Legends - Storytelling for Everyone

A Legend of Frau Holle – Storytelling for Everyone

Northern European Goddess

In some Scandinavian traditions, Frau Holle is known as the feminine spirit of the woods and plants, and was honored as the sacred embodiment of the earth and land itself. It is said that when Frau Holle shakes out her mattresses, white feathers fall to the earth as snow. A feast is held in her honor each winter by many people in the Germanic countries.

GERMAN FOLKTALE

There was once a widow who had two daughters—one of whom was pretty and industrious, while the other was ugly and idle. But she was much fonder of the ugly and idle one, because she was her own daughter; and the other, who was a step-daughter, was obliged to do all the work in the house. Every day the poor girl had to sit by a well, in the highway, and spin and spin till her fingers bled.

Now it happened that one day the shuttle was marked with her blood, so she dipped it in the well, to wash the mark off; but it dropped out of her hand and fell to the bottom. She began to weep, and ran to her step-mother and told of the mishap.

But she scolded her sharply, and was so merciless as to say, “Since you have let the shuttle fall in, you must fetch it out again.”

So the girl went back to the well, and did not know what to do; and in the sorrow of her heart she jumped into the well to get the shuttle. She lost her senses; and when she awoke and came to herself again, she was in a lovely meadow where the sun was shining and many thousands of flowers were growing.

Along this meadow she went, and at last came to a baker’s oven full of bread, and the bread cried out, “Oh, take me out! take me out! or I shall burn; I have been baked a long time!” So she went up to it, and took out all the loaves one after another with the bread-shovel.

After that she went on till she came to a tree covered with apples, which called out to her, “Oh, shake me! shake me! we apples are all ripe!” So she shook the tree till the apples fell like rain, and went on shaking till they were all down, and when she had gathered them into a heap, she went on her way.

At last she came to a little house, out of which an old woman peeped; but she had such large teeth that the girl was frightened, and was about to run away.

But the old woman called out to her, “What are you afraid of, dear child? Stay with me; if you will do all the work in the house properly, you shall be the better for it. Only you must take care to make my bed well, and to shake it thoroughly till the feathers fly—for then there is snow on the earth. I am Mother Holle.”

As the old woman spoke so kindly to her, the girl took courage and agreed to enter her service. She attended to everything to the satisfaction of her mistress, and always shook her bed so vigorously that the feathers flew about like snow-flakes. So she had a pleasant life with her; never an angry word; and boiled or roast meat every day.

She stayed some time with Mother Holle, and then she became sad. At first she did not know what was the matter with her, but found at length that it was homesickness; although she was many times better off here than at home, still she had a longing to be there.

At last she said to the old woman, “I have a longing for home; and however well off I am down here, I cannot stay any longer; I must go up again to my own people.” Mother Holle said, “I am pleased that you long for your home again, and as you have served me so truly, I myself will take you up again.”

Thereupon she took her by the hand, and led her to a large door. The door was opened, and just as the maiden was standing beneath the doorway, a heavy shower of golden rain fell, and all the gold remained sticking to her, so that she was completely covered with it.

“You shall have that because you are so industrious,” said Mother Holle; and at the same time she gave her back the shuttle which she had let fall into the well. Thereupon the door closed, and the maiden found herself up above upon the earth, not far from her mother’s house.

And as she went into the yard the cock cried: “Cock-a-doodle-doo! Your golden girl’s come back to you!”

So she went in to her mother, and as she arrived thus covered with gold, she was well received, both by her and her sister.

The girl told all that had happened to her; and as soon as the mother heard how she had come by so much wealth, she was very anxious to obtain the same good luck for the ugly and lazy daughter.

She had to seat herself by the well and spin; and in order that her shuttle might be stained with blood, she stuck her hand into a thorn-bush and pricked her finger. Then she threw her shuttle into the well, and jumped in after it.

She came, like the other, to the beautiful meadow and walked along the very same path. When she got to the oven the bread again cried, “Oh, take me out! take me out! or I shall burn; I have been baked a long time!” But the lazy thing answered, “As if I had any wish to make myself dirty!” and on she went.

Soon she came to the apple-tree, which cried, “Oh, shake me! shake me! we apples are all ripe!” But she answered, “I like that! one of you might fall on my head,” and so went on.

When she came to Mother Holle’s house she was not afraid, for she had already heard of her big teeth, and she hired herself to her immediately.

The first day she forced herself to work diligently, and obeyed Mother Holle when she told her to do anything, for she was thinking of all the gold that she would give her. But on the second day she began to be lazy, and on the third day still more so, and then she would not get up in the morning at all.

Neither did she make Mother Holle’s bed as she ought, and did not shake it so as to make the feathers fly up. Mother Holle was soon tired of this, and gave her notice to leave. The lazy girl was willing enough to go, and thought that now the golden rain would come.

Mother Holle led her, too, to the great door; but while she was standing beneath it, instead of the gold a big kettleful of pitch was emptied over her. “That is the reward of your service,” said Mother Holle, and shut the door.

So the lazy girl went home; but she was quite covered with pitch, and the cock by the well-side, as soon as he saw her, cried: “Cock-a-doodle-doo! Your pitchy girl’s come back to you.” But the pitch stuck fast to her, and could not be got off as long as she lived.

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Source: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Household tales by the Brothers Grimm. Translated by Margaret Hunt. London: George Bell and Sons, 1884.

Frau Holle is a similar pre-Christian goddess/witch to the Slavic forest witch, Baba Yaga.

Green Man Legends – Storytelling for Everyone

By Kitty Fields

Green Man mask by Lauren Raine

The Green Man is a forest spirit steeped in folklore dating back hundreds (possibly thousands) of years. Sources say the Green Man legend originated in Europe; however, stories and evidence circulate worldwide. If you google “Green Man,” you’ll find a plethora of information on the Green Man motifs and sculptures found in gothic churches all over Europe. But there’s much more to the Green Man legend.

Is this forest god merely an old pagan legend or is he real?

Green Man Legend: Pagan Origins

The first time I’d read about the Green Man, the legend grabbed my attention and didn’t let go. I’ve always had a fascination with forest spirits, fairies, and old gods but the Green Man holds a special place in my wild heart. The Green Man, while overlooked in modern times as a piece of garden art, was once a forest god to our pagan ancestors. He wasn’t just a forest god—he was the ultimate guardian of the forest.

Who is the Green Man?

The Green Man is an omnipresent, ancient guardian of the forest. He’s depicted as being a man with green skin and covered completely in foliage of various types. The most popular Green Man illustrations depict oak leaves and acorns, hawthorn leaves, and sometimes holly leaves and berries. Sometimes leaves spew from his mouth. He’s an ever-present symbol of rebirth, rejuvenation, and the life and death cycle of nature. His job is to keep the woods wild—to preserve the sanctity of the forest (plants, trees, rivers, and animals) threatened by our modern advancements.

Jack in the Green and the Burryman

There’s a theory that Green Man was once a central figure of May Day, in ancient Ireland called Beltane, a fire and fertility festival. While this theory is debated, we see a glimpse of the Green Man in the figure, Jack in the Green.

Jack in the Green is a man clothed in foliage and paraded in a procession on May Day in modern times. The tradition nearly died out but has seen a revival because of pagan and historical groups in England. While seemingly odd in modern times, in ancient times it was performed to ensure a bountiful crop.

A similar tradition in Scotland called the Burryman still exists, in which a man is covered in sticky burdock heads (called burries) and waltzed around town to ensure good luck for the coming year. And again, in Derbyshire, the Garland King is dressed all in flowers. The tradition of covering oneself in foliage isn’t a new idea.

Wild Men of the Woods

The Green Man myth mirrors various woodland creatures and gods. In fact, he may be the same or may have inspired the legends of other similar beings such as the Wild Men of the Woods (AKA woodwose, wodwose, wudwas), the horned god Cernunnos, and Greek forest spirits called fauns.

Wildmen of the Woods are forest beings whose origins are now somewhat shrouded in mystery—just like the Green Man. They were men who lived in the forest, covered in hair, with an otherworldly wisdom. Wildmen of the Woods might have once been pagan gods, demonized by the Christian church, who have fallen into the category of “folklore” after their cults disappeared under the pressure of conversion. With the Dark Ages, people were warned of going too deep into the woods for fear of encountering beasts, fairies, and wild men. Were these Wildmen of the Woods the German version of the Romans’ fauns? Were they the same as the Green Man?

Fauns and Cernunnos

Fauns are a Roman mythological creature mirroring the Wild Men of the Woods. The difference between the two was the faun’s goat-like features. The faun has goat legs, cloven hooves, and tail. But make no mistake—both were hairy beasts that lived in the forests. Both were feared and revered. Very similar to the Green Man (except the Green Man was covered in leaves instead of hair).

Cernunnos

I’d also like to point out the legend and cult of Cernunnos—the horned god of the Celts. Again, we have a being who was lord of the forest, who bore horns on his head whose evidence is seen all over Europe. I’m not the first to make the comparison between fauns and Cernunnos, nor am I the first to compare Cernunnos to the Green Man legend. For they all represent that primal, wild part of man who was once so deeply connected to nature. They all symbolize the untouched parts of the forest that refuse to be tamed. They are all fertile, virile creatures with a love for the wild. And while most of us see these beings as fantasy, they were once more than that.

Modern Green Man Sightings

There have been numerous green man sightings in modern times, leaving us to wonder if the Green Man is more than a mythical figure. A man in England recalls his Green Man sighting as a boy. He and his friends were putting up a swing in the woods, where he encountered a seven-foot-tall man with long hair cloaked in leaves. He believes this to be the Green Man and still has nightmares about it. There are those who believe Big Foot might also be the Green Man or at least in the same “family.” People who see Big Foot claim he’s covered in leaves. Is the Green Man legend or is he real?

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Source: https://otherworldlyoracle.com/green-man-legend-sightings/

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La Lorona – Storytelling for Everyone

A Latinx Legend

The legend of La Llorona, Spanish for the Weeping Woman, has been a part of Latinx culture in the Southwest since the days of the conquistadores. The tale is so commonly told that every community has its own version of the story. But one thing stays the same—listeners always believe La Llorona is local, and storytellers always seem to know someone who has either heard or seen the undead mother.

Though the tales vary from source to source, the one common thread is that the Weeping Woman is the spirit is of a doomed mother who drowned her children and now spends eternity searching for them in rivers and lakes.

The tall, thin spirit is said to be blessed with natural beauty and long flowing black hair. Wearing a white gown, she roams the rivers and creeks, wailing into the night and searching for children to drag, screaming to a watery grave:

La Llorona, named “Maria,” was born to a peasant family in a humble village. Her startling beauty captured the attention of both the rich and the poor men of the area. She was said to have spent her days in her humble surroundings, but in the evenings, she would don her best white gown and thrill the men who admired her in the local fandangos.

The young men anxiously waited for her arrival and she reveled in the attention that she received. However, La Llorona had two small sons who made it difficult for her to spend her evenings out, and often, she left them alone while she cavorted with the gentlemen during the evenings. One day the two small boys were found drowned in the river. Some say they drowned through her neglect, but others say that they may have died by her own hand.

Another legend says that La Llorona was a caring woman full of life and love, who married a wealthy man who lavished her with gifts and attention. However, after she bore him two sons, he began to change, returning to a life of womanizing and alcohol, often leaving her for months at a time.

He seemingly no longer cared for the beautiful Maria, even talking about leaving her to marry a woman of his own wealthy class. When he did return home, it was only to visit his children and the devastated Maria began to feel resentment toward the boys.

One evening, as Maria was strolling with her two children on a shady pathway near the river, her husband came by in a carriage with an elegant lady beside him. He stopped and spoke to his children, but ignored Maria, and then drove the carriage down the road without looking back.

After seeing this, Maria went into a terrible rage, and turning against her children, she seized them and threw them into the river. As they disappeared downstream, she realized what she had done and ran down the bank to save them, but it was too late. Maria broke down into inconsolable grief, running down the streets screaming and wailing, “Donde estan mis hijos? Where are my children?”

The beautiful La Llorona mourned them day and night. During this time, she would not eat and walked along the river in her white gown searching for her boys — hoping they would come back to her. She cried endlessly as she roamed the riverbanks and her gown became soiled and torn. When she continued to refuse to eat, she grew thinner and appeared taller until she looked like a walking skeleton. Still a young woman, she finally died on the banks of the river.

Not long after her death, her restless spirit began to appear, walking the banks of the river when darkness fell. Her weeping and wailing became a curse of the night and people began to be afraid to go out after dark.

She was said to have been seen drifting between the trees along the shoreline or floating on the current with her long white gown spread out upon the waters.

On many a dark night, people would see her walking along the riverbank and crying for her children. And so, they no longer spoke of her as Maria, but rather, La Llorona, the weeping woman.

Children are warned not to go out in the dark, for La Llorona might snatch them, throwing them to their deaths in the flowing waters.

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Source: Fuller, Amy. “The Wailing Woman,” History Today. (October 31, 2017)
https://www.historytoday.com/miscellanies/wailing-woman

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

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

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

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!

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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

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

Mount Shasta and the Lemurians – Storytelling for Everyone

California Legends

Mount Shasta, the beautiful volcano, has graced the Northern California skyline for centuries. With its luminous glow at sunset, the amazing formation of rare clouds that shroud the mountain, and its prominence in the landscape, there is no wonder that legend and myth have revolved around this mountain for just as long.

In my opinion, the most intriguing of the Mount Shasta mysteries, is that of the lost civilization of the Lemurians. This is a story that I have heard many times: a whole civilization of people, from the lost continent of Lemuria, built a self-sustainable empire inside California’s fifth highest peak.

There are many aspects of the legend. Some versions tell of the Lemurians having the capability of time travel and connections with aliens. Some tell of the vast cavernous tunnels inside the mountain, full of gold and precious gems.

In other tales, hikers in the area are contacted by tall, spiritual beings who appear out of nowhere and disappear in just the same manner. Other tales simply mention the presence of colored orbs and lights in the landscape.

I wanted to know the origin of the tales of Lemurian civilization and what I found in the research was very interesting.

On a fair-weather day in 1883, 17-year-old Frederick Spencer Oliver from Yreka, California, was mapping his family’s property line at the base of Mt. Shasta. As described later to his mother Mary, he began writing uncontrollably with the pen and paper he held in his hand. The mysterious writings detailed that he was the subject chosen to be the amanuensis [scribe] for Phylos the Thibetan, and he would transcribe the book, A Dweller on Two Planets.

Oliver took dictations from Phylos the Thibetan, for about three years, and the writings were eventually published by his mother in 1905, six years after Oliver’s death. A Dweller on Two Planets is a first person account of the Atlantean culture, a culture that had reached a high level of technological and scientific advancement. In the book, Phylos the Thibetan gives a detailed personal history of the lost continent of Atlantis, effects of karma, and the cataclysmic destruction of Poseid, Queen of the Waves.

Enter Edgar Lucian Larkin, who was an astronomer at the Mt. Lowe Observatory, outside of Los Angeles, as well as a writer. As a teenager Larkin developed a deep interest in the idea of lost continents after reading Plato, and well into adulthood never doubted Plato’s account of Atlantis. Larkin came across Oliver’s book and was quite impressed by it, so much so that he referenced Oliver’s writings in an article for the San Francisco Examiner in 1913.

The article, titled “The Atlantides,” addressed the question, “Is there any truth in the legend of the lost continent of Atlantis?”

Twelve years later, an author called only Selvius stated in his article in The Rosicrucians Mystic Triangle, “Descendants of Lemuria: A Description of an Ancient Cult in America,” that Larkin had published an account of Lemurian sightings on Mt. Shasta and that he had apparently seen the Lemurians by telescope while at the Mt. Lowe Observatory. Interestingly enough, no such account by Larkin has ever been located.

However, it has been theorized that Larkin’s mention of Atlanteans and Lemurians, the location of Mt. Shasta, and references to Frederick Spencer Oliver, as well as mentioning temples of gold and countless gems (also paraphrased from A Dweller on Two Planets) may be the sources of the information that Selvius misinterpreted.

It appears that Selvius conjured sightings in his own mind and perpetuated the legend of the Lemurians living at Mt. Shasta.

There have been many more authors who have written on the subject. In 1931, Harvey Spencer Lewis, using the pseudonym Wishar Spenle Cerve, wrote a book published by the Rosicrucians about the hidden Lemurians of Mount Shasta. Later William C. Miesse of the College of the Siskiyous described Lewis’ book as “responsible for the legend’s widespread popularity.”

A local Redding man by the name of Abraham Joseph Mansfield wrote about the folklore in 1976 with his book The King of the Lemurians, the account of a friend who was said they were approached by a Lemurian while hiking on Mt. Shasta in 1931.

So, there it is, a brief history of the tale of the Lemurian civilization. It’s truly no surprise that the beauty and majesty of our beloved Mt. Shasta inspires so many interesting stories, no matter how strange they may be.

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Source: https://www.redding.com/story/opinion/contributors/local-voices/2016/07/28/the-mt-shasta-lemurians-origin-of-a-legend/96728856/

By Jeremy M. Tuggle

Aztec Women Warriors – Storytelling for Everyone

Culture, History, and Myth

Aztec Woman Warriors, The Cihuateteo

Women were thought of as warriors when women were giving birth. Writers in the 16th century tell us that the Aztecs thought the act of birth was like a battle. The newborn child was described as a ‘captive’ and the mother as a warrior. This stresses how important fighting and capturing enemies was in Aztec society.

In the Aztec empire as in the rest of world at the time, giving birth was dangerous to both the mother and newborn child. All too often, one, the other or both did not live. There was great joy and celebrations when there was a healthy newborn baby and mother. When a mother died giving birth, she was said to be a warrior who died in battle.

When a man died in battle or as a sacrificial victim, he was considered a hero. Aztecs thought he was rewarded by becoming a kind of god, that travelled with the sun on its journey across the sky from dawn to midday. After four years the dead warrior returned to earth to have an ideal life as a butterfly or hummingbird.

Women who died in childbirth, were also rewarded as dead warriors. They too accompanied the sun on its journey but this time from its position at midday down to where it set in the western sky. The Aztecs believed that after four years these dead women warriors also returned to earth, but they became frightening beings that haunted crossroads and tried to snatch babies and children.

There are stone sculptures that show what Aztecs thought these supernatural beings looked like. They are always shown with skull-like heads and clawed hands. They are called Cihuateteo.

Aztec Women Warriors in History and Myth

We know about ancient Aztec history from archaeology, very rare books written before the Spanish arrived and histories written from memory after the Spanish conquest. Experts can use this information to find out a great deal about early Aztec life and events, but lots of information has been lost forever.

From what we do know, it does not seem that early Aztec women were warriors. But the histories do talk about women leaders.

One of the most important names in early Aztec history, is Huitzilopochtli. He is described both as a great leader and as a god connected to the sun and war. The Great Temple (Templo Mayor) was dedicated to him and the rain god.

When the Aztecs were still on their long journeys in search of a permanent home, Aztec histories tell us that Huitzilopochtli’s sister, Malinalxochitl, and a group of people loyal to her, split from the main Aztec group and eventually founded their own city. We don’t really know who this woman was or how or when this split took place. The story may be a simple version of a much more complicated event. But the story shows that Aztecs believed that women, at least in earlier times, could be powerful leaders.

There is an Aztec myth about a warrior goddess named Coyolxauhqui. She is described as being another sister of Huitzilopochtli. The story goes that Coyolxauhqui was furious with her mother, an earth goddess named Coatlicue, when she became pregnant with Huizilopochtli.

Coyolxauhqui joined with her 400 brothers, the Centzon Huitznahua, to attack Coatlicue with the aim of killing her. Before this could happen, Huizilopochtli, was warned of the attack. The story relates that he sprang fully grown from his mother’s womb, armed with a club called a Fire Serpent (Xiuhcoatl).

In the battle that followed, he defeated the Centzon Huitznahua and killed Coyolxauhqui, throwing her body down the hill where they fought. This story may symbolize some historical event in the ancient past. It also symbolizes certain Aztec beliefs.

Some researchers think that Coyolxauhqui represents the moon while the Centzon Huitznahua are the stars, defeated by the sun each morning. Others think Coyolxauqhui may be the milky way.

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Source: https://www.mexicolore.co.uk/aztecs/ask-experts/were-there-women-warriors

Author adminPosted on October 7, 2022Categories Family, Folktales, Ghost Story, History, Legends, MythTags Aztec, goddess energy, Hispanic Heritage Month, Indigenous people, Latinx Heritage Month, matriarchy, Mexico, Women Warriors