“Adam steals the apple of wisdom and is then punished by God”

I think you misred the “myth”. Re-read, highly advisable. It certainly didn’t give man much (if any) wisdom. He’s still on the rampage - stealing, killing and being dishonest.

I am very pleased that you chose to post a Circassian myth, I will be contacting you for more of the same genre. Thank you.

One day Lady Satanay came across a beautiful flower behind a forest pit on the bank of the Kuban (Pshize in Hetiqwey, Psizch in Kabardian. Literally: the Great River).

- “I will plant this exquisite flower at the threshold of our house so that those who see it are filled with wonder, and will marvel at its sight!” she said, and brought it back home, it is said.

She planted the flower. Next day she looked at it: its leaves had wilted - the flower had withered. This made Lady Satanay very sad indeed.

One day she brought back another flower of the self-same kind. “This once I hope it will escape the fate of its sister,” she said, then again she planted it in her front garden. Again, this one also drooped and dried.

She brought back another plant. “Unlike its predecessors this one will not dry,” she said, and planted it at the threshold. This one’s leaves also wilted.

“Why didn’t I leave it to grow in the forest pit,” she said in regret. Suddenly, dark clouds gathered, and it began to rain cats and dogs. Next day she looked: Lady Satanay’s flower revived.

Lady Satanay became very happy. The rainwater had breathed life into the flower. Henceforth, mankind came to appreciate the benefits of water. “Water is equivalent to the soul,” said the Narts.

Interesting thought; is there really one single big brain that we all share, only in bits and pieces, now as well as in ancient times? This is something that I’ll definitely be looking for more thoughts about.

First off, allow me to welcome you to my Box. I sincerely hope what I have put up in this place strikes your fancy.

You are right, most myths can be very useful in trying to understand or underline certain timeless human qualities. This is one of the reasons I enjoy mythology as much as I do, and I am doing what I can to spread this passion. I am glad you have gone over previous entries in Share a Myth series, and I must say that Prometheus is also my favorite, so far.

Batir Wardam,

There are striking similarities between creation myths in general, one that I have so noticed that I was about to launch a series of entries studying that “phenomenon”. In most myths I have read, there is always the global flood and the ark, and it is related in such a way that is unbelieveably close.

It is really amazing, and yes, I have to admit that the thought you refer to in the last two lines has crossed my mind. But I was not convinced by it after much debates with myself.

It really poses an important question other than proposing that “divine religions are a human cultural product”, could it be -and I am sure this has been handled before, I bring no novelty- that the human mind is so incapable of originality that exceeds the limits of the collective “abilities” of the whole race of Mankind? I mean, is there really one single big brain that we all share, only in bits and pieces, now as well as in ancient times?

Muhammad

Thanks for sharing them. I’ll make sure to read your old “Mythical” posts… oh Tololus of Ammanus :-)