Tag Archives: Tricksters

A classic trickster woman

Posted on April 28, 2014 by

A blogging friend, Calmgrove, commented on my previous post, saying how strange it is that in modern times, despite an abundance of comediennes, there are no female tricksters. Then it struck me – and it’s so obvious, I can’t believe … Continue reading →

Rate this:

Posted in Culture, humor, Television | Tagged , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Another note on tricksters

Posted on April 27, 2014 by

I want to argue a paradox…that the origins, liveliness, and durability of cultures require that there be space for figures whose function is to uncover and disrupt the very things that cultures are based on. – Lewis Hyde It has … Continue reading →

Rate this:

Posted in Characters, Culture, Folklore, Movies, Myth | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

Thor: The Dark World

Posted on March 24, 2014 by

Sometimes the movies surprise you. On Friday, I saw The Muppets Most Wanted and wished I had waited for the DVD. Sunday I watched Thor: The Dark World on DVD, and was sorry I hadn’t caught it on the big … Continue reading →

Rate this:

Posted in Movies, Myth | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

The North Wind’s Gift: a trickster tale from Italy

Posted on June 19, 2013 by

If you haven’t already done so, I suggest you read the preceding post, Notes on Trickster stories, which provides a background and context for this article.  Both posts were inspired by “The North Wind’s Gift,” a tale from Italo Calvino’s … Continue reading →

Rate this:

Posted in Books, Folklore, Myth, Psychology, Stories | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Notes on Trickster stories

Posted on June 16, 2013 by

Many of you will have heard the old Chinese curse, “May you live in interesting times.”  We do, beyond any question.  With a longstanding interest in folklore, I often find myself wondering which, if any, of the old tales can … Continue reading →

Rate this:

Posted in Animals, Authors, Books, Folklore, Psychology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Go I Know Not Whither, Bring Back I Know Not What – Part 2

Posted on February 8, 2012 by

We left Fedot standing outside a tall mountain at the end of the world.  The ancient frog who had been his companion couldn’t carry him further, but she was able to tell him how to proceed.  She advised him to … Continue reading →

Rate this:

Posted in Myth, oral tradition, Stories | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

A Childhood Story I Have Never Forgotten: The Death of Balder

Posted on May 23, 2011 by

“Like many children, I read to be scared witless, to be less lonely, to believe in other possibilities.” – Amy Tan When I was young, I spent hours devouring a ten volume set of stories and poems called, Journeys Through … Continue reading →

Rate this:

Posted in Myth, Stories | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments