Myth-Folkmore

Topic 1: Irish Ghost Stories I come from a very Irish family. We have always had a strong connection to our Irish roots since most of our family still does live in Dublin. I've never heard any specific Irish Ghost stories, but I do know how seriously my cousins take the spiritual world. It would be really interesting to learn more about these stories and possibly rewrite them. Online links:  A previous student's project, Dublin Haunted Houses:    https://sites.google.com/site/hauntedhousesindublin/home Briefly describes a lot of Irish ghost stories:  https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/lifestyle/features/spooky-news-six-ghosts-to-make-the-headlines-882161.html Topic 2: Nursery Rhymes My parents never really told me or read me nursery rhymes growing up. I don't know a lot about them but I think I would be really interested in studying the lyrics and origins of these nursery rhymes. After that, I think it would be a challenge to create a new nurs...

Saint Blaise and His Beasts Story Source: The Book of Saints and Friendly Beasts by Abbie Farwell Brown (1900) Time period: 316 A.C Emperor Licentious was killing Christians Saint Blaise Just wanted to learn how to help the creatures he loved Loved everything-- people, "dumb bests", everything that suffered and was sick Everybody loved him because he was always helping out -- with children, healing cattle and house pets Not scared to die in the end On his way to die he cured a sick child Put in prison and tortured Couldn't put him to death by beasts -- tried to drown him Christ analogy Was then beheaded England-- February 3rd-- light bonfires in honor of his name Wild Beasts Blaise never forgot about them Would visit them in the woods Always wanted to learn about them Love Blaise because he never hurt them, talked to them "kindly" and healed them when they were sick or wounded Had a relationship with him-- he help...

Feedback Thoughts I enjoyed the article, " Seven Ways to Crush Self-Doubt in Creative Work ". Now I believe some of the advice on the list is obvious but sometimes you need to read the obvious to clearly understand why it is useful. I did like the advice, "Treat your work like an experiment." When an idea or project doesn't work it doesn't mean its a failure, it means that you need to figure out what is wrong and fix it.  The other article I chose to write about is, " Make Good Art ". I especially enjoyed the section that talked about making mistakes. If you aren't making mistakes you aren't then you aren't trying new things. We learn the most from our mistakes, not our successes.  Neil Gaiman  with his speech "Make Good Art" Website Link

Three Roses There once was a caring mother with three daughters. The family was running low on supplies so the mother planned a trip to the market. Before she left the mother asked her daughters what they wanted from the market. The two eldest girls supplied a long list of wants. The youngest, however, just wanted three Roses. The family lived deep in the woods so the trip would take two days time. After collecting all the supplies that were needed the mother started to head back home. With such a heavy load, the mother needed a rest. It was getting dark and she could hear the animals coming out to search for food under the moon. She saw an old looking palace and decided to hurry there for refuge for the night. The mother had never seen this palace but it seemed extremely old. The only thing that was in good condition was the rose garden to the side of the palace. She had already bought her daughter the three roses but these were so much more beautiful. As soon as sh...

Fairy Tales: Beuty and the Basilisk  Three Roses Story Source: The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis (1922) First two daughters want everything The third daughter wants nothing besides three roses Doesn't specially ask-- says if you like, you can bring me the roses Mom wanders into the castle -- exhausted from carrying all of the stuff for other sisters Palace has beautiful roses outside -- mistakenly picks them Daughter wants nothing which costs her her life -- but didn’t care? Basilisk wanted her to give him life and kill him 3 roses- 3 hours of nursing a day - 3 days Hesitated to kill the beast but easily killed the serpent inside She ends up Marrying the attractive male and having a big wedding The Three Roses are a focal point in the story.  Taken from Poem Hunter

Reading Schedule Choose from  CLASSICAL and/or BIBLICAL units  for Weeks 3 and 4. Week 3:  Saints and Animals Week 4:  Cupid and Psyche Choose from  MIDDLE EASTERN and/or INDIAN units  for Weeks 5 and 6. Week 5:  Santal Week 6:  Twenty-Two Goblins Choose from  ASIAN and/or AFRICAN units  for Weeks 7 and 9. [Week 8 is review week.] Week 7:  Jamaica Week 9 : Laos Choose from  NATIVE AMERICAN units  for Weeks 10 and 11. Week 10: American Indian Tales Week 11:    Hero legends Choose from  BRITISH and/or CELTIC units  for Weeks 12 and 13. Week 12:  Beowulf Week 13:  Robin Hood Choose from  EUROPEAN units  for Weeks 14 and 15. Week 14:  Librivox Week 15:  Italian I am looking forward to most of these readings. I chose stories with some heavy focus on animals. I am also really excited about the British/Celtic unit. I am a big fan ...