Reading Notes: Russian Part A

Bad Wife

There once was an extremely bad wife that would do exactly the opposite of what her husband told her to do. Her husband would ask her to wake up early and she would wake up three days later. He would ask her to make him pancakes and she would say that he was a thief and didn’t deserve pancakes. He would try very hard to be good to her. He once asked her not to make pancakes and she made two gallons full of batter and said, “Here you go thief.” One day he went to the forest to look for berries and to clear his head and found a giant pit. He thought what if I could just stick my wife in this pit. He thought he could solve his problem by teaching his bad wife a lesson. When he got home, he told his wife not to go into the forest to pick berries knowing she would do the opposite of whatever he said. She went into the forest and fell into the pit. After a few days the husband came to look for her and found an imp pleading not to go back for the bad wife had eaten all other demons. The husband agreed if the imp would help him cure the Boyars sick daughter. Once he did, he tricked the demon to get back into the pit saying that the bad wife was no longer there. The Boyar gave the husband wealth and his daughter to marry. The bad wife remained in the pit for the rest of time. 

Bibliography: Russian Fairy Tales by W. R. S. Ralston 

 

Abyss Fire Inferno by Wraithrune 

Reading Notes: British Part A

Britomart

Once upon a time there was a knight known as Britomart. This was no ordinary knight for this knight was a woman. She was also a princess in search of a particular man. One day Guyon and Prince Arthur were riding on the road when Britomart rides up on them. Guyon asks Prince Arthur’s permission to engage her in combat. The prince agrees and Guyon rides out to meet Britomart. He rode hard and fast and connected with her only to be met with defeat. It turned out that Britomart was using an enchanted lance that would not allow her to lose. Guyon knew nothing of this but felt great shame. He was enraged at his loss and drew his sword to face off with her. He did not at this time know that the knight he had fought was a woman and a princess at that. He also didn’t know that the lance she held was enchanted. Somehow the Black Palmer could tell that the lance was enchanted and begged him not to attack. He kept advancing until Prince Arthur chimed in telling him not to do it and pleading with him. In those days it was looked upon well if you could take defeat gracefully. The wisdom of both of them stayed Guyon’s hand. He made friends with Britomart the knight. The group introduced themselves and they got to meet Britomart’s companion who was also dressed as a knight that happened to be her nurse. 

Bibliography: Stories From the Faerie Queen by Mary Macleod

 

Britomart (1900) by Walter Crane

Reading Notes: British and Celtic Part B

End of Robin Hood

Robin Hood and Little John were traveling talking about how they had shot for much money. Robin Hood is telling Little John that he has come to his end. His arrows will no longer shoot. He mentions that his broad arrow will not fly. He then talks about how Kirkly is gone and how before they came there he was taken ill. When Robin came to Kirkly-hall he was let in by his sweet cousin. She asked him if he would like a beer to drink.  Robin Hood keeps saying that she will be bloodied by him. She then led him to his private room where she blooded Robin Hood. She cut his vein and locked him up in his room all day long till the next day. Robin Hood was so weak from this that he couldn’t even be helped getting out. Little John came to his rescue breaking all the locks to get to Robin Hood to beg him to let him burn all of Kirkly-hall and their nunnery. He expresses that he has never killed a woman and doesn’t want to start. Robin Hood then details how he wants to be buried in a grave of gravel and green. Robin Hood died and was buried.

Bibliography: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads byFrancis James Child

Robin Hood by Richard Croft

Reading Notes: British and Celtic Part A

Robin Hood was fifteen years old. He had much courage and was very bold. One day there was a shooting-match that was to be held by the king. Robin Hood wanted in and showed up with his bow. He was met with scrutiny about his abilities for someone so young. Robin Hood assured them that he would be able to do what he said he could do. He told them that he would hold them at twenty marks that he would hit a mark a hundred rod away. Robin Hood then bent up his noble bow and let the arrow fly. He did in fact hit his mark and the mark was dy. The hard skipped and ran and leaped then fell dead on the ground. The wager was not upheld by the other party so Robin Hood shot all the foresters around. When it got to the last one he mocked him saying that he thought he was no archer. He let an arrow fly splitting the guy’s head. He also mocked him saying that he would regret ever saying that for it will make their wives for to wring and that it was all because they said he couldn’t pull a string. The people of Nottingham came running and tried to take Robin Hood. They lost legs and arms and overall much blood. Robin Hood departed taking with him his mighty blow as the foresters were taken away and buried.

Bibliography: The English and Scottish Popular Ballads by Fancis James Child

The Logo of Robin Hood Army by Robin Hood Army

Reading Notes Week 12 Part A

Monkey Bridge

A Giant monkey ruled eighty thousand monkeys and they all lived together in the Himalaya Mountains. There was a stream through where they lived that fell onto this wonderful tree. The tree would produce the most wonderful fruits. The monkeys were really happy and lived most of their days eating and relaxing. They would eat the fruit which tasted like honey. The Giant monkey advised them that they should destroy all the fruit as it was produced so it would not fall in the stream and lead to the villages of man. For man would come in search of it and would take all the fruit. They obeyed this order for a very long time till one fell through the cracks. The fruit was carried away on an ant’s nose and picked up in the large city of Benares. The fruit was then found by King Brahmadatta as he was bathing. They were amazed by the dazzling fruit and wondered where it had come from. Another that was with him told him that it was a mango and that it grew it the Himalayas. The men tasted it and they all agreed the fruit was divine. And the king himself went in search of this fruit.

Bibliography: Twenty Jataka tales retold by Noor Inayat

Coaita or Spider Monkey by George Shaw