Egyption Mythology - A Wife's Undying Love

The  Death of Osiris

Long ago in ancient Egypt an evil god by the name of Seth despised of his siblings Osiris and Isis. When Osiris and Isis got married he grew more deceptive. Seth was jealous of the skills Osiris wielded and the praise he got from the village. One day when Isis was away and Osiris was coming in from his travels he was greeted by Seth. Previously Seth had planned with the queen of Ethiopia to build a chest using Osiris' exact measurements so that only he could fit into the beautifully made cedar chest made with ebony and ivory. At the great feast Seth offered the chest to anyone who could fit inside of it. A naive Osiris lay inside the chest and it is instantly nailed shut and sealed with molten lead. His body as sent across the Nile until it somehow became indulged between two branches. A kind and queen unaware of the chest made the trees into a great pillar for his palace. When Isis found out about his disappearance she searched allover Egypt and found no trace of the beautiful chest. On her journey she ended up in he land of Byblos where she met bathing maidens whom Isis taught to braid their hair. Isis was marveled at the strange fragrance that lingered on their skin. Queen Astarte was amazed by the maidens hair and asked to be taught. She asked the maidens to retrieve the strange woman by the shore (Isis) to serve in her palace and tend to her children. Isis agreed. Isis became fond of baby Dictys and thought of making him immortal. She burned away his mortal parts while she flew around him in the form of a swallow. Astarte rushed into the room screaming and broke the magic. Then Isis took on her actual form and stunned Astarte. They offered her gifts and riches but all she asked for was the pillar. When received she took out the chest of Osiris and gave back the pillar. When she received the chest she flung herself onto it in sorrow and wept for days, the sorrow was so terrible Dictys died at the sound. On her way home she hid the chest in the marshes. By chance one day while hunting Seth discovered the chest and ripped the body of Osiris into 14 shreds scattering them up and down the Nile. Once again Isis began her search for her husband. Slowly she recovered more and more pieces and used magic to form his body so the priests could build a shrine for his funeral rites.

The Moral: Whilst there is no moral specific moral for this myth. We are shown the undying love of a wife. Isis never gave up in the search for her husbands body.Isis wanted her husbands body to reach the underworld as safe as possible so he would be reincarnated as a even greater diety. Isis loved her husband to no end. This being why this Egyptian myth is my favorite. It shows us that true love never dies. 

Work Cited:
"Ancient Egypt: The Mythology - The Story of Isis and Osiris." Ancient Egypt: The Mythology - The Story of Isis and Osiris. Web. 2 May 2014.

Chinese Mythology- The Star Crossed Lovers

The Love of Zhi-Nu and Niu-Lang

 Zhi Nu was the goddess of weaving, spinning, crafts and spun the clouds into beautiful robes for her father Yuhuang. Due to her hard work, he granted her trip to earth. While she was visiting earth she fell in love with a cowherd by the name of Niu-Lang. Since she worked hard her father allowed the marriage. After the marriage she started to neglect her work to be with her husband which upset her father. As punishment he put them on opposite sides of the Milky Way. Once a month a year a flock of magpies fly to the Milky Way and create a bridge so they can cross over. 

      The Moral: The moral of this myth is that true love has no boundaries and no matter how far apart you are you still love each other more and more every day. This myth is my favorite Chinese myth do to the lesson expressed. It tells us that if we truly love someone we can wait because love has no distance. Zhi-Nu and Niu-Lang were only together once a year and they love each other more than most married couples who are constantly together love each other today. Their love is the perfect definition of true love and what it really means to love someone. 

      

      Work Cited: All Information Found In This Post Is From Our Notes 

Celtic Mythology- A Myth of Betrayal

Grainne's Betrayal

The beautiful Grainne was arranged to marry Finn but instead with the help of the God Oengus she elopes with Diarmaid. During the elope they are to hunt the magical boar Beann Ghuban who inflicted fatal wounds on Diarmaid. The only thing that could heal his wounds was a drought of water from Finn. When Finn gathers the water and remembers Grainne he lets the water trickle down his fingers. Oengus then took Diarmaid to his burial ground. 

The Moral: The moral behind this myth is do not betray those who are kind to you because in the end you never know when you may need them. Grainne cold heatedly betrayed Finn when she eloped with Diarmaid and as a result. The kind Finn could not find it in his heart to rescue a man who had stolen his life from his very arms. This myth is my favorite  Celtic myth because it reminds me of the adultery happening in marriages everyday and how many woman, men, and children are hurt by its careless effects and how it often alters their states of mind turning them into a darker person.

Work Cited: All Information Found In This Post Is From Our Notes 

Greek Mythology - A Myth of a Mothers Love

The Abduction of Persephone

Hades desired a bride and petitioned his brother Zeus to grant him one of his daughters. The god offered him Persephone, the daughter of Demeter. However, knowing that the goddess would resist the marriage, he assented to the forceful abduction of the girl. When Demeter learned of this, she was furious and caused a great dearth to fall upon the earth until her daughter was returned. Zeus was forced to concede lest mankind perish, and the girl was fetched forth from the underworld. However, since she had tasted of the pomegranate seed, she was forced to return to him for a portion of each year.

The Moral: The moral of this myth is that a mothers affection can not be overthrown. Demeter never gave up in the search for her daughter, even grieving herself into destroying the harvest and threatening the great god Zeus. This myth is one of my all time favorites do the ambition Demeter had to rescue her daughter from the evil Hades. 

Work Cited: 

"HADES : Greek King of the Underworld, God of the Dead ; Mythology ; Pictures : HAIDES, PLUTO." Greek Mythology. Web. 2 May 2014.