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List of Myths by Theme | |
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List of Figures | |
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List of Perspectives | |
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Maps | |
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Charts | |
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Preface | |
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Introduction | |
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The Nature of Myth | |
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What is a Myth? | |
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The "Myth of Atlantis" | |
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Types of Myth | |
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Divine myth | |
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Legend | |
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Folktale | |
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The Study of Myth | |
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Myths of the Ancient World | |
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Mesopotamian Myth | |
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Sumerians and Cuneiform Writing | |
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MYTH: The Akkadian Epic of Creation | |
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The Primordial Separation | |
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First Conflict between Older and Younger Gods | |
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The Birth of Marduk | |
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Marduk and Tiamat | |
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Observations: Separation and Succession in Mesopotamian Creation Stories | |
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The Biblical Creation Story | |
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MYTH: Inanna Prefers the Farmer | |
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MYTH: The Wedding of Inanna and Dumuzi | |
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MYTH: The Descent of Ishtar | |
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Observations: The Cycle of Life | |
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MYTH: The Great Flood | |
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A Race of Slaves | |
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Lessening the Population | |
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The Universal Flood | |
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Observations: Divine Myth in Mesopotamia | |
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MYTH: Gilgamesh | |
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Gilgamesh, Son of Lugalbanda | |
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Enkidu | |
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Humbaba | |
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The Lust of Ishtar | |
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The Bull of Heaven | |
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The Death of Enkidu | |
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The Quest for Eternal Life | |
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The Man Who Never Died | |
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The Seven Loaves | |
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The Plant of Rejuvenation | |
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Observations: Gilgamesh, Archetypal Hero | |
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Conclusion: The Myths of Mesopotamia | |
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Egyptian Myth | |
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The Black Land | |
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Egyptian History | |
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Egyptian Writing | |
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The forms of Egyptian Writing | |
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The Decipherment of Jean-Francois Champollion | |
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MYTH: The Creation by Atum | |
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MYTH: Creation in Memphis | |
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MYTH: The Tale of the Shipwrecked Sailor | |
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MYTH: The Destruction of Humankind | |
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MYTH: The Story of the Two Brothers | |
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Conclusion: Egyptian Myth | |
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The Myths of Canaan | |
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The Discovery of Ugarit | |
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Ugaritic Writing | |
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MYTH: The Myth of Aqhat | |
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Observations: The legend of Danel | |
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MYTH: The Myth of Baal | |
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El Surrenders Baal | |
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Baal Defeats Sea | |
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A Banquet for Baal | |
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The Anger of Anat | |
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Baal and Anat Bribe Asherah to Support the Building of a Palace | |
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Kothar-wa-Hasis Builds a Palace for Baal | |
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Death Kills Baal | |
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Athtar, Son of Asherah, Is Made King | |
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Anat Kills Death | |
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The Resurrection of Baal and Death | |
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The Hittite Myth of Kingship in Heaven | |
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Observations: The Triumph of Baal | |
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Greek Myth | |
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Greek Landscape | |
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Indo-European Origins | |
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The Alphabetic Revolution | |
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Greek Polytheism | |
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Homer and Hesiod | |
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MYTH: The Creation of the World | |
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The Children of Chaos | |
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The Children of Gaea: The Titans | |
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Cyclopes, Hecatonchires | |
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MYTH: Cronus against Uranus | |
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The Birth of Aphrodite, Monsters, and Sea Deities | |
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MYTH: The War against the Titans | |
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Goya's Saturn Devouring His Children | |
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MYTH: The War against Typhoeus | |
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Observations: Prominent Themes in Hesiod's Stories of the Early Days | |
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MYTH: Odysseus in the Cave of Polyphemus | |
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Observations: The Man Who Came Home | |
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Roman Myth | |
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Roman Geography and Culture | |
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Roman Government and History | |
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Roman Gods Equated with Greek | |
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Gods of the Family and State | |
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MYTH: The Legend of Aeneas | |
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Arrival at Carthage | |
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Suicide of Dido | |
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Descent to the Underworld | |
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Latium | |
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Observations: The Aeneid, a Myth of Rebirth | |
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Aeneas, Augustus, and Mussolini | |
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MYTH: Romulus and Remus | |
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MYTH: The Rape of the Sabine Women and the Death of Romulus | |
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MYTH: The Etruscan Dynasty and the Wicked Tullia | |
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MYTH: Lucretia and the End of Monarchy | |
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Observations: An Imaginary Past Preserves the Present | |
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Myth in India | |
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Historical Background | |
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The Sources for Indian Myth | |
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MYTH: Brahma Creates the World | |
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MYTH: Vishnu's Incarnation as a Dwarf | |
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MYTH: The Myth of What Was in Krishna's Mouth | |
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The Bhagavad Gita | |
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Mughal Miniatures | |
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Shiva, Lord of the Dance | |
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MYTH: Gods and Demons Churn the Ocean to Obtain Ambrosia | |
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MYTH: Devi Kills the Buffalo Demon | |
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MYTH: The Abduction of Sita | |
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MYTH: How Rama Rejected Sita | |
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Observations: Queen Maya, Lord of All | |
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Myths of the Medieval Period | |
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Persian Myth | |
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History of Iran | |
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Frank Miller's 300 | |
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Writing Down the Persian Language | |
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The Religion of Zoroaster | |
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The Cult of Mithras | |
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Ferdowsi's Shahnameh | |
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MYTH: Rostam and Sohrab | |
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Observations: Ferdowsi's Shahnameh | |
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Japanese Myth | |
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Background: Chinese Myth | |
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Japan in History | |
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Japanese Writing | |
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Japanese Religions | |
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MYTH: Japanese Creation of the World | |
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MYTH: Origin of the Japanese Islands | |
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MYTH: The Triumph of Amaterasu | |
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MYTH: Amaterasu and Susanoo | |
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MYTH: The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter | |
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The Suitors | |
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The Stone Begging Bowl of the Buddha | |
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Japanese Woodblock Prints | |
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The Jeweled Branch from Paradise | |
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The Robe of Fire-Rat Skins | |
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The Jewel in the Dragon's Head | |
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The Easy-Delivery Charm of the Swallows | |
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The Imperial Hunt | |
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The Celestial Robe of Feathers | |
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Observations: The Tale of the Bamboo-Cutter | |
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Celtic Myth | |
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Celtic Records | |
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MYTH: Cuchulain of Ireland | |
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The Birth of Cuchulain | |
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Youthful Deeds of Cuchulain | |
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The Druids | |
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More Youthful Deeds of Cuchulain | |
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The Cattle Raid at Cooley | |
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The Loves of Cuchulain | |
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The Death of Cuchulain | |
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Observations: Cuchulain and History | |
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Wales | |
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MYTH: Pwyll, Prince of Dyfed | |
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Pwyll and Arawen Change Places | |
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The Lady on Horseback | |
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The Stranger at the Feast | |
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The Invention of "Badger in the Bag" | |
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The Happiness of Pwyll and Rhiannon | |
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The Penance of Rhiannon | |
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Observations: Folktale Motifs in the Mabinogion | |
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Scandinavian Myth | |
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Writing among the Norsemen | |
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The Poetic Edda | |
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"The Giantess's Prophecy" | |
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The Creation of the World | |
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The World-Tree and the War in Heaven | |
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Heimdall's Horn | |
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The Death of Balder | |
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Giantland and the Land of Hel | |
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The Fenris Wolf | |
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Ragnarok Begins | |
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The Death of Odin | |
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Thor and the Serpent | |
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The World Renewed | |
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Observations: The Norse Picture of the Cosmos | |
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The Volsungs | |
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Sigurd and Fafnir | |
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Sigurd and Brynhild | |
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The Ring Cycle of Richard Wagner | |
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Observations: The Saga of the Volsungs | |
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Myths of the Modern World | |
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The Myths of Mexico | |
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Maya Civilization | |
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Maya Writing | |
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MYTH: Popol Vuh | |
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The Maya Creation of the World | |
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The Creation of Humans | |
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The Death of Vucub Caquix | |
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Zipacna Kills the Four-Hundred Boys | |
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The Twins Overcome Zipacna, Son of Vucub Caquix | |
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The Twins Overcome Cabracan, Son of Vucub Caquix | |
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The Birth of Hunahpu and Xbalanque | |
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Xquic Tricks the Lords of Xibalba | |
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The Rest of the Story | |
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Observations: The Popol Vuh | |
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The Aztecs | |
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Diego Rivera | |
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MYTH: The Birth of Huitzilopochtli | |
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MYTH: The Plot of Tezcatlipoca against Quetzalcoatl | |
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The Plumed Serpent of D. H. Lawrence | |
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MYTH: The Journey to Tlapallan | |
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Observations: The Myths of Mexico | |
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Oceanic Myth | |
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European Contact | |
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The Study of Oceanic Myth | |
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The Myths of Polynesia | |
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The Statues of Easter Island | |
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MYTH: Polynesian Creation Myths | |
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MYTH: The Polynesian Creation of Humans | |
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MYTH: Legends of Wlaui | |
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MYTH: Maui Fishes Up the Land | |
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MYTH: Maui Snares the Sun | |
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MYTH: Maui Goes in Quest of Fire | |
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MYTH: Maui Raises the Sky | |
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MYTH: The Death of Maui | |
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Paul Gauguin in Tahiti | |
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The Myths of Melanesia | |
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MYTH: The Origin of Man | |
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MYTH: The Origin of Races | |
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MYTH: The Melanesian Origin of Fire | |
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MYTH: The Wise and the Foolish Brothers | |
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MYTH: Melanesian Myths of Cannibalism | |
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The Myths of Micronesia | |
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MYTH: The Exploits of Olofat | |
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The Myths of Australia | |
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MYTH: The Australian Origin of Humankind | |
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MYTH: The Origin of the Moon | |
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MYTH: The Australasian Origin of Fire | |
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MYTH: How the Curlew Got Red Legs | |
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MYTH: Australasian Myths of Cannibalism | |
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Observations: The Myths of Oceania | |
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Myths of the North American Indians | |
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American Indian Culture | |
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MYTH: Hopi Creation | |
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MYTH: Raven, Bringer of Abundance | |
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MYTH: Sedna, Mistress of the Underworld | |
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MYTH: The Release of the Wild Animals | |
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MYTH: Lodge-Boy and Thrown-Away | |
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MYTH: The Bear-Woman | |
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MYTH: The Trickster's Great fall and His Revenge | |
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Longfellow's Hiawatha | |
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MYTH: The Girls Enticed to the Sky | |
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MYTH: The Man-Eating Wife | |
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MYTH: The Fatal Swing | |
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MYTH: Cherokee Origin of Fire | |
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Observations: The Stories of the North American Indians | |
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African Myth | |
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African History | |
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Conditions of Performance | |
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MYTH: Creation in Uganda | |
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MYTH: The Tale of Abunawas | |
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MYTH: Hare | |
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Joel Chandler Harris and Uncle Remus | |
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MYTH: The Story of the Cannibal Mother and Her Children | |
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MYTH: The Disobedient Daughter Who Married a Skull | |
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MYTH: The Magic Drum | |
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MYTH: Nyikang and the Sun | |
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Observations: African Myth | |
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Theory | |
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Theories of Myth Interpretation | |
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Greek Theories | |
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Physical Allegory | |
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Historical Allegory: Euhemerism | |
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Moral Allegory | |
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Apuleius' Allegory of Cupid and Psyche | |
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Medieval and Renaissance Theories | |
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Theories of the Enlightenment | |
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Theories of the 19th and 20th Centuries | |
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Romantic Theories | |
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Anthropological Theories | |
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Linguistic Theories | |
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Psychological Theories | |
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Structuralist Theories | |
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Contextual Approaches | |
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Conclusion: The Study of Myth | |