Reading Diary B - Myths & Legends of the Great Plains

Myths and Legends of the Great Plains

The Buffalo & The Grizzly Bear

Grizzly Bear was going somewhere, following the course of a stream, and at last he went straight towards the headland. When he got in sight, Buffalo Bull was standing beneath it. Grizzly Bear retraced his steps, going again to the stream, following its course until he got beyond the headland. Then he drew near and peeped. He saw that Buffalo Bull was very lean, and standing with his head bowed, as if sluggish. So Grizzly Bear crawled up close to him, made a rush, seized him by the hair of his head, and pulled down his head. He turned Buffalo Bull round and round, shaking him now and then, saying, “Speak! Speak! I have been coming to this place a long time, and they say you have threatened to fight me. Speak!” Then he hit Buffalo Bull on the nose with his open paw.

“Why!” said Buffalo Bull, “I have never threatened to fight you who have been coming to this country so long.”

“Not so! You have threatened to fight me.” Letting go the buffalo’s head, Grizzly Bear went around and seized him by the tail, turning him round and round. Then he left, but as he did so, he gave him a hard blow with his open paw.

“Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh! you have caused me great pain,” said Buffalo Bull. Bobtailed Grizzly Bear departed.

Buffalo Bull thought thus: “Attack him! You too have been just that sort of a person.”

Grizzly Bear knew what he was thinking, so he said, “Why! What are you saying?”

“I said nothing,” said Buffalo Bull.

Then Grizzly Bear came back. He seized Buffalo Bull by the tail, pulling him round and round. Then he seized him by the horns, pulling his head round and round. Then he seized him again by the tail and hit him again with the open paw. Again Grizzly Bear departed. And again Buffalo Bull thought as he had done before. Then Grizzly Bear came back and treated Buffalo Bull as he had before.

Buffalo Bull stepped backward, throwing his tail into the air.

“Why! Do not flee,” said Grizzly Bear.

Buffalo threw himself down, and rolled over and over. Then he continued backing, pawing the ground.

“Why! I say, do not flee,” said Grizzly Bear. When Buffalo Bull backed, making ready to attack him, Grizzly Bear thought he was scared.

Then Buffalo Bull ran towards Grizzly, puffing a great deal. When he neared him, he rushed on him. He sent Grizzly Bear flying through the air.

As Grizzly Bear came down towards the earth, Buffalo Bull caught him on his horns and threw him into the air again. When Grizzly Bear fell and lay on the ground, Buffalo Bull made at him with his horns to gore him, but just missed him.

Grizzly Bear crawled away slowly, with Buffalo Bull following him step by step, thrusting at him now and then, though without striking him. When Grizzly Bear came to a cliff, he plunged over headlong, and landed in a thicket at the foot. Buffalo Bull had run so fast he could not stop at the edge where Grizzly Bear went over, but followed the cliff for some distance. Then he came back and stood with his tail partly raised. Grizzly Bear returned to the bank and peeped.

“Oh, Buffalo Bull,” said Grizzly Bear. “Let us be friends. We are very much alike in disposition.”

Thoughts
At first I was really confused as why the Grizzly was so mean haha I said to myself "why is Grizzly such a dumb bully" as his bullying seemed awkward, spinning Buffalo around and only taunting him really. They are both similar in size and strength so I also thought "why is Buffalo getting pushed around like a b*#@h?!" But eventually he fought back and I was proud. But the whole spinning by the tail thing was ridiculously funny/stupid to me. I couldn't get over that haha. But I could picture an epic death fight like a previous story I created between a great wolf and a beast lion. Doooope. The Grizzly, Buffalo, and Wolf are all heavily included in Native cultures, and are my top North American animals.

Beast of A Grizzly Bear

(Really Beorn from

"The Hobbit")

Reading Diary A -Cherokee Myths

Cherokee Myths

The Hunter and the Uksu'hï
I can sum this one up fast even though it was my favorite of the group. A hunter looking for excitement in Georgia, though warned, goes to seek out the deadly Uksu'hï, a great snake two times bigger than the South American anaconda.. That's huge. The hunter finds what he is looking for but is quickly frightened by the size of the sight of the monster. He runs, it chases, it wraps him up and nearly breaks his ribs. He luckily uses his sweat and stench to detract the snake and go free with his life, but just barely.

Thoughts
This completely reminded me of the old movie Anaconda. That one really got to me when I was younger but when I go back and look at it I laugh because of the effects. I imagine a way cooler warrior though, and that he actually slays the great snake. Maybe with a tomahawk or a dope feathered spear. I really like the pic I chose as well. Great colors and depiction.

Native Warrior

Reading Plan

I plan to try and stay with my theme of warriors. These types of titles or themes caught my eyes. From the Native American section: monster-slaying Apache hero Naiyenesgani, the Blackfoot story of Kut-O-Yis, the hero born of blood, the great snake-monster Uktena from the Cherokee group (as I have some Cherokee blood in me this interests me to learn more perhaps).

From the British unit there are so many classics that I never really knew were British. I can definitely pull inspiration from Robin Hood, Beowulf, and King Arthur. Maybe combine em in my own epic warrior. Or maybe a made up Alice and Wonderland warrior with elements from that whole story. And the devil story from Canterbury interested me.

In the European Section the famous Crane and Hunt stood out with their stories however I already know them like Snow-White, Sleeping Beauty, and anything else Disney has done lol. Maybe some more exploration. Russian tales could be cool. They could be dark. But that is a stereotype of course.

Apache Warriorz

Reflections: Looking Forward On the Semester in Mythology

Main goals for the remainder of the semester for me are: consistency in blog physical style, as in the font I use, the sizes, the organization (variations are ok, but as long as it looks complete as a whole), completing the course before thanksgiving, hopefully doing two weeks of work during each week, and continually striving to be saturated in dramatics, style, language, references, and just imagination overall. I want my writing to be like graphic works of art that scream at the viewer, with vivid color, tasteful and un-tasteful references to history, pop/modern culture, and the realities of life.

I want to be me! To continue to develop my own unique style. Like a Frank Miller of 300 style remixed by a refreshing blunt/dope Kanye featuring Drake performed by an amazing Denzel Washington with background vocals from the Weekend and that lifestyle with homage to Muhammad Ali and Andy Warhol. How does that paint a picture for you.

I hope to continually mash, mix, remix, and be inspired by the stories to come when creating a couple new warriors, or maybe doses of Randomness to the face that I might have planned. We will see. It's going to be a good time with some good reads.

I will continue to comment and critique my classmates interact with them more maybe pushing them to be ever so creative outside of their own norms.

Bang Bang

Reflections: Looking Back On the Semester in Mythology

First of all I would like to thank the wonderful Lara Gibbs for such a creative class. It has definitely been a lot of writing but the reward I have felt, and the creative expression you have provided as an outlet for all of us that take your course is just, amazing. Teachers like you make learning fun. And you always do so with a typed smiley face and understanding. It has all been a refreshing experience. Thank you.

I have really been impressed with some of the stories I have concocted. I use the word concocted specifically, as I feel like a mad poet with some of my aggressive writing style and the things I have composed so far. Most tell me they love my over saturated descriptive, start-stop format, and I hope so. I have definitely developed a signature style and have always felt like somewhat of a writer, but now fully feel like a writer with my own identity. Though aggressive, I think people also find the subtle beauty I try to finesse inside of my writing. I hope so. And if they do not, at least I do. But so far I have enjoyed the praise and class.

I write about warriors and animals mostly. There is always violence. I like hints of humor if I can but sometimes it doesn't make it into a story and that is ok I have learned. Sometimes I just write. My blinders go up, I have narrowed focused vision, and I write. I enjoy being lost in that zone. In that mind frame. Lost.

My favorite stories thus far written from myself are of my three warriors (But don't read the last two as they will be in my portfolio soon and you can read them then Laura!): Rha the Destroyer // Makoma Neon // Yamato M12 and my two lion stories based from Aesop's Fables: Wolves Lions & Glory // A Lion Amongst Bulls

My favorite stories I have read are both from Aesop. Here is one, The Boar and the Fox:

As a Boar was whetting his Teeth against a Tree, up comes a Fox to him.
"Pray, what do you mean by That?" says he, "for I see no occasion for't."
"Well," says the Boar, "but I do; for when I come once to be set upon, 'twill be too late for me to be Whetting when I should be Fighting."

No Man, or State can be safe in Peace, that is no always in readiness to encounter an Enemy in Case of War.

I just really love the moral. Staying war ready. Being competitive. The second story was called the Foolhardy wolf in which a wolf looked up to a Lion cause of his effective hunting skills, and one day tried to be like lion with too much confidence and got crushed by an elephant. The cool quote from it was 'Great Lion, come forth in thy might. Food is in sight.'

and it reminded me of an exact quote I told my little brothers one day -

"Do not be impressed by people that might be your peers. Idolizing is for little boys. You can appreciate talent but do not idolize."

As far as classmate interaction I think it's going well. Sometimes the post feel a little forced and repetitive but that is hard to stop, we are all human. But meeting new people is always fun!

I have no set schedule, I do this all at a whim when I have time usually knocking it out first before design or history homework. Sundays is a good day to do work. I do it in my room on my bed usually. During the week I do some during study breaks in the library. I work best in the quite. It's kinda soothing and accomplishing to get the stuff checked off, especially when you know you have just created a unique piece of imaginative work. Thanks again Laura!

Imagination

Essay - How An African Warrior and Japanese Samurai Become Legends like Hercules

How two warriors, Makoma of Africa and Yamato of Japan become legends in strikingly similar fashion. With these types of stories one can almost always relate them to Hercules and his labors. The stories of Yamato even in fact have the same word "labors" in their respective titles. All of these stories include a single powerful man, given particular skill or magic prowess at birth and become legends amongst humans.

Yamato had to slay a dragon as Hercules had to slay the Hydra. Both wielded great swords and were pretty effective with them. Both were kinda war hungry as well and led to their wives deaths.

Makoma bore a hammer, much like the giant club Hercules sometimes welded  Both fought giant beast, Makoma's being crocodiles, Hercules being the great boar. In fact Yamato also played a great boar with terrifying tusks. So many similarities all around. Each story from a different regions on earth though. This is interesting.

In the end Makoma goes to the clouds as Hercules goes to Mt. Olympus. Makoma fought something like a great Mount Olympus type Titan to finally make his was as a legend into the heavens. Yamato became the most legendary samurai in all of Japan. 

Sources
African Stories & Japanese Mythology

Marvels Hercules

Week 5 Storytelling - Rha the Destroyer

Author's Foreword//Notes:
This is a different approach from my other stories; in this approach I combine two stories from two different cultures! Uh oh, that's right, combine. The stories are much longer so showing them in this post would make the whole thing look suuper long and scary and we don't want that so I will start by summarizing them: I used the Egyptian mythological story of the King of the Dead and the Persian tale of Muhammad Tirandaz the Archer to create my very own story with elements from both. Here are very very short summaries about each story that let you know all you need to know relating to my new story.

King of the Dead - Many Egyptian Gods hang in the balance as Horus fights Set in a series of battles and war and eventually defeats him and ends his tyranny over earth. Horus then brings Osiris, his father who fell to the hands of Set, back as a mummy with the help of Ra in the heavens, and Anubis the black hound God. Osiris becomes king of the dead.

Muhammad Tirandaz the Archer - Muhammad is a foolish young boy who accidentally kills two mice playing with one another when something slips from his hand. His fellow apprentices see this and praise him by saying telling him his name should be "Muhammad Tirandaz, Muhammad of the Bow,Slaying with my arrow two lions at one blow." The naive little boy swells with confidence, leaves home, buys a bow and arrows. He is eventually found by the king, wins a war by being whipped around by a horse while charging at the king's enemies and making them magically retreat - winning the war. He is then made Commander and Chief of the army and lives happily ever after I'm sure, unless another war were to happen 'cause he actually can't shoot, ride, or kill at all. He's just lucky.

After reading King of the Dead I was pumped. After reading Muhammad Tirandaz the Archer I was struck stupid and laughed at how I thought he was going to be an epic bad ass, Legolas from the Lord of the Rings, Persian Robin Hood, gangster with a bow and arrow. Now read my new version.

Rha the Destroyer
With an eagle's eye he sees all of his enemies. His prey.
He stand around 6 foot tall. 200 pounds of carved up warrior.
He is not exactly man. He is not exactly god. A blurry in-between.
Fast. Agile more than any. Quiet in step like a black panther in the shadow.
His eyes as black as the night sky with pupils as stars.
Look into his eyes and a piece of your soul leaves with him.
Regardless, your life will. 

He was Persian born. Captive in the Egypt-Persia Wars.
In his forced conversion to Egyptian belief he gained favor from the god Ra.
A God with a great falcon head. Ra.
And now he would make the Persian the same.
Ra infected him with his spirit. Engulfing his mind in chaos and torment.
His endurance would favor him some of the God Ra's ability.
Into his heart was burned Ra's might, and his soul forever Ra's.
To insure his faith, the all-seeing Egyptian eye tattooed on his right shoulder.

Rha the Destroyer

The 2nd Egypt-Persia wars fell upon the lands once again.
Ra would unleash his new favorite soul - Rha the Destroyer.
Rha peered over a flat battle field covered in waist-high wheat.
Sword clashing. Shields bashing.
Egyptians killing Persians. Persians killing Egyptians.
Rha charged. Swift. Upright. Lifeless in the eyes.
A black spear in his hand. A bow on his back.
Arrows of sharpened Nile crocodile scales.
Falcon feathers at the ends, but not of his own.
A killing was amiss. Rha's veins swelled with the poison.
The poison of Egypt's finest snake, the mamba.
The black venom show through his dark skin.
A rush to his body and a blackout to his mind.
Rha was now at the battle's edge.

He drew an arrow. Pulled back on the string of his bow. And let it fly.
The arrow whizzed through the air with a sharp acute zip of a noise.
It pierced the heart of an enemy. Went through the back of an Egyptian ally's helmet.
And ended firmly in the head of another enemy, poking out the back, an eye on the very tip of the sharp arrow head.
An all seeing eye, of the gore of violence and war.
3 kills. Killing spree. Rha did not care who. But just that blood was spilt.
He charge through the battlefield. Zooming on his fleet feet.
Taking a solitary arrow out. And slashing the throats of his enemies.
An assassin in a war. Godly agile.
Hardly seen by the naked human eye. Just blurs of feather.

Rha took out his savage wrath on the Persian Empire for what seemed like hours upon hours.
After hundreds of bodies lay bloody on the field.
And a third of the enemy depleted. They began to retreat.
Spoils to Egypt. Victory to Rha. Hail to Ra.
Hail to Rha, the Destroyer.

Author's Notes
This is the bad ass Muhammad the Archer I thought I would be reading. But it's ok, I'll make him. I know I have a violent  imagination, but I don't like to shy away from what real war is probably like. Chaotic. I was a warrior in a past life haha. As you can see I took Ra from the Egyptian culture and made him spawn a better Muhammad the Archer as Rha the Destroyer. There is now a war between the two cultures. And 'Muhammad' (Rha) is turned into a previously Persian to Egyptian convert. I combined the stories on a couple dynamic levels I feel. I also drew descriptive inspiration from the picture I selected, really helping to tie a visual to my new character. Hail Rha, the Destroyer.