Text: Rantas was described to me as a creature with a woman-like stature. She had long and messy black hair, sharp teeth, and mutilated feet. She only existed in the midst of snowstorms, and in times of enjoyable weather she lived deep within the Pir Panjal mountain range. During these snowstorms she would come out and walk through our village. She would knock on the wooden doors of homes to trick children to come out. She would take these children and eat them.
Context: Informant describes first hearing this story when he started traveling to school on his own. Informant recalls his grandmother, on his mother’s side, being the first to tell him of Rantas. At the time he believed she was trying to scare him, but he realizes now that this myth was used to ensure his safety. Informant describes the severity of snowstorms in Kashmir, and how he had lost many childhood friends directly from the storm or from illnesses derived from the conditions. Because he was told this myth, he was never curious of these dangerous conditions.
Analysis: Hearing this myth, which serves to protect the growing generation, I found it very interesting that this common goal of folklore exists across the world, even in such a small region of India. Myth is often used as a protective tool, particularly for children, in dangerous situations. As an alternative to the blunt description of the harsh conditions of Kashmir’s winter storms, elders of the informants family chose to personify potential dangers in a way that would truly terrify any child. In doing so, they were able to pass down survival strategies and expected behaviors to the younger generation. This narrative was also insightful in the way that it encourages me to think back on potential falsehoods that may have been relayed to ensure my safety.