Posted: Apr 12, 08 10:18pm

I call myself sqldave here at tbd. I'm fascinated with folklore and mythology. I like to compare stories from different cultures and their differences and similarities. I think folktales reveal our own culture in ways that direct questions and descriptions never could. As I have time, I'll post stories that are representative of common stories, in the hopes that others will recognize them and post their own versions. I hope that we can discuss what the stories mean to us.

I have one request. Do not use this groups discussion board as a forum to launch personal attacks on others. If you have a problem with someone, please leave it behind for the time you're here.

Folk stories and mythical tales aren't silly or irrelevant. They tell us a lot about ourselves. Whether or not you believe a story isn't relevant. Most folktales were passionately believed as true in the time and culture where they were born. They were true to the people who told them.

You may hear stories related in this group that you think are fiction, while the teller believes they are true. It is important that we remain respectful, and distance ourselves from our belief or disbelief, if we are examine the story with a critical eye. By critical, I mean we want to discover what the story means, not whether it is true or not.

If you have a story, please tell it. I'm especially interested in the stories your parents and grandparents told you. In many cases, the oral traditions of these tales are all we have left. If you don't share them, they could be lost forever.