2

FINAL – EL 112 Mythology and Folklore

Content Page
Module 7 86-99
Module 8 100-111

Week Topics Objectives

Week 14-15 Egyptian Myth At the end of the unit,

students must have:

Middle Eastern myths • identified the gods

and folktales and goddesses of
The Arabian Diversity Egyptian
mythology.
Islamic Stories • evaluated Islamic stories
from the Qur-an.
• diffentiated the diverse
Arabian culture through
their folktales.
• criticize the literary pieces
dicussed.

Week 16 -17 American Indian Myth At the end of the course,

Creation Myths
Indian American Folktales
In the Beginning Myths
Week Storytelling Requirement
17 Final Critical Analysis
the students are expected
to:
• identified the different
mythologies of the
indigenous people of
America.
• Write insights about the
Indian Americans and
the
historical impact of their
myths and folktales.
• understood why myths are
importance to different
cultures.
• Apply tips in effective
storytelling.
• Write a final evaluation on
the learning and insights
of
the course.

Week Final Exam

18
 86
Module No. & Title Module 7: Egyptian Mythology

Welcome to Module 7 of EL 112! In this

module, you will be introduced to a comprehensive
Module Overview hint of background of Islam. One of the most
essential tasks is being able to explore issues of
political, racial, ethnic identity in literary works.

At the end of the lessons, student have:

Module Objectives/ Outcomes
• identified the gods and goddesses of Egyptian
mythology.
• evaluated Islamic stories from the Qur-an. •
differentiated the diverse Arabian culture through their
folktales.
• criticize the literary pieces discussed.

This module contains the following lessons:

Lessons in the Module Egyptian Mythology:

background of the Middle Eastern culture with a Lesson 1: Egyptian Mythology, Middle Eastern
Myths and Folktales, The Arabian Diversity

Time Frame 2 weeks

87
INTRODUCTION
I
Ancient Egypt: A Brief History

Egyptian civilization has flourished continuously since prehistoric times. While

the civilization's rulers, writing, natural climate, religion and borders have changed
many times over the millennia, Egypt still exists as a modern-day country.

The civilization has always been strongly connected with other parts of the world,
bringing in and exporting goods, religions, food, people and ideas. At times ancient
Egypt ruled territory outside the modern-day country's border, controlling territory in
what is now Sudan, Cyprus, Lebanon, Syria, Israel and Palestine. The country was also
occupied by other powers — the Persians, Nubians, Greeks and Romans all conquered
the country at different points in time.

A number of names were used for Egypt in ancient times. A popular ancient
name for Egypt was "Kemet," which means the "black land." Scholars generally
believe that this name derives from the fertile soil that is left over when the Nile flood
recedes in August. The flooding of the Nile occurred between June and August and
the fertile soil it created was vital to ancient Egypt's survival, with fertility playing an
important role in Egyptian religion. The burial of Tutankhamun — in which his penis
was mummified erect — is but one example of how important fertility was in the
rituals and beliefs of the ancient Egyptians.

The country's ancient rulers are referred to today as "pharaohs," although in

ancient times they each used a series of names as part of a royal titular, wrote Ronald
Leprohon, an Egyptology professor at the University of Toronto, in his book "The
Great Name: Ancient Egyptian Royal Titulary" (Society of Biblical Literature, 2013).
The word pharaoh actually originates from the term "per-aa" which means "the Great
House," Leprohon wrote. The term was first incorporated into a royal titulary during
the rule of Thutmose III (reign ca. 1479–1425 B.C.) wrote Leprohon.

Egyptian Mythology

Egyptian mythology is the collection of myths from ancient Egypt, which

describe the actions of the Egyptian gods as a means of understanding the world. The
beliefs that these myths express are an important part of ancient Egyptian religion.
Myths appear frequently in Egyptian writings and art, particularly in short stories and
in religious material such as hymns, ritual texts, funerary texts, and temple decoration.
These sources rarely contain a complete account of a myth and often describe only
brief fragments.
Inspired by the cycles of nature, the Egyptians saw time in the present as a series
of recurring patterns, whereas the earliest periods of time were linear. Myths are set in
these earliest times, and myth sets the pattern for the cycles of the present. Present
events repeat the events of myth, and in doing so renew maat, the fundamental order
of the universe. Amongst the most important episodes from the mythic past are the

88
creation myths, in which the gods form the universe out of primordial chaos; the
stories of the reign of the sun god Ra upon the earth; and the Osiris myth, concerning
the struggles of the gods Usir, Aset, and Hor against the disruptive god Set. Events
from the present that might be regarded as myths include Ra's daily journey through
the world and its otherworldly counterpart, the Duat. Recurring themes in these
mythic episodes include the conflict between the upholders of maat and the forces of
disorder, the importance of the Pharaoh in maintaining maat, and the continual death
and regeneration of the gods.
The details of these sacred events differ greatly from one text to another and
often seem contradictory. Egyptian myths are primarily metaphorical, translating the
essence and behavior of deities into terms that humans can understand. Each variant
of a myth represents a different symbolic perspective, enriching the Egyptians'
understanding of the gods and the world.
 Mythology profoundly influenced Egyptian culture. It inspired or influenced
many religious rituals and provided the ideological basis for kingship. Scenes and
symbols from myth appeared in art in tombs, temples, and amulets. In literature, myths
or elements of them were used in stories that range from humor to allegory,
demonstrating that the Egyptians adapted mythology to serve a wide variety of
purposes.
For the list of Egyptian gods, please click this link:
https://rickriordan.com/extra/meet-the-egyptian-gods/.

ACTIVITY
I
Activity No. 1
“Wander in Egypt”
I. Directions: Do a substantial fact check on the internet about ancient Egypt
and world civilization. In more than three paragraphs, give your insights as a
youngster of this millennia.

89
Eight Famous Egyptian Mythology Stories

The Story of Ra: Creation Myth

Not only is Ra credited with creating all the gods of the earth, he also traveled across the sky every day as
the sun. At night, Ra would journey to the underworld, defeating the allies of chaos. Ra also ruled on Earth
as the first Pharoah. Egyptian kings claimed they were descended from Ra, thus giving credence to their
seat on the throne. They called themselves "The Son of Ra".

Isis and Osiris: Murder and Revenge

Isis and Osiris were two of the four children of Nut, the earth goddess. Isis and Osiris were married. As the
eldest child, Osiris ascended the throne and the people loved him, but his brother, Set, was jealous of this
and sought revenge. Set killed Osiris, cut him into pieces, and disperse the pieces all over Egypt.

Isis, however, had great magical powers. She traveled across the land, collected all the pieces of Osiris,
breathed life back into them, and resurrected him. Soon, they conceived a child together, Horus, but Osiris
could not return to the land of the living and went on to rule the underworld.

Horus and Set: A Mythical Murder Plot Continues

 When Horus grew to be a man, he challenged Set to the throne. A series of battles ensued but, to no
surprise, Set didn't play fair and kept coming out the victor.

Eventually, Isis stepped in to help Horus. She set a trap for Set, but he begged her for his life and she let
him go. This infuriated Horus. His rage was so strong that it even upset the other gods. In a final match, a
boat race, it looked like Horus was going to be the victor. Infuriated, Set turned into a hippopotamus and
attacked Horus' boat. Yet another fight ensued and their fellow gods declared the match a tie.

In the end, Osiris was consulted to see who should be king. Osiris declared that no man should take the
throne through murderous ways, as Set had. In the end, Horus took his rightful place, while his father
continued to rule the underworld.

Ma'at: The Goddess of Morality

Ma'at was the goddess of truth, justice, and morality. She was the daughter of Ra and wife of the moon
god, Thoth. She weighed the hearts of the dead to decide who should have eternal joy in the afterlife.

Her Feather of Truth was the determining factor. Once placed on a scale, if the deceased's heart was
heavier than her feather, they would not be permitted to journey to paradise. If the heart was deemed
too heavy, a demon would devour it, causing the deceased to die a second time.

90
Continuation of Egyptian Myth Stories;

Anubis: A Death Myth

Anubis was an ancient Egyptian god who had many roles around death. He was initially the lord of the
dead but as Osiris became more popular he took over that role. Anubis' story was then changed and he
came Osiris' son and helper in the afterlife.

Anubis was the protector of tombs and inventor of mummification. He was also tasked with taking the
dead souls to the underworld and overseeing the weighing of the heart.

The Book of Thoth

The Book of Thoth contained all the knowledge of the gods. It was nestled in the bottom of the Nile and
locked in a series of boxes guarded by serpents. Many pharaohs tried to gain access to it during their reign,
but it was never opened.

It's said that the knowledge in there was never meant to be possessed by mere mortals. Perhaps this
helped the Egyptians make sense of the things they still couldn't quite understand. Somewhere - out there
in the bottom of the Nile - lay all the answers.

The Girl With the Rose-Red Slippers: A Myth About Love

Ever wonder where Cinderella originated? Well, this is the tale of a Greek girl named Rhodopis who was
sold into slavery in Egypt. A very kind man bought her and, in turn, provided her with a home and
showered her with beautiful gifts. One day, an eagle swooped down and stole one of her rose-red slippers.
It was delivered to the pharaoh Amasis. Amasis asked to meet the owner of that slipper and the rest, shall
we say, is history. The two fell so deeply in love they even died on the same day.

The Princess of Bekhten: A God who Saved a Princess

Pharaoh was visiting Nehern, collecting his annual tributes, when the prince of Bekhten presented him
with his eldest daughter. Pharaoh accepted the princess and took her back to Egypt, making her the chief
royal wife. She was named Ra-neferu.

Years later, her sister Bent-Reshet became ill. The prince of Bekhten asked Pharaoh for help. He sent a
physician but her illness was the work of an evil spirit. Pharaoh then went to the temple of Khonsu Nefer
hetep and asked the god to heal her. The god confronted the evil spirit, immediately causing it to leave
Bent Reshet.

The prince tried to keep the powerful Khonsu in Bekhten but after three years he returned home. The
prince felt ashamed for trying to keep the god there and thanked him by sending many gifts and offerings.
When the tribute arrived in Egypt the pharaoh placed it at the foot of the statue of Khonsu in the Great
Temple.

91
ANALYSIS

In two to three sentences, write an idea about the Arabian quotation

given below.

“Remember that sometimes not

getting what you want is a
wonderful stroke of luck.”
-Oussama MRE

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Now, reflect on the following questions:

 If the major twist in ancient civilization did not
happen, how peculiar the world must have been?
Could we have lived as the ancient people did?
Why and why not?

Moving Forward Acros Middle East– The Arabian Myth and Stories
Arab civilization and peoples have some of the most diverse and colorful
stories and legends in the world, with many of the stories being passed down orally
from generation to generation over thousands of years. While some of these are
known to be pure myths and have taken the role of the common fairytales among
Arabs, many others still hold a hint that they actually did take place, which makes
these myths and legends ever more exciting. Here are some amazing Arabian stories
for you to checkout:

92
The Legend of Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp
One of the most famous folktales from Arabia, the legend of Aladdin has
captured the imagination of children (and adults) from all over the world. Part of the
collection of legends in the “Book of One Thousand and One Nights”, this story tells
of the young impoverished man Aladdin, who embarks on a series of adventures after
being tricked by an evil sorcerer and coming into contact with a magical jinni (or
genie), who helps him win the love of a princess.

The Mythical Creature of Bahamut

Known as a giant and monstrous fish that lies in the deep ocean, this mythical creature
was believed by ancient Arabs to hold up the earth itself. In this myth, the giant fish
carries a giant bull and gemstone on its back, which an angel stands upon to balance
the earth and sea.
The Monster of Nasnas
A horrifying monster of Arabian mythology, the Nasnas was believed to be an
offspring of a demon and a human, with the powers to kill a person and make them
“fleshless” by simply touching them. The Nasnas was believed to have only half a
head and half of every body part, which he uses to make giant leaps with only one leg
to catch and kill unsuspecting humans.
The Legend of Ali Baba And the Forty Thieves
Another famous tale from the legendary “Book of One Thousand and One Nights”,
this legend tells of the poor woodcutter Ali Baba, who is hurled into a wild adventure
when he discovers the hidden den of thieves with the magical words of “Open
Sesame”. Ali Baba eventually escapes from the evil thieves and discovers their
enormous cave of treasures.
The Mythical Creature of Shadhavar
A mythical Arabian creature that came out of the medieval ages, the Shadhavar was
believed to be a unicorn-like creature that has one giant horn and 42 branches that
spread out from this horn. Many legends told of the powerful music that could be
played from this magical horn with the wind that blew through its many branches.
The Legend of Sindbad the Sailor
Another famous legend, commonly thought of as originating from what is now Iraq,
this legend tells of Sindbad the famous sailor and explorer. Although there are
numerous tales of his adventures, most of them deal with Sindbad’s encounters with
magical creatures, foreign lands, and triumphs over powerful monsters.

93
The exotic world of Arabic fairy tales lets you immerse yourself in the myth
and lore that inspired countless European folk tales and fairy stories. Arabian folk tales
initiate the reader into mysterious kingdoms of untold wealth and unmatched beauty.
They contain tales of genies and goblins, talking animals and heroic princes and
princesses that charm and delight. Arabic folk tales circulated orally for thousands of
years and are rooted in ancient and medieval culture and folklore including Egyptian,
Persian, Indian and Mesopotamian influence. When Arabian fairy tales were first
written down formally in the 14th century, they were contained in Syrian Arabic
manuscript. Arabic fairy tales were a source of entertainment and not tales for moral
lessons and religious custom, unlike their European counterparts. The fairy tales are
robust with themes of romance and magic that offered countless evenings of
entertainment, and inspired a rich culture of fables, epic poems, historical anecdotes,
songs and dance that have circulated the world over.

The Scorpion and the Frog

One day, a scorpion looked around at the mountain where he lived and decided that he
wanted a change. So, he set out on a journey through the forests and hills. He climbed
over rocks and under vines and kept going until he reached the sea of Galillee. The sea
was wide and long, and the scorpion stopped to reconsider the situation. He couldn’t
see any way across. So, he ran up and down the coast, all the while thinking that he
might have to turn back.
Suddenly, he saw a frog sitting in the rushes by the edge of the sea. He decided to ask
the frog for help getting across the water.
“Hellooo Mr. Frog!” called the scorpion, “Would you be so kind as to give me a ride
on your back across the water?”
“Well now, Mr. Scorpion! How do I know that if I try to help you, you won’t try to
kill me?” asked the frog hesitantly.
“Because,” the scorpion replied, “If I try to kill you, then I would die too, for you see I
cannot swim!”
Now this seemed to make sense to the frog. But he asked. “What about when I get
close to the bank? You could still try to kill me and get back to the shore!”
“This is true,” agreed the scorpion, “But then I wouldn’t be able to get to the other side
of the sea!”
“Alright then…how do I know you won’t just wait till we get to the other side and
THEN kill me?” said the frog.
“Ahh…,” crooned the scorpion, “Because you see, once you’ve taken me to the other
side of this sea, I will be so grateful for your help, that it would hardly be fair to
reward you with death, now would it?!”
So, the frog agreed to take the scorpion across the sea of Galillee. He swam over to the
scorpion and settled himself near the mud to pick up his passenger. The scorpion
crawled onto the frog’s back, his sharp claws prickling into the frog’s soft hide, and
the

94
frog slid into the sea. The muddy water swirled around them, but the frog stayed near
the surface so the scorpion would not drown. He kicked strongly through the first half
of the sea, his flippers paddling wildly against the current.
Halfway across the water, the frog suddenly felt a sharp sting in his back and, out of
the corner of his eye, saw the scorpion remove his stinger from the frog’s back. A
deadening numbness began to creep into his limbs.

“You fool!” croaked the frog, “Now we shall both die! Why on earth did you do
that?” The scorpion shrugged, and did a little jig on the drownings frog’s back. “I
could not help myself. It’s the Middle East.”

Then they both sank into the muddy waters.

Islamic Tales in the Qur - an

Many Muslim tales, legends, and traditional sayings are built upon the mystical value
of numbers, such as the threefold or sevenfold repetition of a certain rite. This is
largely explained by examples from the life of a saintly or pious person, often the
Prophet himself, who used to repeat this or that formula so and so many times. The
number 40, found in the Qurʾān (as also in the Bible) as the length of a period of
repentance, suffering, preparation, and steadfastness, is connected, for example, with
the 40 days’ preparation and meditation, or fasting, of the novice in the mystical
brotherhood. To each number, as well as to each day of the week, special qualities are
attributed through the authority of both actual and alleged statements of the Prophet.
Many pre-Islamic customs were thus justified.
The importance given to the letters of the Arabic alphabet is peculiar to Muslim pious
thought. Letters of the alphabet were assigned numerical values: the straight alif
(numerical value one), the first letter of the alphabet, becomes a symbol of the
uniqueness and unity of Allah; the b (numerical value two), the first letter of the
Qurʾān, represents to many mystics the creative power by which everything came into
existence; the h (numerical value five) is the symbol of huwa, He, the formula for
God’s absolute transcendence. The sect of the Ḥurūfīs developed these cabalistic
interpretations of letters, but they are quite common in the whole Islamic world and
form almost a substitute for mythology.Almost every figure mentioned in the Qurʾān
has become the centre of a circle of legends, be it Yūsuf, the symbol of overwhelming
beauty, or Jesus with the life-giving breath, the model of poverty and asceticism. Of
special interest is Khiḍr, identified with the unnamed companion of Moses (Qurʾān
20). He is the patron saint of the wayfarers, connected with green, the colour of
heavenly bliss, appearing whenever a pious person is in need, and immortal since he
drank from the fountain of life, which is hidden in the darkness. In many respects, he
is the Islamic counterpart of the Hebrew prophet Elijah. Strong influences of the
Alexander romances (a widely distributed literary genre dealing with the adventures
of Alexander the Great) are visible in his figure.
Mythology proper has only a very small place in official Islam and is mostly an
expression of popular traditions through which pre-Islamic influences seeped into
Islam. Reformers tried to purge Islam of all non-Qurʾānic ideas and picturesque

95
elaborations of the texts, whereas the mystics tried to spiritualize them as far as
possible. Modern Muslim exegesis attempts to interpret many of the mythological
strands of the Qurʾān in the light of modern science, as psychological factors, like
Muhammad’s ascension to heaven, and especially deprives the eschatological parts of
the Qurʾān of their religious significance. Cosmic events are interpreted as predictions
of modern scientific research. To some interpreters, jinn and angels are spiritual
forces; to others, jinn are microbes or the like. Thus, the religious text is confused
with a textbook of science. Popular legends surrounding the Prophet and the saints are
still found among the masses but are tending to disappear under the influence of
historical research, though many of them have formed models for the behaviour and
spiritual life of the Muslim believer.

Here is an example of a story from the Qur-an:

Musa (Moses) - The Story Moses and Al-Khidr

One day, Moses delivered such an impressive sermon that all who heard it were
deeply moved. Someone in the congregation asked: "0 Messenger of Allah, is there
another man on earth more learned than you?" Moses replied: "No!", believing so, as
Allah had given him the power of miracles and honored him with the Torah.

However, Allah revealed to Moses that no man could know all there is to know, nor
would one messenger alone be the custodian of all knowledge. There would always be
another who knew what others did not. Moses asked Allah: "0 Allah, where is this
man? I would like to meet him and learn from him." He also asked for a sign to this
person's identity.

Allah instructed him to take a live fish in a water-filled vessel. Where the fish
disappeared, he would find the man he sought. Moses set out on his journey,
accompanied by a young man who carried the vessel with the fish. They reached a
place where two rivers met and decided to rest there. Instantly, Moses fell asleep.

While he was asleep, his companion saw the fish wriggle out of the vessel into the
river and swim away. However, he forgot to relate this incident to Moses. When he
awoke, they continued their journey until they were exhausted and hungry. Moses
asked for his morning meal. Only then did his companion recall that the fish they had
brought with them had gotten away. Hearing this, Moses exclaimed: 'This is exactly
what we are seeking!" They hurriedly retraced their steps to the place where the rivers
met and where the fish had jumped out. There they found a man, his face partly
covered with a hood. His bearing showed he was a saintly man. He was Al-Khidr, the
guide.

Allah the Almighty narrated: And (remember) when Moses said to his boy-servant: "I
will not give up (traveling) until I reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I spend
years and years in traveling."

But when they reached the junction of the two seas, they forgot their fish, and it took
its way throught the sea as in a tunnel. So when they had passed further on (beyond
that fixed place), Moses said to his boy-servant: "Bring us our morning meal; truly,
we have suffered much fatigue in this, our journey."
 96
He said: "Do you remember when we betook ourselves to the ock? I indeed forgot the
fish, none but Satan made me forget to remember it. It took its course into the sea in a
strange (way)!"
(Moses) said: "That is what we have been seeking." So they went back retracing their
footsteps.

Then they found one of Our slaves, unto whom We had bestowed mercy from Us, and
whom We had taught knowledge from Us.

Moses said to him (Khidr) "May I follow you so that you teach me something of that
knowledge (guidance and true path) which you have been taught (by Allah)?" He
(Khidr) said: "Verily! You will not be able to have patience with me! And how can
you have patience about a thing which you know not?"

Moses said: "If Allah will, you will find me patient, and I will not disobey you in
aught." He (Khidr) said: "Then, if you follow me, ask me not about anything till I
myself mention it to you.

So they both proceeded, till, when they were in the ship, he (Khidr) scuttled it. Moses
said: "Have you scuttled it in order to drown its people? Verily, you have done Imra -
a Munkar (evil, bad, dreadful) thing."

He (Khidr) said: "Did I not tell you, that you would not be able to have patience with
me?"

(Moses) said: "Call me not to account for what I forgot, and be not hard upon me for
my affair (with you)."

Then they both proceeded, till they met a boy, he (Khidr) killed him. Moses said:
"Have you killed an innocent person who had killed none? Verily, you have done
Nukra a great Munkar (prohibited, evil, dreadful) thing!"

(Khidr) said: "Did I not tell you that you can have no patience with me?"

(Moses) said: "If I ask you anything after this, keep me not in your company, you have
received an excuse from me."

Then they both proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked
them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about
to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight. (Moses) said: "If you had wished, surely
you could have taken wages for it!"

(Khidr) said: "This is the parting between me and you. I will tell you the interpretation
of (those) things over which you were unable to hold patience.
'As for the ship, it belonged to poor people working in the sea. So I wished to make a
defective damage in it, as there was a king after them who seized every ship by force.
"And as for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should oppress
them by rebellion and disbelief. So, we intended that their Lord should change him for
them for one better in righteousness and near to mercy.

97
"And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and there was under
it a treasure belonging to them; and their father was a righteous man, and your Lord
intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure as
a mercy from your Lord. And I did it not of my own accord. That is the interpretation
 of those (things) over which you could not hold patience.

APPLICATION

Activity No. 2
“Myth and Religion”
Directions: Fill in the matrix below about your insights on the ancient mythology from
various countries and the religious counterparts based on the previous modules. You
may write them in paragraph form.
Mythical Stories Religious Stories

98

You have finished the lesson and this module! Please make sure to submit the Module
Assessment.

MODULE ASSESSMENT

I. Literary Criticism Essay

Directions: Write critical analyses about two literary pieces of your own choice but it
should be from our listed genres in the final coverage. (This will be your submissions
for Final modules 7 & 8. Submit them along with your final requirement.)
 99
Module No. & Title
Module 8: American Indian Myth

Welcome to Module 8 of EL 112! In this module, you will

be wandering into the vast world of American Indian
Module Overview fascinating and highly complex characters.

At the end of the module, the students have:

• identified the different mythologies of the indigenous

people of America.
• Write insights about the Indian Americans and the
Module Objectives/ Outcomes historical impact of their myths and folktales. •
understood why myths are importance to different
cultures.

This module contains the following lessons:

Lessons in the Module Creation Myths, Indian American Folktales

Myth. You will be reading set of tribal stories. These In the Beginning Myths
myths revolved around gods and goddesses with

Time Frame 2 weeks

100
INTRODUCTION
I

American Indian Myth

 Native American literature, also called Indian literature or American Indian
literature, the traditional oral and written literatures of the indigenous peoples of the
Americas. These include ancient hieroglyphic and pictographic writings of Middle
America as well as an extensive set of folktales, myths, and oral histories that were
transmitted for centuries by storytellers and that live on in the language works of many
contemporary American Indian writers.
Folktales have been a part of the social and cultural life of American Indian and
Eskimo peoples regardless of whether they were sedentary agriculturists or nomadic
hunters. As they gathered around a fire at night, Native Americans could be transported to
another world through the talent of a good storyteller. The effect was derived not only
from the novelty of the tale itself but also from the imaginative skill of the narrator, who
often added gestures and songs and occasionally adapted a particular tale to suit a certain
culture.
One adaptation frequently used by the storyteller was the repetition of incidents. The
description of an incident would be repeated a specific number of times. The number of
repetitions usually corresponded to the number associated with the sacred by the culture;
whereas in Christian traditions, for instance, the sacred is most often counted in threes (for
the Trinity), in Native American traditions the sacred is most often associated with groups
of four (representing the cardinal directions and the deities associated with each) or seven
(the cardinal directions and deities plus those of skyward, earthward, and centre). The hero
would kill that number of monsters or that many brothers who had gone out on the same
adventure. This type of repetition was very effective in oral communication, for it firmly
inculcated the incident in the minds of the listeners—much in the same manner that
repetition is used today in advertising. In addition, there was an aesthetic value to the
rhythm gained from repetition and an even greater dramatic effect, for the listener knew
that, when the right number of incidents had been told, some supernatural character would
come to the aid of the hero, sometimes by singing to him. For this reason, oral literature is
often difficult and boring to read. Oral literature also loses effect in transcription, because
the reader, unlike the listener, is often unacquainted with the worldview, ethics,
sociocultural setting, and personality traits of the people in whose culture the story was
told and set.
Because the effect of the story depended so much on the narrator, there were many
versions of every good tale. Each time a story was told, it varied only within the limits of
the tradition established for that plot and according to the cultural background of the
narrator and the listeners. While studies have been made of different versions of a tale
occurring within a tribe, there is still much to be discovered, for instance, in the telling of
the same tale by the same narrator under different circumstances. These gaps in the study
of folktales indicate not a lack of interest but rather the difficulty in setting up suitable
situations for recordings.

101
The terms myth and folktale in American Indian oral literature are used
interchangeably, because in the Native American view the difference between the two is a
matter of time rather than content. If the incidents related happened at a time when the
world had not yet assumed its present form, the story may be regarded as a myth;
however, even if the same characters appear in the “modern” present, it is considered a
folktale. Whereas European fairy tales traditionally begin with the vague allusion “once
upon a time,” the American Indian myth often starts with “before the people came” or
“when Coyote was a man.” To the Eskimo, it is insignificant whether an incident
occurred yesterday or 50 years ago—it is past.
The importance of mythology within a culture is reflected in the status of
storytellers, the time assigned to this activity, and the relevance of mythology to
ceremonialism. Mythology consists primarily of animal tales and stories of personal and
social relationships; the actors and characters involved in these stories are also an index to
the beliefs and customs of the people. For example, the Navajo ceremonials, like the
chants, are based entirely on the characters and incidents in the mythology. The dancers
make masks under strict ceremonial control, and, when they wear them to represent the
gods, they absorb spiritual strength. The Aztec ceremonials and sacrifices are believed to
placate the gods who are the heroes of the mythology.

ACTIVITY
I
Activity No. 1
“America – As a Melting Pot”
I. America is generally known to be a country to most and only a very few knows that
it can be a continent. Imagine the world did not evolve as it is and Indian
Americans still live in a huge number of population. How would the world have
been? Write it in a 50-word story form.

102
ANALYSIS

In two to three sentences, write an idea about the quotation given below.

“When the last tree is cut down, the last

river poisoned, the last fish caught, then only
will the white man discover that he cannot
eat money.”
- Indian American Proverb

________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
Legend of Crazy Woman’s Fork

The Absaraka, or Crow Nation, have the reputation of being good friends to the whites,
and it is also said they have never warred with them.
Iron Bull, a renowned chief of the Crow, relates the following legend:

In the journey through that most delightful region of Montana from Fort Phil Kearney,
Wyoming to Fort C. F. Smith (in the Powder River country), one of the most favored
camping-grounds is the one called “Crazy Woman’s Fork,” the name of a pretty little
stream of water that rises in the Big Horn Mountains, and empties into the Little Horn
River. About three miles from the mountains, this stream crosses the trail between the two
military posts.

This camp on the Fork is noted for its danger from Indian attacks, as an abundant supply
of game being found in the valley, brings the Indian there to replenish his larder of wild
meat. Notwithstanding the dangers attending a journey through this region, it has its attractions in
the beautiful and diversified views of lovely scenery, which hasten the parties traveling that region
to encamp, for a night at least, on the banks of a limpid stream that refreshes man and beast from
an unfailing source in the mountains. The banks are skirted with cottonwood-trees, and to the west,
one sees the tall spurs of the Rocky Mountains rising up, as it were, from your feet, their dizzy
heights covered with snow; while the haze that surrounds them gives to them a halo of glory and

103
weird-like appearance, that the imaginative might compare to the garments that mantle the spirits
of the blessed in Paradise!
Iron Bull said that about two hundred years ago, when the moon shone brighter, and there
were more stars, his nation was a great people, and they roamed over all that country from
the Missouri River to the west of the Yellowstone River, and no dog of a Sioux dare show
himself there. But the people had been wicked, and the Great Spirit had darkened the
heavens and made the sun to shine with such heat that the streams were dried up, and the
snow disappeared from the highest peaks of the mountains. The buffalo, the elk, the
mountain sheep, the deer, and the rabbit, all disappeared and died away, bringing a great
famine upon his tribe, and the spirit of the air breathed death into the lodges, so that the
warrior saw his wife and papooses die for want of the food he could not find on all the
plain, or on the mountain-sides; so that the whole nation grieved and mourned in sorrow of
heart.

Still, they kept up their wars with the Sioux and fought many a bloody battle with them
when they suffered most, and the game had entirely disappeared. Their great medicine
man called a council, and when the head-men had assembled, he told them of a wonderful
dream that he had had, when he was bidden by the Great Spirit to gather the chiefs of the
tribe at the fork of the stream where they lived.

Their ponies had all been eaten for food, so the proud Indians were compelled to make the
journey on foot to the place of meeting.

But when they had arrived at the bluffs, on the edge of the valley, they were surprised to
see a bountiful supper spread on the bank of the stream, close by the Forks, and a white
woman close by, standing up and making signs to them to descend from the bluffs. Having
never before seen a “white woman,” they were greatly astonished. The medicine man
descended to the valley. The white woman told him that the Great Spirit would talk to the
council through her. She told him that the wars of the tribe were displeasing to the Great
Spirit, and they must make peace with the Sioux nation. When that was done, the great
chief, “The-Bear-that-grabs,” must return to her.
They sent out runners to the Sioux, and peace was declared between the tribes for the first
time in 100 years.

She then told the great chief to follow the mountain in a westerly course, until he came to
the Big Horn River, and where the rock was perpendicular, he was to shoot three arrows,
hitting the rock each time.

The chief departed on his mission, and as he gained the bluffs from the stream, he looked
back at the white woman, but what was his surprise when he saw her rising in the air and
floating towards the mountains! He watched her until she disappeared over the highest
peak towards the sky.

104
The chief pursued his journey, and, arriving at the place told him by the white woman, he
discharged his arrows. The first one struck in rock. The second flew over the mountain.
The third was discharged, and a terrible noise followed: the heavens were aglow with
lightning; the thunder shook the mountains.

The earth trembled, and the rocks were rent asunder, and out of the fissure, countless
herds of buffalo came, filling the valleys and the hills. The hearts of the Indians were
glad, and they ate and were merry, and returned thanks to the Great Spirit and to the good
white woman.

The great fissure in the rocks is the canyon of the Big Horn River.

Iron Bull avers that when anything of note is about to befall the tribe, the image of the
white woman can be seen hovering over the peak of the mountain at “Crazy Woman’s
Fork.” He says the Crow have never killed any of the whites, and his people say and
believe “that they are treated by the government agents worse than the tribes who give us
all the trouble.”
In other words, because they are peaceable, we need not, as with others, to buy them off
with presents. And they say we have taken some of their lands and given them to the
Sioux, who were fighting and destroying the whites as often as they could.

By Edmund B. Tuttle, 1873. Compiled and edited by Kathy Weiser/Legends of America,

updated October 2018.

The Native American Folklore

 Native American myths and folklore vary greatly across the great expanse of
North, Central and South America; just as the sea turns into plains, turns into mountains,
so the myths and deities evolve with the ever-changing landscape. If one thing connects
all Native American folklore, it is that of the Great Spirit, and how spiritual forces can be
felt and experienced in the physical world. The culture’s folk tales are known to
symbolize seasons and nature as they honor our connection to the Earth.

Creation myths abound within Native American folklore, as well as tales

explaining how death came into the world. Migration myths are also a common theme,
but most pervasive is the wily Trickster archetype. The Trickster is a consistent character
within Native American folklore and mythology revealing himself in various animals or
deities. Able to balance the vulgar with the sacred, the always mischievous Trickster
tales were born from one’s own imagination and meant to delight and entertain rather
than to pass down tribal traditions.

With European expansion and influence, Native American folk tales and myths
were gathered and preserved in compilations and anthologies, but the great tradition of
oral storytelling remains a vivid and beautiful part of their culture, both inspiring art and
revealing ideologies. Native American folklore includes North American and Canadian
folk tales, with authors like Cornelius Matthews, Zitkala-Ša, and Cyrus MacMillan.

105
The Lion and the Cat
Andrew Lang’s Fairy Book

Far away on the other side of the world there lived, long ago, a lion and his
younger brother, the wild cat, who were so fond of each other that they shared the same
hut. The lion was much the bigger and stronger of the two–indeed, he was much bigger
and stronger than any of the beasts that dwelt in the forest; and, besides, he could jump
father and run faster than all the rest. If strength and swiftness could gain him a dinner,
he was sure never to be without one, but when it came to cunning, both the grizzly bear
and the serpent could get the better of him, and he was forced to call in the help of the
wild cat.

Now the young wild cat had a lovely golden ball, so beautiful that you could
hardly look at it except through a piece of smoked glass, and he kept it hidden in the
thick fur muff that went round his neck. A very large old animal, since dead, had given it
to him when he was hardly more than a baby, and had told him never to part with it, for
as long as he kept it no harm could ever come near him.

In general, the wild cat did not need to use his ball, for the lion was fond of
hunting, and could kill all the food that they needed; but now and then his life would
have been in danger had it not been for the golden ball.

One day the two brothers started to hunt at daybreak, but as the cat could not run
nearly as fast as the lion, he had quite a long start. At least he THOUGHT it was a long
one, but in a very few bounds and springs the lion reached his side.

‘There is a bear sitting on that tree,’ he whispered softly. ‘He is only waiting for us
to pass, to drop down on my back.’

‘Ah, you are so big that he does not see I am behind you,’ answered the wild cat.
And, touching the ball, he just said: ‘Bear, die!’ And the bear tumbled dead out of the
tree, and rolled over just in front of them.

For some time, they trotted on without any adventures, till just as they were about
to cross a strip of long grass on the edge of the forest, the lion’s quick ears detected a
faint rustling noise.

‘That is a snake,’ he cried, stopping short, for he was much more afraid of snakes
than of bears.

‘Oh, it is all right,’ answered the cat. ‘Snake, die!’ And the snake died, and the two
brothers skinned it. They then folded the skin up into a very small parcel, and the cat
tucked it into his mane, for snakes’ skins can do all sorts of wonderful things, if you are
lucky enough to have one of them.
All this time they had had no dinner, for the snake’s flesh was not nice, and the
lion did not like eating bear–perhaps because he never felt sure that the bear was
REALLY dead, and would not jump up alive when his enemy went near him. Most
people are afraid of SOME thing, and bears and serpents were the only creatures that
caused the lion’s heart to tremble. So the two brothers set off again and soon reached the
side of a hill where some fine deer were grazing.

106
‘Kill one of those deer for your own dinner,’ said the boy- brother, ‘but catch me
another alive. I want him.’

The lion at once sprang towards them with a loud roar, but the deer bounded away,
and they were all three soon lost to sight. The cat waited for a long while, but finding that
the lion did not return, went back to the house where they lived.

It was quite dark when the lion came home, where his brother was sitting curled up
in one corner.

‘Did you catch the deer for me?’ asked the boy-brother, springing up.

‘Well, no,’ replied the man-brother. ‘The fact is, that I did not get up to them till
we had run half way across the world and left the wind far behind us. Think what a
trouble it would have been to drag it here! So–I just ate them both.’

The cat said nothing, but he did not feel that he loved his big brother. He had
thought a great deal about that deer, and had meant to get on his back to ride him as a
horse, and go to see all the wonderful places the lion talked to him about when he was in
a good temper. The more he thought of it the more sulky he grew, and in the morning,
when the lion said that it was time for them to start to hunt, the cat told him that he might
kill the bear and snake by himself, as HE had a headache, and would rather stay at home.
The little fellow knew quite well that the lion would not dare to go out without him and
his ball for fear of meeting a bear or a snake.

The quarrel went on, and for many days neither of the brothers spoke to each other,
and what made them still more cross was, that they could get very little to eat, and we
know that people are often cross when they are hungry. At last it occurred to the lion that
if he could only steal the magic ball he could kill bears and snakes for himself, and then
the cat might be as sulky as he liked for anything that it would matter. But how was the
stealing to be done? The cat had the ball hung round his neck day and night, and he was
such a light sleeper that it was useless to think of taking it while he slept. No! the only
thing was to get him to lend it of his own accord, and after some days the lion (who was
not at all clever) hit upon a plan that he thought would do.

‘Dear me, how dull it is here!’ said the lion one afternoon, when the rain was
pouring down in such torrents that, however sharp your eyes or your nose might be, you
could not spy a single bird or beast among the bushes. ‘Dear me, how dull, how
dreadfully dull I am. Couldn’t we have a game of catch with that golden ball of yours?’

‘I don’t care about playing catch, it does not amuse me,’ answered the cat, who
was as cross as ever; for no cat, even to this day, ever forgets an injury done to him.
‘Well, then, lend me the ball for a little, and I will play by myself,’ replied the lion,
stretching out a paw as he spoke.

‘You can’t play in the rain, and if you did, you would only lose it in the bushes,’
said the cat.

107
‘Oh, no, I won’t; I will play in here. Don’t be so ill-natured.’ And with a very bad
grace the cat untied the string and threw the golden ball into the lion’s lap, and composed
himself to sleep again.

For a long while the lion tossed it up and down gaily, feeling that, however sound
asleep the boy-brother might LOOK, he was sure to have one eye open; but gradually he
began to edge closer to the opening, and at last gave such a toss that the ball went up high
into the air, and he could not see what became of it.

‘Oh, how stupid of me!’ he cried, as the cat sprang up angrily, ‘let us go at once
and search for it. It can’t really have fallen very far.’ But though they searched that day
and the next, and the next after that, they never found it, because it never came down.

After the loss of his ball the cat refused to live with the lion any longer, but
wandered away to the north, always hoping he might meet with his ball again. But
months passed, and years passed, and though he travelled over hundreds of miles, he
never saw any traces of it.

At length, when he was getting quite old, he came to a place unlike any that he had
ever seen before, where a big river rolled right to the foot of some high mountains. The
ground all about the river bank was damp and marshy, and as no cat likes to wet its feet,
this one climbed a tree that rose high above the water, and thought sadly of his lost ball,
which would have helped him out of this horrible place. Suddenly he saw a beautiful ball,
for all the world like his own, dangling from a branch of the tree he was on. He longed to
get at it; but was the branch strong enough to bear his weight? It was no use, after all he
had done, getting drowned in the water. However, it could do no harm, if he was to go a
little way; he could always manage to get back somehow.

So, he stretched himself at full length upon the branch, and wriggled his body
cautiously along. To his delight it seemed thick and stout. Another movement, and, by
stretching out his paw, he would be able to draw the string towards him, when the branch
gave a loud crack, and the cat made haste to wriggle himself back the way he had come.

But when cats make up their minds to do anything, they generally DO it; and this
cat began to look about to see if there was really no way of getting at his ball. Yes! there
was, and it was much surer than the other, though rather more difficult. Above the bough
where the ball was hung was another bough much thicker, which he knew could not
break with his weight; and by holding on tight to this with all his four paws, he could just
manage to touch the ball with his tail. He would thus be able to whisk the ball to and fro
till, by and-by, the string would become quite loose, and it would fall to the ground. It
might take some time, but the lion’s little brother was patient, like most cats.

Well, it all happened just as the cat intended it should, and when the ball dropped
on the ground the cat ran down the tree like lightning, and, picking it up, tucked it away
in the snake’s skin round his neck. Then he began jumping along the shore of the Big
Water from one place to another, trying to find a boat, or even a log of wood, that would
take him across. But there was nothing; only, on the other side, he saw two girls cooking,
and though he shouted to them at the top of his voice, they were too far off to hear what
 he said. And, what was worse, the ball suddenly fell out of its snake’s skin bag right into
the river.

108
Now, it is not at all an uncommon thing for balls to tumble into rivers, but in that
case they generally either fall to the bottom and stay there, or else bob about on the top of
the water close to where they first touched it. But this ball, instead of doing either of
these things, went straight across to the other side, and there one of the girls saw it when
she stooped to dip some water into her pail.

‘Oh! what a lovely ball!’ cried she, and tried to catch it in her pail; but the ball
always kept bobbing just out of her reach.

‘Come and help me!’ she called to her sister, and after a long while they had the
ball safe inside the pail. They were delighted with their new toy, and one or the other held
it in her hand till bedtime came, and then it was a long time before they could make up
their minds where it would be safest for the night. At last they locked it in a cupboard in
one corner of their room, and as there was no hole anywhere the ball could not possibly
get out. After that they went to sleep.

In the morning the first thing they both did was to run to the cupboard and unlock
it, but when the door opened, they started back, for, instead of the ball, there stood a
handsome young man.

‘Ladies,’ he said, ‘how can I thank you for what you have done for me? Long, long
ago, I was enchanted by a wicked fairy, and condemned to keep the shape of a ball till I
should meet with two maidens, who would take me to their own home. But where was I
to meet them? For hundreds of years I have lived in the depths of the forest, where
nothing but wild beasts ever came, and it was only when the lion threw me into the sky
that I was able to fall to earth near this river. Where there is a river, sooner or later
people will come; so, hanging myself on a tree, I watched and waited. For a moment I
lost heart when I fell once more into the hands of my old master the wild cat, but my
hopes rose again as I saw he was making for the river bank opposite where you were
standing. That was my chance, and I took it. And now, ladies, I have only to say that, if
ever I can do anything to help you, go to the top of that high mountain and knock three
times at the iron door at the north side, and I will come to you.’

So, with a low bow, he vanished from before them, leaving the maidens weeping
at having lost in one moment both the ball and the prince.

109
APPLICATION Activity No. 2
 “Appreciating the Nearly-Extinct Indian Americans”
Directions: In 2-3 paragraphs, write a narrative of your learnings about Indian Americans,
you may state facts from the module along with your prior knowledge and research.

110

You have finished the lesson and this module! Please make sure to submit the Module
Assessment.

MODULE ASSESSMENT
I. Literary Criticism Essay
Directions: Write critical analyses about two literary pieces of your own choice but it
should be from our listed genres in the final coverage. (This will be your submissions for
Final modules 7 & 8. Submit them along with your final requirement.)

111