The Journey Through Hell

Often recognized as one of the greatest poets ever, Dante Alighieri was born in Florence In 1265. In his younger years Dante studied at home and at age 12 was betrothed to Gemma di Manetto Donati. Much of Dante’s early adult years were spent in politics, and he was also part of Guelph-Ghibelline conflict, and fought in the battle of Campaldino. This ultimately ended in his exile, at which time he wrote The Divine Comedy, which is a three part poem: Inferno, Purgatory, and Paradise. After writing The Divine Comedy, he died on September 14, 1321. Part one of the Divine Comedy, The Inferno, which is the most popular of the three, describes a pilgrim’s journey through hell, guided by the poet Virgil. In The Inferno, Dante uses a certain formula for the journey through the circles of hell. First each circle’s punishment parallels the sin committed. Second, as he journeys further into hell, the sins are represented as becoming more repulsive. And third, the further he journeys into hell, the less activity he finds.

In The Inferno, each sinner has a punishment that reflects his sin on earth. Expressing this point in Canto seven, Dante places the slothful under the mucky swamp where they are stuck for eternity, inhaling the mud and water, never being able to move because of their laziness on earth. Another example of this is the circle of the soothsayers, where Dante says, “And when my gaze moved down below their faces, I saw all were incredibly distorted, the chin was not above the chest, the neck was twisted--their faces looked down their backs; they had to move ahead by moving backward, for they never saw what was ahead of them” (Canto 20, Lines 10-15). Their faces were twisted around because they always tried to see and predict the future, and now they don’t even get to see what’s in front of them presently. One last example is Canto twenty-three, which contains the hypocrites, who are laden with such heavy garments they can barely walk. They wear these because they were so burdened with their lies on earth. By giving them exactly what they want, Dante has punished them by giving them such an excess of the sin that it shows how perverted it really is.

As the journey goes deeper into hell, Dante’s opinion about what sins are deserving of more punishment is shown. For example, the first group of sinners who are neither accepted by God or by hell are forced to run forever outside the gates of hell. Whereas, about halfway down are the suicides who are encased in trees and can only talk if a limb is broken and their blood spills out. Because they did not cherish their life on earth, they have no life in hell. The last circle of hell holds the traitors, which is interesting because of Dante’s political views and his war against the traitors to his country, which was the reason for his exile. Horribly tortured in ice are the traitors to their country, and finally Lucifer, the ultimate traitor and the king of hell, is found chewing on the worst sinners: Judas, Brutus, and Cassius. Obviously Dante had a certain contempt for traitors, which was probably due to his exile; his hell seems to be influenced by his personal experiences.

One interesting literary contrast is the difference between the first and last circles of hell. In the first circle of hell, Dante observes the indecisive sinners, who chose neither God nor Lucifer, running away from responsibility of choice. In hell they spend their time endlessly being chased by bees, literally having to run. Whereas, those who chose to directly oppose God, like Lucifer and Judas, are stuck, immobilized, and in Judas’s case being eaten eternally. Dante seems to find it worse to be trapped in one place, because as he travels deeper into hell the tortures become more immobile; for example traitors who are in the bottom of hell are frozen in ice.

Reading The Inferno reveals much of Dante’s thoughts on which sins should have a worse punishment, like the deepest circle of the traitors. He also hints that immobility is a more terrible thing than being tormented yet still having strength. In the end of The Inferno, Dante and his guide, Virgil, have gone through all hell literally and finally have to crawl down the leg of Satan to arrive in purgatory and continue their journey to heaven.

A Journey Through Hell

The Divine Comedy was written between 1308 and 1321, by Dante Alighieri. Originally in Italian, The Divine Comedy continues to be translated regularly. In Dante’s culture, when the vast majority of literature consisted of stuffy lovey-dovey poetry, Dante’s poems were a huge step forward. It was written in every day plain Italian for the everyday normal Joe, but it was about Hell. This was not what Florence was used to. Lasting 700 years, Dante’s story is gritty, graphic, violent, engaging, exciting, and deeply moving. It deals with matters of the human condition and is still completely relevant today.

Dante’s Divine Comedy has lasted for centuries because he knew how to tell a good story, and a good story is the best vehicle for ideas to travel from the page to the mind to the soul. What rings true in one heart and mind will ring true in hearts and minds around the world. Dante rings true. How do we explain the ways in which men sin and are reconciled again to God? We do this by telling stories. Another familiar word is parable. In Dante’s parable he tells of a man—himself— going through Hell so he can eventually reach heaven. He presents his story as a journey. Perhaps he wrote it this way because there is a universal theme that every person experiences in life, which is that good can come from bad situations. Through trials we grow stronger. Life comes from Death. In the play The Fantasticks, the narrator, El Gallo, says, “There is a curious paradox that no one can explain. Who understands the secret of the reaping of the grain? Who understands why spring is born out of winter’s laboring pain? Or why we must all die a bit before we can live again? I do not know the answer. I merely know it’s true.” Since The Divine Comedy is a journey, it must begin with the storms and hardships of Hell, so that the pilgrim can reach the harvest of heaven’s glory.

One unique device that the poet Dante uses in The Divine Comedy is to place himself in the story, making us feel as if it might have really happened. He makes himself the pilgrim on the journey—the one who experiences Hell. And we, in a sense, experience it with him. While traveling through the circles of Hell, observing the various realms of sinners, including the liars, the thieves, the lustful, the wrathful, and the hypocrites, it can be tempting to comfort ourselves with how evil those people are and feel proud that we don’t struggle with those sins, but it’s difficult not to see glimpses (sometimes more than glimpses) of ourselves in all of the sinners. But in contrast Dante also doesn’t let us forget that they are evil nasty sinners, and he is rebuked several times for pitying them. But sin is not to be pitied because as soon as we start making excuses for the sins of those condemned by God, we start making excuses for our own sin. Pitying those that God has chosen to condemn, we question God’s justice. This is what Dante does not let us do. We must hate sin. Because we are on the journey with Dante, seeing Hell through his eyes, we are also rebuked with him for pitying sin. Just like Dante, we must turn our own condemning finger on ourselves. Oh, me, condemned sinner. In his art, Dante helps us to see ourselves for who we are—sinners. Thankfully, he didn’t stop with the Inferno. This is a journey, and our destination is paradise.

As we travel through Hell it is curious and often surprising to discover who Dante the poet placed in Hell. A large percentage of the sinners in Hell are Catholic popes, who are mostly in the lowest realms of Hell. It’s ironic and a bit unsettling that those who are regarded as holy and good and who are supposedly God’s chosen leaders on earth are those we discover to be deep in Hell. As might be less surprising, we also meet many of Dante’s enemies in hell. There are those who hold the opinion that this is Dante’s spiteful revenge towards them, but another fact suggests otherwise. Dante also puts his friends in hell. A prime concept in The Inferno is that “good decent” people are in Hell right along with “nasty evil” people. In Dante’s story there are hundreds of popes in Hell, yet we know there are thieves in heaven. What’s the difference? Redeemed thieves. We don’t get to heaven by being nice respected people, but by being saved by grace. If the pilgrim Dante hadn’t “woke to find himself in a dark wood,” he also would be keeping company with these condemned in Hell eternally. The reason the pilgrim Dante is making the journey through Hell is so that he may be redeemed.

Great stories always last, because they are about who we are as human beings. Putting a mirror up to nature, they ask us to take a look at the world and at ourselves. They teach us what to love and what to hate. Not to love good people and hate bad people, because there is no such thing. There are only redeemed people and those who are not. When you find yourself in a dark wood, know that you have a journey through Hell ahead of you, so that you can reach paradise.

The Twisted Hero

Macbeth is the classic story that illustrates the fragility of human nature. Written 1606-1607, Macbeth is one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. To understand the character of Macbeth, it’s important to consider the role of fate and choice. As in many famous plays and stories, the question arises of whether or not Macbeth is a helpless victim of fate or a man overrun by selfish desires. Equally important are the concepts of how actions shape a person’s character and how they can rob someone of personal insight.

Although, in the end Macbeth is a ruthless, murderous tyrant, he didn’t start out that way. Ironically, the first description of Macbeth is the hero in battle who charged in without fear and defeated the enemy, namely their leader, Macdonwald, whose head he put on a stake. It’s interesting how our first perception of him is the conqueror of a traitorous villain, one whom he will resemble by the end of the play.

But then Macbeth meets the Weird Sisters. Up until this point we have no reason to believe that Macbeth has traitorous tendencies. But he always had the potential to become a murderous traitor, and this is the reason we cannot blame his repulsive moral condition on the Weird Sisters or Lady Macbeth or Fate. The Weird Sisters relay three prophesies to Macbeth: “All hall, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Glamis! All hail, Macbeth! Hail to thee, Thane of Cawdor! All hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter!” (1.3 lines 48-50). Even the choice of words at the beginning of the play hint that Macbeth isn’t’ a victim of Fate. “But all’s too weak: For brave Macbeth—Disdaining Fortune, with his brandished steel.” This suggests that Macbeth is above fortune or Fate; it doesn’t control him. Macbeth is ruined by his choice to take matters into his own hands. Fate had given him the perfect hand and Macbeth knew that if he played his hand right, the game would be in the bag. But does Macbeth “disdain Fortune” for the sake of loyalty to his country or just sheer decency? Macbeth knew what he was doing. He was painfully aware of it. “I am afraid to think what I have done: Look on ‘t again I dare not.” (2.2 lines 55-56). It’s tempting to blame Macbeth’s sins on Fate, especially when we consider ourselves in his place, but this is not the case.

Throughout the play we see devolution of Macbeth’s character. When Macbeth hears the prophesies of the Weird Sisters he’s not sure what he’s going to do yet, although he immediately entertains thoughts of murder: “Why do I yield to that suggestion whose horrid image doth unfix my hair and make my seated heart knock at my ribs, against the use of nature? Present fears are less than horrible imaginings shakes so my single state of man that function is smothered in surmise and nothing is but what is not.” And with this beginning or conflict, we see that as Macbeth ascends in power, his moral character rapidly declines. Before Macbeth murders Duncan he is swayed back and forth—should he do it? Should he not? Although some of his doubts come from selfish fears of being caught, it does seem that Macbeth is wholly corrupt. He’s still able to distinguish between right and wrong. After the deed is done Macbeth feels extreme regret, but it’s not long before the regret wears off. As the action continues, Macbeth feels less emotion regarding his depravity, and it becomes easier with each murder. By the end, he tells us that he fears no longer: “I have almost forgotten the taste of fears. Direness, familiar to my slaughterous thoughts, cannot once start me.” (5.5 lines 8 and 13-14). In this sense, never fearing is an unnatural and sickly state of being. When we consider each of Macbeth’s murders, it’s important to see how truly perverted they are, firstly the murder of his king, to whom he’d sworn eternal allegiance. Next, with much less reluctance, the murder of his close friend, Banquo, is a comment on how desperate Macbeth is becoming to tie up all the end of his treachery. And third, Macbeth has come to a state of such unnaturalness that he feels threated by women and children. His senseless butchery is repulsive. Each of these murders twists Macbeth, forming different characteristics in him. With the murder of Duncan, Macbeth becomes the tyrant. With the murder of his good friend Banquo, he cuts himself off from human companionship. And the complete unnatural murder of women and children is nothing but the work of a coward. Utterly low, Macbeth has become a wretched creature, willing to do anything to keep his power.

Macbeth does not die a heroic death, but a pitiful death. Near the end of the play, before he battles Malcolm and Macduff, Macbeth clings to the prophesies of the three witches. Cleverly, Malcolm’s army has carried three branches from the forest Birnham to conceal the number of troops coming, therefore fulfilling the prophesy of the witches. Macbeth meets Macduff, and they begin to duel. Macbeth claims that Macduff cannot defeat him, boasting, “I bear a charmed life, which must not yield to one of woman born.” But Macduff was ripped from his mother’s womb early, thus; he is not born of woman. Now Macbeth is without loyal solider to follow him, without his wife, who was his driving force, and now it seems that all Fortune is really against him and not for him. The prophesies have fallen flat and Macbeth has nothing left to cling to. Still, he refuses to surrender, and he vows never to give in. “Though Birnam Wood be come to Dunsinane and thou opposed, being of no woman born, yet I will try the last. Before my body I throw my warlike shield. Lay on, Macduff. And damned be him that first cries ‘Hold, enough.’” Macbeth has become so wretched that he will not surrender and admit that he’s defeated. He’s so far into his evil ways that he can no longer realize that his cause is lost. Early in the play, Lady Macbeth reassures her husband that “A little water clears us of this deed” (2.2 line 6.9), but it is not so. Macbeth dies fighting to keep the power that never belonged to him. Maybe if Macbeth had realized this, had begged for death on his knees before Macduff, this wouldn’t be a tragedy, but Macbeth is unable to do so in his corruptness.

In one regard, Macbeth hardly feels like a tragedy. No one sitting in the audience is on Macbeth’s side, cheering for him to kill Macduff. As the curtain closes, the villain is dead, and good has triumphed, even if it is at great cost. At one point, the crowd might have felt a liking for Macbeth and hoped that he wouldn’t commit his atrocities. “Don’t do it, Macbeth! Don’t do it!” But towards the end, the mutual feeling is, “Just kill him, Macduff.” The most important thing about the character of Macbeth is the concept of a good man turning into a vile tyrant. Since the beginning of history, our stories demonstrate that each and every one of us is susceptible to corruption.

Always Waiting

Even after thousands of years, we still often hear references to the works of Augustine, the bishop of Hippo in Roman Africa. Although his works are regarded to be duller than a butter knife by most people, and expected to be a bunch of incomprehensible mush about the Bible and morality, a true reading of The Confessions reveals a simple, surprisingly down-to-earth story of a man’s everyday life, not a perfect righteous snob, but a lousy sinner redeemed by God. Honestly, leaving no dirty story untold, he writes of how he strayed form the straight path and lived in darkness for many years. His story leads to the pivotal moment when he lays his burdens at Christ’s feet, crying for help and rest. The story of his life reveals the beautiful reality that each of our lives leading to the moment that we admit to Christ that we need him. In one regard Augustine was no extraordinary man, but in the other regard, what is more extraordinary than submission to Christ?

As an only child, much was expected of Augustine, even as a small child. Educated at very good schools in Latin, Greek, and rhetoric, Augustine’s parents wanted him to be successful and elevated in social status. Naturally, Augustine hated school and only wished to play ball with his friends as any ten year old boy would want to do. Raised in the Christian faith by his Catholic mother, Augustine grew to be a smart and pure hearted child. Of course, he wasn’t perfect, and he often cheated at games, and raged against those who did the same to him. One of his first experiences with God was praying that his teachers wouldn’t beat him when he was disobedient. In the eyes of a ten year old, God did not come through, and Augustine was angry that God had not answered his request. As he got older Augustine hung out with some of the wrong kinds of people, and the burden of peer pressure weighed heavily on him. From the days of his childhood, his mother prayed that Augustine would seek God and follow him, but this would not come to be for a long time. Augustine spent much of his adulthood in a life of sin, but little did he know that God watched over him and had a plan to restore him. Just as his parents had wished, Augustine excelled in school and showed a successful career ahead of him, as a teacher of the liberal arts, law, and rhetoric. Unfortunately, Augustine’s desire for success, the approval of others, and the good life, led him into some rather undesirable circles. One of these groups was the Manichees, a religious cult which believed that all matter is fundamentally bad and who strived to reach the higher spiritual life. For ten long years Augustine followed the Manichees, although he always felt like there theology was lacking and unsatisfactory. After attending schools in Carthage and Rome, Augustine moved to Milan with his mother, where they met the bishop Ambrose. Impressed that Ambrose was an educated well speaking gentlemen, Augustine talked with him often and started to learn more about the Catholic faith. Although he didn’t disagree with any of the beliefs of the Catholic Church or find fault with them, he wasn’t ready to believe it yet. He still desired the successful life. Over the next ten years God worked to soften Augustine’s heart for the moment when he was ready to accept the truth of Jesus.

Even after several years of being on the fence between choosing to follow Christ and his impure lust for a life of success, it wasn’t until Augustine was twenty-nine years old that he became a Christian. One day an unexpected visitor named Ponticianus came to visit him and his friend. While they were chatting, Ponticianus, spotted the books of the apostle Paul sitting on the table and proceeded to tell them of two men’s conversions to Christianity, and how their devotion to Christ led them to abandon their former lives, including they’re jobs and fiancés. When Ponticianus left, Augustine, moved by the story, knew he had to choose- now or never. Going out to the garden he was almost in hysterics. A full fledged battle raged in his mind. Finally, bursting into tears, he confessed to God all of his sins, especially his sin of sexual lust, and pledged to give himself to a life of piety. Suddenly he heard a child chanting to herself, “Pick up and read. Pick up and read”. Racing to the house, he snatched up his Bible, opening it randomly. The verse he read was Romans 13:13-14—“Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissention and jealousy. Rather clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and not think about how to gratify your sinful natures.” Augustine, overcome by joy, felt absolute peace when he read this, and he praised God. After twenty-nine years, God had plucked him out of the muck of sin and set him on the path of light.

Raised by a Christian mother and educated at good schools, Augustine led a normal happy childhood, until he joined the wrong crowd of people as a teenager. Especially in his younger adult life, when his devotion to the Manichees was steadfast, Augustine lived a life of sin, struggling futilely with lust. Thankfully, God gave Augustine a yearning for the truth, and Augustine was always eager to evaluate his own beliefs and others too. After many long years Augustine decided that it was time to either choose God or reject him. He’d be on the fence for too long. Sitting in his garden he contemplated what following Christ would mean for him and her wondered if he could ever give up his flourishing sin of lust. Satan was pulling at him, but he was no match for Christ. Augustine broke into sobs, realizing that he could never be truly free without Christ. Why is it that we still read a book by a dead guy who lived thousands of years ago? Because people really aren’t that different, even now. They still mess up, sin, and reject God. But God doesn’t change. He does not forsake us. He is always waiting for us to come running back into his arms.

A Mess Turned to Beauty

The book Saint Augustine’s Confessions is his confession to God, which includes the story of his life. Telling of his childhood, Saint Augustine explains how he comes to Jesus and is saved after much sin. Here is a summary of his life up until conversion.

Born to a Roman official and his wife, Augustine grew up in a middle class home. Deeply concerned with his education his father spent a great deal of money getting him into the best schools, but his dad was never concerned with Augustine’s spiritual life, because he wasn’t a Christian, whereas his mother was deeply committed to the Catholic faith. As Augustine grew, his mother was very concerned with his sexual habits, and prayed for his conversion, while his father encouraged this immoral behavior.

Enrolling at Carthage when he came of age, Augustine’s sexual addiction became worse and worse. He also decided to join a cult called the Manchees, which had false beliefs about life. They told him that they had a great leader who would come and speak. Augustine waited a couple of years for the speaker to arrive, but when the speaker came, he didn’t know anything more than Augustine did and just used flowery language.
Wanting to turn from his sin Augustine wrestled with himself for a whole day. He knew that to serve God he would have to give up his sexual sins. Opening his Bible he opened it up to (Romans 13: 13-14) "Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, in concupiscence.” After that he submitted himself to God completely.

The amazing thing about the story of Augustine is how a sinful person can turn totally to God. His mother also became a saint because of her diligent prayer for her son to come to God. Saint Augustine is a great example of a mess being transformed into something beautiful.

A Victorian Christmas

In the Victorian age, a small table-top Christmas tree was usually set up in the living room area. Instead of electric Christmas lights, people decked their trees with real candles. Although the tree looked wonderful when every candle was lit, families couldn’t leave the candles burning for long because the open fires were dangerous. A bucket of water was often kept beside the tree for emergencies.

Also hung on the tree were strings of popcorn and cranberries, which were simple and inexpensive, but colorful and festive. Some families set up a Nativity or outdoor scene under the tree, using moss for grass and mirrors for ponds. Because ornaments weren’t popularly sold at stores, most ornaments were home-made. Young women spent hours crafting detailed, exquisite paper ornaments from scraps, adorned with lace, ribbon, and beads. Decorations included fruit, cotton-batting Father Christmas, pine cones, children’s mittens, paper fans and paper cornucopias filled with nuts, candies, and berries. Among the branches were hidden goodies and trinkets of all kinds, like jewelry, tin soldiers, whistles, dolls, and cookies, and of course, an angel at the top. Victorian families adored finding new exciting ways to give their gifts. One way they did this was by hanging tags on the tree, each with a family member’s name on it. Connected to each tag was a long ribbon, which they wound through the branches and around the furniture. Tied to the end was the matching name’s gift!

The War Years and Christmas

In the 1940s, the ideal Christmas tree was large and exquisite. The bigger the better. Large colored lights lit the tree with artificial beauty. Because of the industrial revolution, mass production was able to turn out inexpensive plastic and blown glass ornaments, like the brand Shiny Brite. Absolutely the most important feature of the tree was the amount of silver tinsel dripping from its boughs. During most of the 40s, World War II was being fought, so patriotic details were popular on the Christmas trees, like small American flags. (Those original flags would have included only 48 stars). Other nifty trends were making Chinese lanterns and paper chains out of construction paper for tree decorations. A favorite activity for families in 1930s and 1940s was sitting around the radio listening to the Orson Welles dramatization of “A Christmas Carol.” From 1934-1938, the voice of Scrooge was brilliantly played by Lionel Barrymore, while in 1939 it was played by Orson Welles, himself. Fun fads for children in the 1930s and 1940s were games like Dominoes, Monopoly, Sorry, Candy Land, Shoots and Ladders, Clue, and Scrabble. Children also enjoyed paper dolls, marbles, Raggedy Ann and Andy, comic books, and metal die-cast trucks.

The Space Age and Christmas

In the late 50s and early 60s an extremely different sort of tree was being set up in living rooms around America: the aluminum tree. Many pamphlets were available during the 60s declaring the most fashionable ways to decorate your aluminum Christmas tree. Putting lights on the tree was an electrical hazard; therefore, a color wheel¸ which is a rotating wheel made up of four different colors that reflect off the tree, was a must-have. Matching color schemes were all the rage, especially in colors like blue and pink.

Instead of a radio, the center of the living room was now the TV, with Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer debuting on television in 1964.
Although many things changed in the 50s and 60s “A Christmas Carol” did not fail to be included in this decade. In 1951 the movie “A Christmas Carol” was released with Alastair Sim as hum-bugging Ebenezer Scrooge.

Because of the baby boom in the 40s and 50s, over half of the population was made up of children, so children’s toys were being made at a gigantic rate. As most adults had grown up during World War II, parents were eager to give their children all the things they hadn’t been able to have when they were young. The shelves of stores boasted numerous kinds of toys, including Slinkies, Silly Putty, metal doll houses, dozens of different board games, matchbox cars, and the Barbie Doll, invented in 1959. Gone were the days of only one kind of dolly! Mr. Potato Head, the Hula Hoop, Ant Farms, and Frisbees were also big hits.

Animal Stories Used for Teaching

Surprisingly one of India’s most influential contributions to world literature, is the Panchatantra which is contains five animal fables that were written between the third and fifth centuries. Although the original compiler or author is unknown, an Arabic translation from about 750 AD gives the credit to a Hindu man named Bidpai. The three stories that will be looked at are “The Foolish Friend”, “the Gold-Giving Snake,” and “The Brahman’s Wife and the Mongoose.”

The first story, “The Foolish Friend” is about a king and a monkey. Finding a monkey, the king keeps him for a pet, feeds him, and always keeps him by his side. Pleasantly strolling through his garden, the king tells the monkey to let nothing disturb him, and then the king takes a nap. While he is sleeping, a bee tries to sting him and the monkey strikes it with a sword, but accidently kills the king! The moral of the story is to not choose a fool for a friend, for it is better to have a clever enemy than a foolish friend.

“The Gold-Giving Snake” is about a farmer who feeds a snake every day and every day the snake gives him a gold coin. Telling his son to feed the snake while he travels into town, the farmer leaves, and his son tries to kill the snake, so he can steal the gold, but the snake bites him and he dies. Quickly burying his son, the farmer exclaims that justice has been done and goes out to feed the snake, but the snake says that she will no longer give him gold because he is greedy. In this fable the main moral is greed leads to loss because the farmer was so greedy he didn’t even grieve for his son, and his son was greedy because he struck the snake and lost his life, trying to find more gold.

The last story is “The Brahman’s Wife and the Mongoose.” Giving birth to a son, the wife also gave birth to a mongoose. One morning the wife told her husband that she was going fetch water, and that she needed him to watch their sons because she did not trust the mongoose. After she left, the husband ignored her and left to collect alms leaving the house empty. Inside the house a snake crawled out of a hole and was sneaking up on the baby when the mongoose killed it. Quickly running to find his mother and tell her how he saved his brother, the mongoose went outside. The mother, seeing the blood splattered mongoose, feared he had killed her child, and she hit him with her bucket, killing him. Rushing into the house the wife realized their baby was safe and the mongoose had saved him. While the wife was crying over the mongoose, the husband returned and the wife said, “See here you greedy one, because you let greed rule you instead of doing what I told you to, you now must taste the fruit of your own son’s death.” The themes in this fable include greed and trust.

Interestingly these fables were used to educate sons of royalty. Some of the main points stressed in these stories are do not be greedy, along with do not be foolish, which are very good instructions for princes learning to be wise rulers. In all the fables animals are characters, which is an entertaining way to present morals and stories used for teaching.

Linked to Its Religion

When reading Indian literature, it’s found that Indian religious beliefs and morals are constantly knitted into the stories. Written between the third and fifth centuries A.D., the Panchatra is a book containing five fables. The Panchatantra is like an ancient Indian version of Aesop’s fables. Mostly, the fables are beast tales ending with a moral. These three in particular follow that idea: “The Foolish Friend”, “The Gold-Giving Snake”, and “The Brahman’s Wife and the Mongoose.”

In “The Foolish Friend” there was a king, whose constant and favorite companion was his pet monkey, which he fed the finest food, honored above all, and even unwisely gave a sword to carry around. Snoozing peacefully in his garden one day, the king trusted that his monkey would not let harm come to him, while he was asleep. Seeing a bee, the faithful, but foolish monkey vowed that no creature should bother his master. Drawing his sword, the monkey struck the bee, but not without also splitting the king’s head with the same blow. And so it is said, “Do not choose a fool for a friend, for the king was killed by a monkey.”

Another tale called “The Gold-Giving Snake” explains how a Brahman, struggling to make ends meet, discovered a great snake in his field, living in a huge ant hill. Knowing she was the goddess of the field, he quickly brought her an offering of milk, and in return, he was surprised to find the gift of one gold dinar. Every day the Brahman offered the milk and received a precious coin. One day he asked his son to go for him, but his son plotted to destroy the snake, and pillage the small anthill, where the snake lived, as he supposed there must be a fortune hidden inside the anthill. He tried to crush the snake’s head with his club, but the snake was too crafty, and it bit him. The bite was fatal. When the Brahman discovered what had happened, the snake presented him with one pearl and commanded him never to return. This is a story to teach that greed brings destruction.

“The Brahman’s Wife and the Mongoose” is about a Brahman and his wife who had two children, a young human child, adored by his parents, and a mongoose, whom the mother secretly distrusted. Telling her husband to watch over the boy and protect him from the mongoose, the mother went to fetch some water from the pond. Ignoring his wife’s command, the Brahman went off to collect alms. While the parents were busy, a horrible malicious snake crept into the boy and the mongoose’s bedroom, but the mongoose woke up and quickly tore the snake to shreds before the fiend could hurt his brother. When the mother returned, she saw the mongoose covered in blood. She assumed the worst. She struck the hero. She killed him. When she saw her son sleeping peacefully in his own bed, with the snake’s mangled remains on the floor, the mother realized the truth. The Brahman was blamed for the misfortune and the moral of the tale is do not let greed rule you, but do what you are told, although it might also be—Do not act rashly before the facts are known.

In each of these three stories: “The Foolish Friend,” “The Gold-Giving Snake,” and “The Brahman’s Wife and the Mongoose,” the end holds a moral for the reader. Reappearing themes of the stories are don’t be greedy and don’t be foolish. In eastern countries like India, culture, namely literature, is distinctly linked to religious and moral beliefs.

A Reappearing Flood Tale

History offers us two catastrophic flood narratives, which are exceptionally similar: the Biblical story of Noah’s flood and the Sumerian poem, The Gilgamesh Epic. In Genesis 6-8, the Bible tells of Noah, whom God, the God of Israel, commanded to build an ark. God directed Noah to load the ark with every kind of living animal so that when he sent a flood to destroy all of the evil people in the world, Noah and his family would be saved. Recorded in around 1200 B.C., The Gilgamesh Epic is a tale surrounding Utnapishtim, who, following the orders of the Sumerian Gods, built a massive boat, which rescued him and his family from a greatly destructive flood.
In comparison, these two stories have much in common, although they both originate form extremely different civilizations. Both basic stories are mostly the same; A man builds an ark on the belief that God is going to send a catastrophic flood to eradicate the world of evil. Another parallel is that when the storm finally ended, both Noah and Utnapishtim release a dove and a raven to find land. In likeness, both tales say that the men offer a sacrifice to their God, or gods, and that the aroma was deliciously pleasing. The biblical story of the flood and The Gilgamesh Epic are essentially the same tale, with many different twists and turns.

While the two narratives have many similarities, they also have some significant differences. Definitely, the most important difference is the representation of the gods. In the Bible there is, of course, only One God, who is all-powerful and omniscient, but who loves his creation, but the Sumerians, who wrote The Gilgamesh Epic, believed in many pernicious pagan Gods, who where not omnipotent or usually loving. When the storm raged in The Gilgamesh Epic, the gods even cowered in fear at what one of the gods had caused. All-powerful? Omnipotent? Surely not. Although there are many other details which vary, the most enormous difference between Genesis 6-8 and The Gilgamesh Epic is the temperament of the One God and gods.
Interestingly, the two narratives, written at different times and by people from different civilizations, seem to be telling the same story. These two stories are truly similar, but the greatest difference is in the God and Gods personalities, and obviously numbers. The most important thing about comparing and contrasting these two stories is to see that this story of the flood has popped up several different times in history, giving much authenticity to the tale.

A Fairy-Tale For All

“King Grisly” is a fairy tale written by the Grimm brothers, European patriots who desired to and succeeded in keep the Germanian folk tales alive, for as of today their stories are read in over one-hundred and sixty languages. Written in the early 1800’s, the Grimm brothers' stories became so popular that Children’s and Household Tales were published in 1812. Tirelessly searching, studying, and scribbling them down for readers, the Grimm brothers spent a considerably tedious amount of time on their project. Especially popular stories by the Grimm Brothers include “Cinderella,” “Hansel and Gretel," and “Rumpelstiltskin.” Although it is obscure, “King Grisly” is an exceptional story, which should be read alongside “Rumpelstiltskin” or any of their other stories.

The main characters of the tale are a beautiful, but haughty and priggish princess, her father the king, an honorable long-bearded king wishing to marry the princess, and a poor fiddler. Desiring to find a husband for his daughter, the king invites many suitors to visit and dine at the palace, but the princess rudely treats them with disdain. She snickers. She snoots. She snides. Mockingly, she remarks that one king’s long gray beard is like a mop, and dubs him King Grisly-Beard. Upon hearing this, the King, her father, vows that the next man to walk through the castle door is the man she will marry, if she wishes it or not. When a poor dirty fiddler walks through the door a few days later, the princess is distraught, but the king holds to his promise, and they are married.

On the way to the fiddler’s small dwelling, they pass huge forests, they pass vast green fields, and they pass magnificent cities. Inquiring to whom these all belong, the princess truly regrets her conceitedness when she discovers that the forests, the fields, and the cities all belong to King-Grisly Beard. When they arrive at the fiddler’s hut, a humble dirty shack, she fails at every kind of work she tries: weaving baskets, spinning wool, and even selling clay pots. She is as helpful as a nest of hornets. The fiddler, frustrated with the girl, still patiently finds her another job as a kitchen maid in a nearby castle, where she will have to work hard, but can bring home some left-over meat to eat each day.

As the princess is working one day, she sees that the King’s eldest son is going to be married and that a feast was being prepared, while all the courts arrived. Suddenly, the King’s son—who she is horrified to see—King Grisly-Beard, takes her by the hand and asks her to dance. Turning red with embarrassment, thinking he is only trying to torment her, and pulling her hand out of his, the princess runs quickly towards the door. But King Grisly-Beard cries out, “Fear me not! I am the fiddler, who has lived with you in the hut. I brought you here because I truly love you. I have done all this only to cure you of your silly pride. You have learned wisdom, and we shall hold our marriage feast.” The princess is then garbed in rich beautiful robes, and the whole court dances and sings.

As fairy tales usually go, “King Grisly-Beard” is a story with a predictable, happy ending, but a great and meaningful story, none-the-less. Is anyone ever too old to read fairy tales? Usually thought of as silly children’s tales by adults, fairy tales are often disregarded as great literature which needs to be read by all ages. “King Grisly-Beard” is about pride, the great sin which all ages struggle with. Loving the princess, King Grisly-Beard humbly dressed as a peasant so that he could cure the princess of her obnoxious pride. Before a joyful wedding celebration could occur, King Grisly-Beard had to take the role of a servant so that the princess could be redeemed. There is nothing simple about pride or love, and servant-hood, and that is why this fairy-tale is for all ages.

The Hope, Rescue, and Forgiveness of Cinderella

“Cinderella,” which was published in Grimm’s Fairy Tales in 1812, is a wonderful short story. Although it was published long ago, this fairy tale is known by almost every child in the United States today. Preserving Germanic folk tales, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm quickly realized that the stories they collected and edited intrigued young readers. In their collection they also include some of the world’s most famous stories such as “Hansel and Gretel”, as well as “Rapunzel” and “Rumpelstiltskin.”

In the story “Cinderella,” the characters are the kind and beautiful Cinderella, the evil stepmother and vile stepsisters, and the charming prince. Living with her stepmother, Cinderella is cruelly forced to do all the house work, while at night she sleeps among the cinders, which is where her name comes from. While it ends “happily ever after,” the beginning of the story is sad.

When the prince sends an invitation to all the ladies in the kingdom inviting them to a huge, exciting ball, Cinderella wants to go. Giving her so much work that she can’t go, her stepsisters also show their horribleness by laughing at Cinderella when Cinderella says she wants to go. Finally breaking down and weeping after her stepsisters leave for the ball, Cinderella, who is left behind, cries on the hearth.

Weeping uncontrollably, Cinderella looks up to find her fairy godmother, who turns her rags into a stunningly beautiful gown; this is the most exciting part of the story. Arriving at the ball Cinderella is the most stunning girl there, and every one, including the prince, admires her. Sitting with the prince and dancing every dance with him Cinderella realizes that she is supposed to leave before midnight, and runs off just as the clock strikes twelve. Quickly yelling and rushing after her, the prince can only find a glass slipper which he says he will try on every girl in the kingdom, marrying the one it fits.

At the end of the book, the slipper fits Cinderella perfectly, and she marries and lives with the prince. Ending in a happily ever after, “Cinderella,” which is a fantastically great book, should be read aloud to all children. Although the characters lack excess personality, the story makes up for it with its symbolism of rescue because everyone understands the concept of rescue. Throughout the story it is natural to hope that it will turn out good for Cinderella and that someone will help her. Even though Cinderella’s thoughts are not revealed, it is obvious that Cinderella is kind and caring because in the end of the story she forgives her stepsisters and stepmom for treating her so poorly. The hope of Cinderella during the most discouraging times, the rescue of Cinderella by the prince, and the forgiveness of Cinderella towards her enemies makes the story beautiful.

Union Giveth Strength (King James Style)

Now there was a man far advanced in years, who, at the point of death called his sons to his bedside to giveth them wisdom. He ordered a servant to bringeth a faggot of sticks to his room, wherefore he might use it to teacheth his sons, and he said to his eldest, “Thine strength is great: breakest the faggot of sticks,” and his eldest son straineth at it, but he could not breakest the faggot of sticks, and to the others he said Thine strength is great: breakest the faggot of sticks.

And although the others strained, they were unable to breaketh the faggot of sticks. The father told them, “Untieth the faggot of sticks and taketh one each for yourselves and breakest it,” and they obeyed their father and tooketh out one each and broke it. “See my sons: union gives strength.”

A Little Tragedy

The tale of "The Little Mermaid" is a tragedy unraveling into a descriptive fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. The central character is the quiet and thoughtful little mermaid who lives with her father, the sea king, and her wise old grandmother and many sisters. Living at the bottom of the ocean, the mermaids are allowed to rise to the surface of the water at age fifteen.

Patiently waiting for years to rise to the surface, the little mermaid finally swims up to the surface and sees a boat full of people and a prince, whom she falls in live with. While she watches, a storm comes and destroys the ship, and she saves the prince from drowning. Wanting more than anything to be with him, she tries to find a way to become human. Although she searches for a way to become human, she finally resorts to the sea witch, who gives her legs, but takes her voice and says she must marry the prince or she will die.

Swimming to the surface of the ocean, the little mermaid receives her legs. On land, whenever she walks it feels like hot coals under her feet. The prince decides to marry a princess. On their wedding night the only way the little mermaid can live is if she stabs the prince with a knife, but as she stands over him as he sleeps, she throws the knife into the sea and jumps in after it. Dissolving into sea foam she is met by angelic creatures who say she can work three hundred years for a soul because she sacrificed herself, and every time she sees a child being good a year will be taken away, but every time she sees a child being bad, a day will be added. The theme of this story is sacrifice.

This tragedy is made for children and is trying to motivate them to be obedient. Describing places with much detail, Hans Christian Andersen’s book is beautifully written for children. Apart from the descriptive style, Andersen’s story is designed with the themes of love and sacrifice. One of the poorly written apects is that the characters, who have no names, never give the readers much understanding of their personalities.

Not So Happily Ever After

“The Little Mermaid” is a descriptive tragedy fairy tale, although it is more commonly known by the Disney movie, which varies dramatically from the original version. Written by Hans Christian Andersen, “The Little Mermaid” was published in the mid-19th century, although the exact dates are unknown. Suddenly “knocking on his head” as Hans Christian Andersen said, “The Little Mermaid” was one of his one-hundred and sixty-eight numerous imaginative stories for children.

The central characters of the story are the quiet, thoughtful little mermaid, who desires more than anything to live above the water, and the handsome young prince, whom she falls in love with. Underneath the water also dwells her father, the sea king, her proud grandmother, and her five lovely sisters. When she turns fifteen, she is allowed to swim to the surface of the water. She stares in wonder at the prince dancing and laughing on the ship. Crashing waves and pelting rain soon end the ship’s party and send the prince flailing into the sea, where the little mermaid rescues him and brings him ashore.

Returning to her underwater home, the little mermaid hopelessly dreams of the prince, wishing there was a way for them to be together. Eventually resorting to the horrendously wicked sea witch, she travels to the whirlpool, which is filled with human skeletons and slimy creatures, and through a series of terrible enchantments she sells her tongue to the witch in exchange for a pair of human legs. The malicious sea witch tells the little mermaid that if she cannot woo the prince to love her with all his soul and to marry her, she will turn into sea foam. While she is on land she meets her prince, who takes a fancy to her, for she is exquisitely and enchantingly beautiful, and he brings her into his palace to live, where she enjoys many hours spent dancing, horseback riding, and sailing with him.

Disastrously, the prince favors another girl and marries her, although he cares deeply about the little mermaid. When the prince and his new wife are sleeping, the little mermaid’s sisters bring her a knife, telling her that if she kills the prince with it she will be saved from death. She takes the knife. She enters his bedroom. She raises it to strike. The little mermaid cannot force herself to kill him, for she loves him more than her own life. Into the water she perishes, rather than betray her beloved. Expecting to find herself turned into sea foam, she awakes under the water filled with transparent floating bodies, and is told that because of her good deed she will be shown mercy as she enters into a purgatorial-like land. This tragic ending shows the importance of not trying to be what you’re not and the power of self-sacrificing love.

This is a not so happily ever after fairy tale tragedy about the strength of self-sacrificial love. Sacrificing yourself and your hopes for another is one of the most important themes because it leads back to the ultimate story, the story of creation and redemption through Jesus, who sacrificed everything for humanity. Disappointingly, the story concentrates essentially on earning eternity by performing good deeds. Filled with vivid images and brilliant descriptions, the story is told captivatingly, although the many twists and turns of the story tend to be tiring. Overall this story is unique, just as are all of Hans Christian Andersen’s stories, is enjoyable to read, and challenges readers to think about the meaning of love and eternity.

The Founding of America

The history of America’s founding dates back hundreds of years to England, where revolutions occurred over freedom of religion. Because of lack of freedom the Puritans sailed to America, where they set up colonies.

One of the great contributors to the Reformation’s role in advancing political and religious liberties was Martin Luther who said that the church and the people should have more freedom in religious matters and that the government should no longer legislate about God. Saying that the government could not force people to believe in a certain religion, Luther believed that the role of the state was limited to secular things, and people’s minds and opinions could not be controlled, which was also believed by John Calvin, who came after Luther, and said that people’s minds and opinions are exempt from government control. During his life, Calvin also said that if a king went against God or ordered a individuals to go against God, then they should and must disobey the king. Although it was a long time after either of these men lived, America was built on their basis of freedom of beliefs and religion.

The Puritan Revolution broke out in England, when Charles 1st tried to force his Scottish subjects to worship in ways they found offensive. During this time, Samuel Rutherford wrote a book called Lex Rex that said the king should not have authority in religious matters, and if the government broke its own law the people could break laws. In 1688 the glorious revolution broke out when King James 2nd tried to enforce The Divine Right theory, but parliament forced him off the throne.

On August 5, 1620 the Puritans, who are called pilgrims, sailed for the New World to have religious freedom. When they arrived in America they drew up a document called the Mayflower Compact, which pledged their mutual submission to each other and promoted fair laws. Believing that God was the perfect king and the Bible a perfect expression of His will, the Puritans advocated a government in which written words, not people, were sovereign.

As people, dating hundreds of years back, fought for there freedom of conscience, they set up the basis of America. In his lifetime, Martin Luther said that freedom of religion was right. Fighting against Divine Right of Kings, the Puritans turned against the king in the revolutions. Finally, sailing to America, the Puritans escaped from the king to found America.

America's Roots

America, as people know it today, could not be as it is except for numerous courageous people who took risks and for events which took place. Without the ideas that support Christianity and many events which took place prior to it, the American Revolution most likely would not have occurred. Advancing political and religious freedom happened during the Reformation, which was one of the most essential steps to freedom in America. Although the colonies were not even founded yet, two revolutions in England were already setting the stage for America’s birth. Bravely sailing to America, the first colonists began to shape the way that America would be governed.

The Reformation’s role in advancing political and religious liberty was enormous because it was the first time when certain daring people took the chance of speaking out and proclaiming their thoughts and ideas which may have opposed the governments. Probably the most outspoken of all people during the reformation was Martin Luther who posted his ninety-five theses on the door of the church in Wittenberg, boldly naming all of his objections to the way the Catholic Church operated. As no one had ever even hinted that there might be something wrong with the Catholic Church, Martin Luther’s objections were a big step towards religious freedom and separation of church and state.

Writing “Institutes to the Christian Religion,” John Calvin had an exceptionally significant part to play in the Reformation through his writing, which later influenced the founders of the U.S. and shaped their political ideas. These men’s writings were similar. Before religious freedom could be grasped, the first risky, but vital steps had to be taken during the Reformation by Martin Luther, John Calvin, and others like them.

Setting the stage for America’s birth were two revolutions: the English Civil War and the Glorious Revolution. In 1641 a long and terrible civil war broke out, which lasted years. Sometimes called the Protestant Revolution, this war was between those loyal to the king, Cavaliers, and English Puritans, who wanted to purify the Church of England, hence the name Puritans. When King James II was on the throne, he refused to recognize the colonies of New England and believed in the Divine Right of Kings theory, which says that a king has been divinely appointed by God, and therefore has the right to do whatever he wishes. This led to the Glorious Revolution when Parliament peacefully took James II off the throne without using violence.

Essentially, these two Revolutions, the Puritan Revolution and the Glorious Revolution, prepared the way for America’s beginning, because it showed the government that the Puritans were serious about their beliefs, were even willing to stand up and fight for them, and were tired of the government’s unrelenting control over their beliefs.

Pursuing their dreams of religious liberty, many Puritans decided to make the journey across the ocean to America and settle there. The colonies were founded. When the colonists came together to draw up their laws, they realized that without a king they were powerless to restrain lawlessness, but they knew that they couldn’t possibly survive unless they founded their laws on biblical moral standards, while still having a separation of Church and State. Wisely, they drew up a document called the Mayflower Compact, which pledged their mutual submission to each other. Concerning the separation of Church and State in years to come, some were not as effective at keeping them separate, which led to unjust events and eventually the Salem witch trials. The Salem witch trials were a time when many women were unfairly and brutally executed for being accused witches.

Thankfully, after this terrible epoch followed a revival and the Great Awakening, and American colonists began to sort out how their government should function correctly. The Puritans flight to America was vital to the way America is set up presently because they learned by trial and error the most effective way to run a government.

Significantly, because of the events which led to the American Revolution, America was founded with biblical morals. When the Restoration took place it advanced political and religious freedom. Because of two Revolutions which took place in England, the beginning of America was indirectly prepared. Fleeing and settling in America, the Puritan colonists set into place laws that we still follow today.

Union Gives Strength (Hans Christian Andersen Style)

Once upon a time, in a distant and beautiful county where rolling green hills and an ocean of golden poppies stretched as far as the eye could see was a small humble cottage were an elderly man and his two sons dwelled. The wise old man loved his sons and had taught them everything he knew so that they were strong, smart young men. Every day the father, whose hair was silver as the full moon, sat on his three-legged stool and played splendidly on his mandolin while his two sons worked in the fields. His mandolin was his favorite possession and pastime, and when he played, it instilled joy in all who heard it, and birds of all shapes and sizes would divert their flights to perch and listen to the great artisan.

But one day in late autumn, when the last of the golden leaves were beginning to drift toward the ground, and a dusty darkness lay over everything, the mandolin ceased to sing, but was replace by the sound of hollow wind. The father lay languishing in his large oak bed; his health was failing. Each day one of his sons sat by his side while the other labored in the fields alone. But he wanted to teach his sons an important lesson while he still had time.

Calling his sons to his bedside, he asked them to bring a large, tightly-bound bundle of sticks into the room. When they brought it in, carrying it together for it was very heavy; their father commanded them to break the bundle of sticks apart. The eldest son, who was intelligent and knew how to use leverage cleverly, set the sticks on his knees, and pushed. But his trick, which had always worked before, resulted in only an aching leg. Like his older brother, the younger son was a practical son, due to his father’s impeccable teaching, so he grabbed his best saw and tried to saw the bundle of sticks apart. Although it was sharper then an alligator’s teeth and sturdier than a brick wall, the saw broke in half.

They both turned to their father in consternation and he told them, “You see my meaning; union gives strength.”

Small Friends are Good Friends (Hans Christian Andersen Style)

Once upon a time not so long ago in a land far away where the water was as blue as the sky, an ant as small as a speck of dust, woke up as happy as a child on Christmas because the sun was shining as brightly as a diamond, and she went running as fast as a cheetah down to the beautiful stream, which had as many currents as gorillas have fleas and long rocks protruding from the water like knives, while the water leaped and bubbled around it like it was laughing. As she was drinking like a camel which had not had water for many weeks, a wave jumped up like a huge roaring monster and dragged her under.

A dove, who was as white as newly fallen snow in December when children go sledding for the first time and as soft as a fresh pillow, was gliding over the trees that stood as tall as towers with there many branches reaching out like many arms and fingers, when she spotted the ant, who was yelling for help as loud as a trumpet, and dropped the bough she was carrying to build her nest with into the rushing river. The ant climbed aboard the bough and laid there like a shipwrecked sailor who had been brutally thrown around like a potato in the ocean. When the bough floated to shore the ant flopped onto the ground, water-logged as a sponge, and then got up and thanked the white dove.

A couple of weeks later when the leaves, which were turning brown and yellow and falling to the ground, a hunter, who was as mean as a grizzly bear with a toothache, took such a perfect aim at the same beautiful dove that saved the ant, that Robin Hood’s jaw would have dropped like a rock off a cliff, but the ant, who was as angry as a wild boar, stung him so hard that he ran like he was being chased by the Roman army, and he never—as long as he lived—never took a step out of his house. However, the brave little ant and the kind dove learned that the smallest of friends are the best of friends.

The Dove and the Ant King James Style

In 2000 AD an ant woketh up and went down to the stream to sippeth, and she fell in and was carried down the stream. A dove that passed by dropped the bough she was carrying and the ant climbed upon the bough and floated to shore. I am forever in thy debt because thy saved mine life and if thine ever has an enemies I shall smite him and send him where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth: said the ant.

In 2001 AD the dove was flying when a foul man beast approached and tooketh aim with his gun, but the ant was passing by and smote him on the foot and the hunter fell and died and his body was eaten by worms. The dove and the ant learned the lesson: The littlest of warriors is the best of friends.

Original Aesop Fable: An ant, going to the river to drink, fell in, and was carried along in the stream. A Dove pitied her condition, and threw into the river a small bough, by the means of which the Ant gained the shore. The Ant afterward, seeing a man with a fowling piece aiming at the Dove, stung him in the foot sharply, and made him miss his aim, and so saved the Dove's life.

"LITTLE FRIENDS MAY PROVE GREAT FRIENDS."

Phil Doesn't Need a Degree

Phil Lindskog was born in Rochester, Minnesota on March 31, 1989 and grew up in a Christian household with his parents. He is now nineteen years old and in college so he can go into youth ministry because he has a great talent for working with teenagers. Phil loves Mountain Dew and will drink it whenever he has the option. His favorite things to do are listen to music, which he does constantly, and watch anything with Will Ferrell in it. Phil loves to laugh, and people get a welcomed feeling when they meet him. Phil loves talking to God and spending time with Him more than anything else in the world.

Attending Christ Community Church since he was nine years old, Phil goes every week and volunteers joyfully with the youth. Occasionally, he works as a janitor at church and sometimes works with the preschool, Kingdom Kids, in the summer. While Phil is busy with school, he takes a lot of time to help out with the seventh grade boys at youth group. Phil also has a great love for music and is in charge of a youth worship band at church, which, as an act of service Sunday mornings, helps elementary children worship God through singing.

Going to a Christian college, Crossroads, in Rochester, Minnesota, Phil is continually busy with homework. While someday he hopes to go into ministry because of his love for Jesus and his gifts with middle schoolers, Phil is currently in his fifth semester at school and is working hard on a degree of ministry with youth and family. Obviously it does not require a college degree to love people and volunteer time, which Phil has been doing for years!

The Dove and the Ant Uncle Remus Style

One day en ant woke herself up en thawt ter herself, “Wat a butifo mawnin.” En she went a skippin en a hoppin en a hoppin en a skipin happy down ter da rushin riva where all her antish frens be.

“Fine mawnin weed havin. Wud yoodegree?”

To which her frens sez, “Not nothin fine bout it.”

En dey went ter argin bout da wedder til quite sudden, the ant wen slippety on da rocks, en wen a splashin inter da riva. Meanwi, a dove was passin by en spot the ant in da riva, so she went en dropped da bough she was caryn in the stream. Da ant wen en stick herself to dat der bough mighty quik en floated to shure wer she exlaim ter da bird, “I bet my life on it, if it wasn’t for dat der bough that you gone throne inter da stream, I’d ben a goner.”

Days laita der was a killa loosed in the same forst wid ‘is gun, en he took a mighty fine aim at da same dove dat had gone en save da ant, but da ant was passin by en give dat killa a bite on da foot dat it nevuh foget. Dat killa run off like a hut chile, en fo da resuff der lives da dove en ant dey live demselzes a peaceful life en were never bothered agen.

Littlest frens often be the mightiest frens.

Original Aesop Fable:

An ant, going to the river to drink, fell in, and was carried along in the stream. A Dove pitied her condition, and threw into the river a small bough, by the means of which the Ant gained the shore. The Ant afterward, seeing a man with a fowling piece aiming at the Dove, stung him in the foot sharply, and made him miss his aim, and so saved the Dove's life.

"LITTLE FRIENDS MAY PROVE GREAT FRIENDS."

Letter to Grandma and Grandpa

Tuesday, March 25, 2009

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

Since my birthday I have been deciding how to spend the money you gave me. I decided to spend a little and save a little. Buying a black acoustic guitar is one of the things your money helped me do. Not too long ago, some of my friends and I also started a rock band and have been occasionally meeting and practicing when we get the chance, which has been a lot of fun.

Immediately putting some of the money towards my beautiful acoustic guitar, which I am very excited about, I have been practicing every day. It is called an EJ-Acoustic Electric guitar. Having a black body, it is accented by gold tuners and a dandelion print on the front. When I look at it, one unique thing I always notice is that at the bottom of the guitar it has a design which is called a mustache! I love playing it. During the last month and a half, I have slowly been teaching myself how to play by learning and practicing new chords every day, while I hope to take lessons soon.

Joining choir, I have been working hard to learn my songs, which is quite challenging. Finally, I have joined the tenors instead of the altos or sopranos! During the last couple of months I have continued playing piano and singing in a youth worship band, “The Uprising,” at church. Since last fall our church has had a middle school band play for the elementary kids, practicing and then playing on Sunday mornings; I am one of the singers!

Starting a band called “So Much for Sleep” with my friends, we played at our church’s American Idol talent show, which we had a great time doing. Determinedly practicing, we have guitars and drums, and I am the lead singer! In April, we hope to play at a Rochester middle school talent show. We auditioned last week, and hopefully we’ll be selected to perform. If you go to my blog on the computer you will see the video of us.

Most importantly, I will keep practicing and pursuing music. Obviously I have gotten my great musical love from both sides of the family. When you come next time, I will show you what I’ve learned on the guitar. Thank you so much for the money, the I-tunes gift card, which I’ve used to download six songs already, and the gift card to Barnes and Noble. I’m going to use it to get the graphic novels of Black, Red, and White by Ted Dekker.

Yours truly,
Isaak

Bundle of Sticks Uncle Remus Style

Once der were a old man wit mar dan a lil wrinkle on his der face dat he look like a prune of sawts. Now he was so old dat he wadint gonna last so mawch time longer, so he calls his grandsons to hiz bed an he sayz shakonly, “Maw gud boys,” he says, “Go you ut to the field and bringer en a gud size bundel o’ sticks."

When dey cawm back, an dey do quick cuz dey big strong muzzles dey got, dey say, “Granpappy we did done like ya says.”
And granpappy says shakonly to da biggst of da two, he say, “Break it apar.”

The firs grandson go tarin and rippin and ripping and tarin but he ain’t no getting dat bundel apar. An with a stridle of sweat runnin’ dun iz face he say, “Granpappy, I ain’t able to.”

So iz brother come fluxxin iz muzzles proud, and he pulled and tugged and tugged and pulled, bud he ain’t able neither. En fac, he does fall un da flawr fum zaustion.

Den grandpappy say shakonly, “Boys, ya untaw dat bundel o’ sticks and tek ut one each.” So dey did es dey were teld. “Now brik et apar’,” says grandpappy shakonly.

And like it were a stick o’ straw dey brek it apar’, an ol granpappy say wise, “Seez—togeder yooz is strong!”

Original Aesop Fable:

An old man on the point of death summoned his sons around him to give them some parting advice. He ordered his servants to bring in a faggot of sticks, and said to his eldest son: “Break it.” The son strained and strained, but with all his efforts was unable to break the Bundle. The other sons also tried, but none of them was successful. “Untie the faggots,” said the father, “and each of you take a stick.” When they had done so, he called out to them: “Now, break,” and each stick was easily broken. “You see my meaning,” said their father.

“UNION GIVES STRENGTH.”

Letter to Grandma and Grandpa

Friday, March 6, 2009

Dear Granma and Good G,

Although I am writing this letter because I have to for school, I love you both dearly and hope you don’t take it personally. During this last week, I’ve been busy with my numerous but enjoyable activities and still have more coming up in the next week. Looking at my program, singing the songs, and telling my friends about it, the excitement from going to “Fiddler on the Roof” still hasn’t worn off! It was absolutely amazing! Thank you for taking me to the show G and Granma. I’m looking forward to seeing you next weekend when we go to Nikki and Randy’s house!

Incredibly well done, “Fiddler on the Roof” at the Orpheum is the best show I’ve ever seen, although I immensely enjoyed the Christmas Carol at the Guthrie as well. What’s your favorite play that you have ever seen? Watching Chaim Topol, an ancient but amazing actor, is an experience I’ll never forget! During the musical I was having the time of my life! Although I loved the whole show, one of my favorite things was the brilliant dancing, especially during the wedding and during “To Life.” Fruma Sarah, who I thought was frightening, surprised but impressed me in the dream scene when she was dancing, twirling, and singing, while on someone’s shoulders (at least that’s how I think they did it). It was a hilarious scene! “Fiddler on the Roof” is my favorite musical I’ve ever seen, especially because you were with me!

I can’t imagine anyone I‘d rather have gone to “Fiddler on the Roof” with than you, G! Thanks for going with me! Going to the show with you is a fun memory to have because you were the person I saw the movie with first! Within the next year, our copy of the movie, which you gave us, is going to be scratched and broken from being watched so much! Probably, “Fiddler on the Roof” is one of my two ultimate favorite musicals, along with Hello Dolly. Although I didn’t expect you to agree or even to consider attending the play, I’m incredibly happy you did!

Since you and Granma left I’ve been staying busy as usual. On Thursday I went to choir, which is so much fun, and we started learning two new songs: a hymn and a gospel song which sounds like it should be sung in a black southern church! It’s awesome! I was also planning to audition yesterday for the one act plays Words players is going to perform, but unfortunately I got distracted and it completely slipped my mind. At times I feel like Dory from “Finding Nemo”—“There’s nothin’ in my noggin.’” Hopefully I can still try out in the next week. Previously playing Imogene Herdman in BCPE, a girl named Brianna Hicken is going to be starring Annie Oakley in “Annie Get Your Gun” tonight, and I’m going to go see it! Performing the same piece (the one with the three bowel movements) I played at my recital when you guys were here, I am going to play in the Evening of Music and Recitation on Tuesday night. It’s a home school event. I’m looking forward to seeing you two after my jam packed week is over!

Looking forward to the play tonight, performing my piano piece next week, and hopefully trying out for the one act plays, I will be busy, but will tell you guys about it when I see you next weekend! As you have probably discerned by now, I completely adored “Fiddler on the Roof,” which, in my opinion, is one of the better musicals ever made! Most important, of course, I would like to thank you, Grandpa, for going with me to “Fiddler” and you, Granma, for driving us up to the cities. “To Life!”

Love,
Z

Nate Stenholtz: Everyday Hero

Avid reader, consumer of French-pressed coffee, and follower of Jesus, Nate Stenholtz is a great friend whose normal life displays the supernatural work of Someone bigger. Nate was born in 1976 in North Dakota, although his family lived across the border in Wyoming. For most of his life, Nate has lived in Minnesota. Nate’s family is immensely important to him. Inside the church or outside, he lives as a missional Christian in obedience to God. Sharing his life and talents with teenagers and learning from them, Nate is a middle school youth pastor.
Nate is a family man. Marrying Kristin Cave in 1998, Nate firmly says that this event was one of the most important in his entire life. Excitingly, Elise Anastasia Stenholtz entered the world in 2003 with Aubrey Joy Stenholtz following in 2005. Nate adores his two daughters and loves to spend time with them every night by reading stories to them. While Nate’s family spends time together, they especially enjoy experiencing new things together and traveling to new places. In about five years, when the girls are older, Nate and Kristin plan to go on a family mission trip together because they love to travel and also want to further God‘s kingdom. Nate Stenholtz, who is a wonderful father and husband, loves his family and spending time with them.
Nate Stenholtz is no stranger to missions. In Nate’s early teenage years he treated baseball like his god and played constantly. When Nate met Jesus Christ, who changed his life, he was asked to do some difficult things. Asking Nate to quit baseball and go to Russia for a month, Jesus clearly had a different plan for Nate’s life than Nate did. Nate obeyed God. Significantly effecting Nate’s life, the trip to Russia was very important to Nate, and his experiences helped the way he now views the world. Since the mission trip to Russia, Nate has also been to parts of the U.S. and throughout parts of Europe, such as Finland. Nate hopes to return to Russia someday.
Although Nate has traveled to many far places, his mission field is not limited to across the ocean. Loving and serving many in his community, Nate has a heart for helping others and learning from others, especially teenagers.
Because Nate, who is exceedingly friendly and extremely inviting, enjoys interacting with people, he does a fabulous job as middle school youth pastor. Nate’s first youth pastor job was when he was twenty-two and newly married at a small church in Marshall, Minnesota. Throughout the years, Nate has worked at different churches, but now he is the youth pastor at Christ Community Church in Rochester Minnesota. Journeying with students in their relationships with God is Nate’s favorite part of being a youth pastor.
Nate loves his beautiful wife, Kristin, and his two girls, Elise and Aubrey.  Although Nate may seem like a normal man with a regular job as a middle school youth pastor, he is a hero because he unselfishly loves others.

Hydeful Nature

The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde is a novel written by Robert Louis Stevenson, which was published in 1886. After becoming a famous book, over 123 film versions were made about it, not to mention other adaptations, including stage performances and radio dramas. Certainly, the main theme in this book is about the fight between good and evil in all of us. This reflects the Bible verse Romans 7:19-20, which says, “For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is the sin living in me that does it.”

Living an ordinary life as a doctor and a good man, supposedly, Dr. Jekyll wants to give into sinful temptations. “He began to go wrong, wrong in the mind,” says Mr. Lanyon one of Dr. Jekyll’s old friends. Secretly creating a potion that will transform him into Mr. Hyde, who is actually the completely evil side of himself, Dr. Jekyll can do whatever he likes without people knowing it’s him. By drinking the potion, Dr. Jekyll can turn back into his regular and better self and continue with life like normal. While concealing his evil life, Dr. Jekyll is strong and healthy, but when he is his Mr. Hyde, he is small and weak.

Viciously evil, Mr. Hyde displays Dr Jekyll’s worst nature. “Mr. Hyde was pale and dwarfish; he gave the impression of deformity without any nameable malformation.” Changing from Dr. Jekyll to Mr. Hyde, this man is a murderer and has no mercy; he is cruel, and some people say he’s barely human, and they get chills when they’re around him. By killing a defenseless man and also trampling a small child, Mr. Hyde shows how evil he is.

Robert Louis Stevenson, who is the author of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, seems to have a view close to the Christian world view. Choosing to become Hyde, Jekyll decides to become evil and do what he wants. While he becomes more controlled by Hyde, Jekyll finally gets trapped forever by his pride in the body of Mr. Hyde. In this way Stevenson shows how Dr. Jekyll becomes a slave to his sin. Man has choice. The Bible says that we need to take responsibility for our actions, which is similar to Dr. Jekyll choosing to become Mr. Hyde. In the Bible it also says that man has a sinful nature, and man is totally depraved, and Dr. Jekyll gives into sin because he chooses to.

Closely following the Bible’s view of man, Stevenson shows how man has choice and a sinful nature, while also showing that man is totally depraved and needs a savior. Creating the illustration of man as a sinful creature, Stevenson’s book is consistent with the Christian world view of man as seen in Romans 7:19-20, which says that people want to do good, but they often don’t.

The Doubleness of Man

Dr. Jekyll is a large, middle-aged, well-to-do man who possesses enumerable titles to his name and is high up in society. Although Dr Jekyll is a gentleman, who is kind and polite, some of his old friends disapprove of what they call his “scientific heresies.” “Too fanciful; he began to go wrong, wrong in the mind,” reflects an old comrade, Mr. Lanyon. Ambitiously Dr. Jekyll works on his scientific concoction until he finally finishes it and decides to try it. He drinks it. Transformed into another being, whom he calls Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll can do whatever he likes when he’s in the other form, which he can change into at any time he likes. During his excursions as Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll gives into all his sinful desires and enjoys doing evil without having to worry about his reputation. After awhile of this routine, though, Dr Jekyll begins to become a slave to his sin and can no longer control when he changes into Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jekyll, who was of the best stature in society, eventually can no longer overcome his sin and is a slave to worse self, Mr. Hyde.

Mr. Hyde is Dr. Jekyll’s double worse self. He is pure evil. Detestably pale and dwarfish, deformed somewhere, hardly human, and an extraordinary man is how he’s described him and fear him. “Particularly small, and particularly wicked looking,” says one onlooker. Murdering a well-known man and treacherously trampling a girl who was walking on the street, Mr. Hyde displays ruthless violent behavior. Inside and outside Mr. Hyde is a disagreeable and horrible person. Mr. Hyde is very powerful, and he overpowers and destroys Dr. Jekyll’s good nature.

Robert Louis Stevenson, the author of The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde who actually rejected the God of the Bible, had a similar view to the biblical world view. Although it is not clearly stated that man is made in the image to God, the book does say that Dr. Jekyll lost hold of his better original self. Concerning the view that man is fallen it is clear that he believed man has a sinful nature and must battle against it or he will become a slave to sin. Interestingly, the view that we cannot be our own representative is portrayed, although Robert Louis Stevenson didn’t believe in God. Comparing himself pridefully to all of his neighbors and justifying himself on a standard lower than God is when Dr. Jekyll’s final mistake happens, and he turns into Mr. Hyde permanently. Robert Louis Stevenson did not believe in God or the Bible, but the world view displayed in his writing is very close to the biblical world view.

Creating us in his image, God purposefully made us significant and this is the biblical world view. Within each person there is a spirit which is which allows us to live after death according to the Bible. God made man he gave man free will to choose make choices. Man has a sinful nature. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:3). Because of our choice to sin, men are now slaves to their sinful natures without God. Thankfully, we have Christ as our perfect representative so that we can be saved and fight against our sinful natures. Although Robert Louis Stevenson is not a Christian, he displays a world view undeniably close to the biblical world view. This book is a fantastic intriguing story about the true doubleness of human nature.