So the #WomensEpics series is officially done. You can find and read all 26 posts here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/p/womens-epics-to-z.html

I also made some promo posts. Because I think these epics should also be highlighted, and included in a wider literary canon. Because they have fascinating, complex, amazing women protagonists, and they have a whole lot to teach us.

Today on #WomensEpics: The Yi (Sani) epic of Ashima

This story is about Ahsima, a beautiful girl who is kidnapped by an evil man to force her into marriage with his son. Her brother sets out to rescue her, and while she valiantly resists the marriage he finds a way to save her.
On their way home, however, Ashima is swept up in a river. Instead of dying, she turns into the spirit of the echo in the river gorge.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/y-is-for-yi-sani-epic-of-ashima-womens.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Shirin Mama

A Xibe (Sibe) epic about a warrior maiden who goes on a quest to defeat three robber kings who have been holding people in slavery. She doesn't only liberate hundreds of women and children, but she also accompanies them home, making sure they all find families. In the end, she becomes a goddess.

I shouldn't be playing favorites, but this one was definitely my favorite of the series.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/x-is-for-xibo-epic-of-shirin-mama.html

Today on #WomensEpics: The Water Goddess

The third Ainu epic in the series. The Water Goddess receives a plea from humans who suffer from a famine. Alongside her friend The Goddess of River Rapids she organizes a feast for other gods, and discovers that humans had treated animals cruelly and the Gods of Fish and Game caused the famine. The two goddesses trick the gods to end the famine, and then warn humans about how to treat nature properly.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/w-is-for-water-goddess-womens-epics-to-z.html

Today on #WomensEpics: The voyage of Hiiaka

This was one of the most amazing reads in the series. Hiiaka, little sister of the Hawaiian volcano goddess Pele, sets out on an epic journey to bring Pele the man she'd dreamed about. Along the way, accompanied by other women, she battles monsters, dragons, sharks and bandits to clear the islands of danger.
She also battles her own loyalties: she falls in love with the man on the way home.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/v-is-for-voyage-of-hiiaka-womens-epics.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Nisan shamaness

A Manchu epic about a young, eccentric and talented shamaness who travels into the Underworld to bring back the soul of a 15 year old boy. She goes through many adventures: she encounters the ferryman of the dead, witnesses the punishment of sinners, meets the goddess who creates babies, and meets her own dead husband. He demands she revives him too, but she flat out refuses because had not been good to her.

Read:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/u-is-for-underworld-voyage-of-nisan.html

Today on #WomensEpics: The Tale of Sumiyoshi

This one is a Japanese monogatari, a long-form epic story from the 10th century, about a girl who is persecuted by a jealous stepmother. She goes into exile with her best friend, and lives under the protection of a friendly nun, until her intended husband finds her. It is a story somewhat similar to Cinderella, but here both stepsisters side with the heroine and denounce their mother.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/t-is-for-tale-of-sumiyoshi-womens-epics.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Silappadikaram

Another famous Tamil epic, the prequel to Manimekalai. It features a faithful and steadfast woman named Kannaki. Her husband abandones her for a dancer, but eventually repents and returns, and they go on a journey together. When her husband dies an unfair death (accused of theft), Kannaki calls on the gods and avenges him, then becomes a goddess herself. She is aided along the way by many other women.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/s-is-for-silappadikaram-womens-epics-to.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Repunnot-un-kur

(Note: the epic is named after the villain, the heroine's name is Shinutapka-un-mat)

A girl is kidnapped and raised by an evil man who wants to marry her. He also raises a bear cub who will, according to tradition, turn into a god one day. The bear befriends the girl and decides to save her. They escape together and go through many adventures; in the end, he turns into a god, and returns to marry her.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/r-is-for-repunnot-un-kur-womens-epics.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Queen Bertha Broadfoot

A 13th century chivalric romance about the mother of Charlemagne. Bertha is a Hungarian princess married to King Pepin the Short. However, on her wedding night an evil maid (who looks just like her) tricks her and takes her place. Bertha is chased by henchmen into the wilderness, and she lives in exile for 10 years. Eventually, of course, the truth is revealed.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/q-is-for-queen-bertha-broadfoot-womens.html

Today on #WomensEpics: The Mungingee Songline

When we talk about epics around the world, we also have to talk about Songlines. This one is from the Ngarrindjeri people, and it features seven girls who want to prove that they can conquer their fears, as well as withstand pain and discomfort. They even spend a night at a burial ground after listening to scary stories. In the end, they become stars, and role models for other young women.

Read:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/p-is-for-pleiades-womens-epics-to-z.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Ochi-Bala

Now here's a classic warrior woman hero.

When her people are threatened by an invading Underworld army, larger-than-life warrior Ochi-Bala fights to defend everyone. She repeatedly beats the enemy, and then decides to take the fight to them, to make sure they never attack again.
She is strong, fierce, and crafty - but also empathic and wise in the end, sparing people who were just caught up in the war.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/o-is-for-ochi-bala-womens-epics-to-z.html

Today on #WomensEpics: The Nítíða Saga

14th-century Icelandic "knight saga" about a sorceress-queen named Nítíða. Several men try to conquer her, but she defeats all unwanted suitors with magic or sheer force.

Eventually, a prince from India disguises himself to court her. They spend a winter together and Nítíða grows to love him. In the end, she tells him to remove his disguise: she'd known who he was all along.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/n-is-for-nitia-saga-womens-epcis-to-z.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Manimekalai

One of the most famous Tamil epics. It's actually a sequel to another story I'll talk about later.
The hero is Manimekalai, a famous dancer. She renounces her profession as an act of grief for her father, and becomes a Buddhist. She gains magic powers, feeds thousands of people, abolishes prisons, and helps others learn about Buddhism.
There are also stories-within-stories about people that she encounters.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/m-is-for-manimekalai-womens-epics-to-z.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Long-Fingered-Woman

Three Ainu epics made it into this series; this is the first one. I fell in love with that whole tradition, for many reasons.

Long-Fingered-Woman is the name of the Ainu spider goddess. In this story, she has to deal with an unwanted suitor, and she does so in a genius way, while staying cool and nonchalant.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/l-is-for-long-fingered-woman-womens.html

Today on #WomensEpics: The Knight Silence

13th cent. French romance about a kingdom where women can't inherit, so a count raises his only daughter as a boy. The child named Silence goes through many adventures, and even goes on a quest to find Merlin before the unjust law is rectified.

The best part of this romance is the sassy and salty narrator who might have been a woman

(I included it in the series, but the story could absolutely also have a transgender reading)

http://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/k-is-for-knight-named-silence-womens.html?m=1

Today on #WomensEpics: Juliana

A 9th century Anglo-Saxon retelling of the legend of St. Juliana of Nicomedia. While it is a Christian legend, the Saxon storyteller retold it in the style of Beowulf, changing and coloring the story to fit the taste of the audience for evil villains and epic fights. At the high point of the story, Juliana wrestles the Devil and physically beats him into submission.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/j-is-for-juliana-womens-epics-to-z.html

#WomensEpics: Inyan Olugu

Igbo epic about a woman whose husband is too scared to fight the warriors of the enemy tribe. When she is publicly shamed for her husband's cowardice, she takes matters into her own hand.
First, she tries to pay off other men to go head-hunting with her husband; then she goes herself, and tries to pass off the glory to him. The husband, however, tells everyone that she was the one who should be hailed as a hero.

Read here:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/i-is-for-inyan-olugu-womens-epics-to-z.html

Today on #WomensEpics: Harman Dali

The story of a warrior woman who will only marry someone who outwrestles and outsings her. While most tales of this motif end with the woman defeated and humiliated, Harman Dali ends up with a husband she chooses for herself.

You know those scenes from action movies where a man and a woman fight, and it looks like they are... doing something else? This epic has several scenes like that

Read more:
https://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/2025/04/h-is-for-harman-dali-womens-epics-to-z.html