So… I admit this post is a little late. But I am telling this story anyway, because I think it perfectly illustrates what I consider to be a VERY important point. So deal with it.
As I am sure most of you are aware, we here in the U.S. celebrated Thanksgiving last week. Thanksgiving, by the way, and no matter what anyone may try to tell you, is NOT a religious holiday. I recently came to the shocking (and somewhat disturbing) realization that there are a number of Americans who live under the mistaken idea that Thanksgiving is somehow tied to Christmas… it is NOT … so … just wanted to set the record straight. Because last week I heard a guy at a local convenience store, after the clerk behind the counter told him that he was working on Thanksgiving, reply with “Man, I would NEVER do that. That’s against my RELIGION.” What religion might that be? Are you a Puritan?
But I digress… as this is not the story I am here to tell.
Every Thanksgiving, I listen to people rattle off lists of stuff for which they are thankful. I it usually runs along the same general guidelines: family, home, food, healthy children, a loving spouse, blah, blah, blah. I mean, I am not being critical. There is certainly nothing wrong with being thankful for what you have.
HOWEVER, every Thanksgiving I eventually get asked the question “What are you thankful for, Nathan?”
My answer usually confuses people at first: “I am thankful that I once met a young farm-boy whose name I can’t even remember, who was from some town in West Texas I’d never heard of, when I went to Marine Corps boot camp.”
Usually, this answer provokes any number of new questions, but these are usually just different ways of asking me “Why?”
The story I tell to answer this question is one that often comes to my mind at those times when I find myself upset about feeling like I do not having enough money, or in those rare moments when I catch myself wanting to whine about something I want but can’t afford (note that I said want …not need).
This is a 100% true story, one I seem to tell to at least a few people every year around Thanksgiving:
I first met the young farm boy when I, along with a group of about 5 other new recruits, were leaving the Dallas processing station for the airport to board a plane to the Marine Corps boot camp at MCRD in San Diego, CA. He was among them. I often refer to him as “Huey,” though I must admit that I do not remember his real name, mainly because when I first saw him the way he looked brought to mind the old “Baby Huey” cartoon character (for those of you who don’t know what “Baby Huey” is/was, you can Google it) … regrettably, I don’t know that I ever bothered to ask a name of him. I wish I had, because I doubt he will ever realize the impact that he had on my life.
Anyway…it would be an understatement to say that Huey “stuck out” from the group. First of all, he was ENORMOUS. He stood at least 6-foot-5-inches tall, and was nearly as thick. His shoulders were almost inhumanly broad. Even under his layer of chub, you could tell that he had some serious muscle power behind his size. He wasn’t fat … he was just REALLY BIG.
But it wasn’t just his size that made him stick out (though that alone probably would have been enough). He wore a ratty, baggy old pair of nearly threadbare denim overalls … and that’s it. No undershirt. No hair (to be honest I couldn’t tell if he’d already shaved his head or if he was just actually bald). Not even socks... well, he didn’t exactly have shoes on, anyway. Unless you count the pair of cheap flip-flops strapped to his feet, which looked like they had been repaired more than a few times with generous amounts of duct-tape. The flimsy foam soles were the only thing between his feet and the bare ground. And, to top it all off, in his mouth he held a piece of wheat. Seriously… Huey could have stepped right off the set of a community theater production of The Grapes of Wrath.
As we were being driven to the airport, I actually asked him about his clothes …more out of concern for how the drill instructors were going to react than out of curiosity (showing up to boot camp looking like a hayseed plowboy was a sure-fire way to provoke more than a few choice insults from Drill Instructors, I knew).
“These are work clothes,” he said with a tone of pride, and not a hint of shame to be found in his voice. “Why would I muck up a pair of my nice clothes when they're just gonna slap a uniform on us when we get there, anyway?”
I have to admit… I could not argue with his logic. So I dropped the subject.
I remember that some of the guys in our group had a laugh about the way Huey was dressed as soon as he left to find a bathroom when we first arrived at the airport. At least now I knew who the cowards among us were. These guys would never have had the balls to scoff at Huey’s appearance when he could actually hear them.
When Huey came back, he was proudly brandishing a newly bought pack of Marlboro’s and the piece of wheat that had dangled from his mouth was now replaced by a bright red piece of licorice.
“They’ve got a store in there,” he announced to everyone, as if none of us knew there were conveience stores in airports. The tone in his voice reminded me of a little kid who just found out there's a 'bouncy house' at a birthday party. “My Papa gave me five dollars when I left. Just enough for some smokes and a piece of candy. Never had my own pack a smokes.”
He broke open the cigarettes, and only then realized that he didn’t buy anything to light them with. I offered him my lighter and he took a long, happy draw of smoke. As he exhaled, he explained, “Papa usually shares one of his smokes with me once the day is done.”
About an hour and way too many cigarettes later, Huey’s facial expressions started to betray hints of anxiety and anticipation. His mood went from happy to excited to antsy and back again. And I could tell that he was doing all he could not to make it obvious...though he was failing miserably.
“Wish we didn’t have to wait so long,” He said, at first to no one in particular. Then he turned to me. “I never been on a plane before. You?”
“Twice,” I told him. “Back when I was in school. But it’s been a year or two.”
“I’ll bet it’s great to be up there,” he said, his eyes drifting off to the sky as a wide grin drew across his big round cheeks.
Once we got to the Recruit Depot and began processing in, I found myself assigned to a different platoon than Huey. I would not see him again for several weeks, on the day that both our platoons were going through supply in order to be fitted for our first issue of combat boots. Even now, that moment is among my most vivid memories.
I was handed several pairs of boots by a supply clerk (despite the fact that I insisted I wore a 10 ½ Wide, which I knew well after having spent years in both the Naval Sea Cadet Corps and Military School), and was firmly told to grab a spot on one of the benches outside. I was told that I had to try on all three pairs so that I could choose the ones that fit best. I accepted the situation, grabbed a spot on a red wooden bench outside, opened the first box of boots, and began lacing one up. As I leaned forward to pull on the boot, I noticed one humungous boot-clad foot on the ground in front of me.
Sitting at the bench directly across from me was Huey, trying on his boots. I started to say something to him, but the words caught in my throat as he lifted his face where I could see it. His cheeks were so flushed that at first I thought he was sunburned. Then he looked directly into my eyes and I saw a torrential stream of tears flowing down his big, round face.
“Hey man,” I said to him gently, genuinely concerned at seeing this gigantic guy suddenly bawling like a baby. “You okay? Don’t worry, the homesickness gets better after awhile. I promise.”
“No,” he said, sniffling and wiping his tearstrewn face on his BDU sleeve. “Did you know that we get to KEEP THESE?” (I always get choked up when I tell this part… I just can’t help myself).
“Keep what? The boots?”
“Yeah,” he replied, letting out what sounded like a sigh of relief…or maybe it was satisfaction I heard. “I never had my own new pair of boots.” And then Huey let forth with yet another fountain of sobs and tears as he said, “Even all these clothes is brand new…took ‘em right out of the plastic and everything. I just never been given so much new stuff before.”
“Well,” I told him. “Now you have.”
As we tried on boots together, Huey finally got a grip on his emotions and proceeded to tell me as much about himself as a human being can in about 15 minutes.
Huey, I learned, was the second-youngest of 9 children (yep, you read that right…NINE). His family owned and operated a farm in some little town in West Texas. His entire life, Huey explained to me, every bit of clothing he’d ever had were hand-me-downs from his older siblings: shirts, shoes, pants, and even his “Sunday clothes.” Not once in his entire life had he ever been the owner of a single piece of new clothing.
“Remember those overalls I was wearin’?” He asked me. I nodded. “Those were the old work clothes my Papa would wear for stuff like painting and working on the combine. Ya know, so he wouldn’t mess up his other ones. I gave all my clothes and shoes to my little sister when I left. She’s got more clothes than she knows what ta do with, now.” He smiled and sniffed a bit when he said that last part. Meanwhile I just sat there with my mouth open and tried to process what he’d just said about leaving his clothes to his LITTLE SISTER. I was absolutely dumbfounded by the sudden realization that my life had been an absolute cakewalk in comparison to his. I thought of, with more than just a little guilt, about how my brothers and I sometimes complained about the brand of new clothes our mother would buy for us… while this poor kid never even HAD new clothes in his entire life.
“And,” he continued. “Have you seen how much FOOD they give us here?”
I guess it’s hard to stretch a meal that divides up well for a family of 11 (2 adults with 9 kids), especially if even half of Huey’s older brothers were as gargantuan as he was.
I milked trying on the last pair, buying myself a few more minutes so I could listen to the last thing Huey said to me.
“And we sleep until 6! Can you believe it? That’s nearly sunrise! And we go to bed the same time every night. I even get to say a prayer and go to church every Sunday and everything.
“I tell you, brother,” he said as he stood up tall in his first pair of brand new boots, his shadow shading me from the hot afternoon sun. “This is the life for me.”
And with that... he was gone.
I never saw Huey again. But my experience with him that day changed my life forever. I find it much harder to feel sorry for myself, having known how life was for him. I have a hard time feeling like I don’t have enough when I have seen, with my own eyes, a giant of a young man brought to tears over a pair of new boots.
That’s being truly thankful for what you have…and I will be forever thankful for the valuable lesson he taught me that day.
Huey … wherever you might be these days … and even though I am pretty sure that you will never have a chance to read these words … I want to tell you that I am thankful to you for opening my eyes, and that I am a better person for having met you.
Happy belated Thanksgiving, everybody!
Thursday, December 1, 2011
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
The Mythology of Supernatural, Update #4: The Jersey Devil
Okay … so last week’s episode wasn’t exactly about the Jersey Devil. And the week before that, they threw a wrench in my plans to write about bewitched unions when it turned out that Becky was simply the victim of a crossroads demon.
While I am sure they are not intentionally trying to make my blogging life difficult, I sometimes feel as if the writers of Supernatural are just doing this stuff to drive me crazy.
Anyway … where was I?
Oh, yeah… Jersey Devil.
While last week’s episode turned out not to be the Jersey Devil, I figured I would go ahead and lay down a little of the lore about the creature anyway. They were a little sparse on the Jersey Devil lore in the episode, and it is a pretty crazy little chunk of American folklore that I think is totally worth sharing.
While there are a few versions of the tale, as there often are with legends such as these, here is a summary of the most commonly told version:
Most versions agree that the Jersey Devil was born sometime in 1735 in Smithville, New Jersey. The story goes that a women names Mrs. Leeds was at the full term of being pregnant with her THIRTEENTH child! (Wow ... just, wow). And, apparently, she wasn’t too happy about the way all this baby making was aging her. One dark and stormy night (yeah, I know, it’s an old cliché ... but stay with me) she went into labor. The contractions were especially painful this time around, it would seem. As Mrs. Leeds writhed in agony from a round of painful contractions, she screamed out and cursed the unborn child, saying something along the lines of “This child is the devil!” or, in other versions of the story, “Let this child be a devil!”
Soon thereafter, she gave birth to a beautiful, blue-eyed baby boy.
However, as soon as the midwife handed the newborn to its mother, the child began to wail and transform. Its face stretched forward, deforming into a shape similar to a horse’s head (some say a bat’s, which I have always found odd). Shaggy hair formed on its skin and leathery black wings sprouted from its back. The baby’s legs grew thin and its feet turn to cloven hooves (the presence of hooves is a common element of “demon-spawn” legends like this, as it was commonly believe that the devil had this feature). The infant’s tiny hands turned massive and from its fingers grew long, razor-sharp claws.
Everyone in the room froze in terror as the newborn baby’s cries turn to an ear-shattering wail. Before anyone could act, the newborn creature spread its wings, and with a mighty flap burst out through the roof of the home. It flew off into the night, and to this day roams the forests of New Jersey.
Like I said, there are other versions … not to mention a ton of recorded sightings (though many of the eyewitness accounts are inconsistent in describing the creature). Similar to sightings of the chupacabra, I believe that most Jersey Devil reports are likely the panicked recollections of people driven to hysteria by an unexpected encounter with some type of wild animal.
I have discussed this in a number of my books, how the line between “monster” and “animal” has more to do with human perception than it does with the creatures themselves. When a human encounters an animal that is not native to a habitat, or one that he/she is not expecting to see, then often the brain accounts for this by seeing a “monster.”
For example, many reported of chupacabra sightings have turned out to be encounters with inbred, mange-ridden coyotes. Some people theorize that a group of apes may have been released in North America, and that encounters with these apes are the reason for sightings of Bigfoot/Sasquatch. Some people think that the Jersey Devil sightings may be of a species of large bat native to Africa (which has a long snout and wide wingspan), a number of which (according to this theory) may have been released in North America at some point.
Then again, who am I to say that the Jersey Devil doesn’t exist?
I will say one thing … out of the multitude of recorded sightings … at least some of these people had to have seen something they could not explain.
Well folks, that's the update for now.
FYI: I am selling 2 more sets of signed copies of The Mythology of Supernatural with mojo bags. The link is below.
LINK: http://www.ebay.com/itm/160686669332?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
While I am sure they are not intentionally trying to make my blogging life difficult, I sometimes feel as if the writers of Supernatural are just doing this stuff to drive me crazy.
Anyway … where was I?
Oh, yeah… Jersey Devil.
While last week’s episode turned out not to be the Jersey Devil, I figured I would go ahead and lay down a little of the lore about the creature anyway. They were a little sparse on the Jersey Devil lore in the episode, and it is a pretty crazy little chunk of American folklore that I think is totally worth sharing.
While there are a few versions of the tale, as there often are with legends such as these, here is a summary of the most commonly told version:
Most versions agree that the Jersey Devil was born sometime in 1735 in Smithville, New Jersey. The story goes that a women names Mrs. Leeds was at the full term of being pregnant with her THIRTEENTH child! (Wow ... just, wow). And, apparently, she wasn’t too happy about the way all this baby making was aging her. One dark and stormy night (yeah, I know, it’s an old cliché ... but stay with me) she went into labor. The contractions were especially painful this time around, it would seem. As Mrs. Leeds writhed in agony from a round of painful contractions, she screamed out and cursed the unborn child, saying something along the lines of “This child is the devil!” or, in other versions of the story, “Let this child be a devil!”
Soon thereafter, she gave birth to a beautiful, blue-eyed baby boy.
However, as soon as the midwife handed the newborn to its mother, the child began to wail and transform. Its face stretched forward, deforming into a shape similar to a horse’s head (some say a bat’s, which I have always found odd). Shaggy hair formed on its skin and leathery black wings sprouted from its back. The baby’s legs grew thin and its feet turn to cloven hooves (the presence of hooves is a common element of “demon-spawn” legends like this, as it was commonly believe that the devil had this feature). The infant’s tiny hands turned massive and from its fingers grew long, razor-sharp claws.
Everyone in the room froze in terror as the newborn baby’s cries turn to an ear-shattering wail. Before anyone could act, the newborn creature spread its wings, and with a mighty flap burst out through the roof of the home. It flew off into the night, and to this day roams the forests of New Jersey.
Like I said, there are other versions … not to mention a ton of recorded sightings (though many of the eyewitness accounts are inconsistent in describing the creature). Similar to sightings of the chupacabra, I believe that most Jersey Devil reports are likely the panicked recollections of people driven to hysteria by an unexpected encounter with some type of wild animal.
I have discussed this in a number of my books, how the line between “monster” and “animal” has more to do with human perception than it does with the creatures themselves. When a human encounters an animal that is not native to a habitat, or one that he/she is not expecting to see, then often the brain accounts for this by seeing a “monster.”
For example, many reported of chupacabra sightings have turned out to be encounters with inbred, mange-ridden coyotes. Some people theorize that a group of apes may have been released in North America, and that encounters with these apes are the reason for sightings of Bigfoot/Sasquatch. Some people think that the Jersey Devil sightings may be of a species of large bat native to Africa (which has a long snout and wide wingspan), a number of which (according to this theory) may have been released in North America at some point.
Then again, who am I to say that the Jersey Devil doesn’t exist?
I will say one thing … out of the multitude of recorded sightings … at least some of these people had to have seen something they could not explain.
Well folks, that's the update for now.
FYI: I am selling 2 more sets of signed copies of The Mythology of Supernatural with mojo bags. The link is below.
LINK: http://www.ebay.com/itm/160686669332?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1555.l2649
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Daddy Issues
Yeah... So ... Daddy issues, right?
I mean, how is it that a guy I haven't even seen since I was 8 years old can still have such a strong effect on me.
It's stupid... but today I realized that a number of my behaviors only exist because of him.
Because of a man I once feared more than the monster under my bed.
Because of a man I once wanted to be, yet later came to view as an example of how NOT to be.
Like I said ... it's stupid.
But earlier today, as I was shopping for groceries, I picked up a big bottle of vegetable juice...and it all came rushing back. Again.
When I was a kid... Dad was the only one who drank vegetable juice. And to this day the smell of the stuff brings back the memories of those days when I used to sit on his lap, pretending I was asleep as he watched sports ... or action films ... or whatever. I didn't care, as long as I felt like he was paying attention to me. Sad truth is ... sitting on his lap pretending to nap was the closest I got to positive attention back then.
And I put ketchup on my spagetti. Weird, right? But I do it... Can't help but do it. Why? Because he used to do it. And, to this day, I can't eat a plain bowl of pasta without putting ketchup on it ... even if it has sauce.
Even dumber... I love squeeze cheese. Why? Because he loved squeeze cheese. And once, when I was pretend-snoozing on his lap, he shook me and let me have a single wheat thin with some processed cheese, some stuffed-in-a-compressed can cheese slathered all over it. I don't know that anything had ever tasted so good before or since.
And when I looked for him...when I have looked for him... he has hidden from me. Disowned me. Shunned me.
Like I said ... stupid, right?
I mean, how is it that a guy I haven't even seen since I was 8 years old can still have such a strong effect on me.
It's stupid... but today I realized that a number of my behaviors only exist because of him.
Because of a man I once feared more than the monster under my bed.
Because of a man I once wanted to be, yet later came to view as an example of how NOT to be.
Like I said ... it's stupid.
But earlier today, as I was shopping for groceries, I picked up a big bottle of vegetable juice...and it all came rushing back. Again.
When I was a kid... Dad was the only one who drank vegetable juice. And to this day the smell of the stuff brings back the memories of those days when I used to sit on his lap, pretending I was asleep as he watched sports ... or action films ... or whatever. I didn't care, as long as I felt like he was paying attention to me. Sad truth is ... sitting on his lap pretending to nap was the closest I got to positive attention back then.
And I put ketchup on my spagetti. Weird, right? But I do it... Can't help but do it. Why? Because he used to do it. And, to this day, I can't eat a plain bowl of pasta without putting ketchup on it ... even if it has sauce.
Even dumber... I love squeeze cheese. Why? Because he loved squeeze cheese. And once, when I was pretend-snoozing on his lap, he shook me and let me have a single wheat thin with some processed cheese, some stuffed-in-a-compressed can cheese slathered all over it. I don't know that anything had ever tasted so good before or since.
And when I looked for him...when I have looked for him... he has hidden from me. Disowned me. Shunned me.
Like I said ... stupid, right?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
The Mythology of Supernatural - My Last 2011 Appearance
Hey Folks,
First of all, so sorry for not getting that Osiris post up yet. I had an appearance in Amarillo, TX at the B&N over the weekend. When I got home, I came down ill for 3 days with strep throat (not fun). Sometimes, I find that being around groups of people puts me at risk for getting sick.
So, this is the first day I haven't been bedridden since I got back from the Amarillo trip and I have been playing catchup all day. However, I promise to do my darnedest to get that Osiris post up on the blog before tomorrow night's episode.
Speaking of today, I am finally feeling well enough to work (and the doc assures me I am no longer contagious).
And it's a good thing, too.
Tonight I will be speaking about The Mythology of Supernatural at the RICHARDSON PUBLIC LIBRARY (900 Civic Center Dr. Richardson, TX) from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. There will be a book sale and signing after the presentation. And, yes, I WILL sign books that are brought in.
FYI - I NEVER require readers to buy a book from me in order to have me sign it.
So... if you are one of my DFW/Garland/Plano/Richardson, TX peeps ... and you are not glued to the Rangers game ... please come out and see me.
It looks like tonight will be my last appearance for the 2011 year. No more have been scheduled until 2012.
All my love and thanks for your support!
Nathan
First of all, so sorry for not getting that Osiris post up yet. I had an appearance in Amarillo, TX at the B&N over the weekend. When I got home, I came down ill for 3 days with strep throat (not fun). Sometimes, I find that being around groups of people puts me at risk for getting sick.
So, this is the first day I haven't been bedridden since I got back from the Amarillo trip and I have been playing catchup all day. However, I promise to do my darnedest to get that Osiris post up on the blog before tomorrow night's episode.
Speaking of today, I am finally feeling well enough to work (and the doc assures me I am no longer contagious).
And it's a good thing, too.
Tonight I will be speaking about The Mythology of Supernatural at the RICHARDSON PUBLIC LIBRARY (900 Civic Center Dr. Richardson, TX) from 7:30pm to 8:30pm. There will be a book sale and signing after the presentation. And, yes, I WILL sign books that are brought in.
FYI - I NEVER require readers to buy a book from me in order to have me sign it.
So... if you are one of my DFW/Garland/Plano/Richardson, TX peeps ... and you are not glued to the Rangers game ... please come out and see me.
It looks like tonight will be my last appearance for the 2011 year. No more have been scheduled until 2012.
All my love and thanks for your support!
Nathan
Monday, October 17, 2011
Kitsune: The Mythology of Supernatural, Update #3
Sorry for the delay in getting this posted, folks! I was on vacation last week and forgot to put it up before I took off. My bad.
FYI - all of the below info (along with a ton of other stuff about the various mythologies of the world) can also be found in another book of mine, The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Mythology
In the Japanese language (Nihongo), the term kitsune can be used to refer to your average, everyday, run-of-the-mill fox. However, in Shinto mythology, kitsune also refers to a race of fox spirits/demons whose main purpose is to act as messengers for Inari, the Rice Kami (in English the word Kami translates, more or less, as “a god”). Kitsune also have a close relationship with a slightly more troublesome race of nature spirits known as Tengu.
Kitsune have the ability to shapeshift, and often assume human form in order to interact undetected with humans.
According to lore, kitsune spirits enjoy playing tricks on people (an attribute they share with the more trickster-like Shinto spirits called Tengu, though the Tengu tend to be a bit crueler with their pranks … kind of like Gabriel/Loki on steroids). Kitsune are often playful in nature when it comes to their mischief, and they are almost always portrayed as being helpful allies to humans (that is, of course, as long as the humans treat the kitsune with respect).
Since normal foxes often reside near humans (attracted by such things as domesticated pheasants and/or discarded food), they were a common sight among the villages of ancient Japan. So perhaps it should not be all that surprising that so many myths regarding the kitsune arose in the Shinto tradition.
Kitsune could best be described as strong, wise, and clever beings. In some stories, it is said that a kitsune’s power can be measured by counting the number of tails it has. You see, kitsune can have anywhere between 1 tail (Ichibi) and 9 tails (Kyuubi). Therefore, myths warn that a person should be extremely careful when dealing with a kitsune that is a Kyuubi (meaning it has “nine tails”). In fact, nearly all of the lore surrounding kitsune advises that a person should be kind to foxes that are not doing any harm, as doing so might cause one to accidentally end up offending a powerful kitsune spirit … which, needless to say, is something that you REALLY do not want to do … seriously … an offended and/or otherwise provoked kitsune (especially a Kyuubi) is capable of doing a LOT of damage.
One particular piece of kitsune folklore, and of which I am rather fond, goes something like this:
The story goes that a samurai encountered a fox on the road while riding home from the residence of his daimyo (lord). While still a fair distance from home, the samurai decided to nock a special “flash-bang” (gunpowder) arrow into his bow that is normally used for scaring away wild dogs. He fired the arrow at the fox and hit it in the back of the leg. As the samurai drew for a second shot, the fox darted into a nearby bush. The samurai dismounted and approached the bush, planning to finish off the fox with a final shot. However, when he aimed at the fox it disappeared into thin air. As the samurai went to retrieve his first arrow, the fox suddenly reappeared in front of him. He quickly drew his bow to loose another arrow, only to have the fox disappear before his eyes once again.
Needless to say, the samurai was feeling a bit unnerved by this experience, and decided to get back on his horse and continue on towards home. When the samurai was but a short distance from his home (say, less than a mile), the very same fox emerged from the forest on the road ahead of him. In the animal’s mouth was a burning torch, which at first puzzled the samurai. Then … the fox darted off in the direction of the samurai’s home. Overcome by a sudden and strange panic, the samurai spurred his horse into a full gallop.
By the time the samurai was within sight of his home he could see the fox sitting right next to the front door, the flaming torch still in its mouth. While he was still too far away to fire an arrow, the samurai watched as the fox suddenly transformed into the shape of a human. This “fox,” the samurai now realized, was actually a kitsune! This realization, however, did him little good when the kitsune took the torch and lit the house on fire. As the flames rose, the samurai finally came into firing distance and drew his bow once more. Before he could loose his arrow, however, the fox spirit returned to its original form and vanished into the nearby woods. The samurai could do nothing but stand by helplessly as he watched his entire house, and everything within it, reduced to ashes.
As for the whole “kitsune eat pituitary glands” thing that they did on the show … I have NO IDEA where the writers of Supernatural got that from. Seriously ... that was a REALLY weird addition.
I do know there has been some scientific research into fox growth hormones in recent years … but seriusly ... I am a mythologist, not a scientist … so I am not even going to TRY touching on that subject.
Thanks, everyone. As always, the support of readers means the world to me.
I will be posting the Mythology of Supernatural, Update #4 sometime over the next couple of days.
FYI - all of the below info (along with a ton of other stuff about the various mythologies of the world) can also be found in another book of mine, The Complete Idiot's Guide to World Mythology
In the Japanese language (Nihongo), the term kitsune can be used to refer to your average, everyday, run-of-the-mill fox. However, in Shinto mythology, kitsune also refers to a race of fox spirits/demons whose main purpose is to act as messengers for Inari, the Rice Kami (in English the word Kami translates, more or less, as “a god”). Kitsune also have a close relationship with a slightly more troublesome race of nature spirits known as Tengu.
Kitsune have the ability to shapeshift, and often assume human form in order to interact undetected with humans.
According to lore, kitsune spirits enjoy playing tricks on people (an attribute they share with the more trickster-like Shinto spirits called Tengu, though the Tengu tend to be a bit crueler with their pranks … kind of like Gabriel/Loki on steroids). Kitsune are often playful in nature when it comes to their mischief, and they are almost always portrayed as being helpful allies to humans (that is, of course, as long as the humans treat the kitsune with respect).
Since normal foxes often reside near humans (attracted by such things as domesticated pheasants and/or discarded food), they were a common sight among the villages of ancient Japan. So perhaps it should not be all that surprising that so many myths regarding the kitsune arose in the Shinto tradition.
Kitsune could best be described as strong, wise, and clever beings. In some stories, it is said that a kitsune’s power can be measured by counting the number of tails it has. You see, kitsune can have anywhere between 1 tail (Ichibi) and 9 tails (Kyuubi). Therefore, myths warn that a person should be extremely careful when dealing with a kitsune that is a Kyuubi (meaning it has “nine tails”). In fact, nearly all of the lore surrounding kitsune advises that a person should be kind to foxes that are not doing any harm, as doing so might cause one to accidentally end up offending a powerful kitsune spirit … which, needless to say, is something that you REALLY do not want to do … seriously … an offended and/or otherwise provoked kitsune (especially a Kyuubi) is capable of doing a LOT of damage.
One particular piece of kitsune folklore, and of which I am rather fond, goes something like this:
The story goes that a samurai encountered a fox on the road while riding home from the residence of his daimyo (lord). While still a fair distance from home, the samurai decided to nock a special “flash-bang” (gunpowder) arrow into his bow that is normally used for scaring away wild dogs. He fired the arrow at the fox and hit it in the back of the leg. As the samurai drew for a second shot, the fox darted into a nearby bush. The samurai dismounted and approached the bush, planning to finish off the fox with a final shot. However, when he aimed at the fox it disappeared into thin air. As the samurai went to retrieve his first arrow, the fox suddenly reappeared in front of him. He quickly drew his bow to loose another arrow, only to have the fox disappear before his eyes once again.
Needless to say, the samurai was feeling a bit unnerved by this experience, and decided to get back on his horse and continue on towards home. When the samurai was but a short distance from his home (say, less than a mile), the very same fox emerged from the forest on the road ahead of him. In the animal’s mouth was a burning torch, which at first puzzled the samurai. Then … the fox darted off in the direction of the samurai’s home. Overcome by a sudden and strange panic, the samurai spurred his horse into a full gallop.
By the time the samurai was within sight of his home he could see the fox sitting right next to the front door, the flaming torch still in its mouth. While he was still too far away to fire an arrow, the samurai watched as the fox suddenly transformed into the shape of a human. This “fox,” the samurai now realized, was actually a kitsune! This realization, however, did him little good when the kitsune took the torch and lit the house on fire. As the flames rose, the samurai finally came into firing distance and drew his bow once more. Before he could loose his arrow, however, the fox spirit returned to its original form and vanished into the nearby woods. The samurai could do nothing but stand by helplessly as he watched his entire house, and everything within it, reduced to ashes.
As for the whole “kitsune eat pituitary glands” thing that they did on the show … I have NO IDEA where the writers of Supernatural got that from. Seriously ... that was a REALLY weird addition.
I do know there has been some scientific research into fox growth hormones in recent years … but seriusly ... I am a mythologist, not a scientist … so I am not even going to TRY touching on that subject.
Thanks, everyone. As always, the support of readers means the world to me.
I will be posting the Mythology of Supernatural, Update #4 sometime over the next couple of days.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Leviathan Pt. 2: The Mythology of Supernatural, Update #1
Hey Folks,
Sorry for not putting this little tidbit in the original post on Leviathan. I knew that there was a mention of Leviathan and Behemoth in the Book of Enoch ... but it took me another day or two to find it. As I have explained in my book, The Mythology of Supernatural, the Enoch text predates all Judeo-Christian writings and was heavily influential in the development of Judaism.
So, without further ado:
“And on that day two monsters shall be parted – one monster, a female named Leviathan in order to dwell in the abyss of the ocean over the fountains of water; and [the second], a male called Behemoth which holds his chest in an invisible desert whose name is Dundayin, east of the garden of Eden." -1 Enoch 60:7-8
You may remember that, in my original blog post about Leviathan, I mentioned how Leviathan and Behemoth were once considered two creatures which joined to create a terrifying monster. Later on the myth was changed when Lilith entered the tradition, and explained how Lilith was mated to Samael after her expulsion from Eden ... and that the joining of these two came to be known as Leviathan (however, I am not sure that the writers of Supernatural are going to follow this part). Notice also that Enoch refers to Leviathan as "female" ... this certainly differs from the traditinal Judaic demonology/lore. However, this may just be an earlier version of the idea that these titanic monsters of old, made by YHVH/God before Humans, some say on the 5th day of Creation, encompassing both destruction & creation (since without destruction there is no creation), existed as a joining of male & female entities. This is in line with early Judaic concepts of the divine male and female, such as Shekinah (which is, more or less, the feminine nature of God ... believed to have been viewed as God's "Wife" at one point in early Semitic traditions).
As for Behemoth, there is lore which claims this titanic monster became drawn to the land, joining his physical form to an "invisible desert" called Dudayin, a place "east of Eden" where no human may dwell.
Well ... that is all for now. If anyone has questions, feel free to post them in the comments.
FYI - Sometime tomorrow, I will be posting links/details on an auction that will be held for a signed copy of The Mythology of Supernatural and a personally handmade Mojo Bag (they will be auctioned together as a set).
Sorry for not putting this little tidbit in the original post on Leviathan. I knew that there was a mention of Leviathan and Behemoth in the Book of Enoch ... but it took me another day or two to find it. As I have explained in my book, The Mythology of Supernatural, the Enoch text predates all Judeo-Christian writings and was heavily influential in the development of Judaism.
So, without further ado:
“And on that day two monsters shall be parted – one monster, a female named Leviathan in order to dwell in the abyss of the ocean over the fountains of water; and [the second], a male called Behemoth which holds his chest in an invisible desert whose name is Dundayin, east of the garden of Eden." -1 Enoch 60:7-8
You may remember that, in my original blog post about Leviathan, I mentioned how Leviathan and Behemoth were once considered two creatures which joined to create a terrifying monster. Later on the myth was changed when Lilith entered the tradition, and explained how Lilith was mated to Samael after her expulsion from Eden ... and that the joining of these two came to be known as Leviathan (however, I am not sure that the writers of Supernatural are going to follow this part). Notice also that Enoch refers to Leviathan as "female" ... this certainly differs from the traditinal Judaic demonology/lore. However, this may just be an earlier version of the idea that these titanic monsters of old, made by YHVH/God before Humans, some say on the 5th day of Creation, encompassing both destruction & creation (since without destruction there is no creation), existed as a joining of male & female entities. This is in line with early Judaic concepts of the divine male and female, such as Shekinah (which is, more or less, the feminine nature of God ... believed to have been viewed as God's "Wife" at one point in early Semitic traditions).
As for Behemoth, there is lore which claims this titanic monster became drawn to the land, joining his physical form to an "invisible desert" called Dudayin, a place "east of Eden" where no human may dwell.
Well ... that is all for now. If anyone has questions, feel free to post them in the comments.
FYI - Sometime tomorrow, I will be posting links/details on an auction that will be held for a signed copy of The Mythology of Supernatural and a personally handmade Mojo Bag (they will be auctioned together as a set).
Monday, September 26, 2011
Leviathan: The Mythology of Supernatural, Update #1
Okay, Supernatural writers … so … you brought out the LEVIATHAN, eh?
My hat is off to you, Supernatural writers. You guys (or girls?) certainly kicked off Season 7 with some seriously “old school” baddies of Judeo-Christian lore.
Let me start by putting at least one thing straight … I have noticed that a lot of people are referring to Leviathan as an “old demon.” However, this would technically only be “half-correct.” Leviathan (a.k.a. “The Slant Serpent”) is definitely old, VERY OLD. Leviathan is so old, in fact, that this gargantuan chunk of beasty was a part of Semitic folklore long before (possibly a couple thousand years before) the concept of demons had even entered into the later Judaic tradition.
The name Leviathan, simply put, refers to one of the original bad boys who occupied the dark side of the cosmic balance in the very first days of the Creation.
Remember this early line from Genesis? (no, not the band … the BOOK): "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
Well … you might say that Leviathan was one of the VERY nasty things that were among “the deep,” a creature of “the void,” a titanic occupant of “the waters” … more or less referring to the primordial waters of creation. And, as any woman who has ever birthed a child could attest … creation can be a violent and frightening occurrence. And we aren’t talking about the birth of just a single human being, here … this was the birth of a pretty big chunk of the cosmos (if not the whole thing). There are a large number of references to Leviathan in demonology. However, the creature’s mentions in biblical texts can be pretty limited or vague by comparison.
So … let’s have a look then, shall we?
First of all, it is important to note that (in Supernatural 07.01) Leviathan entered Castiel out of PURGATORY, not Hell. Since, in the Supernatural mythos, demons are kept in Hell and the souls of monsters are held in Purgatory … this makes sense. Leviathan is not a demon, as I have already stated, but something far older and more along the lines of what Judeo-Christian texts often refer to as the “Serpent of Old.”
So, by this rationale, the use of “sea monster” would definitely seem a fitting description. Leviathan certainly is said to have, at least at one time, dwelled freely in the dark realm of “the deep” and “the waters.”
And remember that whole “Jonah in the Belly of the Whale” story in II Kings (or the Book of Jonah in Judaic texts)? Well … that was no “whale.” Jonah was swallowed by the Leviathan (at God’s/YHVH’s bidding), because he refused to deliver a divine message from the God of the Israelites to the people of Nineveh and had fled his duty as a prophet (at the time, the Israelites were not on very good terms with the people of Nineveh, a powerful Assyrian city in which the Israelites were held captive for a time, around roughly 720 BCE). However, there are some Jewish midrash texts (midrash texts are sort of like commentaries) which claim Jonah was actually swallowed by a giant fish … which was then almost swallowed by Leviathan. These versions of the tale usually state that Jonah avoided being devoured by Leviathan (more or less, avoided being in the belly of a big fish that was itself in the belly of a sea monster) by brandishing the “Seal of Abraham” (which is, more or less, an 8-pointed star). Needless to say, there are some holes in this version of the story ... but that's not really the point.
But why would YHVH send such a frightening and uber-powerful monstrosity to threaten (or swallow, depending on which version you go with) the wayward Jonah? Well … Judeo-Christian tradition states that Leviathan is, after all, but one of the many creations of God/YHVH. In fact, Psalm 104 even gives thanks to YHVH for all of creation, including Leviathan: “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships; there is that Leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.”
And here we have a reference to a later prophecy, with the whole "in due season" part, which is discussed in Isaiah 27:1: “In that day the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the slant serpent, and Leviathan the tortuous serpent; and He will slay the dragon that is in the sea.”
Notice that the above excerpt seems to mention Leviathan as if there is more than one? Well, this is because Leviathan itself is not one entity, but a combination of all the embodiments of the ancient forces of creation & destruction. Depending on the source, Leviathan is said to be a monstrous beast that combines (but is not limited to) such ancient baddies as Samael, Ashmodai, one version of Lilith (see the below excerpt from the book), and Behemoth. Later on in the tradition, however, it must be mentioned that Behemoth and Leviathan came to be viewed as two separate entities. Think of it like this: Behemoth is thought of as a Leviathan, but not as the Leviathan. This is likely due to the fact that the word Leviathan eventually came to be used as a general term for any large sea creature (including whales … hence all the confusion in the Jonah story).
Lastly, the above quote from Isaiah is believed by some religious/myth scholars to have found a place in the apocalyptic Book of Revelation 12:7-12: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon along with his own angels fought them, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in Heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Below is an excerpt from The Mythology of Supernatural, which I have noticed that some people are already quoting on the internet forums … so I figure it is not too big a deal if I post it here. This excerpt discusses Leviathan’s relation to Lilith and his combined nature (FYI – this was written halfway through Season 6 … so I find it interesting that the writers of Supernatural ended up using the concept of Leviathan):
“Judaic demonology and folklore states that it was in the depths of the sea that Lilith became the wife of one of the Four Demon Princes of Hell, Samael, in his form as the ‘Slant Serpent’ Leviathan, to which Lilith became the female version counterpart. The coupling of these two figures came to be called Leviathan, the name by which this creature is now known. During the end times, as written in the Old Testament book of Isaiah 27:1, ‘In that day God, with his mighty sword, shall punish Leviathan the piercing serpent, even Leviathan that Slant Serpent; and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.’”
Okay, I am going to end this post here. However, if anyone has further questions regarding Leviathan, the mythology of the new season, and/or The Mythology of Supernatural, feel free to post them in the comments here on the blog, send them to me on my Twitter page (NatRBrown), or in the “Discussions” section of my Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Nathan-Robert-Brown/e/B002OIHVIK/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
I will keep posting updates each week (and responding to reader questions) for as long as there are updates to post and/or questions to answer.
As always, thanks to you all for your support! Looking forward to seeing where Season 7 takes us!
Nathan R. Brown
My hat is off to you, Supernatural writers. You guys (or girls?) certainly kicked off Season 7 with some seriously “old school” baddies of Judeo-Christian lore.
Let me start by putting at least one thing straight … I have noticed that a lot of people are referring to Leviathan as an “old demon.” However, this would technically only be “half-correct.” Leviathan (a.k.a. “The Slant Serpent”) is definitely old, VERY OLD. Leviathan is so old, in fact, that this gargantuan chunk of beasty was a part of Semitic folklore long before (possibly a couple thousand years before) the concept of demons had even entered into the later Judaic tradition.
The name Leviathan, simply put, refers to one of the original bad boys who occupied the dark side of the cosmic balance in the very first days of the Creation.
Remember this early line from Genesis? (no, not the band … the BOOK): "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”
Well … you might say that Leviathan was one of the VERY nasty things that were among “the deep,” a creature of “the void,” a titanic occupant of “the waters” … more or less referring to the primordial waters of creation. And, as any woman who has ever birthed a child could attest … creation can be a violent and frightening occurrence. And we aren’t talking about the birth of just a single human being, here … this was the birth of a pretty big chunk of the cosmos (if not the whole thing). There are a large number of references to Leviathan in demonology. However, the creature’s mentions in biblical texts can be pretty limited or vague by comparison.
So … let’s have a look then, shall we?
First of all, it is important to note that (in Supernatural 07.01) Leviathan entered Castiel out of PURGATORY, not Hell. Since, in the Supernatural mythos, demons are kept in Hell and the souls of monsters are held in Purgatory … this makes sense. Leviathan is not a demon, as I have already stated, but something far older and more along the lines of what Judeo-Christian texts often refer to as the “Serpent of Old.”
So, by this rationale, the use of “sea monster” would definitely seem a fitting description. Leviathan certainly is said to have, at least at one time, dwelled freely in the dark realm of “the deep” and “the waters.”
And remember that whole “Jonah in the Belly of the Whale” story in II Kings (or the Book of Jonah in Judaic texts)? Well … that was no “whale.” Jonah was swallowed by the Leviathan (at God’s/YHVH’s bidding), because he refused to deliver a divine message from the God of the Israelites to the people of Nineveh and had fled his duty as a prophet (at the time, the Israelites were not on very good terms with the people of Nineveh, a powerful Assyrian city in which the Israelites were held captive for a time, around roughly 720 BCE). However, there are some Jewish midrash texts (midrash texts are sort of like commentaries) which claim Jonah was actually swallowed by a giant fish … which was then almost swallowed by Leviathan. These versions of the tale usually state that Jonah avoided being devoured by Leviathan (more or less, avoided being in the belly of a big fish that was itself in the belly of a sea monster) by brandishing the “Seal of Abraham” (which is, more or less, an 8-pointed star). Needless to say, there are some holes in this version of the story ... but that's not really the point.
But why would YHVH send such a frightening and uber-powerful monstrosity to threaten (or swallow, depending on which version you go with) the wayward Jonah? Well … Judeo-Christian tradition states that Leviathan is, after all, but one of the many creations of God/YHVH. In fact, Psalm 104 even gives thanks to YHVH for all of creation, including Leviathan: “O Lord, how manifold are thy works! In wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is full of thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts. There go the ships; there is that Leviathan, whom thou hast made to play therein. These wait all upon thee; that thou mayest give them their meat in due season.”
And here we have a reference to a later prophecy, with the whole "in due season" part, which is discussed in Isaiah 27:1: “In that day the Lord with His sore and great and strong sword will punish Leviathan the slant serpent, and Leviathan the tortuous serpent; and He will slay the dragon that is in the sea.”
Notice that the above excerpt seems to mention Leviathan as if there is more than one? Well, this is because Leviathan itself is not one entity, but a combination of all the embodiments of the ancient forces of creation & destruction. Depending on the source, Leviathan is said to be a monstrous beast that combines (but is not limited to) such ancient baddies as Samael, Ashmodai, one version of Lilith (see the below excerpt from the book), and Behemoth. Later on in the tradition, however, it must be mentioned that Behemoth and Leviathan came to be viewed as two separate entities. Think of it like this: Behemoth is thought of as a Leviathan, but not as the Leviathan. This is likely due to the fact that the word Leviathan eventually came to be used as a general term for any large sea creature (including whales … hence all the confusion in the Jonah story).
Lastly, the above quote from Isaiah is believed by some religious/myth scholars to have found a place in the apocalyptic Book of Revelation 12:7-12: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon along with his own angels fought them, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in Heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.”
Below is an excerpt from The Mythology of Supernatural, which I have noticed that some people are already quoting on the internet forums … so I figure it is not too big a deal if I post it here. This excerpt discusses Leviathan’s relation to Lilith and his combined nature (FYI – this was written halfway through Season 6 … so I find it interesting that the writers of Supernatural ended up using the concept of Leviathan):
“Judaic demonology and folklore states that it was in the depths of the sea that Lilith became the wife of one of the Four Demon Princes of Hell, Samael, in his form as the ‘Slant Serpent’ Leviathan, to which Lilith became the female version counterpart. The coupling of these two figures came to be called Leviathan, the name by which this creature is now known. During the end times, as written in the Old Testament book of Isaiah 27:1, ‘In that day God, with his mighty sword, shall punish Leviathan the piercing serpent, even Leviathan that Slant Serpent; and He shall slay the dragon that is in the sea.’”
Okay, I am going to end this post here. However, if anyone has further questions regarding Leviathan, the mythology of the new season, and/or The Mythology of Supernatural, feel free to post them in the comments here on the blog, send them to me on my Twitter page (NatRBrown), or in the “Discussions” section of my Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/Nathan-Robert-Brown/e/B002OIHVIK/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
I will keep posting updates each week (and responding to reader questions) for as long as there are updates to post and/or questions to answer.
As always, thanks to you all for your support! Looking forward to seeing where Season 7 takes us!
Nathan R. Brown
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