This is a usefull saying!
tempest in a teapot
meaning: a great commotion over a small problem
16 April 2001
14 April 2001
Yin Yang
YIN AND YANG. The terms yin and yang originated in ancient Chinese philosophy during the 4th century BC. They were first mentioned in an appendix to the 'I Ching' (Classic of Changes), one of the five classic works of Confucianism (see Chinese Literature, "Confucian Classics"). Yin and yang mean literally the "dark side" and the "sunny side" of a hill. In Chinese and much other Far Eastern thought, they represent the opposites of which the world is composed: light and dark, male and female, heaven and Earth, birth and death, matter and spirit. This is called a system of dualism, or two-sidedness. The two forces yin and yang are believed to be complementary and contrasting principles. Each makes up for what the other lacks, and the wholeness of the world would be incomplete if there were a deficiency of either. Together the yin and yang are depicted as a circle, one half dark and the other half light. (This symbol appears on the flag of South Korea.) Within the dark half there is a small light circle, and within the light half there is a small dark one. This suggests that, though opposites, there is a necessary relationship between the two. Neither exists in and of itself alone. The yin and yang are both said to proceed from the Supreme Being, or Ultimate. Their significance through the centuries has been felt in every aspect of Chinese thought, including astrology, religion, medicine, art, and government.
13 April 2001
Fables
BIBLIOGRAPHY FOR FABLE
De France, Marie. Medieval Fables (Dodd, 1983).
Fahy, Mary. The Tree That Survived the Winter (Paulist Press, 1989).
Fox, Michael. Dr. Fox's Fables: Lessons from Nature (Acropolis, 1980).
Grozny, Yvonne. The Fables of Phonecius (Ann Arbor, 1978).
Hobbs, A.S., ed. Fables (Faber, 1987).
Jacobs, J.G., ed. The Fables of Odo of Cheriton (Syracuse Univ. Press, 1984).
Jacobs, Joseph, ed. The Fables of Aesop (Schocken, 1987).
La Fontaine, Jean de. The Complete Fables of Jean de La Fontaine (Northwestern Univ. Press, 1988).
Neidle, Alan. Fables for the Nuclear Age (Paragon House, 1988).
Thurber, James. Fables for Our Time and Famous Poems (Borgo, 1990).
Fable
A fable is a story that makes a point, teaches, or advises. You can start with a moral and develop a story that leads up to it. Or, develop a story first, and decide afterwards what the story teaches or advises. For fable ideas, think of real-life situations that you've heard or read about that teach something. Read Aesop's or Jean de La Fontaine's fables to become familiar with this story form.
AESOP (died 564? BC). What little is known of Aesop, the legendary Greek teller of fables, is recounted by such ancient Greek authors as Herodotus, Aristotle, Aristophanes, and Plutarch. Even from the mentions of him in this literature it is difficult to separate fact from fiction and to get a true picture of his life.
It seems generally agreed that Aesop was a native of Thrace, lived during the first half of the 6th century BC, and spent part of his life as a slave on the island of Samos. The story in Plutarch's 'Lives' that Aesop was a highly esteemed writer of fables living at the court of King Croesus of Lydia is probably untrue. That he was a writer of fables at all is unlikely, although he certainly gained a wide reputation in the ancient world as a teller of such stories.
Fables, or metaphorical animal stories, were often told to illustrate a point or teach a moral lesson, much as they are still told. Such was Aesop's reputation that most of the fables in ancient times were ascribed to him. They include such well-known stories as 'The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf', 'The Fox and the Grapes', and 'The Hare and the Tortoise'.
Modern editions of Aesop's fables are based on various ancient collections made by different authors from the 4th century BC to the 2nd century AD. Two of these collections are the anonymous 'Augustana' and the compilation made by Babrius, a Greek writer of the 2nd century AD (See also Fable.)
LA FONTAINE, Jean de (1621-95). One of the world's favorite storytellers was Jean de La Fontaine. He wrote the beloved 'Fables'. French children have for years learned these verse stories. They have been translated into many languages. Adults never tire of the wisdom in these tales. (See also Fable.)
Jean de La Fontaine was born at Chateau-Thierry, in the French province of Champagne. His father was a government official in charge of forests. Young Jean attended school at Reims. In 1641 he went to the Oratory of St. Magloire in Paris, intending to become a priest. He never took his studies seriously, however, and soon returned home.
In 1647 La Fontaine took over his father's job. He was married in that same year. Before long, he gave up his job, separated from his wife, and went to live in Paris, where he spent his most productive years.
La Fontaine was a genius at making and keeping friends. Rich patrons took a liking to his wit, and they were happy to support him. A relative introduced the young man to Nicolas Fouquet, finance minister to Louis XIV. The minister gave La Fontaine a pension in return for four poems a year.
From 1672 to 1693 La Fontaine lived at the home of Madame de La Sabliere, a wise and studious woman. In 1683 he was elected to the French Academy. In about 1685 he met Monsieur d'Hervart, his last patron. With him he spent the last two years of his life.
The first six books of 'Fables' appeared in 1668. They were followed by two more in 1678 and 1694. Today only scholars read his other books, but the 'Fables' are read everywhere.
The 'Fables' are both realistic and fantastic. In one story, a fool thinks it is wrong for big pumpkins to grow on small vines and little acorns on great oaks. He changes his mind when a falling acorn awakens him from a nap under an oak tree.
De France, Marie. Medieval Fables (Dodd, 1983).
Fahy, Mary. The Tree That Survived the Winter (Paulist Press, 1989).
Fox, Michael. Dr. Fox's Fables: Lessons from Nature (Acropolis, 1980).
Grozny, Yvonne. The Fables of Phonecius (Ann Arbor, 1978).
Hobbs, A.S., ed. Fables (Faber, 1987).
Jacobs, J.G., ed. The Fables of Odo of Cheriton (Syracuse Univ. Press, 1984).
Jacobs, Joseph, ed. The Fables of Aesop (Schocken, 1987).
La Fontaine, Jean de. The Complete Fables of Jean de La Fontaine (Northwestern Univ. Press, 1988).
Neidle, Alan. Fables for the Nuclear Age (Paragon House, 1988).
Thurber, James. Fables for Our Time and Famous Poems (Borgo, 1990).
Fable
A fable is a story that makes a point, teaches, or advises. You can start with a moral and develop a story that leads up to it. Or, develop a story first, and decide afterwards what the story teaches or advises. For fable ideas, think of real-life situations that you've heard or read about that teach something. Read Aesop's or Jean de La Fontaine's fables to become familiar with this story form.
AESOP (died 564? BC). What little is known of Aesop, the legendary Greek teller of fables, is recounted by such ancient Greek authors as Herodotus, Aristotle, Aristophanes, and Plutarch. Even from the mentions of him in this literature it is difficult to separate fact from fiction and to get a true picture of his life.
It seems generally agreed that Aesop was a native of Thrace, lived during the first half of the 6th century BC, and spent part of his life as a slave on the island of Samos. The story in Plutarch's 'Lives' that Aesop was a highly esteemed writer of fables living at the court of King Croesus of Lydia is probably untrue. That he was a writer of fables at all is unlikely, although he certainly gained a wide reputation in the ancient world as a teller of such stories.
Fables, or metaphorical animal stories, were often told to illustrate a point or teach a moral lesson, much as they are still told. Such was Aesop's reputation that most of the fables in ancient times were ascribed to him. They include such well-known stories as 'The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf', 'The Fox and the Grapes', and 'The Hare and the Tortoise'.
Modern editions of Aesop's fables are based on various ancient collections made by different authors from the 4th century BC to the 2nd century AD. Two of these collections are the anonymous 'Augustana' and the compilation made by Babrius, a Greek writer of the 2nd century AD (See also Fable.)
LA FONTAINE, Jean de (1621-95). One of the world's favorite storytellers was Jean de La Fontaine. He wrote the beloved 'Fables'. French children have for years learned these verse stories. They have been translated into many languages. Adults never tire of the wisdom in these tales. (See also Fable.)
Jean de La Fontaine was born at Chateau-Thierry, in the French province of Champagne. His father was a government official in charge of forests. Young Jean attended school at Reims. In 1641 he went to the Oratory of St. Magloire in Paris, intending to become a priest. He never took his studies seriously, however, and soon returned home.
In 1647 La Fontaine took over his father's job. He was married in that same year. Before long, he gave up his job, separated from his wife, and went to live in Paris, where he spent his most productive years.
La Fontaine was a genius at making and keeping friends. Rich patrons took a liking to his wit, and they were happy to support him. A relative introduced the young man to Nicolas Fouquet, finance minister to Louis XIV. The minister gave La Fontaine a pension in return for four poems a year.
From 1672 to 1693 La Fontaine lived at the home of Madame de La Sabliere, a wise and studious woman. In 1683 he was elected to the French Academy. In about 1685 he met Monsieur d'Hervart, his last patron. With him he spent the last two years of his life.
The first six books of 'Fables' appeared in 1668. They were followed by two more in 1678 and 1694. Today only scholars read his other books, but the 'Fables' are read everywhere.
The 'Fables' are both realistic and fantastic. In one story, a fool thinks it is wrong for big pumpkins to grow on small vines and little acorns on great oaks. He changes his mind when a falling acorn awakens him from a nap under an oak tree.
12 April 2001
Poem
Please find this poem for me:
"The raven" - Edgar Allan Poe
Equally challenging are the striking combinations of sound achieved by Edgar Allan Poe and Vachel Lindsay (see Poe, Edgar Allan; Lindsay, Vachel). Poe's well-known poem 'The Raven' tells a story, but the impact of the poem is its sound and rhythm an effect that is heightened by the internal rhymes and ending rhymes, especially the words that rhyme with "nevermore" to give a sense of impending doom.
But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
"The raven" - Edgar Allan Poe
Equally challenging are the striking combinations of sound achieved by Edgar Allan Poe and Vachel Lindsay (see Poe, Edgar Allan; Lindsay, Vachel). Poe's well-known poem 'The Raven' tells a story, but the impact of the poem is its sound and rhythm an effect that is heightened by the internal rhymes and ending rhymes, especially the words that rhyme with "nevermore" to give a sense of impending doom.
But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
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