Don´t Deny It Part I

(Dad to the left, Mum in the violet top, Christmas-party, 19... 1976?.)

How Death Came To The World – Myths And Legends Of The People /
by Sylvia Schopf (Wie der Tod in die Welt kam – Mythen und Legenden der Völker)

Maybe you think it´s strange to read a book like this at all or in my situation with a Mum suffering incurable of Cancer.
(Fun-post ahead soon, with pics from Christmas-Markets)

But it helps me coping, and it´s interesting. And consoling, too.

When my Dad died (so fast in only two weeks) of Cancer over eight years ago I was helpless and numb.

Then I found the Undertaker-Web-Blog of Tom. It´s not morbid at all. Tom explains a lot, he gives individually advise. And you find sad, funny and hilarious stories as well. At first he wanted to be anonymous, but since the stories he tells have fake names and are out of the actual time-context and since so many are interested in this subject he organizes meetings, has written books, gives interviews.

Why I tell you this?

I think it´s important to deal with an inevitable subject, I would´ve coped much better back then, and I do now. And this helps not only me but also Bro and Mum.

So, people always were afraid of death and found many explanations for it´s reason. The overall idea, though, is: To try and give the Living a (mostly consoling) message – don´t worry about the Dead, they´re doing ok.

And: The one who negates Death negates Life.

Chapter 1 – it was decided.

One of India´s explanations: Brahma created everything and the growths was overwhelming. He couldn´t find a solution and got angry, which created devastating fires. He calmed down and a woman was born out of his anger – Mrs Death. But she felt with Life and cried about what was demanded of her. Brahma catched her tears and kept them. Mrs Death drew back for milliards of years and returned very rawboned. Brahma reassured her her job is not a sin and he offered helpers: Disease, Jealousy, Greed, Malice and Rage – they will do the work and Mrs Death will collect the Dead. He produced the tears and they became all sorts of diseases.

East Africa – God Naiteru-kop introduced Death to a man this way: Soon a child will die, you´ll have to bring the body to the bush and say: “Human, die and then come back. Moon, die and stay away forever.” But the man got it wrong and said, “Human, die and stay dead forever. Moon, die and then come back”. And this was irreversible.

Catchword Moon: It changes it´s appearance and makes it a symbol for Life and Death, Growth, Decay, Return, Change and Regeneration.

Australia, Dreamtime. The Parrotfish asked the Moon what will happen to all of us? The Moon answered: I will die. But not forever. I get thinner until there is nothing but my bones. Then I will restore and come back to life – we all can do it that way.” The Parrotfish disagreed and when he died, his body stayed on earth. Two Ghosts were already waiting to take his soul to his ancestors where he was given a wonderful welcome with music and dance to make the newcomer happy. He stayed two days, then went on a journey to the land of the Death and he never came back to Earth – like any creature.

Chapter 2 – Death as Adverse Fate

Central Africa. When the world was young no one died because Death was locked in a jar. A Toad was supposed to take care of the jar and to not open it. She took the jar carefully on her journey to relatives and met a Frog with whom she travelled together. The jar got heavier and heavier, the Frog offered help, but the Toad at first refused until the jar got too heavy after all. She warned the Frog to not let go of the jar, to not brake it. “Sure”, the Frog exclaimed happily and jumped ahead without too much care, stumbled over a stone, the jar broke into thousand pieces and Death was not to be caught again. And since then Death is in the world.

To be continued...