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

Week 11 Story

Unlikely Partners

The sun beat down on the desert floor scorching all the inhabitants that lie on it. One such critter was the snake named Earl that had always found himself a nice rock up high to lie on. He enjoyed sun bathing and wanted to lay there and soak up as much of the suns rays as he could. One day while he was sun bathing an annoying hawk came by and about landed right on top of him. Before the hawk got close enough Earl called out to the hawk saying, “Halt go away. This is my rock.” The hawk got ever closer and closer. Eventually after many more screeches from Earl the hawk could see him. The hawk hovered above him and yelled down to him, “Move or be trampled over. This is the perfect place for a nest so that I might start my family.” Earl was quite flustered and yelled back, “Get your own rock, this one is mine!! I have never moved, nor will I ever move for anyone.” The hawk became most flustered and said, “If you will not move willingly I will force you to move.” “I would advise against it for I am a formidable enemy to make.” exclaimed Earl. The hawk ignored his warning and dove to attack Earl and they battled for quite sometime. The hawk pecking with his beak and grabbing with his talons. Earl winding himself tighter and tighter around the hawk until the hawk could barely move. The hawk then decided to take a dive from the cliff. He refused to allow Earl to win. When he got closer to the ground the hawk yelled, “Now we both shall lose the rock. Lessen your grip or we shall both die.” Earl admired the hawk for the drive it had to keep fighting till the end, giving no ground. Earl smiled and loosened his grip and the pair landed smoothly on the ground just barely making it thanks to the hawk’s wings. The pair stared at each other in an awkward silence before Earl said, “I think there is enough room up there for the both of us. I like your style partner how about we become friends.” The hawk looked at him confused and said, “Sure I don’t see why not. My name is Patricia.” Thus the two flew back up to the top of the mountain and had a long fruitful friendship that spanned generations.

Author’s Note: I based this story off the combined stories of “The Buffalo and the Grizzly”, and “Coyote and the Snake”. In “The Buffalo and the Grizzly” a Grizzly and Buffalo fight at a spring until they eventually become friends. In “Coyote and the Snake” the Coyote is walking through the desert in a straight path and a snake is in his way. The coyote tells him to move but the Snake refuses and so the Coyote tells the Snake he will just walk right over him. The Snake threatens him that he will die if he does. The Coyote does it anyway and the Snake bites him resulting in his death. I decided to make it a happy ending where two animals meet fight and decide to be friends for life. They both wanted the hill but compromise saved each of their lives.

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains byKatharine Berry Judson

Short Toed Snake Eagle Ashish by Ashish Tripurwar

Reading Notes: Great Plains Part B

Price of Truth

There was a Coyote that always walked in a straight line across the prairie. He heard someone call out to him telling him to stop. He looked around seeing no one kept on walking. He then heard someone say for him to walk around. Again the Coyote was perplexed seeing no one. He walked a bit further until the Coyote saw the snake. The Snake would not move and said walk around again. To this the Coyote said I do not want to walk around you. Then the Coyote told the Snake to get out of his way. The Snake said he had never thought to move for anyone let alone the Coyote. The Coyote said he would still run over him. The Snake then threatened to kill him if he walked over. The Coyote laughed it off saying that the Snake couldn’t possibly kill him. So he walked over him and the Snake bit him. The Coyote mocked the snake telling him that he isn’t dead yet. The Snake held his tongue knowing what was to come. The Coyote traveled on until he came to a creek for some water. He drank from the creek seeing his reflection in the water thinking to himself that he was quite fat. He then walked on until he was quite tired. He then lay down and went to sleep never to wake up again. The Snake’s words held true.

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains byKatharine Berry Judson

Coyote and Rattlesnake by Alan Schmierer 

Reading Notes: Great Plains Part A

Unlikely Friendship

This is a story about a Buffalo Bull and a Grizzly Bear. The Grizzly Bear came to the stream like he always had done. When he got there he saw a Buffalo Bull. The Buffalo Bull was very lean and muscular with his head bowed. The Grizzly Bear got closer to him and in an instant jumped upon him. He seized the Buffalo’s hair that was on his head and turned him around and around. All the while the Grizzly saying that he came there quite often and each time he came there somebody would tell him that the Buffalo Bull wants to fight him. He kept spinning him and spinning him until at last he hit the Buffalo Bull on the nose with his open paw. The Buffalo Bull was confused and asked why he was doing this and that he had never threatened to fight him ever. He also inquired as to who it was that said he had wanted to fight the Grizzly Bear. The Grizzly wouldn’t hear any of it and seized him by the tail and continue to spin him around and around. The Buffalo was in great pain and thought that he must attack him. The Grizzly somehow heard his thought and came back and seized the Buffalo again. This time the Buffalo stepped back getting room. He threw himself on the ground nd rolled until he had gotten himself enough room. He then stood and charged at the Grizzly. He caught the Grizzly with his horns and launched him into the air. He then ran at him trying to gore him with his horns. He did this until the Grizzly fell over the cliff. The Grizzly eventually climbed the cliff and rejoined the Buffalo at the top and asked the Buffalo if he would like to be friends, for they were so much alike.

Bibliography: Myths and Legends of the Great Plains by Katharine Berry Judson

Grizzly Bears Attacking Buffalo by George Catlin