#undytalesproject

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Undying Tales Mexican Wolf

Tale:

To the Aztecs, the dog was an animal of the dead. One of many final abodes for dead souls was Mictlan. There were many trials a soul had to pass through in Michlan, and after 4 years of passing through the hells, they would arrive at peace. A red dog was buried with the dead, or sacrificed so the spirit could be released as smoke. It was only with the help and guidance of this dog, that the soul would be carried over the deep river, Chignahuapan and succeed in its final journey. Warriors wore a small effigy of a dog as part of their ceremonial attire.

The god Xolotl was often depicted as a dog-headed man, and as the guide through the underworld.

I started two pieces, but went off the aztec style god avatar as didn't look wolf enough. So finished this one.

A6 ink drawing

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Undying Tales Giant Panda

Tibetan legend tells of how giant pandas were once snow white. This gentle creature was out roaming with its cub one day when a leopard launched itself in attack. Nearby shepherdesses were tending their flocks and happened to see, and swiftly they came to the defense of the panda and her young, to beat off the leopard with their sticks. Alas, the brave shepherdesses were slain in their rally.

Little ink drawing on brown paper.

It was the custom of mourning to rub black ash on the body, and so all the giant pandas in the area came forth to the memorial for the brave shepherdesses. They took ashes in their paws, and rubbed their eyes, and covered their ears in sadness at the morning cries, and embraced each other across the back in comfort. Ever after, the black markings of the ash have marked the fur of the giant pandas as a reminder of the sacrifice undergone by the girls to save one of their number.

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Undying Tales MacQueen's Bustard

In Slavic folklore, the Firebird is a magical creature from enchanted lands. It glows with beautiful and rich plumage of golden light, and even when a feather has fallen from the bird, it still burns with that fiery light. In the stories, they are harbingers of journey and change. The Firebird features often in Russian fairytales as the coveted object of a quest. The hero is sent out at the bidding of the king to hunt across the lands in search of the mythical bird. As proof of his success, he must bring back a glowing tail feather, imbued with magical promise, and is wedded to the princess.

In one tale, a tsar had three sons. In his orchard grew an apple tree, from whose branches someone stole an apple each night. Each of the brothers from eldest to youngest, sat vigil on consecutive nights to try and catch the thief, but it was only the youngest, Ivan, who managed to stay awake and thus saw the firebird alight upon the tree and steal an apple. He reached up and plucked a bright tail feather before the bird flew off. With this luminous proof to show his father, the three sons were then sent on a journey to seek out and bring back the firebird for their father, with the price for success being the kingdom

In a journey that led him to Baba Yaga's chicken-legged doorstep, across a fiery river, across mountains on his trusty stallion, betrayal by his two other brothers, and finally coming home with the firebird to claim the domain from his father.

A6 ink drawing. Those aren't the bird's wings....they display feathers.

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Undying Tales Red Panda

The return of the Undying Takes project run by Stephanie Law. You can visit the website to take part or see this year's prompt list.

First up is the endangered red panda. The striking appearance of red pandas lead to many colorful colloquial names for them within the range of these shy and nocturnal creatures. The Chinese call the red pandas "fire fox". Throughout its range in the Himalayas and the surrounding regions, some of its other names are "fire cat", "fox bear", "cat bear", "cloud bear".

Red pandas are generally believed to be omens of good luck. Catching sight of the elusive creature conveys fortune to the witness. Within their range, tribal people of Yunnan, Nepal, and Bhutan have used their fur in ceremonial garments, for weddings, or to protect a shaman from the attacks of malicious spirits during healing rituals. In some regions, they are thought to be reincarnated Buddhist monks, for their bright colors are reminiscent of monks' robes.

Mine is a grumpy boy who wants to go back bed lol. A6 ink drawing.

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Undying Tales Pinto’s spinetail

In the Amazon jungle, Pinto’s spinetail is a foraging brown and grey bird. There is a Tupi legend of a bird that they call jurutahy. It is said to be brown and ugly. This poor bird looked upon the moon and fell in love with her glowing visage, and so he courted her, singing love songs indefatigably through the long nights. Despite his ardent musical proclamations, the moon scorned the little bird, night after night. His entreaties fell upon her beautiful and deaf ears.

The jurutahy is thus seen as a symbol of the romantic bliss that a poet experiences. Though the world might not care for his artistry, still he creates, still he sends his voice out into the void, for to speak of love is worthwhile in itself.

A6 ink pens and watercolour pencils on brown paper.

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Undying Tales Day 17 White-naped Crane

In Chinese mythology, cranes are a symbol of longevity. They appear as design and art motifs. Their outstretched wings bear the deceased to heaven. They also transport immortals through the seams of the mortal and divine realms. One of the other Chinese symbols of longevity are peaches, which grow in the orchards of the goddess, the Queen Mother of the West. Together, cranes and peaches are often used in depictions of the Queen Mother‘s lush paradise isle. Etched in clay or sewn with shining silk threads into a tapestry, those symbols evoke the enchantment and divine aura of the immortal domain.

Ink n watercolour