Category: Myths and Fables

THE RISING OF THE PHOENIX – Marilyn Armstrong

FOWC with Fandango — Tattoo

I have one big tattoo of a phoenix on my left calf. I had it put there when I was 55 years old because it described my life better than anything else I could think of. How many times had my life be shattered and somehow, I’d arisen and come back as good or better than before?

I designed the tattoo myself. I didn’t want one that looked like someone else’s. It came out a lot bigger than I expected and over the nearly 20 years since I got it, it has faded considerably. I suppose I should get it “recolored,” but I’ve got enough weird stuff going on with my body so we’ll just let this one drift on the wind.

If you aren’t sure what the story of the Phoenix is, it goes like this:

Short Tale of the Phoenix (Click this link for more)

In the still of the night, just before sunrise, a magnificent creature builds its nest. You stop and watch as it carefully puts each spice, clove, and branch that lay before it in place with meticulous detail. As you stand and watch, you are struck by the tiredness of the creature that is clearly evident – though in no way takes away from its beauty. The sun begins to rise and the bird begins to stretch. Its feathers are a beautiful hue of gold and red – the Phoenix.

It cranes its head back as it sings a haunting melody that stops the sun itself in the sky. A spark falls from the heavens and ignites a great fire that consumes both bird and nest – but not to worry. In three days, the Phoenix will rise from its ashes and be born anew.

This is my Phoenix. It could use more flames and updated color, but I’m fine with its fading and becoming more “me” and less “art.”

 

HOLLIDAY, EARP, AND MASTERSON – Marilyn Armstrong

Everyone knows the story of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and the OK Corral. It’s possibly the most iconic story out of the “wild west.” But there are many more stories yet untold. I’ve been following the trail of this one for a while. Doc Holliday. Wyatt Earp. Bat Masterson.

Afternoon walk - Tombstone

Where did they meet? How did Doc Holliday — legitimately a D.D.S. (Doctor of Dental Surgery) and apparently a good one — wound up best friends with Wyatt Earp and his brothers? How did this polite, educated gentleman become a gunfighter and a gambler? When did Bat Masterson get into the mix?

The "Dodge City Peace Commission", June 1888. (L to R) standing: W.H. Harris, Luke Short, Bat Masterson, W.F. Petillon. Seated: Charlie Bassett, Wyatt Earp, Frank McLain and Neal Brown.
The “Dodge City Peace Commission”, June 1888. (L to R) standing: W.H. Harris, Luke Short, Bat Masterson, W.F. Petillon. Seated: Charlie Bassett, Wyatt Earp, Frank McLain and Neal Brown.

John Henry “Doc” Holliday (August 14, 1851 – November 8, 1887) became a gambler and gunman out of necessity.

Not quite the killer his reputation made him out to be, Doc’s reputation was part truth, mixed with a lot of rumor and publicity. Often credited with killing people he never met, the rumors were fueled by Holliday’s own publicity.

He wasn’t fond of killing people. Being a notorious gunman made it less likely he’d be challenged. He was famous for shooting opponents in the hand or foot, thus ending a duel without killing anyone.

Stagecoach in Tombstone

Doc Holliday was otherwise known as a mild-mannered, well-bred southerner who would have rather been a dentist. Except for being tubercular. Tuberculosis is a career-ender for a dentist.

Exactly how he met the Earp brothers and with which of the many Earps did he connect first? Lots of speculation, but no evidence that can stand up to scrutiny. When and where did Bat Masterson come into the mix?

Bat Masterson is a great character. He pops in and out of the story, shows up in the nick of time to pull someone’s iron out of the fire, then disappears back to his own story. Sounds like a supporting actor Oscar to me.

copy-75-vintage-tombstonenk-005.jpg

The OK Corral has been done to death. Can I convince someone to write this story? No zombies, no werewolves, no vampires. Let’s keep it all human, in the just-before-the-turn-of-the-century west.

Interesting Factoid: Doc Holliday was a cousin by marriage to Margaret Mitchell, author of “Gone With the Wind.”

There is a history for which the facts are known, but we don’t know who said what or when, What we know are the players, dates, and locations. Documentation exists about that, but not about what they really did. Or how they behaved together. Whether they were really friends, or lovers … or casual friends when they happened to meet.

You might as well print the legend.

On the other hand, once you realize the facts don’t form a solid story, you can pick your favorite version of the tale. Or write your own. At some point, when you get into Western mythology, your version might be as good (and as true) as any other.

ARE THE ANTICHRISTS RULING OUR WORLD? – Marilyn Armstrong

In the course of visiting Tom and Ellin, Tom and I decided one night that Donald Trump is the antichrist. Now since neither of us is religious or even tangentially Christian, this might be considered a rather odd conclusion for two effective atheists to reach.

But the thing is, if there is an antichrist, Trump has to be it. I spent some time looking up who and what the antichrist is and it has to be him. Because this is his time. He is alive and busy destroying the world, just like he is supposed to.

In Christian eschatology, the antichrist is someone recognized as fulfilling the Biblical prophecies about one who will oppose Christ and substitute himself in Christ’s place. The term is found five times in the New Testament, solely in the First and Second Epistle of John. Or anyway, that’s what Wikipedia has to say, but biblical study groups have a lot more to say and none of it is good.

This is the man who will bring the end-times. He is definitely working on it. Full time, too. I don’t even think he takes out time to sleep. He’s too busy wrecking the world.

Revelation in the New Testament and the books Daniel, Ezekiel, and Isaiah in the Torah — provide ample fodder for end-time speculation.

From the “beasts” in Daniel and Revelation to the epic battle in Ezekiel, the use of symbolism and metaphor has made practicing prophecy a struggle yet also, a bizarre form of entertainment for some of the more demented among us.

Why not? Every time I watch the news, I feel slightly more demented than I did before. Sometimes I also feel nauseated, but mostly, insane.

The following is a quote, but I honestly couldn’t figure out where it came from. I think it’s a blog, but I couldn’t find a title for it. This is its link and if you are into this stuff, you probably will enjoy reading more of it. It’s not long, but I don’t know who wrote it. If you recognize it as yours, please let me know!

“Trump does fit several of the criteria attached to popular perceptions of the Antichrist. Many earnest sources of apocalyptic speculation, including the best-selling Left Behind series by the late Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins, imagine the Antichrist as a truly modern figure. Although the wildly popular 17-book series, which was published between 1995 and 2007 and has sold over 65 million copies, is fictional, the vision embraced by LaHaye and Jenkins portrays the coming apocalypse as an event where non-believers are forced to reckon with the damage wrought by the Antichrist. Here, the Antichrist is a worldly, charismatic man, often of Eastern European and Jewish heritage, who embraces modern technology and institutions for his own sinister ends. This interpretation, which is common among a large subset of American Evangelicals, believes the Antichrist’s reign — a period known as the “tribulation” — will follow the rapture of true followers of Christ.

It’s easy to extrapolate this to Trump. He’s vainglorious, charismatic (at least in the eyes of some Americans), and obsessed with wealth.

Kushner Companies, a real estate company jointly owned by Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, and Trump, is headquartered at 666 5th Avenue.

Trump, while not Eastern European himself, has a proclivity for Eastern European women and promises better relations with Russia, a country that figures prominently in 20th and 21st-century apocalyptic tales. And while Trump says that his favorite book is the Bible, he did once note that he’s “not sure” as to whether he’s asked God for forgiveness of his sins.”

If he starts asking for forgiveness now, he might never finish the request. There’s so much for which he needs to apologize and ask forgiveness. Since he keeps doing more and more terrible things, he’ll never run out of sins.

There’s a lot of antichrist stuff on the Internet and all you have to do it type “antichrist” into Google and the world of end-times will open up to you.

It doesn’t matter what you believe. Something, nothing, something else, even something no one has yet heard of. It’s pretty easy to fit our prez into the antichrist format. You could actually as easily add Putin or Boris Johnson. They could, in fact, all be in it together. Why not? How bad does it have to get before we believe the real Satan from Hell is running our world? I swear I’ve seen his hoof prints wherever I look. How about you?

I have always been a bit dubious about God … but the King of Evil? He’s easy peasy. About every 50 years, some evil bastard rises up and decides to destroy as much of the world as he can before he is eventually quashed by the rest of the world. But this time, he and they have weapons that literally can end the world and if they don’t do it with weaponry, they can do it by allowing climate change to take the planet and make it unliveable.

One way or the other, it’s not looking good for humans. Oh please, give me a ray of hope. I need one!

MYTH, MAGIC, AND HOUSEKEEPING – Marilyn Armstrong

Last night, I explained to Garry about house-elves. He isn’t a big reader of fantasy, as I am, so some of this stuff hasn’t gnawed at the edges of his consciousness.

I told him if we were to leave milk and cookies out, the little folk would come to our house. Overnight, while we sleep, they would clean, scrub, repair, and cook. Fix the roof. Clear the snow. When we got up the next morning, the coffee would be ready along with delicious, fresh baked goods.

solarized art effect horizontal kitchen

He looked at me. I think he wasn’t sure if he had heard me. “Is this like, real anywhere? Has this actually happened somewhere?”

“No,” I said. “Only in folk tales and myth. And Harry Potter. But wouldn’t it be nice if it were true? We could leave out milk, cookies, and an old pair of socks. Just in case.”

Dobby_the_house_elf

One eyebrow went up. “And something that already lives here would surely eat it. And Bonnie would abscond with the socks. Our kids would be sure to leave us something. Probably not fresh baked goods … or a clean house.”

Just for a second or two, I had him. Myth and magic live. So much better than reality, aren’t they?

AMERICA IN 140 WORDS – Marilyn Armstrong

The original Revolution was mostly about money, like all wars. Especially about taxes on tea, which was huge until we discovered coffee. Also, who should pay what and to whom.

We believed we should keep all the money. King George felt otherwise. We offered to split the difference.

Photo: Garry Armstrong

George said “Hell NO!” So, we fought a war.

France, which was pissed off at England anyway, came with warships and troops. They helped us beat the British, then went home to have their own revolution. We forgot to pay them back for their help.

Oops.

In a later skirmish called “The War of 1812,” the British returned to burn down Washington DC. We survived so that 48 years later, we could fight the unCivil War within this country. I’m not sure we’ve gotten over it yet.

The rest is history.

AN ILLUSION OF THIEVES by CATE GLASS – Marilyn Armstrong

This is a world where magic has been banned. Anyone displaying signs of ability to perform it is drowned, murdered … or worse (yes, there IS worse). Amidst the terror, a group of secret magic users discovers one another. Collectively, they have the talent to do amazing things, though the law forbids it. If they are caught, they will die and likely their entire family with them.

Unlike the author’s earlier writings, this series promises to be ongoing. Somewhat emotionally less intense, it is nonetheless breathtaking in its complexity and originality. Beautifully written. I consumed the book in two long evenings. Give me a week and I probably read it again. Carol Berg, all of whose books I have read as hard copies or on Kindle is — in my opinion — a very underrated fantasy author. She creates characters who, by happenstance, bad luck, politics or some bizarre law, have been beaten down to near nothingness, yet survive, find their power and are greater than before. You cannot steal or crush their greatness.

She hadn’t written anything in a few years and I have been hoping she would emerge with a new set of stories. She has.

Under the new name of Cate Glass, “An Illusion of Thieves” has the feeling of a (hopefully!) long series. A bit more upbeat than earlier works, the story is exciting and highly complex. For the entire book, it’s as if these folks are tiptoeing through a vast minefield where even a minor misstep would mean destruction for all. How many secret magickers live under the constant threat of terror of death and ruin? We can only guess, but I’m sure there are many and laws notwithstanding, many other secret practitioners exist on all levels of society.

If you have not read any other of Carol Berg’s books … well … given the state of our world, could there be a better time to start? She is a wonderful author and I highly recommend all of her books to anyone who enjoys these kinds of stories.

These days — since my eyes are not quite what they were — I prefer audiobooks. I listened to this the day after it was released. All of her previous books I read first in print, either on Kindle or as a hard copy … and later as audiobooks.

Carol Berg’s (Cate Glass) books are not like other fantasy novels. Her characters are not typical fantasy characters. Her stories aren’t long quests to save the world from a dark lord or prince. They are profoundly personal, deep, and sometimes, heartbreaking … yet good in the end, great events. You’ll meet dragons, lords, prisoners, sorcerers and many more. If you’ve been looking for something new — Cate Glass’s new book is a fine start, after which, you can joyfully dig into Carol Berg’s earlier series.

You will not be disappointed.

NOTE: As part two of this prompt — which is prompting me to review this book which I meant to do before now! — I’m including another review of a book by the same author. The secret word is DRAGONS.

RDP Friday: PROMPT – Part 1

BEWARE OF MAN! – Marilyn Armstrong

FOWC – Beware of Man!

Harking back to yesterday’s long discussion of ARE YOUR VALUES WORTH A SONG AND A MOVIE? – Marilyn Armstrong which was based on Fandango’s Provocative Question #18:

Man (as opposed to a woman) should not lead a nation. Men are unsuited to the task. A man can be seduced by the size of a breast or beer.
A woman cannot.

A Talmud Legend relates the remarkable tale of how Alexander the Great searched for and found the gates of Paradise on Earth. Upon his appearance, however, he was not greeted knowingly by the Guardian of the Gate. The story reveals that even the most powerful, well-known or ‘great’ men need to be humbled, just like all of us on Earth need to be.

The legend goes as follows:

Once arriving at the gates of Paradise, Alexander the Great knocked persistently on the doors and demanded to be let inside. An Angel finally came calmly to the entrance and asked ‘Who is there?’

Alexander boldly announced, “It is I, the Great Conqueror and Lord of the Earth. Open the gates.” The Angel (to Alexander’s surprise and disappointment), said “We know him not. This is the Lord’s gate, only the righteous enter here.”

Incapable of persuading the Angel to allow his entrance, Alexander the Great prepared to go. Unwilling to leave the gates without some sort of token for his accomplishment for at least discovering the location of the abode of the just, he bravely asked the Guardian of the Gate for a gift. Granting his wish the Guardian gave him a small valuable item and said, “Take this, may it prove useful unto thee, and teach thee wisdom, more wisdom than thou hast acquired during thy ambitious expeditions and pursuits.”

Realizing the gift was nothing more than a piece of bone, Alexander the Great was angered and threw it down to the ground. An accompanying wise and learned man hastened Alexander to reconsider the value of the gift from the abode of the just and offered to weigh it upon the scales. Alexander allowed the wise man to do so. On one side was placed the small fragment of bone. The other side was filled with gold. No matter how much gold continued to be placed upon the scale, the fragment of bone outweighed it. The more gold put onto the scale, the lower the bone sank.

Confused, Alexander asked what could outweigh the bone. The wise man proceeded to show him and covered the bone with dust from the ground. Instantly, the side of the scale with the fragment flew up.

It was realized, “The bone was that which surrounds the eye of man; the eye of man which naught can satisfy save the dust which covers the grave.”

How, then, can a MAN lead a nation when nothing can satisfy him except his own grave? Beware the greed of man. Beware man and his hormones, his endless need for dominance, his demands for power and proof of his superiority. He will never be enough. He can never have enough.

Beware the creature who is a man!