Mythology & Folklore

Blue Jay Blue Jay bird, Source: Pixabay Blue Jay was a wise bird who lived in a forest with his sister Ioi. Blue Jay and Ioi were both very happy and sang beautiful songs every morning. One day, when Blue Jay returned home for the day, he could not find his sister. As the days passed and Ioi did not return, Blue Jay became more and more worried about her. He asked all of the birds where she had gone, but none answer. At last, the Eaglehawk told him that Death had taken her. Blue Jay, desperate to find his sister, asked all the birds, "Where do people go when they die?" They did not answer. At last, Blue Jay asked the Wind, who told him to ask the Night. Night said, "Oh Blue Jay, I have heard from the Wind that you have a beautiful voice. There are no birds that sing for me though. If you sing for me, I will tell you." Blue Jay sang for her and Night took him on a journey. They arrived at a large village, and there Blue Jay found Ioi. However, she was sur...

Bata's Story Acacia Tree Bata was sitting in the oasis, listening to the old man's story. He was quite impressed with the story, and it was definitely more impressive than the first one. A Genie sat there, scimitar in hand, listening intently. The Genie was going to kill a merchant that was sitting next to him, nervously listening to the story. The Genie, however, had made a wager with two old men. The first old man had said that if his story was more marvelous than that of the merchant, the Genie would take away a third of the merchant's punishment. The second old man, wager that if his story was even more astonishing than that of the first man, he would take another third of the merchant punishment. Bata, feeling bad for the merchant and knowing his story was more marvelous than that of the first and second old man consider for a moment. He then said, "Oh Prince of the Genii, listen to my story, and if you find that it is more marvelous than the sto...

Echo & Narcissus The story was added to my project porfolio website. Echo & Narcissus,  by John William Waterhouse Echo was the most beautiful Nymph in all of the world, but there was something even more special about her. She had a magnificent singing voice, and she also was a great orator. People from all over the world came to hear her speeches and divine singing. Even the Gods admired her beauty. Among the celestial beings, there were Goddesses with such beauty, but none could match her angelic voice. Jealousy arose among Goddesses, and none was more jealous than Juno. Juno was worried that Jupiter would wrong her again, and this time, with beautiful Echo. She devised a plan to get Echo to marry, but Echo rejected all of the suitors presented to her. Echo repeated time after time, "There is no one as beautiful as me, and no one worthy of my marriage." Juno, getting desperate, for Echo certainly had the attention of Mighty Jupiter, commanded Vulcan t...

Scylla and Charybdis, Source  EuroScientis The Demise of Scylla & Charybdis Having escaped the Ilse of the Sirens, Odysseus and his crew sailed onwards, longing to return home. It was not long into their journey when the sea turned against them. Passing through a narrow channel of water, great breaking waves arose from turbulent waters, forcing the ship to move near the shore, on a great cliff side. The sea trembled, and in the deep water, a vortex started forming. Odysseus knew at once what it was, the divine beast Charybdis was sucking in the sea, creating a great deep vortex of water. The ship tried the best it could to pass in between Charybdis and the cliff. To their misfortune, the cliff trembled and with a great thunder, Scylla, a giant dragon-like creature with multiple heads came out of a great cave and appeared in the cliff side. Odysseus and his crew were trapped in between Scylla and Charybdis. Odysseus knew he must act quickl...

Source: Rabbit in the Moon . The Hare in the Moon And it came to pass the Buddha was born a Hare and lived in the woods. With him lived many friends, and he taught those friends–animals and humans alike–many wise things: that the moral law should be observed–that alms should be given to the poor–and that holy days should be kept. One day the Buddha said: "Tomorrow is a fast day. Feed any beggars that come to you by giving from your own store of food." They all consented. An old friend and Cheesemaker came to Buddha. "I have nothing to give, oh wise Hare. For I have nothing to myself. My goats and cattle ran out of good grass in my fenced fields, and I cannot let them out because a Tiger has been taking them. My animals are starving, and I cannot make any cheese."  The Hare, thinking in contemplation on the Kusha Grass said "bring them here. I shall feed them my own grass and protect them." To which the Cheesemaker replied, "oh great Har...