http://takesaftermom.livejournal.com/ ([identity profile] takesaftermom.livejournal.com) wrote in [community profile] fandomhigh2011-02-10 02:21 pm
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Myths and Legends of the Deep {Thursday, Period 2}

Summer had set up today's class in the Danger Shop and let her students know with a handwavily e-mail.

The Danger Shop was set up to replicate the open ocean. As soon as the students entered the room, they'd find themselves aboard a ship that might have been found from the 1800s or earlier.

"Today, we're talking about sea serpents. They are mythological sea monster that is either partially or wholly serpentine. Sightings of these creatures have been reported for hundreds of years and continue to this day. Even though numerous sightings have been reported over the years, there has been no physical evidence recorded," Summer explained.

"It's entirely possible that people have mistaken sightings of whales and oarfish for strange sea serpents. Some cryptozoologists have suggested that these sea serpents could have been are relict plesiosaurs, mosasaurs or other Mesozoic marine reptiles, an idea often associated with lake monsters such as the Loch Ness Monster."

Summer wasn't so sure about that but it did make some sense.

"Many cultures have varying myths about sea serpents. In Norse mythology, Jörmungandr, or 'Midgarðsormr' was a sea serpent so long that it encircled the entire world, Midgard. Some stories report of sailors mistaking its back for a chain of islands. Sea serpents also appear frequently in later Scandinavian folklore, particularly in that of Norway," she continued. As she spoke, the waters around the ship stirred and if the students looked over the side, they could see dark shapes swimming below the surface.

"Sea serpents were known to sea-faring cultures in the Mediterranean and Near East, appearing in both mythology (the Babylonian Labbu) and in apparent eye-witness accounts (Aristotle's Historia Animalium). Better known today are the Biblical references to Leviathan and Rahab, from the Hebrew Tanakh. In Greek and Roman mythology, a pair of sea serpents killed Laocoön and his sons when Laocoön argued against bringing the Trojan Horse into Troy," Summer said.

There were a good chunk of myths about sea serpents and Summer could have gone on for the entire class. Instead, she looked at her students and posed a question to them. "What are some sea serpent myths that you know of? After answering that question, feel free to explore the ship."

[OCD up!]

{Syllabus & Class Roster}

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] anarchist-queen.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 02:16 am (UTC)(link)
"I've done that. Really grossed some of the rich kids out."

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] shes-got-legs.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 02:23 am (UTC)(link)
"Which is funny," Ariel pointed out, "because even the rich kids do it where I'm from!"

Herself being one of them, of course.

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] anarchist-queen.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 02:26 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh the rich kids back home are so easy to freak out. Specially the Elf Bigots."

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] shes-got-legs.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 02:36 am (UTC)(link)
"Elf Bigots?" Ariel asked, and then laughed, just slightly. "Your world sounds just about as different as mine. Hopefully, you wouldn't find the rich kids back home too bad...."

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] anarchist-queen.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 02:39 am (UTC)(link)
Leda thought this conversation was going to too heavy a subject. She tried to lighten it up. "So what did you think the fork was for?"

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] shes-got-legs.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 02:48 am (UTC)(link)
Ariel bit her lip a little at the not-so-subtle subject change, but she wasn't going to push it. She smiled faintly. "My friend Scuttle told me it was how hu--people took care of their hair. Like a brush!"

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] anarchist-queen.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 02:50 am (UTC)(link)
Leda noticed the near slip, but likewise didn't push it. She was curious though. "I could see that. Specially since there's some combs that really look like forks."

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] shes-got-legs.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 03:01 am (UTC)(link)
Ariel nodded. "I kind of prefer them to brushes, too, even if it takes forever." Then she started to giggle. "You should have seen Scuttle when he showed me how, if puffed out his...well, puffed it all out, like this!" Her hands went to her head to show the poofball that Scuttle's head had become.

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] anarchist-queen.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 03:02 am (UTC)(link)
Leda snickered. "I do believe that's the style most people who use fork combs are going for." Of course she didn't know that Scuttle was a seagull.

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] shes-got-legs.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 03:11 am (UTC)(link)
"Oh, gosh!" Ariel gasped, cringing despite her smirk. "I've been doing it all wrong!"

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] anarchist-queen.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 03:13 am (UTC)(link)
"Ariel with hair like yours, if you got the puffball look I'm not sure you'd be able to fit through any doors."

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] shes-got-legs.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 03:22 am (UTC)(link)
"Now that would be a great excuse on why I missed class. 'I'm sorry, Miss Pitt, I couldn't fit into the door!'"

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] anarchist-queen.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 03:24 am (UTC)(link)
"Maybe we could get gel and spike your hair. Like a sea urchin!"

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] shes-got-legs.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 03:28 am (UTC)(link)
"That would be a lot of hair gel..."

Re: Explore the ship

[identity profile] anarchist-queen.livejournal.com 2011-02-12 06:10 am (UTC)(link)
"Yes it would." Leda might be able to do it with magic, but she wasn't serious about doing that to Ariel's hair anyway. "I'm not sure I can picture it really."