Week 15 EC: Growth Mindset; My New Mantra

A picture of my new personal mantra I stumbled upon on while researching for this post. 

I was drawn to this specific challenge because I feel words have power and impact, so I thought this would be a great way to head into finals week and the summer with a new perspective on life. While searching around, I found this cool mantra and graphic for it that I have as my background on my phone now. I really think it's important to be the best version of yourself, but you still have to be yourself, not what other people think of you. I am a perfectionist and I usually try to be best person for the task when available, but sometimes you lose yourself trying to be someone "perfect" instead of someone who is real and is doing their best. Hopefully I can be real and also very close to perfect in terms of recall for my finals next week. If you're reading this, good luck on your finals and I hope you find a new mantra as well.

(Growth Mindset Challenge #6)

Week 15 Extra Credit Reading: Kalevala, Part A

A depiction of Joukahainen from the Finnish epic poem Kalevala

The Kalevala is considered to be the national epic of Finland, which is a very cool cultural thing to be able to experience in this course. My friend Hannes is from Finland and I was able to talk to him about what little I know of the Kalevala from this reading and it was cool to see him speak abiut something that was commonplace to him and very foreign to me. In this section of the story, Joukahainen challenges Väinämöinen to a contest of wisdom and is defeated. With his singing, Väinämöinen causes Joukahainen to sink into a swamp. In order to save himself, Joukahainen promises his sister' s hand in marriage to Väinämöinen. Upon learning of the bargain, the sister Aino mourns her fate and finally drowns herself. Väinämöinen searches the sea for Aino and catches her (she has been transformed into a fish) on his fishing hook. However, he loses her again and sets out to woo the maiden of Pohjola, the daughter of the North Farm. Meanwhile, eager for revenge, Joukahainen watches out for Väinämöinen on the way to Pohjola and shoots Väinämöinen's horse from underneath him as he rides across a river. Väinämöinen falls into the water and floats out to sea. There an eagle rescues him and carries him to Pohjola's shores. The mistress of Pohjola, Louhi, tends Väinämöinen until he recovers. In order to be able to return home, Väinämöinen promises that Ilmarinen the smith will forge a Sampo for Pohjola. The maiden of Pohjola, Louhi's daughter, is promised to the smith in return for the Sampo.

Bibliography: Kalevala, transcribed and translated by Elias Lonnrot. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/07/myth-folklore-unit-kalevala.html

Week 15 Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Crane), Part B

A depiction from the Brothers Grimm story of Snow White originating in Germany

This unit again features famous fairy tales in an earlier and often more raw form from the Brothers Grimm of folklore legend. This unit contains the story of The Six Swans, King Thrushbeard, The Three Spinsters, and Snow-White. In Snow-White, a queen sits sewing at an open window during a winter snowfall when she pricks her finger with her needle, causing three drops of red blood to drip onto the freshly fallen white snow on the black windowsill. Then, she says to herself, "How I wish that I had a daughter that had skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony." Some time later, the queen gives birth to a baby daughter whom she names Snow White, but the queen dies in childbirth a short while later. A year later, Snow White's father, the king, marries again. His new wife is very beautiful, but she is a vain and wicked woman. The new queen possesses a magic mirror, which she asks every morning, "Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" The mirror always tells the queen that she is the fairest. The queen is always pleased with that, because the magic mirror never lies. But as Snow White grows up, she becomes more beautiful each day and even more beautiful than her stepmother. When the queen asks her mirror, it tells her that Snow White is the fairest. This gives the queen a great shock. She becomes envious, and from that moment on, her heart turns against Snow White, whom the queen grows to hate increasingly with time. Eventually, the angry queen orders a huntsman to take Snow White into the forest to be killed. As proof that Snow White is dead, the queen demands that he returns with her heart, which she will consume in order to become immortal. The huntsman succeeds in taking Snow White into the forest, but after raising his knife, he finds himself unable to kill her when Snow White finds out about her stepmother's plan, tearfully begging "Spare me this mockery of justice! I will run away into the forest and never come home again!". Eventually, the huntsman reluctantly agrees to spare Snow White and lets her go, bringing the queen the heart of a wild animal instead. After wandering through the forest for hours, Snow White discovers a tiny cottage belonging to a group of seven dwarfs. Since no one is at home, she eats some of the tiny meals, drinks some of their wine, and then tests all the beds. Finally, the last bed is comfortable enough for her and she falls asleep. When the dwarfs return home, they immediately become aware that there is a burglar in their house, because everything in their home is in disorder. Prowling about frantically, they head upstairs and discover the sleeping Snow White. She wakes up and explains to them what happened, and the dwarfs take pity on her and let her stay with them in exchange for housekeeping. They warn her to be careful when alone at home and to let no one in while they are working in the mountains. Meanwhile, the queen, believing that Snow White is dead, asks her mirror once again: "Magic mirror on the wall, who is the fairest one of all?" The mirror tells her that Snow White is still the fairest in the land. The queen is furious when she learns that Snow White is still alive because of the huntsman, and decides to kill the girl herself with three attempts. First, the queen appears at the dwarfs' cottage, disguised as an old peddler, and offers Snow White colorful, silky laced bodices as a present; the queen laces her up so tightly that Snow White faints, but the dwarfs return just in time, and Snow White revives when the dwarfs loosen the laces. Next, the queen dresses as a comb seller and convinces Snow White to take a beautiful comb as a present; she brushes Snow White's hair with the poisoned comb and the girl faints again, but she is again revived by the dwarfs when they remove the comb from her hair. Last, the queen, disguising herself as a poor woman, offers Snow White a poisoned apple; at first Snow White is hesitant to accept it, so the queen cuts the apple in half, eating the white (harmless) half and giving the red poisoned half to Snow White; the girl eagerly takes a bite and falls down dead, causing the Queen to triumph. This time, the dwarfs are unable to revive Snow White. Assuming that she died, they place her in a glass casket. Three days later, a prince stumbles upon Snow White lying in her glass coffin during a hunting trip. After hearing her story from the seven dwarfs, the Prince is allowed to take Snow White to her proper resting place. Suddenly, while Snow White is being transported by the prince, one of his servants trips and loses his balance. This causes the piece of poisoned apple to dislodge from Snow White's throat, reviving her – It turns out that the princess was not deceased, but in a coma-like state (In the first edition, Snow White is carried to the palace without mishap. But later, a servant, frustrated by the inconvenience caused by the prince's fawning over her, picks up her body and hits her, and it is this that dislodges the apple.) Instantly, the prince is overjoyed that Snow White magically revived herself, declaring his love for her; immediately, he proposes to her, and Snow White agrees to marry him. Snow White and the prince invite everyone to come to their wedding party, including Snow White's stepmother. Meanwhile, the queen, still believing that Snow White is dead, again asks her magic mirror who is the fairest in the land. The mirror says that the Prince's bride is the fairest. Not knowing that the Prince's bride is her stepdaughter, the queen arrives at the wedding to investigate and is shocked to find that the bride is Snow White. She is frozen with rage and fear, but when she is about to start a pandemonium, the prince, who recognizes her as a threat to his kingdom, orders for her to wear a pair of red-hot iron slippers and dance in them until she drops dead for the attempted murder of Snow White, so that the wedding will peacefully continue.

Bibliography: Lucy and Walter Crane's Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/07/myth-folklore-unit-brothers-grimm-crane.html 

Week 15 Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Crane), Part A

A depiction of Aschenputtel from the Brothers Grimm story of the same name.

This unit again features famous fairy tales in an earlier and often more raw form from the Brothers Grimm of folklore legend. This unit contains the story of The Fisherman and his Wife, Aschenputtel (known as Cinderella in English), and The Robber Bridegroom. In Aschenputtel, the German version of Cinderella, a plague rips through a village, and a wealthy gentleman’s wife is moments from death. With her last breath she tells her daughter to remain good and kind, and God will protect her. The child visits her mother’s grave every day for a year, then her father remarries another woman. The stepmother has two daughters who are beautiful but cruel and wicked. The stepsisters steal the girl’s nice clothes and jewellery, making her wear rags. They make her do all the chores in the kitchen, naming her Aschenputtel, or Ashfool. She works every day from dawn to dusk, while the other girls mock her constantly, and make more messes for her to clean. Despite this, the girl stays good and kind, returning to her mother’s grave to cry and pray. One day, the gentleman goes to visit a fair, promising to bring back lovely gifts. The eldest asks for dresses, the younger for pearls and diamonds. Aschenputtel only asks for the first twig to knock his hat off on the way. He leaves and returns, giving the gifts to the girls. Aschenputtel plants the twig over her mother’s grave, and waters it three times a day. It grows into a hazel tree, and she prays under it three times a day. A white bird begins to visit her, listening to her prayers, and passing down whatever she asks for. The king is planning a three-day festival, and invites all the maidens of the land so the prince may choose one of them for his wife. The two stepsisters are invited, but Aschenputtel, despite begging them to let her come with them, is not allowed because she has no nice clothes to wear. The girl asks again, and the stepmother throws a dish of lentils in the ashes. She says if the girl can pick up the lentils in less than two hours, she can go. The girl sings a chant, and a flock of doves fly down to help her accomplish this task in less than an hour. The stepmother then throws down twice as many lentils, but the girl cleans these up as well. The stepmother decides she cannot spoil her own daughters’ chances, and leads her husband and daughters away, leaving Aschenputtel behind, crying. Aschenputtel asks the hazel tree for clothes of silver and gold, and the bird drops down a gold and silver dress and silk shoes. She goes to the feast, and the prince dances with her most of all. Sunset arrives, and Aschenputtel asks to leave. The prince escorts her home, but she escapes into a pigeon coop, hiding. The father is already home, and the prince asks him to chop down the pigeon coop, but the girl has already escaped. On the second day of the festival, Aschenputtel appears even lovelier than before, and the prince dances with her the whole day. This time, she escapes by climbing a pear tree. The father is called to chop down the tree and begins to wonder if it is his daughter, but again she is gone. The third day arrives, and the girl is grander than ever, with slippers of gold. The prince smears the entire stairway in an attempt to keep the girl, but Aschenputtel runs away, only a golden slipper sticking in the pitch. The prince announces he will marry the woman whose foot fits that slipper. The prince arrives at the gentleman’s home, and tries the slipper on the eldest stepsister, who cuts off her toes in order to force her foot to fit. The prince and eldest stepsister ride off, but two doves tell the prince that her foot is dripping with blood. He is horrified, and returns to try the shoe on the other stepsister. She has cut off part of her heel, and again the prince is fooled. The doves tell the prince again of the blood, and the prince returns again to ask about any other girl. The gentleman says there is a kitchenmaid, but does not mention she is his own daughter. Aschenputtel is called, washes herself, and the slipper fits. The prince recognises her as the stranger, and the two are married. During the wedding, the two stepsisters are Aschenputtel’s bridesmaids, trying to win back her favor. Doves fly down again, however, and gouge out both stepsisters’ eyes as a punishment they will endure for the rest of this life.

Bibliography: Lucy and Walter Crane's Household Stories by the Brothers Grimm. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/07/myth-folklore-unit-brothers-grimm-crane.html

Week 14 Story: Rumpelstiltskin

A depiction of the Brothers Grimm character Rumpelstiltskin from the famous story

One day in a far off kingdom tucked away in a forest, a miller who was working diligently for the king and his kingdom was graced with the presence of the king himself! In an effort to impress the monarch of his land, the miller nonchalantly and falsely bragged that his daughter could spin straw into gold, thinking nothing would come of it. The king, a wealthy and greedy man, ordered the miller's daughter to be taken to his stores of straw and spin them into gold before the morning had come or else he would cut her head off. The daughter tried her hardest all night, but alas, did not have special abilities and could not do the impossible. Right as she was about to give up, a scrawny and harrowing-looking man appeared and told the daughter that he was able to do what she seeks for a deal. The daughter, relieved and thankful, gave him her necklace. The man spun all of the straw into gold in minutes and then left with her necklace.

The king arrived and saw the amazing rumor was true, and the very next night brought her to a bigger room with more straw, seeking to increase his wealth. The same thing happened yet again. The daughter tried very hard to do what the man did, but could not. The man appeared with minutes to spare again, ready to make a deal. The daughter gave him her ring, and the same result occurred. The king was astounded and brought her his largest store of straw in the kingdom with a new deal. If she could spin the straw into gold, he would marry her, and if not, she would be killed. The man again appeared in the dwindling hours of the night to make a deal. The daughter had nothing of value to offer until the man asked for her first-born son. After contemplating, she agreed. The king saw the gold in the morning and married the miller's daughter.

About a year later, the man appeared when the now queen gave birth to a son, demanding payment on his deal. She, however, realized she was the queen of the entire kingdom with an army at its disposal and wealth to live handily forever. She and the king ordered the guards to arrest and imprison the man who dared to try to steal the king's first-born son and heir. The man was arrested and never heard from again, and the king and queen lived happily ever after. 

Author's Note: I decided to take the original story of Rumpelstiltskin and an unusual twist to a story that many people know well. I had always wondered what would have happened if the miller's daughter just told Rumpelstiltskin no and didn't give him her first-born. She marries the king who can imprison the man forever and likely be safe! That idea was the foundation and inspiration for the story.

Bibliography: Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales by Dan Ashliman. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/04/myth-folklore-unit-brothers-grimm.html

Week 14 Reading Notes: Brothers Grimm (Ashliman), Part A

An image of an illustrated book of the many stories popularized by the Brothers Grimm

The Brothers Grimm are an iconic piece of almost everyone's childhood, even still today, and many may be unaware of many stories that are actually by the Brothers Grimm, such as Little Red Cap (Riding Hood) and Rumpelstiltskin. In this unit, many stories, including those two previously mentioned are covered in depth. In The Wolf and Seven Kids, a mother goat has seven kids. She goes to the forest, and warns the kids to keep an eye out for the wolf, who can be recognized by his black feet and rough voice.The wolf comes knocking and disguises his feet and voice. The kids all scramble to hide, but he finds and gobbles up all but the youngest. Mama goat returns and is distraught to only find the youngest at home. They locate the wolf snoozing, and suspect that the other kids are still alive in his belly. The wolf is sleeping so deeply they cut open his belly, and out leap the kids, all safe and sound. They stitch stones into the wolf's belly, and he drowns when he goes to take a drink in the well. In Rumpelstiltskin, a miller, who happens to be talking to the king, brags that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king has her brought to the castle, and tells her that she'll be killed if she doesn't fulfill this task. She weeps until a little man appears, and agrees to spin for her if she'll give him her necklace. Et voilà! A room full of gold. The same thing happens again, with an even larger room full of straw. This time the little man agrees to take her ring as payment. The third time, the king says she will become his wife if she succeeds. And this time, the little man wants their first-born child. The maiden agrees—what is she gonna do, just die?—and the king marries her. When she gives birth to a child, the little man reappears and reminds her of their bargain. She tries to offer him the kingdom's riches instead, but he prefers a living being. Finally, after she cries a whole lot, he agrees to give her a chance to get out of the bargain by guessing his name in three days. So she spends the next few days guessing every ridiculous name she can think of, while also sending out servants to search far and wide for clues. Finally, on the third day, a messenger gets back to her and says that on a mountain at the edge of the forest, he saw a little man hopping around and chanting a rhyme that contained his name. The queen slyly guesses a few incorrect names before asking whether it's Rumpelstiltskin. The little man is so furious that he tears himself in two.

Bibliography: Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales by Dan Ashliman. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/04/myth-folklore-unit-brothers-grimm.html

Week 13 Story: Long Live King Arthur?

A painting of a scene from the famous King Arthur stories of British legend

One fine morning, a little boy by the name of Arthur headed out from his home in Brighton and went to school, as it was in walking distance and his parents both work full-time jobs. Arthur was an interesting and whimsical kid that was really into magic, dragons, mythology and legends, which of course meant that he was bullied by his peers for essentially knowing himself and his identity and interests. After a particularly rough day of being picked on by Ralph and his gang of insufferable peons that bombarded him with insults, Arthur decided to take an alternate route home to avoid the trouble that was surely to be caused if he walked near Ralph and his friends.

On his clever walk home, Arthur stumbled into an abandoned construction site, the ultimate playground for someone like Arthur. After hanging out for a while, Arthur noticed a large metal pole stuck into the ground, seemingly off to the side for no reason. As Arthur approached, he heard a man's voice holler "Who goes there?!" Arthur almost ran instinctively, but decided to face this foe. The man looked to be about 70, and scuttled over to speak with him. The old man explained that only a true king of power and might could pull it out of the ground, showing Arthur that he couldn't do it. Arthur walked over and he easily pulled it out (as it was barely sticking in the ground at all).

The old man erupted and began singing praises to Arthur and his might, which Arthur took to heart and really started to believe about himself. For the rest of his young adult life, Arthur easily tolerated and dismissed is bullies because the opinions of the common people could not be taken seriously. After all, what did commoners know about the life of a king?

Author's Note: I thought it would be funny and interesting to set the premise of the beginning of "King Arthur" in a modern context, and also if Arthur was just some gullible child. I also thought it would be interesting if Merlin was just some ordinary guy that maybe just didn't know what was going on and liked to prank some kid because nothing of consequence really happens, but really ended up giving Arthur some confidence to be himself. 

Bibliography: King Arthur: Tales of the Round Table by Andrew Lang. http://mythfolklore.blogspot.com/2014/05/myth-folklore-unit-king-arthur.html