Mythology is really something, isn’t it?
I think it is a fascinating aspect of human culture. And given all the different cultures, “mythology” can encompass a wide sampling of belief systems. It can offer up different narratives. And believe you, me. Some of them are doozies.
The one that every thinks of, more often than not is Greek Mythology. Of course, it originated from ancient Greece and it includes stories of gods and goddesses like Zeus, Apollo, and Athena. It also gives us epic tales such as the Odyssey and the Iliad.
But there are many others.
Roman Mythology
Norse Mythology
Egyptian Mythology
Celtic Mythology
Hindu Mythology
Chinese Mythology
Japanese Mythology
Mesopotamian Mythology
Indigenous Mythologies
In many of these cultures, the gods and goddesses were extremely important to every aspect of people’s lives and central to the core of ancient civilizations.
But so many times, the stories were — how do I say this? A little crazy-go-nuts.
Here are a few.
The first one comes from Norse Mythology. In this story, the trickster god Loki gives birth to several bizarre offspring. One of the most notable is Sleipnir. Get this. Sleipnir was an eight-legged horse, which Loki gave birth to after shape-shifting into a mare and mating with the stallion Svaðilfari. That’s one heck of a kid. What do you feed your kid at breakfast if you are Loki?
Okay.
What about this one from Greek Mythology? According to Greek mythology, the goddess Athena was born fully grown and armored from the head of her father, Zeus. That’s right. From his head. But wait. There’s more. This bizarre birth occurred after Zeus swallowed Athena’s pregnant mother, Metis. He feared that any child she bore might overthrow him. So he swallowed that mother right down the old hatch. But along came Hephaestus, the smith god, and he split Zeus’s head open with an axe. Kapow. Which then released Athena in full battle attire. How’s that for hallucinogenic drugs?
This next one comes from Iroquois Mythology. In their culture, the Iroquois tell the story of a terrifying creature known as the Flying Head. It is said to be a giant disembodied head with long, stringy hair and sharp teeth. The Flying Head is a malevolent being who flies through the air, devouring anything and anyone in its path. It is often depicted as a symbol of greed, destruction, and the consequences of unchecked appetites. Parents: Lock up your children at night, I’d say.
Sometimes, these bits of mythology show up in parable-like stories. Take for instance, “The Frog and the Scorpion.” This story is found in various mythologies and folktales around the world, including in Aesop’s fables. So the story goes like this. A scorpion asks a frog to carry it across a river. Despite the frog’s initial reluctance, the scorpion convinces it by promising not to sting the frog. So. The nice, kindly frog says yes. However, the scorpion stings the frog midway across the river, dooming them both. When the dying frog asks why, the scorpion simply replies, “It’s in my nature.” (I won’t mention all the people donating money to a convicted felon running for president here.)
Despite all the weird and wooly stories, mythology has been an important part of history.
Mythology provides a foundation for cultural identity. It has helped people understand their roots, beliefs, and values.
So there is it is. A little Green Goddess salad dressing with your salad.
Sprinkle it on and eat it up. Just like Zeus would with a big head of lettuce.
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“The beauty of religious mania is that it has the power to explain everything. Once God (or Satan) is accepted as the first cause of everything which happens in the mortal world, nothing is left to chance… logic can be happily tossed out the window.” – Stephen King
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“The way to see by faith is to shut the eye of reason.” – Benjamin Franklin
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“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.” – Albert Einstein
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The gods. The myths. The legends. Oh my.
