Author: admin

Love Stories – Storytelling for Everyone

Greek Mythology

Artemis, Greek goddess of wild animals, the hunt, and of chastity and childbirth, was the daughter of Zeus and Leto, and the twin sister of Apollo. She was the goddess of wild nature, who danced, usually accompanied by nymphs, in mountains, forests, and marshes. Artemis embodied the sportsman’s ideal, so besides killing game she also protected it, especially the young.

Orion was a handsome giant hunter, the son of Poseidon and Euryale, the wife of King Minos. Orion traveled to the island of Crete, where he would eventually meet Artemis. In this initial encounter in Crete, Orion tried to impress Artemis, both being hunters, in some kind of hunt or a shared interest in the wild and nature.

Love Story 1: The Boastful Orion

There was a story where the two fell madly in love and would then hunt together, continuously trying to outdo each other. That is until Orion made the mistake of telling Artemis that he could slay anything that came from the earth.

This only served to anger Gaia, who considered all living things on earth to be her children, and so she took Orion’s boasting as a threat. As you would expect from any mother who thought her children were in danger, Gaia attempted to protect them.

She summoned a giant scorpion which Artemis and Orion would have to fight together. Orion was sadly killed during this battle; whether it came from the scorpion’s sting or Artemis’s accidental arrow—the love story ends here.

At the request of Artemis, the fallen hunter was placed in the sky as the constellation Orion and the Scorpion as Scorpio.

Love Story 2: Apollo, the Jealous Brother

So, let’s continue to the part of the story where Artemis and Orion defeat the giant scorpion and go on to live a long, happy and peaceful life together—except that never happened. Their relationship was never really left uninterrupted.

If Orion wasn’t killed by Artemis or a giant scorpion, then it was Artemis’ twin brother Apollo who ensured that the two would never be together.

It’s not easy to pinpoint the exact reason for Apollo’s actions, but jealousy and a dislike for giants may have something to do with it. Apollo could have been jealous for numerous reasons. One of them being the fact that he and his twin sister were very close. They grew up shunned and isolated by the rest of the gods, and together they battled and earned respect and the position they believed they deserved.

There’s no doubt that they were much more potent and a force to be reckoned with when they were together. Apollo would have been shoved to one side with Orion now in the picture, and their time together would have been limited, arguably making Apollo weaker. He also may not have liked that Artemis was willing to give up the vows that she had taken, especially for a giant.

One day, Apollo came across Orion when he was bathing in a lake. When standing, the giant was submerged to the point where only his head was visible. Apollo approached Artemis and challenged her to a competition to determine who was superior with the bow. When she asked her brother what exactly she would be aiming at, he pointed across the lake at what seemed like a rock. She accepted her brother’s challenge, pulling back her bow, firing and hitting the target.

Apollo was then overcome with joy, which was quite weird for someone who had just lost. Artemis drew closer to see exactly what she had hit; she realized that it was Orion in the lake. It was Orion’s head that she had hit, and it was her lover Orion who was now dead. Orion would once again become a constellation along with his pack of hunting hounds.

In one story, Apollo instead pointed to Orion’s head which bubbled in the lake and told Artemis it was the man responsible for attacking one of her followers. So Artemis wanting vengeance did not examine the situation; she just aimed and fired.

Regardless of what story you read, there are none where Artemis and Orion live a happy life together. They all end with the death of Orion and his place among the stars.

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Sources:

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Artemis-Greek-goddess

https://mythologyexplained.com/artemis-and-orion-in-greek-myths/#artemis-and-orionvarious-love-stories-visited

Tailypo – Storytelling for Everyone

An Appalachian Folktale

Old Man Fletcher lived in a log cabin, up a dark holler, deep in the mountains of West Virginia. He had three dogs that kept him company on the long lonely nights. Their names were I-Know, You-Know, and Calico.

The cabin only had one room. Old Man Fletcher had his bed one on side of the room and his fireplace was on the other. His dogs slept in the crawlspace under the porch. On cold winter nights, Old Man Fletcher liked to sit by the fireplace and warm his bones.

One winter night, Old Man Fletcher was feeling mighty hungry. The weather had been bad for several days, so he hadn’t been able to hunt and all he had left to eat was a handful of dry beans. He threw them into his cast iron pot where they landed with a hollow rattle, poured in some water from his gourd dipper, added a pinch of salt, and put them over the fire to cook. The water in the pot began to boil.

After awhile, Old Man Fletcher dipped his wooden spoon in and tasted the beans. They were still hard. Old Man Fletcher grimaced as he swallowed the rough mouthful. Why did beans take so long to cook? His stomach grumbled and he knew that the measly handful of beans wouldn’t be enough to satisfy his belly. He needed meat—maybe some salt pork or a slab of fatback. His mouth watered at the thought.

He settled back in his hickory chair and stared into the flames, listening to the bubbling of the beans. Logs burned down into coals. Old Man Fletcher sighed, and picked up another log to add. It was too big to fit under the pot so he grabbed his hatchet and spilt it into four pieces. He was just about to try the beans again when he heard a scratching sound coming from under the floorboards.

He looked down and saw a black-furred paw with long claws coming out of knothole in the floor. It was a hole he’d been meaning to fix but hadn’t got to yet. As he watched, claws dug into the wood and scratched viciously, wood crumbled away and the hole widened. The paw was followed by another paw and then a head appeared—as big around as his fist and set with glittering pair of green eyes.

The creature pulled the rest of its body inside. It was long like a weasel, but bigger, and it had thick, meaty tail that drug the on the ground behind it. The tail was hairless and pink, like an overweight rat’s. When the creature saw Old Man Fletcher, it humped up its back and hissed, revealing a jaws lined with pointed white teeth. Old Man Fletcher grabbed his hatchet.

The creature spun around and tried to dive back down the hole. It was fast, but so was Old Man Fletcher, he brought the hatchet down right at the base of the critter’s tail. The creature shrieked in pain and disappeared through the hole, leaving its bloody tail twitching on the floor.

Old Man Fletcher picked up the tail and was about to throw outside for the dogs, when he noticed how heavy it was in his hand. There was a lot of meat on it. His stomach rumbled again. So, he threw it into the pot of beans—skin, bones and all.

A wonderful smell filled the cabin. Old Man Fletcher waited as long as he could, then took the pot out of the fire. The beans were still a little hard, but he didn’t care, the meat tasted wonderful, kind of like squirrel.

With his stomach full, Old Man Fletcher plugged up the hole in the floor with some old rags. Then, he got into bed and drifted off to sleep.

He hadn’t been asleep too long when a sound woke him up. It sounded like something was trying to claw a hole through the wall of the cabin. Old Man Fletcher sat up in bed and looked around, trying to figure out which wall the sound was coming from.

“Tailypo. Tailypo. I want my Tailypo.”

The voice came from somewhere outside the door, on the porch. It was high, grating and strange—like a cat with pneumonia whining.

Old Man Fletcher jumped out of bed and called to his dogs. “I-Know! You-Know! Calico! Chase that thang off!”

The dogs started barking and scrabbled their way out from under the porch. The creature scratching on the way scampered away, leading the dogs off into the woods. Old Man Fletcher listened as their barks grew more and more distant. He stayed up until he heard them return, one by one, back under the porch to go to sleep.

Then, he climbed back in bed and pulled up his blanket. He was just about to drift off to sleep when he heard the scratching sound again. This time it sounded like it was coming from one of the windows. Whatever that creature was, it really wanted in! He heard the strange voice again, mewing louder this time.

“Tailypo! Tailypo! Where is my Tailypo?”

Old Man Fletcher was getting a little shaky. He eased up to the window and yelled to his dogs, “I-Know! You-Know! Calico! See what’s scratching on my house!”

The dogs came running and chased the critter back into the woods. Old Man Fletcher was too worried to sleep. He ripped the blanket off his bed, wrapped up in it and moved back to his hickory chair by the fire. He sat there listening, waiting for his dogs to return. They never did. A restless sleep soon overtook him.

The scent of smoke awoke the old man at dawn. He opened his eyes and leapt from the chair, kicking the blanket off him. The edge of the blanket had found its way into the fireplace sometime during the night and the wool was now smoldering. Old Man Fletcher stomped on the blanket trying to put out the flames now consuming it. He cursed and jumped back, nursing a burned foot. Thick smoke, heavy with the scent of burnt wool filled the cabin.

Old Man Fletcher coughed, his eyes streamed. He picked up the blanket by the corner, ran to the window, opened it and threw the blanket out. He stood there for a moment gulping in the fresh air and fanning the smoke.

The sun was shining, birds flitted through the tree branches and searched for food in the snow. Old Man Fletcher looked around, there was no sign of the strange, tailless critter. His foot throbbed. Old Man Fletcher limped back to the bed and sat down. He propped his foot up and laid back, exhausted from the events of the night, he fell into a deep sleep.

“Tailypo! Tailypo! You got my Tailypo!”

Old Man Fletcher opened his eyes to find the hideous creature from the night before perched on the end his bed. It jumped onto his chest and fixed him with its blood red eyes.

“I ain’t got your Tailypo no more, I—I ate it,” said Old Man Fletcher.

The creature leaned close and growled.

Old Man Fletcher’s screams echoed down the through the holler, then stopped, leaving a chilling silence.

The single-room, log cabin still stands in that holler, deep in the mountains of West Virginia. Occasionally hunters or hikers will stay there for the night. They say if you stay up late at night and listen closely, you’ll hear a strange voice on the wind.

“Tailypo! Tailypo! Now I got my Tailypo!”

___________________

Source: The Weekly Holler by Luke Bauserman
https://www.getrevue.co/profile/theweeklyholler/issues/tailypo-an-appalachian-folktale-the-weekly-holler-18-28041

Summer Sun Goddesses – Storytelling for Everyone

By Susan Morgaine

Hemera, Goddess of the Day

With the Summer Solstice upon us, it is time to turn our attention to the Summer Sun Goddess: Goddesses we can call on while meditating on a sandy beach, or invoke at a warm summer dawn.

There are many Goddesses associated with summer and the sun; these are but a few. May you be blessed by Her this summer.

Hemera (Greek)

Her name, which means “light,” Aurora/Eos is the Goddess of Dawn. She rode her chariot, bringing light across the sky. It is said that She had strong sexual urges, kidnapping men for her own uses. She brought forth hope in every new day and that Her tears create the dew of the morning.

Hemera, is a Greek Goddess of the Day. Her mother, the Goddess Nyx, brought darkness each night and each day, Hemera would brighten the world once again with her morning greeting.

Aestas (Roman)

While there is not much known about this Goddess of Summer, She stands by the throne of Phoebus, the Sun-God. Her name means summer or summer heat and She is depicted standing naked with only wheat sheaves in Her hair. She reminds us to enjoy the abundance and glory of summer.

Aditi (Hindu)

The Hindu Goddess and keeper of all light, Aditi illuminates life as we know it. She has no mother and had no birth. She exists for and from all time. It is said that She birthed a large egg, that moved into the sky and became the sun.

Hathor (Egyptian)

The Egyptian Goddess of the sky, She is still worshipped today. She is the “Mother of the Sun”, and is depicted with a solar disk on Her headdress. Many festivals are held in Her honor, but on New Year’s Day, Her image was brought out of the Temple at Dendera to catch the rays of the newborn sunlight. “She is the body in which the soul resides.”

Aine (Irish)

The Sun Goddess of Ireland, Her name means brightness, joy, radiance and glow; She brings us the power of the sun and the abundance of summer. She was honored at mid-summer at the top of Her Hill on Cnoc Aine. It is said that She gave the gift of grain to the people of Ireland. She could assume the shape of a red mare, at will.

Ameratsu (Japanese/Shinto)

A Japanese Shinto Goddess, She is honored as the ruler of all other deities. As the guardian of Her people, Her name means, ”great shining in heaven.” Her emblem, the rising sun, is on the flag of Japan. She is worshiped at the Shinto Grand Shrine of Ise in Japan.

Wishing you all the joys and blessings of Summer!

_____________________

Source: http://themotherhouseofthegoddess.com/2016/06/06/summersun-goddesses-susan-morgaine/

(Originally Published at paganpages.org August, 2015)

Author adminPosted on June 24, 2022Categories Folktales, Legends, Myth, Nature, SeasonsTags goddesses, summer, Summer Solstice, sun goddesses

Rain Dance – Storytelling for Everyone

Native American

Native American rain dances have been around for centuries as a ceremonial ritual to help with the growth of harvests, and can be appreciated now in an exhibition or commemoration of Native American history.

The Reasoning of the Rain Dance

A rain dance is one of the most famous ceremonial dances of choreographed movement which once held the responsibility of appealing to the various Native American gods. The rain dance in particular was a way to gain favor and summon rain to come down and nourish the crops that would serve as sustenance for a specific tribe.

The Cherokees in the Southeast are one tribe famous for using the rain dance for rain induction and the cleansing of evil spirits. Since the crops were the livelihood of many Native Americans, the special dance seemed like a reasonable activity for those hoping to get the very best out of their harvest.

Cherokee legend dictates that the amount of rain received each year was filled with the spirits of the tribe’s past chiefs, and that as the raindrops fall, these good spirits battle evil in a transitional spiritual plane. For this reason, the rain dance is considered to be religious, and many of its elaborate versions could invoke acts of uncommon, extreme worship of spirits by those specific dancers.

Details of Native American Rain Dances

When the Native American Relocation took place in the United States during the 19th century, many of these traditional dances that were so special to the Indians were considered to be backward and dangerous by those of the modern world. In turn, the government banned many of the Native American dances, but the rain dance was able to continue as the tribes masked it as a different dance when government officials interrogated them. Depending on the region being persecuted, the rain dance covered up for other illegal dances such as the sun dance. It all became interchangeable – confusing to the outside world, but still impressively organized and reverent to the Native Americans themselves.

Like many aspects of tribal life, certain elements of the earth are represented in their dances. Feathers were used to represent wind, while turquoise on their costuming was used to symbolize rain. Since rain dance traditions have been continued via an oral history, the specific traditions of each tribe’s rain dance have evolved as the story has been passed down. However, the main symbols of feathers and turquoise, and the same mentality and purpose of dance has successfully continued downward.

Apparently early Native Americans found success in their rain dance, as they have been credited by scientists as being some of America’s earliest meteorologists. Those Indians who lived in the Midwest often knew how to follow and track various patterns of weather, and sometimes bartered with settlers of the new world – a rain dance in exchange for some modern items.

Learning About Rain Dances

Today, many school children learn about rain dances by experiencing one first hand. Though far from the traditional dance meaning and environment, teachers sometimes incorporate a Native American lesson into history class. This usually involves the listening of a traditional tribal song and then quizzing the children on what they have just heard. What instruments were used? What were the different sounds? What type of people made this sound? Why?

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Source: https://dance.lovetoknow.com/Native_American_Rain_Dances

Author adminPosted on October 18, 2021Categories History, Legends, Nature, SeasonsTags Indigenous Peoples Day, Native American, rain dance

Goddess Aditi – Storytelling for Everyone

Hindu Mythology

Aditi’s themes are luck, change, perspective, time, protection, prosperity, overcoming obstacles and divination. Her symbols are butter, the number twelve, and anything that changes shape.  Aditi means ‘unfettered.’

Aditi is believed to be the guardian of all life and the mother of all gods. Thus, it is believed that before the creation, the universe was inside the womb of goddess Aditi.

She represents the infinite sky and the boundlessness of time and space. She offers us this expansive perspective – one in which we are citizens of eternity. Additionally, Aditi is a protector who aids in averting or surmounting difficulties. In regional prayers, people refer to Her as the ever-young protectress who guides life’s boat safely through the roughest waters.

Buddhists believe that the world is transient – that only spirit is eternal. The Butter Festival illustrates this concept with huge butter statues of heroes that are torn, distributed to participants for luck, or tossed in a river to melt away into time.

One of India’s most honored Goddesses is Aditi. The name means “limitless.” In that respect, it fits Her well because She is considered to be all encompassing.

A strong and mighty deity, Aditi is also called Mother Cosmos. As such, She is credited with giving birth to the planets and the stars, which in turn tie her to the seven dimensions of the cosmos.

Considered a highly benevolent and gentle Goddess, Aditi holds an honored position in the pantheon of Indian Gods and Goddesses. She is the Goddess of the past as well as the Goddess of the future. She is also the keeper of the light that illuminates all life and ensures consciousness.

According to Hindu myth, Aditi was given as consort to Kasyapa. She gave birth to many children including Vishnu (in his early stages of life) and Krishna (in the latter stages). He is, of course, a figure of great import among the Hindu. Aditi’s son Mitra was god of the sun while Her son, Varuna, was god of the moon.

Another of her children, the great Goddess Indra, was called the mother of kings because Her children fathered a long line of rulers.

However, Aditi is best known as the mother of the Adityas. These children were named in Her honor and were later associated with the signs of the zodiac. They were also believed to protect humankind from all illness and catastrophe.

All of this would certainly seem to make Aditi the ultimate mother, having given birth to those who, in turn, brought life to everything else including plants, animals, and human beings. She became the guardian of all life and the supporter of all creatures.

It is in this latter role, that Her people often seek Her assistance in much the same way that a human child would turn to his or her mother. Her children ask for help from everything from sickness to sin. She, in turn, assists them in finding the path that will bring them the happiness and contentment they deserve.

Some claim that, while Aditi is always present even though She cannot be seen, that she will make Herself fully visible at the advent of the apocalypse.

It is then that She will wrap Her children in Her eternal cloak and protect them for all eternity.

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Kuchinsky, Charlotte. Yahoo! Voices, “Aditi: Uncovering the Myth of the Indian Goddess.”

Author adminPosted on July 8, 2022Categories Legends, MythTags Buddhism, goddess, Hindu, mother goddess, protector

Goddess Demeter – Storytelling for Everyone

Greek Mythology

Demeter appeared most commonly as a grain goddess. The name Ioulo (from ioulos, “grain sheaf”) has been regarded as identifying her with the sheaf and as proving that the cult of Demeter originated in the worship of the grain mother.

Demeter, in Greek religion, daughter of the deities Cronus and Rhea, sister and consort of Zeus (the king of the gods), and goddess of agriculture. Her name indicates that she is a mother.

Demeter is rarely mentioned by Homer, nor is she included among the Olympian gods, but the roots of her legend are probably ancient. The legend centers on the story of her daughter Persephone, who is carried off by Hades, the god of the underworld. Demeter goes in search of Persephone and, during her journey, reveals her secret rites to the people of Eleusis, who had hospitably received her (see Eleusinian Mysteries).

Another important aspect of Demeter was that of a divinity of the underworld; she was worshiped as such at Sparta, and especially at the festival of Chthonia at Hermione in Argolis, where a cow was sacrificed by four old women.

The epithets Erinys (“Avenger”) and Melaina (“the Black One”) as applied to Demeter were localized in Arcadia and stress the darker side of her character.

Demeter also appeared as a goddess of health, birth, and marriage. A certain number of political and ethnic titles were assigned to her, the most important being Amphiktyonis, as patron goddess of the Amphictyonic League, subsequently well known in connection with the temple at Delphi.

Among the agrarian festivals held in honour of Demeter were the following: Haloa, apparently derived from halōs (“threshing floor”), begun at Athens and finished at Eleusis, where there was a threshing floor of Triptolemus, her first priest and inventor of agriculture; it was held in the month Poseideon (December).

Chloia, the festival of the grain beginning to sprout, held at Eleusis in the early spring (Anthesterion) in honour of Demeter Chloë (“the Green”), the goddess of growing vegetation.

Proerosia, at which prayers were offered for an  abundant harvest, before the land was plowed for sowing. It was also called Proarktouria, an indication that it was held before the rising of Arcturus. The festival took place, probably sometime in September, at Eleusis.  

Thalysia, a thanksgiving festival held in autumn after the harvest in the island of Cos. The Thesmophoria, a women’s festival meant to improve the fruitfulness of the seed grain. The Skirophoria held in midsummer, a companion festival.

Her attributes were connected chiefly with her character as goddess of agriculture and vegetation—ears of grain, the mystic basket filled with flowers, grain, and fruit of all kinds. The pig was her favourite animal, and as a chthonian (underworld) deity she was accompanied by a snake.

In Greek art Demeter resembled Hera, but she was more matronly and of milder expression; her form was broader and fuller. She was sometimes riding in a chariot drawn by horses or dragons, sometimes walking, or sometimes seated upon a throne, alone or with her daughter.

The Romans identified Demeter with Ceres.

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Source: https://www.britannica.com/topic/Demeter

Author adminPosted on July 11, 2022Categories Legends, Myth, Nature, SeasonsTags Ceres, Eleusinian Mysteries, grain, greek, harvest, mythology, Persephone, wheat

Water Tiger – Storytelling for Everyone

Lunar New Year 2022

Lunar New Year is on Tuesday, February 1st. Also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival, Lunar New Year is celebrated at the second new moon following the Winter Solstice.

This festival marks the end of winter and the beginning of a long-awaited spring! According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2022 is the Year of the Tiger. So what does the Year of the Tiger have in store for us? And will it be better than 2021 (The Year of the Ox)? Let’s find out!

What does the Tiger mean?

The Chinese Zodiac dates back to the Qin Dynasty over 2000 years ago and is rooted in a system of zoolatry (or animal worship). As the legend goes, the Jade Emperor challenged all the animals in the Kingdom to a “Great Race.” Whoever arrived at his palace first would win his favor. The Tiger was sure that he had the race in the bag, but ended up placing third after the cunning Rat and workhorse Ox snuck in ahead of him. Thus, Tigers are extremely competitive people, known for their courage and ambition.

Tigers are ambitious, but they’re also extremely generous with a drive to help others. Tigers want to win, but they’re also always seeking justice.

Was I born during the Year of the Tiger?

If you were born in 1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998 or 2010, you were born during the Year of the Tiger. Famous people born during Tiger years include Queen Elizabeth II, Christopher Lloyd, Stevie Wonder, Martin Short, Jon Bon Jovi, Leonardo DiCaprico, Penelope Cruz, Lady Gaga, Jon Batiste and Shawn Mendes. That’s some mega-talented company!

So what’s in store for the Year of the Tiger?

The Year of the Rat (2020) was about survival, and the Year of the Ox (2021) was about anchoring ourselves in a new reality. The Year of the Tiger will be about making big changes. This will be a year of risk-taking and adventure. We’re finding enthusiasm again, both for ourselves and for others. Everyone is fired up, generosity is at an all-time high and social progress feels possible again.

The Tiger is associated with Yang (masculine, active) energy. Tigers do things their own way and hate being told what to do. Expect things to rapidly change this year. Sudden disruptions in career, romance and home life should be expected. Some of us will thrive through taking great leaps, while others might crash and burn. So while it’s important to follow our intuition and run with our wildest dreams, that means we also have to keep our egos in check.

In addition to the animals, the Chinese Zodiac also cycles through five elemental types. So, this is not only the Year of the Tiger, it’s the year of the Water Tiger. Water years bring out our emotions more than any of the other elements. Water Tigers are family-oriented and have wonderful interpersonal relationships. Though they’re extremely driven and can be brash, their goal is always to do what’s best for everyone, not just for themselves.

Overall, this is a year for switching careers, building teams or getting back into creative projects. Life is short so why not be happy?

I’m a Tiger. Is 2022 going to be my best year ever?

Born under this sign, you might think that the Year of the Tiger is your time to shine, but sadly, it’s actually the opposite. Traditionally, a zodiac sign’s year is the most unlucky for them in Chinese astrology. That said, since 2022 is about fiercely pursuing passions for all of the signs, as a Tiger, you know how to go big or go home better than most. You may be rewarded for the bold risks you’re willing to take.

Though this isn’t the ideal year for the Tiger, this year will be great for Horses (who prioritize freedom over everything), Pigs (who are pragmatic yet pleasure-driven), and Dogs (who are fiercely loyal). Monkeys (who are driven by intellect rather than action), and Snakes (who love strategizing in secret) may have a harder time this year.

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Source: https://www.purewow.com/wellness/year-of-the-tiger

The Power of Baba Yaga – Storytelling for Everyone

Slavic Folklore

In Slavic myths, Baba Yaga is the wild woman or dark lady of magic and there are many folktales about her.

These stories may come from people who lived in the forests of northern Russia and Finland many years ago. For centuries, they had stone statues named Yaga or Golden Babas. Often the statues had their own little huts, built on tree stumps, full of gifts. They were statues of a local goddess that people asked for advice. She also had the power to decide what happened to people, a bit like Baba Yaga.

The word Baba can mean any woman old enough to marry. In the stories, however, Baba Yaga is often described as a frightening, wild, old witch with a terrible appetite for eating people. The story of “Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Fair” is one of the well-known tales and has much in common with other folk tales, such as Cinderella.

Why is Baba Yaga important—Witch or Wise Woman?

Baba Yaga may stand for a person’s fate. When someone enters the hut, they live or die depending on what they say and do. Some also say that Baba Yaga stands for the dark side of wisdom, and the character of Vasilisa stands for the light side.

However she came about, she is more than just an ugly old witch, for she has power—people should fear and respect her.

In many ancient societies, older women were seen as the keepers of wisdom and tradition for the family or tribe. No longer having to care for children, they became mother to the rest of the community.

It was believed that these wise women understood the mysteries of birth and death. They were healers and looked after the dying. Sometimes they were thought to have the power of life and death itself. The word witch once meant wise.

Later, from the 12th century, when people began to believe in the use of magic power for evil, people began to fear and hate these wise women with their potions and advice. Many were put to death and the picture of the wise woman or ‘witch’ changed, to become the frightening, ugly, evil old hag, casting wicked spells, as in the stories today.

Baba Yaga is interesting because, although she is described as a terrifying old witch, she is still wise and powerful; wild, cruel but sometimes also kind. Baba Yaga makes a link between the wise women of early myths and the witches of folk and fairytales.

How does Baba-Yaga live?

Like most witches, Baba Yaga can fly but she does not use a broomstick. Instead, she sits in a giant mortar (a bowl for grinding food) with her knees almost touching her chin. She drives very fast across or above the forest floor, and uses the pestle (the grinder) as a rudder held in her right hand. She sweeps away her tracks with a broom made out of silver birch held in her left hand. Wherever she appears, a wild wind begins to blow, the trees groan and leaves whirl through the air.

Her home is a hut deep in a birch forest, in a place that is difficult to find, unless a magic thread, feather or doll shows the way. The hut has a life of its own. It stands on large chicken legs and can move about. Its windows act as eyes and the lock is full of teeth.

A post fence surrounds the hut. The posts are made of human bones and topped with skulls whose blazing eye sockets light up the forest. Very often the hut is guarded by hungry dogs, evil geese, swans or a black cat.

The hut can spin around and moves through the forest. It makes blood-curdling screeches. Most of those who go in never leave, as Baba Yaga washes them, feeds them and then places them on a giant spatula, before putting them in her oven.

In many stories, the fate of those entering her hut is in their own hands. A guest may, or may not, fit into the oven, depending on how they fit on the spatula. Although she eats as much as ten men, Baba Yaga is very skinny and bony, like a skeleton. Her nose is very long and hooked.

Why do people seek help from Baba Yaga?

It may seem strange that anyone would look for Baba Yaga or enter her hut. However, she is wise and is all knowing, all seeing and tells the whole truth to those who are brave enough to ask.

She rules over the elements (fire, air, earth and water). Her faithful servants are the White Horseman, the Red Horseman and the Black Horseman. She calls them, ‘My Bright Dawn, my Red Sun and my Dark Midnight’ because they control daybreak, sunrise, and nightfall.

Some of her other servants are her soul friends (three bodiless pairs of hands, which suddenly appear to carry out her wishes) and her herdsman, the sorcerer Koshchey the Deathless.

Often a hero or heroine enters her hut looking for wisdom, knowledge, truth or help, like Vasilisa. Baba Yaga aids the heroes and heroines, by giving advice, finding weapons and making tasks easier.

Like many myths and folk tales, these stories also have a moral: If you are good and wise, listen to your elders, and use your intuition you will be rewarded. But if you are cruel and unkind, like the wicked stepmother and her daughters, you might meet a bad end.

_________________________

Source: https://www.historicmysteries.com/baba-yaga/

Year of the Black Water Rabbit – Storytelling for Everyone

Lunar New Year 2023

On January 22nd 2023, the Lunar New Year of the Rabbit bounds into action. All Rabbit years are believed to bring happiness and good luck, but this is no ordinary Rabbit year, for 2023 is the year of the Black Water Rabbit—a specially gifted, creative Rabbit that has not been seen since 1963.

After the chaos and tumult of the departing Year of the Tiger, Water Rabbit energy promises to restore peace and harmony and shower the world with a myriad of opportunities. But will you benefit from the Rabbit’s generosity? The Year of the Rabbit might bring hope and prosperity your way—as well as a few surprises.

This is quite different than last year’s Tiger year. Think of it this way: “Tigers can take on anything and bring courage, a strong moral code and responsiveness,” says Ingress. “Whereas this year, we can anticipate more diplomacy or more cautious approaches on the world stage and for individuals.”

The Meaning of Chinese New Year’s customs

Chinese New Year is the most widely celebrated Chinese holiday across the globe. This year, it falls on Jan. 22, 2023, and will begin the Year of the Rabbit. “Different regional cultures celebrate through distinct activities and food,” says Jenny Leung, executive director of the Chinese Culture Center of San Francisco. “For example, people in northern China eat dumplings on Lunar New Year’s Eve, while people in southern China prepare rice cakes, with the meaning of ‘climbing higher in the new year.’” 

As a holiday that goes back thousands of years, there are a wide variety of Chinese New Year traditions that have been passed down. Some are based on myth, some on symbolism, some on superstitions, and some on wordplay. Each individual may choose to celebrate a little differently based on preferences, beliefs, and location, but almost everyone spends time with family and eats Chinese New Year food.  

Chinese New Year is also referred to as Lunar New Year, a term that includes other cultures that celebrate the start of the new year using the same calendar system. In China, it’s also known as Spring Festival. “Lunar New Year celebrates the first days of spring on the lunar calendar,” says Leung. “Historically, celebrating Lunar New Year in China was meant to pray for good blessings on farming in the new year—hence, worshiping ancestors has always been a critical component.”

Clean to prepare for the new year

Each year is seen as a fresh, new beginning, so starting it off with a clean house is important. Giannina Ong, editor-in-chief of Mochi Magazine, the longest-running online publication for Asian American women, advises that the timing of your cleanup is crucial. “Leading up to the New Year, you should clean as much as possible to clear out the bad luck and any leftover ill feelings from the previous year,” she says.

Decorate to invite good fortune

In terms of decoration, Ong says “everything is red because a fire sign symbolizes new life and prosperity.” The origins of red’s lucky properties may stem from a legend about a beast named Nian (an approximate homophone for the Chinese word for year), who appeared on New Year’s Eve to wreak havoc. People figured out that Nian was afraid of the color red, and to this day, people hang red lanterns, couplets written on red paper and the character fu (meaning good fortune) on red paper.

That character is usually hung upside down—the word for turning something upside down, or pouring, also sounds like the word for arriving, so an upside-down fu symbol invites good luck to arrive. Flowers and kumquat fruit trees are also symbolic of prosperity, so after cleaning, you can bring some blossoms into your house for extra good luck. In addition to these Chinese New Year traditions, check out these tips from feng shui experts to keep the good vibes going all year long.

Visit family

Family is the cornerstone of Chinese life, so naturally one would aim to start each new year in the company of their loved ones. In China, the Spring Festival comes with a one-week vacation. People across the country flock to their families in what is often called “the world’s largest human migration.” Leung explains that “similar to Thanksgiving and Christmas, Chinese New Year is also a holiday for people to get together with family members, to celebrate the spring and the start of the new year.”

Eat delicious and auspicious food

One of the most popular Chinese New Year traditions is the food. Who doesn’t love an excuse to eat a festive meal? These dishes also have special symbolism attached to them. “On both birthdays and Lunar New Year, we make sure to eat long noodles,” says Ong. “You can’t break them while cooking or cut them while eating either, because the length of the noodles is a symbol of longevity. So get slurpy!”

In addition to these long-life noodles, spring rolls (shaped like gold bars) and dumplings (which resemble silver ingots, or boat-shaped blocks) are eaten for prosperity, and a number of other foods are eaten because of how their names sound. For example, yú, the word for fish in Mandarin, sounds like the word for surplus. Fish for Chinese New Year dinner is most often prepared steamed and whole. Don’t worry if you can’t finish it—leaving a little left over further enhances one’s surplus. In other parts of the world, these are the New Year’s Eve foods believed to bring good luck.

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Source: https://www.cnet.com/culture/chinese-new-year-2023-what-is-year-of-the-rabbit/

8 Chinese New Year Traditions, Explained

Ye Xian – Storytelling for Everyone

Chinese Cinderella

Illustrations of Stephanie Pui Mun Law

The Beginning of Ye Xian’s Story

The protagonist of the tale, Ye Xian, is the motherless daughter of a cave-dwelling chieftain in an uncertain region of Southern China called Wudoung. The other primary characters of Ye Xian’s tale all fall into a very similar role to that of the European “Cinderella”: There is the cruel stepmother, one of two wives of Ye Xian’s father; an unkind stepsister called Jun-li, whose age varies depending on the translation; a supernatural wish granting figure; and—of course—the royal man who will whisk Ye Xian away from her difficulties. 

Ye Xian is mentally and physically juxtaposed with her stepsister Jun-li. While Jun-li is considered unpleasant to look upon and is an incredibly envious girl, Ye Xian is described as stereotypically beautiful, kind, and clever.

With the death of her father, Ye Xian is forced to become the servant to her stepfamily, as much to destroy her beauty as to degrade her. Furthermore, since her father was a Chinese chieftain without male heirs, this allowed another man to take control of the tribe, thus regulating Ye Xian and her family to poverty.

Ye Xian’s Magical Protector

Ye Xian’s only relief comes from her acquaintance with a very large and talkative fish living in the river near Ye Xian’s home. The fish, as it turns out, is a guardian sent from the sky by her ever-present mother, and helps Ye Xian through her dark home life. That is, until Jun-li spies on Ye Xian with the fish and Ye Xian’s stepmother stabs it with a dagger and eat it for her and Jun-li’s dinner.

However, just as the fairy godmother of the better known maiden Cinderella has extraordinary magic, so does Ye Xian’s magical fish. Its role in Ye Xian’s future does not end with this mishap.

Following the murder of her only friend, Ye Xian is visited by the spirit of an old ancestor who informs her that while the shell of her friend might be gone, its spirit is still alive. Through the burial of the fish bones in the four corners of her bedroom, Ye Xian can still harness the power of her spirit guide as one would a genie—whatever Ye Xian wishes for will come true.

A Happy Ending for Ye Xian

As the festival to celebrate the coming of the New Year arrives, Ye Xian is left alone in her cave home as her stepmother fears Ye Xian’s beauty is still capable of outshining Jun-li. With the aid of the fish wishing bones, Ye Xian manages to attend the great gathering in secret, dressed in a beautiful, feathered silk dress and a pair of golden slippers.

Ye Xian is the star of the party, praised for her outstanding beauty and grace. But the presence of her stepfamily threatens her identity. When she fears they might have recognized her, she flees and leaves behind one of her valuable golden shoes. 

Through a series of intelligent trades, the golden slipper ends up in the hands of the king of the To’Han islets, a large kingdom encompassing numerous islands. The shoe’s small size intrigues the man, as small feet were (until recently) considered a sign of ideal female beauty, and demands to find the shoe’s owner. No woman, of course, is able to properly fit her foot in the shoe.

The story ends as one would expect: Despite all odds, Ye Xian makes her way to the location where the slipper is kept—on display in a pavilion—convinces the king that it is her shoe, and tells him the circumstances of her life. The king becomes captivated by her, and rescues her from her horrid stepfamily, setting her up in To’Han as both his wife and queen.

Shortly afterwards, the wicked Stepmother and her daughter were killed in an avalanche of flying rocks. The villagers buried them in a grave marked ‘The Tomb of the Regretful Women.’

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Source: First published in the Tang dynasty compilation Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang written around 850 CE by Duan Chengshi. The Ye Xian, a story similar to the fairy tale Cinderella, appears in Chapter 21. The story was allegedly told by Duan’s servant Li Shiyuan, a native from what is now Nanning. It is set during the late 3rd century BCE. The exact location is unknown, but the most likely candidate is Guangxi, where the shoe eventually found its way to a king from an island.

Note: Long before the European Cinderella fairytale cycle, there was Ye Xian, the tale of a young Chinese girl living sometime between the Qin and Han Dynasties of China (221-206 BCE and 206 -220 CE, respectively). Ye Xian or Yeh–Shen is a Chinese fairy tale that is similar to the European Cinderella story, but predates it and is one of the most well-known of the Cinderella tale type (ATU 510A).

https://www.ancient-origins.net/news-myths-legends/fish-wish-your-heart-makes-2200-year-old-tale-chinese-cinderella-003506

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