Horror For the Holidays

True to my post from the last Christmas season, here is a fun article from NPR about a not so nice 'santa' called The Krampus! Enjoy!

Disney Fairytale Princesses in an Art Nouveau style

Just something pretty and fun for the morning!

Can you believe I FINALLY update the blog?! Thank you Ribbons Undone for keeping it alive in my ridiculous absence! Oh, and hey Cemetary Polka~ Did you forget its your turn on the collaborative fairytale?

(LOL, as though I can say anything! XD)

My favorite is totally Snow White.

The Green Children

New tunes that I am loving right now "Encounter" by The Green Children!
Released in October 2010 "Encounter" soared to the #3 album purchased on Amazon with the hit "Dragons" propelling The Green Children into quick international stardom. The beats are a little spooky and definety electro-pop, and Milla Sunde's voice is positively angelic! When I first heard the band I was actually on Facebook and their album popped up in the right toolbar with other advertisements. It said "If you like Tori Amos, check out The Green Children" I was bored so I went to the link and listened to the whole of "Encounter" I quickly went to Amazon and bought the album, I was so taken with it! Check out their website for more information on the CD and The Green Children Foundation

The Snow Queen

This is a video that I found that uses the story of The Snow Queen against the backdrop of "Winter's Carol" by Tori Amos. "The Snow Queen" is one of my favorite fairytales so I was pretty happy to see this! I can't actually post the video here via request of the creator, but here is the link. The movie in the background is a version of "The Snow Queen" directed by David Wu.

"Fables" by Bill Willingham

How have I never seen these! How have I never heard of this series! Okay, not for the first time in my life I am completely behind on the times. This is a comic book based on the characters of fables, fairytales, and nursery rhymes from primarily the European tradition. In this amazing comic all of our favorite characters come together to live in the mundane world (set in New York City/"Fabletown") after they were run out of their Homelands by the ominous Adversary who has conquered their realm. Fables (what the fairytale creatures call themselves) who are unable to blend into human society (think of giants, ogres, etc...) are sent to upstate New York to live on "The Farm".

The series includes many amazing turns, including Snow White's divorce from Prince Charming because of his infidelity. King Cole is the mayor of Fabletown and Cinderella learns how to fence from Bluebeard!

Since its release in 2003 "Fables" has won multiple awards including Best New Series (2003), Best Serialized Story (2003, 2005, 2006), Best Cover Artist (2004 - 2008), and Best Lettering (2004-2008) as well as many others.

Apparently the fairytale comic genre is fairly widespread and includes in its repertoire "The Oz" comic series, "Lullaby", "Jack of Fables", and "No Rest For the Wicked"- a webcomic. Which can be found at http://www.forthewicked.net/.

So, if you can't seem to find the motivation to read "The Golden Bough" (seriously, that is one tremendous tome) this summer, enjoy these fun snippets of fantasy!

When the days are long and the nights are warm

This is my last official summer before I begin graduate school, so, I thought what better way to celebrate than to read or re-read some of my favorite fairytale-esque books! I have featured just a few in this post, but hopefully this will inspire you to create your own list!

The first is a new series that I feel is under appreciated! The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clarke follows a fantastic line of Biblical mythology that has rarely been turned into worth while fiction. The series focuses on the imagined history of the nephalim (the half angel-half human beings mentioned in Genesis) I highly recommend this series. Not only is the vocabulary on the GRE study guide (hey, come on, it is supposed to be young adult, I think this is an accomplishment!) but the quality of writing is pretty good for being such a fast paced book. Speaking of pacing, the books flow seamlessly from plot turn to plot turn. The new spin that Clarke takes on classical fantasy is instantly timeless! A must read for quite summer evenings when you are feeling a bit of wanderlust!

Another book I am reading for the first time is The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. A long time Gaiman fan I have not been let down as he has drawn me, yet again, into a fantastic world meshed beautifully with our own familiar one. The story is about a young boy named Nobody Owens who is brought up in a graveyard, raised by ghosts, and taught by a vampire and a werewolf! I mostly enjoyed Gaiman's use of classical mythology in not only the graveyard setting (fantastic Latin phrases and place settings), but also in the characters themselves. For example, the long dead poet who gives Bod the advice that he should be like Leander (who was killed trying to reach his lover), Hero (Leander's girlfriend, who kills herself), and Alexander/Paris (who seduced and kidnapped another man's wife) when pursuing his lady-love! This is the type of book that makes you wonder about the characters after you have read it (not there yet, but I am sure I will still think this at the end!)I guarantee you will not regret picking this one up and toting it around this summer!

Harpsong by Rilla Aska. I read Harpsong early last month. I greatly enjoy dustbowl stories from Oklahoma and Harpsong was in no way a disappointment! The protagonist is a young folk singer who travels the railways with his child bride Sharon. The book is told from Sharon's perspective and takes the audience along the ride from slum camps outside Oklahoma city to the bustle of Chicago. I know this doesn't sound like a fairytale, but I think it is a classic piece of Americana literature that tells the story of a very real and yet unbelievable time for most of us (or at least for me). Judge as you see fit.

Sunshine by Robin McKinley. I love stories that blend our own reality with that of a fantasy realm. I think some of the best fantasy novels follow this pattern. In this same theme exists the world of Sunshine a place where the people have learned to live with the things that go bump in the night. It is interesting how the author weaves her story around this new reality. Also...against the current waive of sexy vampire nonsense...her vampires are actually terrifying! thank gosh! McKinley is a superb author and has been rewriting fairytales for the past 20 years and making them unique to our time and place.

The Host by Stephanie Meyer. Ok, I am a sci-fi junkie. And I know what you're thinking "Stephanie Meyer?". Ok, hear me out though. Unlike the Twilight disaster, this book is actually written for adults. You can tell that she really took her time with the story and enjoyed writing it. The book is Invasion of the Body Snatchers, meets Casablanca, and covered in Film Noir. A dark novel about a slow alien invasion taking place all over the world and a small band of people refusing to surrender. Here is why the book is so interesting. One of the host bodies that Wanderer (our resident alien) is placed into still has its former resident. A girl named Melanie who shares with Wanderer all of her memories, dreams and fears of the invasion. The book is a creative double narrative between Malanie and Wanderer and will definitely keep you up at night and watching the news!

"Night of Hunters"

Like most fairytale lovin' modern women, I am a huge fan of Tori Amos. It gives me great pleasure to announce that Tori will be releasing a new album this September! Check out this link for Night of Hunters to learn more!

I honor of a new Tori album, I would like to post here a 1996 interview that Tori gave to SPIN magazine. And guess who interviewed her?! Francesca Lia Block! Enjoy the interview if you have never read it before, and even if you have, I hope that it inspires you anew to Tori's musical genius.

The interview was conducted during the Boys for Pele era.

The Volcano Lover by Francesca Lia Block

Царевна Лягушка The story of Tsarivitch Ivan and his Tsarevna Vasilisa

Царевна Лягушка or the Frog Princess (Tsarevna Lyagushka)

 

Many years ago a tsar had three sons. When they came of age he sent for them and said:
"My sons, before I am too old I want you to marry, and I would like to see my grandchildren."
The sons replied:
"In that case, father, give us your blessing. But whom are we to marry?"
"My sons," the tsar said, "take your bows, go out into the open field, and shoot an arrow. Wherever it falls, there you will find your wife."
    The sons bowed to their father, took their bows, went into the fields, drew them and shot their arrows. The eldest son's arrow fell into a nobleman's courtyard, where it was picked up by his daughter. The second son's arrow fell into a merchant's courtyard, and it was picked up by his daughter. But the arrow shot by the youngest son, Prince Ivan, rose so high and flew so far that he didn't know where to look for it. So he started to walk, and at last he came to a marsh. In the marsh he saw a frog with his arrow in its mouth. He said to the frog:
"Frog, give me back my arrow."
But the frog replied:
"Then take me for your wife."
"Oh, come now," the prince said, "how can I have a frog as my wife?"
"But you must, for it is the tsar's will."
At first the prince tried to avoid it, but eventually he had to accept his fate and carry the frog home.

A.Kosterin. "The Frog Princess" Baox. 1967   Kholui

    Then the tsar arranged for the three marriages; his eldest son to the nobleman's daughter, his second to the merchant's daughter, and the unhappy Prince Ivan to the frog.
After the weddings the tsar summoned his sons again, and told them:
"I want to see which of your wives is the finest needlewoman. Each one is to make me a shirt by tomorrow."
    The sons bowed to their father and went to tell their wives. But when Prince Ivan arrived home he sat down looking very miserable. The frog was jumping around on the floor, and it asked him:
"You look very unhappy, Prince Ivan ? Are you in trouble?"
"My father has ordered you to make him a shirt by tomorrow," the prince answered.
"Do not worry, Prince Ivan," the frog said. "You just go to bed. You will feel better after a good sleep."
    So he went to bed. But the frog jumped out on to the verandah, threw off its skin and turned into the wise Princess Vassilisa, a maiden so beautiful that words could never describe her. She clapped her hands and cried:
"My faithful attendants, gather round and listen to me. Sew for me by tomorrow morning a shirt like the one my own father used to wear."
    When the prince woke up next morning the frog was jumping about the floor again, but a shirt wrapped in linen was already lying on the table. He was overjoyed. He picked up the shirt and took it to his father. When he arrived, the tsar was receiving the gifts from his two elder sons. The eldest son spread out the shirt his wife had made. As the tsar accepted it he said:
"This is a shirt for everyday wear."
When the second son spread out his shirt, the tsar said:
"I could only go to the bath in that."
    Then Prince Ivan unfolded his shirt; it was embroidered with gold and silver threads in intricate patterns. The tsar took one look at it and declared:
"Now that is a shirt; I can wear it on important occasions."
The two elder brothers went oft home, remarking to each other as they went:
"It seems we were too quick to laugh at Ivan's wife; she is no frog, she is a witch."
Now the tsar sent for his sons again, and told them:
"Each of your wives is to bake a loaf of bread for me by tomorrow. I wish to find out which is the best cook."
    When Prince Ivan arrived home after seeing his father he looked so miserable that the frog asked him:
"What is the matter, Prince Ivan?"
"You have to bake a loaf of bread for the tsar by tomorrow," Ivan answered.
"Do not worry; just go to bed. You will feel better after a good sleep."
    At first the elder sons wives had made fun of Prince Ivan's frog wife. But now they had changed their minds, and they sent an old kitchen woman to spy out how the frog was going to bake bread. But the frog, being wise, realised their scheme. After kneading the dough it made a hole in the top of the brick oven and poured the dough through the hole. The woman saw what had been done, and ran to the elder brothers's wives and told them. So they set to work and did the same. But after Prince Ivan had gone to bed the frog jumped out on to the verandah, turned into the wise Princess Vassilisa, and clapped her hands:
"My faithful attendants, gather round and listen to me. Bake for me by the morning soft white bread like the bread I ate at my father's table."
    When the prince woke up next morning the loaf of bread was already lying on the table. It was decorated with various fancy designs, and on its top was the shape of a city with walls and gates. He was delighted, wrapped the bread in clean linen, and took it to his father. When he arrived the tsar was receiving the loaves brought by his two elder sons. But their wives had poured the dough into the ovens just as the old woman had told them, and all they had to show for their labour were two burnt cinders. The tsar took the burnt loaf offered by his eldest son, looked at it, and sent it straight to the servants's quarters.
    Then he took the loaf from his second son, and sent it after the other. But when Prince Ivan handed him his loaf the tsar said:
"Now this is such good bread, it should be eaten only on great occasions."
    The tsar had arranged a banquet for the following day, and he ordered his sons to attend with their wives. The thought of his frog wife attending a banquet made Prince Ivan feel far from cheerful, and he returned home with his head hanging. As usual, the frog was jumping about the floor. When it saw him it asked:
"Prince Ivan, what are you looking so miserable for? Has your father said something unpleasant to you?"
"How can I help looking miserable, frog? My father has ordered me to bring you to a banquet; and how can I show you to people?"
But the frog answered:
"Do not grieve, Prince Ivan. You go oft to the banquet by yourself, and I will follow later. When you hear a knock and a clap of thunder, do not be afraid. If anyone asks you what it means, just say: "That is my little frog who is coming riding in a little box."
    So he went off to the banquet alone. His elder brothers arrived with their wives dressed in their finery, wearing their jewellery, their faces painted and powdered. They laughed at Prince Ivan and asked:
"Why did you not bring your wife with you? You could have carried her in a handkerchief. Wherever did you find such a beauty? You must have searched all through the marshes for her."
    The tsar, his sons, their wives, and all the guests sat down at the oaken tables, which were spread with embroidered tablecloths. But before they started to feast there was a loud knock and a clap of thunder, so powerful that the palace shook. The guests were alarmed, and jumped up from their seats. But Prince Ivan said:
"Do not be afraid. It is only my little frog coming. She is riding in a little box."
    At that moment a gilded carriage drawn by six white horses drew up at the tsar's front door, and the wise Princess Vassilisa stepped out. She was wearing an azure gown studded with stars; on her head was a shining chaplet; she was so beautiful that the guests sat and stared. She took Prince Ivan by the hand and he led her to the oaken table.
    The guests began to eat and drink, and to make merry. But the wise Vassilisa only took one sip from her glass, pouring the rest into her left sleeve. She only nibbled at her plate of swan meat, and dropped the bones into her right sleeve. And when the two elder brothers's wives noticed what she was doing they followed her example.
    After the eating and drinking it was time for dancing. The wise Vassilisa took Prince Ivan's hand and they danced together. And she danced so marvellously, so beautifully, that all the guests were amazed. Then she waved her left sleeve, and suddenly a lake was formed in the hall; she waved her right sleeve, and white swans floated on the lake. The tsar and his guests were filled with astonishment.

R.Moisséyev. "The Frog Princess" Plate. 2000.  Palekh

    Then the elder brothers's wives also danced. And when they danced they waved one sleeve, but they only sprinkled the guests with wine; they waved the other sleeve, but only bones flew out. One bone hit the tsar in the eye, and he was so angry that he drove both the wives out of the palace.
    Meanwhile, Prince Ivan quietly slipped out of the hall, and hurried home. He found the frog skin lying on the verandah and threw it into the stove, where it burnt in the fire. When Princess Vassilisa returned home she saw that the frog skin was gone. She sat down on a bench and said to her husband sorrowfully:
"Ah, Prince Ivan, what have you done? If you had waited only another three days I would have been yours for ever. But now I must say goodbye. You can look for me in the thirtieth kingdom beyond three times nine lands. There you will find me with Kashchey the Deathless."
    Then she turned into a grey cuckoo and flew out of the window. And the prince wept bitterly. Bowing to all the four points of the compass he went off into the world to seek his wife, the wise Princess Vassilisa. He walked for so long that he wore out his boots, his clothes were torn, and the rain soaked through his cap. One day he happened to meet a very old man, who asked him:
"Hello, young man! What are you seeking, where are you going?"
The prince told him how he had lost his wife, and was now seeking her. And the old man said:
"Ah, Prince Ivan, what made you burn the frog skin? You did not have to wear it or take it off. The wise Vassilisa was born cleverer and wiser than her father, and he was so annoyed that he ordered her to be a frog for three years. What is done cannot be undone. Take this ball; wherever it rolls, you follow boldly after it."
    The prince thanked the old man and started to follow the ball. It rolled along, and he walked behind it. In the open country he came across a bear, and took aim, intending to kill it. But the bear spoke to him in a human voice:
"Do not kill me, Prince Ivan. Some day I shall be of service to you."
    The prince had pity on the bear, and went on his way without shooting it. As he walked he saw a drake flying above him.
He took aim to shoot it, but the drake spoke to him in a human voice:
"Do not kill me, Prince Ivan. I shall be of service to you."
    So he had pity on the drake and went his way. Next a hare came running past. Ivan thought he would shoot the hare; but it said in a human voice:
"Do not kill me, Prince Ivan. I shall be of service to you."
    So he let the hare go, and went his way. He came to the blue sea and saw a pike lying on the sand of the shore. It was hardly able to breathe, and it said to him:
"Prince Ivan, have pity on me; throw me back into the blue sea."
    So he threw the pike into the sea, and followed the ball as it rolled along the shore. At last the ball rolled into a forest. There the prince saw a little hut standing on a chicken leg, and twisting round and round. He said to the hut:
"Little hut, little hut, stand just as you were built, with your back to the forest, your front to me."
    Then the little hut turned with its front towards him, and its back to the forest. He went inside, and saw an old witch, the Baba Yaga, lying on top of the stove, her chin resting on the shelf at the top of the stove, and her nose pressed up against the ceiling.
"Why have you called on me, young fellow?" the old witch asked him. "Are you seeking your fortune, or are you running away from it?"
"You old scold," the prince answered, "before you start asking questions you should give me food and drink and a hot bath."
    So the old witch Baba Yaga gave him a hot bath, gave him food and drink, and put him to bed. Then the prince told her he was seeking his wife, the wise Princess Vassilisa.
"I know, I know," the old witch said. "Your wife is with Kashchey the Deathless now. It will be difficult to get her away from him, Kashchey is not easy to deal with. His death is right at the point of a needle, the needle is in an egg, the egg is in a duck, the duck is in a hare, the hare is sitting in a stone chest, the stone chest is in the crown of a lofty oak, and Kashchey the Deathless guards that oak as he would the apple of his eye."
    Prince Ivan spent the night in the old witch's hut, and next morning she told him how to get to the spot where the lofty oak was growing. The prince found the spot, and saw the oak standing, rustling its leaves; in its crown was a stone chest, so high that it was very difficult to get at.
    Suddenly a bear ran up and tore the oak up by its roots. The chest fell, and was smashed to pieces. A hare leapt out of the chest, and fled at top speed. But a second hare chased after it, overtook it, and tore it to pieces. But a duck flew out of the pieces, and sailed right up to the sky. However, as the prince watched, a drake flew at the duck; as he struck her she let fall an egg, and the egg dropped into the azure sea.
    At the sight Prince Ivan shed bitter tears: how could he ever find that egg in the sea? But suddenly a pike swam up to the shore with the egg in its mouth. The prince broke the egg, took out the needle, and set to work to snap its point. As he snapped it Kashchey the Deathless struggled and writhed. But he could do nothing: the prince snapped off the point of the needle, and Kashchey died.
    Then the prince went to Kashchey's white stone palace. The wise Princess Vassilisa ran out to meet him, and kissed him on his lips. So Prince Ivan and Princess Vassilisa returned home, and they lived happily to a ripe old age.

To Watch the Movie Adaptation (Its beautiful! A few things are changed of course, but its worth watching!)

Masha and the Bear

Cemetary Polka and I were talking about Russian and German fairytales and she (lucky girl!) has an awesome app on her iphone for Russian folktales! (JEALOUS!) She brought up this folktale and I wanted to share it with you all!

Masha and the Bear

Once upon a time there lived an old man and woman who had a granddaughter named Masha. One day some friends of Masha’s decided to go to the forest to gather mushrooms and berries and they came to Masha’s house to ask her to go with them.

“Please, Babushka and Dedushka,” said Masha, “do let me go to the forest”

“You may go but see that you keep close to the others and do not lose sight of them or you might get lost”, the two old people replied.

Masha and her friends came to the forest and began to hunt for the mushrooms and berries. From bush to bush, from tree to tree went Masha. Before she knew it she had strayed away from her friends. When at last she saw that she was all alone she began to halloo and call to them, but her friends did not hear her and made no answer. Masha went here and there, she walked all over the forest, and there before her she saw a little hut. Masha knocked on the door but there was no answer, so she gave the door a push and lo! The door opened. Masha went into the hut and sat down on a bench by the window. “I wonder who lives here she thought”. Now in that hut lived a great big Bear, only he was out walking in the forest just then. It was evening by the time he came home and when he saw Masha he was very pleased.

“Aha”, said he, “now I’ll never let you go! You will live here in my house as meek as a mouse, and you will cook my dinner and my breakfast too, and be my servant, faithful and true.”

Masha grieved and sorrowed for a long time, but it could not be helped, and so she stayed with the Bear and kept his house for him. Every day the Bear would go into the forest for the day and before leaving, he would tell Masha to stay in the hut and wait for him.

“You must never go out without me, he told her, for if you do I will catch you and eat you up.”

So Masha sat thinking of how she could get away from the Bear. All around was the forest and there was no one to ask which way to go. She thought and thought until she knew what to do.

That day, when the Bear came back from the forest, Masha said to him:

“Bear, Bear do let me to my village for a day. I want to take something good to eat for my Babushka and Dedushka.”  “No that won’t do at all” said the Bear, “you will get lost in the forest, but if you give me what it is you want to give your Grandmother and Grandfather, I will take it myself”.  Now that was all that Masha wanted to hear. She baked some pies, put them on a platter, and getting out a very large basket, said to the Bear:

“I’ll put the pies in the basket and you can take them to my Grandparents. But mind you are not to open the basket on the way and you are not to eat any of the pies. I am going to climb to the top of the big oak tree and watch that you do not open the basket.”  “Very well “, said the Bear, “Give me the basket”.

The Bear went out on the porch to make sure that it was not raining. When he did, Masha crawled into the basket and covered herself with the pies. The Bear came in, and there was the basket all ready to go. So he strapped the basket on his back and started off. Tramp-tramp went the Bear amid the spruce trees. Clumpity-clump went amid the birch trees, up hill and down dale went his long winding trail, and on and on he walked. At last he got tired and sat down to rest.

“If I don’t rest my bones I think I will die, so I will sit on a stump and I’ll eat a pie”, said the Bear.

But Masha called out from the basket: “I see you, I see you! Don’t sit on the stump And don’t eat my pie But take it to Babushka And Dedushka, say I”. “Dear me, what sharp eyes Masha has”, said the Bear, “she sees everything”. He picked up the basket and went on. He stopped again and said: “If I don’t rest my bones, I think I will die, so I’ll sit on a stump and eat a pie”. But Masha called out again from the basket:

“I see you, I see you! Don’t sit on the stump, and don’t eat my pie, but take it to my Bbaushka and Dedushka, as I said “.

“What a clever little girls Masha is”, said the Bear. “She is sitting high up in a tree and she is far away, but she sees all I do and she hears all I say”.

He got to his feet and walked on and on, even faster than before. He came to the village and found the house where Masha’s grandfather and grandmother lived; he began to bang away on the gate with all his might.

” KNOCK, KNOCK, open the gate”, he cried, “I have brought something for you from Masha, he cried”.

But the village dogs scented the Bear and rushed out at him from every yard, yelping and barking. The Bear was frightened, he set down the basket by the gate and away he ran as fast as he could without looking back.

The old man and woman came up to the gate and saw the basket.

“What is in the basket”, the old woman asked.

The old man lifted the top, and looked and he could not believe his eyes: there in the basket sat Masha alive and well. The old man and woman were overjoyed. They kissed and hugged and embraced Masha and they said she was as clever as clever can be, as indeed all our readers will surely agree.

The Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde

A Book Review in Brief

A few months ago I finished the complete fairy tales of Oscar Wilde. I didn't know that he wrote fairy tales! It was great to read Wilde's wonderful writing style in fairy tale formation! Also, as is a popular theme with Victorian fairy tales writers (such as Christina Rossetti and George MacDonald) there are Christian elements in his tales. "The Young King" was a glorious read. As a special bonus the Signet Classics version (pictured) contains the original woodblock illustrations for the tales.

I found the collection to be wonderful lite reading for those of us who don't have much time to devote to all levels of fantastical scholarship!

Happy Reading!