Wikipedia Trail: from Saint John's Day to Dr. Whitney Smith

I started with the article about the origin of Saint John the Baptist's Day which I used while researching information for my project. I learned that it is held on June 24, also called Midsummer, because it is the day that marks the Summer Solstice.

I then clicked the link that led me to an article about dragons because apparently one of the traditions of Saint John's Day is to build a large bonfire that was supposed to ward off dragons. There, I learned that dragons appeared relatively often on various European coat of arms.

Following the link to the article about coat of arms, I learned that the practice originated from the Romans painting their unit's insignia on their shields. The study of coats of arms is closely related to vexillology, which I am already interested in, so I followed the link.

There, I found that the International Federation of Vexillological Associations has their own flag. I also discovered that Dr. Whitney Smith formalized the field of vexillology.

Flag of the FIAV. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Following the link to the article about Dr. Whitney Smith, I learned that he designed the national flag of Guyana that they still use today.

Reading Notes: The Three Roses

-once there were 3 sisters
-their mother asked them if there was anything they wanted
-the first two asked for a great many things
-but the third, Mary, only asked for 3 roses
-the mother went out and bought a great many things for the first two sisters
-but night fell on her way home
-she wandered off the path back to their home and came upon a great castle with beautiful roses
-remembering the third sisters wish, the mother took 3 roses
-out came a basilisk which demanded the roses be paid for with the daughters life
-the mother obliged and brought back the third sister
-the basilisk demanded that the girl nurse him for 3 hours every day
-she obliged and on the third day of nursing, the basilisk came back with a sword
-it demanded the girl cut off its head
-she obliged and out came a snake
-it too demanded she cut off its head
-she obliged and from the snakes head came a handsome young man holding golden keys
-he said that the castle was his and that the woman must marry him
-she happily obliged

A Basilisk. Source: Wikimedia Commons

"The Three Roses" from Czech Folktales unit. Story source: The Key of Gold by Josef Baudis (1922).

Reading Notes: Beth Gellert

-a prince had a greyhound he very fond of saying it was a lamb at home, but a lion on the chase
-on one day, the prince blew his horn to call his dogs to hunt
-all came except Gellert
-he went without the dog and when he came back, Gellert came to meet the prince
-the dogs face and and teeth were covered in blood
-fearing the absolute worst, the prince rushed towards is infant sons nursery
-the closer he got, the more blood and disorder
-reaching the nursery, he saw signs of conflict but couldn't find his son
-thinking the dog was a monster, the prince took his sword and thrust it in Gellert
-With Gellert dying yell came a baby's cry
-his son was asleep under the cradle next to a slain great wolf, realizing that Gellert had actually saved his son
-but it was to late to save Gellert
-to honor the greyhound, the prince buried it in front of the castle so passers-by might see the memorial
-the monument was called Beth Gellert, or the Grave of Gellert.

A Greyhound dog. Source: Wikimedia Commons

"Beth Gellert" from Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).

Reading Notes: The Shepherd of Myddvai

-a shepherd led his flock near a lake
-from the water, came 3 maidens most beautiful
-he offered one his bread
   -she said it was hard-baked
-the next day, he offered her another piece
   -she said it was unbaked
-the next day, he offered her a piece he found in the lake
   -she was pleased and said that she would marry him if he could tell her apart from her sisters the next day
-the next day, he recognized her by her sandals and they were married on the condition that he does not strike her 3 times without reason
-she gave 3 cows, 2 oxen, and one bull as her dowry
-they had 3 children
-one day, he lightly tapped her on the shoulder which she said was strike 1
-when she was crying another time, he tapped her on the shoulder to ask what was wrong which was strike 2
-at a funeral she began to laugh, so he nudged her on the shoulder which was strike 3
-she left taking her animals back into the lake
-she came back only one time when her sons were men to give them healing abilities

Shepherd with Sheep by Thomas Sidney Cooper (1868). 

Source: Wikimedia Commons

"The Shepherd of Myddvai" from Celtic Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs with illustrations by John D. Batten (1892).