Author Archives: Kian Mirnezam

The Tale of Two Kings

Nationality: Indian
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Diego
Performance Date: April 9, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi, Spanish

Once in India there were two generous kings. But one was more generous than the other.

The first king was named Karna. Every morning, he gave to the poor a hundred pounds of gold. In fact, he had vowed not to eat on any day before doing this. But where he got so much gold was a great mystery.The second king was named Vikram. So big-hearted was Vikram, he would give anybody anything they asked for—a jewel, a horse, even a palace.

His time and help too were free for the asking. Vikram’s fame spread far and wide, and even the animals asked him favors. The point of this folklore as described is not to be critical of the Indian leaders of past, but to bring them together (however historically inaccurate) and compare how they’re proceedings and beneficial relationship with the people they ruled over helped India thrive.

 

The Tale of Parshurama

Nationality: Indian
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Diego
Performance Date: April 9, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Hindi, Spanish

The tale of Parshurama the sixth avatar of Lord Vishnu is a classic tale of Indian folk storytelling, with many similar ties to western folk storytelling. Parshurama’s mother Renuka was known for her devotion to her husband. Her love for him was such that she used to carry water even in a wet clay pot. One day when Renuka was carrying water back home she got distracted by Ghandharvas for a second, and as a result, the wet clay pot broke and the water fell.

When Parshurama’s father Jamadagni got to know about the incident, he was furious and ordered his eldest son to behead his mother. His scared son refused to do so and was turned to stone by his father. Then, Jamadagni ordered his second, third and fourth sons to behead their mother but when all of them refused, he turned them all to stone. Finally, he asked his youngest son, Parshurama to behead his mother. Parshurama, being a loyal son, beheaded his mother.

Impressed by Parshuram’s devotion, his father granted him a boon. Parshurama asked his father to bring his mother back to life and turn his brothers back to humans, Jamadagni fulfilled his son’s request and his wife and sons came back to life. Essentially this tale focuses on the morality of doing what your elders ask of you, no matter the task, while also placing a lot of importance on how you can use the power or rewards you achieve as a result for obtaining the greater good (seen when Parshuram brings his family back to life) rather than using it for personal benefit. While the subject matter is undoubtedly dark in nature, it takes advantage of the morality at the hand of the folk tale to create a solid anecdote regarding the central tale of morality.

 

Sicilian Marzipan

Nationality: Italian
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Francisco
Performance Date: April 3, 2017
Primary Language: English
Language: Italian

1. Nationality: Italian-American
Primary Language: English
Other language(s): Italian, Spanish
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Francisco
Performance Date: April 3, 2017
The first piece of folklore I investigated was one that is widely interspersed with Sicilian culture and how that specific portion of Italy spends the holidays. In most (but particularly Chrisitan) European nations, sweet food is not a big part of the diet, which otherwise focuses on heartier and more savory meat or grain related dishes. However, this is not the case with Easter, which is celebrated by many Sicilians through overzealous consumption of food items inspired by the fruity, sugary marzipan. Grown from a confection consisting primarily of sugar or honey and almond meal (ground almonds), sometimes augmented with almond oil or extract. It is often made into sweets; common uses are chocolate-covered marzipan and small marzipan imitations of fruits and vegetables. Unsurprisingly, food plays a significant role in Easter festivities. This is the time for martorana, or pasta reale, the fruit-shaped marzipan that has become synonymous with Sicily, but marzipan ‘lambs’ also appear in the windows of local pasticcerie. The traditional dessert of cassata, made with sweetened ricotta, marzipan and candied fruit is also popular while cassatedde, a baked pastry tart with ricotta, sugar, egg and cinnamon is local to both Modica and nearby Ragusa. Essentially, the sweet nature of this dish is seen as an important and significant stepping stone in Sicilian culture as a sign of preening into a new era of the year, one filled with hope, redemption and opportunity.

The Devil and the Three Sons

Nationality: Irish
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Dublin
Performance Date: April 24, 2017
Primary Language: English

A father of three sons wanted to make something of them, but did not have the money to afford for their education. So he sold himself to the Devil for the sake of getting money to school the three boys. One was to become a priest, the other a doctor and the third one a lawyer. The Devil gave him the money to pay for their education.

At the end of seven years, the Devil showed up to claim the old man and take him down to hell. The man had one of his sons with him when the Devil came. It was the priest. He began to pray and beg and appeal to the Devil to spare his father, and in the end the Devil gave in and gave the old father a few years more to live.

When that time was up and the Devil came again, the doctor son was there and appealed to the Devil to spare the old man, and he got still more years from him.

When the Devil came the third time to claim the old fellow, the lawyer was there. The lawyer says to the Devil:

“You have spared my father two times already, and I do not expect you to do it again. But will you let him live until that candle has burnt down?”

He pointed to the candle that was burning on the table.

The Devil said he would; it was only a butt of a candle and would not last very long. He would neither touch it nor blow at it, he said.

However, the lawyer picked up the candle butt, blew it out and put it in his pocket. And that was that! The lawyer held on to the butt of a candle, and the Devil had to keep to his bargain and be off without the old man. Essentially, this tale is more comedic and based around the specific dialogue placed around each of the sons and how they converse with the Devil to save their father, setting up a strong familial message while also bringing in humor to a supernatural concept.

 

The Fox and the Fisherman’s Wife

Nationality: Irish
Age: 20
Occupation: Student
Residence: Dublin
Performance Date: April 24, 2017
Primary Language: English

 

There was a woman in rural Ireland, the wife of a fisherman; as he had always good luck, she had plenty of fish at all times stored away in the house ready for market. But, to her great annoyance, she found that a great fox used to come in at night and devour all the good fish her husband would catch..

One day, as she and another woman were spinning together, the house suddenly became quite dark; and the door was burst open as if by the blast of the tempest, when in walked a huge red fox, who went straight up to the fire, then turned round and growled at them.

“I will teach you reverence,” said the fox; and, jumping at her, he scratched her arm till she started bleeding. “There, now,” he said, “you will be more civil another time when a gentleman comes to see you.” And with that he walked over to the door and shut it close, to prevent any of them going out, for the poor young girl, while crying loudly from fright and pain, had made a desperate rush to get away.

Just then a man was walking by, and hearing the cries, he pushed open the door and tried to get in; but the fox stood on the threshold, and would let no one pass. On this the man attacked him with his stick, and gave him a sound blow. The fox, however, was more than a match in the fight, for it flew at him and tore his face and hands so badly that the man at last took to his heels and ran away as fast as he could.

“Now, it’s time for my dinner,” said the fox, going up to examine the fish that was laid out on the tables. “I hope the fish is good today. Now, don’t disturb me, nor make a fuss; I can help myself.”

With that he jumped up, and began to devour all the best fish, while he growled at the woman.

“Away, out of this, you ugly beast,” she cried, giving it a blow with the tongs.

But the fox only grinned, and went on tearing and spoiling and devouring the fish On this, both the women attacked it, and struck hard blow, they thought. But the fox glared at them and, making a leap, tore their heads and arms till the blood came, and the frightened women rushed shrieking from the house.

But the mistress returned, carrying with her a bottle of druid water. Looking in, she saw the fox still devouring the fish, and not minding. So she crept over quietly and threw druid water on it without a word. No sooner was this done than a dense black smoke filled the place. Nothing was seen but the two eyes of the fox, and they were burning like coals of fire. But when the smoke gradually cleared and disappeared, the fox had run away.

From that time the fish remained untouched and safe from harm, and the greedy fox was seen no more. Like the previous English tale, this Irish tale is more of a fun little adventurous story to spook children, although it does feature a more satirical edge with little bits of humor staged throughout the folktale, which makes it more fun and accessible for someone outside the culture reading it, such as myself.