Reading Notes: Hans Christian Andersen, Part B

The Little Mermaid

The little mermaid. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Wow, I had never read this story before although the Disney version used to be my favorite movie when I was very young. I had heard that the Hans Christian Andersen version had a more tragic ending, but I did not know how beautifully the story would be written or that the ending would not be quite as desolate as I expected.

Unlike many fairy tales, this story speaks about souls. I almost had an existential crisis while reading this. I don't know whether we have immortal souls or not, but I can only begin to imagine the despair of knowing that others have immortal souls but you do not, and that others will live forever and you will perish into oblivion. That's pretty dark! I don't think I would have given up my voice and family to gain only the possibility of an immortal soul, but I can understand why the little mermaid did.

The little mermaid is such a sympathetic character. She is talented, gentle, curious, and loving toward the Prince and his bride (even though they inadvertently bring her to her death). As a child, I loved Ariel in the Disney film, but as I got older I felt that she was a bit ungrateful for what she had and not all that likable after all. Reading this story brought back all the sympathy I had for the little mermaid as a kid. Even though I do think it was rash of her to make a deal with the witch, I know she did it, not out of selfishness or "the grass is greener" thinking, but because of the dreadful longing for love and a soul. She didn't just want romance or nice things or to escape from her family. She loved her family and her voice, and I don't think she was ungrateful for what she had, but she could not deal with the sorrow of losing her life and the prince one day.

I love the detailed descriptions in this story. I will definitely be reading it again in the future for the beauty of the descriptions of the water, the ship, the castle, and the mermaids' views of the human world. The descriptions of the limb-like growths outside of the witch's house were wonderfully terrifying and dark.

Bibliography: Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: Europa's Fairy Book, Part B

Inside Again

This story is hilarious! My favorite part was the last line, because I had never heard it before and it made me laugh out loud. I had heard the basic story before, but I had never heard the moral flipped on the savior as it is in this story.

The last line, "There's gratitude for you," is so funny because the reader thinks throughout the whole story that placing self-preservation over gratitude is wrong (or at least that's how I read the story). Two of the animals that come by to serve as judges say "There's gratitude for you" because they have been thrown out by someone who should have shown them gratitude. They side with the snake because they feel that since they have not been treated with gratitude, neither should the man. While I read this story, I wanted the man to get away, which I think is what the author wants the reader to feel. But then at the end, when the man has won (although it was by trickery, not moral reasoning), he and his wife kill the fox, clearly displaying ingratitude. What a twist! I guess the man should have been eaten by the snake after all. Also, this ending shows that while the man claimed to have upper moral ground by insisting that the snake act out of gratitude, the man was really acting out of self-preservation the whole time. He didn't believe in the moral he preached, but only attempted to use it as a self-preservation tool. I wonder if the creator of this story was a little bitter and believed that everyone only acts out of self-preservation. I suppose it's possible that that's true! This would be a fun topic to explore in a story.

Clever fox, who is mistreated out of ingratitude.

Source: Pixabay.

Bibliography: Europa's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: Europa's Fairy Book, Part A

The Earl of Cattenborough

I liked this story a lot because of the cat's cleverness and the rags-to-riches plot. At every turn, I thought, "How will the cat get them out of this one?" and she always found a way that surprised and amused me.

I also liked the part that luck played in this story. The cat was indeed clever, but she couldn't have done any of what she did without luck. For example, if the animals hadn't gone into the trap two at a time, she never would have had an excuse to meet the King. If she hadn't found the gold coin, she couldn't have used that trick to convince the King of the Earl's riches. If the ogre hadn't had a powder that made him shrink, the cat wouldn't have been able to claim the castle as the Earl's. So, luck is very important to Jack's success, as well as the cat's quick and creative thinking.

I was surprised that Jack didn't care about the cat when she almost died. I suppose it can be easy to forget about "lesser" creatures when you've been rich and successful for a while, but it really disappointed me that Jack couldn't hang on to any gratitude for the cat who kept him alive and elevated him to royal status. This would be a good point to expand on, since the story only included a line or two about Jack's behavior at the end.

Boy with cat. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography: Europa's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: Hans Christian Andersen, Part A

It's difficult to choose which stories to take notes on, because many of these are among my favorite stories that I've read this semester! I had heard a few of them before, but not for a long time. I think I used to have an illustrated book of Hans Christian Andersen stories, which I'll have to look for when I go home over the winter!

The Emperor's New Suit

This story is so hilarious; it feels like modern humor, like something you would see a version of in a sitcom! The moral is great, and it's definitely relatable. I have definitely felt inferior to all my peers before, only to realize later that everyone was just pretending to be in the know. I especially liked the ending, where the town all cries that the emperor is wearing nothing, but it is too late for him to admit it. He now knows that the cloth doesn't exist, and he knows that his subjects know it, but he must continue to parade nakedly with his chin high. It's pretty pathetic, although I don't blame him because I think I would have made the same choices along the way if I were in the same situation (even though they're the wrong choices, it would be so hard to be honest about not being suited for your position).

The Brave Tin Soldier

I love this story! I think the soldier's bravery is so sweet and honorable, and when he melted into a heart at the end, I felt my heart melt too! My great aunt had a mirror "lake" with glass swans on it and soldier toys, so reading this story felt like going back to her house. I chuckled at how the soldier stood so still, not even blinking, and wouldn't even call out to the boy for help. He was so proud, but in a way that felt humble like a child, and he wanted to honor his position as a soldier as well as he could. I thought his love for the paper dancer was extremely pure and sweet, and although I was saddened by the ending, I'm happy that they ended up together in some capacity. For some reason, this story reminds me of the Nutcracker, which is a very good thing.

Tin soldiers, Royal Ontario Museum. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography: Fairy Tales and Stories by Hans Christian Andersen, translated by H. P. Paull. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: More English Fairy Tales, Part B

The Stars in the Sky

Devon, England, countryside. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

This would be a great story to retell, because it is full of animated objects and because I don't like the ending. The girl is so dreamy and sincere, and I think she should get to play with the stars like she wanted to!

I like that she talks to different objects that are typically inanimate and that they talk back. She talks to a mill-dam, a brooklet, and the Good Folk. I'm not sure who the Good Folk are, but I imagine them being fairies. I thought it was sweet that the girl swims around in the mill-dam and brooklet because they claim the stars shine in them at night.

I like that the Good Folk talk to the girl in riddles, although she doesn't end up needing to solve any of them. If I rewrite this story, I will make her a clever character and have her solve the riddles.

I was so disappointed at the ending! There didn't seem to be a reason to not let her play with the stars (besides reality, but there are talking brooklets and horses in this story anyway!). I suppose maybe it was all just a dream, but if it was a dream then I think it makes even more sense to have a happy ending!

I like that the horse and fish were so willing to help her. Maybe if the stairs had been animated and willing to help, she would have reached her goal!

Bibliography: More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: More English Fairy Tales, Part A

Johnny Gloke

I like this story because the main character isn't exactly strong or brave, but sort of falls into heroic deeds by chance or accident. I think I supported him because he's not completely lazy or mean, but not a hero either. I especially enjoyed the second "deed" he did, because it was completely by accident! The gallows only stayed on the horse's neck because Johnny had so little control over his horse that he couldn't stop him to take them off. I'm imagining him flying toward the enemy, the situation made more dangerous by the gallows, panicking and having no idea how he'll get out of this one. But his speed and the gallows are exactly what saves him, and he never had to come up with a plan or make any brave acts (besides getting on the horse in the first place, which was only to preserve his honor).

Gallows in St. Augustine, Florida. 

Imagine a horse riding toward you with this on!

Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The character is sort of silly and seems like a fool who won't amount to much. He just sits around all day because his career as a tailor isn't good enough for him, and he praises himself for swatting flies successfully. I didn't have high hopes for him at the beginning, and they weren't raised when he used his fly swatting abilities as a sign that he should go out to seek his fortune. But he ends up being wildly successful! I think it would be funny to rewrite this story and come up with more accidental hero tales for him or another similar character.

Bibliography: More English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: English Fairy Tales, Part B

Molly Whuppie

Although I don't like that Molly causes the death of innocent people, I know she doesn't have much of a choice and I admire how clever she is! I thought it was so funny that she told the giant such specific things to put in the sack that were obviously for her own purposes, and he agreed.

I like the idea of retelling this story as a newspaper article or a series of articles (credit to Laura for this idea!). Either a newspaper for giants or a newspaper for normal people would be funny.

Also, maybe the giant needs to work on his anger management? He's accidentally killed his whole family because he couldn't stop beating up children.

I like that Molly even tells the giant she'll be back. I wonder how she was able to predict the number of times she'd return. It makes her seem very wise, and it makes the giant seem very stupid for not coming up with a plan to catch her!

The giant's wife tried to save the girls, so I was surprised that Mollie was so merciless with her! I did think her trick was funny, though. Curiosity killed the cat.

Johnny-Cake

I've never had a Johnny-cake, but I imagined a twinkie running around the neighborhood while I read this story. It could be fun to retell this story featuring a twinkie on campus. The other retellings I can imagine are a jar of Nutella or cup of Starbucks in a sorority house, or a keg in a fraternity house.

Johnny-cake. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography: English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: English Fairy Tales, Part A

Cap o' Rushes

I expected this to be just another Cinderella story, but it really is a unique tale! I like the image of the girl covered in a cloak handmade from nature.

Did she hide herself because she wanted work and thought no one would hire a rich girl? Or because she thought people would know who she was and wonder what was going on?

Interesting that the master's son only likes Cap o' Rushes once he sees her all dressed up. Maybe the cloak hid her face during the day?

I like her character very much. She's clever and quiet, and the way she tricks the family is pretty harmless. There was a lot of humor in the way she said, night after night, that she would have liked to have seen the beautiful girl. I wonder whether she played this game for her own amusement or because she knew the master's son would never purposely dance with the maid.

I liked that the family who took  Cap o' Rushes in was so kind to her. That's not very common in Cinderella stories! They even invited her to the dance. Because they were never cruel to her, her tricks felt light and humorous instead of desperate.

The ring was a clever idea! I did wonder what would happen if the son accidentally put it in his mouth. What if he didn't notice? What if he choked on it or even swallowed it without noticing? I wonder whether Cap o' Rushes would have accepted this fate or if she would have come up with a new trick.

Juncus Effuses, AKA rushes.

Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography: English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales, Part B

How the Summer Came

I love the idea of the summer world being above the winter world. It's like heaven, but more tangible and obtainable. I like imagining how the people would have reacted to seeing summer for the first time. In fact, this story would probably lend itself well to a sequel about the boy celebrating summer and mourning the loss of his father.

I was surprised at the boy's priorities. His father told him it would be very dangerous, but the boy seemed to care more about getting summer than keeping his father around. Selfless or selfish? It's hard to say, because the father changed the world forever and brought so many joy to many people, which is selfless, and the son being willing to give up his father for the greater good is selfless from that perspective. At the same time, though, who would willingly send their (good, loving) father to sacrifice himself?

I liked the details about cracking the ceiling of the sky open. I wonder what that would look and sound like. Also, isn't the sky summer world now the same as the lower world? Why would the sky people seal up their floor if both worlds now have summer? Did they not want winter to reach them? Is there a finite amount of summer, or can it be shared with another world without losing any of it?

I like that animals worked with the hunter to bring summer into the world. I also like that the animals knew about the summer world before humans did. I felt like animals were respected and even treated as equals in this story; it's a great perspective and very different from most Western cultures.

Newfoundland pine marten. The hunter in this story could change himself into a marten at will.

Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales by W. T. Larned. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: American Indian Fairy Tales, Part A

Venus, the evening star, over the Pacific Ocean. 

Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The Child of the Evening Star

The first thing that struck me in this story was Oweenee, beautiful and quiet, walking alone in the woods with a sweet and dreamy expression and refusing every suitor. I really like her for that - she is sweet and gentle but strong in standing up for what she wants. She pretends to reject everyone for superficial reasons, maybe because she knows her family won't understand her, but she really rejects them because she sees flaws in their hearts.

When I found out that Osseo was actually a young and handsome prince, I was a little disappointed because I felt that the moral of the story was ruined by making Oweenee's husband beautiful when she was supposed to only care about the heart and not looks. I was surprised when she turned into an old woman, and I like that plot twist because her reaction to her transformation shows that she really doesn't care about superficial things.

I was also surprised that Oweenee's sisters and their husbands were not at all upset to be turned into birds. I guess that says something about their personalities, and there is probably supposed to be a parallel between the chatter of birds and the chatter of the sisters.

An evil magician was introduced, but nothing ever came of it, which surprised me. I thought that Oweenee's son would accidentally attract or get hit by the magician.

I liked that the son had a longing for earth. I found the description of him stretching his hands toward the earth as other children stretch their hands toward the moon or stars very beautiful. I wonder if Oweenee missed her home like that, too.

I was worried that the son would be separated from his parents, so I was relieved to find that at the end they all ended up together, and Oweenee and Osseo seemed happy to be back on earth. I wish the story had included details about what they learned on the Evening Star that they wanted to share with the people of earth.

Bibliography: American Indian Fairy Tales by W. T. Larned. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: California and the Old Southwest, Part B

Tu-Tok-A-Nu'-La (El Capitan) 

Yosemite Valley

Two young boys play in the river and then climb up onto a rock to sleep in the sun. They sleep so well (and, apparently, for so long) that the rock grows and grows upward until they can't come down.

I like that the measuring worm, who is the underdog when it comes to jumping, is the one that rescues the boys with his diligent crawling. I wonder how he was able to bring the boys down from the rock, because it's not like they could have gone on his back! The story doesn't explain this which kind of bothered me. I also wonder whether the worm received praise or retaliation for outdoing the lion and the grizzly bear.

Navajo women with sheep. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The Boy Who Became a God

Navajo (New Mexico)

I like that the boy is patient when his brothers don't believe his stories, and he eventually proves that he was always telling the truth. I wonder whether his brothers were a little jealous because of his stories or whether they simply didn't believe them at all. 

Why did the brothers leave the youngest one (the one who tells stories) at the camp while they went to hunt? Is it because they thought he was crazy or just because he was too young?

The boy's story was indeed strange. The crows danced and sang, and even the god Hasjelti spoke there. The crows discussed the killing of twelve deer and two crows by humans, which is what proved the boy's story to his brothers later.

What caused the brother-in-law to believe the boy when no one else did?

The boy goes off with sheep who are really gods and learns to dance and sing in a certain way. I thought it was interesting that his brothers blamed themselves and their disbelief for his absence, when to me it seemed like he went because the gods told him to, and no one would turn down a journey with the gods. 

I was happy that the boy returned to his brothers and gave them lessons and material things from his journey. The story might be more interesting if he faced conflict on his journey or on the way back. Also, I wonder what it was like for him to be a sheep!

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: California and the Old Southwest, Part A

"Spider's Creation"

I found it interesting that there are multiple "levels" of creation in this story. First, Sussistinnako the spider creates women from parcels, and then these women were the mothers of all people and created the sun and moon themselves.

One of my favorite details is the spider creating two parcels, setting them down, and singing, and then the parcels rattling on their own to the rhythm of his song and forming women.

I thought it was very insightful of the Sia people to include non-Native American people in their story. Many creation stories only speak of the society that came up with the story, so I was surprised that one of the two women from the parcels, who is also one of the creators of the sun and moon, was mentioned as the mother of all non-Native American people.

Another favorite detail is the construction of the sun and moon. The women used natural materials such as shell and stone and got the sun moving by dropping it off a mountain. The sun, a male being, wears a mask in this story, which is not really explained but is an interesting detail.

I also really like the idea of star people with their twinkling eyes!

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of California and the Old Southwest by Katharine Berry Judson.
Link to the reading online.

Zia Dancer. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Reading Notes: West Africa, Part B

The Hunter and the Tortoise

I really like the moral of this story: we tend to force ourselves on things and people, and the consequences are because of our own forcing and manipulation. I think most people and relate to and learn from this lesson because humans often try to control others, even if they're not explicitly selfish.

I love the mental picture of a little tortoise singing and playing the harp! It makes me laugh!

Like in the story I wrote about yesterday, this story deals with someone who takes advantage of a kind and selfless helper. The tortoise agrees to sing for the hunter, even going to his hut with him, and doesn't ask for the hunter to do anything in return. All she asks is that he keeps her singing a secret, and he can't even give her that. It's extremely frustrating when someone who is only trying to help is completely taken advantage of.

However, I do understand the hunter's desire to share his knowledge of the tortoise and to show her off. It is a human desire to have something beautiful for ourselves and show it off to others.

The tortoise is so sweet throughout the whole story, but she really gets the hunter in the end! I was surprised that she let the hunter be killed. It was a pretty harsh punishment, but I was proud of her for sticking up for herself when she was manipulated.

I like what the tortoise says about the hunter's need for more. She gave him plenty by offering to sing for him, but that wasn't enough for him and he brought her home with him. Then, her constant song in his home wasn't enough for him and he told everyone about her even though she told him not to. Eventually, he let his pride grow so large that he tried to force her to sing for the king like a show animal. Nothing the tortoise gave him could be enough, and he had to force himself on her more and more until it came time for him to pay.

The irony of the tortoise's song is beautiful. She sings the moral of the story over and over every day for the tortoise, and not only does he not hear the lesson, but he forces himself on the tortoise because he is so enraptured by the song.

Tortoise on a rock. Source: Public Domain Pictures.

Bibliography: West African Folktales by William H. Barker and Cecilia Sinclair. Link to the reading.

Reading Notes: West Africa, Part A

Why We See Ants Carrying Bundles As Big As Themselves

Worker ant carrying a leaf. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

There are three main parts to this story: Anansi's greed leading to destruction of a good thing, his attempt and failure to hide his wrongdoing, and his manipulation and trickery of a kind person. His selfishness and foolishness are exposed over and over in this story, even though he gets away with it at the end.

Even though Anansi sees how well his son's crops are doing, it's not enough for his crops to do just as well. He can't be happy with simply a successful harvest because he is so greedy, which is why he beats the dwarf harder than he should have.

The dwarf selflessly helped Kweku Tsin over and over, and he was willing to extend this same help to Anansi, and probably to anyone who asked for it. He didn't even ask for anything in return, but willingly gave of himself to help strangers. It makes me so mad that Anansi took advantage of and killed a man who only helped him, especially when there was no need for a bigger crop than Kweku's. 

I liked the trick that Kweku played on Anansi. I thought Kweku was going to get in huge trouble, but he knew that Anansi was up to something and took advantage of his greed to make him turn himself in.

There seems to be an idea of karma in many of these stories, and in this story karma is shown in the king's punishment for Anansi. I liked the idea of the wicked man carrying the man he killed forever. However, karma doesn't quite catch up to Anansi, because he passes the body off to a kind and helpful ant. 

Anansi has a habit of manipulating people who are kind and naïve. I think it's the worst type of person who takes advantage of those who try to help him!

Bibliography: West African Folktales by William H. Barker and Cecilia Sinclair. Link to the reading.

Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology, Part B

The Grass-Cleaving Sword

I was impressed by the self-sacrifice, strength, and intelligence of Tacibana (Yamato’s unloved wife). On one hand, I felt it was a little sexist that Yamato was unfaithful and unloving and she was praised for never reproaching him for it and always loving him the same. On the other hand, I thought her forgiveness and self-sacrifice were beautiful. I think one could argue equally well that she is weak or strong for continuing to serve her husband when he isn’t good to her.

A beautiful and tragic image: Tacibana, running through the flames to Yamato, with her hair singed and skin scorched and tearing off her clothes as she runs. I questioned whether she was real or not, but she did deliver the sword that saved Yamato.

The Sacred Sword

I was so angry when Yamato told Tacibana to go home because she was hideous to him after he hears the siren song. He cites her scorched skin and hair as the reasons for her ugliness, when those very things are the direct result of sacrificing her health and safety to bring him the sword that saved his life! It’s like he forgets that she saved his life and that he wouldn’t be alive if she didn’t have that scorched skin and hair. So ungrateful!

Tacibana predicts that she will hold Yamato in her hair, and this does eventually happen and is another instance of her saving him.

The Dragon

Benten, the evil siren-goddess, lures Yamato in yet again and tells him that she will hold him forever unless some more beautiful goddess loves him more. Yamato hears his name from above (he is underwater), and he sees long dark hair coming down to him. He realizes that Tacibana is calling his name and that she is the beautiful goddess who loves him. Her hair wraps around him and pulls him up to safety.

When Yamato wakes up, Tacibana is gone. He goes to the palace and finds many dead due to Susanoo in the form of an evil dragon. Tacibana is chanting a prayer to remove the dragon. Yamato kills it, and Tacibana rejoices that he has saved her. Eventually, though, the two go on a voyage to one last battle, and Yamato challenges Susanoo. Benten, Susanoo’s daughter, demands that Yamato die, but Tacibana quickly sacrifices herself, jumping into the water. When Yamato finds her, she is lifeless.

I think Tacibana is just as much of a hero as Yamato, but she is never called one. If I retell this series of stories I would focus on her and the pain that a real person, rather than an imagined perfect woman, would feel from her husband’s infidelities. I would still make her a faithful and self-sacrificing character, but show the strength behind those actions and the pain that she has to deal with due to her husband.

The Great Wave off Kanagawa, woodblock print by Hokusai.

Source: Wikipedia.

Bibliography: The Romance of Old Japan by E. W. Champney and F. Champney. Link to the reading online.

Reading Notes: Japanese Mythology, Part A

Izanami and Izanagi. 

Sketch from Nine Years in Nipon by Henry Faulds.

Source: Flickr.

Izanagi and Izanami

Izanami, the goddess of Love, gives birth to all beings other than Izanagi: the “worlds,” gods, men, sea, mountains, the earth. She brings all knowledge and resources from the world to men, including water, fire, and light.

I love the image of a flowering bud shooting up from an infinite void of chaos and a “night-blooming flower” fluttering down, becoming the sun and moon, respectively. Izanagi and Izanami come from the blossoms of these flowers.

I also love the image of Izanagi and Izanami standing up above the earth, not able to see down into it, and fishing into a “cauldron” to find and create land.

The husband and wife circle around the Pillar of the Earth until they meet each other again; they do this twice and then hold hands and their reign over the world begins.

Izanami gave birth to the deities of different parts of the earth: trees, rivers, mountains, and other “miracles of Nature.”

Their best-loved daughter, the Sun Goddess, is Amaterasu, and their best-loved son, the Moon God, is Susa-no-wo.

Even though she gave birth to all the gods and men of the earth, and to the earth itself, Izanami is exiled because she wants the gods to work for the people of earth (her Earth Children), and the gods become jealous. They are upset because they feel they are above humans and should therefore not have to work for them, because that would be raising humans up above their natural rank.

Izanami is kicked out by her own children and goes down to Earth, where she gives birth to the God of Fire (Kagu-tsuchi) and declares him to be a monster. She is near death but knows that Kagu-tsuchi is a monster, so she also gives birth to the God of Water before dying.

Izanagi goes down through a hole in the earth to the portal of Yomi, and he tries to find and speak to Izanami, but she simply answers that she cannot come back and he should leave. Izanagi continues to look for her, going through Yomi (which is a dangerous thing to do) and eventually giving up in failure. He can hear Izanami moaning but cannot get to her, for when he tries to touch her, she vanishes forever. It’s interesting to me that the gods have such a tragic fate in this story, whereas usually gods have things pretty easy and humans get the rough treatment.

Bibliography: The Romance of Old Japan, by E. W. Champney and F. Champney. Link to the reading online.