Where did people come from? - Greece

Stories on the origin of people differ depending on the source.

According to the Greek mythology, people were already on the planet Earth when the gods were fighting for the rule over the world. The stories of where humans came from were many. Some said they came straight from the earth; others that mountains and forests gave birth to people. There were also theories that they came from the the gods.

Most popular in the Greek mythology is, however, story of Prometheus. Prometheus was one of the Tytans. He made a first man from clay and tears. Human soul came from the spark of the chariot of the sun.
First people were weak and naked; they could not defend themselves from the wild animals or the cold. Prometheus sneaked into the heavens and stole fire from the gods. People now used the fire to keep warm and defend themselves from the wild beasts. Good Tytan was teaching people how to wisely use fire and how to fend for themselves.

Gods in the Olympus did not like this and decided to create a woman. Her name was Pandora. But this is another story...

Typhon; the last son of Gaia - Greece

This myth is a continuation to the previous one about the fight between the gods and the giants.

Basically, when Gaia (Mother Earth) found out what happened to her children (giants), she gave birth to the biggest monster anyone ever seen. His name was Typhon. From head to groin he was a giant human and at the bottom; instead of legs; he had snakes' bodies.
When the gods of the Olympus saw him, they got scared and escaped to Egypt where they changed themselves into animals. Only Zeus faced the monster.
He hurt Typhon with his metal sickle. The giant was bleeding so badly that the mountains where he was became red. Since then they were called 'Blood Mountains'. When Typhon was very weak, Zeus thrown Sicily island on top of him. Every time Typhon is trying to get out of his prison sicilian earth is shaking and smoke is coming from the volcano (Etna).

I find very interesting myths like this one. They are evocative way of explaining natural events such as volcano eruptions or - in this case - the colour of the mountains. Ancient Greeks didn't know geography like we do today but they still found a way to explain these phenomenons. Every area has myths like this one. Isn't it fascinating to find out what explanations there are to the unusual formations or events near you?

Heracles - Greece

Now, that we have creation of the world behind us, comes the time for some heroes. I though that Heracles is a good one to start with. Being half human and half god, he was the only one that could fight the giants. Listen to this story:

Soon after Zeus took over the rule of Olympus, the giants attacked the gods wanting to gain the power. They were throwing mountains and making a wall that would take them to the Olympus. Some of the gods got scared. Giants were attacking them with the massive rocks; those rocks that did not reach Olympus would fall into the sea and were turning into islands. Zeus looked into to the book of destiny and found out that only a human can kill the giants.
Athena brought in Heracles who managed to kill most of the giants with his arrows. Those who survived were scared off by the Dionysus and his army of roaring donkeys.
Only one giant stayed behind on the field. His name was Alcyoneus. He was not afraid of any weapons as long as he could touch the place where he was born. Touching his birthplace would immediately heal all his wounds. Heracles kidnapped him, took him far away from his country and killed him.

What an interesting myth. Despite all the fighting it has a couple of poetic touches. For example, explanation on how the mountains / rocks that had fallen into the sea became islands.

I was thinking that writing all the time about one region might be a little bit boring. I couldn't resist and last week  I bought a book on celtic myths and legends. Maybe I can choose a couple of them in April? What do you think?

Birth of the World - Greece

At the beginning there was Chaos, great abyss from which the first couple emerged. Their names were Uranus (Father Sky) and Gaia (Mother Earth). Their children were Titans, Hekatonheires (one-hundred-armed giants) and Cyclopes (one eyed giants). Uranus wasn't happy with the latter two groups of his children and decided to send them down to Tartarus (place of permanent night); to the place from which there was no return. When Gaia found out about this, she asked her youngest Titan son – Cronos - to avenge his brothers and sisters. Young Titan cut off his father’s testicles and pushed him off the  heavenly throne. Cronos became the new king. Along with his wife, Rhea (also his sister) he ruled over the emerging earth. He was very suspicious and strict ruler. His father warned him that his son will remove him from the throne. Therefore every time Rhea had given birth to a baby, Cronos would eat it. He has eaten five babies already, when his wife decided to use a trick against him. After giving birth to their sixth child, instead of a baby, she gave him a stone wrapped in the cloth. Cronos swallowed it thinking it was a baby. The saved child was a boy. His name was Zeus. Rhea took him to Earth and left under the care of mountain nymphs. When Zeus became a man, he started the war against his father. He asked his mother, Rhea, to give Cronos something that will make him vomit. Three sisters and two brothers came from Cronos’s insides. They were Hades, Poseidon, Hera, Demeter and Hestia – Zeus’s siblings. The war between father and son was long and cruel, but finally Cronos had fallen and Zeus took over the rule of the Olympus.

This myth describes the birth of the world emerging from nothingness. The first couple appears and it gives the beginning to the whole new nation of gods. Of course, from the very beginning there are suspicions and lack of trust amongst them. Powerful fathers destroy their own children either because they are displeased with their looks; or are afraid of losing the power. Wives oppose their husbands and convince the sons to fight their fathers. This new world is already full or evil and hate.

This story does not answer one important question: Where did the first couple really come from?

What is the difference between myth and legend?

I was thinking I should set some things clear at the beginning; before I set to fulfil my challenge.
Myths and legends seem to be the same things but they differ slightly.

I did a little research and found out that legends are the stories based on the true event from the past which have been passed through generations. There usually is a real hero. On the other hand, myths are stories created by people in order to teach or explain certain facts or events (such as natural disasters or religious questions).
There are also folktales - stories passed from one generation to the next in the spoken form.

I am interested here in all these forms (and more). I'm setting off with Greek and Roman myths, then moving on to polish legends and folktales. Strange combination, I know, but this is what I currently have on my bookshelves. The collection will hopefully expand and I will be able to ponder on the stories from other regions,too. Any suggestions are welcome.

The challenge starts here!