the bedroom of her heavenly mansion. Though she lived in decadence, Pleasure found herself deprived of that one thing which rouses excitement like no other; the call to adventure. Her mother would often recount the tale of her own passionate quest, as this was the story of Pleasure’s divine birth. Still the family insisted on maintaining appearances, and Pleasure was scarcely allowed to walk among mortals for her grandmother Venus’s fears of what may happen.

Having mulled over her predicament, Pleasure at once lept from her bed, speaking with passionate words, “Nevermind Venus, and nevermind the rest of this family if they too conspire to stifle my instincts. I will travel to the land of mortals, walk among them, and accomplish some great task. When I return, though their ire may be immediate, it will wane with equal haste when they bear witness to my feat.”

Though known as the goddess of sensuality and hedonism, only by her cunning and persuasive nature was Pleasure able to act on these drives. As she whistled for honorable Zephyr, she concocted the means by which she may use these same skills in her present endeavor. Zephyr soon arrived, softly billowing as Pleasure stepped aboard and sweetly commanded, “Ever-reliable Zephyr, carry me to Vulcan’s forge, where I may find preparedness for any confrontations that may arise on my expedition.”

Dutiful zephyr obliged without hesitation, remembering well the role it played in Pleasure’s conception. Soaring quickly through richly colored heavens, the eager goddess soon arrived at her grandfather’s stately forge.

Pleasure called out over the clatter of great immortal machinery, “Grandfather Vulcan, whose metalwork is so widely renowned by gods and mortals alike, whose violent instruments inspire acts of legend, it is I: Pleasure, daughter of Cupid. His arrows, by your handiwork, have wrought many a tale. I have come to humbly request a legendary weapon to call my own.”

At this, thick-bearded Vulcan revealed himself from behind a roaring furnace. “Pleasure, sweet granddaughter, you flatter me with your admiration and I find myself amenable to your request. Still, I wonder why it is that you require such a thing. You spend your days in safety at the insistence of your grandmother, and should find no use for a tool of warfare.”

A statue of Vulcan by Herman Wilhelm Bissen (Wikimedia Commons)

“And what of some unwanted intruder who, drawn in either by my beauty or my riches, might seek to defile the safety and comfort of my abode?” asked Pleasure, slyly and successfully appealing to the the forge god’s protective instincts. Vulcan nodded and instructed Pleasure to wait patiently as he took hammer to anvil.

When at last he finished his creation, Vulcan called for Pleasure’s attention. He proudly showed her a magnificent sword, with a slender crimson blade and golden hilt. Handing the sword to Pleasure, he explained: “While strong and sharp enough to inspire fear in the bravest of soldiers, even a gentle touch of this blade against skin is fit to send an intruder into a debilitating fit of rapture.”

Pleasure thanked her proud grandfather, marvelling at her newfound lethal treasure. This is a fine assurance that I am to be successful in my aim, she thought. Fate would have contrary plans.



Author’s Note: This story is a continuation of Apuleius’s “Cupid and Psyche”. In that story, a love affair between the titular characters turns sour and attracts the ire of Venus, Cupid’s mother. Other characters that are featured in both stories are Vulcan (Venus’s husband and god of the forge) and Zephyr (the personification of western wind). All is well at the conclusion of Apuleius’s tale, and Pleasure is born to the couple. In my story, Pleasure takes on the lead role, eager to embark on her own exciting quest. One storytelling feature I borrow from “Cupid and Psyche” is the heavy foreshadowing, which here concludes the first part of Pleasure’s story and acts as a kind of cliffhanger.

Bibliography. "Cupid and Psyche" from The Golden Ass, written by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline. Web Link.

Reading Notes: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche (Part B)

A Painting of Venus by Sandro Botticelli (Wikimedia Commons)

The plot of the second part of Apuleius's "Cupid and Psyche" was similar to that of stories like the legend of Hercules, who was made to perform a series of incredible feats. This story was a bit different in that Psyche received divine aid in completing her tasks, which give it more of a fairy-tale feel.

It's interesting to me that the allegiances of the gods were so flexible. It seemed that every time someone asked a god or goddess for a favor, the answer was something to the effect of "Well, I shouldn't, but I'll give you a pass." It seems like there's a lot of drama among the roman deities.

The writing styles I noted for Part A were also present here, namely the ascription of value judgments to characters and actions and a thick foreshadowing/foretelling of future events. 

Bibliography. "Cupid and Psyche" from The Golden Ass, written by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline. Web Link.

Reading Notes: Apuleius's Cupid and Psyche (Part A)

A painting of Psyche and her adoring crowd, created by Luca Giordano (Wikimedia Commons)

The first thing I noticed about the writing style of Apuleius's "Cupid and Psyche" is the intense level of foreshadowing. From the outset of the story, we know the eventual outcome. This is reiterated several times throughout the story both by the characters and the narration.

Another writing technique that I noticed was the constant ascription of value judgments to characters and elements of the world. Psyche's sisters are hardly mentioned without also a mention of their wickedness. We are likewise reminded constantly of Cupid's charm or to the opulence of his house. The world is rendered rich with moral and aesthetic determinations of the narrator.

As noted in the header for one section, the plot follows the archetypal "forbidden fruit" pattern in which a clear rule is established only to be inevitably broken. Here, it's unclear if there's an underlying moral message, other than to be faithful to one's spouse (especially if they're a god).

Bibliography. "Cupid and Psyche" from The Golden Ass, written by Apuleius and translated by Tony Kline. Web Link.

Tech Tip: Canvas Notifications

For this week's "tech tip", I fiddled with my canvas notification settings. Generally, I prefer to receive email notifications even for insignificant things like upcoming due dates. These I selected to be daily notifications. I can always ignore emails, but every so often it could be the reminder I need. One thing Canvas has over D2L (rest in peace, sweet prince) is the notifications when grades are posted, even if they're on a bit of a delay.

Tech Tip: Weather Widget

I added a weather widget to the sidebar following these instructions. Now this blog is your one stop shop for myths, folklore, and weather updates.

Thanks for checking in!

Tech Tip: Google Map

For this week's tech tip I chose to learn how to embed a map in my blog. I chose a map of Toronto, because it's the first place I'd love to visit when I get a passport. I've never been out of the country, and Canada seems like a neat place that wouldn't be too expensive to travel to.

Tech Tip: Blog Profile

This week I changed the way my sidebar profile is displayed. Formerly, it had my name and a link to my Google+ profile. I don't have a problem putting my name out there, but I don't use Google+, so it made more sense to delete that sidebar widget and add a simple text box with my name and a little information about me. Now my blog is just a little bit sleeker!

I think it's important to be considerate of one's online identity. One of the things that bothers me these days is how easily seemingly anonymous accounts can be tied back to a real identity. For this reason, I tend to be pretty careful about what I post online regardless of the situation.

Tech Tip: Canvas Profile

This week I tried the first tech tip for this class, and changed my Canvas profile. I already had a profile picture which I think captures my essence; I'm pictured in a low squat while wearing a sleek navy suit. The photo seems to say, "I'm fun, but professional; daring, but smooth."

I did change my title to "Student" and updated my bio to reflect my major, graduation date, and zodiac sign. Looking forward to the next tech tip!

Some Feedback Strategies

"Feedback" written on a chalkboard. (Max Pixel)

This week we were asked to read a couple articles and reflect on the process of giving feedback to others. The first article I read was "Try Feedforward instead of Feedback" by Marshall Goldsmith. The article argues that future-focused advice is easier to give and receive than criticism of past performance. I definitely think that there's a role for both consideration of past experience and for thinking about the future. I tend to give feedback as "next time, you might try to..." which is somewhere in the middle of the two styles described in this article.

Next, I read "Presence, Not Praise: How To Cultivate a Healthy Relationship with Achievement" by Maria Popova. Dr. Dweck (growth mindset!) was a familiar name mentioned in this article, and again parenting is treated as the process of "cultivating" traits in children as though kids are crops. That pet peeve aside, there is something to be said for presence as its described in the article. Not just with kids, but with everyone we engage with, I feel that it's more meaningful to be genuinely engaged than to mindlessly bestow praise. In reflection, I think I can do more to show genuine interest in cases where I might usually leave it at, "oh, that's really cool".

Hero's Journey Topic Research

In researching more about heroic stories, I found information about the hero's journey "monomyth", for which there is a lengthy Wikipedia article. The most popular formulation of the monomyth is credited to Joseph Campbell, who writes that there are key narrative stages universal to stories about heroes; that is to say that most heroic myths follow the same pattern. While the existence of such a universal framework appears to be controversial, I had the idea that my storybook could be one that deliberately inverts the formula at each stage.

One interpretation of the monomyth (Wikimedia Commons)

The first stage of Campbell's monomyth is the Departure, in which a reluctant hero-to-be is compelled to action by an outside force. The hero receives supernatural aid as he departs from the comfort of his community to engage in a quest. My first story would parallel the Departure in reverse, in that an eager hero arrives in a community which itself is reluctant to accept him. Instead of receiving divine assistance, our hero finds that the supernatural forces at play in this land reject him and attempt to turn him away.

In the monomyth, next comes the Initiation: the hero faces several trials as part of his quest, all preparing him for victory as he eventually receives the sought-after boon which inspired the quest. In my story, each trial might appear to bring the hero closer to some powerful artifact, but in reality the boon would have been something he brought with him in the first place. The hero's freedom would fit the role, as his passage through each trial in this land might do more to trap him there. This part of the storybook would end with his realization that he had lost that most valuable thing in his quest for power.

The final stage of Campbell's monomyth is the Return, in which the victorious hero must reluctantly return to his community, often facing trials which prevent safe passage homeward. In my final story, the hero, eager to escape, might instead find difficulty departing because of the supernatural forces that now trap him. This story might end with him relinquishing the artifact he sought (and his heroic desire along with it) in vying for the freedom he had at the outset of his quest.

Week 3 Story: Diblobius and the Demon

My companions and I found ourselves in a strange land on our travels. It was heavily forested, and only the most tenacious rays of sunlight shone through the occluding foliage. In the distance, we saw great demons with long, spindly limbs climbing from tree to tree near the canopy. There, high among the trees, bright ripe fruits—the likes of which we had never seen—taunted us in our hunger.

“Good and honest friends,” I addressed my companions, “We’ve no choice but to ascend the branches of these great trees and retrieve a bounty of fruits”

Gemone, speaker of caution, son of Firbonir, opened his idiot mouth to ask “What about those demons though?”

“Be silent Gemone, speaker of caution, son of Firbonir. Perhaps these demons will be generous and receptive to our company.”

So we began to climb the nearest tree, its thick branches supporting our weight without strain. When at last we reached the canopy, we moved from one tree to another towards the thin limbed demons and the fruits they guarded. One member of our ranks, Glemetra, of much wealth, daughter of Heirbirt, slipped and fell to the forest floor where her bones did shatter. My companions and I wept golf-ball-sized tears but pressed on.

When at last we were in earshot of the demons I called out “Hark! I am Diblobius, seeker of truth, heir to several thrones, son of Biromon. My companions and I seek the fruits that you guard for we are very hungry.”

One demon approached us quickly, deftly climbing with his slender arms and legs. “Hello Diblobius, seeker of truth, heir to several thrones, son of Biromon. I too am hungry, and your gang of intruders looks like a fitting meal!”

One by one this great demon reached out and devoured my companions as we clutched the tree in fear. Though this trial was daunting, I had a plan and reached into my pocket to pull out a sinister flask of poison.

I spoke with jet-powered words. “My demonic friend, spare the rest of my company and I will offer you a drink of the finest quality to wash down your ill-gotten meal.”

The demon snatched the flask from my hand and poured its contents down his throat. Immediately his grip on the tree loosened and in time he fell to the ground where his bones did shatter. What few of my companions were left alive sighed relief through their tennis-ball sized tears.

I spoke, “Do not hang your heads in grief. Though we lost many allies to the trials of this forrest, by my cunning we shall feast on demon flesh tonight”. My fellow travellers managed a weak cheer before following me down the tree to claim our meal.



Author’s Note: This story was based on Homer’s Odyssey, specifically the encounter between Odysseus and a cyclops. Odysseus is trapped by the cyclops and his party is eaten over the course of days until he fools the giant monster and blinds him with a stake. My story follows a similar plot and includes the thematic elements of personification of nature, respect for title and heritage, and visceral description of grief.

Bibliography. Odyssey by Homer, translated by Tony Kline. Web Link.

Photo: A fruiting palm tree. (Public Domain Pictures)