Interesting Mythology, Folklore, and Urban Legends

[Patronus]

[FONT=Arial][COLOR=Black][SIZE=2]I developed an affection for Greek mythology early in my middle school years. Since then, it has fluctuated, but I will always find that culture's myths- and the universal themes in them- highly interesting. I also find it interesting the fact that when you look at it, most, if not all, cultures have religions that teach these univeral themes through stories.

Urban legends are always fun to read, as more of them than you would believe stem from a real occurence. It's fun to look them up and research their origins.

The following is one of my favorite Greek myths. It tells the story of Io, a beautiful young girl who declines Zeus' advances, and how, through Hera's jealousy, she is punished.

What is your favorite myth, folklore, or urban legend? And why?[/SIZE][/COLOR][/FONT]

[quote] [B]The Heifer-Maiden[/B]

The story of Io is one of the most touching dramas in Greek Mythology. This story goes back to the early days on Mount Olympos (Olympus). Zeus was new to the throne of eternity and his treatment of Io was nothing less than pernicious.

[B]Daughter of Inakhus[/B]

Io was the beautiful daughter of Inakhus (Inachus) of Argos. She began having strange dreams with voices and visions telling her to leave her bed and go into a field where Zeus could ‘see’ her. She told her father of the dreams and he sought advice of the oracles at Pytho and Dodona but they could offer no help. Finally, he sent an embassy to Loxias. For the oracles of Loxias, the meaning was crystal clear. They advised Inakhus to disown his daughter, cast her into the streets and drive her from his country. If this was not done, the oracles warned, Zeus would eradicate Inakhus and his people without mercy. With heavy heart, Inakhus obeyed the oracles and forced his young daughter, Io, from his house.

[B]Hera[/B]

Hera had not missed the drama unfolding in Argos. She was angered by Zeus’ (attempted) infidelity so she punished Zeus by punishing Io. As Io fled in tears from her father’s house, she began to change. Horns popped out on her head and, as she ran, she completely transformed into a black and white heifer. A gadfly began to sting and pester her, forcing her to run farther and farther from her home and happiness.

Hera wanted to be sure that her husband, Zeus, could not be alone with his new infatuation so she set the herdsman, Argos, to follow the heifer-girl. Argos was called Argos Panoptes, meaning ‘all seeing’ because he had one hundred eyes placed all over his body. Io was terrified of Argos and she fled from him as much as she did from the sting of the ever present gadfly.

[B]The Herdsman, Argos[/B]

Zeus was inflamed. With Argos on guard he couldn’t secretly meet with the lovely Io. He instructed his son, Hermes, to kill Argos. To this day, Hermes is often called Argeiphontes, ‘the slayer of Argos’. He lulled the herdsman to sleep with sweet music and then beheaded the sleeping watchman before he could defend himself. Io was now free of the all seeing Argos.

[B]Prometheus[/B]

The punishment was not over yet. The gadfly was still goading the heifer-girl to the ends of the earth. As Io fled through the Caucasus mountains she saw Prometheus bound to the stony crag. Prometheus was a Titan who had angered Zeus with his reckless affection for the lowly mortals who populated the earth below Mount Olympos. Prometheus was chained, spread-eagle, to the pitiless rockface by the plan of Zeus and by the hand of Hephaistos (Hephaestus). Prometheus had been left to suffer in solitude and misery until Zeus’ fury subsided.

Io’s conversation with Prometheus (in Prometheus Bound, by Aeskhylus) is quite moving. She told him of her sorrowful past, how she can never sleep in the same place two nights in succession because of the insistent gadfly. She begged the Titan for his prediction of her future. The name ‘Prometheus’ means ‘forethought’. She simply wanted to know when her suffering would end? Even in his tortured condition, Prometheus tried to spare her feelings. She asked why he would not be forthright. He replied that he was afraid that if he told her the depth and duration of her suffering, the knowledge might break her spirit. She wanted to hear it all, no matter how dismal her future may be, she wanted to hear it all.

Prometheus told her of her long, lonely road. He advised her on which way to travel and where she might find help along the way. He told her to be strong because she would eventually be freed from the curse of Hera. Her journey would end in Egypt. He told her that she would be restored to her original beauty and have a glorious son named Epaphos. Prometheus also foresaw the ironic fact that one of her descendants would, after thirteen generations, come back to that lonely mountain and cut the bonds that made him famous.

The predictions of Prometheus came true. Io’s flight took her East towards Asia, South to the land of the Amazons and, after years of tortuous wandering, she came to Egypt. When the hand of Zeus reached out and touched Io, Hera’s curse was lifted. Io was restored to her youthful beauty and was allowed to live out her mortal life in peace.
[/quote]

[femme fatale]

[size=1]Well lately i've really been getting into Norse Mythology, although some of the names are confusing as well ^_^ I must admit the way the giants were originally (who play a large part in Norse Mythology) created is abit strange, it's hard to describe so here's wikipedia's version:

[quote][size=1]According to Norse myth, the beginning of life was fire and ice, with the existence of only two worlds: Muspelheim and Niflheim. When the warm air of Muspelheim hit the cold ice of Niflheim, the giant Ymir and the icy cow Audhumbla were created. Ymir's foot bred a son and a man and a woman emerged from his armpits, making Ymir the progenitor of the Jotun, or giants. Whilst Ymir slept, the intense heat from Muspelheim made him sweat, and he sweated out Surtr, a giant of fire. Later Ymir woke and drank Audhumbla's milk. Whilst he drank, the cow Audhumbla licked on a salt stone. On the first day after this a man's hair appeared on the stone, on the second day a head and on the third day an entire man emerged from the stone. His name was Búri and with an unknown giantess he fathered Bor, the father of the three gods Odin, Vili and Ve.[/size][/quote]

I enjoy most myths, folklores and urban legends, as i generally find the idea behind them interesting, something like a story set over time. I enjoy mystical creatures, one my favourites being the Griffin, although it seems to be portrayed in alot of different lights.[/size]

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR="1234"]I've develeped a thing for folklore, I studied a bit of Norse Mythology, using Wikipedia, but a little bit was true. I also watch a bit on Vampires, specifically one of the most famous, Vlad the Imalper. He interests me most, the way he tortured people.

Anyways, that's about it, besides Local Folklore, which I can't remember much at the time.[/COLOR]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]I faking love norse mythology, having first gotten interested from readingg Ragnarok and since not really doing much research, however listening to metal/playing video games/watching anime pretty much clues you in on a lot, and I did read what little wiki had, though I'm not nearly about to go googling around for it.

Not much for Greek mythos. The names are just annoying and stupid.[/COLOR]

[eleanor]

[quote name='2008DigitalBoy'][COLOR="DarkOrange"]
Not much for Greek mythos. The names are just annoying and stupid.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[font="trebuchet ms"] Because Norse mythology has the best names ever...Frigg and Gefjun, that's where it's at, man.[/font]

[Funny Girl]

[COLOR="Magenta"]I always a thing for the ancient past and stuff like that. For English we got to choose a god or goddess from Greek Myth and find some myths that they were in. I chose Demeter since her Roman name was Ceres and the name was captivating. There is something about mythology and legends that just makes you wonder why they were started and the reasons behind the story than just listening to it and getting an interest.[/COLOR]

[QUOTE]When Persephone was abducted by Hades, lord of the underworld, Demeter wandered the earth in search of her lost child. During this time the earth brought forth no grain. Finally Zeus sent Hermes to the underworld, ordering Hades to restore Persephone to her mother. However, before she left, Hades gave her a pomegranate (a common fertility symbol). When she ate from it, she was bound to spend a third of the year with her husband in the infernal regions. Only when her daughter is with her, Demeter lets things grow (summer). The dying and blossoming of nature was thus connected with Demeter.[/QUOTE]

[Japan]

[SIZE="1"]This has to be one of my favorite subjects. Thanks a lot. I am have to pull out my Thor's hammer and wear it all next week. Anyways...

Over the years I've passed Vlad's castle, learned about all of the norse gods, and reading as many vampire books as I can find. I also love how they named the days of the week. Like Thor's day = Thursday. As for the Greek and Roman mythology, I find it interesting how the Romans borrowed from the Greeks. Thanks to Magic Bites and the Anita Blake series, I have grown fond of werepeople as well. Mmm, Lions and wererats.[/SIZE]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[quote name='Lunox'][font="trebuchet ms"] Because Norse mythology has the best names ever...Frigg and Gefjun, that's where it's at, man.[/font][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="DarkOrange"]I don't know if you've forgotten, but I watch anime >_>[/COLOR]

[DeathKnight]

[color=crimson]You guys are forgetting the most important folklore of all! Beyond ancient Greece, the mighty raiders of Scandinavia, or the deities of China and Japan!

[b]TWO TALES FROM THE FOLKLORE OF SAN ANTONIO[/b]

* Ghost Tracks

A long time ago on the south side of San Antonio, a school bus carrying a full load of children stalled while straddling a railway. The bus refused to start and, unfortunately, their lives were quickly ended as a train smashed into the bus and killed all of the children inside.

Today, if you go to the tracks, you can get the ghosts of the children to help you out. You place baby powder along your bumper and put your car in neutral at the specific spot where the bus was. Your car will slowly start to move forward, seemingly uphill, until you safely are over the tracks. According to this legend, the ghosts are pushing you out of harms way to make sure you get to safety and do not suffer their fate. You know it is them because, once over the tracks, you can get out and see dozens of tiny hand prints along the bumper where the baby powder is.

* Donkey-lady bridge

The 40s and 50s were simpler times. On the south side of San Antonio, there lived an older woman living alone in poverty. The one item that she really loved and treasured was a farm animal she owned - a donkey. She would take her donkey for walks down Applewhite Rd., past a bridge over a fast moving stream, and to a lovely grass field beyond to let her donkey graze until it was content.

Her eccentric habits did not earn her much liking from her neighbors. They tolerated her until, one day, a boy came home to his father crying and saying that the woman's donkey had bitten him. The father gathered together the men from the neighborhood and they decided that, for the boy's safety, they should capture the donkey and take it into town to get it tested for rabies. They knew the route the woman took very well and waited in some foliage near the bridge to ambush her.

As usual, the woman walked past with her donkey following closely behind. As the two walked along the bridge, the men came out suddenly and tried to seize the rope that the lady used to walk the donkey. The older lady struggled with the men and screamed at them to get away from her beloved pet. Unfortunately, as they struggled, the donkey was shoved off the edge of the bridge and down into the waters of the stream. It screamed as the current carried it away, and the woman cried out to it and implored the men to save it.

The men simply laughed at her and this infuriated her so much that she ran off of the bridge and began to throw rocks at the men. They ignored her and began to walk away when, as luck would have it, she hit a bullseye right on top of one man's head. He fell into an unconscious heap with blood oozing from a wound in his head. The men retaliated and assaulted the woman. They picked her up, took her to the bridge, and cast her down into the waters below telling her that now she could go get her donkey. After she sank down into the waters, her body did not reappear. With the deed done, the men left.

The legend says that, now, her ghost haunts the area around the bridge. If you park your car next to the bridge her spirit gets angry as she thinks you are waiting to ambush her as the men did. First, you get a warning - the sound of beating hoofs on the ground around you and, in some reported cases, even upon your car. If you do not listen to that warning, a barrage of rocks engulfs your car from every direction until you leave.

Haha, San Antonio has such funky ghost stories. I love it.[/color]

[Room Service]

[quote name='Premonition'][COLOR="1234"] I also watch a bit on Vampires, specifically one of the most famous, Vlad the Imalper. He interests me most, the way he tortured people.
[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[COLOR="Indigo"]Dude, Bad Vlad Tepes wasn't a vampire. He was just a dick, with a tendency towards impaling people on long spears. He was exceedingly cruel, since impalement could often take hours if not days to be fatal, but the guy was no vampire.

Anyway, myths are ok. I'm more interested in real history, but there are some really cool stories out there; the Greeks have probably my favourite myths. The Iliad is absolutely fantastic. The Greek habit of combining animals together into freaky abortions of nature - the centaur, the minotaur, the chimera, Pegasus, etc - is just fascinating.

I especially love how most of it sounds like it was made up on the spot... I'm looking at [I]you[/I], Homer.

I don't know why, but ghost stories have always been really cool to me. I don't believe any of them for a second, but they've always had a certain appeal to me. Maybe because I just love to figure out how the human mind distorts certain situations and creates its own demons. I don't know, but I have some favourites... old asylums are my personal favourites. ****, it's like the buildings were designed in advance to scare tourists![/COLOR]

[lea]

[quote name='DeathKnight'][color=crimson]
* Ghost Tracks

A long time ago on the south side of San Antonio, a school bus carrying a full load of children stalled while straddling a railway. The bus refused to start and, unfortunately, their lives were quickly ended as a train smashed into the bus and killed all of the children inside.

Today, if you go to the tracks, you can get the ghosts of the children to help you out. You place baby powder along your bumper and put your car in neutral at the specific spot where the bus was. Your car will slowly start to move forward, seemingly uphill, until you safely are over the tracks. According to this legend, the ghosts are pushing you out of harms way to make sure you get to safety and do not suffer their fate. You know it is them because, once over the tracks, you can get out and see dozens of tiny hand prints along the bumper where the baby powder is.[/color][/QUOTE]


A few friends and I just tried that story out last week, to see if it would work. It was raining and 3 in the morning, so we couldn't do the baby powder part, but the car was slowly pushed up and over a mound, then over the tracks and off to saftey. We did it 4 times before we went back to the dorms. If anyone else was to do it they would have to be careful because the tracks in question are still in use.

[Aberinkula]

[COLOR="1234"]I know Vlad isn't a vampire dude, it's basic knowledge. But he was the inspiration for Dracula, well at least he was a bit. Yes, he was a dick, and he could have found a better altenrative to his methods, but he was just a cool guy for me to learn about. And if I recall, I think he was a Hungarian ruler if I remember correctly.

Anyways, my gf said she went to some Insane Asylum, or some place like that and one of her freinds saw 'god help us' on the walls of a house nearby. at a nearby school, me my gf and two of my other friends went into the Elementary side. This was in late November, early December, and it was COLD! Anyways, shes very keen to spiritual things, and she could tell the place was haunted.

Anywasy, I yelled 'if anyone is in there, knock on the door.' Anyways, no one was on or near the door at the time, and no one was in that part of the building, when suddnely me and one of teh girls I was with heard a knock on teh door. And later my gf got pushed down by an unseen force.

It was my first encounter, and now I do believe in ghosts, even though I already did, but I had my doubts.

Anyways, other than that, I haven't heard much, and I can't rememeber much.[/COLOR]

[Skye]

[quote name='Premonition'][COLOR="1234"]I know Vlad isn't a vampire dude, it's basic knowledge. But he was the inspiration for Dracula, well at least he was a bit. Yes, he was a dick, and he could have found a better altenrative to his methods, but he was just a cool guy for me to learn about. And if I recall, I think he was a Hungarian ruler if I remember correctly.

Anyways, my gf said she went to some Insane Asylum, or some place like that and one of her freinds saw 'god help us' on the walls of a house nearby. at a nearby school, me my gf and two of my other friends went into the Elementary side. This was in late November, early December, and it was COLD! Anyways, shes very keen to spiritual things, and she could tell the place was haunted.

Anywasy, I yelled 'if anyone is in there, knock on the door.' Anyways, no one was on or near the door at the time, and no one was in that part of the building, when suddnely me and one of teh girls I was with heard a knock on teh door. And later my gf got pushed down by an unseen force.

It was my first encounter, and now I do believe in ghosts, even though I already did, but I had my doubts.

Anyways, other than that, I haven't heard much, and I can't rememeber much.[/COLOR][/QUOTE]

[size=1]The insane asylum has nothing to do with ghosts. Or at least, not really. An insane asylum collects energy from its occupants, because they are, after all, insane. I hope she wasn't too sensitive; you can get some really wierd readings at those places, as well as old jails. *shudders* Not a fun thing to experience - I'm [i]never[/i] going near one.

I enjoy mythology, and I'm actively studying it because I'm writing a story deeply based in myriads of cultures.

I have a few ghost stories of my own, actually. (And there's another version of the railroad tracks one out here, too.) There is a place here in Georgia called Gaither's Plantation. The old plantation has its own cool history, such as being a rather popular place to hide soldiers during the Civil War, but apparently the woman who lived there - Cecelia Gaither - still haunts it. I've been there, and I know for a fact she's still there. My mom went there once, going in cold (a term meaning, having no previous knowledge of the place other than the woman's name) and stood by the window in Celia's bedroom. She started crying and told us "She used to stand here and wait for him to come home." She stood there and stared out the window for a while; this was the one people have seen silhouettes of Cecelia in before, too.

Gaither also has an old church that was moved up there, and I hate that place. Let me reiterate; [i]I am bloody terrified.[/i] The last time I was there, I was standing out in the front with my mother, waiting for my boyfriends mom (we were the only sensitives in the group; they'd sent us all up there to get an initial reading of it for the night) and I kept telling my mom in this small voice, "[b]Don't make me go back in there. He's watching me, Mama, please don't make me. I don't wanna go.[/b]" I remember, in the back of my head, I started thinking, [i]Why am I afraid?[/i] I had no reason to be, but I had that cold pit in my stomach and started crying. Michelle told us that there was a man standing at the window; she could get the feel of child molester from him, and that his name was Nathaniel. Well, that freaked me the hell out. I refused to go back up to the church the rest of the night. I'm rather convinced that I was at least standing in the shoes of, if not being possessed by, an eight year old girl. I could describe her perfectly to Michelle and the rest of the team, and the description puzzled me because I've never been one for history. I could tell you what she'd been wearing, her hairstyle...all but her name. And that this Nathaniel guy had touched her at least once.

Sorry, rambling. I'm never going back up to that church unless Michelle can assure me that [b]he's[/b] gone.[/size]