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.
Source

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

 Source

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

Source

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

Tech Tip Week 9: Meme Generator

Tech Tip Meme Generator

Note: I made this meme 3-4 years ago and just refined it. I love Archer, it is my favorite adult animation featuring Jon H. Benjamin as a not-so-secret, secret agent. I even named my dog Archie after the show. It follows the i sarcastic, not conventionally bright player and mama's boy, Sterling Archer. He has a quirk introduced in the first episode about leaving food lying around to which he says "Do you want ants? Because that's how you get ants." This recurs throughout the series so i made a meme about a ridiculous Pinterest bowl made of peppermints, as that will bring ants.

Source

Week 9 Story Telling B: Japanese Mythology B

Japanese Mythology B

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

The Labors of Yamato-The Grotto of Love

• yamato was tired of Tachibana and her devotion since to more fighting was necessary
• he sought distraction and rode in quest of a stag and boar ignoring his princess who was sad but didn't complain
• Y longed for the lost siren, mysterious mermaid. One day he wandered on the island of Enoshima hearing elven music
• he followed it seeming to come from every direction all the way to a cliff with a great grotto that glowed with green light when he saw faint female shadows
• Y jumped in the water and swam to the mouth of the cave but hesitated for legend said it was a trap baited to lure humans to their death
• he heard new songs with a sweet voice calling him and he continued briskly
• he stepped on what felt like a rock but was actually a dragon snorting and heading to sea but this did not phase him and he kept following the light through tortuous things before coming to a chamber
• he saw a beautiful sight of imperial halls bathed in moonlight and clouds with golden sand and sliver pebbles and gates made of diamonds and jade in each corner emitting light
• a coral couch sat a siren singing while playing a gold and amber lute
• she sang of the presence of Benten goddess of Deathless Love tempting Y to explore their realm
• her beautiful hand maidens set a banquet before him of rare and delicious dishes and poured ambrosial sake into cups of sea lilies, gem like fruits on plates made of sea anemones. translucent shells made of pearls shed soft silver light on the room
• Y kneeled before Benten asking for her love and then he may die in peace. she continued singing  her strange songs but he was still entranced
• she told him he must dare death to win her love and he said there was nothing he wouldn't do for life with her. she told him to sail to Horaizan and gain the Golden Apple of Youth 

The Labors of Yamato- The Golden Apple

Golden Apple from Minecraft. Source
Minecraft is my favorite game and as soon as I read this I thought of the glowing of an enchanted golden apple from MC.

• He asked about the land
• she said long ago across the Yellow Ocean and kingdom of Cathay a monster ugly and mean lived there and all worshipped him
• Jofuku was the royal doctor feared every day would be his last and one day told his master that he would sale to the Isle of Life Eternal and fetch the Apple Golden for him since his life is valueless compared to the monster
• the King agreed and Jofuku sailed over the sea for days and months and years until he found the Wonder-Tree the Tree of YOuth Immortal floated on a foam island the Island of Delight
• Jofuku said "This fairs island is just the place for me and i will live here forever eating of the Wonder-Tree" He landed on the shore and was in a Forest of Enchantment
• he lived there for 5 score years (100) but felt no passing of time
• One day he walked to the foam flowered valley as he watched a sea bird flying south and he summoned the bird asking him to bring him to his home so he could dy.
• the stork agreed and Jofuku was overjoyed to return home with the Golden Apple but upon return the tyrants life ended and now he ascended Khan of Khans was king 
• after Benten told the story she said if he could go to that island and bring it back she would give him eternal love and youth

The Labors of Yamato- The Demon Boar

• Y returned to Kashiwa-bara and demanded his servants to tell him what they knew of the Island of Golden Apples but no one knew anything
• He asked the fishermen the same but they also didn't know
• He was despaired and felt no joy in anything not even his wife so he goes to Princess T who cried when seeing him after his long absence
•  he impatiently demanded why she was crying and she told him it was because she was so happy he was back safely and she missed him
• one day a country guy went to Y to complain that in the forest of Hakone there was a giant boar possessed by a demon that not even Susa-no-wo would fight him 
• Y said he would take care of it and went to talk with the High Priestess to discuss and she told him he will need the Sacred Sword to defeat the boar and only his tail is vulnerable
• Y took the sword but asked how he would ever accomplish that in reality but that he could do it because he is awesome 
• Y set out with a group of hunters and set forth to a forest at the foot of Fujiyama scaring away tons of birds and quick rabbits. they kept course in the beautiful forest
• they quested steep ravines and cliffs to a jagged crag where the Demon Boar was 
• Hunters would surround and charge the Boar only to be gored by the tusks right through the gut and falling dead to the ground
• Archers shot arrows at it but only bounced off of its hide
• Y himself charged on his stallion at the boar ignoring HP's warning and his horse was gored too
• Y got up and tried to get his horse up but it wouldn't move since it was DYING and looked at Y silently begging for a mercy kill
• but suddenly the monster charged at Y who hid behind a tree trunk where the boar waited for him to come out
• Well Y was stuck between a Boar and a Dark Abyss so he drew the Sacred Sword and jumped over the boars head and grabbed its tail and cut it off. The demon plunged over the abyss and exploded into a thousand pieces as it his the bottom while Y slid off its back just before the fall

The Labors of Yamato-The Grass Cleaving Sword

• Y and his men went to the shore of Suraga nad journeyed to the plains of Sagami after defeating the local savages
• the chiefs welcomed Y with fake hospitality and invited his hunters to a deer-hunt on the moor naive to the treachery they had planned
• they stalked the stag all day when at the time the rivers were most hectic Y was awoken by goblin laughter
• thinking it was a dream he rubbed his eyes but it was not. but the crackling increased and light glowed from the sky until the stars were blocked by a cloud of smoke that moved like a serpent of fire
• Yamato sprang up and saw that he entire moor all around him was a sea of flames shouting to his comrades he tried to find an opening in the fire
• while that was happening thousands of deer scared of the fire ran around and trampled and gored horses and hunters blindly
• Y told his archers to shoot down the steeds but the fire got worse and and they  gave up hope
• suddenly Y saw a woman running around in fiery clothes in the grass until she tore them off and her long hair singed and her body burned and it was Tacibana who fell at his feet
• she cried no pain but joyously bade Y to use what she just did as an example. and Y cut down the burning grass with the sacred sword and taking the drill, made a path to the sea and the wind turned and went to burn the savages instead
• the warriors escaped through aid of the Sacred Sword but more likely Princess Tacibana

The Labors of Yamato-The Sacred Sword

• Y and Princess T rode home pasing Isle of Enoshima in the distance
• again the siren song Tempted Y and his madness fell over him
• Y told her to ride home and to hide her until her hair grew back and her skin healed as she cried  she did as she was told but sang a song of hope saying she doesn't care anymore but one morning she will hold him in her lustrous hair
• Y went to the grotto again and stepped on the dragon and slashed at it and it cried
• Benton warned not to hurt her guardian or she will kill him and Y said "nope bc this sword can even kill you"
• the siren was then glad because the dragon was really her dad Susa-no-wo evil god who wanted the sword himself bid Benten to lure it from yamato
• Yamato cried that he didn't have the apple yet and she reproached lightly but summoned her maids to spread a banquet and tainted his sake with a sleeping potion and played lullabies
• when Y awoke at dawn he looked for Benten and called for his Beloved  but no one responded
• a mocking laugher rang out and Y jumped up and saw that he was alone and found no one and the Sword was gone
• He went to the shore and cried for hours about what happened and he would have reluctantly returned to his princess but he got lost
• the white peak of Fujiyama loomed in the distance but Kwannon the merciful aided him and appeared above the mountain and there gleamed a damsel robed in white hovering above the sea
• there he prayed as she was clearly no mortal  and he begged her to strengthen him and give him bravery so he can gain the Sacred Sword again
• She told him not to worry and that he will find his sword on a deer's horns in the mountains and that he will get it when he kills the deer
• he realized that was Kwannon Goddess of Mercy and Love and went to look on the scoured moor for the magic stag when suddenly a bamboo stalk sprang from the ground tall and lean but really strong so he clove the shaft and found a pointed flint to put in it. and lay on the ground
• he then heard soft padded feet and saw a shaggy dog that jumped over him and ran off then he followed the dog thinking it had the scent of the stag
• then more dogs came around and he realized it was Kwannon that lent her hounds
• he climbed to a vantage point and in a meadow beneath him he found the magic stag by a lake
• suddenly the stag smelled him and ran to the lake but the wolves gained on him and its leader almost got it but the deer tossed him off
• so Y jumped in and threw his lance at it and swam to the struggling stag and saw that he met his mark and grabbed the sword and finished off the stag then the demon sank into the depths while Y swam to shore

The Labors of Yamato- The Dragon

• Y was happy and realized that Benten did not love him but rather the word and he yearned for his faithful wife but first decided to visit the sorceress and charger her with treachery and theft
• he went back to the grotto and gazing into the jade green water and saw her glittering gold scales and went in pursuit of her as the dark waves closed down on him
• Y sandk like a stone and the sea ang a sweet and sorrowful song of death and love  then he was reminded of returning to the surface but he felt enclosed by the folds of a serpent and chill struck his heart
• the sound became louder and clearer and he recognized it was benten who threatened to hold him forever and that 3 times she has let him escape but no more unless a goddess with more love could
• then far above Y was aware of Princess T murmuring hsi name and he could see her smile and saw her hair he knew she was the goddess more beautiful and loving than Benten
• Princess T's hair grew down like vines and grabbed Yamato and pulled him away to the surface 
• Princess T made sure he was okay anxiously but he was so tired he collapsed in her arms but when he came to T was gonde and he was not sure if she went for help but hours passed and she did not come back 
• he went back to his city where everything was in a panic and Y asked what happened and people said a dragon had devastated the livestock and rice fields overwhelming the land with pestilence and death
• Y hurried to the palace where he heard the dragon and cries of his people
• he went from room to room cellar to turret looking for Y only to find a pile of bodies then searched the gardens and outer buildings following trails of blood but found nothing
• suddenly he heard the priestess chanting and mounting a Pagoda and found T in white clothes waving a wand and chanting the norito
• suddenly her voice was interupted with a load roar it was the thunder God Raiden beating his drums the clouds shut and Futen the Wind God unleashed the winds while a flash of lightening hjurtled Susa-no-wo the Dragon of the Sea
• his head was camel his horns like a stag, eyes like coals of fire, crocodile scales with tiger paws and eagle talons
•  it spat fire and steam and charged at Y
• he evaded it and slashed its belly but every stroke made him more tangled in his coils and this went on and seemed all would fail until Y lunged at the throat and the monster flew away but soon crashed to its death
• Y heard T chanting that evils of reptiles will disappear for ever and the evil spirits will be in the Sea Plain and sent to the Whirlpool Gate to Yomi where they will be gone for good
• Y saw T who thanked him for saving her again
• They agreed to never part and lived joyously
• one day during a monsoon Y went to Ainos and went by sea rather than mountain
• T was worried that he was not in the right mind to venture and asked that she join him
• he pushed her worries aside and said it was his last fight then they will live in peace
• while at sea Y exclaimed that he need not worry about Susa-no-wo at sea since he already defeated him on land
• this angered him and he created a storm that beat up the ship and heard a siren warning him that because he defied her father, she will gain him forever as a victim
• T saw the siren stretching her arms and forgetting his prior infidelity she was willing to sacrifice her self to benten to save her husband
• the tempest stopped and a white heron flew to the sun and Y jumped into the sea and battled for T but when he came to the surface she was dead

Japan: Faery Robe

• in Suruga the wind sways and snow falls on the mountain tops
• a fisherman hears far off water and ethereal melodies but fears they are from a tempest but realizes it is Mother Spring
• Over the mountain of Fujiyama grand a cloud hovered then dissolved in the air
• a fairy in a feathered robe stood by the sea and chanted then laid down her lute and hung her robe on a branch and jumped into the scie 
• the robe looked like feathers from a celestial dove and he sought to steal it and use it to bring himself fortune
• the faery popped up and asked to give it back or else she cannot make it to the cloudland that is her home
• he said before he gives it to her to dance the dance that makes the moon go round
• she says she needs her robe first but he says no dance first
• she calls him an evil man and said she cannot dance without it 
• then moved by pity love and shame and gave it back 
• she then donned her rainbow wings and again played her lure and sang and danced that moved the myriad gods by Uzumes wile and lured the goddess back to earth to greet us with her smile
• the fisher was entranced as if he saw a blossom from Paradise 
• she waved her rainbow wings to the breeze and skimmed the surface of the seas and flew way 

The Jewel of Heart's Desire: The Land of Morning Calm

• emperor Chiuai reclined in his summer pavilion looking at the sea and played his lute and knew only two delights, the art of music and his bride
• the empress was adept in manly sports, a fearless amazon and huntress 
• She asked if he was the son of Yamato
• he said yes but my father subdued the country and there was nothing there but queen kingdom and his lute
• she said unworthy son of a glorious man i would have you bear the sword of Yamato beyond the sea. 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"
• he said don't trust dreams and said even those who ascend the mountains can se no more than what we see of the water and claims there is no land beyond the western sea
• a blinding light flooded the room and Amaterasu descended in anger and told him that because he did not believe the dream she gave the empress he will dies and she will rule
• he then died and the empress put his fingers on the lute and begged that he wake again and play
• he sang let us set sail to the Land of Morning Calm then the lute fell from his hands she held a candle to his lips to see if he breathed he did not
• there was a rule that women cannot rule unless in name of her consort  so Prime Minister Takeuchi concealed the death of the emperor and said that he delegated the Empress to command the expedition west and assembled a fleet
• Empress Jingu was angry and besought an omen of the gds " my departed husband was pleased to give me the distaff and needle .Vouchsafe a sign Sun goddess. Grant that with fragile thread i may draw to land a great fish
• she took her thread and needle and bent it into a hook then baited it with a cherry bloom and cast it to the seas where immediately the waters bubbled and a monstrous shark came forth
• she prayed again this time for armor and weapons  and soon maidens came out of nowhere and removed her jewels and dressed her in a manly disguise and dressed her in a dragon crested helmet and golden steel breast plate and an 8 foot tall spear as well as the Sacred Sword
• She emerged and said behold the sun goddess armed me for victory
• They successfully maneuvered through monsters and storms of all sorts
• she heard her husband's voice encouraging her forward and after days of no luck they finally found land with mountains and plains and a tranquil bay nestled a white walled city but a massive chain forbade entrance to the harbor
• empress held the Jewel of Prince Fire-Fade and the water swept over the city and bore the fleet to the temple garte
• thinking this was the fulfillment of ancient prophecy, the scared King came forth waving a white banner and knelt before the Empress
• Fearing their nation was swallowed by the sea the Koreans swore to remain loyal to the Empress
• They presented her with the Jewel of Heart's Desire a crystal ball that would emit flames in time of peril but in peace was radiant like the moon
• She gave it to Takeuchi who hung it on the mast so it could guide the way home
• as soon as they set forth it burst into flames as Futen the Wind God unleashed a typhoon
• Benten the Dragon's daughter longed to possess the ball so she tore it from the mast and took it to the sea. 
• Empress was angry and demanded that the PM not be seen until he retrieves it.

The Quest of the Jewel

• the journey ended in ruin and disgrace and Takeuchi retired from the Court. Resolved on self-destruction he climbed to the top of a cliff when a fishermaid Tamatori followed him secretly 
• she had long loved him in secret sadly knowing only a princess would wed the famous daimio
• she yelled at him to stay as she grabbed him but he begged her to let him do it as he is disgraced and told her what happened 
• she cried that she saw a wonderous light as if a star fell to the sea
• Takeuchi gazed into the water and saw a coral pagoda 100 stories tall and on the top saw the Jewel of Heart's Desire
• It was the palace of Benten
• The fisher maid told him not to worry because she can swim well and will retrieve it for him since she loves him
• as she grabbed it the sea-dragon crawled from his lair and on every side sea monsters helped him and cuttlefish blinded her eyes and devilfish tangled her limbs
• Tamatori feared her hour had come and knew that a dragon would not mess with a corpse she plunged her sword into her chest and thrust the jewel with in the wound 
• Takeuchi was saddened to see the maiden lifeless but she clutched the jewel across her chest smiling in death
• He commanded she be placed on a lordley catafalque and conveyed with all honor
• people from all over came to bear tribute even samurai with drums and dirges honored her as if they had jus twon a battle  
• the empress knelt at the maidens bier  and placed the patent of nobility in her hand making her Princess of Hearts Desire only too late
• Overjoyed she promoted the PM to regency

Urashima

• on a warm spring day sailed forth ro suminoye
• I remembered the story of Urashima the bonito ever questing 
• who for 7 long suns never resting but never made it home  or to suminoye
• after questing fruitlessly U drew forth a tortoise from the water which was symbolic of long life and was holy
• he spared him and returned him to the sea
• lulled by gentle waves from zephyrs U fell asleep and then came a vision of a maid beyond fair 
• the daughter of the dragon with the glory of the sunset glimmering in her hair
• she whispered his name saying she was the tortoise he spared and to come live with her in her castle under water. With you r flower-wife ever living and never dying
• he laughed and went with her and lived for along time ageless and never dying
• he mentioned how he wanted to see his family and sadly Otohime gave hima talismanic casket but warned him of opening it
• he continued his voyage but fruitlessly and saw nothing where his village should be
• he opened the casket and the talisman of life floated away shouting and trying to grabbed but suddenly he tottered and fell to the earth old and wrinkled and died

Week 7 Story: Splash Mountain Adventure

Splash Mountain Entrance source

 Splash Mountain Adventure

    I am in Disney World celebrating my sister's 18th birthday and high school graduation strolling around Adventureland in Magic Kingdom. I hear the crash of waves and smell the fragrance of heavily chlorinated water as well as joyous screams. I am waiting in line for my favorite ride, Splash Mountain. Finally, the seemingly endless line comes to an end and it is my family and I's turn to hop in the damp mechanical log. I was excited to see the scenes from Brer Rabbit Stories play out on 20 year old animatronic characters as the log floated by. The ride kicked off and as we turned the corner approaching the first turn that reveals our first animatronic scene, everything goes dark. 

    When the lights come back on the mechanical log seems rougher and even more uncomfortable than usual. They were real logs! I look around and no one seems phased. I take a closer look and realize the scenery is real grass and trees, then, sure enough an actual furry rabbit and fox pop out of no where. This seems so real but it can't be, I am on a ride based on the Brer Rabbit parts of  Song of the South, this is only in my head. Right?

    The other passengers suddenly fade away as the first story seems to begin, Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Bear. I see Mr. Fox planting a peanut patch while Brer Rabbit watches from his porch singing:

Ti-yi! Tungalee! I eat 'em pea, I pick 'em pea.

It grow in the ground, it grow so free;

Ti-yi! Them goober pea.

    Then the scene fades to Rabbit sneakily digging peanuts from the freshly ripe peanut plants, and quickly hopping away before Mr. Fox approaches. Mr. Fox is frustrated by the seemingly repetitive assault on his peanut patch. He set a trap with a tree sapling tied to the broken part of the fence Rabbit snuck out of. He walked away pleased with his work and the lights faded in and out again. When the light comes up Rabbit is sneaking into Fox's garden again and is swung up into the air in the trap filled with fear. He mumbles to himself seemingly thinking up an excuse for when Fox arrives when Brer Bear appears with a sticky beehive in hand.

"Howdy Bear!" said Rabbit
"Oh hello Rabbit, are you stuck?" Brer Bear replied.
"No, no, I am acting as a scarecrow for Mr.Fox's peanut patch. I am making $1 a minute. You have kids, maybe you would like a turn to earn some extra?" Rabbit suggested.
"Oh that sounds mighty swell Rabbit. You sure you want to give up this deal?" Bear responds.
"Oh it is no trouble for a friend Bear, help me down and you can take my place." Said Rabbit.

    The two switched places and Rabbit ran to Fox's den, knocking on the door and pointing toward the patch when Fox answered. He was telling Fox that Bear had been sneaking into the peanut patch. Fox rushes over with a hiking stick and starts hitting the dangling Bear like a piñata. All the while, Rabbit hops away pleased with himself. 

    The lights go out again but this time when they flash back on, Rabbit is being dangled from his ears in the grasp of Brer Fox. Fox is licking his lips hungrily while staring at the frightened Rabbit:

"I would roast you but that would be too much work to start a fire" suggested Fox
"Whatever you say just don't throw me into the Brer Patch!" replied Rabbit.
"Maybe I'll skin ya! Oh, I don't have my knife" Fox thought aloud.
"Sure thing, Boss. Just not the Brer Patch!" Rabbit Said.
"I'd drown ya but there ain't enough water" Brer Fox threatened.
"Sure beats the Brer Patch" stated Rabbit.
"Hmm seems like you really don't like that Brer Patch? Why don't I just chuck you there?" said Mr. Fox.
"Oh please not the Brer Patch! Anything but that!" Rabbit Pleaded.

    Suddenly there was a flash and I wasn't in the log anymore. I felt small and hungry for carrots. I turned and I was eye to eye with Mr. Fox! I took Rabbit's place! In moments I was flying through the air directly toward a real briar bush! I shut my eyes fearing the worst. Suddenly I was drenched in water and opened my eyes. I was back, the plastic mechanical log was back, the creepy animatronics were singing amongst faux flora and fauna. I have no idea what happened but it sure was something, but I think I am good on Splash Mountain for a while.

Bibliography

Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings  (1881), Text Source

Authors Note

    Splash Mountain was one of my favorite rides at Disney World so I decided to make a sort of fever dream adventure where I was sucked into the Uncle Remus stories featured in the ride. On another topic to address is that the ride is being re-themed because of the racially insensitive nature of Song of the South, the Disney movie which the representation of Brer Characters in the ride are derived. The movie is live action story of slaves and masters living in harmony, white washing history, but featuring animated cut-aways of Uncle Remus Brer Rabbit stories. The ride only features parts from the animated scenes which bring to light African American folklore but due to the connections to Song of the South, commonly viewed as racist and offensive, Disney had decided to remove all connection from it by changing it to a 2009 Princess and the Frog theme.

Reading Week 7 B: Brer Rabbit continued

 Mr. Fox and the Deceitful Frogs

• this picks up where Mr. Tarrypin left off
• Turtle is bubbling at the bottom of the pond when Bull Frog starts making sounds
• Frog responds "knee-deep" and BullFrog says "dont believe him" Then Turtle makes more gurgles
• Frog says "wade -in" as if he is translating for Turtle. Bull Frog tells Fox "there youll find your brother"
• Fox did see another Fox across the pond and reached across to shake his hand and fell in he didnt die and managed to scurry away but had he stayed any longer and the Mud Turtle wouldve gotten him

Old Mr.Rabbit, He's a Good Fisherman

• Rabbit finally got some peace and Bear Fox, Coon, and Rabbit all were working on a new roasting area by clearing the Briar and Rabbit was tired but feared he would be called lazy so he kept going and then pretended to have a brer stuck in his paw
• He left and found a well that seemed cool and sat in the bucket but began sinking in scared, Fox was following him and was confused and thought Rabbit either had his money there, found a gold mine, or something else that Fox would find out
• Fox crept close but didn't see nor hear anything. Rabbit stayed still so he wouldn't spill into the water saying his prayers over and over then Fox yelled down and asked who Rabbit was visiting.
• Rabbit said he was fishing for suckers. Fox asked how many were there, Rabbit said tons and that he needed help getting them out. 
• He got out of the bucket and held the rope and told Fox to hop in and grab the suckers then he will pull him out. Fox did, lifting Rabbit back up. 
• On the way up Rabbit sang :Good-bye, Brer Fox, take care your clothes;For this is the way the world goes; Some goes up and some goes down, You'll get to the bottom all safe and sound.
• Then he told the owners of the well that Fox was down there muddying up the water, then went back and told fox that a man with a gun was going to pull him up and that when he does he better run
• So half an hour later the two of them make it back to the clearing and work harder than ever, Rabbit occasionally laughing and Fox smiling embarrassed

Mr. Rabbit Meets His Match Again

• Buzzard and Rabbit went together on a crop and it did really well but Rabbit cheated Buzzard out of his share
• The crop was gone and Rabbit pretended to be more sad than Buzzard to throw him off the trail Buzzard knew and planned 
• one day Buzzard told Rabbit he found a gold mine across the river but Rabbit had to find a way to cross the river because whenever he got wet the whole family caught cold
• Buzzard said he would fly him across and he flew him to the tallest pine on an island in the river Rabbit caught on and told Buzzard since he was so nice he would show him his gold mine first and that they should head back
• Buzzard laughed because he didn't believe this Rabbit told him not to laugh because when he shakes it shakes his wings then they both will fall. 
• Buzzard starts going down and Rabbit explains what happened to the crops and agrees to divide it fair and Buzzard takes him home but Rabbit walked weak in the knees for a month

A Story About The Little Rabbits

• The Lil Rabbits were really good kids and if they were to ever misbehave they wouldve been harshly punished
• one day Fox came by and didn't see Rabbit who was out raiding a collard patch, or Miss Rabbit who was doing quilting with someone in town, Just the Lil Rabbits playing Hide n Switch
• The Lil Rabbits (I am calling them Bunnies from now on) were fat and tasty looking but Fox didn't act yet remembering what happened to Wolf
• the Bunnies huddled in the corner with fear while Fox came up with an excuse. He noticed a sugar cane in the corner and asked the Bunnies to break him off a piece but they couldn't no matter how hard they tried.
• A bird told sang a song of advice: 

Take your toothies and gnaw it,

Take your toothies and saw it,

Saw it and yoke it,

And then you can broke it.

• The Bunnies chewed it off just in time to give it to Fox who had to think of another excuse, he saw a sifter and told them to go to the creek and get him some water with it
• The Bunnies were sad because they couldn't get water with a sifter then a bird told them:

Sifter hold water same as a tray,

If you fill it with moss and dob it with clay;

The Fox get madder the longer you stay—

Fill it with moss and dob it with clay.

• They did and brought Fox water, which made him mad, so he told them to put this ginormous stick on the fire
• Bunnies couldn't do it so the bird sang again:

Spit in your hands and tug it and toll it,

And get behind it, and push it, and pole it;

Spit in your hands and rear back and roll it.

• They got the wood on the fire just as their dad came home, the bird flew away and the Fox tried to dash away but Rabbit asked him to stay for a snack as he gets lonely since Wolf no longer stops by to visit. this scared Fox and he went home

Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Bear

• One day Fox said he should plant a Goober patch and he went to work immediately
• Rabbit watched this and sang to his kids:

Ti-yi! Tungalee! I eat 'em pea, I pick 'em pea.

It grow in the ground, it grow so free;

Ti-yi! Them goober pea.

•  The goobers sprouted up soon enough but every time Fox went to check them, they were all torn up and he suspected Rabbit but Rabbit was so good at covering his tracks, there was no proof.
• one day Fox saw a crack in the fence where the rail had run smooth and set a trap. He bent down a hickory sapling and tied plow line to it and then a slip knot and trigger and attached it to the crack 
• Sure enough the next day Rabbit was stuck in the trap and was afraid he would fall while dangling but also was afraid of what would happen if he didn't get out. he started to think of an excuse for Fox when Bear came by after getting into a bee hive. He greeted Bear
• Bear asks how Rabbit is, Rabbit says he is fine, Bear asks why he is up there. Rabbit tells him he is making a dollar a minute acting as a scarecrow for Fox's goober-patch, and if Bear wanted to take his place since he has all those kids. 
• Bear and Rabbit switch places. Rabbit then runs and tells Fox someone is caught in his trap. Fox sees Bear and before he could explain Fox hits him in the mouth with his walking stick, this goes on anytime Bear opens his mouth
• meanwhile Rabbit runs away and hides from Bear, sure enough Bear runs down the road and asks Frog if he's seen Rabbit, Frog tells him he went that way, as Bear passed Rabbit got out of the mud hole he was hiding in and dries off then goes home like nothing happened.

Mr. Terrapin Shows His Strength

• I am calling Terrapin Turtle
• Miss Meadows and her gals are making Candy one evening and everyone comes and helps out in peace since there is a rule about fighting there
• Bear gets firewood, Fox tends fire, Rabbit greases plates so candy doesn't stick, Wolf keeps the dogs away and Turtle keeps the molasses from boiling over
• Rabbit starts bragging about he is the fastest, Fox he is the most clever, Wolf says he is the most servigorous, and Bear the strongest
• Turtle says they left him out and that he knows he is faster than Rabbit as he beat him before, but he also is stronger than Bear. And everyone doubted him and he said if they have a rope Bear can try to pull him up from the river
• The guys say they don't have rope so Turtle says then he must be stronger than Bear since Bear is chickening out. 
• Miss Meadows offers up her rope and says the guys can go down and settle the bet while the candy cools
• Turtle goes down to the river and tells the guys to bring the rope back to the woods up hill while he gets ready and he will hollar when he is
• Turtle ties the rope to a tree root in the water instead and hollars. Bear pulls on the rope winking at the ladies but the rope doesn't budge
• he tries harder with the rope over his shoulder, same result. Wolf helps, same thing. Turtle asks why they haven't started
• Turtle feels they quit pulling and unties the rope from the root and sits casually and tells Bear that that last pull was pretty strong and a little more and he would have had him , and that he had a bit of advantage on him being in the water
• Bear took well to the sweet talk and suggested they go get their candy and they did

Deluge

• Not really a Brer story but the Uncle Remus version of the great flood with african animals
• Back a long time ago animals used to have the same amount of cognisance as humans and would meet and settle their affairs
• Lion was there as the King, so was Rino, Elephant, even down to the Crawfish and they would argue and yell and sort our their dealings
• Elphant put his foot down while arguing and squished a Crawfish who squished whatever was under him. The Crawfish were mad now and took off with a big speech calling out the Elephant but no one heard except for Mud Turtle and Lizard who had no real say
• Lion and Unicorn were arguing and Elephant stomped again squishing another Crawfish almost getting Mud Turtle too. The Crawfish called Elephant out again but they may as well just been singing 
• No one paid attention to the Crawfish who waited nervously then not wanting to get squished, winked at Lizard and Mud Turtle and began boring holes in the ground
• They kept going until the reached the fountains of the earth and all the water rose out and drowned the other animals all because the bigger animals wouldn't listen

Plantation Proverbs

• I read these but they are all self explanatory so I did not denote them

Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings  (1881), Text Source

Brer Bear Caught in Brer Fox's Goober Trap From Mr. Rabbit and Mr. Bear  on the Disney World Ride, Splash Mountain. Source

Note:

I have been to Disney World 3 times and love Splash Mountain but it wasn't until I went when I was 16 that I knew the origins of the ride were not just from Song of the South but rather the Brer Rabbit Stories that the movie was based on. Recently Disney has made the decision due to concerns that the ride was too outdated and racially insensitive. They instead will be changing the ride to be in the theme of 2009 film Princess and the Frog which highlights black culture in early 1920's New Orleans.

Reading Week 7 A: Brer Rabbit Stories

 The Calamus Root

• Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox constantly quarrel with Rabbit Evading Fox
• Fox tells Rabbit one day that Bear thinks that they don't get along well so Rabbit invites Fox to dinner to squash that rumor 
• Fox doesn't show but Rabbit sees him lurking outside. Fox then calls out sick the next day and asks Rabbit to join him for dinner.
• Rabbit joins but sees no food and asks if they are having chicken and Fox says yes. Rabbit says okay but I only eat it with Calamus Root so let me find some and runs out the door knowing Fox planned to eat him.
• He told Fox he put the root on the stump and while Fox was distracted assuming he would be by the stump, Rabbit got away

The Wonderful Tar-Baby Story

• the day after Calamus Root story takes place, Fox gets tar and turpentine and makes a tar child and places it in the road.
• Briar Rabbit greets it and asks what is wrong but getting no response he goes to grab it and take it with him to teach it manners and gets stuck
• Rabbit then argues with it fruitlessly and keeps threatening to physically discipline it and gets more and more appendages stuck.
• Fox watches this hidden until Rabbit is stuck then tells him he will have to join him for dinner now and this time he has calamus root

Why Mr. Possum Loves Peace

• Racoon and Possum were hanging out then went on a walk and saw Dog they discussed what they would do when he approached
• Raccoon said he would fight and Possum said he would be behind him
• sure enough Dog charged and Possum played dead and Raccoon fought him off
• Raccoon left and would not speak to Possum until Possum finally asked why and Raccoon said it was because he was a coward
• Possum explained that he is super ticklish and knew that in a quarell with Dog he would be tickled and would be useless so he played dead instead knowing Raccoon could handle it. Not because he was scared but because he was smart

How Mr. Rabbit Was Too Smart For Mr. Fox

• Fox intends to cook Rabbit after being stuck in the Tar baby
• he says he is always running around and getting in everyones business
• Rabbit replies with whatever Fox proposes with "as long as you dont throw me in the Brer patch"
• Fox decides not to build a fire bc it is too much work, He decides to hang Rabbit but he has no string, then he decides to drown him but there is not deep enouogh water, then he decides to skin him but there is no knife
• finally he chucks Rabbit into the brer patch thinking that will do him most harm since he begged not to be thrown there. 
• Rabbit frees himself and runs of saying "born and bred in a brer patch"

Mr. Fox is Outdone by Mr. Buzzard

• so while Rabbit was hiding in a hollow Buzzard agreed to help Fox and watch the hollow
• well Rabbit got away under his watch and when Fox came back Buzzard lied and said Rabbit was in there napping and played along while Fox tried to cut down the tree
• Fox caught Buzzard laughing so he got him to look in the hollow and grabbed his neck and held him down and told him how he caught him even though he kept denying it. 
• Fox told him he knew it was a lie bc he saw rabbit fur from the other direction
• Buzzard then begs for his life and fox threatens to burn him in fire but he says he will just fly off 
• so Fox starts beating him against the ground until he has almost no feathers and then flies off

Mr. Wolf Makes a Failure

• Fox's Failure with Rabbit is talk of the town, Wolf sees him moping and after greeting he asks what is wrong 
• Fox says nothing is wrong but Wolf knew otherwise and said he had a plan 
• the must trick Rabbit into Fox's house. Fox is going to play dead while Wolf tells Rabbit 
• Rabbit goes to check it out but is suspicious when no one is there and talks to himself figuring out a way to find out if Fox is dead
• he says dead people lift their legs and yell wahoo when people visit them
• Fox does this so that is how Rabbit knows he is not dead and he runs away

Mr. Fox Tackles Oldman Terrypin

• So in a previous run in turtle and rabbit bested fox 
• turtle is hanging out in pain when fox greets him super nice and ask what is wrong with turtle's eyes. Turtle explains that fox doesnt know what suffering is
• Fox asks again what happened and this time turtle tells him that a man set a field on fire when he was in it and he just waited it our and said it scorched his back and smoke got his eyes. 
• Fox says it got your tail too and turtle says no it didnt and shows him. Fox grabs him and while turtle pleads for his life he says not to burn him because he is used to it
• so fox goes and throws him in a spring and turtle tells him repeatedly to let go of the root and catch him instead and Fox keeps telling him he is holding turtle not the root. he finally lets go and turtle sinks to the bottom and is right at home

The Awful Fate of Mr. Wolf

• wolf was always getting in everyones business and got tied up with Mr. Fox and his going after Rabbit
• Rabbits house was raided and he lost a child, he built a house out of straw and that got raided, then pine tops, again raided, then a bark house, same thing. each time a child was taken
• finally rabbit got pissed and got some carpenters to build him a true house with solid foundation and he finally had peace, he also had a hole in the cellar for his kids to hide
• One day wolf comes in covered in mud saying the dogs were after him and rabbit needs to hide him
• he tells wolf to hide in the chest and after a long while wolf asks if the dogs are gone and rabbit lies and says he hears one sniffing around
• so rabbit goes to boil tea in a kettle and wolf asks why and rabbit says, I am making some tea for you. Then he drills holes in the chest, wolf asks why, rabbit says so you can breathe.
• rabbit makes a fire for the tea wolf asks why, rabbit says to keep you warm
• then rabbit gets his kids and wolf ask what he is doing, rabbit says he got his kids and told them what a nice man wolf is while the kids hold back laughter
• rabbit then starts pouring tea in the holes, wolf asks what that noise is, rabbit says the wind
• as burning tea hits his skin wolf asks what that is, rabbit says flees and to turn over and see if that helps, wolf thinks they are biting really hard and turns over while rabbit pours more tea and thinks more flees are biting him. then the tea does the job and drowns/burns wolf
• everyone celebrates and rabbit hangs his hide up 

Joel Chandler Harris, Uncle Remus: His Songs and His Sayings  (1881), Text Source

Brer Fox, Rabbit, and Bear at Disney World's Splash Mountain ride Represented as they were in the Disney film Song of the South.  Source