Week 14 Reading Diary B: Twenty Two Goblins First Half

From the Un-Textbook: Twenty Two Goblins

Goblin drawing by Source: Kelly Hopkinsville

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

Introduction

• I have noticed the use of fig trees here and there and I am curious what they symbolize
• I can tell this is a nice change of pace from the super short stories I have been reading.

The Three Lovers

• I know little kids can be annoying sometimes...but sheesh. Mom must have been on her last straw.
• Ok..so the kid is revived after being burnt alive by his mom. Still doesn't change anything

Brave, Wise, Clever

• I like that Rama and Ravana are referenced in this story! Great simile 

The Girl, Her Husband and Her Brother

• What about the heart? The head is certainly important...but so is the heart!

Food, Women, Cotton

• I don't understand why a female brought up on goat's milk would be considered disgusting

The Four Scientific Suitors

• I love hearing about the Ganges river because I might actually see it this summer! =P
• I love the super creative names each of the scientists get...

The Three Delicate Wives

• I like the part about wine being Love's very life-blood. 
• They are totally playing into female stereotypes here...women needing to be small and fragile. Pish posh.

Week 14 Reading Diary A: Bidpai Tales Second Half

From the Un-Textbook: Bidpai

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

The Hare, the Fox, and the Wolf

• Foxes are so smart

 Three Stories about Snakes

• Karma is in full force

The Camel Driver and the Adder

•  I am happy that the fox uses his slyness for good in this story

 Two Tortoise Stories

• It is fun to read the original story after you have read someones storytelling post. 
• It would be neat to combine the multiples stories within each section (if the section has more than one story)
• The story about the scorpion and the tortoise reminds me of girl/high school drama (stabbing each other in the back).

The Crane and the Crab

• Ah hah! This is definitely a rendition of The Cruel Crane Outwitted

 The Lion and the Hare

• Lion is hangry! haha.

Adorable turtle. Source: Wikipedia

A lot of these stories are very short and sometimes its hard to figure out what their motto is. I think a lot of them tell tales that show one must trust their own instincts. 

Favorite quotes:

The Camel Driver and the Adder

• "'Is it right to return evil for good?'"
  

Week 13 Reading Diary A: Bidpai Tales First Half

From the Un-Textbook: Bidpai

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

Introduction

• LOVE the condensed version of the library. 

• Little confused on the introduction....looks like there are two?

 The King, the Falcon, and the Drinking-Cup

• I smelt Karma from a mile away...okay...like the fourth paragraph

•  There is a dead dragon at the top of the hill that is poisoning the stream the King is trying to drink from. There may lie some storytelling opportunities about how the dragon died!

Dragon. Source: wikipedia

Three Stories about Apes

• Poor ape! I'm not sure why Karma acted on him here...he only seemed curious.

• Ok...again. What did the bird to wrong? I think Karma is making a couple mistakes.

• The third one makes sense. The boar got what he deserved.

The Ass, the Lion, and the Fox

• I don't know why but I like stories about sly foxes. Even though they are usually portrayed as the antagonist.

Favorite quotes:

• " The greater part of the sciences comprise but one single word: 'Perhaps.'"

• "Love nothing but what is good, and do all that thou lovest to do..."

• "'For surely,' I said to myself, 'he who doeth evil will sooner or later be overtaken by evil.'"

Week 12 Reading Diary A: Khasi Folktales Second Half

From the Un-Textbook: Khasi Folktales

How I felt during some of these stories. Source: Flickr

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

 The Leap of Ka Likai

• Started the story thinking, oh how lovely! This landscape is described in great detail and then...
• ...how disgusting and gruesome. Poor little girl. She didn't do anything!

What caused the Shadows on the Moon

•  I don't understand why some of these stories are so unusual with things like incest.

U Ksuid Tynjang

• I found this story sort of humorous. For example, the demon tickling others to death. We have all felt that before...probably when we were little kids. Adults being bigger and more able to tickle attack us.

What makes the Lightning

• There seem to be a multitude of thunder and lightning stories. I always imagine a bunch of different things happening in the sky. Now I have one more story to add...a bunch of animals partying and dancing with their weapons.

Ka Panshandi, the Lazy Tortoise

• I think the female should be the star and the male should be the lazy tortoise...just sayin
• 'Persons in love never take heed of other people's advice."
• How true! I have experienced this multiple times (on the advice side mostly).

• U Lurmangkhara reminds me of a shooting star

How the Cat came to live with Man

•  This story was super cute :)

How the Tiger got his Strength

• Too bad humans have not taken the word of the mother and only used weapons against animals. I realize war is inevitable and sometimes useful, but I still dislike it. I also dislike mistreatment towards animals, but I do like to eat.

Why the Goat lives with Mankind

• Sort of bored with this story. 
• Man should have made goat supply milk or cheese as payment for protection.

How the Ox came to be the Servant of Man

• It seems true that ox (or cows) always eat a lot of grass.

Week 10 Reading Diary B: Deathly Destruction

From Narayan's Mahabharata

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• All the war and violence!
•  Pg 162. This is vivid and gross. I'm sure the act of dismembering Dussasana's body and drinking his blood is a sign of disrespect. At least some of the other characters find it astonishing. It reminds me of when I went to Spain and Italy and saw statures with their private parts removed (a sign of disrespect and was usually performed by an opposing force).
• Karma has been very busy! I was drawn to pages 178-179 where Dhritarashtra, Gandhari, and Kunthi die in a forest fire. Also, Krishna's people kill each other and the Pandava brothers die.
• Seems a little Romeo and Juliet.

Death. Source: Wikimedia

Week 10 Reading Diary A: I spy

From Narayan's Mahabharata

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• KARMA! Pages 86-87 Duryodhana tries to make the Pandavas look foolish by setting up a grand camp near Kamyaka. Duryodhana is captured and loses men in a fight. The Pandavas end up saving Duryodhana.
• Page 92: I don't exactly understand why Karma (or whoever) allows the brothers to come back to life. I guess I don't feel like Yudhistira answering a few questions correctly should be enough to reverse death.
• The lake could be a fun storytelling post (reminds me of the troll who guards the bridge).
• Another cool twist for a storytelling post is to have a modern day spy story. Pages 93-96

Sneaky Spy like the Pandavas. Source: pixabay

Favorite Quotes:

• Didn't find many cool quotes :/

Week 9 Reading Diary 9: House of Joy

From Narayan's Mahabharata

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• Wouldn't it be great if the world today could depend on another person's word? I've noticed in the Indian Epics that vows are valued (more than today it seems).
• Page 7: Grrrr. I hate how women are portrayed sometimes. Ambika was ordered to 'decorate herself and wait in the bedchamber.'
• Page 7: Vidura is introduced as wise, having good judgement, and courageous with speech and actions.
• Page 16: I got a quick glimpse of Shakespeare's Montagues and Capulets in the streets. The Pandava brothers around Arjuna and the Karna, Duryodhana, and elders starting to bicker.
• Page 25-26: House of Joy is a possible story topic.

House of Joy (a mansion). Source: Wikimedia

• Page 35: I find it disturbing that a female would be forced to lay with 5 brothers. I know historically and culturally this has been accepted, but it is so hard to fathom in today's world and the American culture that I have been raised in.

Favorite Quotes:

• Didn't have any :/

Week 7 Extra Reading Diary: Khasi Folktales First Half

From the Un-Textbook: Khasi Folktales


Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

Adorable, vicious, baby tiger. Source: Wikimedia

The Tiger and the Monkeys

•  Hahah the monkeys keep digging a deeper hole for themselves. 
• The tiger sounds like my sister...she is so gullible.

The Legend and the lei Tree

•  I like this story about mother nature protecting herself!
• And then I was sad. The poor tiger!

Hunting the Stag Lapalang

• This story is interesting in the sense that the mother teaches men how to mourn properly.
• I sort of go against mourning (although that is easy to say and hard to do) because I enjoy thinking that we should celebrate a life and try to focus on the positive things.

The Goddesses Ka Ngot and Ka lam

• I love twins and therefore this story. I thought it was neat that the turned into rivers to race down the mountain.
• I thought they might turn back into humans, but they did not.

U Biskurom

• He sounds like an engineer!

How the Dog Came to live with Man

• I enjoyed how the mother invited the dog in. It sounds so human.
• Also, the dog is lazy which is a new perspective I hadn't thought of. They provide companionship, loyalty and love in turn for food and shelter.

The Stag and the Snail

• This story had items from the other story (I am not sure it was done on purpose), but I thought it was cool.

Week 7 Reading Diary B: Indian Fairy Tales Second Half

From the Un-Textbook: Indian Fairy Tales

Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

• The Talkative Tortoise
•  I've noticed my development as a leader throughout my college career. One thing a good leader will do is learn when to step back and let others lead. The story reminds me of this because a leader who does not answer all of the questions, allows for others to learn and grow.

• The Gold-Giving Serpent
• I like this story because snakes are generally portrayed as evil in most stories I have read. This snake started out as good and evil was done to him. This is what caused him to turn against humans.

• Pride Goeth Before a Fall
• This one did not captivate my interest as much.

• The Prince and the Fakir
• The ant story was sort of random...
• I feel like the Fakir got ripped off by the King

• Why the Fish Laughed
• I like that the daughter is very clever. She is able to translate the code that the man speaks. 
• This story made me think and has many clever (almost) riddles.

• The Demon With the Matted Hair
• I think it is very noble when I hear a story where a character does not fear death. It almost seems unreal because I am not sure I have met someone who really doesn't fear death.

• How Sun, Moon, and Wind Went Out to Dinner
•  KARMA!
• I love stories that explain why things are they way they are. So, for example, the sun is hot and the wind is miserable because they were inconsiderate and did not think of their mother.

Graceful moon. Source: Pixabay

Week 7 Reading Diary A: Indian Fairy Tales First Half

From the Un-Textbook: Indian Fairy Tales

Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

•  The Lion and the Crane
• I like the poetry in this one.
• Reminds me of the story where the mouse saves a lion from netting (he nibbles the netting so the lion may escape).

• The Broken Pot
• DID NOT like the part where he abuses his wife. Also, don't like where the story displays that women should be doing domestic work.

• The Magic Fiddle
•  The writing didn't flow as smoothly in my opinion so this was a longer read for me

• The Cruel Crane Outwitted
•  I liked this story! 
• The crane has evil intentions and deceives the fish (which means he eats them all). The crab however is not so easily tricked and is able to outwit the crane. 
• This has Karma written all over it

• The Tiger, The Brahman, and the Jackal
•  I've noticed that Brahman's tend to have a kind heart
• This story is very similar to the one directly above. Maybe I could merge the two stories and characters for a possible storytelling post. 

Another image of Karma; what goes around, comes around. Source: Wikipedia

• Harisarman
•  Wasn't as interested in this story...at least compared to the two stories above.

• The Charmed Ring
• I enjoyed this story, but I think it might be hard to recreate it. It was pretty detailed and in order to put a twist on it I feel like I would have to go off on some creative tangents.
• It definitely shows the power of friendships over money!

Week 6 Extra Reading Diary Bengal Fairy Tales Second Half

From the Un-Textbook: Folktales of Bengal

Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

The Ghost-Brahman

A Ghostly Wife

The Story of a Brahmadaitya

The Ghost who was Afraid of being Bagged

• The four stories above were all ghostly. I'm not a huge fan of horror (I guess they weren't really horror, but I'm a wimp and almost anything can creep me out)

The Bald Wife

• I think it is funny to imagine what a women would look like with two tufts of hair on her head.
• Wouldn't it be great if I could swim in some water and my hair would magically grow (and maybe thicken too).

Ruby Ring. Source: Wikimedia

The Origin of Rubies

• I immediately like this one....probably because it has a queen in it.
• I am noticing how melodramatic these stories and characters are. The princess threatens to kill herself if she is not given another ruby. She will be such a drama queen when she gets older (see what I did there). Haha. It's okay if you don't laugh. It was royally corny.
• The prince and queen causally turn into a lad and mother. I found this a little confusing and interesting. Maybe it was done so not to confuse the king and princess?
• Kind of gross that the rubies were blood droplets from the beautiful lady's head that was severed from her body.

Week 6 Reading Diary A: Bengal Fairy Tales First Half

From the Un-Textbook: Folktales of Bengal

Thoughts and Favorite Unit:

• The Evil Eye of Sani
• I found it interesting what evil was bestowed upon Sribatsa and how the good came to him (gold dung from a cow).
• This story reminds me that in order to get something you want, you must work hard and earn it. Sort of like in a company where you have to work your way up the ladder.

• The Boy whom Seven Mothers Suckled
• Maybe the seven queens weren't the ones barren..maybe they couldn't bare a child because of him. Humph.
• This story is weird..not my favorite one.

• The Origin of Opium
• This story reminds me of the children's book If you give a Mouse a Cookie
• The mouse is given speech by the Rishi and from there the mouse continues to ask to be turned into some sort of animal. He discovers that each animal has to worry about something 
• Definitely a story of Karma (the mouse ends up dying)
• I think the title to this story is very fitting since the mouse always wishing to be turned into something better parallels with drugs making the abuser always wanting more.
• This is probably my favorite story of the three.

Cute mouse searching for some luck (maybe not so lucky though). Source: Pixabay

Week 5 Reading Diary B: Sita's Capture

From Buck William's Ramayana: King Rama's Way

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• (Page 170) I thoroughly enjoyed the scene where Sita rejects Ravana. 
• I would like more background on why simple acts are considered "the right thing to do." For example, on page 169, Lakshmana goes into the forest to find Rama because Sita wishes him to do so even though he knows that it is a trick. Just by satisfying Sita's desires, he claims that he has done right. However, I find his decision illogical. 
• I can't quite remember but wasn't Jatayu an eagle (instead of a vulture) in Narayan's Ramayana? (Page 173).
• I like how Buck references storytelling in within the stories (ie. Listen Rama- or Listen Sita-)

Sita and Ravana. Source: Wikimedia

Favorite Quotes:

• Page 170: "Sita laughed. 'Garuda mating with a goose? A firefly courting the Sun?'"
• Page 170: "'A gnat trying to suck up a bowl of butter?'"
• Page 180: "'For there is nothing worse than the tears of the innocent.' said Indra."
• Page 193:

"I greet my Death. 

Yama, come my Friend 

And take me home."

Week 5 Reading Diary A: King of Birds

From Buck William's Ramayana: King Rama's Way

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• (Page 117) Vasishtha tells Bharata what will become of Kaikeyi for the first couple paragraphs of the page. We can see Karma acting here! Bharata ends up forgiving his mother so that she does not endure the long list of negative consequences.
• I've noticed that Buck references Time in his version of Ramayana. I am interested in Time as a character.
• I'm having a hard time connecting to these stories. Not sure why,=.
• (Page 140) Agastya gives Rama a new bow and it is described 
• (Page 147-154) I like Garuda 's story the best so far. Garuda, the King of birds, flies up to heaven to steal from Indra (in order to free his mother). He eats a turtle and an elephant who are fighting..sort of weird. This gives him the strength to fly to heaven and fight to snag the 'Nectar of Life.' 
• (Page 156) Buck's version differs from Narayan's version; Shurpanakha is described as very ugly in Buck's Ramayana.

When Vishnu makes Garuda King of all Birds. Source: Wikipedia

Favorite Quotes:

• Page 116: "Sorrow deforms our thoughts and our reflections; it goes within and smothers our hearts."

Week 4 Reading Diary B: Guha stories

From Buck William's Ramayana: King Rama's Way

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• (Page 65) It was interesting that Manthara hated Rama for shooting a play arrow into her hunchback when he was young. She seems very evil and Kaikeyi very persuadable.
• Wonder what the significance of 14 years is (Rama's banishment time)
• (Pages 73-74) I liked that Sita combated every argument Rama had for her to not come with him into the forest.
• I would be so annoyed with everyone not easily accepting what I chose to do. Everyone is trying to get Rama to stay and argues with him. Eventually, that would get old.
• (Pages 87-89) I really like Guha and how he has figured out how to live well in the forest. He comes to Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana with food, beverage, and other goods. He allows them to join his people and offers his protection to them
• Guha kicks Shiva's statue every night despite the circumstances (flood) and even tries to when there is a hungry wolf pack surrounding the statue.
• I found it humorous that Shiva mistook Guha's actions. It clearly shows the two different perspectives.

Rama, Sita, and Lakshmana in the forest. Source: Wikipedia

Favorite Quotes:

• Page 70: '"Rama, have I done right?" asked Kaikeyi. "If you say you have, you have; I will believe you...'
• Page 72: "People who think they care for nothing at all have saved more lives than they ever knew, yet believe themselves alone, and unloved."
• Page 91: "But I told them-I worship only God, and God is a tree."

Week 4 Reading Diary A: Vaishravana the Treasure Lord

From Buck William's Ramayana: King Rama's Way

Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• Right off the bat I really like the style of the writing. Nothing in particular, but I find it easier to read.
• Page 7: (Valmiki sees a hunter shoot a bird down..and states this quote) "You will find no rest for the long years of Eternity, For you killed a bird in love and unsuspecting." The hunter ends up dying the same day. Possible Karma story?
• Lotuses have come up quite a bit in the first 15 pages.
• (Pages 21-23) Viswakarman captures me as a character especially the ease at which he makes things (Lanka). 
• I really like the picture on page 26
• (Page 27) Trinavindu become pregnant by Pulastya (by playing on a hill that Pulastya warned the other girls not to do or else they would bear child) and Trinavindu was given to Pulastya by her father. Their child, Vaishravana doesn't eat, drink, or breath for a thousand years and becomes the Treasure Lord.
• The story of Vishwamitra asking Dasharatha for Rama's help is expanded quite a bit. Also, we got a lot of background on Ravana and his doings (destructions).
• I like this story of Rama ans Sita and Rama's ability to break the bow. 
• (Pages 58-59) Great description of Rama and his character.

Lanka; a golden city. Source: Wikipedia

Favorite Quotes:

• Page 1: "Widen your heart. Abandon anger. Believe me, your few days are numbered..."
• Page 53: "'You must understand," said Janaka, "that Sita has the final consent.' 

Week 3 Reading Diary B: A giant, war, and eagles

From Narayan's The Ramayana


Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• (Pg. 133) I don't understand why Rama is so quick to be angry with the sea god. Especially since Rama is displayed as always trying to do the right thing.
• (pg.136) I like the part about Kumbakarna being woke from his sleep. I feel like that is probably me in the mornings. Especially the part about being hungry.

Attempts to wake Kumbakarna up Source: Wikimedia

• The battle scene is long, but mostly exciting. On page 141 we are introduced to Panchajanya (a battle conch) and another name for Rama (Mahavishnu was Rama's original form before he was incarnated).
• (Pg 142) Rama and Ravana are in an air battle. This made me think of WWII and all of the war scenes fought in the air that we see in movies. 
• Garuda is a really neat character. I love eagles and Garuda seems particularly majestic; (pg 135) when the eagle gets rid of the poisonous darts and we see Garuda again on pg 142, and boom pg 145
• (Pg. 148-149) This part sort of made me angry..I don't understand why the females seem to always be portrayed as possibly unfaithful or not pure anymore. 

Favorite Quotes:

• Pg. 136: "A small army had to be engaged. They sounded trumpets and drums at his ears and were ready with enormous quantities of food and drink for him, for when Kumbakarna awoke from sleep, his hunger was phenomenal and he made a meal of whomever he could grab at his bedside."

Week 2 Reading Diary B: Mostly about Women

From Narayan's The Ramayana


Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• (Pages: 62-63) Jatayu
• I really like eagles, so I was drawn to Jatayu. I like how he displayed as the protector (of Rama and Sita) while they are in the forrest, I think of America when I hear eagle and I also think that America takes on a "protector" role in other countries (whether that is good or bad, I won't get political)
• So far, there have been a few women that have been displayed in a negative light (I know there have probably been males displayed negatively too, but the women stick out to me). Examples include pgs. 11-13 Thataka (a asuras and 'destroyer of life') is described as a monster and is not to be thought of as a woman; pg. 58 Kaikeyi (Rama's stepmother) is described as a snake, heartless, deceiving, and that she should die for her doings; and pg. 65: Kamavalli (Ravana's sister) is described as having a look of quality, but is 'really cheap and shameless.'
• On page 65 I think Rama should tell Kamavalli that he is already married (maybe there is a cultural difference here and they are allowed multiple wives), but that seems like a better reasoning than some of the reasons he gives her.

Rama rejecting Kamavalli. Source: Wikimedia

• My favorite part is when Sita gets angry and commands Kamavalli to leave. She seems so strong and independent here.

Favorite Quotes:

• Page 60: " In a world where we are accustomed to rivalries over possession, authority, and borders, and people clashing over the issue, 'Ours,' or 'Mine, not yours,' it is rather strange to find two people debating whose kingdom is not, and asserting: 'Yours, not mine.'"
• Page 63: "...'While I fly, follow me in the shadow of my wings.'"
• Page 63: "Again Rama was delighted by his brother's engineering and architectural genius, and entered his new home filled with a sense of wonder."
• Page 66-67: "This forest is full of such deceivers. She might well have been confessing this of herself-her own normal appearance being that of a demon with wild, matted hair, flame-coloured fang-like teeth, enormous stature, and a belly swollen with the meat and blood of animals she had gorged on..."

Week 2 Reading Diary A: The cleansing river, Ganga

From Narayan's The Ramayana


Thoughts and Favorite episode:

• There are a lot of names and sometimes the are hard to keep track of..Are some of the characters given different names? On page 13 it states "Although Rama was Vishnu, his human incarnation made him unaware of his identity at the moment." I think Vishnu is a God and has taken the form of human (Rama).
• (Pages: 16-19) Ganga's Story
• I love that the river (Ganga) 'cleanses and transforms' all that she touches and how Mother nature is represented in the beginning of this story. 
• When Sakara's horse is free to travel wherever it likes, the areas are kept at peace. This illustrates an image of wild horses galloping across a valley for me. Wild horses are so rare anymore; so many animals are domesticated now.
• The horse is rescued from the underground by Sakara's grandson. This grandson has a son named Bagiratha who brings down Ganga to Earth by praying a lot..about 30,000 years (depicted below). 

Ganga being sent to Earth. Source: Wikipedia

• Oceans are created when Ganga fills them after Sakara's sons dug holes to try to find the horse.

Favorite Quotes:

• Page 9: "A seed that sprouts at the foot of its parents tree remains stunted until it is transplanted."
  
• Page 18: "After further meditations, by Bhagiratha, Shiva again appeared and said to him, 'Let Ganga come down, I will help you. I will see that no drop of water is wasted or allowed to trouble anyone.'"