Kat's Myth-Folklore 2018 Blog

( Creation of Life ) When God was creating life on Earth, he had to decide how long each creature was going to live. "How long is to be my life?" asked the donkey.   "I will give you 30 years," replied God. "Oh no, 30 years is too long for all the burdens and loads I must bear and work I must do!" So God relented and gave him 18 years instead.  The donkey was happy with this. Next was the dog.  "Surely you want 30 years of life since you don't have to work so hard?" asked God. "Oh no!  30 years is too long!  I do all this running and my legs, teeth, and voice will wear out until all I can do is sit in a corner."  So God relented and gave the dog only 12 years and he was happy. Next was the monkey.  "Surely you want 30 years since all you do is play and make people laugh?" asked God. "Oh no!  30 years is too long!  Often sorrow is behind my jokes and I can't take that for 30 years...

( Mickey and the Beanstalk ) Once upon a time, Mickey Mouse was out exploring.  He happened upon what looked to be a giant beanstalk.  Being the curious sort, he decided to climb it.  When he reached the top, there was a huge cave, so Mickey went in.   He came upon this big giant smoking a pipe.  He knew that he had some Indian friends that loved tobacco, but they were under a long, big drought and couldn't raise any tobacco so he decided to ask the giant for some to take back to his friends.  The giant told him no, because another Indian tribe had just showed up and smoked all the tobacco he had.  Well Mickey could see bags and bags of tobacco behind him so of course he knew the giant was lying but he said thanks anyway and left.  Mickey waited just outside the cave, out of sight of the giant, until he heard the big rumbling snores that told him the giant was taking a nap.  Being small and quick, Mickey darted in quie...

( Mint plant ) Once upon a time, there was only one mint plant in the entire country.  Everyone had to get their mint from the same plant and we all know how important mint is in life.  Mint is useful for making food and drink taste better, for energy, and for all sorts of ailments, but most especially it is useful for stomach ailments. Outside a little village in a run down chateau, lived a young maiden named Cinderella.  She was very kind and beautiful and was loved by all animals and most people.  She was supposed to inherit her family chateau and all the family wealth and possessions, but she had a cold cruel step-mother who killed her beloved father.  Once she killed off poor Cinderella's father, she squandered the family fortune, trying to get her own ugly daughters married off into wealth and royalty.  But the daughters were so ugly, inside and out, that no one wanted them.   The cruel step-mother made a slave of Cinderella....

( Beauty and the Beast ) Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess in a small village.  One day there was a great magical storm that swept across the land, taking the princess with it and depositing her up in a tower of an old abandoned castle.  The princess was scared because she couldn't find a way out of the tower.  A mysterious handsome young man appeared in her tower bringing her food, drink, and beautiful new clothes.  He told her he would help her escape the tower, if only she would agree to marry him because it was obviously fate that had brought them together.  She was so sad and missed her family so much, but something just didn't seem right so she refused and said she'd rather live in the tower. Every day the handsome stranger would visit the princess in her tower, bringing her gifts of more clothes, jewelry, food, everything she could imagine.  Every day he said he would help her escape the tower if only she would marry him....

Once upon a time in the old countryside lived a wise old ruler.  In this country, was also two very poor men, taking care of their old mothers.  One day, one of the men was walking along the road to the village with his jug of oil, selling it along the way, for money to buy food for his mother & himself.  He found himself very tired because the road was long & the jug was heavy, so he decided to set on a fence along the road to rest and sat his jug on the fence as well.  Shortly after, along came the other man with bundles of straw strapped to his cow, taking them into the village to sell.  The second man didn't see that his cow with her straw had drifted too close to the fence trying to snatch a mouthful of grass and so the first man's jug of oil was knocked off, smashing onto the road & draining all the oil out. The first man cried out, "How could you be so stupid as to let you knock over my jug?!  That was my only way to make money to feed ...

We find ourselves back at Hogwarts this week, checking in on the Golden Trio and their adventures.  As we look for them, we can see into the Dark Forest.  We see Harry & Ron trying desperately hard to sneak something out of the forest while also trying to avoid being seen and caught.  But where is Hermione?  Upon further searching, we find her talking to a centaur, trying very hard to keep him distracted.  "But sir, I swear if you'll just listen to me a bit longer, you'll find it's a very interesting story" exclaims Hermione. "I will listen to your story," replies the centaur thoughtfully, "but it better be very interesting or I shall have to go and examine whatever was making that racket farther into the forest."  So Hermione begins to tell him the tale of the "Merchant and the Genie" which soon morphs into telling the tales of three old men travelling along the same road, trying to also distract the genie and save the merchant...

For this assignment, I decided to go with the Story Lab.  I liked the story I read for this week, but didn't feel like reworking it as it was pretty long.  As I have really started to enjoy writing again, I thought I'd check out the " Advice to Writers " page.  Here is one of my favorites:  " It's a Strange Way to Make a Living ." What happens is six months go by after I finish a book and I start to go out of my mind. I have no hobbies, I don’t garden, I hate travel. The impetus is not inspiration, just a feeling that I better do this. There’s something addictive about leading another life at the same time you’re living your own. If you think about it, it’s a very strange way to make a living. ANNE TYLER I hadn't ever really thought of it in this way, but I'm sure that's what it must feel like. I know every time I read a book, and depending on the size of the book I can get through at least one book a day if I have nothing else to do, ...

Aesop's Fables are such amazing stories but did you ever stop to think of how they can apply in your real life?  As I'm older than the typical college student (46) and have been married 26 years and moved 28 times in that 26 years thanks to my husband's career as a horse trainer, we have a lot of stories to tell.  Every time we tell some of our stories, people say "you should write a book!"  Well, maybe someday, but until then this will have to do.  Here are a few of my "Life as an Aesop's Fable" stories (because Murphy's Law wasn't an option for this unit!). The Tortoise and the Ducks:  The basis of the original story is that Jupiter punished the tortoise by making him have to wear his house for the rest of his life and in the end his foolishness cost him his life.  When you have moved 28 times in your adult life, you really learn about having to pack up your whole life and take it with you.  Never once in this time have we hired movers, s...

It started out as a rumor at Hogwarts that a horse was running loose in the Dark Forest, hunting for the lion of Gryffindor.  Bits and pieces of the rumor kept getting back to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, and being the curious sorts they were, they had to investigate.  They started at the logical place to ask for information about creatures in the Dark Forest, they went to see Hagrid.  "It's true," said Hagrid, "there's some ruddy horse out there stirring up the centaurs into a fury.  He keeps going on about needing to find the lion of Gryffindor.  The centaurs are in a right frenzy because he won't leave them alone about it.  I'm afraid there's going to be a rebellion amongst the centaurs if I can't find this horse & get him out of there!" As it was unlikely there was a creature Hagrid couldn't find and reason with, the trio figured they better help him out.  A rebellion of centaurs couldn't be good for Hogwarts.  Harry and Ron to...