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'Anachronistic Fairytales' by Wnslow Pels

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Il était une fois...

Once upon a time…

Urashima Tarō 浦島太郎 est le personnage d'un conte de fées japonais.

Illustration : Urashima Tarō by Utagawa Kuniyoshi  歌川国芳 (1797-1861).

Illustration : statue de Urashima Tarō à Kagawa-ken 香川県.

Urashima Tarō est un pêcheur qui sauva une tortue se faisant malmener par des enfants. Le lendemain, une gigantesque tortue vint à sa rencontre et lui révèla que la tortue qu'il avait sauvée était la fille du roi de l'océan, Ryūjin or Ryōjin 龍神 “Dieu dragon”. Ce dernier voulut le voir et le récompensa par un séjour à Ryūgū-jō 竜宮城, 龍宮城, le palais sous-marin de Ryūjin.

Illustration : “ Ryūjin “ by  Utagawa Kuniyoshi  歌川国芳 (1797-1861).

Illustration : “Otohime et Urashima Tarō” by Edmund Dulac (illustrateur français)

La tortue sauvée se transforma en jolie princesse nommée Oto-hime 乙姫, et Urashima Tarō passa un long moment à ses côtés. Mais il commença à souffrir du mal du pays. Elle l'autorisa alors à retourner chez lui et lui offrit un coffret incrusté de joyaux, la Tamatebako 玉手箱, en lui disant de ne pas l'ouvrir.

Illustration : “Urashima Tarō Returning Home From the Palace of the Dragon King” by Tsukioka Yoshitoshi 月岡芳年 (1839-1892).

Illustration :  “ Urashima Tarō Returning Home” by Yamamoto Hōsui 山本芳翠 (1850 - 1906).

De retour chez lui, Urashima découvrit que plus de trois cents ans s'était écoulés depuis son départ et que plus personne ne se souvenait de lui. Dépressif, il retourna sur la plage et se souvint du coffret qui lui avait été offert avant son départ. Il l'ouvrit, libérant un nuage de fumée blanche ; il se mit à vieillir soudainement, se transforma en grue et s'installa sur le mont Hōrai 蓬莱 - mont imaginaire - le coffret contenait son âge réel.

Illustration : “le mont Hōrai san 蓬莱山”  by Yokoyama Taikan 横山大観 (1868-1958).

Illustration : “le mont Hōrai san 蓬莱山”  by Yokoyama Taikan 横山大観 (1868-1958).

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Château de Saulxures-sur-Moselotte, France

by Adrien | Bordeau Urbex & Prestige

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People in namahage costumes, Akita Prefecture

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THE DESCRIPTION OF SAINT PAUL MIKI AND 26 COMPANIONS Feast Day: February 6

"I am not from the Philippines. I am a Japanese and a Jesuit Brother… Having arrived at this moment of my existence, I believe that no one of you thinks I want to hide the truth. That is why I have to declare to you that there is no other way of salvation than the one followed by Christians. Since this way teaches me to forgive my enemies and all who have offended me. I willingly forgive the king and all those who have desired my death. And I pray that they will obtain the desire of Christian baptism." -St. Paul Miki

The first martyr of Japan, Paul Miki was born to a wealthy Japanese family circa 1562 in Settsu, Osaka Prefecture in Kansai region. At a young age, he entered the Society of Jesus and preached the Gospel successfully.

The church had been implanted in Japan fifty years earlier, and counted over 200,000 Christians. In 1588, the Emperor claimed that he was 'God,' and ordered all Christian missionaries to leave the country within six months. Some of them obeyed, but Paul and many others remained secretly behind.

In 1597, Paul was discovered and arrested along with twenty-five companions. They endured tortures and derision through several towns, with their left ears cut off, before being taken to Nagasaki. After making their confession, they were fastened to their crosses, with iron collars around their necks.

Their valor and bravery were wonderful to behold. They gave thanks to God by singing Psalms 25 and repeating: 'Into your hands, Lord, I entrust my life.'

Standing in the noblest pulpit of the cross, Paul said to the people: 'I am a Japanese by birth, and a Jesuit by vocation. I am dying for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I do gladly pardon the Emperor, and all who have sought my death. I beg them to seek baptism and be Christians themselves.'

Then, four executioners unsheathed their spears and killed all of them in a short time. Their faces were serene, while they kept repeating: 'Jesus, Mary!'

On June 8, 1862, Pope Pius IX canonized him and his twenty-five companions.

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Russia keeps using illegal weapons on frontline

Russian forces are continuing to deploy chemical weapons on the battlefield, according to the Rubizh Brigade of the National Guard of Ukraine.

The report highlights that Russian forces have been using chemical weapons on the front for the third consecutive week—despite such use being banned under the Chemical Weapons Convention since April 1997. Russia is a signatory and has ratified the treaty.

"For the third week on this front, the enemy has used chemical weapons, which, unfortunately, cause significant harm to our defenders. These munitions spread poisonous substances extremely quickly, instantly dispersing through dugouts and lowlands," the soldiers reported.

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Shepherds, Moldova 1890s

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Our Lady of Akita

First apparition:July 6

In 1973, Sister Agnes Katsuko, a nun of the Institute of the Handmaids of the Holy Eucharist in Akita, Japan, noticed that their statue of the Blessed Mother was weeping. The wooden statue in the convent at Akita was carved by a Buddhist woodcarver from an identical image of The Lady of All Nations. The statue wept human tears 101 times and bled type AB blood, along with other supernatural changes to the statue. Mary gave Sister Agnes messages of prayer, chastisement, and repentance. The phenomenon was witnessed by Bishop Ito and Father Teiji Yasuda. Bishop Ito gave his authorization for the veneration of the Holy Mother Mary in 1984.

Prints, plaques & holy cards available for purchase. (website)

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"My name is Greta Thunberg and I am from Sweden. If you see this video, we have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel." (X)

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babswebb

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Zidani Most, Slovenia (by Odalv)

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A pocong dyed in the red hue of rage. Despite being physically bound, its nature as a vengeful spirit marks it as a being to avoid.

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Biblically Accurate Demons

True to their nature, demons in the Bible are a tricky category — much harder to pin down than angels. Angels, despite having many types or kinds throughout the Bible, are mostly referred to as malakh in the Hebrew Old Testament and angelos in the Greek New Testament — both literally meaning “messenger.” Demons, though, can refer to many different beings in the Bible.

As a rule, demons in the Old Testament are more varied, ambiguous, and frightening than demons in the New Testament. While the latter are not to be trifled with — they can cause all sorts of harm to people — the former often appear to be much more ancient and cosmically powerful. But there are exceptions...

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roadside memorials in crete, greece

driving an hour through crete, you'll see dozens of these, with some new and others decades-old. unlike wooden crosses and flowers, they stay for lifetimes. depending on surviving family/friends or distance to villages and towns, they are often maintained like graves, with some over 50+ years old and still having fresh flowers or burning lights. usually every soul gets their own chapel. if theres multiple accidents in the same location, a new chapel will be built; the old one wont be reused or built on (see 3&9). families or couples sometimes get a shared one, often with multiple crosses/candlesticks/figurines.

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Between 1913 and 1926, John Hulbert served as New York State's executioner, a grim role that weighed heavily on him.

Over 13 years, he operated the electric chair 142 times, a duty that brought not only a steady income of $150 per execution but also relentless fear and isolation. Hulbert carried a gun at all times due to threats against his life and adhered to rigid habits—eating at the same restaurant and requesting the same waiter to avoid potential poisoning.

Dubbed “the man who walks alone,” Hulbert lived a solitary and somber life. The emotional toll of his job eroded his mental health, culminating in a breakdown in 1926. “I got tired of killing people,” he admitted, resigning from his position and retreating further into despair. His resignation marked the beginning of a deeper decline.

The loss of his wife in 1929 shattered what little stability he had left. On February 22, 1929, overcome by grief and unable to reconcile his past, Hulbert went into his cellar and ended his life with a gunshot to the chest.

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Bullet marks, March 2025

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The Old Hall, Fairies by Moonlight; Spectres & Shades, Brownies and Banshees (John Anster Fitzgerald, c. 1875)