Tag Archives: myth

Protecting Fruit Trees

Nationality: American
Age: 19
Occupation: Student
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Language: English

Text:
When we moved into our new house, my sisters and I were ecstatic about having a plum tree in our backyard. Much to our dismay, we realized that the tree was sick and dying. My mom explained that despite the fruit tree not being healthy, it would be bad luck to cut it down, as the tree symbolizes good luck and fertility. She explained that in Indian culture, there is a myth that you can never cut down a fruit tree. This is because the tree is symbolic of a mother who is having children, and cutting it down is almost like harming a pregnant woman. It is seen as bad luck and not life-preserving.

Context:
This folklore was shared to the informant, A, by his mother, P, during a casual moment discussing the tree in their backyard. P is originally from India and most likely learned to associate fruit trees with fertility from her own family. P clearly interprets this belief as a sacred tradition that guides her behavior, and by passing it to her son, A, she is continuing this cultural value across generations.

Analysis:
This is a myth because it uses a sacred and symbolic story to offer an explanation for a natural-cultural taboo. It helps explain the belief that fruit trees are not just plants, but also mothers who are spiritually protected. This myth highlights Indian culture’s strong values surrounding respect for life and harmony with nature. By actually preserving the tree and not cutting it down, A’s family is showing the power that myths can have on our behavior. Despite not being in their home country, where this myth originated, A’s family continues this tradition, highlighting how myths contribute to our cultural identities regardless of time or place.

Ungnyeo

Text:

A long time ago, a bear and a tiger wished to become human. They prayed fervently, and the god Hwanung decided to fulfill their wish. He gave them each many cloves of garlic and mugwort, and told them to eat these everyday while staying out of the sun for 100 days, then they will turn human. At first, the tiger and bear obediently ate the garlic and mugwort daily, and stayed in a dark cave, but soon the tiger became frustrated and gave up, leaving the cave. However, the bear persisted, and after a 100 days, she turned into a woman named Ungnyeo. She then prayed to Hwanung to become a mother, and her wish was granted–she gave birth to a son named Tangun, who became the first king of the first Korean kingdom, Gojoseon.

Context:

The informant heard this story from their parents, but because it is a creation myth and widely known, they’ve heard it multiple times from multiple people over the years.

Analysis:

This creation story follows the trend among many cultures of giving their rulers a sense of divinity, whether they’re a descendant of the gods, or chosen by. one, or actually a deity. This myth highlights key Confucian and cultural virtues such as patience, endurance, humility, and devotion. The bear’s perseverance is celebrated, positioning these qualities as foundational to Korean identity and societal ideals. There is a huge spiritual meaning behind this myth: the divine connection between the heavens(the god) and the earth(the bear) results in a ruler that symbolizes harmony and is the literal union of the divine and the earthly. It also subtly elevates maternal strength and the feminine role in nation-building, as the bear-woman becomes the literal mother of the Korean people.

The Origin of Ganesh

Nationality: American
Age: 32
Occupation: Unemployed
Residence: San Francisco, CA
Language: English

Text:

“As a child, my mother taught me that Ganesh has the head of an elephant because of a story involving his parents, Shiva and Parvathi. One day, when Ganesh was guarding the bath area to protect his mother, Parvathi, he saw Lord Shiva approaching and tried to stop him. Not recognizing Ganesh, Shiva became angry and chopped off his head. When Parvathi saw what had happened, she begged Shiva to save their son. To bring Ganesh back to life, Shiva said the only way was to replace his head with that of the first living creature he came across, which in this case was an elephant. And that is why Ganesh has the head of an elephant.”

Context:

This myth was shared by the informant, P, during a conversation about Hindu stories she heard during childhood. P first heard this myth from her mother, who used it to explain the origin of Ganesh and his unique image. To P, this myth is more than just a story; it is an explanation of Ganesh’s divine role as a protector.

Analysis:

This is a myth because it explains the origins of a sacred figure, Ganesh, using symbolic storytelling to express deep religious beliefs. The story involves gods, supernatural events, and moral values like sacrifice and protection. The elephant head serves both a literal and symbolic purpose, representing wisdom and strength. This myth helps explain not only Ganesh’s physical form but also his cultural role as the remover of obstacles and protector of beginnings.

Dangun Myth

AGE: 45

Date of performance: 04/01/2025

Language: English

Nationality: South Korean 

Occupation: Teacher 

Primary Language: Korean/English 

Title- Dangun Myth 

Context- J shares with me the “Dangun Myth”, a Korean myth that explains the origin of the founder of the first Korean kingdom, Dangun. J says that it is believed Dangun’s father descended from heaven while his mother was a bear that succeeded in a challenge to stay in a cave for 100 days to become human. 

Analysis- Within folklore, there are 3 narrative genres that share similar characteristics with one another. One of which are myths—sacred truths that are miracles if they touch reality. Myths typically describe life before or after the real world, just as the Dangun Myth does. The Dangun Myth describes the origin of Korea’s ‘official’ leader while having fantastical elements such as a bear-woman and god of heaven. The Dangun Myth exhibits characteristics of a typical folk myth.

Myth of Rantas

Nationality: Indian- American
Age: 63
Occupation: Physician
Residence: Las Vegas, Nevada
Language: English

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.