Name : Litia Darmawati
D.4.1
12.23.125
Pandora's Box
Ancient Greece
In ancient Greece there were two brothers named Epimetheus and
Prometheus. They upset the gods and annoyed the most powerful of all Gods,
Zeus, in particular. This was not the first time humans had upset Zeus, and
once before, as punishment, he had taken from humans the ability to make fire.
This meant they could no longer cook their meat and could not keep themselves
warm.
However, Prometheus was clever and he knew that, on the Isle of Lemnos, lived Hephaestos, the blacksmith. He had a fire burning to keep his forge hot. Prometheus travelled to Lemnos and stole fire from the blacksmith. Zeus was furious and decided that humans had to be punished once and for all for their lack of respect.
Zeus came up with a very cunning plan to punish the two brothers. With the help of Hephaestos, he created a woman from clay. The goddess Athene then breathed life into the clay, Aphrodite made her very beautiful and Hermes taught her how to be both charming and deceitful. Zeus called her Pandora and sent her as a gift to Epimetheus.
His brother Prometheus had warned him not to accept any gifts from the gods but Epimetheus was completely charmed by the woman and thought Pandora was so beautiful that she could never cause any harm, so he agreed to marry her.
Zeus, pleased that his trap was working, gave Pandora a wedding gift of a beautiful box. There was one very, very important condition however, that she must never opened the box. Pandora was very curious about the contents of the box but she had promised that she would never open it.
All she could think about was; what could be in the box? She could not understand why someone would send her a box if she could not see what was in it. It seemed to make no sense at all to her and she could think of nothing else but of opening the box and unlocking its secrets. This was just what Zeus had planned.
Finally, Pandora could stand it no longer. When she knew Epimetheus was out of sight, she crept up to the box, took the huge key off the high shelf, fitted it carefully into the lock and turned it. But, at the last moment, she felt a pang of guilt, imagined how angry her husband would be and quickly locked the box again without opening the lid and put the key back where she had found it. Three more times she did this until, at last, she knew she had to look inside or she would go completely mad!
She took the key, slid it into the lock and turned it. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and slowly lifted the lid of the box. She opened her eyes and looked into the box, expecting to see fine silks, gowns or gold bracelets and necklaces or even piles of gold coins.
But there was no gleam of gold or treasure. There were no shining bracelets and not one beautiful dress! The look of excitement on her face quickly turned to one of disappointment and then horror. For Zeus had packed the box full of all the terrible evils he could think of. Out of the box poured disease and poverty. Out came misery, out came death, out came sadness - all shaped like tiny buzzing moths.
The creatures stung Pandora over and over again and she slammed the lid shut. Epimetheus ran into the room to see why she was crying in pain. Pandora could still hear a voice calling to her from the box, pleading with her to be let out. Epimetheus agreed that nothing inside the box could be worse than the horrors that had already been released, so they opened the lid once more.
All that remained in the box was Hope. It fluttered from the box like a beautiful dragonfly, touching the wounds created by the evil creatures, and healing them. Even though Pandora had released pain and suffering upon the world, she had also allowed Hope to follow them.
However, Prometheus was clever and he knew that, on the Isle of Lemnos, lived Hephaestos, the blacksmith. He had a fire burning to keep his forge hot. Prometheus travelled to Lemnos and stole fire from the blacksmith. Zeus was furious and decided that humans had to be punished once and for all for their lack of respect.
Zeus came up with a very cunning plan to punish the two brothers. With the help of Hephaestos, he created a woman from clay. The goddess Athene then breathed life into the clay, Aphrodite made her very beautiful and Hermes taught her how to be both charming and deceitful. Zeus called her Pandora and sent her as a gift to Epimetheus.
His brother Prometheus had warned him not to accept any gifts from the gods but Epimetheus was completely charmed by the woman and thought Pandora was so beautiful that she could never cause any harm, so he agreed to marry her.
Zeus, pleased that his trap was working, gave Pandora a wedding gift of a beautiful box. There was one very, very important condition however, that she must never opened the box. Pandora was very curious about the contents of the box but she had promised that she would never open it.
All she could think about was; what could be in the box? She could not understand why someone would send her a box if she could not see what was in it. It seemed to make no sense at all to her and she could think of nothing else but of opening the box and unlocking its secrets. This was just what Zeus had planned.
Finally, Pandora could stand it no longer. When she knew Epimetheus was out of sight, she crept up to the box, took the huge key off the high shelf, fitted it carefully into the lock and turned it. But, at the last moment, she felt a pang of guilt, imagined how angry her husband would be and quickly locked the box again without opening the lid and put the key back where she had found it. Three more times she did this until, at last, she knew she had to look inside or she would go completely mad!
She took the key, slid it into the lock and turned it. She took a deep breath, closed her eyes and slowly lifted the lid of the box. She opened her eyes and looked into the box, expecting to see fine silks, gowns or gold bracelets and necklaces or even piles of gold coins.
But there was no gleam of gold or treasure. There were no shining bracelets and not one beautiful dress! The look of excitement on her face quickly turned to one of disappointment and then horror. For Zeus had packed the box full of all the terrible evils he could think of. Out of the box poured disease and poverty. Out came misery, out came death, out came sadness - all shaped like tiny buzzing moths.
The creatures stung Pandora over and over again and she slammed the lid shut. Epimetheus ran into the room to see why she was crying in pain. Pandora could still hear a voice calling to her from the box, pleading with her to be let out. Epimetheus agreed that nothing inside the box could be worse than the horrors that had already been released, so they opened the lid once more.
All that remained in the box was Hope. It fluttered from the box like a beautiful dragonfly, touching the wounds created by the evil creatures, and healing them. Even though Pandora had released pain and suffering upon the world, she had also allowed Hope to follow them.
Name : Puteri Dini Astriyana
D.4.1
12.23.125
The Lady of Van Lake
A long time ago in the 13th century, in the parish of
Myddvai, in Carmarthenshire, there lived a widow and her only son. The widow
owned a large number of sheep and cattle. Each day, her son would take some of
the cattle to graze on the Black Mountain, near a small lake called
Llyn-y-Van-Bach.
One day, in great wonder, the young man saw the most beautiful girl sitting on the calm surface of the lake, combing her long flowing hair. She was looking down at the water as if it were a mirror when, suddenly, feeling the young man’s gaze, she looked up.
The young man was entranced. He stretched out his hand, in which he held the barley bread and cheese he had brought from home, as if in offering. The lady, glided nearer to him, but gently refused the food. He tried to touch her, but she backed away, saying,
"Hard baked is thy bread; It is not easy to catch me."
Immediately she dived under the water and disappeared, leaving the youth to return home still thinking about the beautiful young lady who had enchanted him. His mother advised him to return with some unbaked dough. She thought there must be some spell connected with the hard baked bread which stopped the lady accepting him.
Next morning, before the sun was up, the young man was at the lake, hoping again to see the enchanting vision but there was only a stiff breeze causing ripples on the surface of the lake. A dark cloud hung over the summit of the Van.
Hours passed, the wind dropped and the day became calm. Lost in thought, the young man had failed to see that some of the cattle had moved towards the steep slope on the far side of the lake.
As he was hurrying to rescue them, the lady appeared, looking even more beautiful than before. He held out to her the unbaked bread; but she again refused, saying:
"Unbaked is thy bread! I will not have thee."
But, before she disappeared under the water, a smile played on her lips which cheered the young man.
The next day, he left home very early and, on his mother's advice, he carried some slightly baked bread. He waited impatiently for her to appear, failing to notice the rain and sunshine that came and went or the cattle wandering near the steep slope, so intent was he on seeing the enchanting young lady. He waited in vain.
The sun was setting, as he cast one last, sad look over the waters before departing home. To his astonishment, there was the maiden walking on the lake surface and, with her, several cows.
She approached the land and he rushed to meet her. A smile encouraged him to seize her hand, and she accepted the slightly baked bread he offered.
She agreed to become his wife, on one condition: that, should she ever receive from him three blows, without a cause, she would leave him forever.
Feeling more confident, now they were engaged, he let go of her hand for a moment, where upon she darted away and dived into the lake.
His grief was so great that he was about to jump in after her, when he saw three beautiful ladies and a noble looking man emerge from the lake.
The man had silver-streaked black hair but, otherwise, all the strength of youth. He told the young man he would agree to the marriage, providing the young man could distinguish which of the three ladies was the one he loved.
This was no easy task, as they were identical in every way. However, the young man noticed that one of them thrust her foot a little forward. The movement, although slight, did not escape his notice. He also saw that her sandal was tied in a slightly different way. Now he had no doubt, because he had thought before how strangely her shoe was fastened. He boldly took hold of her hand.
"You have chosen rightly," said the Father, "be kind and faithful to her and I will give her, as a dowry, as many sheep, cattle, goats, and horses, as she can count without drawing in her breath. But remember, if at any time you strike her three times without a cause, she shall return to me, with her dowry."
The marriage settlement was agreed.
The young lady counted very quickly, until her breath was exhausted. Instantly, the full number of horses, goats and cattle came out of the lake.
The young couple married, and went to live at a farm called Esgair Llaethdy, near Myddvai. Here they lived happily, prospered and had three beautiful sons.
Then, one day, while they were getting ready to attend a christening, her husband asked her to fetch one of the horses from the field.
"I will," said she, "if you will bring me my gloves which I left in our house."
He went for the gloves, then, finding she had not yet gone for the horse, he playfully slapped her shoulder with one of them, saying, "Dos, dos, go, go."
She reminded him of the terms on which she had agreed to marry him. She warned him to be more careful in the future, as he had now given her one causeless blow.
Sometime later, they attended a wedding and the guests were greatly enjoying themselves when the wife started sobbing.
Her husband, embarrassed, tapped her on the shoulder and enquired the cause of her weeping.
"For these people trouble lies ahead," she said, "and for you, unless you take care, for you have the second time struck me without cause."
The years went on, and their children grew up into very clever young men. Living in comfort and joy, the husband almost forgot that only one causeless blow would destroy his happiness. Because she loved her husband dearly, the lady warned him to be careful lest he accidently gave her a last blow, which would separate them forever.
One day they were at a funeral together. The place was full of mourning and grief but his wife appeared happy and laughing.
This so shocked her husband that he nudged her, saying, "Hush! Hush! Don't laugh."
She said that she laughed because, when people die, they leave their troubles behind.
Then her laughter died away and, with the saddest look, she rose up and left the house, saying, "The last blow has been struck, our marriage contract is broken. Farewell!"
She called her cattle and other stock together, not forgetting the oxen ploughing the field. They followed the Lady across Myddvai Mountain and disappeared beneath the waters of the lake from where they had come.
But a mother's bond is strong and one day she appeared to her sons in a cwm or valley. She promised to meet them whenever her counsel or aid was required. Taking aside her first born Rhiwallon, she told him he was to be a healer to mankind, curing all manner of diseases. Then she gave to each of them a bag, which held the key to the cure of many diseases.
True to her word, she met with her sons when they needed her help and pointed out to them the medicinal qualities of many plants and herbs. So great was their knowledge, that Rhiwallon and his sons, Cadwgan, Gruffydd, and Einion became the chief physicians of their age. In the year 1230, they wrote down their knowledge in a book, known as the 'Red Book of Hergest'.
The book can be found in the Welsh School Library, in Gray's Inn Lane. The Cwm where Rhiwallon met his mother is now called Cwm Meddygon or Physicians' Combe. And if you still have doubts about what you have heard, travel to the lake and you will see, in several places, a furrow in the ground. It is the furrow made by the oxen's plough, as they returned to the lake. And there it remains to this day, as a testimony of the truth of this tale.
One day, in great wonder, the young man saw the most beautiful girl sitting on the calm surface of the lake, combing her long flowing hair. She was looking down at the water as if it were a mirror when, suddenly, feeling the young man’s gaze, she looked up.
The young man was entranced. He stretched out his hand, in which he held the barley bread and cheese he had brought from home, as if in offering. The lady, glided nearer to him, but gently refused the food. He tried to touch her, but she backed away, saying,
"Hard baked is thy bread; It is not easy to catch me."
Immediately she dived under the water and disappeared, leaving the youth to return home still thinking about the beautiful young lady who had enchanted him. His mother advised him to return with some unbaked dough. She thought there must be some spell connected with the hard baked bread which stopped the lady accepting him.
Next morning, before the sun was up, the young man was at the lake, hoping again to see the enchanting vision but there was only a stiff breeze causing ripples on the surface of the lake. A dark cloud hung over the summit of the Van.
Hours passed, the wind dropped and the day became calm. Lost in thought, the young man had failed to see that some of the cattle had moved towards the steep slope on the far side of the lake.
As he was hurrying to rescue them, the lady appeared, looking even more beautiful than before. He held out to her the unbaked bread; but she again refused, saying:
"Unbaked is thy bread! I will not have thee."
But, before she disappeared under the water, a smile played on her lips which cheered the young man.
The next day, he left home very early and, on his mother's advice, he carried some slightly baked bread. He waited impatiently for her to appear, failing to notice the rain and sunshine that came and went or the cattle wandering near the steep slope, so intent was he on seeing the enchanting young lady. He waited in vain.
The sun was setting, as he cast one last, sad look over the waters before departing home. To his astonishment, there was the maiden walking on the lake surface and, with her, several cows.
She approached the land and he rushed to meet her. A smile encouraged him to seize her hand, and she accepted the slightly baked bread he offered.
She agreed to become his wife, on one condition: that, should she ever receive from him three blows, without a cause, she would leave him forever.
Feeling more confident, now they were engaged, he let go of her hand for a moment, where upon she darted away and dived into the lake.
His grief was so great that he was about to jump in after her, when he saw three beautiful ladies and a noble looking man emerge from the lake.
The man had silver-streaked black hair but, otherwise, all the strength of youth. He told the young man he would agree to the marriage, providing the young man could distinguish which of the three ladies was the one he loved.
This was no easy task, as they were identical in every way. However, the young man noticed that one of them thrust her foot a little forward. The movement, although slight, did not escape his notice. He also saw that her sandal was tied in a slightly different way. Now he had no doubt, because he had thought before how strangely her shoe was fastened. He boldly took hold of her hand.
"You have chosen rightly," said the Father, "be kind and faithful to her and I will give her, as a dowry, as many sheep, cattle, goats, and horses, as she can count without drawing in her breath. But remember, if at any time you strike her three times without a cause, she shall return to me, with her dowry."
The marriage settlement was agreed.
The young lady counted very quickly, until her breath was exhausted. Instantly, the full number of horses, goats and cattle came out of the lake.
The young couple married, and went to live at a farm called Esgair Llaethdy, near Myddvai. Here they lived happily, prospered and had three beautiful sons.
Then, one day, while they were getting ready to attend a christening, her husband asked her to fetch one of the horses from the field.
"I will," said she, "if you will bring me my gloves which I left in our house."
He went for the gloves, then, finding she had not yet gone for the horse, he playfully slapped her shoulder with one of them, saying, "Dos, dos, go, go."
She reminded him of the terms on which she had agreed to marry him. She warned him to be more careful in the future, as he had now given her one causeless blow.
Sometime later, they attended a wedding and the guests were greatly enjoying themselves when the wife started sobbing.
Her husband, embarrassed, tapped her on the shoulder and enquired the cause of her weeping.
"For these people trouble lies ahead," she said, "and for you, unless you take care, for you have the second time struck me without cause."
The years went on, and their children grew up into very clever young men. Living in comfort and joy, the husband almost forgot that only one causeless blow would destroy his happiness. Because she loved her husband dearly, the lady warned him to be careful lest he accidently gave her a last blow, which would separate them forever.
One day they were at a funeral together. The place was full of mourning and grief but his wife appeared happy and laughing.
This so shocked her husband that he nudged her, saying, "Hush! Hush! Don't laugh."
She said that she laughed because, when people die, they leave their troubles behind.
Then her laughter died away and, with the saddest look, she rose up and left the house, saying, "The last blow has been struck, our marriage contract is broken. Farewell!"
She called her cattle and other stock together, not forgetting the oxen ploughing the field. They followed the Lady across Myddvai Mountain and disappeared beneath the waters of the lake from where they had come.
But a mother's bond is strong and one day she appeared to her sons in a cwm or valley. She promised to meet them whenever her counsel or aid was required. Taking aside her first born Rhiwallon, she told him he was to be a healer to mankind, curing all manner of diseases. Then she gave to each of them a bag, which held the key to the cure of many diseases.
True to her word, she met with her sons when they needed her help and pointed out to them the medicinal qualities of many plants and herbs. So great was their knowledge, that Rhiwallon and his sons, Cadwgan, Gruffydd, and Einion became the chief physicians of their age. In the year 1230, they wrote down their knowledge in a book, known as the 'Red Book of Hergest'.
The book can be found in the Welsh School Library, in Gray's Inn Lane. The Cwm where Rhiwallon met his mother is now called Cwm Meddygon or Physicians' Combe. And if you still have doubts about what you have heard, travel to the lake and you will see, in several places, a furrow in the ground. It is the furrow made by the oxen's plough, as they returned to the lake. And there it remains to this day, as a testimony of the truth of this tale.
Walking
on the Lake Water
This is one of a number
of tales that are found across Wales, in which a fairy lady agrees to marry a
young man on one condition; when this condition is broken, she leaves her
family, and returns to fairy land.
This legend dates from about the thirteenth century. But myths of this type go back much further. The first recorded Welsh myth of a meeting with the fairies was written down in 1181 (in the Giraldus Cambrensis).
However, this story is very similar to an ancient Hindu Folk tale. This has led people to believe that the myths are related and, therefore, the roots are very old indeed, going back to a time before the Celts travelled to Europe and Wales.
In both the Welsh and Hindu tale, a young man is entranced by a fairy lady from a lake who tells him, 'I am hard to be caught' (in welsh: Nid hawdd fy nala). In both cases, the immortal fairy weds the mortal, conditionally, and for a while they are happy, then unwittingly, the prohibited thing is done, and the lady vanishes away.
This legend dates from about the thirteenth century. But myths of this type go back much further. The first recorded Welsh myth of a meeting with the fairies was written down in 1181 (in the Giraldus Cambrensis).
However, this story is very similar to an ancient Hindu Folk tale. This has led people to believe that the myths are related and, therefore, the roots are very old indeed, going back to a time before the Celts travelled to Europe and Wales.
In both the Welsh and Hindu tale, a young man is entranced by a fairy lady from a lake who tells him, 'I am hard to be caught' (in welsh: Nid hawdd fy nala). In both cases, the immortal fairy weds the mortal, conditionally, and for a while they are happy, then unwittingly, the prohibited thing is done, and the lady vanishes away.
A Lake
Fairy
The fairies in the Welsh
tales are different from fairies as we think of them today. Although the Welsh
do have a small type of elf or goblin - the Ellyll, the fairies described in
stories, such as this one, are spoken of as people not goblins.
They are known as "Y Tylwyth Teg," or 'the Fair Tribe' and are about the same size as humans. They have the same needs and concerns as human beings and, in many tales, marry humans, although the fairies themselves are often immortal (that is they live for ever).
The descriptions in these stories has led some people to think that the stories are based on a race of people that actually existed, and were largely driven out by the Celts when the arrived, so that they existed only in the more remote areas. The myths, therefore, were based on a memory of these people, who, over time became the fairies. Although currently these ideas have fallen out of favour with scholars.
They are known as "Y Tylwyth Teg," or 'the Fair Tribe' and are about the same size as humans. They have the same needs and concerns as human beings and, in many tales, marry humans, although the fairies themselves are often immortal (that is they live for ever).
The descriptions in these stories has led some people to think that the stories are based on a race of people that actually existed, and were largely driven out by the Celts when the arrived, so that they existed only in the more remote areas. The myths, therefore, were based on a memory of these people, who, over time became the fairies. Although currently these ideas have fallen out of favour with scholars.
The
Black Mountain
Many myths and folk
tales in Wales are associated with lakes. In many Fairy stories lakes seem to
provide an entrance to the Fairies' kingdom. Fairy ladies emerge from lakes and
disappear into lakes.
In several old stories there is more than one world. There are, for example, the world of people, the underworld or world of the dead (sometimes heaven and hell) and a third kingdom, that of the fairies or immortals.
Many tales involving women coming from lakes have Celtic origins. Lakes were thought to provide a link between the world of the living and the world of the dead; perhaps they were also thought to provide a link to the third or 'fairy kingdom'.
Other people have suggested that maybe, at one time, there were people who made their homes on the lake or 'lake-dwellers'. In some countries, the remains of lake villages belonging to the Stone Age, and even to the Bronze Age, have been discovered, with houses built on stilts. In some lakes, including Lake Bala in Wales, there are legends of old towns buried beneath the waters. The legends may be linked with distant memories of such people.
In several old stories there is more than one world. There are, for example, the world of people, the underworld or world of the dead (sometimes heaven and hell) and a third kingdom, that of the fairies or immortals.
Many tales involving women coming from lakes have Celtic origins. Lakes were thought to provide a link between the world of the living and the world of the dead; perhaps they were also thought to provide a link to the third or 'fairy kingdom'.
Other people have suggested that maybe, at one time, there were people who made their homes on the lake or 'lake-dwellers'. In some countries, the remains of lake villages belonging to the Stone Age, and even to the Bronze Age, have been discovered, with houses built on stilts. In some lakes, including Lake Bala in Wales, there are legends of old towns buried beneath the waters. The legends may be linked with distant memories of such people.
Is there any truth in the tale?
The
Meddygon Myddvai
Rhiwallon and his sons,
Cadwgan, Gruffydd, and Einion actually existed and were known as the Meddygon
Myddvai.
They were the chief physicians of their age, and they wrote down their knowledge in their 'treatise on medicine' in the Red Book of Hergest. A copy of their works is in the Welsh School Library, in Gray's Inn Lane.
There is some dispute about the date of their writings . The author of an old book - the 'Cambro-Briton' dates them to 1230 A.D. However, the editor of that publication speaks of a manuscript written by these physicians about the year 1300. Modern experts think that the writings date to the end of the fourteenth century, about 1380 to 1400.
They are also described as Physicians of Rhys Gryg, a prince of South Wales, who lived in the early part of the thirteenth century. Therefore, the events in the story would date to the thirteenth, or at the latest, the fourteenth century.
They were great and famous men of their time. Certainly a mothers love is strong and any parent separated from their children would want to maintain contact with them.
However, whether their knowledge was passed on down the generations and built up over time, or given by a mother that belonged to the Fairy Kingdom, can never be proved
They were the chief physicians of their age, and they wrote down their knowledge in their 'treatise on medicine' in the Red Book of Hergest. A copy of their works is in the Welsh School Library, in Gray's Inn Lane.
There is some dispute about the date of their writings . The author of an old book - the 'Cambro-Briton' dates them to 1230 A.D. However, the editor of that publication speaks of a manuscript written by these physicians about the year 1300. Modern experts think that the writings date to the end of the fourteenth century, about 1380 to 1400.
They are also described as Physicians of Rhys Gryg, a prince of South Wales, who lived in the early part of the thirteenth century. Therefore, the events in the story would date to the thirteenth, or at the latest, the fourteenth century.
They were great and famous men of their time. Certainly a mothers love is strong and any parent separated from their children would want to maintain contact with them.
However, whether their knowledge was passed on down the generations and built up over time, or given by a mother that belonged to the Fairy Kingdom, can never be proved
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