MYTHOLOGY AND FOLKLORE FINALS
REVIEWER
MYTHOLOGIES WITH BIBLICAL
COUNTERPARTS
THE BORN OF ORION: (Jonah and the
Whale)
The earliest traditions simply name Orion as
the son of Poseidon and Euryale (a
daughter of King Minos), but a later myth
gives a more fantastical version of the myth.
Some say, Orion was the son of the poor
shepherd called Hyrieus. And also had a
wife named Side, and they had daughters
called the Coronides
Other tales even claim that he was born out
in Gaea, when Zeus, Poseidon, and
Hermes united in a bull hide and buried it in
the earth that is why his name is Orion
(Urine)
The Death of Orion:
Version 1 - Artemis though was said to have
killed Orion when the giant forced his
attention upon the Hyperborean maiden
Oupis, a handmaiden of Artemis.
Version 2- Apollo arranged the death of
Orion when he became jealous of the
closeness of Orion and his sister Artemis.
Version 3- Still other legends have him killed
by a scorpion
Summary of the story:
In Greek mythology, Orion was a giant and
a powerful hunter, famed for his great
strength and skill. He was born the son of
Poseidon, the sea god, and Eurynome, an
ocean nymph. Orion was a great ally of the
gods and often accompanied them on their
adventures.
One day, Orion was out hunting when he
discovered that one of the animals he'd
killed was a sacred hind, a creature revered
by the goddess Artemis. Angered by his
disrespect, Artemis turned the hind into the
constellation Taurus, which now adorns the
sky.
On another occasion, Orion pursued the
Pleiades, the seven daughters of the Titan
Atlas, also known as the Seven Sisters.
These seven young women were the
favorite attendants of Artemis, who
protected them with her bow and arrow.
Desperate and afraid for their lives, the
young women appealed to Zeus, the king of
the gods, for help.
Zeus took pity on them and changed them
into the constellation of the Pleiades. He
also placed Orion in the firmament as well,
positioning the giant to perpetually chase
after the seven sisters. The story of Orion
and the Pleiades is a tale of the dangers of
hubris and the futility of desire. It teaches
the importance of respecting nature's
boundaries and the dangers of crossing
them.
Another version is that Orion fell in love with
the daughter of King Oenopion, Merope. He
agreed to work for him, however, he is not
that patient. He raped Merope causing her
father to be angry at him, but he can't do
anything about it because Orion is more
stronger than him. After this shameful act,
Oenopion went to Eos to punish Orion.
Orion lost his vision as a punishment but in
order to gain his sight, he went on a journey
to Hephaestus and was guided by Cedalion
so that he will be healed from his blindness
as they find the direction of the sunset.
Despite his strength and skill as a hunter,
Orion did not escape a tragic end. One day,
while hunting in Boeotia, he was killed by
Gaia, the mother of the gods, who sent a
scorpion to sting him to death. Zeus then
put the scorpion in the sky as the
constellation Scorpius, forever reminding
Orion's companions not to forget him.
DEUCALION AND PYRRHA (Noah’s Ark)
Deucalion, the son of the immortal Titan
Prometheus, is informed by his father of the
impending massive flood that will end the
Bronze Age, and he constructs a small boat
to transport him and his cousin-wife Pyrrha,
the daughter of Prometheus' brother
Epimetheus and Pandora, to safety.
Noah’s Ark
Noah received a message from God about
a massive flood that will render the earth
new and destroy all living things on the
earth, except for Noah, who had ‘found
grace in the eyes of the LORD. When Noah
was 600 years old, God released the rains
that lasted for forty days and nights, causing
the Flood. Noah and his wife, his sons, and
their wives, along with the animals he had
taken aboard the ark, were spared the flood
and survived. But every living thing outside
of the ark was destroyed in the waters of the
flood. The ark eventually came to rest on
the 'mountains of Ararat’. Once the flood
dried out, Noah sent a raven out of the ark
to search for dry land, and then a dove. The
dove returned, so Noah waited a week and
then sent it out again. This happened
several times before the dove eventually
returned with an olive branch in its
mouth—a symbol of peace ever since. Then
God instructed them to repopulate the earth.
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES
Noah’s Ark
• God looked down on the human race and
saw wickedness, violence, and evil
everywhere (Genesis 6:5). He decided to
destroy all living things on the earth, except
for Noah, who had ‘found grace in the eyes
of the LORD’ (Genesis 6:8).
God instructed Noah to build an ark.
• Noah and his family survived together with
the two sets of animals per species.
• 40 days and 40 nights
• Noah and his family repopulated the world.
Deucalion and Pyrrha
• A massive and destructive flood that aims
to destroy the entire population was brought
down by Zeus to punish sinful humans.
• Prometheus instructed his son, Deucalion,
to build a chest/boat.
• Only Deucalion and Pyrrha survived.
• They floated for 9 days and 9 nights.
• They threw stones and those stones
became humans.
BAUCIS AND PHILEMON (Abraham and
Sarah)
PLOT (INTRODUCTION)
The story begins with the arrival of two
disguised deities, zeus and hermes, in the
region of phrygia. Their quest for shelter
and hospitality results in rejection from
numerous households, highlighting the
scarcity of genuine hospitality in the area.
However, the humble cottage of baucis and
philemon becomes the exception, offering a
place of refuge and setting the stage for the
central conflict of the story.
PLOT (RISING ACTION)
The rising action continues as the scarcity
of genuine hospitality is further emphasized
through the rejection of zeus and hermes by
other households. Baucis and Philemon's
selfless and generous offer of their humble
home to the disguised travelers serves to
contrast the theme of hospitality with their
acts of kindness.
PLOT (CLIMAX)
The climax of the story occurs when baucis
and philemon discover the true identity of
their guests - they are not ordinary travelers,
but gods in disguise. This revelation
heightens the tension as the elderly couple
fears potential retribution from the gods for
their humble offerings.
PLOT (FALLING ACTION)
Following the climactic revelation, the gods,
Zeus and Hermes, reveal their true
identities and their intention to reward
Baucis and Philemon for their exceptional
kindness and hospitality. The couple is
granted a wish, and they choose
immortality, along with the role of guardians
for the temple built in their honor.
PLOT (DENOUEMENT)
The story concludes as baucis and
philemon, having grown old together, are
transformed into intertwined trees. This
transformation symbolizes their everlasting
love and unwavering hospitality, serving as
the resolution of the story and imparting a
profound moral lesson about the rewards of
kindness and humility.
Characters:
Baucis
Philemon
Zues
Hermes
Settings: The setting of the myth takes
place in the rural region of Phrygia, which
was known for its pastoral landscapes and
simple, rustic way of life. The story unfolds
in the couple's modest cottage, where the
primary events occur.
Themes:
Hospitality - The couple's willingness to
share their meager resources with strangers
demonstrates the importance of hospitality.
Reward and Punishment - Baucis and
Philemon's generosity is rewarded, while
the neighbors' lack of hospitality results in
their destruction.
Interaction and Confusion between Gods
and Mortals - This theme explores the idea
that divine entities can move among
humans unnoticed, influencing their lives in
significant ways.
NISUS AND SCYLLA (Samson and
Delilah)
EXPOSITION
The story is set in ancient Greek mythology
and revolves around Nisus, the king of
Megara, and his daughter Scylla. Nisus
possesses a purple lock of hair with magical
powers that can ensure his life and the
continued rule of his kingdom.
RISING ACTION
Minos, the son of Zeus and Europa, wages
war against Megara, which is an ally of
Athens. The war drags on for over six
months, and Scylla, Nisus's daughter,
becomes enamored with Minos, the leader
of the Cretan army. She watches the battles
from the castle tower and falls deeply in
love with him, even considering offering
herself as a hostage or her father's kingdom
as a dowry to be with Minos.
CLIMAX
Scylla, convinced that her father is losing
the war and wanting to win Minos's
affection, cuts off Nisus's magical purple
lock while he sleeps, inadvertently killing
him. She offers this as a gift to Minos, but
he rejects it, horrified by her treacherous act
and curses her.
FALLING ACTION
Minos conquers Megara and establishes his
rule. Scylla, abandoned by Minos and
unable to stay in Megara or go to Crete,
clings to his departing ship. Her father, now
transformed into anOsprey, attacks her.
Scylla falls into the water but is saved from
drowning by a god, who transforms her into
a ciris. However, the sea hawk continues to
attack the ciris as vengeance for her
betrayal.
DENOUEMENT
Different versions of the story vary in the
details of Scylla's fate. In some, she is tied
to the stern of the ship and drowns. In
others, she is transformed into a sea
monster by Circe and resides in a cave,
feeding on sailors who pass by. The tale
concludes with the consequences of
Scylla's actions and her transformation,
reflecting the tragic consequences of her
love and betrayal.
SAMSON AND DELILAH
The story introduces Samson, a man
chosen by God, and the setting during the
time of the judges in Israel. It establishes
Samson's great physical strength and his
weakness for Philistine women, particularly
Delilah. Samson falls in love with Delilah,
and the Philistine rulers offer her money to
discover the secret of his strength. Samson
initially deceives Delilah about the source of
his strength, but she persistently tries to
uncover it. Samson eventually reveals that
his strength is linked to his uncut hair, a gift
from God. Delilah betrays him by cutting his
hair, leading to his capture and blinding by
the Philistines Samson, weakened and
blinded, prays to God for strength while in
the Philistine temple.He gains renewed
strength and pushes down the temple's
pillars, causing its collapse, killing himself
and many Philistines. The destruction of the
temple marks a turning point, leading to the
liberation of Israel from Philistine rule.
Samson's actions have a significant impact
on the story's outcome. God forgives
Samson for his past mistakes, and his death
ultimately serves as a means of delivering
the Israelites from Philistine oppression.
The story ends with the Israelites gaining
freedom and the narrative coming to a
resolution.
SIMILARITIES
• Nisus and Samson both hold a source of
greater strength or power in their hair.
• Both of the stories have similarities when it
comes to betrayal.
DIFFERENCES

•Delilah betrayed Samson for money
•Scylla betray her father because
• Different reasons for betraying their family
or lovers.
12 LABORS OF HERCULES
EXPOSITION
Hercules is a demi-god with incredible
strength and abilities, born out of Zeus’
affair with Alcmene. So, the jealous Hera,
Zeus’ wife, gave him the curse of madness
CONFLICT
Hercules' stepmother, Hera, plots to destroy
him. She uses her powers to cause
Hercules to go temporarily insane, leading
him to commit a terrible act: killing his wife
and children.
RISING ACTION
Hercules, tormented by guilt and grief,
seeks a way to atone for his actions and
redeem himself. He approaches King
Eurystheus, who assigns him Twelve
Labors as punishment and redemption.
CLIMAX
The climax of the story occurs as Hercules
undertakes and successfully completes his
Twelve Labors. These labors include
defeating the Nemean Lion, capturing the
Erymanthian Boar, cleaning the Augean
stables, and more. These feats demonstrate
his incredible strength and bravery.
FALLING ACTION
King Eurystheus releases Hercules from his
duty and has reached the pinnacle of glory.
RESOLUTION
In the end, Hercules, having completed his
Twelve Labors and endured the trials
caused by Hera, is granted immortality and
joins the ranks of the Olympian gods, taking
his place among the stars in the night sky
as a constellation, where he finds peace
and eternal glory. He was also called “The
Champion of Humankind.”
The 12 Labors of Hercules
1. The Nemean Lion: Hercules
strangles a magical lion terrorizing
Nemea and wears its pelt as a cloak for
the rest of his life.
2. The Lernaean Hydra: Hercules,
aided by his nephew Iolaus, defeats the
nine-headed Hydra by cutting off its
heads and cauterizing the wounds to
prevent regeneration.
3. The Golden Hind: Hercules captures
the sacred red deer of the goddess
Diana with golden antlers and convinces
her to allow him to take it without
punishment.
4. The Erymanthean Boar: Using a
giant net, Hercules captures the
man-eating wild boar of Mount
Erymanthus.
5. The Augean Stables: Hercules
cleans King Augeas' enormous stables
in a day by diverting two rivers to flood
and wash away the manure.
6. The Stymphlaian Birds: Hercules
drives away carnivorous birds in
Stymphalos with magical bronze krotala
given by Athena.
7. The Cretan Bull: Hercules captures a
rampaging bull in Crete, later released
into the streets of Marathon by
Eurystheus.
8. The Horses of Diomedes: Hercules
captures and brings the man-eating
horses of the Thracian king Diomedes to
Eurystheus, who dedicates them to
Hera and sets them free.
9. Hippolyte’s Belt: Hercules faces
complications stealing an armored belt
from Amazon queen Hippolyte due to
Hera's interference, resulting in the
queen's death.
10. The Cattle of Geryon: Hercules
travels to Africa and steals the cattle of
the three-headed monster Geryon,
overcoming Hera's obstacles.
11. The Apples of Hesperides:
Eurystheus sends Hercules to steal
golden apples guarded by the
Hesperides, requiring help from
Prometheus and Atlas, and eventually
returning them to the gods' garden.
12. Cerberus: For his final challenge,
Hercules goes to Hades and kidnaps
Cerberus, the three-headed dog
guarding the Underworld, and returns it
unharmed after showing it to
Eurystheus.
SUMMARY OF SAMSON’S STORY
The story of Samson begins with Israel
suffering under Philistine oppression.
Chosen by God, Samson is born to
previously childless parents and raised as a
Nazarite with special vows, including not
cutting his hair. Despite his incredible
strength, Samson makes questionable
choices, such as marrying a Philistine and
getting involved with Delilah. Betrayed by
Delilah, Samson reveals his hair as the
source of his strength, and she cuts it while
he sleeps. Captured and blinded by the
Philistines, Samson's hair begins to grow
back, and he prays for strength. During a
Philistine gathering, he pushes down the
temple pillars, sacrificing himself and killing
many Philistines, ultimately delivering Israel
from oppression.
MYTHS AS EXPLANATIONS OF
NATURAL PHENOMENA (GREEK
MYTHOLOGY)
APOLLO AND DAPHNE
In this myth, Apollo, the god of light and
poetry, scolds Eros (Cupid) for using bows
and arrows to create love. In retaliation,
Eros shoots Apollo with two arrows—one
gold-tipped, causing him to fall in love with
the nymph Daphne, and another
lead-tipped, making Daphne reject love.
Despite Apollo's persistent pursuit, Daphne
seeks help from her father (or Mother
Earth), who transforms her into a laurel
plant to escape Apollo's advances.
Heartbroken, Apollo makes the laurel a
symbol of tribute to poets, and it becomes
associated with him. This myth explains the
origin of the laurel and its significance in
connection to Apollo and the oracle of
Delphi.
Natural Phenomenon - Daphne’s
transformation into a laurel tree.
PYRAMUS AND THISBE
In Babylon there lived the most
handsome pair of young lovers in the
East. Pyramus loved Thisbe and she loved
him, but although they were next-door
neighbors they could never get together
because both sets of parents opposed
the courtship. In order to converse they
had to whisper through a chink in the wall
that separated them. Tired of this
subterfuge, they agreed to meet one night
outside the city to elope. Thisbe arrived at
the meeting place under a mulberry tree
and was frightened off by a lion with bloody
jaws. The lion found her scarf and ripped it,
staining the scarf with blood. When
Pyramus came along he discovered the
scarf and the lion's tracks and he
assumed Thisbe had been killed. No
longer wishing to live, he took his sword
and plunged it into his body. The blood
spurted upwards and dyed the white
mulberries red. Thisbe returned to find
her lover at the point of death. She
obtained his sword and committed suicide.
The two of them were buried in a single urn.
Since that time, the mulberry tree has
always put forth red berries.
1. The Mulberry Tree: The most prominent
natural element in the story is the mulberry
tree. Pyramus and Thisbe decide to meet
near the tree. The mulberry tree symbolizes
their secret love and clandestine meetings.
When tragedy strikes and Thisbe flees from
a lion, she leaves her scarf behind. Thisbe's
scarf becomes stained with the blood of a
lion, and when Pyramus finds it under the
mulberry tree, he believes that Thisbe has
been killed. The color of the mulberries,
which were originally white, turns red due to
the blood. This transformation of the
mulberries is a natural phenomenon that
symbolizes the tragic turn of events and the
enduring impact of their love.
2. The Lion: The appearance of the lion is
another natural element in the story. The
presence of the lion represents the
unpredictability and danger of the natural
world, which interferes with the lovers' plans
and ultimately leads to their tragic
separation.
CEPHALUS AND PROCRIS
Characters:
Cephalus - a beautiful young man who is
fond of manly sports
Procris - the wife of Cephalus
Aurora - the goddess who fell in love with
Cephalus
Story
The story follows Cephalus, a youth
devoted to hunting, who is abducted by
Aurora, the goddess of dawn, due to his
exceptional beauty. Despite Aurora's
advances, Cephalus remains faithful to his
beloved wife, Procris. Procris, favored by
the goddess Diana, gives Cephalus a dog
and a javelin. After resisting Aurora's
advances, Cephalus returns to Procris and
continues his love for hunting. A deity sends
a fox to trouble the land, and Cephalus
lends his dog, Lelaps, to help. The ensuing
chase between Lelaps and the fox ends in
both being turned into stone by divine
intervention. Despite losing his dog,
Cephalus continues hunting.
Misunderstandings arise when Procris
hears Cephalus speaking to the breeze,
leading to a tragic event where Cephalus
accidentally kills Procris. In her dying
moments, Procris reveals the
misunderstanding, asking Cephalus not to
marry the imagined "Breeze." The
disclosure comes too late, and Procris dies
with forgiveness for her husband.
1. The Breeze:
- Natural Phenomenon: Aurora's romantic
infatuation, symbolizing the fleeting and
intangible nature of dawn's beauty, which
Cephalus metaphorically addresses as a
"sweet breeze" in his moments of solitude.
2. The Turning into Stone:
- Natural Phenomenon: Divine
intervention by heavenly powers
transforming the pursuing dog, Lelaps, and
the ravenous fox into stone statues,
illustrating a supernatural outcome to a
mortal chase, frozen in the very act of
pursuit.
3. The Fox and Lelaps Chase:
- Natural Phenomenon: A mortal hunt
involving the relentless pursuit of a
ravenous fox by the swift and skilled dog,
Lelaps, showcasing the natural instincts and
prowess of the animals, culminating in a
race that defies the usual laws of nature as
both are turned into stone in the midst of the
chase.
JUNO AND HER RIVALS
SUMMARY
One day, the sky is cloudy. Juno, the jealous
queen, suspected her husband Jupiter was
hiding his affairs so she paved away the
clouds. So, in an effort to conceal their
relationship, Jupiter transformed Io into a
white heifer calf. However, Juno saw
through the disguise, demanded the heifer
as a gift, and appointed Argus, a giant with
100 eyes, to guard Io. Concerned, Jupiter
sent Mercury to kill Argus and free Io. But
Juno sent a gadfly to torment Io, causing
her to wander the earth endlessly.
Eventually, Io reached Egypt and was
restored to her human form by Isis. Later,
Juno had another rival, Callisto, who was
pregnant with a son. Out of jealousy, Juno
turned Callisto into a bear, forcing her to live
a solitary life in the forests for many years.
Years later, while hunting, Arcas
encountered Callisto but failed to recognize
her as his mother. Jupiter intervened, saving
Callisto from Arcas, and transforming them
into constellations in the heavens - Ursa
Major (Great Bear) and Ursa Minor (Little
Bear). Juno is furious and curses the two to
move round and round in heaven, but never
sink beneath the ocean as the other stars
do.
Natural Phenomena
Cloudy Sky: The sky becomes cloudy,
likely indicating an overcast or rainy weather
pattern.
Creation of a Gadfly: Juno sends a gadfly
to torment Io, resulting in a natural
occurrence of a gadfly causing distress to
the transformed Io.
Transformation of Callisto: Juno turns
Callisto into a bear, showcasing another
magical transformation.
Creation of Constellations: Jupiter
transforms Callisto and her son Arcas into
Ursa Major (Great Bear) and Ursa Minor
(Little Bear) constellations, involving
celestial events in the story.
Cursing of Ursa Major and Ursa Minor:
Juno curses the constellations to move
round and round in heaven but never sink
beneath the ocean, indicating a
supernatural and perpetual movement in the
night sky.
CEYX AND ALCYONE
King Ceyx and Alcyone were deeply in love.
SUMMARY Ceyx, troubled by his brother's
death and ominous signs, decides to
consult the oracle at Delphi Ceyx leaves for
Delphi despite Alcyone's worries.
Caught in a storm, Ceyx prays to the gods
to send him to Alcyone if he dies. Alcyone
creates a robe and prays to Hera for Ceyx's
safety. Hera, moved by Alcyone's prayer,
sends Iris to Hypnos, the god of sleep, to
give Alcyone a dream. Morpheus, Hypnos'
son, transforms into Ceyx and appears in
Alcyone's dream, informing her of his death.
Awakening from the dream, Alcyone rushes
to the shore and sees Ceyx's body.
Grief-stricken, she leaps into the sea and
transforms into a kingfisher. Her love for
Ceyx transforms him into a kingfisher as
well.
Natural Phenomena
-Zues’ thunderbolt created a violent storm.
-Zues transformed Ceyx and Alcyone into
Halcyon Bird.
ECHO AND NARCISSUS
In this myth, Echo is a nymph who, due to a
curse, can only repeat the last words
spoken by others. Narcissus is a beautiful
youth who rejects all romantic advances.
Nemesis, the goddess of revenge, punishes
Narcissus for his arrogance by making him
fall in love with his own reflection in a pool
of water. Tragically, he becomes so
infatuated with his own image that he
cannot tear himself away and eventually
wastes away, turning into the narcissus
flower. Echo, who had fallen in love with
Narcissus, also wastes away and is
transformed into an echo, only able to
repeat the words of others.
Natural Phenomena
Reflection in Water: Narcissus falls in love
with his own reflection in a pool of water,
involving the natural phenomenon of
reflection.
Transformation into Flowers: Narcissus
transforms into the narcissus flower, and
Echo transforms into an echo, symbolizing a
supernatural metamorphosis in the natural
world.
PERSEPHONE
Persephone, the daughter of the harvest
goddess Demeter, is abducted by Hades,
the god of the Underworld, while picking
flowers. Persephone became the rightful
wife of Hades and Queen of the
Underworld. During her six months in the
Underworld, her mother, Demeter,
saddened, neglected the harvest, causing
the Earth to wither. In Greek belief, this
period represented Autumn and Winter,
marked by infertile land. When Persephone
returned to Olympus, Demeter rejoiced, and
the Earth flourished during the months of
Spring and Summer. The myth explains the
seasonal cycle, illustrating the perpetual
rhythm of Nature's death and rebirth.

Natural Phenomena

Seasonal Cycles: Summer, Spring,

Autumn, and Winter