Reading Notes; Ancient Egypt, Part B
Egyptian Myth and Legend by Donald Mackenzie (1907).
The Two Brothers
Persistence:
Bata definitely showed some persistence in this story. From showing up as a bull, popping up as a tree, to even being born as her son, Bata popped up everywhere. This really reminds me of the TV show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". In the show, Charlie is obsessed with a girl known only as The Waitress, but the feelings are definitely not mutual. Charlie is basically a stalker and always pops up out of nowhere to try to make a move. The funniest part is that the two actors are married in real life. I think writing a story based upon this sort of schtik would be funny, and I may go for that this week.
The Book of Thoth
Forbidden Fruit:
The Book of Thoth makes me think of similar stories in other cultures, such as the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve consume and Pandora's Box. Human curiosity and thirst for knowledge is often the downfall of characters in many different myths and folktales. That's where the phrase "curiosity killed the cat" comes from. I also like how at the end he gets one last middle finger in to Thoth who killed his wife and child before killing him.
The Tale of King Rhampsinitus
Respect:
I did not expect the ending! However, I kind of like that the King recognizes the man for his cunning. This story is cool because it is used to say how artful the Egyptian people are. Rather than glorifying the king, it glorifies the population as a whole. It shines a bit of light into the value systems of the Ancient Egyptians. This insight is one of the most useful things that we gain from studying mythology and folklore of the ancient and older cultures.
Persistence:
Bata definitely showed some persistence in this story. From showing up as a bull, popping up as a tree, to even being born as her son, Bata popped up everywhere. This really reminds me of the TV show "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia". In the show, Charlie is obsessed with a girl known only as The Waitress, but the feelings are definitely not mutual. Charlie is basically a stalker and always pops up out of nowhere to try to make a move. The funniest part is that the two actors are married in real life. I think writing a story based upon this sort of schtik would be funny, and I may go for that this week.
Charlie in his costume from The Nightman Cometh. Source: Wikimedia
The Book of Thoth
Forbidden Fruit:
The Book of Thoth makes me think of similar stories in other cultures, such as the forbidden fruit that Adam and Eve consume and Pandora's Box. Human curiosity and thirst for knowledge is often the downfall of characters in many different myths and folktales. That's where the phrase "curiosity killed the cat" comes from. I also like how at the end he gets one last middle finger in to Thoth who killed his wife and child before killing him.
The Tale of King Rhampsinitus
Respect:
I did not expect the ending! However, I kind of like that the King recognizes the man for his cunning. This story is cool because it is used to say how artful the Egyptian people are. Rather than glorifying the king, it glorifies the population as a whole. It shines a bit of light into the value systems of the Ancient Egyptians. This insight is one of the most useful things that we gain from studying mythology and folklore of the ancient and older cultures.
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