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University of Mindanao
College of Teacher Education “Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged”

UNIVERSITY OF MINDANAO
College of Teacher Education
Program : BSEd – ENGLISH

Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged

Weeks 4-6

Self-Instructional Manual (SIM) for Self-Directed Learning

(SDL)

Course/Subject: BSEd – English/ELT 212

Name of Teacher: MARIBEL C. ABALOS

THIS SIM/SDL MANUAL IS A DRAFT VERSION ONLY; NOT

FOR REPRODUCTION AND DISTRIBUTION OUTSIDE OF ITS
INTENDED USE. THIS IS INTENDED ONLY FOR THE USE OF
THE STUDENTS WHO ARE OFFICIALLY ENROLLED IN THE
COURSE/SUBJECT.
EXPECT REVISIONS OF THE MANUAL.
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University of Mindanao
College of Teacher Education “Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged”

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Cover Page 1
Table of Contents 2

Course Outline 4
Course Outline Policy 4
Course Information 7

Big Picture (Week 4-6)

ULOa: Recall Norse and Egyptian gods, goddesses,
and mythical creatures 8
Metalanguage 8
Essential Knowledge:
Norse Mythology 8
Norse gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures 8
Other worlds and creatures 9
Figures 1 and 2 – Yggdrasil 11
Egyptian Mythology 12
Egyptian gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures 12
Keywords 13
Self-Help and Supplemental Readings 13
Self-Preparation 13
Let’s Recall! 14
Let’s Analyze! 16

ULOb: Describe Norse and Egyptian mythology 18

Metalanguage 18
Essential Knowledge:
Norse Creation Myth 18
Egyptian Creation Myth 21
Keywords 22
Self-Help and Supplemental Readings 22
Self-Preparation 22
Let’s Recall! 23

ULOc: Critique Norse and Egyptian tales 26

Metalanguage 26
Essential Knowledge:
Norse Tales
Ragnarok – The Twilight of the Gods 26
Days of the Week 29
Why Odin is one-eyed? 30
Figure 3 – Runes 30
The Creation of Thor’s Hammer 31
Egyptian Tales
Book of the Dead 32
Ideals of Ma’at 32
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University of Mindanao
College of Teacher Education “Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged”
Papyrus of Ani 33
Ma’at: The Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Truth,
Justice, and Morality 34
Keywords 35
Self-Help and Supplemental Readings 35
Self-Preparation 35
Let’s Analyze! 36
In a Nutshell 38

University of Mindanao
College of Teacher Education
Course Outline: ELT 212 – Mythology and Folklore
Course Coordinator:
Email:
Student Consultation:
Mobile:
Phone:
Effectivity Date:
Mode of Delivery:
Time Frame:
Student Workload:
Requisites:
Credit:
Attendance Requirements:
Course Outline Policy
Areas of Concern
Contact and Non-contact Hours
Assessment Task Submission
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“Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged”
Maribel C. Abalos
mabalos@umindanao.edu.ph
Consultation Time: Wednesday from 3:30-4:30PM
None
None
August 2020
Blended Learning/Distance Education
(On-Line with face-to-face or virtual sessions)
54 Hours/9 Weeks
Expected Self-Directed Learning
None
3
A minimum of 95% attendance is required at all
scheduled virtual or face to face sessions.
Details
This 3-unit course self-instructional manual is designed
for blended learning/distance education mode of
instructional delivery with scheduled face to face or
virtual sessions. The expected number of hours will be
54 including the face to face or virtual sessions. The
face to face sessions shall include the summative
assessment tasks (exams) since this course is crucial
in the licensure examination for teachers.
Submission of assessment tasks shall be on 3rd, 5th, 7th
and 9th week of the term. The assessment paper shall
be attached with a cover page indicating the title of the
assessment task (if the task is performance), the
name of the course coordinator, date of submission
and name of the student. The document should be
emailed to the course coordinator. It is also expected
that you already paid your tuition and other fees before
the submission of the assessment task.
If the assessment task is done in real time through the
features in the Blackboard Learning Management
System, the schedule shall be arranged ahead of time
by the course coordinator.
Since this course is included in the licensure
examination for teachers, you will be required to take
the Multiple-Choice Question exam inside the
University. This should be scheduled ahead of time by
your course coordinator. This is non-negotiable for all
licensure-based programs.

University of Mindanao
College of Teacher Education
Turnitin Submission (if
applicable)
Penalties for Late
Assignments/Assessments
Return of
Assignments/Assessments
Assignment Resubmission
Re-marking of Assessment
Papers and Appeal
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“Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged”
To ensure honesty and authenticity, all assessment
tasks are required to be submitted through Turnitin
with a maximum similarity index of 30% allowed. This
means that if your paper goes beyond 30%, the
students will either opt to redo her/his paper or explain
in writing addressed to the course coordinator the
reasons for the similarity. In addition, if the paper has
reached more than 30% similarity index, the student
may be called for a disciplinary action in accordance
with the University’s OPM on Intellectual and Academic
Honesty.
Please note that academic dishonesty such as cheating
and commissioning other students or people to
complete the task for you have severe punishments
(reprimand, warning, expulsion).
The score for an assessment item submitted after the
designated time on the due date, without an approved
extension of time, will be reduced by 5% of the possible
maximum score for that assessment item for each day
or part day that the assessment item is late.
However, if the late submission of assessment paper
has a valid reason, a letter of explanation should be
submitted and approved by the course coordinator. If
necessary, you will also be required to present/attach
evidences.
Assessment tasks will be returned to you two (2) weeks
after the submission. This will be returned by email or
via Blackboard portal.
For group assessment tasks, the course coordinator
will require some or few of the students for online or
virtual sessions to ask clarificatory questions to validate
the originality of the assessment task submitted and to
ensure that all the group members are involved.
You should request in writing addressed to the course
coordinator his/her intention to resubmit an assessment
task. The resubmission is premised on the student’s
failure to comply with the similarity index and other
reasonable grounds such as academic literacy
standards or other reasonable circumstances e.g.
illness, accidents, financial constraints.
You should request in writing addressed to the program
coordinator your intention to appeal or contest the
score given to an assessment task. The letter should
explicitly explain the reasons/points to contest the
grade. The program coordinator shall communicate
with the students on the approval and disapproval of
the request.
If disapproved by the course coordinator, you can
elevate your case to the program head or the dean with
the original letter of request. The final decision will

University of Mindanao
College of Teacher Education
Grading System
Preferred Referencing Style
Student Communication
Contact Details of the Dean
Contact Details of the Program
Head
Students with a Special Needs
Online Tutorial Registration (if
applicable)
Help Desk Contact
Library Contact
Guidance Services and Testing
Center (GSTC)
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“Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged”
come from the dean of the college.
Course exercises – 30% (including BlackBoard forum)
1st exam – 10%
2nd exam – 10%
3rd exam – 10%
Final exam – 40%
APA 6th Edition
You are required to create a umindanao email account
which is a requirement to access the BlackBoard
portal. Then, the course coordinator shall enroll the
students to have access to the materials and resources
of the course. All communication formats: chat,
submission of assessment tasks, requests etc. shall be
through the portal and other university recognized
platforms.
You can also meet the course coordinator in person
through the scheduled face to face sessions to raise
your issues and concerns.
For students who have not created their student email,
please contact the course coordinator or program head.
Dr. Jocelyn B. Bacasmot
Email: jbacasmot@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone: 082-3050647 local 102
Prof. Giovanni T. Pelobillo
Email: giovanni_pelobillo@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone: 082-3050647 local 102
Students with special needs shall communicate with
the course coordinator about the nature of his or her
special needs. Depending on the nature of the need,
the course coordinator with the approval of the program
coordinator may provide alternative assessment tasks
or extension of the deadline of submission of
assessment tasks. However, the alternative
assessment tasks should still be in the service of
achieving the desired course learning outcomes.
You are required to enroll in a specific tutorial time for
this course via the www.cte.edu.ph portal. Please note
that there is a deadline for enrollment to the tutorial.
BSED@umindanao.edu.ph
LIC Head: Brigida E. Bacani
Email: http://library.umindanao.edu.ph/
Phone: +63 305 0469
GSTC Head: Ronadora E. Deala
Email: ronadora_deala@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone: 0921-2122-846
GSTC Facilitator: Ivy Jane Regidor
Email: gstcmain@umindanao.edu.ph
Phone: 0910-5681-081
Facebook Page:
UM GSTC Main CTE
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College of Teacher Education “Physically Distanced but Academically Engaged”

Course Information – see/download course syllabus in the Black Board LMS

CC’s Voice: Hello aspiring English teacher! Welcome to this course ELT 212:
Mythology and Folklore. By now, I am confident that you really wanted
to become an English teacher and that you have visualized yourself
already being in the classroom setting and in the academe as a whole.

CO Before the actual teaching performance, you have to realize that an

English teacher has to be competent and knowledgeable in both
language and literature, and this subject focuses on the latter. The
expected course outcome of this subject is the recognition, deep
understanding, and appreciation of Greco-Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and
Philippine mythology. Thus, you are expected to be adept or familiar with
various myths from Greco-Roman, Norse, Egyptian, and Philippine
mythology and their beliefs and practices. Finally, appreciation of the
wonders of mythology has to be shown in the required output.

Let us begin!
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Big Picture

Week 4-6: Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO): At the end of the unit, you are
expected to:

a. recall Norse and Egyptian gods, goddesses, and mythical

creatures;
b. describe Norse and Egyptian mythology; and
c. critique Norse and Egyptian tales.

Big Picture in Focus: ULOa. Recall Norse and Egyptian gods,

goddesses, and mythical creatures

Metalanguage

In this section, the essential terms relevant to the study of mythology and
folklore to demonstrate ULOa will be conceptually defined to establish a common
frame of reference. Please refer to these definitions in case you will encounter
difficulty in understanding literary concepts.

✓ Norse. Of or pertaining to the people, language, and culture of Scandinavia

and/or North Germanic tribes. Scandinavia is composed of Denmark, Norway,
and Sweden collectively.
✓ Egyptian. Of or pertaining to Egypt, the Egyptian people, or the Egyptian
language.
Please proceed to the “Essential Knowledge” for deeper discussion of the
essential terms.

Essential Knowledge

To perform the aforesaid big picture (Unit Learning Outcomes) for the fourth
and fifth weeks of the course, you need to fully understand the following essential
knowledge that will be laid down in the succeeding pages. For specific references,
please see the list of Supplemental Readings at the end of the discussion of
concepts. Please note that you are not limited to exclusively refer to these resources.
Thus, you are expected to utilize other books, research articles and other resources
that are available in the university’s library e.g. ebrary, search.proquest.com etc.

1. Norse Mythology. The collection of myths from Scandinavia and/or North

Germanic tribes.
2. Norse gods, goddesses, and mythical creatures

Gods and goddess

2.1 Ymir. Ancient god
2.2 Bestla. Mother of Odin, Vili, and Ve
2.3 Odin. Chief of the gods; father of Thor, Balder, and others
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2.4 Valkyries and Valhalla. Valkyries are female spirit warriors that ride the
battlefields and find worthy slain warriors and take them to Valhalla where
they will train until Ragnarok; the northern lights are light shining off their
shields.
2.5 Thor. God of thunder and lightning; has a chariot pulled by two goats. He
can kill these goats and eat them and they will come back to life; capable
of drinking an ocean; Mjolnir is his weapon
2.6 Balder. ‘the beautiful’ and ‘the good’; primarily known for his death and
resurrection; the favorite child of Odin
2.7 Loki. God of mischief and fire; trickster figure; unknown parentage;
responsible for Balder’s death and punished by having snake venom drip
on his forehead; father of Jormungand, Hel, and Fenrir; will begin
Ragnarok
2.8 Bragi. God of poetry and eloquence; Loki calls him ‘braggart’ which
means ‘to brag’; married to Idun
2.9 Idun. Goddess of immortality; keeps the golden apples of youth
2.10 Freyr/Frey. God of agriculture, fertility, and plenty; twin brother of
Freyja; he and Freyja are earth deities; has a sword that can fight by itself;
boar is his symbol
2.11 Freyja. Goddess of love and fertility; slept with four dwarfs to get a
flaming necklace, which becomes her symbol of fertility; leader of
Valkyries; has a chariot drawn by cats
2.12 Frigg/Frigga/Frea. Mother goddess; wife of Odin; weaves clouds; she
knows the events in present and future, but is powerless to change them
2.13 Tyr. God of war; precursor of Odin; boldest of the gods; lost his hand to
Fenrir; spear is his symbol of justice
2.14 Heimdall. ‘world brightener’; god of the dawn; has great hearing (can
hear grass grow) and eyesight; the look-out on Bifrost
2.15 Hod. God of winter and darkness; blind; ticked by Loki into killing
Balder; Vali killed Hod in revenge for Balder; will return in Ragnarok
2.16 Hel. Daughter of Loki; giantess; goddess of death and underworld; half
black-half white; her face and body are human but her legs are of a
corpse; has two servants – Ganglati and Ganglot; spreads a plague with a
rake or broom
2.17 Mimir. A wise giant who dwells in a well located in Rime-Thursar.

Other worlds and creatures

2.18 Yggdrasil. The tree of the universe; has three roots that spread all
over the world – one root among the Aesir, another among the Rime-
Thursar, and a third in the depths of Niflheim
2.19 Asgard the Aesir. The place of the gods
2.20 Gladsheim and Vingolf. Two immense fortress in the middle of Plains
of Ida in Asgard. Gladsheim contains the high seats for Odin and the 12
other gods. Vingolf contains the high seats for Frigg and the goddesses
2.21 Bifrost. The place between heaven and earth. A rainbow bridge whose
light is fire that burn without ceasing to prevent the giants from crossing
over it.
2.22 Vergelmir. A fearsome well located in Niflheim.
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2.23 Nidhogg. A dreadful serpent lying beside Vergelmir; together with
other serpents, they gnaw without respite at the root of the tree,
threatening to destroy it
2.24 Urd’s Well. Located beside the root of Aesir; here, there is a sagacious
eagle, a hawk, four stags, and a little squirrel
2.25 Ratatosk. The squirrel located in Urd’s Well which continually runs up
and down bearing evil communication between the eagle and Nidhogg
2.26 Helheim. The underworld; the road to Helheim is an icy river (Gjoll) full
of weapons; nothing and no one can leave Helheim even the gods; the
wicked and those who did not die a glorious death in a battle goes here
2.27 Garm. A large dog who guards the entrance to Helheim; has four eyes
and a bloody chest; could be appeased with cake as long as they gave the
poor bread in life; will join the giants in Ragnarok
2.28 Hraesvelg (corpse eater). A giant in the form of an eagle sits on
Helheim and flaps his wings, making a freezing wind
2.29 Valhalla. The Hall of the Slain located in Asgard; those who die a
glorious death in a battle goes here
2.30 Huginn and Muninn (though and memory). Two raven of Odin
situated on his both sides
2.31 Mjolnir (the destroyer). An ax-hammer that can destroy giants and
mountains in a single blow
2.32 Sigtivar. War-gods
2.33 Valtivar. Battle-gods
Note: For photographic references, please search on
https://www.pinterest.com/styygens/norse-gods-goddesses/
You may also search on google, instagram, and Facebook pages.

Note: Please see the Figures 1 and 2 for photographic reference of the world
as perceived by the Norse.
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Figure 1

Figure 2
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3. Egyptian Mythology. The collection of myths of the Egyptians; Egypt is a
country in North Africa. Arab Republic of Egypt is its official name.
4. Egyptian gods, goddess, and mythical creatures
Gods and goddesses
4.1 Khepri. God of creation, rising sun and rebirth; has a face of a beetle
4.2 Ra. God of creation, blazing sun and radiance; first pharaoh; has a bird-
like face
4.3 Atum. God of creation
4.4 Iusaaset. Wife of Ra; mother of Shu, Hathor, and Maat
4.5 Amun. The hidden one/invisible/mysterious one; god of sun and air; lord
of all
4.6 Amun-Ra. King of the gods
4.7 Tefnut. Goddess of moisture, moist air, dew, and rain; has a head of a lion
4.8 Geb. God of the earth; husband of Nut; son of Tefnut and Shu
4.9 Nut. Goddess of the sky; wife of Geb; daughter of Tefnut and Shu
4.10 Shu. God of air and wind
4.11 Osiris. God of agriculture and underworld; first of Geb and Nut; took
the world from Ra
4.12 Isis. Goddess of magic; wife of Osiris; clever and ambitious woman
4.13 Seth. God of desert, storm, and evil; killer of Osiris
4.14 Horus. Son of Osiris and Isis; ‘the avenger’ for he killed Seth
4.15 Nephthys. Goddess of river; wife of Set; sister of Isis
4.16 Bastet/Bast. Goddess of cats
4.17 Sobek. God of crocodiles; with a head of a crocodile
4.18 Serqet. Goddess of scorpions; guardian of children; wears scorpion as
a crown
4.19 Anubis. God of funerals; guide of souls; son of Nephthys; with a head
of a jackal/K9
4.20 Bes. God of dwarfs; protector of households, mother, and children
4.21 Khonsu. God of the moon; his name means ‘travel’ – nightly travel of
the moon across the sky; with head of a hawk
4.22 Nekhbet. Goddess of vulture; patron of pharaohs; half vulture-half
woman
4.23 Babi. God of wild baboons; aggressive and bloodthirsty; punisher of
sinners; baboon-looking god
4.24 Taweret. Goddess of hippos; couple of Bes; hippo-looking god
4.25 Sekhmet. Goddess of healing; sister of Tefnut and Shu; her breath
formed the desert; with a head of a lion like Tefnut
4.26 Thoth. Lord of time and recorder of years; god of writing; helper of
Osiris in the underworld
Note: For photographic references, please search on
https://www.pinterest.com/jessicaderrick1/egyptian-gods-and-goddesses
You may also search on google, instagram, and Facebook pages.
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Keywords

❖ Norse and Egyptian Mythology

❖ Norse and Egyptian gods, goddesses, and mythical
creatures
❖ Norse’s other worlds and symbol
❖ Yggdrasil

Self-Help and Supplemental Readings: You can also refer to the

sources below to help you further understand the lesson:

Groeneveld, E. (2017). Norse mythology. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from

https://www.ancient.eu/Norse_Mythology/

Mark, J. (2013). Ancient Egyptian mythology. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from
https://www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Mythology/

Munch, P. (1926). Norse mythology: legends of gods and heroes. The American-
Scandinavian Foundation, New York

Pinch, G. (2002). Handbook of Egyptian mythology. ABC-CLIO, Inc., Santa Barbara,

California

Self-Preparation: RRR – Remember, Recite, Repeat

This is the part where you will check your understanding by yourself. Take
time to remember the essential terms and stories by reciting them aloud. You
may also jot down or record your self-recitation and revisit it. Repeat the
process.
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Let’s Recall!

In this activity, you are going to CLASSIFY the deities according to their counterpart
in another culture’s mythology. See the example given then complete the table.

TITLE GREEK ROMAN NORSE EGYPTIAN

king of all the Zeus Jupiter Odin Amun-Ra
gods
god of the sea Poseidon Neptune - -

10

11
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12

13

14

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Let’s Analyze!

Compare and contrast the features of the Norse, Egyptian, and Greco-Roman gods,
goddesses, and mythical creatures. Present them in bullet form using the basic Venn
diagram. If you can come up with many ideas, you may utilize the extra diagram.
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Big Picture in Focus: ULOb. Describe Norse and Egyptian

mythology

Metalanguage

For you to demonstrate ULOb, you will need to have a conceptual

understanding of the following terms below. Please note that you will also be
required to refer to the previous definitions found in ULOa section.

Essential Knowledge

Take time to read the corresponding necessary concepts and information. For
specific references, please see the list of Supplemental Readings at the end of the
discussion of concepts. Please note that you are not limited to exclusively refer to
these resources. Thus, you are expected to utilize other books, research articles and
other resources that are available in the university’s library e.g. ebrary,
search.proquest.com etc.

1. Norse Creation Myth. The myth on how the universe was created according
to the Nordic people.

Our forefathers imagined the infinities of space to be a profound abyss, to which

they gave the name Ginnunga-gap; on one of its confines there were icy frosts and
mists; on the other, flame and heat. The frozen reaches were known as the Home of
Fogs, or Niflheim; the torrid region as Muspellsheim, which may perhaps be
rendered, the Home of Desolation.
As the ice of Niflheim gradually melted away before the heat of Muspellsheim,
there flowed forth from Niflheim into Ginnunga-gap chill streams of venom (the
Élivágar), and yet the animating beams from Muspellsheim called the first living
beings into life: a prodigious Giant (jotunn), called Ymir or Aurgelmir, and the cow
Audhumla, from whose milk he drew sustenance.
From Ymir in turn sprang other Giants, and thus he became the progenitor of all
that evil race. The cow Audhumla likewise brought about life anew by licking the
icebound boulders of salt. In this manner Buri came into being; his son Borr, with
Bestla, daughter of the Giant Bolthorn, had three sons, named Odin, Vili, and Ve.
These sons of Borr were good and fair to see; they became the forebears of the race
of the Æsir.
When the descendants of Ymir had multiplied beyond number, the sons of Borr
put Ymir to death; in his blood all of the Giants were drowned except Bergelmir, who
with his wife saved himself by means of a boat. The Æsir thus failed in their attempt
to exterminate the race of Giants, and Bergelmir’s kindred grew to a mighty host.
The Giants, or Jotuns, were also known by the names Thursar (pursar), Rime-
Thursar (hrímpursar), Ettins (risar), Cliff-Ettins (bergrisar), and Trolls (troll); they
persisted in the most evil courses.
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From the body of Ymir the sons of Borr made earth, sky, and sea. The body itself
became the earth, the bones became mountains and stones, the hair became trees
and grass, the skull became the vault of heaven, the brain became clouds, and the
maggots in Ymir’s body became small Dwarfs, who dwelt beneath the earth’s
surface and in rocks, and who lived on a better footing with the Giants than with the
Æsir.
Odin, Vili, and Ve, the sons of Borr, were at first the only Æsir. Not content with
shaping inanimate nature, they brought to life sentient beings as well, both men and
animals. The first human pair, Ask and Embla, they created from two trees. Odin
gave them breath, Vili1 gave them soul or understanding, and Ve (Lodur) gave them
bodily warmth and color. From these two sprang the entire race of men.
The sons of Borr likewise created the celestial bodies. To this end they employed
the sparks that flew into space out of Muspellsheim. The sun and the moon were
placed each on its wain, and each wain was drawn by two horses; the horses of the
sun were named Arvak wains were appointed the two beautiful children of Mundilfari,
called Sun and Moon.
Mundilfari was so proud of the two that he had named his daughter after the sun
and his son after the moon; as a punishment the Æsir gave the children the task of
guiding the wains of the sun and the moon. Moon once carried away from the earth
two small children just as they left the well Byrgir carrying the cruse Soeg slung from
their shoulders
on a pole called Simul. The two children were named Bil and Hjuki, and their father’s
name was Vidfinn. Since that time they have followed the moon in his course.
The Giants or the Rime-Thursar continued without ceasing to disquiet the
Æsir and disturb their labors. A hideous Giantess, mother of a great brood of Giant
werewolves, bore among the others two called Skoll and Hati, who took up the
pursuit of Sun and Moon, to devour them. Sun and Moon therefore must needs
make haste in their journey across the heavens; yet in the end their pursuers will
overtake them. Hati was the more forbidding of the two; he was known also as
Manigarm, or the Moon-Hound. Toward the race of men the Giants were so ill-
disposed that the Æsir found themselves compelled to build from the eyebrows of
Ymir a great defensive fortress encompassing the midmost region of the earth.
The fortress and all that it contained bore the name Midgard; beyond its
confines lay Jotunheim. In the centre of the universe the Æsir established their own
dwelling, Asgard; there Odin had his own seat, Lidskjalf, from which he might survey
the whole universe, both the heavens and the earth, and see all that happened
there. The race of the Æsir here grew to a goodly number; Odin particularly had
many children.
Aside from the Æsir, the Dwarfs, and the Giants, our forefathers peopled the
universe with other supernatural beings, such as the Vanir and the Elves. To the
Vanir, dwelling in Vanaheim, the direction of the forces of nature seems particularly
to have been attributed. Once upon a time, so the story runs, hostilities arose
between the Æsir and the Vanir; the dispute ended with a treaty of peace, the terms
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of which prescribed an exchange of hostages. The Æsir delegated Hoenir; the Vanir
delegated Njord, who in
this way came to be numbered among the Æsir. The other deities who came from
the Vanir were Frey and Freyja. Of the Elves, beings who associated preferably with
men, some were good and some were evil. The good Elves, called Bright-Elves (ljós-
alfar), who were brighter than the sun, had their abode in Alfheim; the evil Elves,
called Dark-Elves (svart-alfar, døkk-alfar), were blacker than pitch, had their homes
beneath the surface of the earth, and so are often confused with the Dwarfs.

Source: Munch, P. (1926). Norse mythology: legends of gods and heroes. The American-
Scandinavian
Foundation, New York
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2. Egyptian Creation Myth. The myth on how the universe was created
according to Egyptians.

Nu was the name of the dark, swirling before the beginning of time. Out of this
rose Atum, the creator of himself using his thoughts and sheer force of his will. Atum
was neither male nor female who had one all-seeing eye that could roam the
universe. Atum created a hill, for there was nowhere he could stand. He was alone in
the world; so he joined with his shadow to produce a son and a daughter. Atum
conceived his son, Shu, by spitting him out and his daughter, Tefnut, by vomiting her
up.
Shu, meaning ‘he who rises up’, was the god of air and of the dry winds. He is
also considered as the god of the space and light between the sky and held power
over snakes. Shu was the husband and brother of Tefnut. Shu and Tefnut were
tasked to separate chaos into principles of law, order, and stability. The chaos was
divided into light and dark and set into a place. The order was called Ma’at, a feather
so light and pure, which formed the principles of life for all time.
Shu and Tefnut produced Geb, the earth and Nut, the sky. At first, they were
tangled together as one. Shu, being the god of air, pushed Nut up into the heaven.
There, he arches over Geb, her mate. They longed to be together, but in the name of
Ma’at, they had to be apart to fulfill their functions. Nut produced rain for Geb, and
Geb made things grow on earth. Nut conceived the sun every night before dawn,
and die at sunset. Shu and Tefnut produced other gods namely: Isis, Hathor, Osiris,
Seth, Thoth, and Nephthys.
The chaos is still vast and not yet fully separated into the order of Ma’at.
Meanwhile, Shu and Tefnut once got lost in the waters of Nu. Atum was desperate to
find his children. So, he sent his all-seeing eye throughout the heaven and earth to
search. In time, Shu and Tefnut returned with the eye. When Atum saw them again,
he was overjoyed he wept. As these tears hit the earth, they became the first men.
As men populated the earth, they had to uphold the truth and balance of Ma’at. Men
were tasked to tend the earth and worship the gods. The gods, in return, protected
and loved them and their creations.

Source: Pinch, G. (2002). Handbook of Egyptian mythology. ABC-CLIO, Inc., Santa Barbara,
California
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Keywords

❖ Norse Creation Myth

❖ Ginnunga-gap
❖ Aesir, Muspellsheim and Niflheim
❖ Egyptian Creation Myth
❖ Atum
❖ Ma’at

Self-Help and Supplemental Readings: You can also refer to the

sources below to help you further understand the lesson:

Groeneveld, E. (2017). Norse mythology. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from

https://www.ancient.eu/Norse_Mythology/

Mark, J. (2013). Ancient Egyptian mythology. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from
https://www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Mythology/

Munch, P. (1926). Norse mythology: legends of gods and heroes. The American-
Scandinavian Foundation, New York

Pinch, G. (2002). Handbook of Egyptian mythology. ABC-CLIO, Inc., Santa Barbara,

California

Self-Preparation: RRR – Remember, Recite, Repeat

This is the part where you will check your understanding by yourself. Take
time to remember the essential terms and stories by reciting them aloud. You
may also jot down or record your self-recitation and revisit it. Repeat the
process.
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Let’s Recall!

In this activity, you are going to SUMMARIZE the Norse and Egyptian creation myth
by using a GRAPHIC ORGANIZER of your choice. This activity is somewhat an
equivalent to snowball or chain storytelling if delivered verbally.

You can search on the internet for a more elaborate and thorough discussion of the
myths. The next two blank pages are allotted for your disposal. Present your graphic
organizer neatly and comprehensively. If you wish you include illustration or
sketches, you may.
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Big Picture in Focus: ULOc. Critique Norse and Egyptian tales

Metalanguage

I would like to highly recommend that you refresh your knowledge about
ULOa (Norse and Egyptian deities and mythical creatures) and ULOb (Norse and
Egyptian myth and tales) to understand further ULOc.

Essential Knowledge

Norse and Egyptian tales are undeniably unique and equally fascinating. Their
tales are unique because it is not patterned to the Greeks’ nor Romans’ though there
are similarities. For specific references, please see the list of Supplemental
Readings at the end of the discussion of concepts. Please note that you are not
limited to exclusively refer to these resources. Thus, you are expected to utilize other
books, research articles and other resources that are available in the university’s
library e.g. ebrary, search.proquest.com etc.

1. Norse Tales
1.1 Ragnarok

RAGNAROK — THE TWILIGHT OF THE GODS

At last the time draws near when the existing universe must perish and the gods
must succumb before higher powers. This period is called in the ancient myths the
Dissolution or Destin? (rok) of the gods or rulers (ragna, genitive plural of regin); a
later form is ragnarøkkr, the Darkness of the Gods. The gods themselves have
foreknowledge of its coming, which is foreshadowed by many signs. Evil and
violence increase. The Æsir’s cock with the golden comb (Gullinkambi) crows to
waken the Heroes of Odin’s retinue; the dun cock in Hel’s keeping crows likewise; so
also crows the red cock Fjalar in the world of the Giants; and Garm bays vehemently
outside the rocky fastness of Gnipa. For the space of three years the earth is filled
with strife and wickedness; brother kills brother for gain’s sake, and the son spares
not his own father. Then come three other years, like one long winter; everywhere
the snow drifts into heaps, the sun yields no warmth, and biting winds blow from all
quarters. That winter is known as Fimbul Winter (the Great Winter). The wolf Skoll
swallows the sun, and Hati or Manigarm swallows the moon so that the heavens and
the air are sprayed with blood. The stars are quenched. The earth and all the
mountains tremble; trees are uprooted; all bonds are burst asunder. Both Loki and
the Fenris Wolf shake off their shackles. The Midgard Serpent, seeking to reach dry
land, swims with such turbulent force that the seas wash over their banks. Now the
ship Naglfar once more floats on the flood. The ship is made from dead men’s nails,
and therefore the nails of all that die should be trimmed before their burial, to the end
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that Naglfar may be the sooner finished. Loki steers the ship, and the crews of Hell
follow him.
The Giant Rym comes out from the east, and with him all the Rime-Thursar. The
Fenris Wolf rushes forth with gaping maw; his upper jaw touches the heavens, his
nether jaw the earth; he would gape still more if there were more room. His eyes are
lit with flame. The Midgard Serpent, keeping pace with the Wolf, spews venom over
sky and sea. Amidst all the din and clamor the heavens are cleft open, and the Sons
of Muspell ride forth from the south with Surt in the van, fires burning before him and
behind him. His sword shines brighter than the sun. As they ride out over the bridge
Bifrost, it breaks asunder beneath their feet. One and all, the Sons of Muspell, the
Fenris Wolf, the Midgard Serpent, Loki, Rym, and all the Rime-Thursar direct their
course toward the fields of Vigrid, which measure a hundred miles each way. The
Sons of Muspell muster their hosts for battle, and the radiance of their levies gleams
far and wide.
Meanwhile, on the part of the Æsir, Heimdal rises to his feet and sounds the
Gjallar-Horn with all his might in order to rouse the gods. They meet in assembly and
take counsel together. Odin rides to Mimir’s Well to seek guidance there. The ash
Yggdrasil trembles, and all things in heaven and earth are seized with dread. Æsir
and Heroes don their panoplies and march upon the fields of Vigrid. Foremost rides
Odin, girt with his golden helmet and magnificent byrnie; brandishing his spear
Gungnir, he presses on against the Fenris Wolf. At his side walks Thor; but as he
soon finds himself in mortal conflict with the Midgard Serpent, he can give no aid to
Odin. Frey joins battle with Surt, and Tyr with the dog Garm, who also has broken
from his fetters. Heimdal fights against Loki.
Thor in the end kills the Midgard Serpent but is himself able to walk only nine
steps after the struggle is over; then he sinks to the ground dead, borne down by the
venom spewed over him by the Serpent. The Wolf swallows Odin, and so the god
lives no more; but Vidar at once steps into the breach, thrusts one of his feet into the
nether jaw of the Wolf, grasps the upper jaw with his hand, and thus tears open the
Wolf’s throat; his foot is shod with a heavy shoe made from all the slivers of leather
that men have cut from their boots at the toe or the heel; consequently, men should
always cast such patches aside in order that they may serve the uses of the Æsir.
Frey falls at the hands of Surt, no longer having at his need the good blade he once
gave to Skirnir. Tyr and Garm, and likewise Loki and Heimdal, kill each other.
Thereupon Surt hurls fire broadcast over the whole earth and all things perish.
The wild, warlike order passes and a new life begins.
Out of the sea there rises a new earth, green and fair, whose fields bear their
increase without the sowing of seed. The sun has borne a daughter as beautiful as
herself, and the daughter now guides the course of the sun in her mother’s stead. All
evil is passed and gone. On the plains of Ida assemble those Æsir who did not fall in
the last great battle: Vidar, Vali, and the sons of Thus runs the story in Snorri’s Edda;
according to the Voluspá, Vidar kills the Wolf by means of his sword.
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Thor — Modi and Magni. Thither resort also Balder and Hod, now returned out of
Hell, and thither comes Hoenir out of Vanaheim. Once again the Æsir make their
dwelling on the plains of Ida, where Asgard stood before; in the grass they find
scattered the ancient gold chessmen of the gods, and thus they recall to memory the
old days and speak together of the vanished past. Now that Thor’s battles are done,
Modi and Magni fall heir to Mjollnir. Nor are all among mankind dead. Lif and
Lifthrasir have saved themselves from the fires of Surt at a place called Hoddmimir’s
Holt, where they find subsistence in the dews of the morning; from these two spring
forth a new race of men. At Gimle stands a hall thatched with gold and brighter than
the sun. There a righteous generation shall dwell, in joys that never end. “Then shall
come from above the Mighty One, he who governs all things.”

Source: Munch, P. (1926). Norse mythology: legends of gods and heroes. The American-
Scandinavian Foundation, New York
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DAYS OF THE WEEK

It is believed that the days of the week of our lunar calendar are based on Nordic
deities and creatures.

Sunday Sol goddess of the sun

Monday Mani god of the moon

Tuesday Tyr god of war and justice

Wednesday Woden chief Norse god

Thursday Thor god of thunder and

lightning

Friday Frigg chief Norse goddess

Saturday Saturn Roman god of time

(Greek counterpart:
Cronus)
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1.2 Why Odin is one-eyed?

Odin’s quest for wisdom is never-ending, and he is willing to pay any price. It
seems, for the understanding of life’s mysteries that he craves more than anything
else.
On one occasion, he hanged himself, wounded himself with his spear, and fasted
from food and drink for nine days and nights in order to discover the runes – any of
the characters that were used in ancient times by people of Northern Europe.
On another occasion, he ventured to Mimir’s Well – which is surely none other
than the Well of Urd – amongst the roots of the world-tree, Yggdrasil. There dwelt
Mimir, a shadowy being whose knowledge of all things was practically unparalleled
among the inhabitants of the cosmos. He achieved his status largely by taking his
water from the well, whose waters impart this cosmic knowledge.
When Odin arrived, he asked Mimir for a drink from the water. The well’s
guardian, knowing the value of such a draught, refused unless the seeker offered an
eye in return. Odin – whether straightaway or after anguished deliberation, we can
only wonder – gouged out one of his eyes and dropped it into the well. Having made
the necessary sacrifice, Mimir dipped his horn into the well and offered the now one-
eyed god a drink.

Note: Please see the Figures 3 for photographic reference of the runes

Figure 3
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1.3 The Creation of Thor’s Hammer

One day, Loki the trickster found himself in an especially mischievous mood
and cut off the gorgeous golden hair of Sif, the wife of Thor. When Thor learned of
this, his quick temper was enraged, and he seized Loki and threatened to break
every bone in his body.
Loki pleaded with the thunder god to let him go down to Svartalfheim, the
cavernous home of the dwarfs, and see if those master craftspeople could fashion a
new head of hair for Sif, this one even more beautiful than the original.
There, the sons of the dwarf Ivaldi reside – Skidbladnir and Gungnir.
Skidbladnir forges the best of all ships, which have always a favorable wind and can
be folded up and put into one’s pocket. Gungnir, forges the deadliest of all spears.
Brokkr, the metalworker dwarf and Sindri, the spark-sprayer dwarf created
such marvelous things. Gullinbursti which means ‘golden-bristle’, is a living boar with
golden hair. Who gave off light in the dark and could run better than any horse, even
through water or air. Draupnir which means ‘dripper’, is a magnificent ring. From this
ring, every ninth night, fall off eight new golden rings of equal weight. Lastly, mjollnir
which means ‘lightning’, is a hammer of unsurpassed quality, which never missed its
mark and would boomerang back to its owner after being thrown. But it had one flaw
– the handle was short. Sindri lamented that this had almost ruined the piece.
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2. Egyptian Tales
2.1 Book of the Dead.
o A customized magic scroll written by living to promote a smooth
passage to the afterlife when they die.
o A collection of funerary texts and spells from ancient Egypt
designed to assist a person’s journey through the underworld, into
the afterlife.
o Without these spells, it was believed a person could not proceed.
o In the book, a spell is called ‘42 Declarations of Purity’ or ‘Negative
Confessions’. This spell is comprised of confessions the tomb
owner believed he committed throughout his life.

2.2 42 Ideals of Ma’at

1 I honor virtue. 22 I do the best I can.

2 I benefit with gratitude. 23 I communicate with compassion.
3 I am peaceful. 24 I listen to opposing opinions.
4 I respect the property of others. 25 I create harmony.
5 I affirm that all life is sacred. 26 I invoke laughter.
6 I give offerings that are genuine. 27 I am open to love in various
forms.
7 I live in truth. 28 I am forgiving.
8 I regard all altars with respect. 29 I am kind.
9 I speak with sincerity. 30 I act respectfully of others.
10 I consume only my fair share. 31 I am accepting.
11 I offer words of good intent. 32 I follow my inner guidance.
12 I relate in peace. 33 I converse with awareness.
13 I honor animals with reverence. 34 I do good.
14 I can be trusted. 35 I give blessings.
15 I care for the earth. 36 I keep the waters pure.
16 I keep my own council. 37 I speak with good intent.
17 I speak positively of others. 38 I praise the goddess and the
god.
18 I remain in balance with my 39 I am humble.
emotions.
19 I am trustful in my relationships. 40 I achieve with integrity.
20 I hold purity in high esteem. 41 I advance through my own
abilities.
21 I spread joy. 42 I embrace the all.
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2.3 Papyrus of Ani

o Ani was a real person; a scribe from the Egyptian city of Thebes.
o His Book of the Dead, a 78-foot papyrus scroll designed to help him
attain immortality.
o Such funerary texts where originally made for pharaohs
o Ani’s epic journey begins with his death
o His body is mummified by a team of priests who removed every
organ except his heart (the seat of emotion, memory, and
intelligence)
Papyrus of Ani was stuffed with the salt called natron and wrapped in risen-
soaked linen. The wrappings were woven with charms for protection, topped with a
heart scarab amulet that would be proven important later on.
The goal of the two-month process was to preserve Ani’s body as an ideal
form with which his spirit could eventually reunite. But first, that spirit must pass
through the duat or underworld.
Apep, the serpent god of destruction, lurks in the shadows waiting to swallow
Ani’s soul. Ani was prepared with the magic contained within his book of the dead,
like other Egyptians could afford it. Ani customized his scroll to include the particular
spells, prayers, and codes he thought his spirit might need. Equipped with this
arsenal, Ani traverses the obstacles, repels the monsters’ attacks and stealthily
avoids Apep.
So Ani reached the hall of Ma’at. Upon seeing Ma’at, Ani faces his final
challenge. He is judged with 42 assessor gods, who must be convinced that he had
lived a righteous life.
Ani approached each one, addressing them by name and declaring a sin he
has not committed. Among these negative confessions or declarations of innocence,
Ani proclaims that he had not made anyone cry, is not an eavesdropper, and has not
polluted the water.

DID ANI REALLY LIVE SUCH A PERFECT LIFE? Not quite.

Now, the heart scarab of Ani comes in. The amulet is inscribed with the
words, “Do not stand as a witness against me.” so that Ani’s heart will not betray him
by recalling the times he committed those sins.

MOMENT OF TRUTH
Now, it’s Ani’s moment of truth – the weighing of the heart. Ani stands before
a large golden scale where Anubis, the jackal-headed god, was weighing his heart
against a pure ostrich feather.
If his heart is heavier than the feather, weighed down by Ani’s wrongdoings, it
would be devoured by the monstrous Ammit (part crocodile, part leopard, part
hippopotamus) and Ani would cease to exist forever.
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But Ani was in luck! His heart was judged pure. Then Ra, the sun god, takes
him to Osiris, god of the underworld, and the one who would give Ani the last
approval to enter the afterlife.
In the endless and lush field of reeds, Ani met his deceased parents. There
was no sadness, pain, or anger; but there was work to be done. Like everyone else,
Ani must cultivate a plot of land, which he does with the help of a Shabti, a doll that
had been placed in his tomb.

2.4 Ma’at: The Ancient Egyptian Goddess of Truth, Justice, and Morality
o Other name: Mayet
o Goddess of truth, justice, and universal harmony
o Mother of the eight gods of Hermopolis
o Daughter of Ra
o Wife of Thoth
o She served a kind of spirit of justice to the Egyptians.
o She decided whether a person would successfully reach the
afterlife, by weighing their soul against her feather of truth.
o She was the personification of the cosmic order and a
representation of the stability of the universe.
o She is usually depicted in the form of a woman seated or standing
with outstretched wings attached to both her arms. In other
instances, she is seen holding a scepter in one hand and an ankh
(the symbol of life) in the other. Less frequently, images of the
goddess showed her without a head, instead replaced by the
feather.
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Keywords

❖ Ragnarok ❖ Book of the Dead

❖ Days of the Week ❖ Papyrus of Ani
❖ One-eyed Odin ❖ Judgment and Ideals of Ma’at
❖ Runes
❖ Mjollnir

Self-Help and Supplemental Readings: You can also refer to the

sources below to help you further understand the lesson:

Groeneveld, E. (2017). Norse mythology. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from

https://www.ancient.eu/Norse_Mythology/

Mark, J. (2013). Ancient Egyptian mythology. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from
https://www.ancient.eu/Egyptian_Mythology/

Munch, P. (1926). Norse mythology: legends of gods and heroes. The American-
Scandinavian Foundation, New York

Ojeda, C. (2017). Papyrus of Ani. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from

https://www.ancient.eu/image/6650/

Pinch, G. (2002). Handbook of Egyptian mythology. ABC-CLIO, Inc., Santa Barbara,

California

Self-Preparation: RRR – Remember, Recite, Repeat

This is the part where you will check your understanding by yourself. Take
time to remember the essential terms and stories by reciting them aloud. You
may also jot down or record your self-recitation and revisit it. Repeat the
process.
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Let’s Analyze!

In this activity, you are going to EVALUATE the Nordic and Egyptian tales using
YOUR scientific and philosophical perspectives. However, bear-in-mind that
though you are to give YOUR perspective, still support it with facts.

1. On Ragnarok
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2. On Book of the Dead

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In a Nutshell
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The study of mythology and folklore is indeed pre-requisite to becoming a quality
English teacher. It is a complex and arduous body of knowledge which requires
content and teaching expertise including knowledge outside the classroom and
school.

Based from the definition of the most essential terms in the study of mythology and
folklore and the learning exercises that you have done, please feel free to write your
arguments or lessons learned below. I have indicated my arguments or lessons
learned.

1. Egyptian mythology shows how advanced the civilization of Egypt was.

2. Egyptian mythology reveals how important order and balance in their life.

Your Turn

3. ______________________________________________________________

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4. ______________________________________________________________

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11. ______________________________________________________________

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12. ______________________________________________________________

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