My Mythological Life

"In the preceding chapters we saw that in atiquity the civilised nations of Western Asian and Egypt pictured to themselves the changes of the seasons, and particularly the annual growth and decay of vegetation, as episodes in the life of gods, whose mournful death and happy resurrection they celebrated with dramatic rites of alternate lamentation and rejoicing." James G. Frazer p. 448

Hint #1:

My family grows crops, vegetation as above mentioned, and are truly joyful when it yeilds large amounts. Not that we are celebrating for the sake of the gods, but we do thank God when a hail storm doesn't wipe out our entire crop. We are definitely distraught when our yeild is poor and it is a tense situation around the house, as I imagine it would be around the village in Western Asia and/or Egypt. I believe that the desire for crops to grow and be healthy has been a constant throughout history. Although agriculture came somewhat later, it is important to note that people have always lived from the land and animals which inhabit it. If the earth yielded nothing, people died. If our crops are poor, we have to live modestly. Mythologically speaking, it is interesting how we rely on the rain and sometimes even pray and curse the heavens when it is withholding its necessary presence. When it does come we say, "Thank God for that." It is notable how humans naturally seek to attribute forces of nature to God or the gods.

"At Eisenach on the fourth Sunday in Lent young people used to fasten a straw-man, representing Death, to a wheel, which they trundled to the top of a hill. Then setting fire to the figure they allowed it and the wheel to roll down the slope." James G. Frazer p. 362

Hint #2:

In my home town we have a hill on which we used to party called "The Knob". This is where the young people gather and burn whatever happens to be handy. We have burned straw in the form of a wicker chair, but most often it is pallets that light the beacon. I am not sure we have burned a dummy in representation of Death, per say, but we have burned pallets in direct defiance of our local co-op owner. I think that any instance of people gathering to stand around a fire is somewhat mythological. I have done this since I can remember whether it be while camping, drinking with friends on a hill, having a barbeque in my front yard, etc. It has forever been ritualistic to stand around a fire in order to conjure a spiritual situation or to call upon dieties in times of need or celebration and I think it is equally mythological to gather around fire to "socialize".

"As might have been expected, the superstitions of the savage cluster thick about the subject of food; and he abstains from eating many animals and plants, wholesome enough in themselves, which for one reason or another he fancies would prove dangerous or fatal to the eater." James G. Frazer pg. 277

Hint #3:

I realize that in some cultures, it is OK to eat horse, but I absolutely refuse, no matter how wholesome it may be. I have had horses as companions for entirely too long to find it acceptable to use them for culinary purposes. The same goes for dogs, I feel my guilt would be too much to handle. Although my reasons for not eating these animals are moral and not out of fear of divine retribution, I beleive similarites may be drawn from my experiences and those of the savages. I am somewhat superstitious, I have to admit. If I were to eat a horse or a dog, I just know that every other animal of that species I met with would detest me. I have always heard that both of these animals are sensitive to human emotions and my disgust at my own actions would be undoubtedly detectable.

How terrible would you feel? Just look at them.