Reading Diary A: I don't know about you, but I'm Feeling Twenty-Two, Goblins that is.

I read Twenty-Two Goblins from Indian folklore for this week! It's about a king who is on a mission to retrieve a body for a monk. The king finds the body, but it is held captive by a goblin. The only way to rid the body of the goblin is by outwitting the goblin's riddles.

The first six riddles were rather entertaining in my not-so-professional opinion. I think the whole setting of the story is a bit strange, but I've come to realize that strange is normal in mythology. There is no realistic setting for a tale. My favorite story from the first half was The Four Scientific Suitors.

This story is about a beautiful girl who wants a husband who is good-looking (I'm right there with her!) and is skilled in one area of science. For instance, there is one who makes clothing, a farmer, a warrior, and one who can raise dead to life (kind of?). Which one should be her husband? The king is smart and says the warrior, because he at least has some manhood in his science. It ends with this quote: "Discouragement never enters the brave heart of a resolute man." I like this quote because it makes me feel as if the young, lovely lady gets to marry a manly man. One who is not discouraged easily, and carries with his science a little valor. That's a victory in my book!

Mighty swordsman and future husband of the lovely girl.

Image Credit: Wikimedia Commons