Stories!

JOGAH
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Jogah are small spirit-folk (similar to faeries) in Iroquois mythology. They represent aspects of nature, and are split into various groups based on their relation to the world: the Gahonga are the jogah of rocks and rivers, the Gandayah make the Earth fertile and the Odhows control the spirits of the underworld, preventing them from rising to the surface of the Earth.

TO A YOUNG POET
By Mahmoud Darwish





























— Translated by Fady Joudah

More on this and the poet at the Poetry Foundation website

Nothing is impossible for the man who doesn't have to do it himself.

-A. H. Weiler.

Haamiah -- an angel of the order of powers. Haamiah dominates religious cults and "protects all those who seek the truth." His corresponding angel (in the cabala) is Serucuth. For Haamiah's sigil, see Ambelain, La Kabbale Pratique, pg. 281

Book: A Dictionary of Angels (including the fallen angels)
Author: Gustav Davidson
Page 131

Maona (Winnebago) creator, earth maker.

Book: 35,000 Baby Names
Author: Bruce Lansky
Page: 391
Section: Boys

The Chariot VII

Thoth Tarot Deck

From this site:

VII - The Chariot
Path of Cheth 18 in the Tree of Life Mars in connection with Sun or Mercur; Mars as symbol of enforcement combines with Sun as symbol for will or Mercur as the symbol of the way
Zodiac: Cancer
Tree of life: The way from Binah to Geburah
Element: Water
Number: 7 as the number of earthly and divine harmony (3+4), destiny, motion

The Chariot stands for combined powers, ready to move forward. It represents the dynamic principle and the human will to proceed, the ability to use the powers of life and keep the outer and inner balance.

The Chariot shows a strong will, a strong personality, and at its best, victory and success. But it also is a symbol for controversial power, for contradictions that are not solved, but just controlled. In this, the trump also warns of overestimation and recklessness. With every new venture or beginning one should check carefully whether the desired goal is compatible with one's life and inner self.

Additionally, the Chariot is a symbol for the armor we build up when moving forward in the process of self-assertion. It also alludes to the danger that we might mix this armour with our actual personality.

So a negative aspect of the Chariot might involve understanding that the way of armed power isn't always the right one, that the controversial power inside may to be reconciled with one other, and not just controlled and surpressed.


Drive: The will to conquer, courage, victory

Light: The awakening of powers, the way ahead, searching and finding one's place in life

Shadow: Megalomania, insensivity, running against walls

The Slaying of the Tanuki

From the Japanische Murchen und Sagen.

Near a big river, and between two high mountains, a man and his wife lived in a cottage a long, long time ago. A dense forest lay all round the cottage, and there was hardly a path or a tree in the whole wood that was not familiar to the peasant from his boyhood. In one of his wanderings he had made friends with a hare, and many an hour the two passed together, when the man was resting by the roadside, eating his dinner.

Now this strange friendship was observed by the Tanuki, a wicked, quarrelsome beast, who hated the peasant, and was never tired of doing him an ill turn. Again and again he had crept to the hut, and finding some choice morsel put away for the little hare, had either eaten it if he thought it nice, or trampled it to pieces so that no one else should get it, and at last the peasant lost patience, and made up his mind he would have the Tanuki's blood.

So for many days the man lay hidden, waiting for the Tanuki to come by, and when one morning he marched up the road thinking of nothing but the dinner he was going to steal, the peasant threw himself upon him and bound his four legs tightly, so that he could not move. Then he dragged his enemy joyfully to the house, feeling that at length he had got the better of the mischievous beast which had done him so many ill turns. 'He shall pay for them with his skin,' he said to his wife. 'We will first kill him, and then cook him.' So saying, he hanged the Tanuki, head downwards, to a beam, and went out to gather wood for a fire.

Meanwhile the old woman was standing at the mortar pounding the rise that was to serve them for the week with a pestle that made her arms ache with its weight. Suddenly she heard something whining and weeping in the corner, and, stopping her work, she looked round to see what it was. That was all that the rascal wanted, and he put on directly his most humble air, and begged the woman in his softest voice to loosen his bonds, which her hurting him sorely. She was filled with pity for him, but did not dare to set him free, as she knew that her husband would be very angry. The Tanuki, however, did not despair, and seeing that her heart was softened, began his prayers anew. 'He only asked to have his bonds taken from him,' he said. 'He would give his word not to attempt to escape, and if he was once set free he could soon pound her rice for her.' 'Then you can have a little rest,' he went on, 'for rice pounding is very tiring work, and not at all fit for weak women.' These last words melted the good woman completely, and she unfastened the bonds that held him. Poor foolish creature! In one moment the Tanuki had seized her, stripped off all her clothes, and popped her in the mortar. In a few minutes more she was pounded as fine as the rice; and not content with that, the Tanuki placed a pot on the hearth and made ready to cook the peasant a dinner from the flesh of his own wife!

When everything was complete he looked out of the door, and saw the old man coming from the forest carrying a large bundle of wood. Quick as lightning the Tanuki not only put on the woman's clothes, but, as he was a magician, assumed her form as well. Then he took the wood, kindled the fire, and very soon set a large dinner before the old man, who was very hungry, and had forgotten for the moment all about his enemy. But when the Tanuki saw that he had eaten his fill and would be thinking about his prisoner, he hastily shook off the clothes behind a door and took his own shape. Then he said to the peasant, 'You are a nice sort of person to seize animals and to talk of killing them! You are caught in your own net. It is your own wife that you have eaten, and if you want to find her bones you have only to look under the floor.' With these words he turned and made for the forest.

The old peasant grew cold with horror as he listened, and seemed frozen to the place where he stood. When he had recovered himself a little, he collected the bones of his dead wife, buried them in the garden, and swore over the grave to be avenged on the Tanuki. After everything was done he sat himself down in his lonely cottage and wept bitterly, and the bitterest thought of all was that he would never be able to forget that he had eaten his own wife.

While he was thus weeping and wailing his friend the hare passed by, and, hearing the noise, pricked up his ears and soon recognised the old man's voice. He wondered what had happened, and put his head in at the door and asked if anything was the matter. With tears and groans the peasant told him the whole dreadful story, and the hare, filled with anger and compassion, comforted him as best he could, and promised to help him in his revenge. 'The false knave shall not go unpunished,' said he.

So the first thing he did was to search the house for materials to make an ointment, which he sprinkled plentifully with pepper and then put in his pocket. Next he took a hatchet, bade farewell to the old man, and departed to the forest. He bent his steps to the dwelling of the Tanuki and knocked at the door. The Tanuki, who had no cause to suspect the hare, was greatly pleased to see him, for he noticed the hatchet at once, and began to lay plots how to get hold of it.

To do this he thought he had better offer to accompany the hare, which was exactly what the hare wished and expected, for he knew all the Tanuki's cunning, and understood his little ways. So he accepted the rascal's company with joy, and made himself very pleasant as they strolled along. When they were wandering in this manner through the forest the hare carelessly raised his hatchet in passing, and cut down some thick boughs that were hanging over the path, but at length, after cutting down a good big tree, which cost him many hard blows, he declared that it was too heavy for him to carry home, and he must just leave it where it was. This delighted the greedy Tanuki, who said that they would be no weight for him, so they collected the large branches, which the hare bound tightly on his back. Then he trotted gaily to the house, the hare following after with his lighter bundle.

By this time the hare had decided what he would do, and as soon as they arrived, he quietly set on fire the wood on the back of the Tanuki. The Tanuki, who was busy with something else, observed nothing, and only called out to ask what was the meaning of the crackling that he heard. 'It is just the rattle of the stones which are rolling down the side of the mountain,' the hare said; and the Tanuki was content, and made no further remarks, never noticing that the noise really sprang from the burning boughs on his back, until his fur was in flames, and it was almost too late to put it out. Shrieking with pain, he let fall the burning wood from his back, and stamped and howled with agony. But the hare comforted him, and told him that he always carried with him an excellent plaster in case of need, which would bring him instant relief, and taking out his ointment he spread it on a leaf of bamboo, and laid it on the wound. No sooner did it touch him than the Tanuki leapt yelling into the air, and the hare laughed, and ran to tell his friend the peasant what a trick he had played on their enemy. But the old man shook his head sadly, for he knew that the villain was only crushed for the moment, and that he would shortly be revenging himself upon them. No, the only way every to get any peace and quiet was to render the Tanuki harmless for ever. Long did the old man and the hare puzzle together how this was to be done, and at last they decided that they would make two boats, a small one of wood and a large one of clay. Then they fell to work at once, and when the boats were ready and properly painted, the hare went to the Tanuki, who was still very ill, and invited him to a great fish-catching. The Tanuki was still feeling angry with the hare about the trick he had played him, but he was weak and very hungry, so he gladly accepted the proposal, and accompanied the hare to the bank of the river, where the two boats were moored, rocked by the waves. They both looked exactly alike, and the Tanuki only saw that one was bigger than the other, and would hold more fish, so he sprang into the large one, while the hare climbed into the one which was made of wood. They loosened their moorings, and made for the middle of the stream, and when they were at some distance from the bank, the hare took his oar, and struck such a heavy blow at the other boat, that it broke in two. The Tanuki fell straight into the water, and was held there by the hare till he was quite dead. Then he put the body in his boat and rowed to land, and told the old man that his enemy was dead at last. And the old man rejoiced that his wife was avenged, and he took the hare into his house, and they lived together all their days in peace and quietness upon the mountain.

Book: The Pink Fairy Book
Author: Various, edited by Andrew Lang
Page: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/5615/5615-h/5615-h.htm#link2H_4_0007

School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences

The École des hautes études en sciences sociales (French for "School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences"; EHESS) is a leading French institution for research and higher education, a Grand Établissement. Its mission is research and research training in the social sciences, including the relationship these latter maintain with the natural and life sciences. The EHESS is located in central Paris , with some other research centres and teams based in Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse. Many of France's greatest scientists in Humanities are professors ("Directeurs d'études") there.

NIXIE
Teutonic

The Nixie is a freshwater femme fatale amphibian. Like the mermaid she has the characteristic profile of breasts and fish tail. But watch for some odd features here. She has been said to be completely green: skin, hair, and teeth. She has even been sighted from time to time as a gray horse (these may be misreported Kelpie sightings). She is often found in the mill pond. Unlike the traditional mermaid, the Nixie always dwells very close to and mingles with the human communities.

Lore

The Nixie can usually be distinguished from a mermaid because she is a shopper. Because of this habit, she is often found in town, where a mermaid would never travel. She is sometimes seen in the marketplace in the guise of an old woman. How can one tell if it's a Nixie and not a new neighbor? The discovery is usually made when somebody, a child or a clever villager, raises the hem of her long skirt slightly, exposing her fish tail. She also drips fresh water behind her, leaving a telltale trail of wetness in the marketplace for some observant human witness.

Aside from shopping, the Nixie loves to dance. As a frequent visitor to village dances, she always appears in the guise of an attractive young woman. There she entices many a victim and lures them home to a nearby millstream. In pagan times, she was given at least one sacrifice a year, so now she takes her own as her due. In fact, rescuing a drowning person can often cause a reprisal by the Nixie (who feels understandably unhappy about the food loss and disrespect). She expects to be propitiated, not scorned.

The Nixie can live on land for extended periods; she has been known to marry a mortal man, and even to raise an entire family. However, these long absences present problems among her original water demon kin, who sometimes come to claim her. Whenever a young wife vanishes, it is certain she was a Nixie if she is last seen sinking into a body of water, and the water turns the color of blood. These occurrences are not infrequent as the Nixie often chooses human mates to propagate her species, and her frequent intermingling has caused much talk of changelings. (See Changeling in Domicile.)

The male of the species is the Nokk. He lives in lakes, ponds, rivers, and waterfalls. He resembles an old man with green eyes, huge ears, and a long wet beard. The Nokk drags people down, especially small children if they play too close to the edge of the water or attempt to pick water lilies. He is most dangerous after sunset, and to see or hear the Nokk means someone will drown. He is often heard shrieking during shipwrecks. The Nokk often takes the shape of a bird that perches on the surface of the water. He has also been seen as a horse or half a horse, also as half a ship, or a gleaming silver coin or ring. The Nokk plays music on a golden harp to lure his victim closer if his precious-object disguise doesn't work.

Dispelling & Disarming Techniques

Travelers who may need to drink water inhabited by a Nokk spit in it first to avert harm. In Sweden, when planning to go swimming, first throw a steel knife or scissors into the water and say: "Nokk, Nokk, needle thief, thou art on the land, but I am in the water." Conversely, when emerging say: "Nokk, Nokk, needle thief, I am on land, and thou art in the water."

Like many demons, the Nokk loses his power when called by name. The best prevention against the Nokk is to say his name three times: Nokk, Nokk, Nokk. It may sound oddly familiar, but it is not followed by "Who's there?" and it works.

Book: A Field Guide to Demons, Fairies, Fallen Angels, and Other Subversive Spirits
Author: Carol K. Mack and Dinah Mack
Page: 32