tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-69681323654385114092024-03-17T22:02:53.012-05:00Tales of FaerieKristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.comBlogger994125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-31267443421903841002018-02-27T14:12:00.001-06:002018-02-27T14:12:39.844-06:00Liiga Klavina-BATBLiiga Klavina https://liigaklavina.deviantart.com/<br />
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Love these Beauty and the Beast illustrations by <a href="https://liigaklavina.deviantart.com/gallery/">Liiga Klavina</a>. The choice to have the main characters wearing red against white roses definitely stands out among other BATB illustrations. And does anyone else think this is one of the few depictions of Beast/Prince in which he looks like he could be the same person but isn't a disappointment as a human?<br />
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Klavina has illustrated several other fairy tales as well as other fantasy-oriented subjects,<a href="https://liigaklavina.deviantart.com/gallery/"> check out her gallery</a>!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com258tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-2006250410004859572018-02-12T10:17:00.000-06:002018-02-12T10:20:52.915-06:00Cinder JackThis Hungarian tale is found in Surlalune's<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Other-Tales-Around-World/dp/1453626573"> Frog Tales collection</a> but it's also a gender reversed version of Cinderella (by the way that's an idea for a collection I'd love to get my hands on some day, I love a good gender reversed fairy tale!)<br />
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A peasant had three sons, and he sent the eldest to guard the vineyard. During the night, a frog came up to him and asked for a piece of the cake he was eating. Angrily, the young man threw a stone at the frog and in the morning the vineyard was ruined. The same thing happened to the second son the next night.<br />
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The following night, the youngest son offered to watch the vineyard. The family thought very little of him, and he always sat in the cinders, so he was called Cinder Jack. But they allowed him to try. When the frog approached, he shared his cake. In return, the frog gave him three rods of copper, silver, and gold; and told him that three horses of the same material would come to destroy the vineyard unless he used the rods. Cinder Jack was able to subdue the horses, and the vineyard flourished; but he did not tell his family the secret of his success.<br />
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One day, the king erected a high pole and hung a golden rosemary on the top, promising his daughter to whoever could reach it in one jump on horseback. All the knights of the realm tried, but failed. Then, a knight in copper mail, on a copper horse, came and took the rosemary, and disappeared. When Cinder Jack's brothers returned home, they told him all about the mysterious knight. Their brother claimed he had seen the whole thing from the top of the hoarding, so his brothers had it pulled down, so he wouldn't be able to see anything else.<br />
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The next week an even higher pole was put up with a golden apple at the top, and the same promise. This time a silver knight on a silver horse took it and disappeared. When Cinder Jack told his brothers he witnessed the whole thing from the pigstye, they had it destroyed.<br />
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The following week, a gold and silk kerchief was placed on yet a higher pole, and a gold knight took it and disappeared. Cinder Jack claimed to have seen it from the top of the house, so his brothers had the roof taken off.<br />
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The king invited the mystery knight to come forward with the rosemary, apple, and kerchief. The people were astonished to see that it was Cinder Jack, and he was good hearted enough to rebuild his brothers' house and give them gifts. "Cinder Jack is reigning still, and is respected and honored by all his subjects!"<br />
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<a href="http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/illustrations/cinderella/images/folkard_cindy1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/illustrations/cinderella/images/folkard_cindy1.jpg" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="317" height="400" width="252" /></a>I find gender bent fairy tales to be fascinating-in some ways they might seem to confirm gender bias but the mere fact that they exist proves that gender roles in folklore may be more flexible than we often assume. For example, I like the fact that Jack forgives his brothers. Although Cinderella gets criticized for forgiving her sisters in some versions, and it can be troubling and seem naive, when a man forgives and even goes beyond that to restore their house and give them gifts, it comes across less as weakness and more as him being the better man taking the high road, at least to me--(which makes me wonder how much of my/culture's interpretations themselves are biased and not the character's actions themselves?). Then again, it depends on each story; in this tale, Cinder Jack was clearly manipulating his brothers and Cinderellas don't tend to do that.<br />
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Then there's the matter of how Jack wins the bride-rather than simply appearing beautiful as Cinderella does, he performs feats of strength, which on the surface seems unfair and to reveal unbalanced gender expectations. And yet...is jumping really high on a horse that much more impressive than Cinderella's feats of dexterity, sorting grains, etc.? Especially when considering the fact that neither of them are actually performing their impossible tasks on their own merits, but using aid of magical helpers they befriended because they were kind?<br />
What do you think of Cinder Jack?<br />
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Illustration by Charles FolkardKristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com47tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-8138887863083311592018-01-22T14:36:00.000-06:002018-01-22T14:36:29.912-06:00From the Archives: The Underground Kingdom<div class="separator" style="background-color: #ffdfbf; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">This is the first book I owned in the </span><a href="http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/" style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #771100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-decoration-line: none;">Surlalune series</a><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">! My favorite fairy tale other than Beauty and the Beast is the </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1453825223/thesurlalufairyt" style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #771100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-decoration-line: none;">Twelve Dancing Princesses</a><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">, and it's incredibly hard to find anything written about it, so being able to delve into multiple variants--most of which were completely unfamiliar to me--was like discovering hidden treasure!</span><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">One of the things which always fascinated/mystified me about this tale was the nature of the underground kingdom the Princesses travelled to each night-why did it need to be destroyed? Was it evil in any way other than being an inconvenience due to the rate at which the Princesses went through dancing shoes? The </span><a href="http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/twelvedancing/index.html" style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #771100; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-decoration-line: none;">Grimm version</a><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;"> provides no explanation. Fortunately the variants from around the world did provide some insight.</span><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">In many versions of this tale, the underground kingdom is more specifically defined as hell, or a land of giants, trolls, etc. In Afanasyev's tale from Russia, the Princesses went to the home of the Accursed Tsar.</span><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">Some versions explain the nature of the Princess' curse. In Romania, "these Princesses were fore-doomed, and they couldn't marry until someone was found who would guess their doom and make one of them love him. The doom that weighed upond them was a passion for dancing. They were mad on dancing, and so every night they wore out a new pair of white silk slippers each."...later it is implied that another side effect of the curse was that they had icy hearts and were incapable of love, and that the music in the castle was enchanted such that any listener was forced to dance, whether willing or not.</span><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><br />
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Helen Stratton</div>
<br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">A German tale (not the Grimms') describes the spell: the princesses had been dancing for five years. If they had danced one more year, they (the Enchanted Princes, I assume) would have been saved. The other alternative was for the princesses' heads to be cut off, as they were, for denying everything. The exact words say the elder sisters had "allowed" their heads to be cut off, so I guess they sacrificially saved the princes from enchantment? Yet they are still punished and the daughter who confesses rewarded.</span><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">Another story from Romania explains that the Princess' dancing partners were the "Emperor's sons who had tried to discover the secret of the Princesses. These latter had enticed them to a midnight expedition, and had given them to drink at table, an enchanted beverage, which had frozen their blood, killed in them every sentiment of love, every rememberance, or worldly desire, leaving them only the ardent pleasure of the dance." Which begs the question...where did the sisters go before there were dancing partners? Much like Bluebeard and the question of what caused him to kill his first wife, before there was a room of dead bodies to discover...</span><br />
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Elenore Abbott</div>
<br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">In Hungary, the girls travel by broom to hell, where they dance on a floor full of razors-which explains why these three daughters destroy three hundred pairs of shoes. The girls in this story are rewarded according to their willingness to go-the older two had a lover and a son in hell and were killed, but the youngest was pure because she had no one there. Another very similar tale is found in the Czech Republic.</span><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">Yet another Hungarian story describes sisters which spend the night dancing with fairy youths, who are killed (except the youngest) for witchcraft.</span><br style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;" /><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">For more on the nature of the Underground Kingdom in variants of Twelve Dancing Princesses, there's also a <a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2013/02/the-underground-kingdom-part-ii.html">Part II</a> including more tales from around the world!</span>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com55tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-80578066404572430262018-01-06T14:39:00.000-06:002018-01-06T14:39:00.197-06:00Disability, Deformity, and Disease in the Grimms' Fairy TalesI got a new book for Christmas! <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Disability-Deformity-Disease-Fairy-Tale-Studies/dp/0814338410/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1515096244&sr=8-2&keywords=ann+schmiesing">Disability, Deformity, and Disease in the Grimm's Fairy Tales</a> by Ann Schmiesing. I had heard about it on <a href="http://surlalunefairytales.blogspot.com/">Surlalune</a> and the topic is one of special interest to me-although I'm mostly a stay at home mom now, I also teach a couple music classes to adults with intellectual disabilities. And I'm now amazed I've never realized how common a topic disability is in fairy tales before!<br />
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I've only read the introduction so far but I'm<i> really</i> excited to read more. As Schmiesing points out, there are very few studies done on the topic of disability in fairy tales, despite how often it occurs (think the birds pecking out the stepsisters' eyes in Cinderella, or thumbling tales, or many other examples the book will explore). In fact, disability usually functions in one of two basic ways: it <b>sets a protagonist apart</b> and gives them an extra challenge to overcome (such as thumblings) or is<b> indicative of a villain</b>, either by nature or given as a punishment. In fact, some form of disability is often the impetus of the story itself. David T. Mitchell suggests that the purpose of stories is to explain that which has "stepped out of line", and that understanding differences in people are one of the things that "propel the act of storytelling into existence."<br />
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Thinking of disability in broader terms, it's not surprising that it appears so often in the Grimms' collection. Wilhelm suffered from poor health, and his first son grew very ill and died in infancy. Because of poorer living conditions, illness and other disabling conditions were far more common during the Grimms' lifetimes, when the average life expectancy was only about 35.<br />
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<a href="https://rareandantiquebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Grimms-Fairy-Tales-Illustrated-By-Arthur-Rackham-First-Edition-e1436778680895.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="400" src="https://rareandantiquebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/Grimms-Fairy-Tales-Illustrated-By-Arthur-Rackham-First-Edition-e1436778680895.jpg" width="400" /></a>Of course, the stories often treat disabilities in ways that aren't exactly politically correct today. Most people are aware of some of the issues in fairy tales when it comes to gender studies, but not as many people are aware of issues when it comes to people with disabilities in literature. The Grimms were a product of their time, as were their storytelling sources. When folklore scholars have attempted to tackle these issues they often lack sensitivity and awareness, but many disability scholars may not have a proper grasp of fairy tale studies (Schmiesing cites one article that mistakenly assumed that the Grimms were not two collectors and editors, but one author, "B. Grimm"!!! I'm extremely intrigued as to where that "B" came from...) Interestingly, as Wilhelm edited the stories over the course of the editions, he tended to (probably unintentionally) <b>enhance or add portrayals of disability</b>.<br />
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Other authors, in Schmiesing's opinion have taken disability in folklore a little too literally, attempting to give various characters a specific diagnosis. This is often just speculation which ultimately misses the point of how the disability functions. Yet others don't take it literally enough-treating the disability as only a metaphor representing something else and ignoring crucial parts of the story. Fairy tales are certainly a challenging genre to study because of their nature, taking place in "a world in which metaphors take on literal meaning.," as she quotes from Maria Tatar. But from everything I've read so far, I think Schmiesing will strike that much needed middle ground, as someone who is aware of both disability and folklore study. Can't wait to read more!<br />
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<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com40tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-41467542196784495212017-12-29T14:31:00.001-06:002017-12-29T14:31:17.596-06:00Santa: Evidence WantedI had another Christmas post planned for last week, but then...Baby decided he had other plans (that involved refusing to nap for a while).<br />
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Thomas Nast<br />
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But I did want to share this fascinating<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/13.7/2013/10/27/241278080/how-real-is-the-candy-witch-pretty-real-by-some-measures"> article from npr</a> (which I found via <a href="http://blogs.harvard.edu/tatar/2017/12/21/thoughts-for-the-season-on-storytelling-and-santa-claus/">this post</a> by Maria Tatar, which includes other links to interesting and related articles). Researchers studied how easy it was to get children to believe in a fantastical creature, a made up "Candy Witch" who would swap candy for toys at Halloween. It certainly applies to children who believe in Santa Claus, a topic that has been more pertinent as Tony and I wonder how we'll navigate the issue when our son gets older, as well as fairy tales in general and how they are perceived.<br />
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The article states, "Children are generally<b> pretty sophisticated when it comes to differentiating fantasy from reality</b>, even though they often have rich fantasy lives populated by imaginary friends, fueled by fictional stories, and used to generate the diverse make-believe worlds that form the backdrop to imaginative play and pretense. As early as preschool, children begin to understand that appearances can be misleading." (emphasis mine)<br />
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In their experiment, they found that children were more likely to believe in the Candy Witch if they had evidence to prove it (such as overhearing their parents making a call to the Candy Witch and finding some candy swapped for toys). Also, younger children (around 3 or 4) were no more likely than slightly older children (up to 7) to believe-evidence was more important than age, until around 8, when belief in fantastical creatures significantly decreases. But not every child believed, even those told about the Candy Witch by their teachers and parents.<br />
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<a href="http://www.davidpaulkirkpatrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Santa_Claus_David_Paul_Kirkpatrick.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/proxy/AVvXsEiEy5fzlPXIFLv_n8X77Rfg2tEgEc3B5axPZh3vVxxM2vNPXFLCwI8MonJYHLel8Q2SFgGs2T-4788mZsCGv8a4oUVhi_MvJJeoK0v_k9PapLQ3-aMyNcMrVoLHCUt8Pibt_7MiukBqrh03EJqZFt2cCee2Djo8BMJlkUH7JQy7J982j3_7rejc4JgPkzdJe1PNz6BJbVFDk5JDAf_E0EOYYHBAoMI=" /></a><br />
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Norman Rockwell<br />
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So not every child will just accept everything told them, even young ones, or from trusted sources. Children observe and weigh evidence as they conclude what is or isn't real. Personally I think that Christmas movies, which usually tend to be all about how Santa Claus is real and portray believers as "good" and skeptics as villains, are a pretty significant influence as well.<br />
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Parents, how do you handle Santa Claus in your house?<br />
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<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-76194673748930346892017-12-13T09:26:00.000-06:002017-12-13T10:09:57.698-06:00St. Lucia's Day<a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348415842l/508216.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="291" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1348415842l/508216.jpg" width="290" /></a>Happy St. Lucia's Day! Most Americans don't celebrate (or even necessarily know what it is) and I probably wouldn't either if it weren't for my beloved American Girl Doll stories featuring Kirsten, who appealed to me because I'm partly Swedish too.<br />
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The celebration involves the stories of St. Lucia, who supposedly gave all her wealth to the poor and was martyred for her faith. It's also a celebration of light, as most celebrations around the Winter Solstice tend to be, and would be especially appreciated in Scandinavia with so little sunlight this time of year. The traditional costume involves a wreath of candles worn on the head, because St. Lucia needed both hands free to bring food and supplies to Christians hiding in the catacombs.<br />
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Yet there's a different Lucy character in Scandanavia, Lussi. From Wikipedia: <i>"Lussinatta, the Lussi Night, was marked in Sweden 13 December. Then Lussi, a female being with evil traits, like a female demon or witch, was said to ride through the air with her followers, called Lussiferda. This itself might be an echo of the myth of the Wild Hunt, called Oskoreia in Scandinavia, found across Northern, Western and Central Europe. Between Lussi Night and Yule, trolls and evil spirits, in some accounts also the spirits of the dead, were thought to be active outside. It was believed to be particularly dangerous to be out during Lussi Night. According to tradition, children who had done mischief had to take special care, since Lussi could come down through the chimney and take them away, and certain tasks of work in the preparation for Yule had to be finished, or else the Lussi would come to punish the household. The tradition of Lussevaka – to stay awake through the Lussinatt to guard oneself and the household against evil, has found a modern form through throwing parties until daybreak. Another company of spirits was said to come riding through the night around Yule itself, journeying through the air, over land and water."</i><br />
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The article later suggests that the folklore of Lussi and the traditions of St. Lucia combined to become the modern festival, but how interesting that there would be two opposite sides to the tradition. Riding through the air and coming down the chimney punishing children, Lussi sounds a lot like a combination of Santa Claus and his many scarier counterparts, such as Krampus. It seems that older traditions recognize the duality of powerful forces more so than our current cultural myths which usually only emphasize the friendly halves (at least in America. Other cultures still observe the punishing figures as well, I'd be curious to learn more about how they're celebrated!)<br />
<span id="goog_1847762526"></span><span id="goog_1847762527"></span><br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-362143842888399652017-11-28T12:46:00.000-06:002017-11-28T12:46:23.539-06:00Fairy Tale PetsIf you're Christmas shopping for children this season, one of the Parents Magazine's top 10 Children's Books of 2017 was <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fairy-Tale-Pets-Tracey-Corderoy/dp/1848694415">Fairy Tale Pets</a> by Tracey Corderoy and Jorge Martin. Looks pretty cute!<br />
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Description:<br />
<i>Bob has decided to be a pet-sitter. He just can't wait for all the cute hamsters and bunnies to arrive! But when Goldilocks asks him to look after her grumpy baby bear, the fairy tale chaos begins... Spot your favourite characters misbehaving in an all-star cast as the golden goose, three billy goats gruff and - yikes! - a troll arrive at Bob's door. Whatever will he do? A hilarious new picture book from award-winning author Tracey Corderoy (Squish Squash Squeeze!, Now!, Why?, More!) and talent illustrator Jorge Martin. Perfect for anyone who has ever wondered what fairy tale pets get up to in their spare time!
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<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-90926177020442072402017-11-21T10:11:00.000-06:002017-11-21T10:11:00.584-06:00From the Archives: Marina Warner on the Silence of Women in Fairy Tales<div class="separator" style="background-color: #ffdfbf; clear: both; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">Fairy tales are often accused of portraying negative female stereotypes, encouraging young girls to become passive and silent and obedient to men. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">In one sense this is true-when men such as the brothers Grimm collected fairy tales, they tended not to include stories which existed in folklore that featured strong, clever female heroines, and instead gravitated (however consciously) towards stories with active males and passive females. Not only that, but as Marina Warner cites from Ruth Bottigheimer's analysis of speech patterns in the Grimms, as the Grimms published their later editions, the<b> female heroines used less and less words and the female villains spoke more.</b> Thus girls tend to subconsciously receive the message that to be good and desirable like the female heroines in the stories, they must be quiet.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">There are two famous examples of females who aren't simply reserved, but are completely unable to speak--Hans Christian Andersen's Little Mermaid, and the sister from "The Wild Swans" and its variants. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">The Little Mermaid stands in direct contrast to the sea maidens of antiquity, the sirens. Sirens used their voices, beautiful and alluring, to draw men to them and cause their death. Their voices are therefore powerful, and evil. The Little Mermaid gives up her voice willingly for the chance to win the love of a prince and her immortal soul. Now the desire is hers, but it is she who is forsaken. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">The Disney version makes Ariel, in Warner's words, "a fairytale heroine of our time." She knows what she wants (another word count fun fact-the word "want" is spoken by Ariel more than any other verb) and will go through anything to get it, but this time hers is a happy ending. But in this version, according to Warner, "female eloquence, the siren's song, is not presented as fatal any longer, unless it rises in the wrong place and is aimed at the wrong target." <b>The female voice is now powerful like the siren's, but not inherently evil.</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">The sister in the Wild Swans is silent by choice (in a way)--if she speaks one word before the shirts of nettles are made and placed on her enchanted brothers, they will stay swans forever. In one sense, this can be seen as yet another example of encouraging women to be quiet and submissive, but although she is rewarded for enduring, the silence is clearly meant as a hardship--<b>the happy ending includes a return of her voice</b>. Other tales have forms of silenced heroines as well, such as the heroine from Goose Girl, who gave her word (under pressure) not to tell the truth of her situation to a living being--but she is able to find a clever way for her to reveal the truth anyway.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">It's possible that, as women throughout the centuries were frustrated at their own lack of voice within the community and family, they told stories such as "Wild Swans" to express their own frustration. Yet there is also something to be admired in the self control and determination of the heroines. This is Warner's personal memories of reading the Wild Swans, one of her favorite childhood stories: "it still seemed to me to tell a story of female heroism, generosity, staunchness; I had no brothers, but I fantasized, at night, as I waited to go to sleep, that I had, perhaps even as many tall and handsome youths as the girl in the story, and that I would do something magnificent for them that would make them realize I was one of them, as it were, their </span><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">equal in courage and determination and grace</span><span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">". The actions of the sister are indeed impressive-there are<b> different forms of heroism</b>, not all that are as easy to recognize. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.86px;">Fortunately, we are not as constrained by the severe gender expectations of the Victorian times, but that doesn't mean these stories or even these particular versions have to be thrown out and completely replaced with new "girl power" tales. There are times when we all feel silenced-we don't feel like our opinions are being taken seriously at work, we feel overlooked in a certain relationship, etc.--and even today people of many races, faiths, and sexual orientation are still being denied basic rights. It can be encouraging to read stories that give us hope that<b> there will come a time when we will be able to speak again and the truth will be revealed.</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Illustrations of Little Mermaid by Margaret Tarrant, Six Swans by Elenore Abbott</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #ffdfbf; color: #333333; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Information from Marina Warner's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Beast-Blonde-Fairy-Tales-Tellers/dp/0374524874/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1352145800&sr=1-1&keywords=from+the+beast+to+the+blonde" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;">From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and their Tellers</a></span>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-82450551750732296192017-11-14T10:33:00.000-06:002017-11-14T10:33:01.830-06:00Fairy Tale Sushi<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://suzushiisushiandgrill.com/meal/snow-white-roll/">Snow White Sushi Roll</a></div>
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I'm no sushi expert by any means, but Tony and I do enjoy it every once in a while for a special dinner. We were out for a date and I was thrilled to discover something I had never seen before: a Beauty and the Beast roll! Of course I had to get it.<br />
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Most sushi menus will feature a Snow White roll, with snow crab and white tuna, also on the menu above. I liked that this restaurant also topped it with "cherry kiss cream" which I don't think is usually part of the description.<br />
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I thought that the BATB roll would be only a local specialty but it turns out there's a somewhat standard recipe for it-this picture is from a<a href="https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/spice-modern-steakhouse-orlando?select=YA0HFWIoa9mfqGbNS5J2nA"> restaurant in Orlando</a>.<br />
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I did find one restaurant, <a href="http://theloniousmonkfish.com/Cambridge-Central-Square-Cultural-District-Thelonious-Monkfish-food-menu">Thelonious Monkfish</a>, that has a specialty fairy tale sushi roll section. It's fun, and although mostly random, you can see some connections between the tale and the ingredients. The menu even includes little descriptions/snippets of the tales too. Fairy tale menu below.<br />
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Has anyone else come across any fairy tale rolls?<br />
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Sleeping Beauty Roll $18.95<br />
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Like Princess Aurora asleep in her chamber waiting to be woken with a kiss, this blonde roll is prepared with white tuna (escolar)*, crushed pineapple + tempura flakes wrapped in yellow soy paper + sushi rice, draped with salmon, sliced ripe mango + drizzled with refreshing pineapple-lime mayo. (Ten pieces.)<br />
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Red Riding Hood Roll $18.95<br />
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Ambling through the dark forest with innocence as her only weapon, she leaves the trodden path and encounters the blackest, hungriest of wolves. Our roll is reminiscent of this ancient folk tale: spicy tuna, shrimp tempura + cucumber ensconced in sushi rice + green soy paper, draped with pared scallop + strawberry medallions, topped with black tobiko + drizzled with red berry coulis. (Ten Pieces.)<br />
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The Frog Prince Roll $18.95<br />
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In one version, the princess flings the frog against a stone wall; in another, her kiss precipitates its transmogrification into prince; but what to do if your prince is actually a frog and not the other way around? The interior:salmon, mango + tempura crunch; the exterior:layered with avocado + crowned with spicy snow crab + tobiko salad.<br />
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The Snow Queen Roll $16.95<br />
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Benumbed & blue in the ice palace, Kay feels nothing, for his heart’s a lump of ice; only Gerda’s tears can warm his frozen heart. Our roll evokes childhood memories of grandmother’s tales. Shiitake, green apple, cukes & asparagus wrapped in seaweed & rice, draped with young coconut meat, drizzled with pineapple mayo, garnished with coconut flakes. (8 pieces)<br />
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The Rumpelstiltskin Roll $18.95<br />
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Three times, he spun straw into gold, then awaited his prize. Under a coverlet of dark branches, round a smoky fire he danced a jig. “Today I brew, tomorrow I bake; then the Prince child I will take; for no one knows my little game: that Rumpelstiltskin is my name!”Inside: wok-roasted balsamic-glazed shiitake,yellowtail, asparagus tempura + green apple. Outside: fresh tuna, drizzled with wasabi mayo; topped with spring onion confetti; crowned with crispy yu mein noodles.Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com37tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-18630905024457760772017-11-06T08:34:00.000-06:002017-11-06T08:34:00.993-06:00Muggle Fairy Tales are MadIf you have time you should check out <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/236735/chapters/362797">Muggle Fairy Tales are Mad</a> by <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/users/Meltha/pseuds/Meltha">Meltha</a>. I heard about these on <a href="http://batbcomic.tumblr.com/">Megan Kearney's BATB tumblr</a>. They're fan fiction imagining Hermione telling Ron and Harry Muggle Fairy tales as a way to pass the time during their search for Horcruxes in the seventh book. It's fun for fans of Harry Potter, but also gives us a way to imagine hearing our own classic fairy tales for the first time. Hermione confuses the different versions, combining Disney, Perrault and/or Grimm, which is natural for most people who piece together what they've heard over time, but it's really Ron's reactions which make these so funny yet thought provoking. Here's an exerpt from the Cinderella story:<br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent;">“Just then, though, who should appear but her fairy godmother.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “Her what?” Ron said in disbelief. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “Her fairy godmother,” Hermione repeated. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “Who in their right mind would pick a fairy as a godmother? Don’t they know how dangerous those things are?” Ron said. “I mean, really, why not just give her a banshee godmother; they’re about as deadly.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “Muggles think of fairies differently,” Hermione explained. “They don’t really understand them.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “Yeah,” Harry chimed in. “They think they sneak into the house in the middle of the night and swap kids’ fallen-out teeth with money.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “Now there’s a comforting image: one of the fae walking in and stealing body parts. Don’t they know how much trouble giving a magical being a body part can lead to?” Ron said, still flabbergasted. “Everyone knows that!” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “Well, Muggles don’t,” Hermione said. “Besides, the Tooth Fairy is something only children believe in. Mostly Muggles just think of fairies as tiny, cute, pudgy things with wings to put on greeting cards with flowers and bunnies.” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “There really ought to be a public service campaign for them, then,” Ron said pityingly. “So how’d Cinderella’s Muggle mum and dad even know a fairy to make a godmother to begin with?” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “Well, I… I don’t know. They never really explain how she wound up with a fairy as a godmother,” Hermione said, tilting her head to one side in consideration. “It is sort of an odd loose end to leave, isn’t it?” </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent;"> “No kidding,” Ron agreed. “Hermione, no offense, but this is a really weird story.”</span></div>
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Rita Fetisov</div>
<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-27165869047030941312017-10-30T06:00:00.000-05:002017-10-30T06:00:23.261-05:00Witches and Cats<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51tau%2B2H7zL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="320" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51tau%2B2H7zL.jpg" width="212" /></a>Another post that comes to you courtesy of Surlalune and her latest collection, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Boots-Other-Tales-Around-World/dp/1540616401/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&qid=1480957360&sr=8-1&keywords=puss+in+boots+heiner&linkCode=sl1&tag=thesurlalufairyt&linkId=2c77e6f63335fad3e9ac1a8d11c9a7f5">Puss in Boots and Other Cat Tales From Around the World</a>. I have to say, of all her books this one might have interested me the least, because I'm not especially a cat person, but it's ended up being one of my favorites because of all the variety! There are so many tale types represented here, many of which I wasn't very familiar with before.<br />
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<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/e7/2d/1e/e72d1eb59ded8632748f08d76141a345--vintage-witch-vintage-halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="699" data-original-width="413" height="320" src="https://i.pinimg.com/474x/e7/2d/1e/e72d1eb59ded8632748f08d76141a345--vintage-witch-vintage-halloween.jpg" width="189" /></a>I knew I had to read some of the tales about cats and witches for Halloween! Several of the stories fit into the category, Migratory Legend 3055: <b>The Witch That Was Hurt</b>. They involve, in this case, a cat or group of cats that terrorize some location-but when someone manages to protect themselves and hurt a cat they away. Later, a local woman is found to have the same injury that was given to the cat, and it is thus revealed that the woman was a witch, in her cat form. Sometimes the injury itself deprives the witch of her powers, other times she is killed. They're very entertaining stories, although it's always extra chilling to know that tales about witches were sometimes believed to be true, and that accusations of witchcraft led to many people losing their lives. I did notice that in a couple of these tales, the person who disenchants the witches are themselves practitioners of magical arts, so at least in some people's minds, there were <b>good uses of magic as well as bad.</b><br />
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<b> </b>There is a Russian tale, "The Witch," that is also a form of "<b>Hansel and Gretel</b>." The children are beaten and half starved by their cruel stepmother, who then sends them to visit her granny in the woods. The sister suggests that they first visit their own grandmother.<br />
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Their grandmother knows they are being sent to the witch in the woods (but for some reason doesn't offer to just let the children live with her). She does give them valuable advice: be civil and kind to everyone, and don't touch a crumb belonging to anyone else. She gave them some food and sent them off to the witch.<br />
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This witch doesn't deceive the children like the Grimms' does-she tells them right away that if she isn't pleased with their work she will fry them in the oven, and then gives them impossible tasks. But there are animals in the house-mice, a cat, and a dog, and when the animals ask for food, the children give them the little food they had from their grandmother. In this way they are a stark <b>contrast to Hansel and Gretel,</b> who dig in to someone else's house. The children in this story even go above and beyond the advice from their grandmother-rather than just not taking what doesn't belong to them, they give away what does. I don't agree with the interpretation that Hansel and Gretel's actions means they are selfish, because the children were literally starving (and if you make your house from gingerbread it's asking to get eaten-by animals if nothing else) but I also like these tales that encourage selfless giving because I personally need reminders to be more generous myself.<br />
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Anyway, the animals then help the children with their impossible tasks, and gave them magical gifts that would help them escape. When the witch later demands to know why her animals let the children get away, they respond with "I have served you all these years and you never gave me so much as a hard crust, but the children gave me their own bread/ham/etc."<br />
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The witch pursues the children on her broomstick, but the magical objects from the animals block her progress and the witch eventually gives up and goes home. </div>
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The ending of this tale is very satisfying compared to most tales of evil stepmothers and silent fathers:</div>
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"But the twins ran straight on till they reached their own home. Then they told their father all that they had suffered, and he was so angry with their stepmother that he drove her out of the house, and never let her return; but he and the children lived happily together; and he took care of them himself, and never let a stranger come near them."</div>
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Illustrations by Arthur Rackham</div>
<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-25180556323221869312017-10-16T10:04:00.000-05:002017-10-16T10:04:08.396-05:00Recipe For Murder<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Usually a fairy tale cookbook is a fun way to get kids to experience fairy tales with multiple learning styles, but this cookbook is clearly aimed for more mature audiences. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Recipe-Murder-Frightfully-Inspired-Fiction/dp/2080201476">Recipe for Murder: Frightfully Good Food Inspired by Fiction</a>, by Esterelle Payany and illustrations by Jean-Francois Martin, features recipes inspired by morbid parts of literature, not just fairy tales. It features a recipe for Pigs in a Blanket inspired by "Three Little Pigs" and of course, the poisoned apple from Snow White.<br />
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<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-318590977709601202017-10-09T20:53:00.000-05:002017-10-09T20:53:06.171-05:00Disney's 2017 BATB<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Guess what I finally saw...?<br />
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So now the live action Beauty and the Beast is on Netflix (any major Disney film is usually available on Netflix within a few months). I know this movie was reviewed a ton back in March and I'm not sure if I'll be adding anything new. And I can never be unbiased about an adaptation of the Disney classic...it was my favorite movie as a child, I could probably quote the whole movie mostly accurately (but I've never tried to go from start to finish). It was my comfort movie-the one I watched when I was sick and always made me feel better. So really nothing could surpass the classic for this nostalgic girl...<br />
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But in the words of a friend,<b> "It made me want to watch the cartoon." </b>(To be fair, most of my friends really liked the new film.)<b> </b>Not that it was all bad, in fact I liked several of the changes they made. <b>Biggest improvement by far was LeFou</b>, who went from being the stock dumb sidekick (who wasn't even that funny, truthfully) to what I found to be the most likable character, funny and with more depth. And honestly...I don't know that I would have picked up the fact that he was gay on the initial viewing if everyone didn't make such a huge deal about it, it was so subtle. We (my husband Tony and I) also liked Maurice better, more realistic than the comically short, bumbling old man.<br />
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But the rest of the characters just...<b>weren't that likable to me.</b> One of the great tragedies of the film was how even excellent actors seemed to make the classic characters fall flat. Normally I would say Emma Thompson can do no wrong...but was it just me or was her accent really weird? And Ian McKellen's Cogsworth grew on me a little towards the end but I still wasn't crazy about him. He was much darker...the former Cogsworth was delighted to take Belle on a tour of the castle her first night there, complete with cheesy puns. This one wanted her to stay in her cell the first night in the castle. And I won't even get started on Lumiere...<br />
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But in order to make a BATB story work, you need a great Belle, a great Beast, and good chemistry. Normally I don't mind Emma Watson as an actress, but from her artificial sounding singing voice to her <b>acting coming across as very forced</b> in general, this was her most distracting performance I've seen since the first Harry Potter movies.<br />
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Then there's the writing too...the <b>scenes with the villagers just seemed so random</b>. Why are they so bitter about women reading? I'm no expert in French history circa the 18th century, but wasn't that not really a time period in which reading women were persecuted? Why did their dumping of her laundry on the street have barely any reaction from Belle? And if they're so unreasonable about reading, why were they all of a sudden much more civil when Maurice claimed Gaston, their hero, tried to kill him?<br />
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<a href="https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/BFalKgHRjljiwEyFJvJM-gQp9Is/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2017/03/13/792/n/1922283/d9b2ca2c50d5e387_BeautyAndTheBeast581cb8a225b93/i/His-sword-sharp-his-jawline.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="574" data-original-width="800" height="458" src="https://media1.popsugar-assets.com/files/thumbor/BFalKgHRjljiwEyFJvJM-gQp9Is/fit-in/1024x1024/filters:format_auto-!!-:strip_icc-!!-/2017/03/13/792/n/1922283/d9b2ca2c50d5e387_BeautyAndTheBeast581cb8a225b93/i/His-sword-sharp-his-jawline.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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And speaking of <b>Gaston</b>-he was initally not really that bad of a character. A little shallow maybe, but from what we saw, he hardly seemed to warrant Belle's rude rejections. The cartoon Belle's "I'm sorry Gaston, but...I just don't deserve you!" was so clever yet a polite turn down, because that Gaston would never in a million years imagine she meant <i>she </i>was too good for<i> him</i>. And no matter how arrogant someone is, it still hurts to be turned down. Their interactions just reflected poorly on Belle's character and not Gaston's. Later, his cruel murderous actions seemed random and not as believable.<br />
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I think Dan Stevens did fine as the Beast...it was so hard to tell underneath all the unnecessary CGI!<br />
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There were some<b> subtle changes I enjoyed</b>, like when Beast asks if Belle is happy and instead of "Yes...(moodily stares off into distance)" she replies, "Can anyone be happy if they're not free?". And then props to this Beast for then being the one to realize she might miss her father. And that scene, borrowed from the musical, where the objects are one by one turning into inanimate objects...so haunting! It was nice that the happy ending included a reuniting of villagers with the cast from the castle. Oh, and the rose request from the classic fairy tale! And the super subtle nod to McKinley (I think) with the Beast meeting Philippe. And...<br />
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There are so many little things I could mention but I feel like that was part of the problem. So many things here and there introduced but not fully developed. Plot holes from the original film were filled in but I feel like it left just as many questions. I think I'm beginning to realize that <b>fairy tales, especially BATB, are really not well suited for film</b>. They almost need the length and depth of a novel or tv show to fully get into backstories, side characters, and really develop such an unlikely romance realistically and steer away from Stockholm Syndrome. Or, it needs the beautiful simplicity of the bare bones classic fairy tale or children's picture book. (Aside from making me want to rewatch the cartoon, I also felt the urge to reread Robin McKinley's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Retelling-Story-Beast/dp/0064404773">Beauty</a> and my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Beauty-Beast-Max-Eilenberg/dp/0763631604/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1507340261&sr=8-1&keywords=beauty+and+the+beast+max+eilenberg">favorite picture book by Max Eilenberg and Angela Barrett</a>).<br />
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Curious to see what you all thought!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-48792581739849158172017-10-01T10:06:00.000-05:002017-10-01T10:06:35.496-05:00Cinderella Pumpkins, Part VIII<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Pumpkin decorating inspiration time!</div>
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<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d8/c7/66/d8c76699a9517eeb1cddd747cd9f1646--cinderella-crafts-cinderella-birthday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="590" data-original-width="736" height="512" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/d8/c7/66/d8c76699a9517eeb1cddd747cd9f1646--cinderella-crafts-cinderella-birthday.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/explore/cinderella-pumpkin/?lp=true">Pinterest</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=odckc4YZxV0">Youtube</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/queenmichelle/6271031434">Flickr-Queenmichelle</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jerrysartarama.com/blog/images/2013/10/pumpkin.cate.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.jerrysartarama.com/blog/images/2013/10/pumpkin.cate.jpg" data-original-height="363" data-original-width="625" height="370" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.jerrysartarama.com/blog/jerrys-artarama-corporate-halloween-pumpkin-contest-2013/">Source</a></div>
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<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/236x/0f/2b/2e/0f2b2e18ddffa467b275899ad3a0c209--pumpkin-decorating-contest-pumpkin-contest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="314" data-original-width="236" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/236x/0f/2b/2e/0f2b2e18ddffa467b275899ad3a0c209--pumpkin-decorating-contest-pumpkin-contest.jpg" width="481" /></a></div>
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I had thought, since I always feature Cinderella's carriage, maybe I could try to find other fairy tale inspired pumpkins. Turns out if you want non-Disney fairy tale carving ideas, they're pretty hard to come by! I did find this one: (Share a link in the comments if you know of other great fairy tale pumpkin ideas!)</div>
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<a href="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/58/f3/e2/58f3e271c4b7b75d6553b6bc7a0b3daf--pumpkin-art-pumpkin-carvings.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="600" height="640" src="https://i.pinimg.com/736x/58/f3/e2/58f3e271c4b7b75d6553b6bc7a0b3daf--pumpkin-art-pumpkin-carvings.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://www.pinterest.com/robbieraden/brothers-grimm/?lp=true">Source</a></div>
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Previous years:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13JJPULPrzeBbdcQqR5f3Hi0xiHIl8vwGiUJjvlQ7XUtoFD3zj45iFm70J07BUXBmuMFdi1MWgmrJYLDmNVK-wNoBlDMrg9g5FC1n9LEYERI2o3shC0nFmJPKhTGwGU4FlQUI1938QqYl/s400/10-28-12-1606.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="400" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi13JJPULPrzeBbdcQqR5f3Hi0xiHIl8vwGiUJjvlQ7XUtoFD3zj45iFm70J07BUXBmuMFdi1MWgmrJYLDmNVK-wNoBlDMrg9g5FC1n9LEYERI2o3shC0nFmJPKhTGwGU4FlQUI1938QqYl/s640/10-28-12-1606.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2016/10/cinderellas-pumpkin-roundup-part-vii.html">2016</a></div>
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<a href="http://www.lovethispic.com/uploaded_images/35345-Pumpkin-Carriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #771100; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="http://www.lovethispic.com/uploaded_images/35345-Pumpkin-Carriage.jpg" height="632" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2015/10/cinderellas-pumpkin-roundup-part-vi.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration-line: none;">2015</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZMIUx-aSjkAI8fpZeFd0tggVjJuJ5792_exdiP17bDDgQ0EZ5yQ7wiaBnnlTitD21HXl03snXPEpm7YKM5kEGbTZjy3SFmV3x9Ga60w2QxLoOtMr4QZmaU_IS2CZyxeHAdtRARFu7egu/s1600/pinterest+pumpkin+for+2014+Lynda+Nygard.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #771100; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPZMIUx-aSjkAI8fpZeFd0tggVjJuJ5792_exdiP17bDDgQ0EZ5yQ7wiaBnnlTitD21HXl03snXPEpm7YKM5kEGbTZjy3SFmV3x9Ga60w2QxLoOtMr4QZmaU_IS2CZyxeHAdtRARFu7egu/s1600/pinterest+pumpkin+for+2014+Lynda+Nygard.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="480" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 13.86px; line-height: 19.404px; text-align: start;"><a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2014/10/cinderellas-pumpkin-carriages-part-5.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration-line: none;">2014</a></span></div>
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<a href="http://apumpkinandaprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Cinderella-Pumpkin-Carriage.png" imageanchor="1" style="color: #771100; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="http://apumpkinandaprincess.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Cinderella-Pumpkin-Carriage.png" height="427" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2013/10/cinderellas-pumpkins-part-4.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration-line: none;">2013</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeo0vMJQYgBPv787o46mbxl-ewJa5Hse6hyphenhyphenJ-RlHBqRU22TIjqsVMgIpxscTojW2hNUSEbtgB5ZjgOYEWkPj2-W58ZSbbSuf9dSp31jtUEo1CHk-iO9iMB4Tiz5ld6Qy6c-y-xrtv9-8/s320/IMG_0591.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="color: #771100; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="427" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBeo0vMJQYgBPv787o46mbxl-ewJa5Hse6hyphenhyphenJ-RlHBqRU22TIjqsVMgIpxscTojW2hNUSEbtgB5ZjgOYEWkPj2-W58ZSbbSuf9dSp31jtUEo1CHk-iO9iMB4Tiz5ld6Qy6c-y-xrtv9-8/s640/IMG_0591.JPG" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2012/10/cinderellas-pumpkins-part-3.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration-line: none;">2012</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRBkR7wwr2Y1L0JaPyvfdceuS6S2BRD64rsQDpuWr4QaMLHbwnbBUHU766ZS_h9Hblmr8MHdhfx3gWqw5URETtCXrqJeW1Gdjdgi5piVNHNudNF51aecNmFg14pcBYhdcR_ln682wtcI/s400/pumpkin+carriage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="color: #771100; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="384" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggRBkR7wwr2Y1L0JaPyvfdceuS6S2BRD64rsQDpuWr4QaMLHbwnbBUHU766ZS_h9Hblmr8MHdhfx3gWqw5URETtCXrqJeW1Gdjdgi5piVNHNudNF51aecNmFg14pcBYhdcR_ln682wtcI/s640/pumpkin+carriage.jpg" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2011/10/more-pumpkin-coaches.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration-line: none;">2011</a></div>
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<a href="http://collectingtokens.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/pumpkin_carriage.jpg?w=500&h=150" imageanchor="1" style="color: #771100; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" src="http://collectingtokens.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/pumpkin_carriage.jpg?w=500&h=150" height="449" style="border: none; position: relative;" width="640" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2010/10/happy-halloween.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration-line: none;">2010</a></div>
Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-79195158639099552402017-09-19T09:33:00.001-05:002017-09-19T09:33:32.752-05:00Whooping Cough Wolves<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3z16qMYQFQoLM55FmiAGERCzfT0vpETcMVwx9SGiqcxrvrS0fLjEKSekOD3JbkE1jBImvXZcZm9yooNSv7sPTzA5VQd6K-f1RoWrQXwDME4trnz6XYE24MRT2hSeRs96XxEC3PG3h8k7/s1600/2017-09-19+09.13.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD3z16qMYQFQoLM55FmiAGERCzfT0vpETcMVwx9SGiqcxrvrS0fLjEKSekOD3JbkE1jBImvXZcZm9yooNSv7sPTzA5VQd6K-f1RoWrQXwDME4trnz6XYE24MRT2hSeRs96XxEC3PG3h8k7/s640/2017-09-19+09.13.27.jpg" width="480" /></a></div>
Talk about effective use of fairy tale imagery-this ad definitely caught my attention and is still a little disturbing to look at. This is a Walgreens ad in <a href="http://www.familycircle.com/">Family Circle </a>magazineKristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-61254794304317906042017-09-05T15:03:00.001-05:002017-09-05T15:03:39.516-05:00From the Archives: Swan Lake and Gender Perceptions<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p21n1xorjEs" width="560"></iframe>
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The Royal Ballet </h3>
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Though the plot of the ballet Swan Lake is pulled very loosely from a few existing tales, it was basically created for the ballet itself. Given that it reflected the values of a few men in 1895, the gender roles in the ballet are very cliche. In fact, the last time I saw the ballet I found myself bored with Odette and Siegfried's characters-Siegfried spends the vast majority of his time looking perplexed, or trying to find Odette, who looks scared and woeful the whole time. My favorite character was Odile, who has not only the flashiest moves but at least looks like she enjoys dancing.<br />
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From <a href="http://classicalmusic.about.com/od/historyofballet/a/swanlakeproa.htm" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;">this site</a>, by Aaron Green:<br />
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"We do know that Tchaikovsky had much control over the stories content. He and his colleagues both agreed that<b> the swan represented womanhood in its purest form</b>. The stories and legends of swan-maidens date as far back as ancient Greece; when the Greek god Apollos was born, flying swans circled above their heads. Legends of swan maidens can also be found in The Tales of the Thousand and One Nights, Sweet Mikhail Ivanovich the Rover and The Legend of the Children of Lir. "<br />
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So I guess according to Tchaikovsky and his colleagues, "womanhood in its purest form" is a fragile and powerless creature, with no real personality or depth, defined by being a victim (Ironically, Tchaikovsky was a pretty fragile creature himself-more on that <a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2010/05/tchaikovsky.html" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;">here</a>.)<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9VqfCDNFkeLJQhW5Ubr0nRSln00Ur9HBxEQqpkYGnBqJVzP3lhrsvmdxZ_CRyQMMAgDAjJ_i39g7at4l_QS2bUv-vy4YX0S2GIyVB3VsBgW40Y-BediuK-0T5fcx141lOyyVlTqS2Q/s1600/matthew-bournes-swan-lake-male-swans.jpg" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhA9VqfCDNFkeLJQhW5Ubr0nRSln00Ur9HBxEQqpkYGnBqJVzP3lhrsvmdxZ_CRyQMMAgDAjJ_i39g7at4l_QS2bUv-vy4YX0S2GIyVB3VsBgW40Y-BediuK-0T5fcx141lOyyVlTqS2Q/s1600/matthew-bournes-swan-lake-male-swans.jpg" style="border: none; height: 272px; position: relative; width: 405px;" /></a><br />
This view of women is frowned upon by most people in Western culture today. The ballet has been <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Bourne%27s_Swan_Lake" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;">reinterpreted by Matthew Bourne </a>with a corps of male swans, challenging preconceived notions (this is the production Billy Elliot stars in, if you saw the movie). Bourne said, "The idea of a male swan makes complete sense to me. The strength, the beauty, the enormous wingspan of these creatures suggests to the musculature of a male dancer more readily than a ballerina in her white tutu." It's true that the power of the male dancer is extremely impressive-while the female can acheive the affect of defying gravity by dancing en pointe, the male can do so simply by the strength of his jumps, seeming to linger in the air for longer than humanly possible.<br />
<a href="http://ecimages.kobobooks.com/Image.ashx?imageID=iPACPlWLpUio8IRv3_mqGg&Type=Full" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://ecimages.kobobooks.com/Image.ashx?imageID=iPACPlWLpUio8IRv3_mqGg&Type=Full" style="border: none; height: 293px; position: relative; width: 220px;" /></a><br />
Then of course there's the Mercedes Lackey novel, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Black-Swan-Fairy-Tale-Book/dp/0886778905/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326767337&sr=8-1" style="color: #771100; text-decoration: none;">Black Swan</a>, which I've mentioned multiple times before, but I really prefer Lackey's compelling characters. Though the prisoners of Von Rothbart are still victims, Lackey's females have depth and dimension and her unique take on Odile's character is just wonderful.<br />
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The original ballet ended tragically, and each production comes up with its own. I think happy endings are the most prevalent these days (ballet people out there, correct me if I'm wrong!). Although, listening to the music-the famous minor theme is major at the end, it seems hard to believe it could accompany the death of the two main characters...</div>
Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-92043698579526284292017-08-27T13:53:00.001-05:002017-08-27T13:53:28.815-05:00Around the WebI had never seen some of these Arthur Rackham silhouettes for Cinderella before! Just gorgeous, but also humorous-that poor mouse's expression! Via <a href="http://www.pookpress.co.uk/rackhams-cinderella-silhouettes/">Pook Press</a><br />
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<a href="http://writinginmargins.weebly.com/home/fairy-tale-cannibals">Fairy Tale Cannibals</a>-fascinating read at <a href="http://writinginmargins.weebly.com/">Writing In Margins</a>!<br />
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<a href="http://writinginmargins.weebly.com/uploads/4/7/0/0/47004293/published/180124996.jpg?1492286198" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://writinginmargins.weebly.com/uploads/4/7/0/0/47004293/published/180124996.jpg?1492286198" data-original-height="374" data-original-width="488" height="306" width="400" /></a></div>
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Gustav Dore</div>
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T<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/foxyfolklorist/folklorethursday-version-vs-variant/">his post by Jeana Jorgensen</a> clarifies the<b> difference between a version and a variant of a folktale</b> (or other form of folklore). I'm sure I've misused those terms before and probably will again in the future but I will try to use them correctly! Jorgensen studied folklore under <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alan_Dundes">Alan Dundes</a> (!!). I wasn't familiar with her blog before, but I can't wait to read more of her<a href="http://www.patheos.com/blogs/foxyfolklorist/category/folklorethursday/"> FolkloreThursday posts</a>.<br />
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Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-83889967538855900002017-08-12T09:56:00.003-05:002017-08-12T09:56:39.472-05:00Solar Eclipse MythsAnybody else getting excited for the solar eclipse coming on August 21? Over at <a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar-eclipse-myths.html">timeanddate.com</a>, they have not only a countdown but a list of world folklore related to solar eclipses.<br />
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<a href="https://tu9srvbirvvtmjqkyy50ywrzdc5jb200.g00.timeanddate.com/g00/2_d3d3LnRpbWVhbmRkYXRlLmNvbQ%3D%3D_/TU9SRVBIRVVTMjQkaHR0cHM6Ly9jLnRhZHN0LmNvbS9nZngvNzUweDUwMC9oaW5kdS1nb2QtcmFodS5qcGc%2FMSZpMTBjLm1hcmsuaW1hZ2UudHlwZQ%3D%3D_$/$/$/$" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="750" height="425" src="https://tu9srvbirvvtmjqkyy50ywrzdc5jb200.g00.timeanddate.com/g00/2_d3d3LnRpbWVhbmRkYXRlLmNvbQ%3D%3D_/TU9SRVBIRVVTMjQkaHR0cHM6Ly9jLnRhZHN0LmNvbS9nZngvNzUweDUwMC9oaW5kdS1nb2QtcmFodS5qcGc%2FMSZpMTBjLm1hcmsuaW1hZ2UudHlwZQ%3D%3D_$/$/$/$" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Hindu deity Rahu, who causes eclipses</div>
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Here's an example:<br />
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<i>The Pomo, an indigenous group of people who live in the northwestern United States, tell a story of a bear who started a fight with the Sun and took a bite out of it. In fact, the Pomo name for a solar eclipse is "Sun got bit by a bear". </i><br />
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<i> After taking a bite of the Sun and resolving their conflict, the bear, as the story goes, went on to meet the Moon and take a bite out of the Moon as well, causing a lunar eclipse. This story may have been their way of explaining why a solar eclipse happens about around 2 weeks before or after a lunar eclipse.</i><br />
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<a href="https://userscontent2.emaze.com/images/fb74603b-2c91-4909-a907-f906b88b95bc/923d67e4-96ac-425b-8767-4bca727cc3ca.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="486" data-original-width="800" height="388" src="https://userscontent2.emaze.com/images/fb74603b-2c91-4909-a907-f906b88b95bc/923d67e4-96ac-425b-8767-4bca727cc3ca.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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Many folk beliefs involving eclipses foresee doom and destruction, but not all. Many attributed the phenomenon to mythical creatures stealing or eating the sun or moon.</div>
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That one shows a connection between science and folklore, and here's one that encourages peacemaking:<br />
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<i>The Batammaliba, who live in Benin and Togo, used a solar eclipse as a teaching moment. According to their legends, an eclipse of the Sun meant that the Sun and the Moon were fighting and that the only way to stop them from hurting each other was for people on Earth to resolve all conflicts with each other.</i><br />
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<a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar-eclipse-myths.html">Click through </a>to read more legends as well as modern superstitions! This page on<a href="https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/solar-eclipse-history.html"> historical eclipses</a> also has some interesting information on different beliefs/results from eclipses.Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-85003201155360612582017-08-05T16:20:00.001-05:002017-08-05T16:20:48.824-05:00Merfolk of ScandinaviaMerpeople are such a fascinating study- I've been reading all about different tales and beliefs about the Sea Spirits of Scandinavia in Surlalune's <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mermaid-Other-Spirit-Around-Surlalune/dp/1463565542">Mermaid Tales From Around the World</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51J-YHurXlL.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="500" data-original-width="333" height="400" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51J-YHurXlL.jpg" width="266" /></a>*The children of merpeople are called Marmaeler in Norway. If caught, they can give you knowledge of the future, but it's still best not to seek them out-seeing a Mermaid or Merman is a sign of a coming storm, and harming them is dangerous<br />
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*On the other hand, they can also help to protect people who have shown them kindness. There's one story from Norway in which a fisherman saw a merman shivering from cold and gave him his hose to wear-later the same merman warned him of a coming storm and he got to shore just in time.<br />
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*The River Spirit is called a Neck. He might sit on the water with a red cap on his head (interesting potential connection to Red Riding Hood??), but may also appear as a centaur, horse, or an old man with a long beard. They might punish cruel humans, such as haughty women who spurn their lovers, but may also themselves fall in love with a human woman and be a kind suitor.<br />
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*Necks are also excellent musicians, playing gold harps. It's possible to get lessons from them, if you present them with a black lamb and the promise of salvation.<br />
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/fd/62/63/fd626378718b0c74076a15d6bc73ea54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="698" data-original-width="800" height="279" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/fd/62/63/fd626378718b0c74076a15d6bc73ea54.jpg" width="320" /></a>*Sea creatures seem very concerned about their salvation in Scandinavia. There are multiple tales in which a neck cries and flings away his harp when told he will not be saved, but they cheer up if told that the opposite is true. In one story, a Neck asks a priest if he will have salvation, and the priest replies, "sooner will this cane sprout flowers." However, later on, his cane DOES sprout flowers, so he goes back and tells the Neck. This sheds some light on the motivation of Andersen's Little Mermaid-we often forget that she sacrifices her voice and the pain of her legs not just for the chance of love, but also to gain immortality.<br />
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*There is a tale in Sweden with many variations, "The King's Son and Messeria." In it, a Mermaid has power over a young boy, usually because she tricks his parents into promising him to them (using the old "promise me what is under your girdle" trick to a woman who doesn't yet know she's pregnant, "promise me the first thing you meet on land," or just plain old "give me your firstborn or you'll die in this storm at sea.") They attempt to keep the boy away from the Mermaid, either keeping him in a high tower or away from water, but of course he eventually ends up close to the water and she drags him into her underground kingdom.<br />
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/24/d5/27/24d52707b5c9ba3eb13cbc10e6f1c7cb--john-bauer-book-illustrations.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="236" height="400" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/24/d5/27/24d52707b5c9ba3eb13cbc10e6f1c7cb--john-bauer-book-illustrations.jpg" width="261" /></a></div>
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There, he meets a beautiful young girl, also a captive of the Mermaid, and falls in love. The Mermaid gives him impossible tasks to do. Usually, impossible tasks in fairy tales are made possible because the protagonist was kind to animals along his or her journey, and they help them, so it almost feels like they were really a test of character-anyone who shows kindness will succeed-but these were truly meant to be impossible. Only by his lover helping him with magic, unbeknownst to the Mermaid, does he succeed. Mermaids in these stories are kidnappers; cruel, and unambiguously villains, functioning as a witch would in similar tales. The lovers manage to escape her, and sometimes she dies in spectacular ways-bursting because she tries to drink the sea (because the lovers transformed into ducks) and took in too much water, or splitting in two when she sees the sun.<br />
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*There's a creepy Sea Nymph in Sweden whose hand will appear through a door in a fishing hut where the fishers are all asleep for the night. Wise fishers know to ignore the hand, but a boastful man claimed he wasn't afraid; he took the hand and it drew him out, and he disappeared for three years. He returned on the day of his wife's remarriage, for he was presumed dead, but disobeyed the Nymph's warning not to step inside the church, and he died three days later.<br />
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Like any creatures, Sea folk can be kind, cruel, or neutral; but their supernatural abilities and elusive nature make them alluring and mysterious. If you happen to be in Scandinavia, especially around the water, watch out for the Sea Nymph, take cover if you spot any merpeople while out on the water, but assure any Necks who ask you that they can indeed have salvation :)<br />
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Illustrations by John Bauer<br />
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*I have already posted on the <a href="http://talesoffaerie.blogspot.com/2014/07/other-danish-mermaid-tales.html">Danish mermaid tales</a> found in this book, if you want to read about more Scandinavian sea creatures!Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-69398161279896721612017-07-27T11:44:00.000-05:002017-07-27T12:53:35.362-05:00Jazzmeia Horn: East of the Sun (and West of the Moon)-Fairy Tale Titles<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NcouRsbgMa4" width="560"></iframe><br />
I was excited to see a fairy tale title-and a refreshingly not overused one at that-as the title of a new jazz song by Jazzmeia Horn. The lyrics don't really have much to do with the plot, other than being a love story-other words repeated throughout the song are "closer to the sun in the day and nearer to the moon at night." Still, it's a great song if you're a fan of classic jazz, and there's <i>some</i> level of fairy tale inspiration.<br />
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Although it is interesting to use the title but seemingly nothing else of the story...sort of like David Bowie's "<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l4fFL4uU_RE">Beauty and the Beast</a>," although that title has more mass appeal than "East..." does. There's probably many more songs, and other forms of media, with this phenomenon that I'm not even aware of (share in the comments?). The vague idea of being "fairy tale inspired" is also popular in fashion but rarely has specific references. Why does the title itself appeal to people? You would think those who were drawn to a fairy tale name would also want other connections? Or do we just like the vague connection to folklore? (Or are the artists themselves aware of the fairy tale, or do they just use the name for the sound of it? "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" is a very poetic phrase, but Jazzmeia Horn seems a little more likely to research titles than other pop artists.)Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-76524118980047438602017-07-21T10:05:00.000-05:002017-07-21T10:05:00.179-05:00Fairy Tales Illustrated by Carl Offterdinger<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
Just discovered the illustrations of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Offterdinger">Carl Offterdinger</a>, 1829-1889. I think my favorite might be the one focusing on Hansel below, dropping the stones while the rest of the family walks on ahead. Puss in Boots looks so natural putting on his boots, too. </div>
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Hansel and Gretel</div>
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Little Red Riding Hood</div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/e1/73/e6/e173e68bbfa6fdfe1a35f415b09548f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="300" height="640" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/e1/73/e6/e173e68bbfa6fdfe1a35f415b09548f4.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
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The Wolf and the Seven Kids</div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/77/a8/6d/77a86db6e072670849328b987eabe637.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="700" data-original-width="499" height="640" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/77/a8/6d/77a86db6e072670849328b987eabe637.jpg" width="456" /></a></div>
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Little Brother and Little Sister</div>
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Puss in Boots</div>
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Snow White</div>
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<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/9b/87/3c/9b873c8009612a05babbbe5e819ef0ab.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="215" data-original-width="300" height="458" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/9b/87/3c/9b873c8009612a05babbbe5e819ef0ab.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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The Wishing Table</div>
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Sleeping Beauty</div>
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The Pied Piper</div>
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The Valiant Little Tailor</div>
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The Nutcracker</div>
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Hop O' My Thumb</div>
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<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-37850510988872848412017-07-14T13:59:00.000-05:002017-07-14T13:59:05.380-05:00Around the WebReally enjoyed this post on Visualizing Wonder by Heidi Grether, <a href="http://fairytales.byu.edu/2017/06/07/what-are-you-so-afraid-of-a-rapunzel-analysis/">What Are You So Afraid Of? A Rapunzel Analysis</a>. Grether shares that Rapunzel is underrepresented in television compared to other household name Princesses, yet explains how the fairy tale can be very powerful and symbolic even to modern audiences. I've never thought about how the tower can represent fear before.<br />
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Rapunzel from OUAT</div>
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Gorgeous <a href="http://www.pookpress.co.uk/harry-clarkes-perrault-illustrations/">Harry Clarke illustrations for Perrault</a> tales over at <a href="http://www.pookpress.co.uk/">Pook Press</a>. Hadn't seen some of these!<br />
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"Truth to tell, this new ornament did not set off her beauty"-<i>The Ridiculous Wishes</i></div>
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A friend posted this on Facebook, thought the English fairy tale title parts were interesting:<br />
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At <a href="http://fairies.zeluna.net/">Raven's Shire</a>, Nukiuk shares more about the <a href="http://fairies.zeluna.net/2016/08/the-fairies-zwerg-of-snow-white.html">fairies/Zwerg of German traditions</a> that may have been influences on the Dwarves in Snow White.<br />
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Carl Offterdinger</div>
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And, anyone else looking forward to hearing more about <a href="http://fairytalenewsblog.blogspot.com/2017/07/multiple-studios-vying-for-new-swan.html">this Swan Lake movie?</a>Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-80438655119353013212017-07-06T12:06:00.000-05:002017-07-06T12:06:02.359-05:00Advice Wanted: Best Fairy Tale Books for Young Children<br />
<a href="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51kVP-fclyL._AC_UL320_SR286,320_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51kVP-fclyL._AC_UL320_SR286,320_.jpg" /></a>We were given a book of Disney nursery rhymes and fairy tales for Pearson. One story in there is that of "Little Red Riding Minnie." It tells of Minnie, who is going to take cookies and cough drops to her sick grandmother, and how the big bad wolf is out to steal the cookies (no hint of actually wanting to <i>harm </i>anyone). Rather than eating the grandmother, he just takes her clothes off the clothesline and waits for Minnie outside. Then, he accidentally eats all the cough drops instead of the cookies, and runs away with eyes watering.<br />
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It's kind of humorous if you think of it as a parody, only it's not meant as a parody-it's meant to be safe for young children. (For more on this, check out Gypsy's <a href="http://fairytalenewsblog.blogspot.com/2017/05/article-series-why-do-theaters-tend-to.html">post</a> and contribution to this <a href="http://www.clydefitchreport.com/2017/04/tya-fairy-tales-dark/">article on why children's theater dumbs down fairy tales). </a>I used to have my own opinions on not dumbing down fairy tales for children, but I have to admit, now that I have my own child, I kind of get it-I'm not sure I want to be reading him bedtime stories about people being eaten. Of course, he's still a baby, and as he goes through different phases of development, hopefully I'll adjust too. (And I have to remind myself of the dangers of shielding your children too much, as Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel remind us-it's better to educate your children about spindles than to pretend they don't exist, and keeping a teenager in a tower can't really keep them from growing up!)<br />
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I have my own collection of versions of "Beauty and the Beast", including some picture book versions, but other than that we don't have other fairy tale books for Pearson yet. He's still in the stage where in order to sit still for a book, it needs to have very little text on each page, and he needs to have a toy on hand to chew on, but I would love to get more fairy tales in his library. So, <b>what would you recommend?</b> I'm happy to start getting recommendations of books for when he gets older but would also like to have some on hand for now as well. I'm certainly not as familiar with children's books as I'm sure I'll get over the next few years, but one book I heartily recommend for kids of all ages (and adults!) is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Mirror-Book-Reverso-Poems/dp/0525479015/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499359363&sr=8-1&keywords=mirror+mirror+marilyn+singer">Mirror Mirror: A Book of Reverso Poems</a> by Marilyn Singer, illustrated by Josee Masse. Each fairy tale is told from two different perspectives, with the second poem a reverse of the first, line by line-with only clever changes in punctuation to change the meaning. Long time readers may be sick of hearing about this book by now...(there is also a follow up, <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Follow-Book-Reverso-Poems/dp/0803737696/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_product_sims?ie=UTF8">Follow Follow</a>, that I have seen but don't own)<br />
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<br />Kristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-55561019391749948642017-06-27T10:07:00.000-05:002017-06-27T10:07:19.335-05:00Diamonds and Toads and CatsI was surprised to find, in <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Boots-Other-Tales-Around-World/dp/1540616401">Puss in Boots and Other Cat Tales From Around the World</a>, a category dedicated to "The Kind and Unkind Girls", also known as "<a href="http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/diamondstoads/index.html">Diamonds and Toads</a>".<br />
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In a couple tales from Greece and Italy, <b>the cats are actually the ones who reward/punish the girls</b>! "The Cats" from Greece features a household of cats that reward an old beggar woman-refreshing to see a heroine who is a different age. "Little Convent of Cats" from Italy includes the detail that it was from the time when all animals could speak, and the cats were very rich (in some of the tales the cats speak, in others they use actions to show the heroine what she should do).<br />
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In the other tales, though, <b>the cat is a friend that helps her because she is kind enough to feed it</b>. Sometimes there's a cat and a dog who are provided for her as helpers at the house where she takes up service for the old witch/benefactress figure. In an Austrian tale, the cat and dog were an enchanted Prince and his sister (and the Prince marries the heroine). In the others they appear to be regular animals who just appreciate being shown kindness and help her fulfill impossible tasks and/or choose her reward for service wisely; when the unkind sister shows up and is cruel to the animals, they simply let her suffer.<br />
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Reading several "Diamonds and Toads" tales back to back, certain themes emerge. One theme that's very prominent in many fairy tales is that,<b> if you are kind and compassionate, those who you help will return the favor when you need it</b>. The animals that the heroine gave food to helped her accomplish tasks like fill a seive with water, or provided her with food and drink when she needed it. The animals were also key in the episode at the end of her service when she was given a choice as to her reward-they showed her which box/basket to choose that would really be full of treasure, no matter how unassuming it looked at first. And of course, whatever the good heroine does, her wicked sister does the opposite-mistreats those she comes across, is a lazy worker, and chooses whichever payment she thinks will bring her the most rewards.<br />
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It's clear that the kind sister is also rewarded not just for being kind to <b>people, but also to animals and nature</b>. In some tales she helps and respects various other things, from a fence, to trees and a brook, which also help her in some way later. The whole idea of being kind to the earth is even more pressing in our current day and age, and certainly we and future generations will benefit it we make wise choices now.<br />
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Another key difference between the sisters is their <b>expectations</b>. The kind sister is rewarded because she is kind no matter what-even when it seems like it won't benefit her at all, but because that's who she is. She also doesn't assume that she deserves a large payment for her services and is surprised to find treasures (which in these stories, never came out of her mouth as in "Diamonds and Toads," which would really be quite unfortunate). The other sister only goes out in order to get the same treasures, is a lazy worker who doesn't share her food with the less fortunate or respect the earth around her, and doesn't suspect that it was the kindness that led to the original reward.<br />
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In fact these tales love to come up with<b> various ways to torture the cruel sister</b> and her mother. The box/basket she chooses as her payment is filled with everything from snakes and beetles, to devils and demons, to flames that burn her and her house down. Sometimes there's a bear that knocks on the door and wants to eat the girls, and the wicked sister from "Little Convent of Cats" ends up with a donkey's tail growing out of her forehead.<br />
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Other notable features of these stories: One features a <b>girl being curious </b>and doing what she shouldn't do, but rather than being punished it's seen in a <b>positive light</b>-she was told never to open the pots in her house of service. But before she leaves, she wonders what's inside and opens them, and poor souls fly out and thank her for releasing them.<br />
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Another story from New Mexico has an interesting <b>parallel to Little Red Riding Hood</b>. It's one of the tales where a bear comes knocking each night-the kind sister is told by the cat how to avoid it, but the unkind sister lets the bear in, and there follows a series of "What big X you have," which the bear follows with "The better to X with" and all accumulating, of course, with the big teeth that are all the better to eat you with (although this cat saves the unkind girl for her sister's sake).<br />
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Illustrations by Margaret Evans PriceKristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.com3