A paragraph description of the
setting, time place and detail (see the book for an example) 10 points
Myths and Legends projects
Final exam for ELD 2
In groups of four you will write a play based on a myth and present it to the class on finals day, Friday the 15th.
The play must have:
A paragraph description of the
setting, time place and detail (see the book for an example) 10 points
A brief description of the four
characters: name, traits, dress or clothing 10 points
A list of props and costumes you
will make, bring in or borrow 10 points
The script should be at least
three pages and have three scenes. The first scene should present the
conflict, the second scene should add complications to the project and the third
scene should resolve the conflict. The myth can be original or be based on one
of the stories we have read. 45 points
The myth should use at least 20
new vocabulary words learned this year from High Point and the works should be
underlined.
You need t practice your play so
we can understand all the lines, their should be blocking and you should have
practiced the play until your are comfortable with it. 35 points
Final grade is 100 points
Ø Tuesday
Ø Read the myths as a group and summarize what each myth explains.
Ø Choose a myth for your play and write the first page
Ø Wednesday
Ø Write the script
Ø Edit and correct with Mr. C
Ø Thursday/Friday
Ø Type a final draft
Ø Practice
Ø Monday
Ø Practice, practice, practice, gather costumes make props
More myths are here
Myths from Mexico
http://www.americanfolklore.net/mexican-folklore.html
Myths from Thailand
http://www.usmta.com/MYTHS%20&%20LEGENDS-4.htm
Myths from Persia
http://www.art-arena.com/cotw.htm
Myths from Vietnam
Myths from Guatemala
http://www.crystalinks.com/mayangods.html
Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh
Vietnamese myths do not just recount what may be called the universal condition. They also have myths to explain their own situation in a tropical and monsoon land, and one such myth is the story of Son Tinh and Thuy Tinh.
Son Tinh was the spirit of the Mountain and Thuy Tinh the spirit of the Waters. The king, Hunh Vuong VI, had an extremely beautiful daughter, and he did not wish her to marry just any prince. He consulted with his court and hit upon the idea of sending out a proclamation far and wide to the effect that he was seeking a suitable party for his daughter. Princes came from far and wide but none was considered to be a good match for the king's beloved daughter. Finally, one day there came at the same time two very handsome young noblemen asking for the princess' hand. Upon inquiry and examination, they turned out both to be equally distinguished, talented, and powerful. The king was in a quandary as to how to choose. Finally, he decided to send them both away, saying that whoever turned up the next day first with the proper wedding gifts would be given the princess in marriage.
He was, therefore, given the hand of the princess. Barely had the proceedings been completed when Thuy Tinh, the Water spirit, turned up with his gifts.
Being of a fiery disposition, Thuy Tinh could not accept his defeat. He sought to challenge Son Tinh to a contest to see who was the stronger and therefore more deserving of the princess. But Son Tinh simply ignored him, strong in his conviction that right was on his side. Furious, Thuy Tinh called on the waters of the rivers and brooks to overflow their banks and flood the land, In no time the whole land became a storm and raging sea that rose day by day and hour by hour, ruining all the crops and ravaging the land.
But Son Tinh was imperturbable in his palace in the mountains; all he needed to do was to get his mountains to rise a little bit higher when the waters threatened to flood them. After several days and weeks of trying to overcome his rival by raising the waters, Thuy Tinh finally had to concede defeat and order the waters to withdraw. This happened at the end of the monsoon but Thuy Tinh was never fully reconciled to the loss of the beautiful princess. Every year he tries to reenact the battle and that was how monsoons came to Vietnam.
Persian Myths
"The Creation of the World"
In ancient Persia (Iran), it was believed that the sky was the first part of the world to be created. It was described as a round empty shell made of rock crystal, passing beneath as well as above the earth. Water was created next, followed by the earth. In its original state, the earth was flat, with no valleys or mountains and the sun stood still at the noonday position. Then came plants and animals. Human beings were the sixth creation, and fire probably the seventh and last. Thus the cycle of life started and the sun moved creating night and day and the first Noe-Rooz came to pass.
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The Persians believed that the world was divided into seven regions or karshvar (keshvar in modern Persian, which means country). These regions were created when rain first fell upon the earth. Humans inhabited the central region (Khvanirath), which was as large as the other six put together. The Bundahishn 1 describes it as follows:
On the nature of the earth, it says in revelation, that there are thirty and three kinds of land. On the day when Tistar [god of rain] produced the rain, when its seas arose therefrom, the whole place, half taken up by water, was converted into seven portions; this portion, as much as one-half, is the middle and six portions are around; those six portions are together as much as Khvaniras. The name keshvar is also applied to them and they existed side by side .... [XI, 1-6]
It is in Khvaniras (Khvanirath) that the Peak of Hara (Alborz) was believed to have grown from the roots of the Alborz Mountains; Mount Hara or Harburz is described in the Avesta (ancient scriptures of Zoroastrianism 2) [Yasht 19,1] as the first mountain in the world, which took 800 years to grow, its roots reaching deep into the ground and its peak attached to the sky. The stars, the moon and the sun were thought to move around this peak. Alborz is described thus in the Bundahishn:
On the nature of mountains, it says in revelation, that, at first, the mountains have grown forth in eighteen years; and Alborz ever grew till the completion of eight hundred years; two hundred years up to the star station, two hundred years to the moon station, two hundred years to the sun station, and two hundred years to the endless light. The other mountains have grown out of Alborz, in number 2244 .... [XII, I-2]
While Alborz or Mount Hara was the source for both light and water, the Vourukasha Sea is described in the Avesta as the gathering point of water. This important sea occupied 'one third of the earth, to the south, on the skirts of the Harburz' [Vendidad 3 21, 66], and was fed by a huge river, the Harahvaiti. Forming the boundaries of the inhabited world were two great rivers, which flowed out from the sea to the east and the west. The rivers were cleansed as they passed around the earth and, when they returned to the Vourukasha, their clean water was taken back up to the Peak of Hara.
In the middle of the Vourukasha grew the very first tree, the source of all plants, described in the Avesta (Yasht 12, 17) as the Saena Tree, Tree of All Remedies or Tree of All Seeds. This tree held the nest of Saena (Senmurv in Pahlavi, Simurgh in Persian), the legendary bird. Growing nearby was another important plant, the 'mighty Gaokerena', which had healing properties when eaten and gave immortality to the resurrected bodies of the dead.
The first animal in the world was the 'bull'. It was white and as bright as the moon. According to Zoroastrian tradition Angra Mainyu, the Evil Spirit, killed it, and its seed was carried up to the moon. From this seed, once thoroughly purified, came many species of animals. It also sprouted into plants when part of it fell to the ground.
All too often when we think of mythology, we think of the Greek and Roman myths we hear about in school. And indeed, in astronomy, most of the constellations are named after such myths. But people from every culture have looked to the sky and it's nice to hear about what other people thought about then they looked up at the night sky. This week, we will visit Thailand. Three of their best star stories are about constellations which are visible in our night skies now. They are the Pleiades, Sirius and Ursa Major.
Rising in the east this time of year is a small compact group of stars called
the Pleiades. They are so compact that you could cover the area of sky they
reside in with your outstretched fist. The Pleiades are known as the seven
sisters by many cultures. The japanese word for Pleiades is Suburu, and if you
look at the emblem on a Suburu vehicle, you will indeed see the seven stars. In
Thailand the Pleiades are seen as the Seven Chucks. The really strange thing is
that only 6 stars can be seen with the naked eye, yet nearly every culture tells
stories of 7 stars!
The story of the seven chicks is told like this. There was a very poor old couple who lived in a forest. All they had was a little brown rice and a hen and seven chicks. One evening a monk camped near their hut. The old folks were worried, because it was the custom that they should offer the monk some food in the morning (the monks did not eat after noon.) By placing some food in the begging bowls which the monks carried around, people acquired merits which would benefit them in future lives. And so this couple wanted to give the monk the very best food that they had, but they were very poor. In the end they decided that they only thing they could offer him was their hen. The hen overheard this, and was very sad. She took her chicks aside and told them that they must look after themselves from now on. Very early the next morning, the old man killed the hen and began to roast her to give to the monk. The chicks were so overcome with grief that they threw themselves onto the fire so that they might always be with their mother. The seven chicks were reborn as stars in the sky, and they are called Dao Look Kai.
Another constellation story from Thailand is about the stars which we call the Big Dipper. This time of year the Big Dipper is low in the northern sky but still easy to spot. According to the people of Thailand, we are looking at a crocodile. This comes from a story about a very wealthy old man who hid all his money buried in the ground in front of his house. After he died, he came to his wife in her dreamworld and told her where the money was and to give a sizable amount to the temple. While his wife was digging up the money, a lot of people said they saw a giant crocodile circling the house, as if to protect the property. As the boat, with the wife and money proceeded to the temple to present the gift, the crocodile was said to lead the procession. People said that the rich husband had been reborn as that crocodile. And to reward him for his generosity, he was reborn as a constellation of a crocodile in the sky! He is called Dao Ja Ra Kae. When people see him they are reminded to do good in this life and they will be rewarded.
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AT THE BEGINNING of the era of the Surem, nobody knew the name of the sun and they wanted a name for it. For this reason they held a council on the bank of the Surem river. Everyone gave his opinion but no name was found for the sun. Every day they studied the matter. They did not know if it were man or woman and so they couldn't decide whether it would be best to give it a male or a female name. The Surem could not agree. They finally invited all the animals of the world to come to a council.
Once they were all present, before the sun came up, at the edge of the river, they made a great group of men and animals. When the sun appeared, a badger came out of a hole where he lived in the ground.
The badger came to the council and said in a strong voice, "The sun being a man, comes out of a hole in the earth as I do." Speaking thus, he ran away.
Everyone ran after him, wishing to pay him honor for his great intelligence. They wanted to give a fiesta for him and to pay him well with abundant food.
But the badger ran away and went into his hole and would not come out. He thought they wanted to punish him. From that time on the badger rarely goes out on the plains. He is still afraid that they might punish him for something.
The Japanese Sun Goddess Myth
by Saki I.
Hello I'm Saki. I'm here to tell you the creation of Japan. I'm doing this because I'm Japanese and because my teacher told me so.
The eight islands of Japan were the children of the first gods. After the creation of the islands Ama-Terasu came into being and she was the leader of the gods. Ama-Terasu is the sun goddess. She became the sun goddess because of her kind generous thoughts. She was born from the left eye of her father and she has two brothers-- Sosa-no-wo the Storm god and the Moon god (which has no name and was ill tempered).
The Moon god was only allowed to come out at night because one day Ama-Terasu told him to serve the Food goddess on earth but he came back saying that he had killed the Food goddess. Ama-Terasu sent her messenger the cloud spirit to see if her brother truly killed the Food goddess, and soon came back saying that he found the dead body of the Food goddess. The Cloud spirit brought with him silk worms food such as rice grains and beans. So on earth Ama-Terasu planted those seeds and shone upon them. Soon she told her brother the Moon god to only come out at night. She made silk from the silk worms and cocoons.
One day Sosa-no-wo the other wicked brother of Ama-Terasu was told to go to the lower world where it is cold and black unlike the shining kingdom of Ama-terasu's. Sosa-no-wo decided to go and visit his sister in the shining kingdom before going to the lower world where his kingdom lies. Ama-terasu knew that her brother was coming by the roaring sounds. She thought that he was going to try and take her shining kingdom away so she put on the weapons to fight. 100s of arrows carried on her back two swords stuck through her belt and an arrow and a sword in her hands.
Soon Sosa-no-wo came carrying nothing like a weapon and politely he said "High sister I came to visit you before I go to the lower world where I'm supposed to go." Ama-terasu was ashamed of her self thinking that her brother was trying to take her kingdom away. Then Sosa-no-wo continued "And would you be kind enough to let me stay at your kingdom?"
Ama-terasu took her weapons off and made Sosa-no-wo feel welcome. She even gave him 3 rice fields to plant the seeds.
But Sosa-no-wo stayed longer in the heavens than he said and did unpleasant things like make rude remarks of the other gods and just to be mean he stamped around in the clouds to make thunder and turning sky gray. He was lazy too. He never took care of his fields and the fields where often drowned by flooding.
And each day he got jealous of his sister's shining kingdom and the healthy rich harvests. And soon Sosa-no-wo let out a mighty roar in a tantrum and did awful things. Ama-terasun was very upset about her brother when she saw this and said "I have been so kind to him and now see what he repays me with but I must stay nice and calm to show example to the other gods."
Sosa-no-wo kept on causing problems and one day he let some of the spotted colts from the heavens into the rice fields where they galloped around and ruined the crops. When the gods came to celebrate the spring fruit harvest, he'd spoiled the feast by creating a mess.
Still each time Ama-terasu held her temper and forgave her brother. She waited for her brother's visit to end and for him to go to his kingdom in the lower world. But there was no sign of him leaving.
One day Ama-terasu was weaving her golden cloth of the gods when she suddenly heard a noise from above. Sosa-no-wo was making a hole by removing the tiles from the roof. And before she could notice what was happening Sosa-no-wo pushed one of the spotted goats through the hole. Ama-terasu jumped from the spinning wheel and pricked her finger on the spindle. This time she could not forgive her brother and she ran out of the palace in to the cave of heaven and locked herself in.
Without the Sun goddess darkness fell over the heavens and only the Moon goddess and the Storm goddess enjoyed the darkness. The crops were starting to die because they can not grow without sunlight.
All the gods met at the banks of the peaceful heaven lake. they decided to get the cloud spirit to talk to her. But Ama-terasu didn't respond and they now decided to show how much they love her by praying and begging. She thought that they had a new god and felt very sad but then she noticed that they where praying to her. She was very confused about this and peeked out. She saw a reflection of her but she thought that they really had a new Sun goddess and when she was just going to return to her cave, all the gods cheered. Ama-terasu was so confused and stepped out to see what the shining thing can be which she thought it was a new Sun goddess.
She slowly crept out of her cave and soon as she did the Goddesses threw a sacred rope of rice straws because they knew that she would not step over the sacred rope. Ama-terasu stepped closer and closer when suddenly she noticed that the new goddess was only her reflection and laughed. Then she swept open her arms and let the light come back again to earth and heaven.
The evil Sosa-no-wo was driven out of heaven to the lower world where he belongs, but before he was driven out of heaven he was commanded to give 1000 offering for his non caring and misdealing.
A great feast was held for Ama-terasu for coming back.
The Emperor of Japan is supposed to be a direct descendant of Ama-terasu, and that is why the people of Japan regarded him as a semi-god.
