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| So many
people have flood legends of their very own. Many times, they are
very similar to the ones that we
may have read growing up. Many times, they are also very
different. Is it possible that a major deluge has happened before
and the stories are remnants, passed down to explain how mankind
survived and still exists today? In each of the stories, the
people felt that the flood had covered their worlds. It was more
than likely large scale localized flooding, but immense enough to feel
that your universe is covered! A catastrophic event could have created a great flood that appeared to be universal in scale, but was localized in many areas. Through oral transmission of the story, elements were added to provide lessons about how wickedness in mankind is observed and punished. |
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In our current situation, we are threatened by flooding as a result of warmer temperatures melting glaciers, polar ice caps and Iceland. The warmer temperatures also raise the temperatures of the ocean; these things combined together increase the potential for hurricanes. The massive amounts of rain from hurricanes cause floods. Ultimately, the melting of ice due to the warmer atmosphere is a massive concern due to the impact it has on whole communities that live on islands which are slowly being submerged under the ocean. |
| My storybook includes four
flood legends: The Jewish
legend
of Noah, which is the most familiar to all of us in the
western world; the
Sumerian legend of Gilgamish, which we read in our Myth Folklore
course how Gilgamish, distraught, sought out his uncle to find the
source of everlasting life; the Hindu legend of Matsya,
which is an amazing tale about one of the first incarnations of Vishnu
and how he saved mankind the way the gods did in the first two tales
that I have included; and, the
Yaqui flood legend,
which is the most obscure out of the four, but read it and you will see
that it is very similar to others! My story is set in the future. The year is 2075, and the refugees from massive flooding have managed to make it to one of several camps that have been established on mountains that are over 20,000 feet high because the flood has risen to around 15,000 feet (a little under 3 miles) In this frame, an elder will discuss various flood legends from around the world in an attempt to comfort the children within the groups as they adjust to their new lives in the mountains. The elder wants the children to know that with time, the waters will again subside and it will be up to the children to explore the world again and rebuild. |
Scientific
Information:
Robert Fisk at the Independent: Vanishing Islands
NRDC: The Consequences of Global Warming
Image Sources:
The Flood, Some People and Animals - Astrobeccah's Site
CNN's Dr. Gupta
Robert Fisk at the Independent: Vanishing Islands
NRDC: The Consequences of Global Warming
Image Sources:
The Flood, Some People and Animals - Astrobeccah's Site
CNN's Dr. Gupta