Myth-Folklore 2020

These notes are from a playlist of Crash Course Myth videos on YouTube   Video #1: What is a Myth? Slurpee of knowledge lol (combines different things--difficult subject) Myths are super old and have multiple versions (like I've seen in this class) I've written some new versions myself lol Myth can be read as a story, not so much about religious beliefs  "Stories that people have used in a variety of ways over time" Most don't have namable authors They used older stories, simply wrote them or told them in another way Hard to give it a good definition Myth usually means it's not true (story that is false-isn't made to be taken as an actual event or something that really happened) However, a lot of times, they are (or were) taken as fact or reality  People still question them Means "Story" "Myth is a story, but it's a special kind of story, that for the purposes of [Crash Course Myth] has two primary characteristics: significance and stayi...

 These notes are based off The Treasure which is a Russian Folktale from Russian Fairy Tales by W. R. S Ralston (1887).  This story is so crazy! I know it's like a moral tale, and seems to fit the normal "fairy tale" vibe, but it gets so creeepy! I definitely add a version of this to my portfolio It starts out like a normal story There is an old poor couple that lives in an a far away kingdom When a harsh winter hits, the old woman dies, leaving the old man alone Since he is poor, he is unable to give his wife a proper burial. He begs friends and neighbors, but no one will help him. Everyone is greedy So where does he go? To the pope! Popes are usually helpful, right?? Nooo For some reason, the pope demands that he pay  The man is too poor, but he does tell the pope that he will be able to pay him back eventually The pope still refuses, and kicks the man out of the church :( So the man has no choice. He tries to bury his wife by himself If I was writing this story for cla...