Every culture has its own special formulae to begin a tale that is clearly a folktale, legend, myth or allegory. In our own culture, it is: 'Once upon a time...'. In the Arab Nation, the most common formula appears to be: 'In a time that is neither now nor then, in a place that is neither here nor there...'. In other words, by making it quite clear that there is no set time in which the tale occurred and, in some cases, no set location apart from a possible mythological one, the listener or reader is alerted to the fact that the events occur in the 'Dreamtime' or Other Realm where anything is possible.
Many myths contain kernels of real historical events and characters such as the Scandinavian myths of the Aesir and Vanir who may have been tribes in conflict initially. Odhinn in fact may have been a warrior king who took his people to a new land and came into conflict with the native people and their gods. Impossible to say for certain either way. Both the Poetic Edda and the Prose Edda contain foreign elements that show the influence of Christianity. It is a fact that the ancirent Scandinavians had both trade with the Arab Nation and served in various military groups as well as household guards for Arab leaders and governments. It is Vikings who founded the nation later named Russia after the word for 'Red', referring to the pale-skinned, red-haired Vikings who sailed there and founded cities.
To me, the notion of ;fundamentalism' in any religion is patently absurd and whether it is the Holy Bible or the Holy Qur'an, these tales in many cases clearly were founded upon more ancient legends and myths that dealt with very different gods from Yahweh, Allah or Jehovah. In fact, the ancient god El or Al is a newcomer when compared to Inanna.
It is odd that no one has remarked upon the beginning of Genesis and its similarity to other formulaic beginnings of legends and Creation myths. 'In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.'
In my opinion, 'In the Beginning' is as much an alert to the fact that the tale occurs in a place that is neither here nor there and a time that is neither then nor now.
About Me
- Valkyrie Hawk
- My name is Eugenia-Maria Martino de Conde. Freyashawk is the name under which I write game guides and play many games. I specialise in Northern mythology but my original academic background is in History and British Law. Mine is the view of an exile, a Swan-Maiden rather than a god. Not an exile from heaven (that would be arrogant), but an exile nonetheless. I have lived in La Jolla, Nepal, London, Southampton, Manhattan, Roma, Pennsylvania et alia but spiritually belong to no land. Thus the affiliation with the air, hawk and swan. A Valkyrie chooses heroes from the slain. Walking among the dead is disconcerting. My greatest loves are my daughter and my Puttikins, my Himalayan cat clan. As Freyashawk, I write strategy guides for games. Time to write another novel for a writer can be a Valkyrie, creating warriors from her imagination that inspire people in the eternal battle between good and evil. Therein is the power I desire.
