[AlArchie]

Great tales, Susan! But, methinks the part about the moon's shining being a reflection of the light of the sun is a modern enhancement. Up until fairly modern times, all the celestial bodies were believed to be their own light source. The relation between the two dieties was most likely, as you have stated, but the interaction you describe is a modern adaptation.

I don't mean to be argumentative,here, but rather develop a discussion of the changing origins of some of our mythology, as we ourselves learn more of the natural world, and add to, or adapt the stories we have heard.

Most everything we observe is filtered through our own experiences for interpretation, and it is a very natural process to add new concepts to old tales!

I have often wondered what went through the minds of our ancestors when they observed the Aurora Borealis. Can you imagine how a totally uninformed mind would struggle to conceptualize the forces that make such a display possible? Wow, where would they start? As they are a factor of the night sky, there would be very little to associate that with solar activity but someone acting in the 19th or 20th century, when some understanding came about, might add some thoughts of dieties pocketing solar energy and having it leaking out in the night when the night winds blew the pocket flaps open, changing the myth to meet our modern view a bit. (just an example of thinking, not a valid relay of anyparticular myth).

Al

[Irish]

Al, you could be very very right!!! That sounds very reasonable to me!

There are two concepts (?) behind myths that so attract me. One is that they are very old stories passed down by oral tradition ... some honored old shaman sitting by a fire telling stories in the darkness of the night to teach and guide those he watched over. And two, that myths are living growing stories that got changed just a little bit with each telling. When the moon got reflected light versus his own light ... I don't know, it may be much more recent than I realize. Unfortunately oral tales do not come with author signatures and dates

And following your most excellent train of thought here ... those stories get transformed just by the action of the writing. How impressive must they have been to have been told with emotion and passion by someone that you respected and semi-feared versus just being black icons on flatten pulp.

The Aurora Borealis ... I don't know ... but there are some fantastic oriental myths about the Heaven Dragon eating the moon, thin bite after thin bite until it was gone from the night sky. But because it had a bitter taste he spit it back out again one bite at a time ...

Susan

[Paul_Guraedy]

Susan, I have been reading this thread with interest and melancholy. It is sad to see the passing of the tradition of great story telling. I grew up in pre-airconditioning, pre-television, Louisiana. Each summer evening the family, neighbors, passersby, anyone in the area, would gather on the front lawn to escape the heat. Things did not change so fast back then, so interesting tidbits (gossip) were quickly related and exhausted.

Inevitably we would turn to the "good story tellers" with, "Tell us the one about.........". These Masters of what I like to call "oral tradition" were generally uneducated as far as classical mythology is concerned; but, they did know local mythology. I doubt that any story was duplicated exactly. These masters realized that storytelling is participatory. It involves voice, hand gestures, body language and facial expression on the part of the "teller" and interest and anticipation on the part of the "listener". He or she would vary from the traditional storyline by intention and accident. They noted audience reaction and incorporated the changes into the next telling.

Mythologies were never meant as factual accounts or presented as literal histories.

They are still alive today and growing … and we wood carvers are participating in this one with our love for the Wood Spirit face!

I spent my career in the Park Service. My final assignment was in Alaska where I started writing to relatives and friends trying to explain life in "State of Mind". I continue these "Epistles from Paul" today (some are posted on my website at www.guraedy.com ).

I do not claim to be a master storyteller; but, am still sometimes asked to "tell us the one about...." People want to hear the stories from the epistles, not just read them. ly, not as often as it used to be. I, too, change the story to match audience interest and reaction. I like to think of these changes as mnemonics that assist the audience in retention of the object of the story.

I hope that woodcarvers, through woodspirits, keep breathing at least some life into this tradition.

[AlArchie]

Paul, there are still unlimited opportunities for good storytellers to thrive, especially when working with young people. I have been with the Boy Scouts for over 50 years now, and have found that campfires, on cool clear evenings are ripe for drawing out storytellers among both the young and old!
I have a repetoire of quite a few tales from Viking lore, Indian stories, quite a few ghost and spooky stories and find that these bring out others to sit and let their imaginations wander.

Quite often I'm asked "Is that a true story?" Most are not, but here's a line I open almost all the story telling sessions with. It pretty well covers the mythology genre, too, I think.

"Come, come drink with me from the Story Cup,
and I'll tell to you a tale.
A tale of bold, adventurous men,
or of spirits, gaunt and pale.

Now, some are true, some might not be,
and some are just made up.

It's up to you to decide what's true,
when we drink from the Story Cup!"
(Al Archie 1999)

I have an old pewter "Hodag" cup that I use for a prop, here, too. My own Story Cup.

Believe me, the days of the "Ol' Bard" are not gone, they are just hiding around campfires all across the country! And a lot of youngsters still get the bug to carry on these oral traditions. Quite a few walking sticks have been inspired while we were watching other sticks, in embers, curl into the dark sky as smoky wisps of imagination!

Oh, any other "Spinner of Yarns" who wants to use The Story Cup, feel free to do so......it's mine, but you can drink from it, and pass it around!



Al