Reading Notes: Aesop's Fables (Jacobs), part A

A lion, a fox, a jackal, and a wolf went hunting one day and killed a stag. They had a hard time figuring out how to split up the meat. The lion told the animals to quarter the body. Then the lion said he got one quarter because he is the king, another quarter because he chased the stag, a third quarter because he is making the decisions, and the last quarter because no one will stop him. No one dared question him. “You may share the labours of the great, but you will not share the spoil.”

Lion

A slave escape his master and ran into the forest. He saw and lion and started to flee, but it wasn’t chasing him. The slave noticed that the lion had a thorn stuck in his paw. The slave removed the thorn and bandaged the paw, and soon the lion was able to bring the slave to his cave. They both lived together in the cave for a while before the slave was captured. The slave was put in an arena with the lion who hadn’t had food for a while. When the lion was let loose he remembered his friend and began to lick him. The emperor took the slave, and after the slave explained what had happened, pardoned him and set him free. “Gratitude is the sign of noble souls”

A man and a lion were contemplation which one was stronger. The man said that humans were stronger and show the lion a statue of Hercules defeating a lion. The lion said that that didn’t mean much because a man made the statue. “We can easily represent things as we wish them to be.”

A lion would try to hunt four oxen, but every time he tried, they would stand back to back. He could never approach them because of their horns. One day the oxen started fighting and split up. The lion was easily able to kill them one by one. “United we stand,
divided we fall”

A fox got into a theatre and saw a face staring at him. He was scared until he realized it was just a mask. Then he wasn’t frightened anymore. “Outside show is poor substitute for inner worth”

Bibliography:
The Fables of Aesop by Joseph Jacobs

Reading Notes: Crane Unit, Part B

A king got lost in the woods. A witch came and told him that she would help him get out if he married her daughter. The king said yes and followed the witch home. The daughter was beautiful, but the king shuttered everything he looked at her. The king didn’t trust his new wife to be kind to his seven children from his previous marriage. So, he hid them in a castle hidden deep in the woods. The queen was angry at home much time the king spent away from her, so she bribed some servants to tell her where the king went. When she found out about the king’s children she went to the castle to see them. She had used some of her mother’s magic to turn the six sons into swans. She didn’t learn about the king’s daughter and left without changing her. The next day the king came around and asked where his sons were. The king didn’t think that it was his wife who did such a thing and wanted to take his daughter with him. She refused and staid at the castle to look for her brothers. She found her brothers in the forest, and they were only able to stay in human for 15 minutes. She wanted to help them become human again, but they told her it would be too hard. She couldn’t talk or laugh and she must make six shirts out of aster-flowers. The daughter set her mind on helping her brothers. The daughter wouldn’t speak when hunters found her sleeping in a tree. When she wouldn’t give an answer, they took her to another king. The king couldn’t get her to talk either but fell in love with her beauty. He took her home with him and made him his queen. The king’s mother didn’t like his new wife and tried to get rid of her. The daughter gave birth to a son and the king’s mother tried to make her son think that his wife ate their baby. The daughter didn’t care and went on sewing the shirts for her brothers. The daughter gave birth to two more sons and the queen did the exact same thing as before. After the third time the King couldn’t ignore the evidence and ordered her to be put to death. As she was about to be put to death she finished the shirts and gave them to her brothers. After that she was able to speak and told her husband about his mother’s treachery. They lived happily ever after.

The six brothers

Bibliography:
Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane and illustrated by Walter Crane (1886).

Reading Notes: Europa, Part A

A noble man had a daughter with his first wife. When his first wife died, he married a new woman who had two other daughters. The step mother and step sister hated the man’s daughter. They made her sleep by the fire every night, which led them to call her Cinder-Maid. One day the king made a decree that all the noble daughters of the land shall come to a ball so his son may choose a princess. Cinder-Maid’s step sisters started to pick out an outfit, but when her father suggests that Cinder-Maid go to, they tell him that she is a disgrace. After they left for the ball, Cinder-Maid wept under the Hazel tree that grew at her mother’s grave. All she wanted was to go to the ball. Her wish was granted and she was given a beautiful dress and carriage from the hazel tree. A little bird called out to her and told her she must be back by midnight. When she got to the ball the prince only wanted to dance with her. As midnight approached though, she fled home. A great mist came and hid her so that the guards couldn’t follow her home. Since the prince couldn’t find Cinder-Maid after the first ball he threw another one. Again Cinder-Maid got her dress from the hazel tree and went to the ball. She got there and the prince would only dance with her. He had his guards put honey on the stairs so her shoes would stick. However, when she ran away she didn’t stick. At the last ball Cinder-Maid left a little too late, and as the clock struck midnight her shoe got stuck on some tar on the stairs and her clothes changed to rags. The prince went around with the shoe having everyone try it on. The first step sister tried it on but it was too small. So she cut off her toe and the prince believed her. However, he soon saw the blood coming from her shoe and knew it wasn’t her. The next step sister tried it on and cut off her heel to fit. The prince started to take her home until he saw the blood coming from her shoe. When he got back he found out about Cinder-Maid and when she tried it on he knew she was the one.

A father sent his son to school to learn about great things. Every time he would come back he would claim that he knows what animals are saying. His father wasn’t satisfied and kept sending him back to learn about more useful stuff. After three years of this his father wanted to see if what his son was saying was true. When is father didn’t believe what his son was telling him that a bird was saying, he called upon a robber to kill his son. The robber instead let the boy go, and he ran off into the woods. The boy came upon a castle and after listening to a dog bark, informed the lord that he would be attacked that night. They put up extra guards and sure enough they were attacked. The lord gave the boy a reward for saving their lives. The boy moved on to another castle where the king’s daughter was ill. The boy was able to listen to the frogs and tell the king how to save his daughter. One of the frogs swallowed her holy wafer, and all they had to do was get it back. When they finished the boy was given a reward for saving the girls life. Then the boy and his two companions travelled to Rome. The pope had just died and the boy heard from the birds that one of them would become the new pope. It turns out the boy was elected to be the new pope. He then travelled back home and met up with him mother and father again. When he got there his mother and father were very sorry for what they had tried to do to him. He forgave them and took them back with him.

The frog

Bibliography:
Europa's Fairy Book by Joseph Jacobs and illustrated by John Batten (1916).

Reading Notes: Brother's Grimm (Crane), Part A

A fisherman and his wife lived in a gross house by the sea. One day the fisherman went out and caught a flounder. The fish said he was an enchanted prince so the man let him go. When he told his wife, she made him go and find the fish again so he could wish for a better house. So, he went back and found the fish and wished for a little cottage, and his wish was granted. They lived in this cottage for many months, when one day the wife told her husband to go back to this fish and wish for a castle. The fisherman was quite content with his house, but his wife insisted that he go. So, out the fisherman went.

So, the man went to the sea and called upon the flounder again. The fish came and when the fisherman told him what his wife wanted, the fish granted his wish. He went back home to find a castle standing there. The wife was so happy. The castle had many nice things inside and many servants as well. The next day the wife decided that her husband should be the king. When he refused, she made him go ask the fish to make her the king of the land. So out the man went reluctantly, and asked the fish to make his wife the king. The fish granted his wish and the fisherman went back home.

When he got back home, he saw his wife sitting on the throne. She wasn’t happy though. She wanted to be the emperor. The fisherman didn’t think that the fish could do it, for there was only one emperor. However, he had to go and ask the flounder. So off to the sea he went. He didn’t think it was right, but he asked anyways, and the fish granted his wish. When he came back he found out his wife was the emperor, but again she wasn’t happy. She now wanted to be the pope. The fisherman now really didn’t want to do it, but his wife threatened him. So back to the fish he went, and again his wish was granted.

When the fisherman went back home, he saw a great church where is little hovel once stood. He went up to his wife and asked her what she wanted to be now. She couldn’t think of a response, but she knew she wouldn’t be content until she came up with something else to wish to be. By morning she decided that she wanted power over the sun and the moon, so the husband went out to find the fish. He granted her final wish, and in the end, she ended up becoming a part of a cuckoo clock.

A rich man had a sick wife. As she lay dying she told her daughter to always be kind to others. After the mother died the father remarried, and she brought along two very mean spirited daughters. They forced her to work for her food, and they made her dress like a kitchen-maid. One day her father went to a fair and asked what his daughters would like him to bring them. All his daughter wanted was the first twig that touched his hat on his way home. She planted that twig at her mother’s grave and I quickly sprouted a fine tree, and whenever she wept and wished, her wish came true. The king of the land invited all the young maidens to attend so his son could pick a wife. The girl’s stepmom would not let her attend because she was all filthy. The stepmother said that only if she could pick out all the lentils from the ashes in the fireplace in two hour, then she could go to the festival. The girl went out and cried and wished at her tree for help, and two birds came to her rescue. After she was done, her stepmom made her do it two more times. Even after that she still wouldn’t let her go. She went to her tree and wished for a dress to wear. When she got to the festival her stepmother and stepsisters didn’t recognize her. The prince wanted to marry her. The girl kept getting away from the prince and wouldn’t let him know her true identity. The prince got her shoe and decided to try it on all the maidens. When the girl’s oldest stepsister tried on the shoe it didn’t fit. So, she cut off her toe and shoved it on. It almost worked, but the prince saw the blood. Then the next stepsister tried and had to cut off her heel. Again, it almost worked, but he saw the blood. Finely the girl was able to try on the shoe and it fit. The prince found his maiden.

Aschenputtel

Bibliography:
Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm, translated by Lucy Crane and illustrated by Walter Crane (1886).

Reading Notes: Canterbury Tales, Part A

Back in the day there use to be a lot of fairies. The fairies don’t exist anymore. There was a knight who vowed to treat all women with respect, but one day he was rude to a woman. Since he didn’t stick to his word he should have been put to death, but he was loved by all that they pleaded for his life. Si King Arthur said that the Queen would decide. The Queen wouldn’t let him off without some sort of punishment. So he had a year to figure out what women wish for the most. So he traveled the world to find his answer, but no two woman agreed on an answer. He had to go back to the Queen without an answer. On his way he ran into an ugly old woman and she agreed to answer his question in exchange for a favor, which the knight agreed too.

The knight's bride

The old woman told him the answer and he was off back to the palace. He told the Queen that woman want to rule their husbands most of all. The Queen and all the other women in the court agreed so the knight left with his life. After he was set free the old woman who helped him came to claim her favor. She wanted the knight to marry her, which he didn’t want to do. However, since he vowed to do so, he married her. He was sad and glum on his wedding day. His new wife scolded him saying that just because she was old doesn’t mean she wouldn’t be loyal. When the knight saw that she made good points, he gave himself over to her. At once she became a beautiful, young, and charming wife.

Bibliography:
The Chaucer Story Book by Eva March Tappan (1908).

Reading Notes: Celtic Fairy Tales, Part A

The king of Lir thought he would be appointed king of all of Ireland. But one of the other king’s eldest sons was elected. He was angry and left the assembly. The other kings would have harmed him because of this but the new king wouldn’t let them. The king decided to join their two kingdoms by marriage to bring peace. He sent the king of Lir three maidens to pick from. He chose the oldest maiden. They had a set of twins, a boy and a girl, and then two more boys after. His wife died giving birth to their last son, and the king mourned his loss. After her death, the high king sent the maidens sister to keep the peace. His new wife loved his children at first, but then grew to hate them. She took the four children out to the lake one day. The kings daughter had a dream that her new mother was going to harm her and didn’t want to go, but she was pressured into joining. She told the people that lived by the lake to kill the children, but they would not. So she attempted to kill them but didn’t have the strength. She made them bathe in the lake, and turned them into swans. The king of Lir had suspicion that his new wife had done something to his children.

The king of Lir found the swans upon the lake, and since they would speak they told him what happened to them. The king then turned his wife into an air-demon as punishment. The king declared that no swan should ever be killed. The children got hurt and separated in a heavy storm, but they soon found each other again. They were so hurt and cold that they just nestled against each other for warmth.

The Children

Bibliography:
More Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1895)

Reading Notes: Alaska, Part A

A man was created in a pod. When he emerged he was a full grown man. The man was learning how his body worked and how the world around him worked. The man was a raven flying around, the raven swooped down and turned into a man. It turns out that the raven made the man unintentionally. The raven gave the man food. He made sheep for the man, and reindeer. After the raven made all sorts of creatures, he created a companion for the man. He took fine clay and shaped it into a woman and used water grass for hair. He waved his hands around four times and she became real.

Raven

When the people were first put on earth there was no mountains, or rain, or winds. The raven taught the humans how to live and survive off the land. He made the man some fish to eat. The raven spent days making all kinds of animals out of clay. When he was done he showed each one of them to the man. The raven brought the man fish but noticed that the lakes were bare, so he made bugs to float on top. Then babies were introduced to the earth, and the raven became afraid they would kill his animals. So the raven created big creatures that could not easily be killed by the humans.

Bibliography:
Myths and Legends of Alaska, edited by Katharine Berry Judson (1911).

Week 9: Blackfoot, Part B

Long ago men and women were separate. Women were made first and were not as strong as men. But the women were smarter than the men. One day a man came across a group of women. They did not know what kind of animal he was. Th women ran into the man again and told him to ask his male friends if they wanted to get married. They said yes so they met up to pick husbands. The chief woman was really dirty and tried to pick the man, but he refused. After she changed he wanted her but she picked someone else. This story could be about an all-girls school and an all-boys that meet up for the first time. They decide to pick boyfriends and girlfriends. 

Bobcat

A man found prairie dogs sitting around a camp fire. The old man joined them. He put them in the fire and let them die. A female prairie dog escaped into a hole in the ground. The man fell asleep and a bobcat ate his food. The old man was very angry and he tracked the bobcat down. While the bobcat was sleeping the man grabbed him. He pulled off his tail and smashed his face into the rocks. This is how all bobcats got their look. He then went back to the fire and burnt his nose. He called for a strong wind to cool it off, but it knocked him over. He was saved by a birch tree.

Bibliography:

Blackfeet Indian Stories by George Bird Grinnell (1915).

Week 9: Blackfoot, Part A

An antelope and a deer argued over who could run faster. The set up a race to decide the winner and they bet their gall. They raced in the prairie and the antelope won. The deer said if they raced in the woods it would win. So, they set up another race this time in the woods and they bet their dewclaws. During this race the deer easily won and took the antelopes dewclaw. This is why the deer has no gall, and the antelope has no dewclaw.

Wolf Howling

A man had two wives, both of which weren’t very nice to him. They didn’t do anything to help around the house. So he moved them away from the rest of the camp to see if that would make them focus more on their wife duties. The wives planned to kill their husband so that they could move back with the rest of the camp. He fell into a hole that they dug, and so the wives headed back to camp and pretended to mourn. The man didn’t die though, he just couldn’t get out of the hole. A pack of wolves found him and helped him out of the hole. They adopted him into their pack and turned him into a man wolf. He then helped the wolves steal the animals from the camp. They people soon found out what was going on and the wolf-man told them how his wives tried to kill him. So the people in the camp decided to punish them.

Bibliography:
Blackfeet Indian Stories by George Bird Grinnell (1915).

Reading Notes: Filipino Tales, Part B

There was an iguana and a turtle who were friends. They went fishing at an old man’s pond and were caught. The iguana got away but the turtle was tied up under the house. The iguana came looking for his friend the next day. When he found the turtle he asked why he was tied up. The turtle said it was because the old man wanted him to marry his daughter, but he doesn’t want to. The iguana really wants a wife so he decided to take the turtle’s place. The old man didn’t really want anyone to marry his daughter and tried to hurt the iguana, but he got away. Later the iguana ran into the turtle again who tricked him one last time.

A mosquito

There once was a crab who was the kind of all land crabs. He brought all of his subjects together and told then to watch his house at night, but to make no noise while doing it. All of his subjects agreed to do so. That night the rain started to pour and the crabs started to laugh. This awake the king, who was angry, but he went back to sleep so he could deal with it in the morning. When he asked the crabs why they were laughing they said that it was because they saw Hu-man carrying his house on his back. He took that as a good reason and didn’t do anything to them. When he asked why Hu-man was carrying his house on his back he said that it was because a creature had brought fire and he was afraid his house would be destroyed. Again the king thought this was a good reason. He then asked the creature why he was carrying fire to which he responded that Lamoc was trying to bite him, and he was protecting himself. The king thought this was a good reason. When the king tried to talk to Lamoc he bit him and so the king ordered him to be killed. After he was killed, Lamoc’s friends chased the executioner around and stayed at him front door humming for the rest of their lives. These friends sometimes mistake humans ears for the door of the executioners home, and this is why mosquitoes hum in our ears.

Bibliography:

Filipino Popular Tales by Dean Fansler

Reading Notes: Filipino Tales, Part A

A monkey, a dog, and a carabao were friends. They didn’t want to live in the city anymore so they went to live in the country. Over the course of two days, the carabao and the dog were left at home to cook while the others went out to hunt. Each day a giant came to their house and ate all their food. When they tried to attack him, he just flung them away.  On the last day the monkey was in charge of cooking and set up a trap for the man. When he came to eat the monkey invited him in and the man fell into a giant pit. He then filled in the hole. When the dog and carabao came back they dug up the hole and found out that the man was still alive. He then killed the dog and injured the cow, but the monkey was able to escape. The monkey tricked the man into getting stung by bees, and to wear a boa-constrictor as a belt.

 

                           Carabao

A wealthy man sent his three sons to get the best education they could. They didn’t take school seriously and instead wasted their time. They didn’t want to go back home so instead they wandered from town to town. One day they came across an old lady who said she had a book that could bring the dead back to life. So one of the brothers bought the book. Later they met an old woman selling a mat that she claimed could fly. So another brother decided to buy it. The last brother found two rocks that could come together to form one big rock. They came upon a dead woman who the first brother was able to bring back to life. The second brother used his mat to take them to the seashore and they got on a boat. The boat was destroyed in a storm but the third brother was able to use his rocks to repair it. After they were safely on shore they fought over who should have to woman. They brought their problem to the king who had the lady cut into three pieces to be given to the brothers. The first two brothers didn’t want their part and threw it away, but the last brother used his rocks to put her back together.

Bibliography:

Filipino Popular Tales by Dean Fansler

Reading Notes: The Monkey King, Part A

At the beginning of time there was a rock that had absorbed power from heaven and earth. It was given magical abilities which caused it to burst open and spring forth an egg made of stone. From this stone egg, and ape of stone was born. He became an area of concern for the Lord of the Heavens. One day the ape was challenged to jump through a roaring waterfall to get to the other side. He easily did so and found an iron bridge on the other side. He told all the other apes about what he found and took them to go see the cave castle. They crowned him Handsome King of the Apes. He lived a life of ease for the next three hundred years. 

Monkey

After a while he soon became discontent because he realized that they could not stop death from coming for them. The monkey king was told that only three types of people can escape death. The Buddha, the blessed spirit, and the gods. If he can attain one of these three statuses, then he can become immortal. So, the monkey king set out to find these people to learn from them how he could become immortal. At once he set off to Asia and learned how to blend in with humans so that he could live among them while trying to find the people who could help him. After nine years, he set off again in the west to continue his search. He came upon a mountain which he thought might be the home of the spirits.

He finally found the home of a spirit called ‘The Discerner’. He got the attention of the spirit in the cave and was led into his home. When the spirit asked for the ape’s name he could not give him one. So, the spirit named him Sun Wu Kung. The spirit taught Sun many different skills such as sweeping, good manners, tending a field, and watering a garden. He also learned how to read and write. This went on for six or seven years. Even with all of his teaching Sun Wu Kung still could not give up his wild nature.

Bibliography:

"The Ape Sun Wu Kung" in The Chinese Fairy Book, ed. by R. Wilhelm and translated by Frederick H. Martens (1921).

Reading Notes: Twenty-Two Goblins, Part A

A monk keeps bringing a king fruit with gems in them. The king confronts the man and asks why he keeps doing this. The monk says he needs the king’s help. He asks him to take a body that is hanging from a tree and bring it to him. When the king goes to do that, he finds out the body is that of a goblins. The goblin then proceeds to tell the king riddles. If the king gets it wrong his head will explode. If he gets them right the goblin will go back to his tree.

The first riddle is about three young men who love the same girl. When she dies unexpectedly they all morn differently. One man takes her ashes and sleeps on them in a hut. One man takes her bones and washes them in the river. The last man becomes a monk and wanders. He soon comes across a man who can bring the dead back to life, and learns his secret. He takes what he knows back to the cemetery and brings the girl back to life. The goblin wants to know who the king thinks should marry her. He says the one who slept on her ashes because that is what a lover would do.

The next story is about three different men wanting the same girls hand in marriage. A brave man, a wise man, and a clever man. They were each chosen to marry the same girl by accident, but when it came time to the wedding the girl had disappeared. The wise man told them that she had been taken by a giant. The clever man made a flying chariot to take them to the cave. When they got there the brave man killed the giant and saved the girl. The goblin wants to know who should take the girls hand in marriage. The king says the brave man because he risked his life to save the girl. The goblin likes this answer and run back to his tree.

The next riddle involves a beautiful woman, her husband, and her brother. When they were out in the city they come across a temple and decide to go in and worship the goddess there. The husband goes in first and cuts off his head, the brother goes in next and see what happened and cute his head off too. When the woman goes in and sees what has happened she wants to kill herself. The goddess stops her and tells her that she can just put their heads back on and it will be ok. When she does this she accidentally puts the wrong head on the bodies. The goblin wants to know which head and body combination is the woman’s husband. The king says the body with the husband’s head on it. Once agai the goblin escapes and goes back to the tree.

Three Brothers with Turtle

Bibliography: Twenty-Two Goblins, translated by Arthur W. Ryder, with illustrations by Perham W. Nahl (1917).

Reading Notes: Aesop (Winter), Part A

The Wolf and the Kid

The kid thinks he is a grown up because he has big horns.

He doesn’t follow the flock when they leave and is stuck alone.

As he tries to find his flock he comes across a wolf

The goat makes him play a song before eating him.

Dogs near by hear this and know it’s the wolf.

They chase him away from the kid

Do not let anything turn you from your purpose.

The Tortoise and the Ducks

The tortoise has a shell on his back because he didn’t leave home to attend Jupiter’s wedding.

The tortoise was jealous that he was stuck in his home all day.

One day he meets to ducks and they agree to show him the world.

He held a stick in his mouth and they carried him into the air

As they flew another bird came and started to talk to the tortoise.

The tortoise began to reply, and opened his mouth.

He then fell to his death on some rocks.

Foolish curiosity and vanity often lead to misfortune

The Dog, the Cock, and the Fox

A dog and a cock were best friends, they wanted to see the world.

They decided to leave the farm and go on an adventure.

Once night hit, they found a tree to sleep in.

When he woke, the cock forgot where he was and started to crow.

He accidentally woke up a fox nearby

They fox tried to trick the cock to come down so he could eat him.

The cock knew what was going on and instead tricked the fox.

The cock sent the fox right into the dog.

Those who try to deceive may expect to be paid in their own coin.

The Eagle and the Jackdaw

A Jackdaw saw and eagle swoop down and take a lamb off the ground.

It thought that it was strong enough to do that too.

So it tried to swoop down and take a ram off the ground.

When it tried to pull up, it got stuck in the ram’s wool

The shepherd saw the bird and took it and clipped its wings.

He gave the bird to his children.

He told them that the Jackdaw thought it was an eagle.

Do not let your vanity make you overestimate your powers.

Eagle and Jackdaw

The Boy and the Filberts

A boy stuck his hand in a pitcher to get some filberts.

His hands were so stuffed he couldn’t get it out.

He refused to let go of any of them so he was still stuck.

His mother told him to let go of half so that he could have them now, and then have half later.

Do not attempt too much at once.

Bibliography: These stories are part of The Aesop forChildren, author unknown with illustrations by Milo Winter (1919).

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche: Part B

Cupid was at his mother’s (Venus’) house after Psyche accidentally burned him with candle wax. Venus heard about her son being hurt, though what she was told was greatly overstated. This is exactly what Hollywood tabloids do with celebrity news. They take a simple story and twist it so much that it seems like a bigger deal than it actually is. With Cupid gone all dealings that have to do with love and kindness were lost. Venus is extremely angry when she finds out that Cupid is in love with Psyche. This makes her dislike Psyche even more. Venus wants to get revenge on both Cupid and Psyche. Psyche seeks the help and protection from the goddesses Ceres and Juno. Ceres cannot help her because she is such a close friend to Venus. Juno is unable to help Psyche as well. Since they were of no help, Psyche decides to confront Venus herself. So, she tries to find a way to get to Venus’ house. Venus sets a reward for anyone who can tell her the location of Psyche. Psyche is soon found and brought to Venus. Venus has Psyche beaten and tortured by her servants. Maybe this could be represented as Venus’ friends slandering her name in the tabloids. Venus thinks that this is all funny. Now Venus is putting Psyche to the test by making her sort out piles of different beans and grains. Ants quickly came to Psyche’s aid and helped her sort out the pile. Now Psyche must get golden fleece from sheep that graze in a field nearby. Psyche didn’t want to try and complete this task so she decided to throw herself off a cliff. However, as she went to do this she was given the advice to wait till the sheep cool off in the evening and look for their wool and branches. Even still Venus didn’t give her approval. So, she told Psyche to go to the river Styx and the river Cocytus and to get water from them. With the help of Jupiter’s eagle, Psyche was able to get the water from the river into a vial. Even after this Venus is not impressed so she wants Psyche to go to the underworld to meet Proserpine. She needed to ask her for a bit of her beauty. Even though she was told not to look in the jar, she was too curious. When she went to look she instantly fell asleep. However, Cupid found her and was able to wake her up. He asked Jupiter for help to get back at Venus. Jupiter called for a meeting of all the gods and told everyone that Cupid and Psyche were going to get married.

(Psyche, by Waterhouse)

Now we are back to the old woman who was originally telling the story. The robbers packed up their stuff and went to a cave to get more. The robbers want to kill the donkey because he is not very helpful. The donkey is now thinking of how to escape his death. As he tried to escape the old woman caught him and pulled him back. The kidnapped girl helped the donkey escape and rode him to safety. The donkey finally turns back into his human form.

Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche, written by Apuleius and translated English by Tony Kline. A fairy tale included in the novel The Golden Ass.

Reading Notes: Cupid and Psyche, Part A

The narrator is a man turned donkey, who is traveling with a bunch of thieves. Why is this guy a donkey, and what does he have to do with the plot? The thieves kidnap a girl from a wealthy family. The girl was going to get married the day she was taken by the robbers. She was getting married to her cousin. An old woman is with the robbers, she is trying to comfort the girl by telling her a story. Why is the old woman with the robbers in the first place?

(Psyche Transported, by Giordano)

The story starts with the youngest daughter to the king and queen, her beauty is indescribable with mortal words. Many people speculated that this girl could be the goddess Venus herself. People stopped worshiping Venus and started worshiping the princess. Venus became very angry at the thought of being replaced by a mortal. Venus is going to get revenge on Psyche stealing her spotlight! This kinda sounds like celebrities these day, always jealous when a new star comes into town and steals their spotlight. I can see the headlines now “Psyche, the new Venus?”. Maybe I can set my story in modern day Hollywood were Venus is a well-established A-Lister, and Psyche is a new star to roll through town, and she quickly steal Venus’ fame. Venus wants Cupid to make Psyche fall in love with the worst guy there is, the unluckiest guy on earth. Even though Psyche was such a beautiful no one wanted to marry her. An oracle told her father that she will get married, but it will be the death of her. She was taken to the palace of a god. There are invisible servants at this palace. Everyone back home thinks she is dead and her sisters are going to go to the cliff where Psyche was left to mourn. Psyche is told that she can’t respond or even look at her sisters or it will bring her a lot of pain and misery. Psyche convinced her husband (who is also invisible) to let her see her sisters, but he said she shouldn’t listen to their advice if they tell her to try and reveal his true self to her. When her sisters saw all that she had, they became jealous and angry. They are going to plot to harm or even murder her because they don’t think she deserves her riches. She revealed her husband to be Cupid himself. Maybe this could tie in to something online, where neither see each other face, but Psyche can’t help but find out who she is talking to. She goes to her sisters and makes up a story that Cupid wants to take one of them as his wife, that sister, without second thought, jumps from the cliff and dies. After that she goes to her second sister and says the same thing, and the same outcomes happens.

Bibliography: Cupid and Psyche, written by Apuleius and translated English by Tony Kline. A fairy tale included in the novel The Golden Ass.