Category: | Our Mythical Childhood Survey

Kenneth Okonkwo, Ugo Ugbor

This movie opens with a haunting scene set in hell. A horned Lucifer screams, “I am Lucifer! I rule the earth”. Lucifer’s disciples are out in the world inducing people into evil so as to win their souls for hell. Men are sent after female souls and women, after male souls. One disciple gives money to a prostitute, and forces her to lick a scabby wound on his leg. She refuses but the disciple threatens her with a gun and she yields. On her way back, she collapses and dies and i(...)

audiovisual

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: Nigeria

TAGS: Death Underworld

David Almond

A Song for Ella Grey

A Song For Ella Grey is a non-linear retelling of Orpheus and Eurydice set in contemporary Newcastle, from the point of view of Claire, Ella’s best friend and lover. Claire disapproves of Ella’s relationship with Orpheus, and is gradually left behind by Ella to witness their love and subsequent deaths. Claire and Ella are seventeen, and Orpheus is described as looking in his early twenties, though it is hinted that he may be much older.Part 1 – Present DayClaire is in love with(...)

literary

YEAR: 2014

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

TAGS: Death Eurydice Maenads Marriage Music Orpheus Snakes Underworld

Emmanuel Matateyou

Myth of Ntiteuh (the Most Beautiful Woman on Earth) who Married the Sky King

There was a great family who lived among the Bamoumn people of Foumban. This family had nine siblings, all girls. The first was called Ntiteuh literally meaning Green, and she was the most beautiful. The second was known as Nkieng, literally meaning Black. Because of the popularity of this family and the extraordinary beauty of the girls they decided to live by themselves in the forest for fear of tempting anyone. As they grew up to maturity, many suitors came to ask their hands in marriage. The(...)

oral

COUNTRY: Cameroon

TAGS: Death Mythology

Pierre Nyobe

Ngok Lituba and the Tree of Rejuvenation

“Ngok Lituba” is a pierced stone of eight hundred meters high situated at Nyanon, a village near Edea, Cameroon. It is in the forest, close to where part of the Sanaga River flows.In the beginning, the living God, Nyambe, created all the forces. He created geniuses, spirits and the first human couple. In creating the forest, he also created that stone Ngok Lituba. This pierced stone has a tunnel. Nyambe was living in joy with his people in the tunnel. The first children were born fro(...)

oral

COUNTRY: Cameroon

TAGS: Death Gods Gods and mortals Mythology Myths of origin

Rick Riordan

Percy Jackson & The Olympians (Series, Book 3): The Titan’s Curse

The third instalment of the Percy Jackson series begins with Percy, Annabeth and Thalia on a rescue mission. Sally Jackson drops the three off at a boarding school in Maine to collect two half-bloods of unknown parentage. During the mission, they discover that the head teacher is actually the Manticore. After being separated from Thalia, Annabeth and Grover, Percy fights the Manticore alone trying to defend the half-blood siblings. He is unsuccessful, and after being poisoned by the Manticore&rs(...)

literary

YEAR: 2007

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Atlas Death Greek mythology Heroic itinerary Manticore Twelve Labours of Heracles

Josef Hill, Elena Paige

Taki and Toula Time Travelers (Series, Book 4): Hades Learns to be Fair

In this time-traveling series fourth installment, two modern day Greek children from Crete, Toula (8 year old girl) and Taki (6 year old boy) find strange traditional Greek shoes called tsarouhia in their mother’s chest. They find out that wearing these shoes enable them to time-travel to ancient Greece (see here). In this book, the children find themselves in the petrifying underworld. Hades, who resents the children for assisting Zeus in their previous adventure (Paige, Zeus Tames h(...)

literary

YEAR: 2018

COUNTRY: Australia

TAGS: Cerberus Death Hades Hermes Persephone Zeus

Daniela Ohms

The Blood of the Harpy [Harpyienblut]

The eighteen year old girl Lucie was abandoned in infancy by her mother Aello, who as a harpy was afraid that her baby – half harpy, half human – would be killed by other harpies. Luckily, Lucie was found by Maria, a hermit who lost her own child, and brought her up in a hut at the edge of the woods. After the sudden death of Maria, Lucie found shelter with the family of Maria’s sister in Berlin. There, Lucie goes to school and plays in a local volleyball team. She becomes acqu(...)

literary

YEAR: 2011

COUNTRY: Germany

TAGS: Death Harpies Metempsychosis Tartarus Underworld

Lawrence Teneng

The Orign of Eternal Death

Long, long time ago,People used to die and come back to life.Life by then was eternal. There was resurrection after death, Old people died and came back young. (The audience interrupts),“What do you mean by dying and coming back young?”(Narrator continues), “Have you ever seen a snake, and what happens to it? At old age, it sheds the old layer and becomes young.” The period of death, was the period for the old to shed off their old coats and become young ag(...)

oral

COUNTRY: Cameroon

TAGS: Death Gods Gods and mortals Mythology Myths of origin

Amos Tutuola

The Palm-Wine Drinkard

The narrator, Drinkard, whose only food is palm-wine which he drinks from morning till night in the company of his many friends, does no other job except palm-wine drinking. Because of his addiction to palm-wine drinking, his father employs a professional tapster whose only job is to provide palm-wine for Drinkard. Drinkard explains that he started drinking palm-wine at the age ten. Drinkard’s father soon dies and six months after, the tapper too dies having fallen from a palm-tree in the (...)

literary

YEAR: 1952

COUNTRY: Nigeria

TAGS: Death Mythical creatures

Robert (Bob) Blaisdell, Althea (Thea) Kliros

The Story of Hercules (in Easy-to-Read Type)

Hercules narrates his story, beginning with his birth as the mortal son of a god. He talks of how he was child prodigy in warfare, but failed at learning music. After killing the teacher that belittles him about failing at music, Hercules goes out into the world to learn what he can. After Hera challenges Zeus to prove Hercules is worthy of being immortal, Hercules jumps at the opportunity and completes twelve labours. (...)

literary

YEAR: 1997

COUNTRY: United States of America

TAGS: Achelous Achilles Admetus Aegan Sea Aeolia Aeolus Aeson Alcestis Alcmene Alcyonian Lake Althaea Amazons Amphitryon Antaeus (King) Aphrodite Apollo Apples of the Hesperides Arcadia Ares Argo Argolid Argonauts Athena/ Athene Atlas Augeas Autolycos Automedusa Black Sea Calydon Castor Centaurs Cerberus Ceryneian hind Chiron Cretan Bull Crete Death Deianeira Diomedes Echidna Elerion Enkelados Erymanthian Boar Eurysthaeus Eurystheus Eurytos Flesh-eating horses Gaia / Gaea Geryon Giants Golden Fleece Golden Vine Greece Hades Hephaestus Hera Heracles / Herakles Hercules Hesion Hippolyta's Belt Hydra Hylas Immortality Iolaos Iole Iphicles Ithaca Jason Kronos / Cronus Lernaean Hydra Linus Minos (King) Minotaur Mount Erymanthos Mount Olympus Mudrikion Mycenae Nemean lion Nephele Nessus Nymphs Odetia Odysseus/ Ulysses Orpheus Pallene Pasiphae Peleponnese Perseus Pholos Pillars of Hercules Poseidon Rhea Stymphalian Birds Telamon Tervalonios Thebes Theiodamas (KIng) Themiscyra / Themyscira Thespis Tiryns Titans Trisia Troy Twelve Labours of Heracles Typhon Xenop Zeus

Richard Ngamfu

Whatever Will Be, Will Be

So many years ago, Death had the habit of visiting people and giving them a leaf that contained the exact time they were to die. Death had visited so many people and as such was known and feared by many. Physically, he was huge, bearded and wrinkled. He lived in the great forest and was apparently the strongest youth in the world of the dead. In fact, those who saw him swore that he was three times the size of an adult human. He was hardly ever patient with those he visited, making any negotiati(...)

oral

COUNTRY: Cameroon

TAGS: Death Mythology

Mvongo Biya

Why the Dead are Respected in Maka Land

A long time ago in the Maka Land, there lived four women full of ambition and passion for wealth. One of them farmed for profit while the three others were engaged in fishing. They were very satisfied with what they made out of their activities and did not waste any opportunity that could earn them more. They devoted all their time to their activities and ignored happenings that concerned the entire community. One day, one of the old men in the village died. Usually in such situations, the (...)

oral

COUNTRY: Cameroon

TAGS: Death Mythology Myths of origin