END OF YEAR VIEW OF THE STORY SO FAR
Listening to Beethoven's 9th Symphony moving irresistibly towards the Ode To Joy finale I sense how the characters in Goethe's Fairy Tale The Green Snake and The Beautiful Lily are moving towards their first steps in having helpful archetypal conversations they will experience increasingly through the path of the Tale.
The declaration that "The Time is at Hand" by the Man With the Lamp - three times eventually by the end - are akin to mini "Ode to Joy's" in meaning and sound.
All the very diverse characters met so far, have, in their individual ways taken key first steps towards community building. They are beginning to recognise, perhaps unconsciously, what lies within them that they can contribute towards rebuilding a society of compassion.
The Woman with the Basket is an incredible force in this respect, she doing her utmost to help meet individual needs presented by other characters. This, together with the deeper understanding of her husband, the Man with the Lamp, is gradually becoming a "force for good." A force which ultimately will have a transformative effect on all characters and through them the community in which they are present.
Wednesday 13 December 2017
Saturday 18 November 2017
NOW COMES THE TIME FOR THE DEBT TO THE FERRYMAN TO BE PAID
At the beginning of the story the two characters called Will-o'-wisps tried to pay the Ferryman with pieces of gold for taking them across the river in his boat. He remonstrated with them that he could, for the benefit of the River, only be paid with "Fruits of the Earth," specifically three artichokes, three cabbages and three onions.
The wife of the Man with the Lamp, the Woman with the Basket, feels it necessary for her to pay the Ferryman what he is due. Her husband agrees.
We enter into the story for this Post in the direct text of Goethe, where:
The Old Woman filled her basket and set out as soon as it was day. She came upon the Giant's shadow and with dexterous ease his hands picked away from her basket a cabbage, an artichoke and an onion. The Giant let the Woman go in peace.
She considered whether to return to the cottage and replace from her garden the pieces she had lost. She kept walking and in a short while arrived at the bank of the River. There she sat and waited for the Ferryman whom eventually she saw steering across a young noble-looking handsome man whom she could not gaze upon enough.
When the boat arrived the Ferryman cried: "What is it you bring?"
The Old Woman replied: "The greens which those two Will-o'-wisps owe you." pointing to her ware.
As the Ferryman found only two of each sort, he grew angry and declared he would have none of them. The Woman entreated him earnestly to take them; told him that she could not now go home and that her burden for the way which still remained was very heavy. The Ferryman stood by his refusal assuring her that it did not rest with him.
The Ferryman said: "What belongs to me I must leave lying nine hours in a heap, touching none of it, till I have given the River it's third."
After much haggling the Ferryman said: "There is still another way. If you would like to pledge yourself to the River and declare yourself its debtor. I will take the six pieces; but there is some risk in it."
The Old Woman said: "If I keep my word, I shall run no risk?"
The Ferryman replied: Not the smallest. Put your hand into the stream and promise that within four-and-twenty hours you will pay the debt."
The Old Woman did so; but what was her affright, when on drawing out her hand, she found it as black as coal. She scolded the Ferryman declaring that her hands had always been the fairest part of her.
The Old Woman looked at her hand with indignation and exclaimed in a despairing tone: "Worse and worse! Look, it is vanishing entirely; it is grown far smaller than the other."
The Ferryman said: For the present it but seems so, if you do not keep your word, however, it may prove so in earnest. The hand will gradually diminish and at length disappear altogether, though you have the use of it as formerly. Everything as usual you will be able to perform with it, only nobody will see it."
The Old Woman cried: "I had rather that I could not use it and no one could observe the want but what of that, I will keep my word and rid myself of this black skin and all anxieties about it."
She took up her basket hastily and hurried after the Youth who was walking softly and thoughtfully down the bank.
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Questions that arises from this imaginative description of the "plight" of the Old Woman could include: why did she take on the responsibility for paying the debt of someone else; what degree of personal inconvenience and worry was she be willing to incur; why did she appear to be more concerned with the physical appearance of her hand than whether she was still able to use it; what was her level of faith. Further intriguing overarching questions are the degree to which this character is represented in present day society, how and why.
Echo's of Dante's Divine Comedy?
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The audio recordings of this section of the Tale on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com are Numbers 6 and 7.
At the beginning of the story the two characters called Will-o'-wisps tried to pay the Ferryman with pieces of gold for taking them across the river in his boat. He remonstrated with them that he could, for the benefit of the River, only be paid with "Fruits of the Earth," specifically three artichokes, three cabbages and three onions.
The wife of the Man with the Lamp, the Woman with the Basket, feels it necessary for her to pay the Ferryman what he is due. Her husband agrees.
We enter into the story for this Post in the direct text of Goethe, where:
The Old Woman filled her basket and set out as soon as it was day. She came upon the Giant's shadow and with dexterous ease his hands picked away from her basket a cabbage, an artichoke and an onion. The Giant let the Woman go in peace.
She considered whether to return to the cottage and replace from her garden the pieces she had lost. She kept walking and in a short while arrived at the bank of the River. There she sat and waited for the Ferryman whom eventually she saw steering across a young noble-looking handsome man whom she could not gaze upon enough.
When the boat arrived the Ferryman cried: "What is it you bring?"
The Old Woman replied: "The greens which those two Will-o'-wisps owe you." pointing to her ware.
As the Ferryman found only two of each sort, he grew angry and declared he would have none of them. The Woman entreated him earnestly to take them; told him that she could not now go home and that her burden for the way which still remained was very heavy. The Ferryman stood by his refusal assuring her that it did not rest with him.
The Ferryman said: "What belongs to me I must leave lying nine hours in a heap, touching none of it, till I have given the River it's third."
After much haggling the Ferryman said: "There is still another way. If you would like to pledge yourself to the River and declare yourself its debtor. I will take the six pieces; but there is some risk in it."
The Old Woman said: "If I keep my word, I shall run no risk?"
The Ferryman replied: Not the smallest. Put your hand into the stream and promise that within four-and-twenty hours you will pay the debt."
The Old Woman did so; but what was her affright, when on drawing out her hand, she found it as black as coal. She scolded the Ferryman declaring that her hands had always been the fairest part of her.
The Old Woman looked at her hand with indignation and exclaimed in a despairing tone: "Worse and worse! Look, it is vanishing entirely; it is grown far smaller than the other."
The Ferryman said: For the present it but seems so, if you do not keep your word, however, it may prove so in earnest. The hand will gradually diminish and at length disappear altogether, though you have the use of it as formerly. Everything as usual you will be able to perform with it, only nobody will see it."
The Old Woman cried: "I had rather that I could not use it and no one could observe the want but what of that, I will keep my word and rid myself of this black skin and all anxieties about it."
She took up her basket hastily and hurried after the Youth who was walking softly and thoughtfully down the bank.
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Questions that arises from this imaginative description of the "plight" of the Old Woman could include: why did she take on the responsibility for paying the debt of someone else; what degree of personal inconvenience and worry was she be willing to incur; why did she appear to be more concerned with the physical appearance of her hand than whether she was still able to use it; what was her level of faith. Further intriguing overarching questions are the degree to which this character is represented in present day society, how and why.
Echo's of Dante's Divine Comedy?
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The audio recordings of this section of the Tale on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com are Numbers 6 and 7.
Friday 20 October 2017
THE MAN WITH THE LAMP GOES HOME TO HIS COTTAGE
In this next stage of the fairy tale we are introduced to the wife of the Man with the Lamp. She is a "Woman with a Basket." This character is worth a study all of her own. What she finds herself doing, why and who for contain riddles of life. Many may identify with her. So, following the story where we are now in the cottage where they live, explore what Goethe has given to readers to stimulate imagination in both the period when the fairy tale was written as well as the present period of upheaval in European societies.
Here is Goethe's direct text for this part of the story.
He found his wife in extreme distress. She was weeping and refused to be consoled.
The old Woman, cried: "How unhappy am I! Did I not entreat thee not to go away tonight?"
In this next stage of the fairy tale we are introduced to the wife of the Man with the Lamp. She is a "Woman with a Basket." This character is worth a study all of her own. What she finds herself doing, why and who for contain riddles of life. Many may identify with her. So, following the story where we are now in the cottage where they live, explore what Goethe has given to readers to stimulate imagination in both the period when the fairy tale was written as well as the present period of upheaval in European societies.
Here is Goethe's direct text for this part of the story.
He found his wife in extreme distress. She was weeping and refused to be consoled.
The old Woman, cried: "How unhappy am I! Did I not entreat thee not to go away tonight?"
Her husband, the old Man: inquired, quite composed: "What is the matter, then?"
His wife said, sobbing, "Scarcely wert thou gone when there came two noisy Travellers to the door.
Unthinkingly, I let them in; they seemed to be a couple of genteel, very honourable people; they were dressed in flames, you would have taken them for Will-o-wisps. But no sooner were they in the house, than they began, like imprudent varlets, to compliment me and grew so forward that I feel ashamed to think of it."
Her husband said: with a smile, "No doubt, the gentlemen were jesting: considering thy age, they might have held by general politeness."
His wife cried: "Age! What age? Wilt thou always be talking of my age? How old am I, then? General politeness! But I know what I know. Look round there what a face the walls have; look at the old stones, which I have not seen these hundred years; every film of gold have they licked away, thou couldst not think how fast and still they kept assuring me that it tasted far beyond common gold.
Once they had swept the walls, the fellows seemed to be in high spirits and truly in that little while they had grown much broader and brighter. They now began to be impertinent again, they patted me and called me their queen, they shook themselves and a shower of gold-pieces sprang from them; see how they are shining there under the bench! But, ah, what misery! Poor Mops ate a coin or two and look, he is lying in the chimney, dead. Poor Pug, O well-a-day! I did not see it till they were gone; else I had never promised to pay the Ferryman the debt they owe him."
Her husband said: "What do they owe him?"
His wife replied: "Three Cabbages, three Artichokes and three Onions: I engaged to go when it was day and take them to the River."
Her husband said: "Thou mayest do them that civility. They may chance to be of use to us again."
His wife replied: "Whether they will be of use to us I know not; but they promised and vowed that they would."
Meanwhile the fire on the hearth had burnt low; the old Man covered up the embers with a heap of ashes and put the glittering gold pieces aside; so that his little lamp now gleamed alone, in the fairest brightness. The walls again coated themselves with gold and Mops changed into the prettiest onyx that could be imagined. The alternation of the brown and black in this precious stone made it the most curious piece of workmanship.
"Take thy Basket," said the Man, "and put the onyx into it, then take the three Cabbages, the three Artichokes and the three Onions; place them round little Mops and carry them to the River. At Noon the Snake will take thee over; visit the fair Lily, give her the onyx, she will make it alive by her touch, as by her touch she kills what whatever is alive already.
She will have a true companion in the little dog. Tell her, not to mourn; her deliverance is near; the greatest misfortune she may look upon as the greatest happiness, for the time is at hand."
The old Woman filled her basket and set out as soon as it was day.
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Some of the Questions Goethe's imaginative text raises include:
The actual effect of the light gleaming from the Man with the Lamp's, lamp.
Any significance of the nature of the debt by the Will-o-wisps to the Ferryman of three cabbages, three artichokes and three onions.
Following advising his wife what to do - why the Man with the Lamp spoke for the second time in the story the phrase "The time is at hand."
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Considering these, other questions, and what are felt as riddles is often best explored through conversation.
An audio recording of this part of the story is available on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com as Episode 5.
Wednesday 27 September 2017
A MAN WITH A LAMP APPEARS AND TALKS WITH THE KINGS
The Man with a Lamp is a key character in the story. He is a good conversationalist - when it matters.
In his conversation with the kings, below, in the underground chasm, are riddles. As described before in introductory Posts about this Tale there is no "right or wrong" answer or meaning to a riddle or imaginative word picture. Goethe's intention was to help anyone working with the story develop - make meaning for themselves. So, this English translation of Goethe's text, is what happened when the Man with a Lamp appeared and talked to the kings.
A vein ran dimly-coloured over the marble wall, on a sudden became bright and diffused a cheerful light throughout the whole Temple. By this brilliancy the Snake perceived a third King, made of Brass and sitting mighty in shape, leaning on his club, adorned with a laurel garland and more like a rock than a man.
She was looking for the fourth, but the wall opened and through a cleft a man of middle stature attracted her attention. He was dressed like a peasant and carried in his hand a little Lamp, on whose still flame you liked to look, and which in a strange manner, without casting any shadow, enlightened the whole dome.
"Why comest thou, since we have light?" said the Golden King.
The Man with the Lamp replied, "You know that I may not enlighten what is dark."
"Will my kingdom end?" said the Silver King.
"Late or never." said the Man.
With a stronger voice the Brazen King began to ask: "When shall I arise?"
"Soon." replied the Man.
"With whom shall I combine?" said the King.
"With thy elder brothers." said the Man.
"What will the youngest do?" inquired the King.
"He will sit down." replied the Man
"I am not tired." cried the fourth King with a rough faltering voice.
Whilst this speech was going on, the Snake had glided softly round the Temple, viewing everything. She looked at the fourth King. He stood leaning on a pillar; his considerable form was heavy rather than beautiful. But what metal it was made of could not be determined. Closely inspected, it seemed a mixture of the three metals which its brothers had been formed of. But in the founding, these materials did not seem to have combined together fully; gold and silver veins ran irregularly through a brazen mass, and gave the figure an unpleasant aspect.
Meanwhile the Gold King was asking of the Man,
"How many secrets knowest thou?"
"Three." replied the Man.
"Which is the most important?" said the Silver King.
"The Open one." replied the Man
"Wilt thou open it to us also?" said the Brass King.
"When I know the fourth." replied the Man.
"What care I?" grumbled the composite King in an undertone.
"I know the fourth." said the Snake; approached the Man, and hissed somewhat in his ear.
"The Time is at Hand." cried the old Man, with a strong voice.
The Temple re-echoed, the metal statutes sounded; and that instant the old Man sank away to the westward and the Snake to the eastward; and both of them passed through the clefts of the rock, with the greatest of speed.
An audio recording of this part of the story can be found on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com as Episode 4
The Man with a Lamp is a key character in the story. He is a good conversationalist - when it matters.
In his conversation with the kings, below, in the underground chasm, are riddles. As described before in introductory Posts about this Tale there is no "right or wrong" answer or meaning to a riddle or imaginative word picture. Goethe's intention was to help anyone working with the story develop - make meaning for themselves. So, this English translation of Goethe's text, is what happened when the Man with a Lamp appeared and talked to the kings.
A vein ran dimly-coloured over the marble wall, on a sudden became bright and diffused a cheerful light throughout the whole Temple. By this brilliancy the Snake perceived a third King, made of Brass and sitting mighty in shape, leaning on his club, adorned with a laurel garland and more like a rock than a man.
She was looking for the fourth, but the wall opened and through a cleft a man of middle stature attracted her attention. He was dressed like a peasant and carried in his hand a little Lamp, on whose still flame you liked to look, and which in a strange manner, without casting any shadow, enlightened the whole dome.
"Why comest thou, since we have light?" said the Golden King.
The Man with the Lamp replied, "You know that I may not enlighten what is dark."
"Will my kingdom end?" said the Silver King.
"Late or never." said the Man.
With a stronger voice the Brazen King began to ask: "When shall I arise?"
"Soon." replied the Man.
"With whom shall I combine?" said the King.
"With thy elder brothers." said the Man.
"What will the youngest do?" inquired the King.
"He will sit down." replied the Man
"I am not tired." cried the fourth King with a rough faltering voice.
Whilst this speech was going on, the Snake had glided softly round the Temple, viewing everything. She looked at the fourth King. He stood leaning on a pillar; his considerable form was heavy rather than beautiful. But what metal it was made of could not be determined. Closely inspected, it seemed a mixture of the three metals which its brothers had been formed of. But in the founding, these materials did not seem to have combined together fully; gold and silver veins ran irregularly through a brazen mass, and gave the figure an unpleasant aspect.
Meanwhile the Gold King was asking of the Man,
"How many secrets knowest thou?"
"Three." replied the Man.
"Which is the most important?" said the Silver King.
"The Open one." replied the Man
"Wilt thou open it to us also?" said the Brass King.
"When I know the fourth." replied the Man.
"What care I?" grumbled the composite King in an undertone.
"I know the fourth." said the Snake; approached the Man, and hissed somewhat in his ear.
"The Time is at Hand." cried the old Man, with a strong voice.
The Temple re-echoed, the metal statutes sounded; and that instant the old Man sank away to the westward and the Snake to the eastward; and both of them passed through the clefts of the rock, with the greatest of speed.
An audio recording of this part of the story can be found on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com as Episode 4
Tuesday 8 August 2017
THE GREEN SNAKE BECOMES LUMINOUS AND TALKS WITH THE GOLD KING
Now in the Chasm lay the fair green Snake, who was roused from her sleep by the gold coming chinking down. No sooner did she fix her eye on the glittering coins, than she ate them all up, with the greatest relish, on the spot; and carefully picked out such pieces as were scattered in the chinks of the rock.
Scarcely had she swallowed them, when, with extreme delight, she began to feel the metal melting in her inwards, and spreading all over her body; and soon, to her lively joy, she observed that she was grown transparent and luminous.
In the Chasm, where she often crawled hither and thither, she had made a strange discovery. To her no small wonder, in a rock which was closed on every side, she had come on certain objects which betrayed the shaping hand of man. She believed she could illuminate the whole of that subterranean vault by her own light; and hoped to get acquainted by these curious things at once.
She gazed around with eager curiosity. With astonishment and reverence she looked up into a glancing niche, where the image of an august King stood formed of pure Gold. In size the figure was beyond the stature of man, but by its shape it seemed the likeness of a little rather than a tall person. His handsome body was encircled with an unadorned mantle; and a garland of oak bound his hair together.
No sooner had the Snake beheld this reverend figure, than the King began to speak, and asked: "Whence comest thou?"
"From the chasms where the gold dwells," said the Snake.
"What is grander than gold?" inquired the King.
"Light," replied the Snake.
"What is more refreshing than light?" said he.
"Conversation," answered she.
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An audio recording of this scene is shown as Episode 3 of www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com
Now in the Chasm lay the fair green Snake, who was roused from her sleep by the gold coming chinking down. No sooner did she fix her eye on the glittering coins, than she ate them all up, with the greatest relish, on the spot; and carefully picked out such pieces as were scattered in the chinks of the rock.
Scarcely had she swallowed them, when, with extreme delight, she began to feel the metal melting in her inwards, and spreading all over her body; and soon, to her lively joy, she observed that she was grown transparent and luminous.
In the Chasm, where she often crawled hither and thither, she had made a strange discovery. To her no small wonder, in a rock which was closed on every side, she had come on certain objects which betrayed the shaping hand of man. She believed she could illuminate the whole of that subterranean vault by her own light; and hoped to get acquainted by these curious things at once.
She gazed around with eager curiosity. With astonishment and reverence she looked up into a glancing niche, where the image of an august King stood formed of pure Gold. In size the figure was beyond the stature of man, but by its shape it seemed the likeness of a little rather than a tall person. His handsome body was encircled with an unadorned mantle; and a garland of oak bound his hair together.
No sooner had the Snake beheld this reverend figure, than the King began to speak, and asked: "Whence comest thou?"
"From the chasms where the gold dwells," said the Snake.
"What is grander than gold?" inquired the King.
"Light," replied the Snake.
"What is more refreshing than light?" said he.
"Conversation," answered she.
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An audio recording of this scene is shown as Episode 3 of www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com
Thursday 27 July 2017
EXPERIENCE GREEN SNAKE'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE WILL-O'-WISPS
Following the story from where the Ferryman had dropped gold given to him by the Will-o'-Wisps, into a large Chasm near the River, we learn of there being a Green Snake in the Chasm who ate the gold.
As with the first scene where the Ferryman takes the Will-o'-wisps across the River. Enter into being the characters, their gestures and what they say and do. In this second scene again there are only three: two Will-o'-wisps and the Green Snake.
So the new scene, context, imagination Goethe creates is following eating the gold dropped into the Chasm the Green Snake grows transparent and luminous. She can see everything around her with her new light.
To aid our imagination for entering into the characters, their gestures and what they say I show now in italics the direct text of Goethe, translated by Thomas Carlyle:
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This encouraged her to venture from the Chasm into the countryside. Her light enabled her to see things she had not seen before. Every leaf seemed emerald, every flower dyed with new glory.
Upon reaching a wet rushy spot in the swamp she saw the two Will-o'-wisps. They glided towards her, skipped up over her and laughed in their fashion.
The Will-o'-wisps said: "Lady Cousin you are of the horizontal line, yet what of that? It is true we are related only by the look; for observe you."
Following the story from where the Ferryman had dropped gold given to him by the Will-o'-Wisps, into a large Chasm near the River, we learn of there being a Green Snake in the Chasm who ate the gold.
As with the first scene where the Ferryman takes the Will-o'-wisps across the River. Enter into being the characters, their gestures and what they say and do. In this second scene again there are only three: two Will-o'-wisps and the Green Snake.
So the new scene, context, imagination Goethe creates is following eating the gold dropped into the Chasm the Green Snake grows transparent and luminous. She can see everything around her with her new light.
To aid our imagination for entering into the characters, their gestures and what they say I show now in italics the direct text of Goethe, translated by Thomas Carlyle:
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This encouraged her to venture from the Chasm into the countryside. Her light enabled her to see things she had not seen before. Every leaf seemed emerald, every flower dyed with new glory.
Upon reaching a wet rushy spot in the swamp she saw the two Will-o'-wisps. They glided towards her, skipped up over her and laughed in their fashion.
The Will-o'-wisps said: "Lady Cousin you are of the horizontal line, yet what of that? It is true we are related only by the look; for observe you."
The Will-o'-wisps compressing their whole breadth, made themselves as high and as peaked as possible.
The Will-o'-wisps said: How prettily this taper length beseems us gentlemen of the vertical line! Take it not amiss of us, good lady; what family can boast of such a thing? Since there ever was a Jack-o'-lantern in the world, no one of them has either sat or lain."
The Snake felt exceedingly uncomfortable in the company of the Will-o'-wisp relations because as much as she could hold her head high she found she always had to bend it down to the earth again.
In this embarrassment the Snake asked, hastily, if the Will-o'-wisps could tell her where the gold came from. She thought it had been a golden shower from the sky. The Will-o'-wisps laughed, shook themselves and gold pieces came clinking down around them. The Snake pushed nimbly forward to eat the coins.
The dapper Will-o'-wisps said: "Much good may it do you, Mistress, we can help you to a little more."
The Snake could hardly keep up with eating the coins they scattered. Her splendour increased. She shined beautifully. In the meantime the Will-o'-wisps grew rather lean and short in stature.
The Snake said: "I am obliged to you forever, ask of me what you will; all that I can I will do."
The Will-o'-wisps replied: "Very good! Then tell us where the fair Lily dwells? Lead us to the fair Lily's palace and garden; do not lose a moment, we are dying of impatience to fall down at her feet."
The Snake with a deep sigh said: "This service I cannot now do for you. The fair Lily dwells, alas, on the other side of the water."
The Will-o'-wisps exclaimed: "Other side of the water? And we have come across it, this stormy night! How cruel is the River to divide us! Would it not be possible to call the old man back?"
The Snake said: "It would be useless for if you found him ready on the bank, he would not take you in; he can carry anyone to this side, none to yonder."
The Will-o'-wisps cried: Here is a pretty kettle of fish. Are there no other means of getting through the water?"
The Snake replied: "There are other means, but not at this moment. I myself could take you over gentlemen, but not till Noon."
The Will-o'-wisps said: "That is the hour we do not like to travel in."
The Snake replied: Then you may go across in the evening, on the great Giant's shadow."
The Will-o'-wisps asked: "How is that?"
The Snake replied: The great Giant lives not far from this; with his body he has no power; his hands cannot lift a straw, his shoulders could not bear a faggot of twigs; but with his shadow he has power over much, nay all. At sunrise and sunset therefore he is strongest; so at evening you merely put yourself upon the back of his shadow, the Giant walks softly to the bank and the shadow carries you across the water. But if you please, about the hour of Noon, to be waiting at that corner of the wood where the bushes overhang the bank, I myself will take you over and present you to the Fair Lily; or on the other hand, if you dislike the noontide, you have just to go at nightfall to that bend of the rocks and pay a visit to the Giant; he will certainly receive you like a gentleman."
With a slight bow, the Will-o'-wisps went off and the Snake was not discontented to get rid of them, partly that she might enjoy the brightness of her own light, partly to satisfy a curiosity, with which,
for a long time, she had been agitated in a singular way.
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This "curiosity," with her new found ability to illuminate her immediate surroundings, was to go to a Chasm in the rocks where she often went, to see for the first time objects which hithertoo she had only been able to feel which she felt betrayed the shaping hand of man.
All this and the consequences of her experience in the next Post!
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So, be the characters and let the experience of doing so enable us to sense the potential relevance to what we are doing in our lives today.
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An audio recording of this scene is shown under Episode 2 on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com
The Will-o'-wisps said: How prettily this taper length beseems us gentlemen of the vertical line! Take it not amiss of us, good lady; what family can boast of such a thing? Since there ever was a Jack-o'-lantern in the world, no one of them has either sat or lain."
The Snake felt exceedingly uncomfortable in the company of the Will-o'-wisp relations because as much as she could hold her head high she found she always had to bend it down to the earth again.
In this embarrassment the Snake asked, hastily, if the Will-o'-wisps could tell her where the gold came from. She thought it had been a golden shower from the sky. The Will-o'-wisps laughed, shook themselves and gold pieces came clinking down around them. The Snake pushed nimbly forward to eat the coins.
The dapper Will-o'-wisps said: "Much good may it do you, Mistress, we can help you to a little more."
The Snake could hardly keep up with eating the coins they scattered. Her splendour increased. She shined beautifully. In the meantime the Will-o'-wisps grew rather lean and short in stature.
The Snake said: "I am obliged to you forever, ask of me what you will; all that I can I will do."
The Will-o'-wisps replied: "Very good! Then tell us where the fair Lily dwells? Lead us to the fair Lily's palace and garden; do not lose a moment, we are dying of impatience to fall down at her feet."
The Snake with a deep sigh said: "This service I cannot now do for you. The fair Lily dwells, alas, on the other side of the water."
The Will-o'-wisps exclaimed: "Other side of the water? And we have come across it, this stormy night! How cruel is the River to divide us! Would it not be possible to call the old man back?"
The Snake said: "It would be useless for if you found him ready on the bank, he would not take you in; he can carry anyone to this side, none to yonder."
The Will-o'-wisps cried: Here is a pretty kettle of fish. Are there no other means of getting through the water?"
The Snake replied: "There are other means, but not at this moment. I myself could take you over gentlemen, but not till Noon."
The Will-o'-wisps said: "That is the hour we do not like to travel in."
The Snake replied: Then you may go across in the evening, on the great Giant's shadow."
The Will-o'-wisps asked: "How is that?"
The Snake replied: The great Giant lives not far from this; with his body he has no power; his hands cannot lift a straw, his shoulders could not bear a faggot of twigs; but with his shadow he has power over much, nay all. At sunrise and sunset therefore he is strongest; so at evening you merely put yourself upon the back of his shadow, the Giant walks softly to the bank and the shadow carries you across the water. But if you please, about the hour of Noon, to be waiting at that corner of the wood where the bushes overhang the bank, I myself will take you over and present you to the Fair Lily; or on the other hand, if you dislike the noontide, you have just to go at nightfall to that bend of the rocks and pay a visit to the Giant; he will certainly receive you like a gentleman."
With a slight bow, the Will-o'-wisps went off and the Snake was not discontented to get rid of them, partly that she might enjoy the brightness of her own light, partly to satisfy a curiosity, with which,
for a long time, she had been agitated in a singular way.
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This "curiosity," with her new found ability to illuminate her immediate surroundings, was to go to a Chasm in the rocks where she often went, to see for the first time objects which hithertoo she had only been able to feel which she felt betrayed the shaping hand of man.
All this and the consequences of her experience in the next Post!
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So, be the characters and let the experience of doing so enable us to sense the potential relevance to what we are doing in our lives today.
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An audio recording of this scene is shown under Episode 2 on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com
Monday 26 June 2017
EXPERIENCES FROM THE OPENING OF THE TALE
Following on from the last Post where the Will-o'-wisps ask the Ferryman to take them across the River did the reading, imagining, entering into these three characters "trigger" any imaginative thoughts and feelings about life, work, activities or society generally.
Goethe envisaged allowing our minds to think and feel freely about the story and it's characters could encourage free creative thinking, feeling and action. Discuss experiences like these with others.
Consider forming a small group of individuals who have similar interests in stories.
The next Post will show what happens to the gold coins the Ferryman could not take from the Will-o'-wisps!
Following on from the last Post where the Will-o'-wisps ask the Ferryman to take them across the River did the reading, imagining, entering into these three characters "trigger" any imaginative thoughts and feelings about life, work, activities or society generally.
Goethe envisaged allowing our minds to think and feel freely about the story and it's characters could encourage free creative thinking, feeling and action. Discuss experiences like these with others.
Consider forming a small group of individuals who have similar interests in stories.
The next Post will show what happens to the gold coins the Ferryman could not take from the Will-o'-wisps!
Friday 26 May 2017
The Beginning of the The Green Snake and The Beautiful Lily
The Ferryman and the two Will-o'-wisps
In his little Hut, by the great River, which a heavy rain had swoln to overflowing, lay the ancient Ferryman, asleep, wearied by the toil of the day. In the middle of the night, loud voices awoke him; he heard that it was travellers wishing to be carried over.
Stepping out, he saw two large Will-o'-wisps, hovering to and fro on his boat, which lay moored: they said, they were in violent haste, and should have been already on the other side. The old Ferryman made no loitering; pushed off, and steered with his usual skill obliquely through the stream; while two strangers whiffled and hissed together, in an unknown very rapid tongue, and every now and then broke out in loud laughter, hopping about, at one time on the gunwale and the seats, at another on the bottom of the boat.
"The boat is healing!" cried the old Man; "if you don't be quiet, it will overset; be seated, gentlemen of the wisp!"
What the different Fonts indicate:
Bold Italic represents the speeches by the Characters
Ordinary Italic represents the actual text by Goethe
The Ferryman and the two Will-o'-wisps
In his little Hut, by the great River, which a heavy rain had swoln to overflowing, lay the ancient Ferryman, asleep, wearied by the toil of the day. In the middle of the night, loud voices awoke him; he heard that it was travellers wishing to be carried over.
Stepping out, he saw two large Will-o'-wisps, hovering to and fro on his boat, which lay moored: they said, they were in violent haste, and should have been already on the other side. The old Ferryman made no loitering; pushed off, and steered with his usual skill obliquely through the stream; while two strangers whiffled and hissed together, in an unknown very rapid tongue, and every now and then broke out in loud laughter, hopping about, at one time on the gunwale and the seats, at another on the bottom of the boat.
"The boat is healing!" cried the old Man; "if you don't be quiet, it will overset; be seated, gentlemen of the wisp!"
At this advice they burst into a fit of laughter, mocked the old Man and were more unquiet than ever. He bore their mischief with patience, and soon reached the farther shore.
"Here is for your labour!" cried the travellers; and as they shook themselves, a heap of glittering gold-pieces jingled down into the wet boat.
"For heaven's sake, what are you about?" cried the old Man "you will ruin me forever! Had a single piece of gold got into the water, the stream, which cannot suffer gold, would have risen in horrid waves, and swallowed both my skiff and me; and who knows how it might have fared with you in that case? Here, take back your gold."
The Ferryman said to the Will-o'-wisps, "You must know that I am only to be paid in fruits of the earth."
The Will-o'-wisps replied, "Fruits of the earth? We despise them, and have never tasted them."
The Ferryman said, "And yet I cannot let you go, till you have promised that you will deliver me three cabbages, three artichokes, and three large onions."
The Will-o'-wisps were making-off with jests; but they felt themselves, in some inexplicable manner, fastened to the ground: it was the unpleasantest feeling they had ever had. They engaged to pay him his demand as soon as possible: he let them go and pushed away.
Further down the River he found a monstrous chasm between two high crags and shook the gold pieces into it and then steered back to his cottage.
Bold Italic represents the speeches by the Characters
Ordinary Italic represents the actual text by Goethe
Ordinary Font represents paraphrasing of the text
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Goethe defined "fairy tales" as stories narrating impossible events happening in reality.
This Fairy Tale - The Green Snake and The Beautiful Lily - the first scene of which is above, has been described as one of the most enigmatic and ambiguous prose texts in world literature. (Hofig)
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Recommended Action!
Read the above text, then speak it out loud. Feel our way into the context, the scene, live the imaginative words. For example: the great River swoln (note the spelling) to overflowing; the boat "healing"; the Ferryman being given gold coins that he cannot take to give to the River; and the Will-o'-wisps themselves suddenly being "fastened to the ground - such an unpleasant feeling."
If there are three or four people together, three can take the role of the characters, one a Ferryman, two being Will-o'-wisps and entering into their characteristics and key gestures speak what they say, how and to whom they say it, enacting the scene. The fourth individual can be a narrator and facilitator to what is going on.
At the end, and part way through if it is wished, stop and be quiet for a minute or so to enable each person to reflect quietly to themselves, not feeling they have to share their thoughts and feelings with others, what it felt like to be a particular character in this scene.
Individually or collectively discover what question(s) may arise as a result of this way of exploring the scene. Hold this discovery. Further ones may follow over time. These discoveries and questions lead our individual further research into this Fairy Tale as a whole.
Goethe said, "Exercise of imagination should be voluntary. It can affect nothing by compulsion, it must wait for the moment of inspiration. The imagination should not deal in facts, nor be employed to establish facts. It's proper province is art and there its influence should operate like sweet music."
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This Post is for Study Purposes only
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I have made an audio recording of this scene on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com
It is Post 1
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Goethe defined "fairy tales" as stories narrating impossible events happening in reality.
This Fairy Tale - The Green Snake and The Beautiful Lily - the first scene of which is above, has been described as one of the most enigmatic and ambiguous prose texts in world literature. (Hofig)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended Action!
Read the above text, then speak it out loud. Feel our way into the context, the scene, live the imaginative words. For example: the great River swoln (note the spelling) to overflowing; the boat "healing"; the Ferryman being given gold coins that he cannot take to give to the River; and the Will-o'-wisps themselves suddenly being "fastened to the ground - such an unpleasant feeling."
If there are three or four people together, three can take the role of the characters, one a Ferryman, two being Will-o'-wisps and entering into their characteristics and key gestures speak what they say, how and to whom they say it, enacting the scene. The fourth individual can be a narrator and facilitator to what is going on.
At the end, and part way through if it is wished, stop and be quiet for a minute or so to enable each person to reflect quietly to themselves, not feeling they have to share their thoughts and feelings with others, what it felt like to be a particular character in this scene.
Individually or collectively discover what question(s) may arise as a result of this way of exploring the scene. Hold this discovery. Further ones may follow over time. These discoveries and questions lead our individual further research into this Fairy Tale as a whole.
Goethe said, "Exercise of imagination should be voluntary. It can affect nothing by compulsion, it must wait for the moment of inspiration. The imagination should not deal in facts, nor be employed to establish facts. It's proper province is art and there its influence should operate like sweet music."
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This Post is for Study Purposes only
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I have made an audio recording of this scene on www.tgsatbl.blogspot.com
It is Post 1
Wednesday 26 April 2017
The Fairy Tale "THE GREEN SNAKE and THE BEAUTIFUL LILY"
KEY CHARACTERS
There are nineteen characters in all in the Tale. The Key Ones are:
FERRYMAN
TWO WILL - o' - WISPS
GREEN SNAKE
FOUR KINGS - GOLDEN KING, SILVER KING, BRONZE KING and MIXED KING
MAN WITH THE LAMP
WOMAN WITH THE BASKET
YOUTH
BEAUTIFUL LILY
Other characters are:
Giant, Three Waiting Maids to the Lily, a Hawk, a Canary and Mops the Dog.
The Posts that follow on this site, giving the Fairy Tale story, show the paths, the journeys of each character, in their individual and collective realisation of their purpose, development and ultimate transformation.
As the story unfolds and develops we see the characters change and often undertake ever increasingly mature roles in their personal development and of one harmonious community out of two disparate ones.
The journeys are many and varied, incredibly imaginative, and if we let ourselves be free to Imagine, can have very strong parallels in our modern every day lives and current societies.
In the next Post - the first scene is where a Ferryman is woken from his sleep in his hut by a wide River by travellers, two Will - o' - wisps, who demand to be taken across. It is midnight and the Rover is "swoln to overflowing" - a typical picture image and consequential imaginative writing by Goethe.
KEY CHARACTERS
There are nineteen characters in all in the Tale. The Key Ones are:
FERRYMAN
TWO WILL - o' - WISPS
GREEN SNAKE
FOUR KINGS - GOLDEN KING, SILVER KING, BRONZE KING and MIXED KING
MAN WITH THE LAMP
WOMAN WITH THE BASKET
YOUTH
BEAUTIFUL LILY
Other characters are:
Giant, Three Waiting Maids to the Lily, a Hawk, a Canary and Mops the Dog.
The Posts that follow on this site, giving the Fairy Tale story, show the paths, the journeys of each character, in their individual and collective realisation of their purpose, development and ultimate transformation.
As the story unfolds and develops we see the characters change and often undertake ever increasingly mature roles in their personal development and of one harmonious community out of two disparate ones.
The journeys are many and varied, incredibly imaginative, and if we let ourselves be free to Imagine, can have very strong parallels in our modern every day lives and current societies.
In the next Post - the first scene is where a Ferryman is woken from his sleep in his hut by a wide River by travellers, two Will - o' - wisps, who demand to be taken across. It is midnight and the Rover is "swoln to overflowing" - a typical picture image and consequential imaginative writing by Goethe.
Monday 27 March 2017
PATH of THE STORY of "THE GREEN SNAKE and THE BEAUTIFUL LILY"
IN THREE PHASES
PHASE ONE - DIVERSITY
A Ferryman was awoken at midnight in his hut by two Will-o'-wisp travellers who demanded to be taken across the River. They pay him in gold which he cannot take so he buried it in a Chasm where a Green Snake lives.
The Green Snake eats the gold and becomes luminous. This enables her to see in the Chasm, statues of four kings - one gold, another silver, a third bronze and a fourth made of mixed metals, which hithertoo, she had only been able to touch.
PHASE TWO - COMMUNITY BUILDING
The Gold King asks the Green Snake questions. A Man with a Lamp appears in the Chasm through a cleft in the rock wall. He talks with all four kings and the Snake. At the end of these conversations he says with a loud voice, "The Time is at Hand."
The Man with the Lamp and his wife, the Woman with the Basket live in a cottage. The two Will-o'-wisps visit the cottage and lick gold from the walls. Their dog Mops ate pieces of gold the Will-o'-wisps shook from themselves and Mops turns into an onyx stone.
The Man with the Lamp tells his wife to take the onyx stone to the Beautiful Lily who lives on the opposite side of the River. He tells her to do this because whatever the Lily touches, that is dead, becomes alive and whatever is alive, becomes dead.
The Woman with the Basket goes to the Lily and presents to her the onyx stone. Lily touches the stone and Mops the dog becomes alive immediately. Lily plays with the dog with great joy.
The Woman with the Basket met a Youth on her way to the Lily. He sees Lily playing avidly with the dog. The Youth felt the dog was ugly. He became jealous of the dog and exasperated by Lily playing so rapturously with the animal. In his desperation he felt there was nothing to loose by touching Lily. This he did and fell unconscious to the ground.
The Green Snake immediately formed a circle round the body of the Youth. She asked the Woman with the Basket to summon The Man with the Lamp, for help. He arrived just before sunset. He considered the situation and declared for the second time in the Tale, "The Time is at Hand."
PHASE THREE - TRANSFORMATION
All present knew what to do. Following the Man with The Lamp telling the Lily to touch the Snake with her left hand and the Youth with her right, the Youth regained half-consciousness.
At this point the Chasm, in the earth under the River, together with the Ferryman's Hut, rose with great commotion and clanking of beams to become a Temple and an Altar.
The community party went into the Temple. The Youth met the Gold, Silver and Bronze Kings. They bestowed upon the Youth their Attributes, whereupon, the Youth regained full consciousness. The Man with the Lamp declared for the third and final time in the Tale, "The Time is at Hand!"
The now Youth Prince with Lily, his bride, together with the rest of the community, turned round and saw what had become of the Green Snake. She had dissolved into fine jewels which had formed the pillars of a magnificent Bridge across the River.
The Bridge enabled people and animals from the communities upon either side of the River to cross, in harmony.
The King and Queen looked upon the one combined community with great pleasure.
The Temple is the most frequented place on the whole Earth.
Summary by Robin Blackmore For study purposes only . May 2017
Summary by Robin Blackmore For study purposes only . May 2017
Saturday 25 February 2017
CONTEXT IN WHICH THE GREEN SNAKE AND THE BEAUTIFUL LILY WAS WRITTEN
This epic Fairy Tale was written by Goethe at the time of the French Revolution in response to letters and essays he received from Friedrich Schiller about the task of re-building communities.
As a poet, Goethe's contribution to this "debate" was to write imaginatively to enable the reader, if they wish, to become freer in their thinking and resolution about how to re-build communities. He did this by writing the Fairy Tale.
This Story was placed at the end of a Work by Goethe entitled "The Recreations of the German Emigrants." This text is a series of short stories which contain references to moral values. It amounts to being a prelude to the Tale.
Unlike the stories that came before the Fairy Tale, Goethe created very imaginative characters such as a Green Snake, a Beautiful Lily, an Old Man with a Lamp, Will-o'-wisps - 19 in all. The nature of the "images" characters like these portray reduce dramatically the tendency to make judgements about them - thus freeing our minds to think, feel and act more intuitively and inspirationally.
Two paragraphs in "The Recreations of the German Emigrants" immediately before the start of the Fairy Tale provide an insight into Goethe's reasoning, rational for the imaginative and creative nature of the way he wrote it.
He stated, "The exercise of imagination should be voluntary. It can affect nothing by compulsion; it must wait for the moment of inspiration. Without design and without any settled course, it soars aloft upon its own pinions and as it is borne forward leaves a trace of its wonderful and devious course. The imagination should not deal in facts, nor be employed to establish facts. Its proper province is art."
Additionally to the imaginative characters in this Tale, Goethe presented aspects of their world which encourages the reader, listener to make separate exploration for potential relevance, insight and meaning. An example is why the Light from the lamp held by the Man with the Lamp only shines when there is reciprocal Light shining towards it.
The key question is to what degree exploration of aspects and characters in this Fairy Tale help creative free thinking and speech within us for use in our lives today.
This epic Fairy Tale was written by Goethe at the time of the French Revolution in response to letters and essays he received from Friedrich Schiller about the task of re-building communities.
As a poet, Goethe's contribution to this "debate" was to write imaginatively to enable the reader, if they wish, to become freer in their thinking and resolution about how to re-build communities. He did this by writing the Fairy Tale.
This Story was placed at the end of a Work by Goethe entitled "The Recreations of the German Emigrants." This text is a series of short stories which contain references to moral values. It amounts to being a prelude to the Tale.
Unlike the stories that came before the Fairy Tale, Goethe created very imaginative characters such as a Green Snake, a Beautiful Lily, an Old Man with a Lamp, Will-o'-wisps - 19 in all. The nature of the "images" characters like these portray reduce dramatically the tendency to make judgements about them - thus freeing our minds to think, feel and act more intuitively and inspirationally.
Two paragraphs in "The Recreations of the German Emigrants" immediately before the start of the Fairy Tale provide an insight into Goethe's reasoning, rational for the imaginative and creative nature of the way he wrote it.
He stated, "The exercise of imagination should be voluntary. It can affect nothing by compulsion; it must wait for the moment of inspiration. Without design and without any settled course, it soars aloft upon its own pinions and as it is borne forward leaves a trace of its wonderful and devious course. The imagination should not deal in facts, nor be employed to establish facts. Its proper province is art."
Additionally to the imaginative characters in this Tale, Goethe presented aspects of their world which encourages the reader, listener to make separate exploration for potential relevance, insight and meaning. An example is why the Light from the lamp held by the Man with the Lamp only shines when there is reciprocal Light shining towards it.
The key question is to what degree exploration of aspects and characters in this Fairy Tale help creative free thinking and speech within us for use in our lives today.
Friday 20 January 2017
THE POWER and VALUE OF GOETHE'S THE GREEN SNAKE and THE BEAUTIFUL LILY
IN OUR MODERN GLOBAL WORLD
Now could be a good time to re-visit Goethe's epic Fairy Tale he wrote in response to letters and essays by Frederich Schiller, poet, philosopher and playwright friend, at the time of the French Revolution.
This Work never ceases to be capable of offering to individuals who explore and work with it, revelations as individuals, groups and nations about what we could value as ways of building, re-building our communities.
This Blog contains, through Posts created over the last two years, 18 short audio readings which together present to listeners the whole Tale.
Of particular relevance to the current time are themes of Diversity, Community Building and Transformation. These themes can be said to reflect, respectively the: right to be who individuals, groups, nations, are; importance of seeking to work together effectively, economically; spiritual and cultural development that can arise.
Through 2017 I will walk in a contemporary way through the Work drawing out these themes from the text through Goethe's invention and creation of his extraordinary characters. Exploring particularly how they: are diverse; come to respect each other; learn to work together; in the process transform their communities, societies and themselves.
I am clustering the 18 audio readings held on this Blog onto a pod cast to provide an easier alternative access. The readings will still be held on this Blog. I will give the address of the pod cast when this becomes developed sufficiently.
The first exploration will be where a Ferryman is woken at midnight by two Will-o'-wisp travellers who are in urgent need to cross a river between one land and another. Travel across this river proves to be difficult for many people in so many different ways. There certainly is not one community, encompassing, embracing those who live on the two different sides of the river. Could there ever be?
Does this scenario and question arising from it have echoes of communities today?
IN OUR MODERN GLOBAL WORLD
Now could be a good time to re-visit Goethe's epic Fairy Tale he wrote in response to letters and essays by Frederich Schiller, poet, philosopher and playwright friend, at the time of the French Revolution.
This Work never ceases to be capable of offering to individuals who explore and work with it, revelations as individuals, groups and nations about what we could value as ways of building, re-building our communities.
This Blog contains, through Posts created over the last two years, 18 short audio readings which together present to listeners the whole Tale.
Of particular relevance to the current time are themes of Diversity, Community Building and Transformation. These themes can be said to reflect, respectively the: right to be who individuals, groups, nations, are; importance of seeking to work together effectively, economically; spiritual and cultural development that can arise.
Through 2017 I will walk in a contemporary way through the Work drawing out these themes from the text through Goethe's invention and creation of his extraordinary characters. Exploring particularly how they: are diverse; come to respect each other; learn to work together; in the process transform their communities, societies and themselves.
I am clustering the 18 audio readings held on this Blog onto a pod cast to provide an easier alternative access. The readings will still be held on this Blog. I will give the address of the pod cast when this becomes developed sufficiently.
The first exploration will be where a Ferryman is woken at midnight by two Will-o'-wisp travellers who are in urgent need to cross a river between one land and another. Travel across this river proves to be difficult for many people in so many different ways. There certainly is not one community, encompassing, embracing those who live on the two different sides of the river. Could there ever be?
Does this scenario and question arising from it have echoes of communities today?
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