In the earlier ages everything in nature had its myth. We have been too practical and too full of haste in these latter days to listen to nature or to myths, but let us inspire the children to do so. Who among us has not regretted his lack of knowledge of some mythical person, in song, picture, or story?
The greater number of ways in which a truth is presented to the child, the stronger the impression that truth makes upon him. Music, painting, sculpture, architecture, and language, written or spoken, have each told the story of the sun and its glorious power over earthly creatures.
Each nation has its myth concerning the sun's personality. Some may have adapted or adopted those of other nations; some may have originated their own theory to explain the origin of the heat and light which come from the apparent ruler of the skies. The myth is preserved through the ages, and the child in the school perceives its beauty, while he understands as well as his teacher its impossibility.
Let the plain scientific truths of the latest researches be given first. Then the fable, or folklore, or former explanation which once vouched for the origin of the sun, moon, or stars, or other natural objects, seems to the children like their own childish fancies about things unknown.
The story should follow, if possible, a tale or lesson on the subject of the myth. If the children have already had the scientific truths given them, then the myth serves as a reminder of facts already learned.
The special directions are merely suggestive. Teachers will supplement
them or substitute others at their pleasure.
SUGGESTIONS FOR THE LESSON ON PHAETON.
Secure, if possible, before the reading of the story of Phaeton, a good plaster cast or marble bust of Apollo, or some reproduction of the Aurora of Guido Reni. Show a picture of the temple of Apollo, if one can be obtained; let the children understand how much a part of the life of the Greek was this belief in Apollo's power and Apollo's beauty. The child will then begin to understand how much the ancients strove after beauty in all things.
The Indian, African, and Chinese all have their stories of the origin of light and heat, and history and geography may assist in this lesson on Phaeton.
Sprinkle water on the window sill, and notice its disappearance, caused by the heat of sunshine or of the room. Ask for the reason of a similar loss of water in the street, road, or river. What is the sun's color? What is the color of fire? What is the sun's effect on ice and snow, on vegetable and animal life? Does it work quietly? Is great power usually quiet?
Lower the shades in the schoolroom. Why is it dark? Close the eyes. Why is it dark? What is darkness? What causes dark or dull days? What shapes do clouds take? Are they ever like horses, cattle, sheep, or swans? Is the sun somewhere always shining? Are clouds like curtains? Paint or draw a sunrise or sunset.
Notice a rainbow, when possible, and form one with a prism in the schoolroom. What colors of the prism are shown most in sunset or sunrise? Are all shown each time? How many have seen the same colors on a soap bubble or elsewhere? Mention some other name of the sun, as Sol; the derivation of Sunday; the effect of the sun on the seasons. Describe spring, summer, autumn, and winter as persons. Is the sun king of the hours, the days, the months, and the years? Did the ancients know the real truth concerning the distance, size, and nightly disappearance of the sun? Where is the Great Bear? The Little Bear? Do you think the ancient Greeks really believed the story of Phaeton?
Reproduce it orally after reading.
Each myth may be developed in a similar way.
The following list is given as containing many books which will be helpful for reference or study, as indicating the sources of myths and the customs of the ancients, and as supplying an extended account of any mythical person or object referred to in this volume.
While each book is considered valuable, those marked with a star are especially compact, concise, and helpful to readers who can have access to but few books, and that by purchase.
GREEK AND ROMAN MYTHS.
"Age of Fable," compiled by Thomas Bulfinch. McKay, Philadelphia $1 25
"Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography, Mythology, and Geography." D. Appleton & Co., New York. Half morocco 6 00
"The Mythology of Greece and Rome," with special reference to its use in art, Oscar Seeman. American Book Company, New York 60
"Harper's Dictionary of Classical Literature and Antiquities," edited by Harry Thurston Peck. Harper Bros., New York, 1 vol. 6 00 2 vols. 7 00
"Seiffert's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities," from the German of Oskar Seiffert. The Macmillan Co., New York 3 00
"Makers," by John Fiske. Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston 2 00
"The Classic Myths in English Literature," by C.M. Gayley. Ginn & Co., Boston 1 50
"Myths of Greece and Rome," narrated with special reference to literature and art, by H.A. Guerber. American Book Company, New York 1 50
"The Heroes," by Charles Kingsley. Several publishers; various prices.
"The Queen of the Air," by John Ruskin. Several publishers; various prices.
NORSE MYTHS.
"Myths of Northern Lands," by H.A. Guerber. American Book Company, New York 1 50
"Norse Mythology, or the Religion of Our Forefathers," by R.B. Anderson. Scott, Foresman & Co., Chicago 2 50
"Dr. Wilhelm Wagner's Asgard and the Gods, a Manual of Norse Mythology," edited by W.W. Macdowall. Sonnenshein & Co., London, England 2 00
RUSSIAN MYTHS.
"The Hero of Esthonia," and other studies in the romantic literature of that country, compiled by W.F. Kirby. John C. Nimmo, London, England. 2 vols. 6 00
"Selections from the Kalevala, the Epic Poem of Finland." Henry Holt, New York 1 50
This epic is in the same measure as Longfellow's "Hiawatha," and is interesting to all those who enjoy that poem.
OLDEST EGYPTIAN TALES.
"Egyptian Tales, Translated from the Papyri." Frederick A. Stokes & Co., New York. 2 vols., each 1 50
These tales are interesting from their evident
antiquity and from the insight they give as to
ancient Egyptian customs.
The following key explains the symbols which are used in the pronouncing index to indicate the pronunciation of the words. It is based upon the 1900 edition of Webster's International Dictionary:
a- as in pref' ace.
a- as in add.
a- as in air.
a- as in far.
a- as in grass.
a- as in all.
e- as in eve.
e- as in e-vent'.
e- as in end.
e- as in her.
i- as in ice.
i- as in i-de' a.
i- as in pin.
o- as in row.
o- as in o-bey'.
o- as in not.
o- as in lord.
u- as in use.
u- as in u-nite'.
u- as in up.
u- as in furl.
u- as in rude.
u- as in full.
y- as in fly.
y- as in pit' y.
oo- as in moon.
oo- as in good.
ou- as in out.
oi- as in oil.
n=ng as in ink.
Silent letters are italicized. Certain vowels, as aand e, when obscured, are also italicized.
A
Adonis (a do' nis). A youth famed for his beauty
and beloved by Venus.
Aeneas (e ne' as). A valiant Trojan warrior.
Aeolus (e' o lus). The king of the winds.
Aetna (et'na). The chief mountain in Sicily and
highest volcano in Europe. It figures in Greek
mythology as the burning mountain.
ambrosia (am bro' zha). The fabled food of the gods,
which conferred immortality upon those who
partook of it.
Ammon (am' mun). The Egyptian Jupiter, or supreme god.
ancient (an' shent). Old; antique.
anemone (a nem' o ne) The windflower.
Antaeus (an te' us). The son of the sea and earth, or
of Neptune and Terra.
Apollo (a pol' lo). The god of the sun.
Ares (a' rez). The Greek name for Mars.
Argo (ar' go). The ship in which Jason sailed.
Argus (ar' gus). A mythical person with a hundred
eyes, set by Juno to watch Io.
Asgard (as' gard). The home of the Northern gods.
Athena (a the' na). The Greek name for Minerva.
Athens (ath' enz). A city in Greece.
Atlas (at' las). The giant who bears up the sky on
his shoulders.
Aurora (a ro' ra). The goddess of the dawn.
B
Bacchus (bak' kus). The god of wine.
Baldur (bal'der). Son of Woden and brother of
Thor. The god of summer.
Baucis (ba' sis). The wife of Philemon.
Bellerophon (bel ler' o fon). The son of Glaucus. The
youth who slew the chimera.
Briareus (bri a' re us). A famous giant, fabled to
have a hundred arms.
Byrgir (byr' gir). The well to which Hjuki went for water.
C
Cadmus (kad' mus). Son of a king of Phoenicia, said
to be the inventor of letters.
caldron (kal' drun). A large metal kettle.
Castor (kas' tor). Twin brother of Pollux, noted for
his skill in managing horses.
Celeus (se' le us). A king of Eleusis, father of
Triptolemus. He gave a kind reception to Ceres,
who taught his son the cultivation of the earth.
Ceres (se' rez). The goddess of grains and fruits.
chamois (sham' my). A small species of antelope of
remarkable agility.
chimera (ki me' ra). A fabulous monster in Lycia,
which was slain by Bellerophon.
Clio (kli' o). The muse of history.
Clymene (kli me' ne). Mother of Phaeton.
Clytie (kli' ti e). The maiden who was changed into
a sunflower.
Cupid (ku' pid). The god of love, possessing eternal
youth, son of Mars and Venus.
D
Daedalus (ded' a lus). The builder of the Cretan labyrinth.
Daphne (daf' ne). A nymph beloved by Apollo.
Diana (di a' na). Goddess of the moon, twin sister
of Apollo.
dolphin (dol' fin). Large sea fish.
E
Echo (ek' o). A nymph who pined away until nothing
was left but her voice.
Epimetheus (ep' i me' the us). The Titan who made
man and the lower animals.
F
fagots (fag' utz). Twigs.
Fensalir (fen sa ler'). The home of Frigga.
forget-me-not (for get'-me-not). A small herb bearing
a blue flower, and considered the emblem of
fidelity.
Frigga (frig' ga). The supreme goddess of the Northland,
wife of Woden.
G
Gemini (jem' i ni). A constellation containing the
two bright stars, Castor and Pollux.
Gordius (gor' di us). A peasant who, by direction of
an oracle, was proclaimed King of Phrygia.
Great Bear (great bear). The name often given to
the stars forming the Big Dipper, or Charles'
Wain.
H
Halcyone (hal si' o ne). A daughter of Aeolus, who,
for love of her drowned husband, threw herself
into the sea and was changed into the kingfisher.
Hela (hel' a). The ruler of the land of death.
Helicon (hel' i kon). Famous mountain of Greece.
Hercules (her' ku lez). The most famous hero of
Greek mythology, son of Zeus or Jupiter.
Hermod (her' mod). A hero of Norse mythology,
and a brother of Baldur.
Hjuki (ju' ki). Jack, the boy who went with Bil, or
Jill, for water.
Hodur (ho' der). The blind god who threw the fatal
branch of mistletoe at Baldur. The god of winter.
I
Icarus (ik' a rus). A son of Daedalus.
Iobates (i ob' a tez). The King of Lycia.
Iris (i' ris). Juno's maid, a personification of the
rainbow.
J
Jason (ja' sun). A prince of Thessaly, who brought
away from Colchis the golden fleece.
Juno (ju' no). The wife of Jupiter.
Jupiter (ju' pi ter). In Roman mythology, the supreme
god of heaven.
L
laboratory (lab' o ra to ry). The workroom of a chemist.
Latin (lat' in). The language of the ancient Romans.
Latona (la to' na). The wife of Jupiter and the
mother of Apollo and Diana.
Leda (le' da). The mother of Castor and Pollux, and
of Helen of Troy.
Lindu (lin' du). A maiden who had charge of the
birds, identified with the Milky Way.
Loki (lo' ki). The god who caused Hodur to throw
the fatal branch of mistletoe at Baldur. The god of fire.
M
Mani (ma' ni). The Norse god of the moon.
Mars (marz). The Roman god of war.
Mercury (mer' ku ry). The Roman god of commerce
and gain. Personification of the wind, which
fills the sails of merchant-vessels.
Midas (mi' das). Son of Gordius and King of Phrygia.
Minerva (mi ner' va). The goddess of wisdom.
Mount Olympus (o lim' pus). The home of Jupiter
and the Greek gods.
N
Narcissus (nar sis' sus). A beautiful youth, who was
changed into the flower narcissus.
nectar (nek' ter). The drink of the gods.
Neptune (nep' tune). The ruler of the sea.
Norwegian (nor we' ji an). A native of Norway.
O
Odin (o' din). The same as Woden.
Olympian (o lim' pi an). Pertaining to Olympus, the
seat of the gods.
Orion (o ri' on). A giant hunter, whose name was
given to a constellation.
Orpheus (or' fe us). A poet and musician, who with
his sweet lyre charmed the very rocks and trees
to follow him.
P
Pactolus (pak to' lus). A river of Lydia.
Pegasus (peg' a sus). A winged horse belonging to
Apollo and the Muses.
Perdix (per' diks). The nephew of Daedalus; changed
by Athena into a partridge.
Phaeton (fa' e ton). A son ot Apollo.
Phenice (fe ni' se). Phoenicia; Tyre and Sidon; a
land west of Palestine.
Philemon (fi le' mun). An aged Phrygian, the husband
of Baucis.
Phrygia (frij' i a). A country of Asia Minor.
Pirene (pi re' ne). The fountain at which Pegasus
could be found.
Pleiades (ple' ya dez). The seven daughters of Atlas.
Made by Jupiter a constellation in the sky.
Pluto (plu' to). The god of the lower world, or Hades.
Pollux (pol' luks). A famous pugilist, and twin
brother of Castor.
Poseidon (po sei' don). The Greek name of Neptune.
Prometheus (pro me' the us). The Titan who gave
fire to man.
Proserpina (pro ser' pi na). The daughter of Ceres.
python (py' thon). A mythical serpent killed near
Delphi by Apollo.
R
realm (realm). Kingdom.
reigned (rand). Ruled; governed.
Runic (ru' nik). Pertaining to the letters called
"runes," belonging to the language of the ancient
Norsemen.
S
sandal (san' dal). A kind of shoe consisting of a sole
strapped to the foot.
Saturn (sat' urn). The father of Jupiter, Neptune,
and Pluto.
Scandinavian (skan di na' vi an). Of or pertaining
to Scandinavia; that is, Sweden, Norway, and
Denmark.
Sibyl (sib' il). A woman supposed to be endowed
with a spirit of prophecy.
Sicily (sis' i ly). The largest island in the Mediterranean
Sea.
Silenus (si le' nus). The foster-father of Bacchus.
Sleipnir (slap' ner). The swift eight-legged horse of
Odin.
Sonmus (som' nus). The king of sleep.
Sparta (spar' ta). Ancient city of Greece.
T
Taara (taa' ra.). The mythical home of Vanemuine.
Terpsichore (terp sik' o re). The muse who presided
over dancing.
Terra (ter' ra). The personification of earth.
Thalia (tha li' a). The muse of joy.
Thebes (thebz). Greek city now called Thion; birth-place
of Hercules. Also name of Egyptian city.
Thor (thor). The Norse god of thunder.
Thrace (tras). A region in Southeastern Europe,
with varying boundaries. In early times it was
regarded as the entire region north of Greece.
Titans (ti' tanz). Primeval giants, children of heaven
and earth.
Tithonus (ti tho' nus). The husband of Aurora;
changed into a grasshopper.
tortoise (tor' tis). A kind of turtle.
trident (tri' dent). A spear with three prongs--the
common attribute of Neptune.
Trojan (tro' jan). Of or pertaining to ancient Troy.
U
Uko (u' ko). The father of Lindu; also spelled Ukko.
Ulysses (u lis' sez). The King of Ithaca.
Urania (u ra' ni a). The muse of astronomy.
V
Valkyrias (val kir' i as). Woden's shield-maidens
who presided over battlefields and marked those
who were to be slain.
Valhalla (val hal' la). The Norse heaven.
Vanemuine (va nem' u en). A god of Finland.
Varrak (var' rak). A Laplander.
Venus (ve' nus). A Roman goddess of love and beauty.
W
Woden (wo' den). In Norse myths the supreme god
of heaven; also spelled Odin.
Z
Zeus (zus). Greek name for Jupiter.