#folklore

See tagged statuses in the local Rambling Readers community

: The Song of Grotti

This one is a 12th century Icelandic saga about two giantesses who are captured and enslaved by a Danish king. He makes them turn a giant millstone that grinds out endless riches. When he refuses to give them rest time, or set them free, the giantesses sing a song that makes the mill grind out strife and an invading army. The king's rule is toppled by their revenge.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/g-is-for-grottasongr-womens-epics-to-z.html

Photo of tall, snow-covered mountain peaks, and text over it: "G is for Grottasongr: An Icelandic saga about two enslaved giantesses who take revenge on a cruel king. #WomensEpics "

Today on : Fatima Dhat Al-Himma

The original text of this epic - the only one in the Arabic sira tradition that is named after a woman - is 5000 pages long. The English book was a partial translation, but it was still amazing.

Princess Fatima is a warrior woman with a life full of adventures. She battles armies, befriends djinn, quite literally fights for her right to divorce, and raises a son on her own.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/f-is-for-fatima-al-amira-dhat-al-himma.html

Decorative frame with crescent moon and star, and text: "F is for Fatima Dhat Al-Himma: An Arabic epic about a legendary warrior woman who fights her evil ex-husband's schemes and goes through many adventures. #WomensEpcis "

: Manasa

This was one of my favorites.

Manasa is the goddess of serpents. She is born accidentally from Shiva, who doesn't want to accept her as his daughter for a long time. Manasa repeatedly has to prove her incredible powers to the gods to be accepted.

In the second half of the epic Manasa descends to the mortal realm to win their worship too. It's not an easy task; she even has to battle Death itself.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/e-is-for-epic-of-manasa-womens-epics-to.html

Dark green background decorated with snakes, and text: "E is for the epic of Manasa: a Bengali epic about the Goddess of Serpents who fights for her rightful place among the gods. #WomensEpics "
Dark green background decorated with snakes, and text: "E is for the epic of Manasa: a Bengali epic about the Goddess of Serpents who fights for her rightful place among the gods. #WomensEpics "

Today on :
Matabagka and the Deity of the Wind

This is an epic from the Philippines, in which a brave girl sets out to steal magic instruments that control the wind, to save her kingdom from an invasion.

I loved that Matabagka had a friendly relationship with the wind herself. She called it "friend and partner", and instead of commanding or controlling, she asked it for help and direction.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/d-is-for-deity-of-wind-and-matabagka.html

A frame with motifs from the flag of the Philippines, with text: "D is for the Deity of the Wind and Matabagka: A Talaandig epic from the Philippines about a princess who battles the deity of the wind to save her kingdom. #WomensEpics "
A frame with motifs from the flag of the Philippines, with text: "D is for the Deity of the Wind and Matabagka: A Talaandig epic from the Philippines about a princess who battles the deity of the wind to save her kingdom. #WomensEpics "

I'm telling the story of María Cacao for today :) I have been doing weeks of research on her. She is a goddess from the island of Cebu who grows cocoa, and sails in a golden ship periodically to America to sell her crops for fancy tableware. She lends the tableware out to local people when they need it for celebrations.

However, the absolute best thing about María Cacao is that she has a giant shrimp as a pet 🦐

Today on :
Chandravati's Ramayana

This is a retelling of the Ramayana by a Bengali poet named Chandravati. She lived in the 16th century, and re-wrote the epic to distract herself from heartache.
Her retelling focuses on Sita's perspective, the horrors of war, and compassion between women that crosses battle lines. It survives to this day in the oral tradition.

Read more:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/c-is-for-candravatis-ramayana-womens.html

Text in an elaborate green and gold floral frame. It reads "C is for Chandravati's Ramayana: A 16th century Bengali retelling of the Ramayana, written by a woman poet. It tells the epic's story from Sita's perspective. #WomensEpics"

replied to Assoc for Scottish Literature's status

@bookstodon

“There is a story they tell in Breadalbane:
Gordon of Achruach was at feud with Campbell of Kentallan, who hired certain Gregora, landless men, who took the Gordon unawares while he was hunting in the Mamore. And they cut off his head and put it in a bag to show the Campbell that the work was done. That was the way of it…”

– From “The Gordon Women”, by George MacDonald Fraser. Published in THE SHEIKH AND THE DUSTBIN (1988)

4/5

& still she spoke & looked not on the head, until the ghillie returned with her men of Achruach, who came in swift & sudden & stood behind the Gregora seated, one to one, & each Gordon with his dirk at a dirty Gregora neck. & she told on till the tale was done – aye, she was great at the stories – & then said she: “I see my man is come home, & has but an apple to eat. Give him to drink also, wine red & warm.” & at her word they slew the Gregora where they sat, & the red blood ran. That was the way of it. & the ghillie said: “Oh, mistress, how did you keep your countenance this long while in the presence of yon fell thing, & beguile these stark men?” & she answered: “The day I cannot keep my countenance, & hold men in their place & work my will on them, that is a day you will never see.” That was the way of it. That was a woman of the Gordons for you.
There is a story they tell in Breadalbane: Gordon of Achruach was at feud with Campbell of Kentallan, who hired certain Gregora, landless men, who took the Gordon unawares while he was hunting in the Mamore. & they cut off his head & put it in a bag to show the Campbell that the work was done. That was the way of it. And as they fared for Kentallan, the Gregora came by the Gordon’s door at Achruach, & went in, & the Gordon’s wife (little knowing she was a widow) bade them to table, as the custom is, & went out for the Athol brose. & while she was gone the Gregora winked at one another, & set the Gordon’s head on a dish, with an apple in the mouth, to see what the good wife would make of it. That is the Gregora for you, hell mend the black pack of them. & the good wife came in, & saw her man’s head bloody on the board, but kept her countenance & never said a word, only smiled on the Gregora & bade them good cheer. The Gregora wondered at this. Has she not seen it? was in the mind of each of them. Still looked she never on the head, but said a word to her ghillie & sent him forth. & smiling on the Gregora, she told them a tale, never looking at the head, & held them spellbound, for she was great at the stories, & very fair besides. The Gregora wondered, has she not seen it yet? This is not canny, was in their minds, & they said they must be for the road, but she held them there by her tale & her presence, & so they bided whether they would or no. That was the way of it.

And the blog series has officially started!

First up: the Buryat epic of Agu-Nogon-Abakha.

It is about a girl whose brother is killed by a monster, so she puts on his clothes, and goes on a quest to find a way to bring him back to life.

It turns out there are three princesses with magic powers who can save him... she just have to get them to marry her first.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/03/a-is-for-agu-nogon-abakha-womens-epics.html

So, the Swedish folktale Andersen based Princess & the Pea on has the exact opposite message. It's a "Puss in Boots" tale about a girl who pretends to be a princess dainty enough to feel the pea in her bed. To prove she's worthy of the prince's hand.

I see a lot of people criticize this tale for the girl "being a liar." Which kinda surprises me.

If royalty really wants to decide a woman's worth by being dainty enough to be bruised by a pea... joke's on them.

Every year I come across a bunch of people saying blogging is "dead" or "not viable anymore." And yet, every year we have 100+ bloggers sign up for the , creating wonderful long-form content that is fun to read and follow.

There are topics that you just can't do justice to in a 10-second video format. And I am happy that my blog can be a static resource for and , while others write about other topics they are passionate about.