# 12 - Elisa and the Eleven Swans, LOYALTY

lost vs labor --> librate.
L is for the emotional feeling of - LOYALTY!

Elisa and the Eleven Swans  

Do I like this story!  Maybe!

A folktale supposedly Hans Christian Anderson wrote, and after reading his real effort to write, this follows the traditional folktales of the time. He told it in the royal courts, so given him credit because males wrote about male's worth.  Elisa knows how to weave, so first told by servants and laborers who created clothes, most likely together, spinning tales of hope.

This tale is like the Grimm Brothers. A wicked stepmother full of jealousy ruins the life of the father, (the word 'her' included in the spelling), and the children, especially the daughter. I always wondered, "where is the father"? Again, a wicked woman (wo'man' the word man included in the spelling) ruins with 'his' family. I think these (t'he'se) are tales to have women (wo'men') stay with her family because another wicked woman will destroy everything without the man knowing, "never trust the other woman."

The saving feature of this tale is a sister, learns weaving from the peasant family. After Elisa travels through a horrid nightmare adventure, frees her brothers from a curse spun by a wicked woman, the stepmother. Who is really the nemesis? Patrilocal society!

Also, this hints at the acceptance of what is offered with no fighting, screaming, or anger just blatant acceptance. Were women this dull-witted or is this folktale to tell young girls, if you accept and are patient and loyal, you will be liberated as a QUEEN, destine to run the castle for your husband, the KING, or always just a working Princess.

#10 - Julnar of the Sea, JUSTIFIED

Read Character Insight,

 junction vs judge --> journey.
J is for the emotional feeling, JUSTIFIED!

Julnar of the Sea 

I like this story!  A young maiden, shunned by her family, sits on an island in a sea. She convinces the merchant to sell her to a Sultan. Though her powers of manipulations of silence and enticing sex, she becomes wealthy. Julnar has the power of seduction and uses it to manipulate.

~~~~~~
 This ancient tale involves a story within a story. The teller Sacheherazade had her motives for telling Julnar of the Sea in 1001 Arabian Nights. This story offers how Sacheherazade saved herself.

After finding out that his first wife, Sultana, deceived Sultan Shahrayar has her strangled. He swears to marry a different woman each night before killing her the following morning to prevent another betrayal. Scheherazade. The Vizier’s, oldest daughter, concocts a plan to end his pattern of killings. When King Shahrayar asks for the younger daughter, Dinarzada, the oldest daughter Sacheherazade too wise in philosophy, medicines, fine arts, and history is one of the most exquisite beauty, goes with her younger sister to spend the night. When King Shahrayar enters, Sacheherazade begins a story. She stops in the middle, so King Shahrayar begs to hear the rest. Sacheherazade tells the Sultan he must wait for next night, thus saving both sister and her. The next evening, Sacheherazade finishes the story and begins another, following the same pattern for 1,001 nights.

Sacheherazade, the witty storyteller, makes her point to King Shahrayar in Julnar of the Sea. Julnar is similar to Sacheherazade, a woman who must save herself and still have respect. By the time, Sacheherazade finishes telling all her stories 1,001 nights pass, she has 3 children by King Shahrayar and becomes the first Queen.

#9 - Tatsuko, Dragon Princess - INSIST

Read other Blogs in A2Z challenge.

impossible vs intent --> Industrious.
I is for the emotional feelings - INSIST!

Tatsuko, the Dragon Princess

I like this story.  We can change our lives for our betterment and those we love. Tatsuko, the most beautiful, strongest, and more intelligent than most in her poor village in Japan. The villagers and her friends worked daily for their crops to sell and foods to eat. Tatsuko observed her friends aging: she did not want this for herself, although her mother said to work was the honor. Tatsuko knows more than hard village work.

Japan was settled in the 16 century by generals, who make Japan one very prosperous nation. The 17 century saw the rise of Kyoto, where the rich had the fantasy of fashion, courtesans, and eventually. the geisha, which means persons of art: conversation, dance, music, performing the tea ceremony, reading literature, and fine calligraphy of the well educated. In the 1730s, both men and women were Geishas. These entertainers like the jesters in the European courts. By 1780s, Geishas were mostly women under strict governmental regulation. Geishas lived in Tea Houses to offered their entertainments of the arts. Their gear supported the merchant's shops: the gowns, Komodo; fans; hairdressing and wigs; make-up; instruments, dancing music. The Tea Ceremony is also associated with Geisha. The story, Tatsuko, Dragon Princess, is about a poor maiden who gets her wish to become a rainbow dragon, a Geisha, who has gifts of fish, the wealth, for her mother.

I can attest to Tatsuko's intent from a living a small working town of Colorado Springs, farming, mining, and then the military. I knew I did not want to become old and tired in a small backward town, then 20,000 residents, to married a hard-working drinking husband, having six children, working in a factory or worst living on my own becoming a prostitute for more income. I begged to go to college for more opportunities. My grades were excellent; I got a scholarship and National Defense Loan. I was one of the many young girls allowed to go the college from the poorer parts of the USA. Teaching was the choice, not many avenues for occupations. Many girls 'found' their husbands. I wanted to travel, so went to Alaska and taught first grade.

#8 - Rice Goddess, HONESTY

READ other A2Z BLOGGERS.

hinder vs helper ----> hope 
H is for the emotion, feeling, HONESTY

The RICE GODDESS

Do I like the story? Maybe. She is rewarded by others she helped. What does this say? "Giving gets rewards, honor." I think we (males or females) give though our professions as helpers, teachers, workers, the silent hero/ine. Do all these stories need to be about males and from their point of view? NO! I think this one is saying keep your clothing on.

A Heavenly Being working, serving and saves her family and community while trapped by the greed of a young male. She offers all she knows and has to her situation, and still, he does not honor her. For egos and today the female not recognized and honor for her talents. This code is changing. I was not encouraged to my abilities as an artist and writer that was the male code.
 
Helplessly abandon on earth, this 'damsel in distress' depends on the young man for help, her deceiver. Using her strengths, she survives. Told all around the world in many different versions, unfortunately, from his point of view, I changed to her point of view.

-  he steals her clothing:
-  she helps him;
-  marries the young man, serving him;
-  he peeks into her magic pot:
-  spends years nurturing and serving him;
-  has many children;
-  offers her efforts to starving neighbors;
-  grows worn and tired from her labors.
-  learns her selfish, lusting husband deceived her;
-  takes her children and leaves.    I would!

Today, this heavenly being is honored in every kitchen of South East Asia as the RICE GODDESS, a satisfying ending for another female, woman helper. Giving is the feminine part of all us not to be damaged by foolish male desire. The woman is not just a server, maid, wife, owned, slave, stolen, bought, threatened, abandoned. The female offers balance has hope, desires, wishes, and gifts for us, not to be stolen and used.

Lecture: what the stealing of the clothing/wings means to the women of Java.

#7 - Hare in the Moon - GENEROUS

Read A2Z Blogs.

grim vs guard --> give
G is for today's feeling, GENEROUS.

Hare in the Moon, or Rabbit

DO I like this story? --> Maybe? Hard to tell the gender of a rabbit. Both men and women help and save others, one of our greatest gifts. We do and is immediate,  something happens. Spontaneous, DOOM and BOOM, a tragedy than someone, maybe you, helping. Besides, we feel good when giving, sharing, and serving.

Rabbit saves her friends by giving (her sacrifice for all of us) as in this telling when Rabbit serves the great Japanese Sky God.

The rabbit is associated with the moon. She is not a night creature, maybe that the moon is associated with woman power and is symbolized as a healer or  MUSE.
 
The rabbit or the hare is a popular mystical creature in the stories of the Nordic and Celtic tribes. Rabbit is a serving creature and is sometimes a goddess with different names, Ostara, whose bird turns into a bunny that gave eggs to children, “estrus”, our Easter bunny, the giver of eggs in spring.



It is said, this is one a Buddhist teaching tales from the five-hundred lives he had before he was born as Buddha. So being this tale is at least 3000 years old and beyond because travelers carry their stories from place to place, we as modern people discount this stream of verbal tellings.



Bare Rabbit from the Uncle Remus stories I read in my childhood. Rabbit also tricks tiger in the Korean folklore. Rabbit represents the common folk and tiger the ruling class.

Rabbit is in the Chinese zodiac and in their moon. Pa’gue, the first Dragon, died and leaves his body to make China. In doing so his left eye floated into the sky and became the moon, giving herbs to the peoples. Rabbit, who lives in the moon, grinds the spices and herbs for medicines for the early people. Later the God of Farming changes Rabbit into a Goddess, who gives medicines to the peoples of China.

#2 - Innocent Red - BENEFICIAL

Read Blogger posts.

brutal vs bait ---> brave.
B is for the feeling of BENEFICIAL!

Innocent Red - PDF of story

I like this story, better to meet the wolves when young and beat them than later and be eaten. Hopefully, that youth with the help of her wood ‘would’ cutter and her backpack of skills will not be eaten (molested, drugged) by the banished wolves who still offer evil to our world.

We all meet a variety of wolves with many offers along our paths to benefit their pleasures, not ours. BEWARE!

Known as Little Red Riding Hood, I have RE-IMAGED, MANIPULATED, EMBROIDERED, AND ENHANCED this cautionary tale.  Granny and Innocent Red ventured through wolves to survived. I’m that Innocent Red now in my old age sipping a cup of tea in a comfortable, loving, safe, and secure home as grandma. With my wood ‘would’ cutter and bag of tricks, my house is the end of my journey.

#6 - Spider Weaver FOURISH

Read the A2Z Blogs.

Fatal vs flend --> flee.
F is for today's feeling, FOURISH!

Spider Weaver

Do I like this story? maybe
I read this story, after several years of telling in the Japanese Gallery at the Asia Art Gallery in San Francisco, and the realization flashed. Spider maiden does not have a name. One saved even by the smallest efforts, is bound with a task. The spider's pay-back for life, weaving and while she serving again under another attack.

A small spider as helpless, a 'damsel in distress', saved by a farmer who a spider honors him (a male) with weaving, the powerful skills of a small spider, female, and nameless. The weaver’s story told to remind listeners of 'his' protection, and all the gifts 'he' received from 'she'. He, as the lead, is usual for the time and country. When telling in the Japanese Gallery, the boys liked the story; the girls turned their heads. Now, finally, I know why, the girl saved again by a 'male' in ‘shining armor’ and 'she' must serve him, nameless.

Gifts given from the maiden spider for her protection is what women do and did. Yesterday and today, the saved woman gives her whole life; she cleans her home, buys the foods, cooks the meal, washes the dishes and clothes, cares for plants, and takes care of the children, drives, and maybe socializes with friends or in a group, and helps her aging parents.

My choices, if lucky, were to marry and have children, become a nun, be a secretary, bookkeeper, court clerk, store clerk, a librarian, nurse, or teacher. I wanted to be an artist, so I became a teacher. My mother liked that, she only went to 8th grade and sent away to become a clerk in another family’s store far away from home. 

Thank goodness today, after many feminists protest, males heard the anguish cries and passed laws, and they have learned family tasks and become an equal partner. Women can now achieve in other fields besides being the caregiver, or a piece of property. Today women are doctors, nurses, news forecasters, scientists, politicians, lawyers, judges, CEOs, and run their own businesses and own companies.