The True Princess

Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson (1929) Source. 

    Once upon a time there was a young white man who married and a had a child, Aurelia, with a woman who passed shortly later. The man remarried and had another daughter. This wife, the stepmother to the first daughter, was terrible to Aurelia and always favored her own daughter, Nagela. One snowy day, the Stepmother sent Aurelia out to gather berries knowing there were not any in this weather. Aurelia was fed up and backed a basket of food with the intent of not returning. Shortly into her journey, she found a house where 4 brothers lived, they asked her why she was out in this weather. She told them about her Stepmother and unknown to her they were relatives and sympathized with her. They gave her a pick and sent her to the roof where under the snow was a bushel of berries. When she returned to ground level they asked if they could help her in anyway. Aurelia told them that she is thankful enough already but that she is poor and her clothing is tattered. The youngest brother then told her to spit, she obliged and when she did her spit turned to gold. The other brothers each took an article of her clothing and turned them into a beautiful dress, robe, and shoes that would never wear out. She thanked them and set home to rub her berry find in her stepmother's face

    Aurelia returned home greeted by her stepmother who was shocked, not only at the full basket of berries, but with her step-daughter's appearance and gold spitting. Jealous, she then sent Nagela to follow her older sister's snow prints and find where she obtained these gifts. Nagela shortly met the 4 brothers in the same manner as Aurelia telling them she was also sent to gather berries and gathered some. Upon returning to the ground, she asked the brothers for gifts. The youngest asked her to spit, she was offended and refused. After a moment she did reluctantly but instead of spitting gold, she spat toenails. The other brothers only asked that she leave. When Nagela returned empty-handed, her mother was disappointed but asked her to spit. She saw the toenail and asked her not to do that again. 

    At a later day while Aurelia was washing her clothes, the son of the chief from the local native tribe noticed her. He was struck by her beauty and attire, he returned home and told his father of the maiden. He told the prince to meet with her again to be sure. This time the prince spoke with Aurelia who spit gold throughout the conversation. He told his father again what happened so the Chief went to speak with her himself. It was true, she spit gold so he gave the proposal his blessing. The Prince and Aurelia soon got married and had a huge wedding feast and even the other white villagers attended. The guest took home the unconventional wedding goodie bag full of gold. 

    Soon Aurelia became pregnant and her husband would be gone for a month around her due date so she requested his mother act as midwife since she did not trust her stepmother. The Prince shook her off and said that her stepmother was a successful midwife. So the birth of the child came and as Aurelia was about to give birth, the stepmother cut a hole in the floor below her. When the child was born the stepmother cut the cord and let the baby fall through the hole and handed her a cat instead. The prince came home and was disappointed but they tried again. The same process happened again but this time a snake was handed to Aurelia. The Prince spoke with the stepmother who suggested a woman birthing animals was no small matter and that Aurelia should be killed and he should try again with a new wife, possibly her own daughter. 

    A meeting was held and the town decided to kill Aurelia by sinking her in the ocean, and the Prince was to marry Nagela instead. The 4 brothers from a couple years prior heard what was happening and rescued Aurelia from drowning by turning her into a goose. 

    This entire time Aurelia's sons were alive, her childhood dog, Spioola, was caring for them under the home. Noticing Aurelia was not around, Spioola searched for the Wise Bird who knew all and told only the truth. Once he found the Bird he was told that Aurelia was in fact a local goose who was known to stare at the boys and emit strange noises. Spioola and the bird returned to their home under the house of the Prince where they had the boys play at whatever volume they wanted. The prince heard the strange childlike sounds and went to check it out when Spioola popped out and invited him in. The Prince claimed he could not fit but the Wise Bird told him he could if he tried. He saw a nice small home and two boys under his house. Spioola and the Bird told him all about what had happened and then told the Chief as well.

    It was decided that Nagela and her mother to remain at home until a decision was made. The prince went to the lake and shook Aurelia until she was back in human form. Everyone then attended the meeting where Nagela and her mother were sentenced to death. The Prince was glad he was no longer married to Nagela since she spat and smelled like toenails. 

Aurelia aurita: a golden hued species of jellyfish. Source

Authors Note:

I decided to just tell the story in a more modern tongue and I chose to name the two daughters for clarity. Aurelia means "Golden" since -au- is the latin root for gold so I chose that to title the Elder gold-spitting daughter. Nagel means nail (from a phalange) so I made up Nagela to use for the sister that spits toe nails. I also decided to leave out the part where the boys are killed and then brought back to life. I did this to save space but also because I felt like it did not blend into the storyline as easily. 

Reading Week 11b: Marriage Tales B

Native American Marriage Tales B

Tales of the North American Indians by Stith Thompson (1929) Source.

The Dog Husband

• There was a girl who had a dog she took everywhere and at the time it was normal for dogs to sleep at the foot of the bed of young girls
• every night the dog changed into human form and lie with the girl then would turn back in the morning
• eventually the girl became pregnant and the family were so ashamed knowing it was the dog who caused it. 
• they called the town and had them tear down the house and put out the fires and moved away leaving the girl to die
• Crow had pity on her and took some coals she placed them between two clam shells and told the girl that she would hear crackling and to follow the sound to a fire
• after a while the girl heard a noise and did as Crow said and found a fire. 
• Not long after she gave birth to five dog pups and as her father had killed her dog lover she had to care for them alone. she gathered clams and shellfish from the beach
• 4 boys and 1 girl grew fast under the care of their mother and soon she noticed that whenever she went out she heard singing and dancing from the house. she did this four times and on the fifth she  stuck her clam digger in the sand and put her clothes on it to make it look like she was working
• then she crept around the back of the house and looked through the crack and saw the boys singing and dancing and the girl watching where the mother was supposed to be digging clams, all in human form
• she took a moment then caught them in human form and scolded them saying they should have been in human form the whole time since it was because of them being dogs that she had been shamed
• she tore down the dog blankets and burned them and they remained in human form from then on. 
• when the boys were old enough she made little bows and arrows for tem and taught them how to shoot birds starting with the little wren and working up to large birds. then she taught them how to make large bows and arrows to hunt larger game starting with small fur animals all the way to elk.
• she made them bathe daily to try to build skill at hunting whales then after that the hair seal to make floats of its skin
• the mother then made harpoons from elk bones and lines of sinew and cedar and attached floats to the end of the line and the boys went whaling bringing in so many that the beach began to stink.
• Crow noticed a huge fire from across the water where the old village had stood. she came over secretly to see what was up but before she got there she could smell the whale carcasses and saw them, some that haven't even been cut.
• when she reached the house she saw the children grown and they welcomed her and gave her food but told her she could not take anything with her and to just come back when she needed more
• on her way home Crow saw the original girl who told her that she was to return home and weep so people would think they were all dead
• instead Crow told everyone what happened but they did not believe her and even brought a piece of whale meat with her and fed it to her children after lights out but one of them ate so fast that she choked and coughed a piece on the ground. 
• other villagers saw it and then believed Crow and decided to go back and the boys became chiefs and kept the village well supplied

The Youth Who Joined the Deer

Young Fawn Source

• there was a man who was a great deer hunter and always thought and dreamed of deer. they were friends to him. They were likely his manitou
• he had two wives one who bore no children and another who bore a male
• one day while hunting he followed young doe and fawn tracks which led to a knoll where a young woman and child sat
• he asked them if they had seen any deer pass and they said no. but he could not see the tracks continue and insisted they have seen them since the tracks were fresh
• the woman laughed and told him not to worry about the tracks and that she has loved and longed for him for a long time and to go home with her
• unable to resist her he followed but thought of how it is not right that he is leaving his wives and child at home waiting 
• she told him not to worry or regret anything as she will be her husband and he wont regret it
• after a long travel they reached a hilly region and the man saw an underground entrance that lead to a large house of people who looked like native americans and were both sexes and all ages. they were well dressed and wore deerskin robes
• that night the woman said that he is her husband and he may sleep with her and hug her but not have intercource before rutting-season. she told him he can also do so with his sisters but the rutting season is only once a year for a month and no sexual connections any other time
• so he slept and the next day the people asked him to hunt for them since they have no meat. so he went hunting. two young deer (his brothers in law) ran ahead and stood on a knoll he saw them and killed them and carried them home wasting nothing.
• he told the chief to waste nothing and they were all glad and saved every bone
• the chief then asked the man to take the bones and the bones of an earlier hunt and throw them in the river. he did so but wondered where his BILs went and assumed they were hunting. when he returned the BIL and another man were there
• the deer people lived by hunting and killing each other then surviving. 
• The hunter lived with his new wife and their people and hunted when needed and never failed to kill since some of the young deer were anxious to be killed to help their people
• Rutting season came and the chief gave the hunter the body of a large old buck and he went out with his wife
• but a young deer beat him to it and felt sad and everyone was talking about it so the chief gave him large antlers and the body of a deer in his prime and this time he beat the rival bucks and mated with his wife, her sisters, and her cousins. He hurt many deer brethren but the Deer People had shamans who healed wounds throughout the season.
• this lasted the whole rut and soon his wife gave birth to a son. but she said it was not fair that they only stayed with her people and wanted the son to live with the hunter's people as well.
• she compressed deer fat to the size of a handful and did the same with dried venison and deer skin
• she and her child and husband hunted on the way and killed one of his BIL when they needed to and always but the bones in the water. they traveled like people but the woman thought this was too slow. soon they transformed into deer to travel and soon reached the country of the hunter's people 
• she said not to approach the people at first or he will die. he had to bathe in decoctions of herbs for 8 days. 
• soon they saw a young woman he recognized as his sister and showed himself but told him no one can know or come near him for 8 days and then he will visit and that they should clean the homes so there is nothing old or smelly
• his childless wife had remarried. 
• after the hunter became like other people he went to his lodge with his new wife and son and his wife pulled out the deer fat and threw it on long feast mats and it grew back to its original dimensions. she did the same with the skins and dried meat which now almost filled the home
• the people feasted and were pleased. they stayed for a long time and whenever they needed meat he gave his arrows to his son and told him to hunt and the youth always took with him his half brother from the first wife. they killed deer since they were the deer son's relatives and wanted to be killed. they threw the bones in the water and the deer came  back to life. the Deer-Boy taught his half brother how to hunt and shoot deer and how to cut and preserve the meat and always stressed the importance of throwing the bones back in the water so they can revive.
• the Deer wife wanted to go home and offered the people to visit with them but they said they did not have enough deer skin to make proper footwear, in response the woman threw some deer skin on the ground and it grew to original size and the women worked all night making moccasins 
• they then set off to the deer land. the hunter sent his son out in deer form and hunted him but people began to miss him so he threw the bones in the water and he returned. He did the same the next night with his deer wife who then told him to avoid suspicion he should just hunt his BILs and he did so always throwing the bones in the water.
• the hunter's people were welcomed warmly and spent some time there before returning home. the Deer Boy returned with them and became a great NA and hunter and the people learned from him how to treat deer. He told them to always put the bones in the water so they could revive but if that was not possible to burn the bones and although the deer would be dead forever, they would not be angry. but if they were to just toss the bones that the deer would never come around and that they will have no luck hunting and would starve.

The Girl and the Turkeys

• long ago the ancients did not have sheep, horses, or cattle but they had other domestic animals like Turkeys
• In Salt City there were many wealthy families who possessed large flocks of Turkeys and it was their custom to have their slaves or local poor people herd in the plains around Thunder Mountain
• at this time in on the outskirts of town a rundown single room house lived a very poor girl who's closed were tattered and dirty and after a long life of neglect and ill fare she was shameful to look at. 
• however, she was not ugly but very beautiful under all the dirt. she had bright eyes but herded turkeys for a living and was given little except food and occasionally worn out clothing
• like many poor people, she was humble and was kind even when she received no kindness. she was especially kind to the turkeys and treated them well, the turkeys appreciated this and were obedient and loved her so much that they would always come when called by her and followed her wherever 
• one day she was driving her turkeys down the plains and passed Old Zuni (the middle ant  hill of the world) and as she walked past she heard the herald priest proclaiming from the housetop that the Dance of the Sacred Bird ( which is a blessed festival everyone was welcome to, especially youths and maidens) would take place in 4 days
• the girl had never been allowed to join in or even watch town festivities and naturally longed to attend. but she cast it aside and thought it would be impossible given how ugly and dirty she was. then she talked to her Turkeys as it was her habit and drove them home and returned them to their cages around the edge of town
• everyday after the girl would drive the turkeys and see the town preparing for the festival she could not attend. she talked to the turkeys mindlessly not thinking they understood her
• but it seemed that they understood more than she spoke and on the day of the festival as everyone set forth to Zuni she wondered the plains alone with the Turkeys and one of the big gobblers strutted up to her fanning his tail and wings and spoke "maiden mother, we know what your thoughts are, and truly we pity you , and wish that, like the other people of Matsaki, you could enjoy this holiday. we decided among ourselves that after you put us in our cages at night that 'you are more worthy than anyone in this town to enjoy yourself.' Now listen carefully as i speak the words of my elders: if you drive us in early afternoon while people are busty dancing we can help make you get dressed prettier than any man, woman, and child.  many young men will wonder where you came from and wish to hold your hand in the circle that forms around the altar. Maiden mother, would you like to go to the dance and even join it and be merry with your people?"
• the girl was surprised but it did seem natural for turkeys to talk to her since she did to them. she sat down and looked at them "My beloved turkeys, how glad i am we can speak together! but why are you telling me things that you have intent to do but with do means?"
• "trust us. i speak for my people and when we begin to call and gobble and turn home to matsaki follow us and we will show you. but no one know how much happiness and good fortune will come to you if you even temporarily enjoy the pleasures we enable you to join. but if in the excess of enjoyment, you forget about us, your friends who depend on you, we will think ' our maiden mother, once poor and humble, when she was more prosperous she became how others treated her.'"
• "Don't worry turkeys I will be obedient to you as you have been to me" as the sun just began to set, the turkeys went home and the girl followed. they all had rehearsed their plan and went to their places. when they all entered they called to the maiden to enter and sit and give them her clothing to see if they can fix them up.
• the maiden did so and the old gobbler began to pick  at it and strut upon it puffing then laid it down by the girl, it had become a beautiful white embroidered cotton mantle. she did the same for each article of clothing until all were new and beautiful
• before she got dressed the turkeys danced and clucked around her brushing her with their wings and she looked clean and smooth with bright skin and soft wavy hair
• finally an old turkey who told her the only thing she lacked were ornaments but to wait a moment because they have gathered many small ornaments with their keen eyes that were lost by others
• he spread his wings and walked around and coughed up a beautiful necklace and another turkey earrings and so forth until she was properly adorned
• they wished her well but begged she not forget them and told her they loved her so
• she promised to remember the turkeys and ran to Zuni and went to the dance court as everyone watched her and murmured where she may have come from
• soon the chiefs of the dance hastily came to her with apologies for incompleteness of their arrangements even though they were fine. they invited her  to join the youths and maidens in the center of the plaza
• she stepped in the circle and the youths vied for her hand and she was happy and danced until dark
• she did think of her turkeys but decided to stay a while longer then come back to them
• but time went on and she kept dancing and as the sun set she ran off to the turkeys who thought that she had forgotten them and decided to go to the mountains
• she arrived and saw no turkeys but she saw them leaving singing a song. 
• she called the turkeys in vain who only quickened their step and her dress changed back into the dirt and grime and she returned back to town the poor turkey girl.

The true bride

• a white man married and had a daughter but the wife died and he married a different woman who also bore a daughter. the stepmother hated the older daughter and accused her of being lazy
• in the middle of winter she was told to go pick berries. knowing there could be none in this weather, but wanting to escape her stepmother, she packed a basket and set out to walk until she ran out of food
• she came upon a house with 4 men who unbeknownst to her were relatives. she told her the problem and they gave her a snow shovel and scraper and told her to dig away the snow from the roof. underneath really was earth with berry bushels. 
• when she came down the men asked what they could do for their sister. she said she would accept any help but that she is very poor and only had rags to wear
• the youngest brother told her to spit and now when she spit it became gold. the next brother gave her shoes that never wore out and the next two made a dress and robe in the same way. 
• she thanked them and returned home to the stepmother who was surprised and jealous of her new clothes and gold spitting ability
• she sent her own daughter out to follow the tracks and find out how she did it.
• the girl set out and arrived at the house. the brothers gave her food and asked why she was travelling. she told them her mother demanded berries and that she knew her sister found some here, they showed her how and after receiving the berries they asked what they could do for her
• the youngest asked her to spit but she was vain and haughty and refused. so when she finally did spit she spit toenails that smelled like toe nails
• she returned to her mother who saw no new clothes. she asked her to spit and upon seeing the toenails asked her not to do so again
• one day the chief's son was walking and saw the older daughter washing clothes and he liked how she looked and dressed and told his father of his fondness. Chief told him to visit with her again and confirm his fondness
• he visited her and she coughed a few times and the spit turned to gold and he told his father who also spoke with her and the same thing happened
• once verified it was gold he gave approval for his son to marry the girl
• when people found out the bride to be could spit gold all the white people came to the wedding too and she had spat so much gold guests could bring some home
• in time she became pregnant and when she was going to give birth, her husband was called away for a month. she asked if the mother in law could attend and midwife since the stepmother meant harm. he pushed this aside and insisted on the stepmother
• when she was about to give birth, the step mother made a hole in the floor below the young woman and when the child was born and she cut the cord it fell through the floor boards and handed her a cat instead
• the husband was disappointed but they tried again, the same thing happened and she handed the girl a snake. when the husband came back the stepmother told him that she should kill someone who is giving birth to odd creatures and instead marry her daughter
• so the chief and people held a meeting and decided she should be killed. they bound her in iron and threw her in the lake
• the 4 brothers new what was happening and were ready to intercept her when they saw her and they untied her and told her her real children were alive they transformed her into a goose and she swam around on the lake
• the chief's son did not like his new wife as she was nasty and smelly
• the older daughter had a favorite dog Spioola who she hadn't seen since the birth of her first child. he lived under the house and saw when the stepmother dropped the baby through the hole and raised them as his own
• when the boys were big enough to run around they came out of the house watching the goose that always came up to them crying but spioola told them not to go out when he was gone 
• the stepmother noticed them and tried to catch them but they disappeared under the house and blocked the hole with a rock. so instead she baited them with food and poisoned them
• when spioola came home he could not find the boys and tracked them to the dead bodies and could not resuscitate them. so he ran to the Sun to seek help. several parts of nature asked him to ask questions for the sun.
• after running for days and nights he was at the other side of the earth and swam across a pond to get the the house of the Sun exhausted and nothing but skin and bones. 
• the mother of the Sun met him and acknowledged that he must be in great trouble and requiring wisdom. He told her his story and she fed him with the food of the Sun people and he gained strength
• she then told him to watch The Sun when he spat and to collect the spit and keep them separated allowing the first for the older boy and so on. they must be treated within 4 days but it took spiola twice the time to get there
• He also found the answer to the other questions of nature and they all equated to that they were lazy
• the sun mother told him of another route to take in the morning and he will be home in one day
• he relayed the messages on his way back without stopping and arrived home and rubbed the respective spit on their lips. when they came to life they each had a glowing spot on the forehead, one a sun, the other a moon
• he told them the Goose was their mother and that he must go on another journey to find the wise Bird and that the Goose would warn them of danger and to hide when she called so they would not be killed again
• Spioola ran to the house of the Wise Bird who knew all languages, the future, and never told a lie. he lived on a snowy peak of clear ice and wore down the claws of spioola as he climbed 
• he told the Bird his story, the Bird pitied him and he took the Bird with him to the children who he was glad to see. 
• the next day the father heard talking underneath the house like those of children he found the entrance but could not move the stone
• spioola moved the stone and told him to come in but the father said he would not fit but Spioola told him just to try. He wedged through and found a wellkept room and the Bird which indicated something important was happening 
• spioola explained what had happened and the chief's son felt so bad for killing his original wife and he told his father what had happened and they called a meeting. in the meanwhile he told the toenail woman to stay with her mother and then boarded up the windows and doors 
• Spioola went to the lake and called the Goose and shook her until the goose skin fell off and the Gold sister ws back. 
• she, her sons, the Bird, and Spioola all attended the meeting and the Bird told the story and everyone believed him. then praised spioola for running to the house of the Sun to save the boys
• the chief ordered the women to be publicly hanged and the chief's son took back his wife and they lived in a big house with lots of spit gold
• he became chief after his father then his son after him

Week 9 Story Telling: The Crystal of Hearts Desire

 The Crystal of Hearts Desire

Here is an orb that looks like what I imagine the Jewel of Hearts Desire to look like.
Source

    Once there was an Emperor and Empress named Chiuai and Jingu. Jingu had an Amazonian stature about her. She loved sports and hunting and was a fine warrior. One day, while hanging out in his beach house, Chiuai was playing his lute and watching Jingu sport about when she spoke to him,

"If you really are the son of the great Yamato, how come nothing great has been accomplished in your reign?"

"Well, my father did just about everything so there isn't much for me to do but enjoy my life" answered the Emperor. 

Jingu confided, "I had a dream where the Sun Goddess came to me and said west lies the Land Morning Calm where hidden is the Crystal of Heart's Desire, the Jewel that I am about to give you. Maybe that could be your accomplishment."

Taking no concern Chiuai repied, "Dreams are a bunch of nonsense. There is nothing beyond the western sea. Don't read into this"

As he spoke the sky thundered and the room flooded with blinding light. Amaterasu the Sun Goddess appeared before the royals and warned Chiuai,

"You do not believe I could have spoken to your wife through dream? For questioning my power, you will die shortly and Jingu will carry out the mission instead. She will bring glory to your nation where you could not." Then she disappeared.

Immediately Chiuai fell back as his eyes rolled into the back of his skull. Jingu rushed to him saddened but knowing what she must do. She placed his lute back in his hands, 

"Please, please play again for me. Tell of anything at all."

His fingers strummed as he sang, "Let us set sail to the Land of Morning Calm" as he finished the lute clattered to the ground.

    Jingu placed a candle to his lips to check for breath. The flame didn't waver. He was gone. Immediately Jingu began planning for the quest. However, because she was a woman, she was not allowed to fall into the position of power unless authorized by the Emperor. Since he was dead, Takeuchi, the Prime Minister, hid the death of the Emperor and claimed that he instructed Empress Jingu to rule and carry out this quest. Meanwhile, Jingu gathered troops and huntsman to accompany her. Before departing, she knelt in prayer beside a pond and sought help from the gods through an omen since they put her in this position. She took her needle and thread and crafted a hook and line then prayed to the Sun Goddess. She baited it with a cherry blossom then cast the faux hook and immediately a shark came forth. Again Jingu prayed, asking this time for armor. In seconds a fleet of handmaids appeared out of thin air and disrobed her of all her queenly vestments and jewels. They were replaced with a golden steel chest plate, dragon crested helmet, an 8 foot spear, and the Sacred Sword used by Yamato himself. Before departing to the ship, Jingu fashioned her hair in a more androgynous style better suited for the quest.

    Jingu, Takeuchi, and their crew sailed for days with the Land of Morning Calm seemingly no where in sight. One day they approached a beautiful land with mountains and green valleys and a beautiful bay. As they approached the bay, they noticed the harbor was chained and entry was impossible. Suddenly, Jingu remembered she had with her the Jewel of Prince Fire-Fade. She held the stone up to the sky and the waters lifted the ship over the city walls and flooded the city. As the water started to disperse, the ship approached the temple. There, the king was waiting outside with a white flag believing the arrival of Jingu to be the fulfillment of a dire prophecy. He knelt at Jingu's feet,

"Myself and my kingdom pledge eternal loyalty to you, just please do not allow the sea to continue to swallow us."

"I seek the Jewel of Hearts Desire." Empress Jingu replied. 

The king had his men fetch it and when they returned they had a smooth round orb that gleamed in the light.

 "When danger is present the orb will turn into a fiery ball of light. However, in times of peace it glimmers like moonlight" explained the King.

"Thank you," Jingu replied taking the orb, "put this somewhere you deem fit Takeuchi" ordered the Empress as she passed the Jewel to Takeuchi.

    Takeuchi placed the glowing Jewel at the mast of the ship so that the light may guide them home. This seemed like a solid plan. Immediately after setting sail homeward, the orb burst into flames as Futen the Wind God created a typhoon. Suddenly, Benten, the daughter of the Sea Dragon and goddess of deathless love, burst from the sea and snatched away the Jewel. 

"You absolute idiot!" Jingu scolded Takeuchi, "You are not to be in my presence or on my court until the Jewel of Hearts Desire is returned."

Upon arriving home, Takeuchi resigned from the court. That night he made his way to the edge of a cliff to commit ritual suicide out of shame. Little did he know,  a fishermaid, Tamatori, was madly in love with him. She never revealed this because only a princess could be with a man of such status. She took this chance to follow Takeuchi. 

"Stop! Don't jump! I beg you. You do not know, but I love you and cannot see you depart." cried Tamatori.

"But I have shamed my Empress and lost the Jewel of Hearts Desire" argued Takeuchi.

As Tamatori held Takeuchi from the cliff, they both noticed an eery blue glow coming from the waters below them. 

"It looks like Benten's palace, and atop sits the Jewel!" exclaimed Takeuchi.

"See? Problem solved. I will prove my heart's desire to you by retrieving the Jewel for you. After all, I am a phenomenal diver." responded Tamatori.

    She dove gracefully into the water below and quickly reached the orb. She picked up the jewel and not moments later she was caught by Benten's father, the Sea Dragon. He called upon all of the near sea monsters and they surrounded her. Tamatori knew there was no way out but needed to prove her devotion to Takeuchi. She knew a dragon wouldn't touch dead meat so she took her fishing dagger and plunged it into her chest. As she did so she wedged the Jewel into the gash. The monsters fled and her body floated to the surface. Takeuchi was saddened by the loss but proud of her success. He took the Jewel back to Jingu and explained the events. Jingu promoted him to a psuedo Emperor and awarded the body of Tamatori the award of Loyalty to the Nation. She then named her Princess of Hearts Desire. Tamatori was now a princess worthy of a Prime Minister, but it was too little too late.

Author's Note: 

    I decided to retell the Japanese mythology of The Jewel of Hearts Desire. I did not put any twist on it. However, I retold the story in my language so that I, and hopefully others, could understand it better. I tried to explain the gods that appeared in the story but some references require reading The Labors of Yamato. Yamato is the father-in-law of Jingu and legendary Japanese mythological hero he used the Sacred Sword in a number of his adventures with the Goddess Benten and her father the Sea Dragon at the forefront of his struggles. 

Bibliography

Romance of Old Japan Part 1: Mythology and Legend by E. W. Champney and F. Champney (1917). Text Source

 

Week 8 Progress

 Progress

I am happy with the progress I have made and seem to be on track for an A. I will say in the last week or so I have felt myself slipping. I was once way ahead and now I am starting to procrastinate. I do this all the time and I am really working on pushing over the hill and using the momentum to finish strong.

I chose this meme because we do a lot of writing and editing and if Doge can do it then so can I.
Source

Week 8 Comments and Feedback

     Overall the feedback I am receiving is helpful. Sometimes the advice given has already been done or specified as to why it was done a certain way in the Author's Note. I think the feedback I am giving is good. I find it hard to give others criticism/feedback even though I accept it pretty well. I do enjoy learning about people through Blog Posts and Comments. Usually people comment something they relate to with the post they read, through that I feel like I learn more. In the future I am planning on pushing myself to give even better feedback to others even if I am having a hard time doing so.

I like this because it is relevant to receiving feedback as well as just general life advice.
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Week 8 Reading and Writing

 Reading and Writing

I am good at taking notes but I feel like sometimes my notes are too detailed. I know my notes are kind of all over the place but for me that works. So far the reading assignments are going well. They are kind of hard to get through sometimes due to length but that was to be expected. The writing assignments are okay, I am not a very creative writer by nature. I am a research writer, I like reiterating known things or findings in a way that is palatable to a broader audience. So I could work on being more creative. I like the layout of my blog and my website. There is not much that I can change that I would change. Although I am not a very creative writer, I am proud of my ability to write some creative stories when they strike. Cupid and Psyche is still one of my favorite stories but the Brer Rabbit stories are a close second. I also wrote a microfiction about Freya and I enjoy learning about that goddess a lot

Freya and the Necklace (1890) 

by James Doyle Penrose

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Wikipedia Trails Week 9: Japanese Pantheon

Wikipedia Trails Japanese Pantheon

Japanese Mythology Source

I started here to begin my search. I was interested in learning about more of the gods and goddesses from Japan this week. Here is the umbrella page for all things Japanese Mythology.

Japanese Pantheon Source

Here is where I found the broad description of the pantheon of Japanese gods and goddesses. They are known as Kami and take many forms as there are over 8 million of them. Shintoism is a division of this mythology where the Kami (spirit in this case) are found and recognized in all forms of nature and life (ie., mountain Kami or river Kami) and is still practiced today. 

Japanese Folk Heroes Source

Like most cultures, mythology is also rooted in folklore heroes. However, many of the Japanese folk heroes are rooted in real people. For example, the 47 Ronin were real but made to be more heroic and above average humans, the even made a movie about it.

The 47 Ronin 

After their master committed ritual suicide for assaulting Kira Yoshinaka, a court official, the leaderless samurai became "ronin." The 47 men trained for a year and then killed Kira to avenge their master. They were all then charged to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) for the crime but went down in legend as brave and loyal soldiers.

Revenge of the Loyal Samurai of Akō, by Yasuda Raishū

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I chose this image of the 47 ronin as it was just clean and distinct in color and imagery.