Crash Course Myth: Flood Stories Week 14

The Ark
ancient flood

This flood video explores several flood stories that were told. In considering all the ways that the gods sought to destroy the earth, many cultures had flood myths. One of the reasons for this is the that many of the cities were built along rivers and other waterways that would flood in ways that were unpredictable and definitely not favorable. There also exists a common theme among primordial waters - water brings life and water can also bring death. The video tell the story in The Epic of Gilgamesh, where the gods flooded the earth. They sent 7 days of storms and only the only human to survive are Utnapishtim and his family in a boat.  It involves a dove, a swallow and also a raven. The god Enlil is shocked that Utnapishtim survived and makes him immortal. The story is similar to Noah’s flood story - boat, dove, but different in terms of length - 40 days versus 7 and in terms of Noah having received more detailed instructions to build the boat. Noah was not made immortal, but Noah and his sons were told that they would replenish the earth. Two other myth stories are told - one of Yima who takes two of each species in a mountain castle from ancient Iran. The creator God in this story needs a new beginning, suggesting that prior to the flood, beings were immortal. The other story is Jupiter’s flood story where he seeks to destroy humans for sins. Jupiter joins with Neptune to cause floods. Only two survivors from whom life continues. The apparent similarity could be that they may have influenced each other. The flood story represents a tragedy, and in seeking a meaning in tragedy, humans give meaning through story.

The second video explores more myths about floods. In China,  real flooding is a big deal. Floods caused destruction, social unrest and destroyed the food supply. Some believed that the floods meant that the gods were mad. To prevent floods would mean to be a hero. The character Yu tamed the flood and was given the title of emperor. Yu was the model of selflessness for 13 years he did not see his wife and family. Yu built levees and dikes to shift the waters out to sea. He called on a dragon, a black turtle, and the god of the river to assistant him. His wife also helped him and she worked to find ways to help. A story was told whereas the Yu’s wife, who was 9 months pregnant is told by Yu to bring him food when she hears the drum. Yu transforms himself into a bear and steps on drum by accident. The wife brings him food, but he doesn’t see her, she  is shamed by Yu being a bear and runs away. As she runs, she is changed to stone. Yu asked for the baby to which she cracked open and presents the baby through the north side of her body, while remaining stone. Unlike stories from the previous video, these floods don’t kill many people or are not caused by the gods to destroy humanity. It is noteworthy that the character, Yu, is righteous but through intelligent is successful. Devotion to duty makes him a model human being and emperor. Yu is a pristine model of life and rule.

The third video looks at three stories from the Inca, the Maya, and the Aztec Empire. Although at different times, the stories have some similarities. Unlike the earlier two videos, whose chosen characters to survive were loyal, the characters in these weren’t, especially in the Aztec myth. All three evoked themes of the gods making a mistake with humanity and desiring to start over. The Inca myth featured giants and is very similar to Noah’s flood story. A single couple survived by floating in a box. The Maya story is from the Popol Vuh and involves wooden people. The wooden people did not have minds, souls, or hearts. The creator desired to start over and make a people that knew him. The wooden people were turned into monkeys. He made a man from cornmeal with nine kinds of liquor. The Aztec tale is about the Old One telling a man to plant a cedar seed and a carpenter to buildh a canoe in order to escape the impending flood.. The man does as he is told and then the canoe floats and the man and his family survive. The Old One tells the man not to make fire, which he does. The Old One makes the man into a howler monkey. Why the man who survived was chosen? It is interesting to note the Monkey transformation theme,which could give evidence of shared stories between the Mayan and Aztec cultures. Flood stories usually focus on punishing humanity for transgression.