Screen Shot from Mythic Journeys
*Author's Note/Prologue
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This story is being told in a frame tale. There is Poppy Sage, the protagonist, and Groosnakewifflewash, the as of yet unseen antagonist. The Book of Legends is a book in which the stories come to life as they are narrated by their own pages. Sometime they argue about how creation happened. Poppy's goal is to finish the Book of Legends before its guardian , Groosnakewifflewash, catches her. If she can finish the Book of Legends in time , Poppy will then have the gift of godly knowledge and many riches bestowed upon her. I also wanted to point out in this chapter the screen shot is from Mythic Journeys. I also add two characters to the story I was retelling. Tepeu and Gucumatz were not given names in the story I found so I looked them up and added them to this retelling. I also have to add that I think it is interesting that in the Mayan origin story there is a flood, but it is not to cleanse the earth of the wicked, rather it is to be able to create new humans. The Hebrew version of the flood is more about smiting the wicked.
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_____________________________________________________________________________________
This story is being told in a frame tale. There is Poppy Sage, the protagonist, and Groosnakewifflewash, the as of yet unseen antagonist. The Book of Legends is a book in which the stories come to life as they are narrated by their own pages. Sometime they argue about how creation happened. Poppy's goal is to finish the Book of Legends before its guardian , Groosnakewifflewash, catches her. If she can finish the Book of Legends in time , Poppy will then have the gift of godly knowledge and many riches bestowed upon her. I also wanted to point out in this chapter the screen shot is from Mythic Journeys. I also add two characters to the story I was retelling. Tepeu and Gucumatz were not given names in the story I found so I looked them up and added them to this retelling. I also have to add that I think it is interesting that in the Mayan origin story there is a flood, but it is not to cleanse the earth of the wicked, rather it is to be able to create new humans. The Hebrew version of the flood is more about smiting the wicked.
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Poppy fell smack dab into the
Mayan Chapter with a thud. The force of the thud knocked the wind out
of her for a moment. Then she heard a voice clearing its throat.
"Excuse me dear, but what is it you are after?" asked a kindly old
voice. Poppy replied wearily, "Oh, you know...the same old, same old:
wealth, knowledge and the kind of celebrity that gets you a seat
at a fully booked restaurant but at the same time affords you
the peace to shop at a store without being harassed. You know that old
song and dance."
"Ah, I see you after the wisdom within the pages. Well, I'll not keep you long, dear. I know the one who chases you," the Mayan page said gently and seriously.
The sky darkened as the Mayan page began. "In our beginning only two beings existed. They were two Gods named Tepeu "heart of the sky" and Gucumatz "the feathered Serpent". The two sat there in the blackness of existence and started to think. Whatever these two thought of then came into existence. So..."
Poppy interjected, "Sorry to interrupt, but were they the guys that thought up Dairy Queen? I mean we all know Wendy's was named after some guy's daughter and that two brothers obsessed with keeping a burger count started Mc Donald's. Anyways I've always sat there, while enjoying a dipped cone, and wondered just who had the brilliant idea to bring Dairy Queen into existence?"
"Child, need you worry about such things when the Groosnakewifflewash is upon you, for he is one not to be taken lightly," cautioned the Mayan Page.
"ROOOOOAAAARRRR!!!!" was heard in the background. Poppy grumbled, "Good when he gets here, I'll ask him who brought DQ into existence."
"So, these enlightened Gods brought into existence the earth, the mountains, the rivers, the ocean and the sky. They thought of a variety of animals and then these animals came into the world one by one. The Crow, the Parrot, the Coyote, and the Mountain Lion all came into existence. However, these animals lacked the ability to praise the two gods for giving them this world. Tepeu and Gucumatz then decided to try to make another being. They made him out of clay, but his structure was weak and when it rained, he melted back into the Earth. They made one out of wood, but his head was as hard as his wooden heart. These failed attempts also lacked the ability to nourish the Gods with praises and worship. They tried to rid the world of these men, so the two Gods sent down a flood to wash them away. "
"Hmmm..." said Poppy, "that reminds me of another story I heard of once."
"Then Tepeu and Gucumatz made new men. These men were wise, and had good minds and hearts. They praised the gods for bringing them into existence. However, the two gods realized that the humans could see too much, and they possessed the same knowledge as the gods. Tepeu and Gucumatz took away some of the humans' knowledge so that the humans would not become like the gods. They did this to ensure that they would never become too wrapped up in themselves and forget to worship and praise their Gods."
"Wow , by those accounts that kind of stinks for us," said Poppy. She could feel the ground beneath her shaking and hear grumbling that was coming closer and closer. "Well, if you hurry and succeed in making it through the Book of Legends you will be as knowledgeable as Tepeu and Gucumatz. So be off with you!" said the Mayan page. And through the pages Poppy sank.....
Bibliography:
Mayan Creation
By: Carlos Abbler
Website: The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Web Link: http://www.artsmia.org/ceramics/stories/mayan/01.html
Mayan Creation
Website: Mythic Journeys
Web Link: http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_maya_full.htm
"Ah, I see you after the wisdom within the pages. Well, I'll not keep you long, dear. I know the one who chases you," the Mayan page said gently and seriously.
The sky darkened as the Mayan page began. "In our beginning only two beings existed. They were two Gods named Tepeu "heart of the sky" and Gucumatz "the feathered Serpent". The two sat there in the blackness of existence and started to think. Whatever these two thought of then came into existence. So..."
Poppy interjected, "Sorry to interrupt, but were they the guys that thought up Dairy Queen? I mean we all know Wendy's was named after some guy's daughter and that two brothers obsessed with keeping a burger count started Mc Donald's. Anyways I've always sat there, while enjoying a dipped cone, and wondered just who had the brilliant idea to bring Dairy Queen into existence?"
"Child, need you worry about such things when the Groosnakewifflewash is upon you, for he is one not to be taken lightly," cautioned the Mayan Page.
"ROOOOOAAAARRRR!!!!" was heard in the background. Poppy grumbled, "Good when he gets here, I'll ask him who brought DQ into existence."
"So, these enlightened Gods brought into existence the earth, the mountains, the rivers, the ocean and the sky. They thought of a variety of animals and then these animals came into the world one by one. The Crow, the Parrot, the Coyote, and the Mountain Lion all came into existence. However, these animals lacked the ability to praise the two gods for giving them this world. Tepeu and Gucumatz then decided to try to make another being. They made him out of clay, but his structure was weak and when it rained, he melted back into the Earth. They made one out of wood, but his head was as hard as his wooden heart. These failed attempts also lacked the ability to nourish the Gods with praises and worship. They tried to rid the world of these men, so the two Gods sent down a flood to wash them away. "
"Hmmm..." said Poppy, "that reminds me of another story I heard of once."
"Then Tepeu and Gucumatz made new men. These men were wise, and had good minds and hearts. They praised the gods for bringing them into existence. However, the two gods realized that the humans could see too much, and they possessed the same knowledge as the gods. Tepeu and Gucumatz took away some of the humans' knowledge so that the humans would not become like the gods. They did this to ensure that they would never become too wrapped up in themselves and forget to worship and praise their Gods."
"Wow , by those accounts that kind of stinks for us," said Poppy. She could feel the ground beneath her shaking and hear grumbling that was coming closer and closer. "Well, if you hurry and succeed in making it through the Book of Legends you will be as knowledgeable as Tepeu and Gucumatz. So be off with you!" said the Mayan page. And through the pages Poppy sank.....
Home : Storybook : Introduction
: Chinese Creation
: Norse Creation : Babylonian Creation :
: Egyptian Creation : Maori Creation : Inca Creation
e-mail: Helen.N.Di-Renzo-Grant-1@ou.edu
: Norse Creation : Babylonian Creation :
: Egyptian Creation : Maori Creation : Inca Creation
e-mail: Helen.N.Di-Renzo-Grant-1@ou.edu
Bibliography:
Mayan Creation
By: Carlos Abbler
Website: The Minneapolis Institute of Arts
Web Link: http://www.artsmia.org/ceramics/stories/mayan/01.html
Mayan Creation
Website: Mythic Journeys
Web Link: http://mythicjourneys.org/bigmyth/myths/english/2_maya_full.htm