JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012
fairy Tales
Ink and Fairydust Managing Editor Neri Preslin Assistant Editor Amanda Dominick Graphics Editor Shaylynn Rackers Column Editor Ciara Zaketti Proofreaders Aubrey Heesch, Megan Dominick, Marie Jeanette, Mary Collart Contributers Neri Preslin, Mirriam Neal, Lilianna, Bethany McGean, Kevin Derby, Shaylynn Rackers, Lady Eulalia, Allison DeWolf, Megan Dominick, Jo Cromwell, Kendall Jameson, Ciara Zaketti, Amanda Dominick Cover Artwork Mary Sullivan Illustrators Mary MacArthur, Mary Sullivan, Shaylynn Rackers Photographers Emily Rounds, Elizabeth Hausladen, Neri Preslin, Shaylynn Rackers. Stock images: stock.exchng. and public domain photographs --Questions and comments should be directed to ask@inkandfairydust.com Back issues and more information can be found at inkandfairydust.com All articles are the property of their respective owners and cannot be copied or redistributed in any way except for brief, properly cited citation. All photographs, artwork, and graphics are the properties of their respecitve artists and may not be reproduced without specific permission.
CONTENTS Editors’ Note
by Neri Preslin
Odds and Ends The Importance of Fairytales by Mirriam Neal
Midnight by Lilianna
Once Upon a Time by Bethany McGean
Following the King by Kevin Derby
Shea and Bergen by Shaylynn Rackers
4 5 7-10 11 12-15 21 23
24-25 Fairy Party 26-29 Faerie
by Lady Eulalia
by Bethany McGean
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 theme: fairytales Flavors 30 Joy of the Imagination 31 32-33 Children Will Listen 34-37 Fairy Tale Fail I&F Book Review 38 I&F Movie Review 39 Finally, Not Another 40-41 Medical Drama 42-44 At The Bottom of the Wishing Well 46-47 Once Upon a Time 48-49 Grimm 50-52 Bitter Food Makes You Mad by Allison DeWolf
by Megan Dominick
by Jo Cromwell
by Kendall Jameson
by Shaylynn Rackers
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2012 Ink and Fairydust is a free emag full of faith and creativity. It is run entirely by teens and young adults and is published bi-monthly. www.inkandfairydust.com
by Neri Preslin
by Jo Cromwell
by Ciara Zaketti
by Amanda Dominick
by Amanda Dominick
by Ciara Zaketti
SUBSCRIBE Send your email to subscriptions@inkandfairydust.com (subject line “subscription”) to recieve email updates. All issues are FREE.
Greetings I&F readers! It’s been a wonderfully hectic and whirlwind holiday season for us all here at I&F. We’re a little late in getting you our New Years edition of the magazine but we promise it will be well worth the wait. This is by far my favorite issue so far, our cover alone speaks to that end. Our illustrators have outdone themselves and I can’t wait to see what they come up with in the future. Once again I must applaud Shaylynn Rackers, Graphics Editor. Having previously held her position in our staff I know how overwhelming and demanding it can be. She has created a work of art, not only here but in other issues as well, I cannot thank her enough for her commitment to our magazine. Please let us know what you think, we are currently in talks about updating our website as well as the potential for a magazine blog. If you have any comments or ideas we’d love to hear them. Happy New Year! ~ Neri Preslin Managing Editor
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modern fairy tales novels for teens by Regina Doman
shealynn’s faerie shoppe pictured: stardust earrings
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Because Ink and Fairydust is a free magazine, we are not currently set up to handle paid advertising. However, we’d love to get the word out about your business or projects! We love advertisement “swaps!” Please email ask@inkandfairydust.com
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“It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo, the ones that really mattered.
Full of darkness and danger they were, and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end
because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?
But in the end it’s only a passing thing, this shadow, even darkness must pass.
A new day will come, and when the sun shines it’ll shine out the clearer.
Those were the stories that stayed with you, that meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think Mr. Frodo, I do understand, I know now folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t.
They kept going because they were holding on to something.”
~J.R.R. Tolkien 7
The Importance of By Mirriam Neal
Nowadays, it’s easy to underestimate the
and colorless in comparison to the one depicted. And
importance of fairy tales. Skyscrapers have replaced
I quote: “James Cameron’s completely immersive
castles, concrete has replaced long dirt roads, and
spectacle ‘Avatar’ may have been a little too real for
shining armor has been replaced by baggy jeans.
some fans who say they have experienced depression
It can seem like there’s simply no room for
and suicidal thoughts after seeing the film because
fairy tales. Harsh reality has replaced the magic and
they long to enjoy the beauty of the alien world
wonder of the days when princesses and dragons were
Pandora.” People are spiritually thirsty. They want hope,
real. Fantasy has no place in reality, so people say. But to me, this only increases their importance. Fairy tales are not simply meaningless stories told to entertain. They’re important. In a world that leeches the color from everything, fairy tales spark that glint of magic; that shade of brilliant blue in a cloudy sky.
color, mystery. People are more in need of magic than they have ever been before. Just look around you. Movies, books, and music all portray mystery, love, and magic. People are longing for something beyond this world. C. S. Lewis once stated, “If I discover within myself a desire
We need stories. We need fairy tales.
which no experience in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that I was made for
Nowadays there is a greater need for them
another world.”
than there has ever been before. An article written
I believe that is exactly why we have this deep
shortly after the release of the blockbuster Avatar
hunger for things beyond our reach. God has created
discussed how viewers often fell into depression after
in us a higher calling; a longing for something more.
watching the film, because our world seemed bland
Something beautiful and perfect and full of everything
8
Fairytales we’ve ever dreamed. He created in us a vision of Heaven; one which we cannot help but try and fulfill on earth. Fairy tales are important because they help keep that spark of Heaven alive. G. K. Chesterton put it beautifully when he said in Tremendous Trifles:
Exactly what the fairy tale does is
this: it accustoms him for a series of clear pictures to the idea that these limitless terrors had a limit, that these shapeless enemies have enemies in the knights of God,
Fairy tales, then, are not responsible
for producing in children fear, or any of the shapes of fear; fairy tales do not give the
that there is something in the universe more mystical than darkness and stronger than strong fear.
child the idea of the evil or the ugly; that is in the child already, because it is in the world
Fairy tales give us a glimpse of something
already. Fairy tales do not give the child his
nobler and full of wonder. They give us a glimpse of
first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the
chivalry, danger, monsters, courtship, honor, valor, and
child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an
peril. In a world where black and white are blurred into gray, fairy tales are full of villains and heroes, good versus evil, where the good always wins. I don’t believe that this is a foolish or
imagination. What the fairy tale provides for
unrealistic view of the world. Deep down, people
him is a St. George to kill the dragon.
know that it is not a false view, because we see the
9
patterns for it everywhere in the world around us.
the air, composed of sounds and ideas—
Darkness gives way to the morning rays of sunlight.
abstract, invisible, gone once they’ve been
Wars that seem to last for an eternity finally end. Napoleon once said that the pen is mightier than the sword, and he was right. With words, we can
spoken—and what could be more frail than that? But some stories, small, simple
craft stories that are representations of what we want.
ones about setting out on adventures or
We can create hope and bring light to darkness. Fairy
people doing wonders, tales of miracles and
tales – indeed, stories themselves – are special things.
monsters, have outlasted all the people who
Neil Gaiman says in his work Fragile Things:
told them, and some of them have outlasted the lands in which they were created.
Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds’ eggs and human hearts
The written word is one of the most powerful
and dreams, are also fragile things, made
things on earth. Do we use them for good, or for evil?
up of nothing stronger or more lasting
Cynics say that fairy tales are for dreamers.
than twenty-six letters and a handful of
But I say, what’s wrong with dreaming?
punctuation marks. Or they are words on
““What are we holding onto, Sam?”” “ That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo.
and it’s worth f ighting for.” ~J.R.R. Tolkien 10
by Liliana It seemed long ago that the last dusky petals of
in her heart. Those she hates with the bitterness of
sunset had drifted from the sky into the embrace of the
a forgotten promise, and when she sees their deeds,
horizon. Now the warm winds caress the trees, which
the coldness of winter’s heart becomes her own. She
cast no shadow in the inky darkness with only the stars
turns away from the violators of her sacred night and
create pinpoints of light to guide the wanderers of the
doesn’t let the light of the stars or moon shine on their
night. A curious thing happens as shadows lengthened
souls, but rather lets them wallow in the darkness
in the birth of night; a thing which no one notices,
of their beings which they believe is the night and
though it happens time and again. A shadow, curled
there they waste away believing themselves complete
up at the foot of a willow tree, and rather than fading
without the light.
into the coming darkness rested darkened, and now awakes. No shadow now, but a maiden who is tall
Ah, but for those she loves, she is a benevolent lady with a quiet laugh and a willing smile. These are the wanderers of the night who lie in the damp grass
and slender, and carries herself in a graceful manner
and listen to the whispers of the trees. Those who walk
that makes one think of a queen. Her skin is as pale
with faces upturned towards the angels asleep in the
as milk and through it shines a soft light. A glow, as
sky, who even in sleep shed light on the world and
if she was a delicate figurine of purest glass, which
watch over it. The people who drink in the purity of
had tilted its face towards the midnight sky and been
the night like fine wine and understand the dreams of
filled to bursting with moonlight. Her eyes peer out at
the sleeping flowers are those who she blesses, so they
the world like two luminous orbs, twin moons hung
can enter even deeper to the mystery, be one with the
above a red mouth, gently curved into a shadow a
stillness, and converse with the silence.
smile. Raven hair flows down her back like a river and brushes the heels of her nimble feet. From her hidden resting place she is still and
When the first call of the mocking bird awakens reality once more, she isn’t resentful. She suffers her slow death calmly and with her ever patient
is everywhere. She is a watcher, a listener, a guardian;
smile. She feels bittersweet enjoyment in the beauty of
she calls those who love the night her children, and
the sunrise, which banishes darkness. It is with a brave
she loves and protects them in turn. But it is not those
smile and mournful eyes she fades, like all shadows
who love the night for its darkness and who use the
must, and is gone.
darkness for self serving and evil who find a place
11
Once Upon
by Bethany McGean
a Time artwork by Arthur Rackham, public domain
Even as we seek to reassure ourselves that it’s okay to read fairy tales, we still feel the pressure to defend our passions to others. Often when we talk to others about fairy tales, they give us blank stares or rolled eyes that imply unasked questions. “You still read fairy tales? Aren’t they for kids?” Our response? Do we shuffle uncomfortably under their condescending glances and falter as our
Once upon a time... Since childhood, those words have transported us into the realm of faerie. We danced at midnight balls, faced the big bad wolf, and begged enchanted princesses to wake. Yet, sometimes, our belief in talking animals and forbidden enchantments falters. In the back of our minds, subversive thoughts niggle away at our childhood beliefs. Can I grow up and still love fairy tales? 12
own doubts ebb away at our enthusiasm? Or do we have a defense? We are not the first to wrestle with the validity of fairy tales. In fact, the best defense regarding faerie tales can be found in the writings of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. They believed in the intrinsic value of fairy stories. While the critics often level many arguments against fairy-stories, two of their most prevalent arguments pertain to the belief that fairy-stories are for children and they are escapist. Lewis and Tolkien fervently defend against both of these misconceptions.
A Definition
fairy-tale in the hope that no one who dislikes fantasy
First, before we can begin discussing their
may be misled by the first two chapters into reading
views and defense of fairy-stories, we must briefly
further, and then complain of his disappointment”
touch upon their definition of ‘faerie’. When Tolkien
(7). He defends calling the book a fairy tale because
and Lewis refer to fairy tales, they do not simply refer
he was “following the traditional fairy-tale. We do
to the folktales recorded by the Grimm brothers and
not always notice its method, because the cottages,
Hans Christian Andersen, but rather to stories “about
castles, woodcutters, and petty kings with which a
the adventures of men in the Perilous Realm or upon
fairy-tale opens have become for us as remote as the
its shadowy marches” (Tolkien 38). This definition does little to clarify fairy stories without defining the Perilous Realms, and Tolkien never directly states, “The Perilous Realm is…” Instead, he describes a realm where the mundane and extraordinary meet. And, at their meeting, truth is revealed. Tolkien goes on to say, “Faerie contains many things besides elves and fay, and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants, or dragons: it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and
“Faerie contains many things besides elves and fay, and besides dwarfs, witches, trolls, giants, or dragons: it holds the seas, the sun, the moon, the sky; and the earth, and all things that are in it: tree and bird, water and stone, wine and bread, and ourselves, moral men, when we are enchanted.”
witches and ogres to which it proceeds. But they were not remote at all to the men who made and first enjoyed the stories” (Lewis, Strength 7). In their discussions of fairy-stories, both Lewis and Tolkien broaden the definition to include any story that traverses the borderlands of the fantastic and through that journey the readers learn more about themselves and the world.
Children Both Tolkien and Lewis found
all things that are in it: tree and bird,
the idea that fairy stories were meant
water and stone, wine and bread, and
only for the ears of children ridiculous.
ourselves, mortal men, when we are enchanted” (38). Also, Tolkien and Lewis considered some
Tolkien notes that fairy tales only entered the nursery “because the adults do not want it, and do
of their own writings as fairy stories. Tolkien writes
not mind if it is misused” (58), not because of any
Leaf by Niggle and Smith of Wootton Major, two
intrinsic childishness belonging to Faerie. He notes
fairy stories that reveal the nature of Faerie, which he
the association between children and fairy-stories
describes in On Fairy-Stories. In the preface to That
occur “because children are human and fairy-stories
Hideous Strength, Lewis says, “I have called this a
are a natural human taste (though not necessarily a 13
universal one)” (65). Just as not all fairy-stories are
and turn it on its head. Instead of being a negative,
meant for children, not all children enjoy fairy-stories.
Tolkien finds the escape provided by fairy-stories
Lewis says, “In fact, many children do not like this
as positive. For him, this escape is the escape of a
kind of book [fairy tales], just as many children do not
captive and it is the critics who despise fairy-stories
like horsehair sofas: and many adults do like it, just
for their escapist nature who “are confusing, not
as adults like rocking chairs” (“Children” 26-27). In
always by sincere error, the Escape of the Prisoner
regards to his own fondness of fairy tales, he states,
with the Flight of the Deserter” (79). The escape
“When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would
of the captive longing for freedom is desirable and
have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now
understandable; the flight of the deserter is cowardly
that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became
and fearful. The prisoner races towards reality, the
a man I put away childish things, including the fear
deserter flees from it. Lewis considers the “charge of
of childishness and the desire to be very grown up”
escapism” and finds “that fairy land arouses a longing
(Lewis, Children 25). Sometimes the true value of
for he know not what. It stirs and troubles him (to his
fairy tales cannot be appreciated until we grow up and
life-long enrichment) with the dim sense of something
accepting this is a sign of this process.
beyond his reach and, far from dulling or emptying the actual world, give it a new dimension of depth. He
Escape Tolkien and Lewis take the charge of escapism
does not despise real woods because he has read of enchanted woods: the reading makes all real woods a little enchanted. This is a special kind of longing” (Lewis Children 29-30). Instead of escaping from the real world, fairy-stories offer us a greater depth and appreciation to the world around us.
As we draw to the end of our discussion on fairy-stories, we come to the Eucatastrophe. Tolkien coined this word as he concluded his essay On Fairy-Stories to describe the “the joy of the happy ending: or more correctly of the good catastrophe, the sudden joyous ‘turn’” (85-86). This joy--this good catastrophe--is
Tolkien’s defining quality of fairy-stories. Through the
redemption--and concludes his essay with “All tales
Eucatastrophe he winds the evangelium of fairy-stories may come true; and yet, at the last, redeemed, they with the good news of the Gospels and declares, “Art
may be as like and as unlike the forms that we give
has been verified. God is the Lord, of angels and of
them as Man, finally redeemed, will be like and unlike
men--and of elves. Legend and History have met
the fallen that we know” (Tolkien 90).
and fused” (89). He brings together the joy and truth found in these stories and reveals something greater:
If you’d like to learn more, here are a few additional resources.
-The Tolkien Reader by J.R.R. Tolkien -Mythopoeia by J.R.R. Tolkien -Letters to Children by C.S. Lewis -Of Other Worlds by C.S. Lewis and On Stories by C.S. Lewis -From Homer to Harry Potter by Matthew Dickerson and David O’Hara -The Tolkien Professor podcast by Dr. Corey Olson (http://www.tolkienprofessor.com/index.html)
Works Cited
Tolkien, J.R.R. “On Fairy-Stories.” The Tolkien Reader. New York: Ballantine Books, 1966. 33-99. Print. ---. Preface. That Hideous Strength. By Lewis. 1946. New York: Macmillan, 1971. 7-8. Print. Lewis, C.S. “On Three Ways of Writing for Children.” Of Other Worlds. 1966. New York: Harcourt, 1994. 22-34. Print. 15
book reviews by Kevin Derby
Readers should be suspicious when writers turn back to past subjects. For example, Ernest Hemingway’s The Dangerous Summer simply did not live up to the same ground he covered before in Death in the Afternoon. Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman created one of the best fantasy series in recent years in the Dragonlance Chronicles, and the Lost Chronicles tries to fill in some of the gaps of the original books. While they avoid major pitfalls and the Lost Chronicles do not take any luster off the original series, it must be conceded they do nothing to build on the glories of the first books. Dragons of Dwarven Depths, the first volume of the Lost Chronicles, is the best book of the series. There is a certain joy in seeing beloved characters interact with one another and the writers send more than a few knowing winks the reader’s way since we know more about the plot than the characters do at this point. Some of the best parts of the Dragonlance series focused on the intimate moments, like when the companions seemed more concerned with their own survival and what was in front of them than the epic wars for control in their world of Krynn. Weis and Hickman are able to present some very good scenes when they can think small; when characters face dangers on their own. When Weis and Hickman try to show the bigger picture (for example, one of the characters leads an army of refugees or an in-depth take on dwarf tribal
politics), the authors simply lose the narrative and the reader loses interest. Still, while Dwarven Depths is the best of the Lost Chronicles, there remain some problems with the book. This book suffers from poor editing: poor copy editing and poor plot editing. One of the chief reasons Weis and Hickman split the Companions apart in the original series was the simple fact that the authors could not focus on character development when there were too many actors on the stage at once. That’s a problem here since almost a dozen heroes, not to mention a host of new characters and the villains, fight for page time. Tolstoy may have been able to pull the strings on so many puppets but Weis and Hickman simply are not up to that level. The second volume of the new series, Dragons of the Highlord Skies, comes off as Hamlet without the Dane. Without some of the leading characters in the saga taking the stage, Weis and Hickman are able to bring other characters to the front. This works to some extent as they flesh out some of the more ignored characters in the series from a femme fatale to a spunky elven princess. They also include one of their most fascinating villains of the entire series who did not even appear in the original books. But again Weis and Hickman think too large. Instead of focusing on the lead characters, the authors spend too much time on the almost Byzantine politics of an order of knights. Having said that, the final battle at Icewall and the
various adventures keep the readers’ interest. Dragons of the Hourglass Mage is the last, shortest, and weakest book in the Lost Chronicles trilogy. It feels rushed, especially the last quarter of the book. Even worse, in such a short book, the authors spend too many pages in having characters narrate and explain things that the characters they are speaking to already know. To be blunt, Weis and Hickman seem a little torn in deciding if this is a book that can stand on its own or is part of the greater Dragonlance tapestry. They did not decide and that is what proves so frustrating about the book. Characters, gods and magic are introduced and then removed from the stage without any real rationale. This is fine if you are familiar with the other books, but not if this is the only Dragonlance book you have read. On the other hand, familiar tales are retold (some more than once) which is fine if you have never read any of the other books but annoying if you have spent countless hours in Krynn. While one of the best characters in the Dragonlance bullpen gets most of the focus in the book, Hourglass Mage is helped with an interesting--if not, towards the end, convoluted--plot, which helps end the trilogy. While not bad books, the Lost Chronicles would only appeal to devoted fans of the series. They really make little sense outside the greater framework of the other Dragonlance books.
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shea and bergen
Fairytales are more than true not because they tell us that
dragons exist
but because they tell us that
dragons can be beaten. ~G.K. Chesterton 23
Somewhere is a land, Not far away, Where a phoenix flies And Fairies play. Where in forests dark Dwell merry sprites, Singing and dancing, On midsummer nights. Where a princess dwells In tower tall, Who sings harvest songs As the leaves fall. Where fauns trek across Shimmering snow. Winter lights dance. A pale moon glows. Where new life sings To a spring morn Our risen Lord These fairies adore. This land of wonder So pure, so fair, We can see only As through a mirror. 24
somewhere is a land and fairies play
Until some threat should Come upon it. Then they may call In song or sonnet. Then hear, distantly That gentle note Upon the breeze That bids us go. Into those woods Shrouded in mist Into those woods We enter, in bliss. Land of peril And beauty as well The mysteries there No one may tell Enchantments spring From rock and tree In that land Of fair Faerie. In that strange land, Not so far away Where phoenix flies And fairies play.
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by Bethany McGean
illustrated by Mary MacArthur
The land of faerie is a mystical place—a realm of enchantments and magic. Fairy godmothers grant wishes, youngest sons become heroes, and things aren’t always as they appear. The hideous hag at your door is a beautiful sorceress, the old beggar man with advice is the king, and the talking frog at the well is prince charming. From the seven swan brothers to the transformed servant girl, the denizens of fairy tales are rarely who they appear to be on the surface. Just as enchantments hide the true nature of fairy tale creatures, at a masquerade, masks hide the faces of the participants. In celebration of fairy tale month here at Ink and Fairydust, we donned our silk dancing slippers, magical ball gowns, and fairy masks. You can join in the celebration by holding your own
faerie masquerade.
The Masquerade
With this in mind, invite your friends to dress in their best fairy garb and slip on a mask. Creating a mask is one of the best parts of a masquerade. Begin by sketching an idea for your mask, then choose your base and have fun decorating. An inexpensive
fabric, and other materials can also be used for a base. Trim your mask with ribbon, lace, paint, stickers, markers, glitter and any other odds and ends you find around home or the craft store. If you choose to make masks at your party, remember they will need time to dry
mask by Shaylynn Rackers
half mask can be purchased at your local craft store. Papier-mâché,
before you wear them. After all the hard work of designing your masks, hold a contest at your masquerade. Allow your guests to vote on the best design, most creative, and most colorful, for example. You don’t need to stick to the usual categories; be as creative in your categories as the masks at your party—best use of sequins, most animal-like, etc. 27
Decorations
With the invitations sent out, it is time to transform your home into a magical fairy tale. String fairy lights (white Christmas lights) around the room so they resemble twinkling stars or the sparks of dancing fae. Focus your decorating around your favorite types of fairy tales. Do you like stories about kings and queens in elegant palaces? Or, maybe you prefer tales that occur in nature? Set a palatial theme with tapestries, swords and pictures of castles. For a more naturalistic setting, make floral or leaf arrangements for the mantle and bookcases and pictures of nature faeries. Or, you can mix and match from both themes. Set an elegant table with jeweled goblets (past fake “gems” on plastic wine glasses), embroidered table runners and candelabras.
The Feast
Treat your guests to a fairy feast. Fairy tales often mention food and it
is often integral to the plot of the story. While the three bears’ pilfered porridge might not make for the best party food, the little match girl dreamed of a New Year’s feast. You can serve fish (the salmon of knowledge), green bean casserole (Jack and the Beanstalk), and applesauce (Snow White’s apple). For more ideas, check out Fairy Tale Feasts by Jane Yolen. For dessert, fill a basket full of goodies (Red Riding Hood). These goodies can include pumpkin bread (Cinderella), gingerbread cookies (Hansel and Gretel and The Gingerbread Man), and fairy food candy (another name for sponge candy). For a fun activity, decorate the gingerbread cookies with your friends. To compliment the fairy tale theme, cut the cookies out in a fairy tale shapes, such as the three bears, houses, c gingerbread men, and stars.
Activities
To entertain your guests, plan a few party games. The “Who am I?” game can be a fun icebreaker and easily altered for a fairy tale party. Before your guests arrive, write the name of fairytale characters on sticker name tags. You might not want to choose the most obvious characters, such as Cinderella or Snow White, 28
but also avoid the really obscure or vague characters. Characters such as the miller’s daughter or Clever Elsie might make the game too hard. When your friends arrive randomly choose a nametag and place it on her back. She’s not allowed to peek. Before your feast, your friend asks the other guests yes or no questions about the character on their back until they figure out who they are. Be sure to talk to everyone and not just ask one person all your questions. For example, a series of questions about Red Riding Hood might be: “Am I an animal?” “No.” “Am I female?” “Yes.” “Am I royal?” “No.” “Do I have a fairy godmother?” “No.” “Do I have a stepmother?” “No.” “A grandmother? “Yes.” “Do I interact with animals?” “Yes.” “Am I Red Riding Hood?” “Yes.”
For more group activities you might want to play fairy
tale charades. Another game you can play is the story game. Have everyone sit in a circle and take turns telling pieces of a story. Choose a “master storyteller” and she will begin the story with “Once upon a time…” and a sentence or two to set the scene. Then, she points to another guest to continue the story from where she left off. Your guests will need to pay attention because at any time—even mid-sentence—the “master storyteller” can choose another person to pick up the story. When the story comes to a conclusion, the “master storyteller” points to herself and finishes the story with “The End.” Take turns being the “master storyteller” and create your own outrageous fairy tales..
Party Favors
You may consider giving party favors or prizes for the games. Rhinestone, butterfly, or flower hair clips and bands are fun prizes. If you’re feeling crafty, you can make fairy bookmarks. Cut card stock into 1 ½” by 4” strips. Decorate the strips with fairy stickers or stamps. You can personalize the bookmarks with by writing your friends’ names with sparkle gel pens. Punch a hole at the top of the bookmark and tie a piece of fun yarn at the top for a tassel. Or instead of fairy stickers, make fairy tale theme bookmarks. Put bears on a Three Bears bookmark, ballet slippers on the Twelve Dancing Princesses bookmark, and so on. Be creative. Let your imagination roam.
As the clock strikes twelve and your friends hurry to catch their magic carriages, wish your friends good night and be on the look out for any lost slippers.
29
s r o flav
by
Allison DeWolf
Delicious Wintertime Cookies! Last Fall, we had an “open house” in our dorm. My residence coordinator asked me to make these cookies... they were so delicious! I was pleasantly surprised to find them all gone within 30 minutes. This recipe is easy to double (which I did), and is also easy to adapt. I’ll give you the original recipe, as well as a yummy change. The original recipe is a chocolate chip cookie with a little twist – a packet of chocolate pudding mix! The pudding mix adds some extra chocolatey goodness along with the chocolate chips. A couple notes: -I baked my first batch for 10 minutes and they were pretty crispy. I’d start monitoring your cookies around 7 or 8 minutes to ensure that you don’t over-bake. -You can also use vanilla pudding mix. It gives a slightly chewier cookie, which I really like.
Double Chocolate Chip Cookies 2 sticks butter, softened 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 1/4 cup white sugar 2 eggs 1/2 tsp vanilla 1 small pkg instant chocolate pudding (3.9 oz) 2 cups flour 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar with a wooden spoon or an electric mixer. Add the eggs and vanilla and stir until combined. Then add the pudding mix, flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix thoroughly (again, you can do it by hand like I did or use an electric mixer). Toss in the chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes (10 minutes for a gooier cookie, and 12 minutes for a more chewy effect). Enjoy! Variation: Use 1 cup flour and 1 cup oatmeal for Oatmeal Double Chocolate Chip Cookies! Your cook time may be a bit shorter.
30
Joy of the Imagination
By Megan Dominick
“Your imagination is the single most important asset you possess. Your imagination is your power to create mental pictures of things that don’t exist yet and that you want to bring into being. Your imagination is what you use to shape your future. And so in your own way, you are a prophet. You generate countless predictions every day. Your imagination is the source, tirelessly churning out mental pictures of what you’ll be doing in the future.” - Rob Brezsny
Just like the child who plays by themselves in a corner, anyone can find joy in their imagination. As Rob Brezsny said in the quote above, our imagination is the most important asset that we possess and with it we can create such a multitude of things. The imagination is such an important asset because without it no one would be able to do very much with their lives. Pretend that you are a famous author and you are about to start writing a new story, but you don’t know where to start. That is when you start to pull random ideas from your imagination. When authors come up with story ideas they can write about almost anything. Some of the books written range from vampire romances to retold fairy tales (though some of these kinds of stories are for more mature audiences). But no matter what story is being written, the authors have fun with their imagination while writing their current creation. Whether or not they are aware of it, the imagination that they put in their story can bring joy to others. As authors, they really need to get into the heads of their characters when they start a story. A book without any imagination at all would be rather boring and would put people to sleep within seconds! An example of how the imagination can be used is in fairy tales. In any fairy tale you read, some of the things are imaginative (though they can be a bit on the morbid side). Two that exemplify this use of the imagination are Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel. In Grimm’s Cinderella, you see a tree that grew because Cinderella’s tears fell on it--a direct result of the imagination of the author. Later this same tree, with
two doves sitting in it, also gives her three dresses so that she can go to the three day festival the king is having. In the Disney version of Cinderella, you have the talking mice, the fairy godmother, and the magic wand. Readers need an imagination as well, not only authors. In Hansel and Gretel, there is the house made out of food--that requires imagination, simply to think about what it may look like. In daily life you can use your imagination, whether you are writing a story or simply playing alone in a corner. You can use your imagination when you are just sitting there. When you are using your imagination to think up different things, it doesn’t matter whether they are stories or just things that are fairy tale like. Your imagination can even be used when you are in the middle of doing something and you see something strange. Though it may not seem like it, imagination can help you with many things. Without imagination, there wouldn’t be much joy in the world. So whether you are an author, a child, or just someone who likes to find the wonder and magic in everyday life, you can use your imagination and find joy in it. When you use your imagination it can take you places that only you can go to. And when you go to the places in your imagination, you can have all the fun that you want there because no one else can get into your imagination. So no matter where you are or what the time or place may be, or even whether you are an author at work on a story or a child at play in some random corner, you can find immense joy in your imagination. 31
Children W
and So
The Loveliest Musical Yo
Have you ever thought about how much work would have to go into making a pair of real glass slippers? The delicacy, the intricacy, the shape and form so perfect it sparkles? Well, if Broadway had a pair of glass slippers, it would be Into the Woods. Perhaps the greatest musical that practically no one’s heard of, Into the Woods is one of Stephen Sondheim’s best, and densest, creations. It’s so dense, it fact, that I can’t go into the plot in detail here. At least half a dozen different fairy tales (including the tales of Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk, and Little Red Riding Hood) are involved, each of them expertly intertwined with the other. Each of the characters has to venture into the woods to find his or her 32
heart’s desire, and they all end up happily ever after – at the end of the first act. Then a sudden misfortune unsettles their world, and they go
care with strangers,/ even flowers have their dangers,/ and though scary is exciting,/ nice is different than good” – to the downright
into the forest again to try to set it right. Along the way, they discover that happily ever after is, perhaps, not so happy as it seems. Lyrically, Into the Woods is beautiful, practical, and a mighty tongue-twister. Sondheim, who also wrote the lyrics for West Side Story and Sweeney Todd, really shows what he does best here. The words are natural, yet magical – they drive the story along with a purpose, yet they pause to let us fully realize what their implications are. They
heartrending, when the Witch sighs, “Children can only grow from something you love to something you lose.” Into the Woods is full of little gems like these, sparkling bits of glass in what appears to be an ordinary pair of shoes. This is the musical that teaches its audience that “wishes may bring problems such that you regret them,” that “sometimes people leave you halfway through the wood,” that “no knot unties itself” yet “every
range from the silly and alliterative – Cinderella, telling us of how the Prince smeared pitch on the palace staircase to trap her as she fled, sings, “Better stop and take stock/ while you’re standing here stuck/ on the steps of the palace” – to the concrete and contemplative – Little Red Riding Hood, experiencing a different, more guarded world when freed from the Wolf’s hungry stomach, tells us, “And take extra
knot was once straight rope,” and that “sometimes the things you most wish for are not to be touched.” But it doesn’t take itself seriously all the time. Cinderella’s step-family, for example, cautions us to “never wear mauve at a ball… or pink… or open your mouth.” The prince pining after Rapunzel tells the prince chasing Cinderella that his “agony [is] far more painful,” because “you know she would go with you, if there only
ill Listen,
o Should You – u’ve Never Heard Of By Jo Cromwell were doors.” And Rapunzel herself, in regards to living with her mother, says “our little world is perfect, if she just wouldn’t drool…”
chromatic scale. But the show isn’t just a musical mush for musicians like me to freak out over. There are songs that are just songs, like Last
Well. Enough about the lyrics. Time to geek out about the music. Sondheim also wrote the music for Into the Woods, as he did with Sweeney Todd and A Little Night Music. For the die-hard fans out there, that should give you an idea of how tight-knit this music is. For example, the song Your Fault, an argument between five of the characters, goes at such a breakneck pace the singers are practically tripping over each other to get all their syllables out. Yet every word
Midnight, the Witch’s last-ditch attempt to get what she wants, or the beautiful No One is Alone. It’s slow, and unassuming, but it packs the most powerful punch of the whole show. Now, hopefully, you’re thinking you should probably go check this thing out. Good news, it’s not so obscure that you can’t find it anywhere. There are a few recordings of Broadway casts (both original and revival) doing this, and rest assured, these people know what
is perfect. The very first song, the Prologue, simultaneously tells three different stories and sets up the entire play, while also introducing much of the melodic and rhythmic motives that will hold the whole musical score together. I Wish, sung by almost all the characters, is just two notes going up by step, but as the play progresses it steps up higher and higher until all of its appearances have spanned almost a whole
they’re doing. There’s also a filmed version of the stage play (featuring Bernadette Peters) that’s pretty darn awesome. Be warned, it’s long – it runs over two hours. But it’s all so delicately woven together you won’t even notice. So please do get into it. You won’t regret it. Into the Woods is lighthearted and serious, playful and weighty, and something that should not be missed, especially by musicians or lovers of
fairy tales. Let me leave you with one more thing: “When going to hide, know how to get there… and how to get back… and eat first.”
33
Fairy Tale L I A F
by Kendall Jameson
34
Close your eyes and remember your six-year-
turns around and offers to get her whatever she wishes
old self. Now, if you were like me, you already knew
from the fair that he is attending. Anyways, it is from
every classic Disney movie by heart and pretending to
this fair that Cinderella receives a strange tree branch
be Cinderella or Snow White was what made chores
that somehow obtained magical powers because
bearable. I was always very disappointed that friendly
Cinderella cried on it everyday. It became a genie tree
forest animals never came to help me clean.
and when the prince’s festival was announced it gave
Imagine how traumatizing it would be to learn
her a dress for the first ball. The ball was wonderful
that while Cinderella did have those animals to help
until Cinderella had to hide in a pigeon house and pull
her, her family went so far as to attempt to murder her
a disappearing act in order to avoid being chopped to
to help the prince find her. Twice! There is a teensy
pieces by her father. The next night was similar, but
bit more blood in the original fairy tales. I guess Walt
her father tried to chop down a pear tree to get to her.
Disney didn’t want to scare all the impressionable children that made up his audience.
Yes, Cinderella’s father was a crazy axemurderer who knew full well that it might be his daughter who would receive the next blow from his
Cinderella So everyone knows the Disney version of
axe. Again, she disappeared in a very convenient and unexplained manner only to go get ready for the
Cinderella: a daughter mistreated by her step-family
next ball. This dance Disney got partially right; at
makes it to the prince’s ball with help from talking
least the part where she danced with the prince and
mice and a fairy godmother with time constraints. The
he somehow ended up with her shoe. In the original,
original Grimm’s fairy tale is slightly different. First of he had to paint the steps with pitch in order to get her all, her father never died. He was there all along and
shoe. As he is going around to the various houses, the
just let his new step-wife turn his beloved daughter
two step sisters cut off their toes and heels in order to
into a slave. What I don’t understand is how he allows
fit into the tiny shoe. I want to know how the prince
her to be treated in such a harsh manner and then he
didn’t notice the gaping, bleeding wound on his fake
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Cinderella’s foot. The rest of it more or less is the
This is where Disney and Grimm’s match up
same as the Disney version: Cinderella is discovered,
again for a while: Snow White is an idiot and lets
they get married, there are happy birds flying all
the apple peddler inside. She chokes and appears
around them, and then the birds go back and peck out
to be really, truly dead this time, since the dwarves
the step sisters’ eyes.
put her in a transparent coffin because they want to watch her rot. I suppose the Heimlich wasn’t common
Snow White Disney does fairly well with Snow White up until the part where they skip over the evil queen’s
knowledge back then. After a long time passes, wherein Snow White is miraculously incorruptible, a handsome king comes riding through the forest and
numerous
basically
visits to the
offers the
dwarfs’ cabin.
dwarves
The first time,
his entire
it was mildly
kingdom in
excusable;
exchange
Snow White
for the
didn’t realize
dead Snow
that she had
White,
to mistrust
who he has
every sketchy
never met
looking
or seen
peddler that came to her door selling things. The
before I might add. That is slightly more creepy than a
peddler queen tried to kill her with a corset and a
Prince Charming waking up his true love with a kiss.
comb. The dwarves saved her by cutting off the
Disney also skipped the ending, where Snow White
corset, in true Pirates of the Caribbean fashion, and
wakes up when the apple gets dislodged from her
simply taking the comb out of her hair. I have a hard
throat by the king and they marry. It’s all happily ever
time sympathizing with Snow White, because after
after, especially as they watch the murdering queen
being almost-murdered twice by a peddler, most sane
dance in red-hot iron slippers until she dies in agony.
humans would think twice about welcoming another strange peddler into their home. 36
Rapunzel First of all I want to point out that there is no Flynn Rider in Grimm’s version. Instead, Rapunzel was the daughter of some couple who promised her off to a witch in exchange for cabbage. The moral of the story: pregnant ladies get ridiculously strong cravings for other people’s vegetables. In order that mother dearest could satisfy her munchies, Rapunzel was given to the enchantress and forced to grow up in a tall tower. Around fourteen years later, a prince randomly happens to pass by the tower and falls in love with Rapunzel’s singing. While he was being a creeper, he saw how the enchantress entered the tower and swore to come back the next day to try his luck. Of course, she lets down her hair for him, although honestly I don’t understand how she couldn’t differentiate between his voice and the enchantress’. In all of ten seconds, she loses her fear of this man and promises to marry him. Now, I’m going to ignore the
When her prince found the enchantress instead of Rapunzel in the tower, he flung himself from the tower in despair, but instead of dying he was merely blinded by thorns at the bottom. After many years, he somehow stumbled upon Rapunzel and his twins suffering a terrible life in the desert. One of the things that was consistent between the Grimm’s and Disney version was the fact that Rapunzel has healing tears. However, Disney Rapunzel used them to heal the man who sacrificed his life to save her, while Grimm’s Rapunzel used them to cure the blindness that was a side effect of an attempted suicide. In the end, Rapunzel still became a princess, and supposedly lived happily ever after.
Here is my fairy tale: Once upon a time, Disney stole the very basic ideas from the Grimm’s fairy tales and proceeded to murder the plots instead of the characters. The end.
fact that this is the first man she has ever met, as well as the first stranger, and focus on how this is different from the Disney version. Disney Rapunzel escapes the tower to pursue her dreams on an adventure of self-discovery. Her hair was cut by the man she came to love, through quirky escapades, in order to free her from the wicked step-mother. In Grimm’s version, Rapunzel’s hair was cut off in order to prevent her
Please note: I&F is in no way discouraging against Disney fairy tales. We love everything even remotely fairy tale-ish and have seen all Disney fairy tales in theaters and will go see all Disney fairy tales in 3D.:) -Neri, Editor
from ever seeing the prince again and then she was left to wander a desert while pregnant with the prince’s twins.
37
The Great Good Thing reviewed by Shaylynn Rackers What happens to the characters in a book when the reader closes the cover? What if the characters are all actors, playing roles, who resume their ordinary lives between readings? The Great Good Thing by Roderick Townley runs on this premise. As the opening line tells us, “Sylvie had an amazing life, but she didn’t get to live it very often.” I first read The Great Good Thing in early elementary school. Of course, my mind was enchanted by the thought of princesses, magical beings, and adventures. Yet there was something about the story that stayed with me even after the memories of other “young children’s books” began to fade. In the early 1900’s, a young girl received a book that she read, re-read, and loved so much that it practically became a part of her. Yet in the years since this First Reader last closed the cover, the characters of The Great Good Thing are left to pass the time uneventfully. Sylvie, a typical adventurous princess, hates waiting around for the next Reader. Finally, another young girl, the granddaughter of the first Reader, opens the book. The characters dust off their clothing and tell the story for Claire--but it doesn’t last for long. At the risk of giving something away, I’ll just say that Claire’s pyromaniac brother destroys their book, and Princess Sylvie leads the characters on a journey across the margins of the book into Claire’s mind. This is where the story becomes far-fetched and extremely interesting. The plot itself takes some complicated turns, but the story develops a new dimension of depth. We travel with Sylvie through Claire’s subconscious, have daring adventures, meet the memories that live in her
38
mind, visit worlds within worlds, and watch Claire grow old... Although I didn’t realize it at the time, I now know that I loved The Great Good Thing because it is a philosophical reflection as much as an engaging adventure. It is primarily about the relationship between the reader and the book. When we read a book, how does it remain with us and change us? There is so much wonderment to be found in the magical act of reading, and this book truly awakened me to that wonder. I recently read this book again, and I was surprised to find even more gems behind the story; things that I could never place my finger on as an eight year old but that stayed bright in the back of my mind, taunting me with timeless thoughts. The story plays with the borders between imagination and memory; it reflects on the pricelessness and briefness of life; it wonders at the profound relationship between the Reader and Author. Although it is geared at the 9-12 age range, The Great Good Thing is a beautiful story for anyone. It has that special ability to touch the reader at different levels. On one hand, it is a fun blend of character, wit, and fairytale. Yet it is also an allegory about the power of stories and the mysteries of life. Thoughtful children will love the story and the intriguing questions it poses; teens and adults who don’t mind a “younger” writing style will love the whimsical approach to philosophical reflections.
Tangled reviewed by Neri Preslin “At Last I See the Light” a Skeptic’s Love Affair with Disney’s Tangled When Disney announced that they would be making a movie based off Rapunzel I was excited; when I heard they would be making it in CGI I was skeptical. Why change from hand drawn to CGI for presumably the “last” Disney princess movie? Why ruin a good thing? Then all of the questions began to build: How are they going to change the story? How good will the music be? I had every intention of hating this movie, until I actually went and saw it. For someone so sure they would hate this version of Rapunzel I can honestly say it is my favorite of the Disney princess movies. After all the skepticism about the music, the animation, the fairy tale rewrite--it all worked, and in a surprisingly fresh way. Now I can’t imagine Disney creating the story any other way. CGI was the perfect way to create the backdrop of Tangled; the lantern scene alone makes the movie worth owning. The movie does lack some of the catchy/memorable lyrics found in other Disney animations, but it is forgiven by this audience member, because of the gorgeous orchestration and and wonderfully tuneful melodies. Aside from the lantern scene, the town dance sequence is both visually pleasing and musically impressive. Likewise, the rewrite of Rapunzel from original to Disney was a happy balance of imagery from the original with a decidedly more uplifting final act, and a much richer back-story. Equally impressive is the voicing for the characters. Well-known voices often take something away from the characters’ individual identity, however these actors only add to the characters they portray. Mandy Moore’s vocal
talents, as Rapunzel, only add to her characteristic innocence and spunk, while Zachary Levi’s Flynn Rider charms us with his his rough around the edges/good guy at heart routine. Like all Disney movies the animal sidekicks will give you the giggles whether you like it or not. Maximus, the military horse (who looks a little like Altivo, Cortez’s horse from Dreamworks’ The Road to El Dorado) intent on tracking down Flynn Rider for thievery, and Pascal, Rapunzel’s pet chamelion and henchman, offer an added layer of fun to the film. Not to mention the gang of lovable thugs who, like Rapunzel, have dreams that seem impossible to reach. Of course the role of the villain is also impressively voiced: Donna Murphy, an award winning stage actress, provides the over-the-top talent for Mother Gothel, the evil woman who stole Rapunzel and kept her hidden away in the tower for her own selfish desire to always be young. Possibly the most memorable song from the entire movie, Mother Gothel’s Mother Knows Best is both entertaining, and highly devious. As you can see, I’ve gone from skeptic to believer when it comes to this retelling of Rapunzel, Tangled is one of the best. From Snow White to the present day its amazing how far animation and film have come, and all of this is culminated in Tangled. We could all use a feel-good movie once in a while, and this one doesn’t leave a sour aftertaste in your mouth. Check it out; you might be pleasantly surprised.
39
Finally, Not Another Medical Drama! Fairy Tales on the Small Screen, and Why You Should Watch Them By Jo Cromwell
Over the summer, as two of the major television networks began advertising for two
And the music isn’t your run-of-the-mill “there’s
different shows that were both concerned with fairy
something dramatic going on what are we doing
tales in modern life, I thought, “Well. Now I have to
what’s going on--oh crap *something jumps out at
pick between the two of them.”
character*.” Listen especially for the cello lines. I
So not true. I’m speaking, of course, about Grimm and
hope that guy got paid well for what he did. Granted, this show has flaws like every other
Once Upon a Time, both of which have turned out to
show. Grimm continues to lack a strong female
be pretty awesome. But for different reasons.
character in the forefront, and the special effects
Let’s start with Grimm. Produced by some
look like they haven’t stopped reminiscing about the
of the same producers of Buffy the Vampire Slayer
1990’s. Not every bad guy is straight out of Grimm’s
and Angel, it’s a dark little thing. Nick, the main
fairy tales. And the text card before the credits is in
character, is a detective who, it turns out, is part of
just about the most annoying font possible. But if
a family that just happens to be able to see fairy tale
we can overlook its flaws, we can still appreciate its
characters (mostly bad guys) in their true, revealed
strengths.
form. Of course, for a while he flounders with his
40
the color-scheme guy really knows what he’s doing.
Now, on to Once Upon a Time. It’s from
new identity, but he gets the hang of it. Mostly, it’s a
the people who brought you Lost; it’s interweaving
cop show like every other cop show, only with added
its plot and characters pretty tightly, too. It’s a
special effects and Germanic, Brothers Grimm-like
straight-up retelling of the fairy tales we all know
words for the perpetrators. But a viewer with a keen
so well, only if they’d been transported to our world
eye and ear will notice that this is not your average
and placed under a curse that made the characters
cop show. The lighting is absolutely phenomenal –
forget who they all were. Every story is shown in
its normal world, then in its re-imagined modernday prison. Emma, the main character and Snow White’s daughter (though neither of them know it), is brought into the town by Henry, a little boy with a book who believes he can reverse the curse and send everyone back into their real, fairy-tale lives. Though the story moves slowly, it’s thick and hearty, like a steak dinner. You wouldn’t want to scarf the whole thing down, anyway. Best to savor it. Again, this show has its flaws. Emma is supposed to be twenty-eight years old, but there’s no way we’re swallowing that. Some of the dialogue sounds like it was slapped on the page at three in the morning before the script was due – or maybe that’s just the level of cheesiness they’re going for. A lot of things are repeated – the Evil Queen/mayor has told Emma to stay away from Henry about a trillion times now. It doesn’t have outstanding cinematography or scoring, but it’s the plot that counts for this one. So. Two different shows, two different genres, two different meals to digest in your brain. It’d be unfair to pick one over the other. All you have to do is appreciate each one for their own specific sparkling pros, and laugh as you brush over the cons. And, bottom line, fairy tales are fairy tales. Don’t we owe it to them? 41
At the by Ciara Zaketti illustrated by Shaylynn Rackers
Note: The Grimm tales were indeed grim, and this story is somewhat gruesome. Consider yourself warned.
Once Upon a Time is a phrase that this
also a concrete expression of irony. A well, naturally,
narrator hates. What time? It is indeterminate. It is
draws water, and water is equal to life, but this well
safe. But I don’t coddle. Just know that this is not
hailed only death. Certainly those who had ever
just a story; it is a warning.
ventured past this well never returned. The village had
Once upon a time, in some indeterminate
been around for centuries, always changing, always
place, there was a small village. This village was
evolving, but one thing did not change: to go beyond
located at the edge of a wood so vast, alarming, and
the well was forbidden.
enormous, that it was uncreatively named “the large
The narrator of this tale also dislikes the terms
and scary wood.” In this wood, there were trees.
“hero” and “heroine” especially when the terms are
In this wood there were animals. But also in this
applied to fairytale characters. Too often there is
wood, there was a well. A large, cavernous well, so
nothing heroic about the main characters, rather, the
overgrown by moss that it was nearly impossible to
characters are more often extraordinarily stupid and
tell that it was a well.
reckless and this stupid recklessness causes them to
If anyone in this village was foolish enough to
stumble into situations a less reckless, less stupid
venture into “the large and scary wood,” they never
person would have the forethought to avoid. I wish
ventured farther than this well. It was a landmark, but 42
I could tell you that the “heroes” of this story were a
Bottom of the Wishing Well different matter altogether. But if I did, there would be
trip and decapitate yourself. Don’t start on a trip on
no story.
a Sunday because you’re sure to get lost. Don’t eat
Who knows what drew them to the large, scary forest that day, but that little matters. What matters is
facing east; you’ll be blinded by the sun!’” “Someone has to worry about these kinds of
that they went. Children, after all, are apt to do exactly
things,” she retorted. “It’s not like following your
what you tell them not to. The brother was morbidly
advice ever got us anywhere!”
curious, seeking adventure and, perhaps, the skeletons
It was when he was opening his mouth to retort
of those unfortunate few who had gone beyond
that he saw it: the well. It was covered in moss just
the well and never returned; the sister chiding him
like the stories said. Small patches of gray stone shone
uneasily as they crept along the leaf-strewn path.
through the moss, reflecting the silver moonlight that
“We are going to get lost!” she hissed.
was just barely shining through the thick foliage that
“We are not going to get lost,” he responded
surrounded them.
tersely. “We are already lost.” “I told you this was a bad idea!” the sister said scathingly. “And I’m not the only one. Father did, too.
His sister’s voice failed her mid-sentence as she followed his gaze. There it was, the object immortalized in her
There’s a reason this wood is forbidden. If we don’t
mind, both by her brother’s ceaseless obsession
get lost, we’re sure to get mauled by a bear, or trip on
with seeing it, touching it, and the village’s fearful
a tree branch and twist our ankles, and then where will
acknowledgement of its existence. She was frozen,
we be?”
unable to move, trapped by the terror that had so long
“Don’t be such a chicken! You always worry about everything.” He adopted a mocking tone.
been ingrained in her consciousness. The brother was moving away from her, towards the well.
“‘Don’t run in the house, you’ll slip on some dust.
“Wait!” she whispered.
Don’t walk through the doorway too fast, you’ll
“We’re here!” he whispered back. “We have to 43
at least touch it. I’m not going back without doing it.
be about middle aged, but he somehow knew that
Can you imagine Johnny’s face when I tell him I not
it would never look old. His sister’s blood was
only saw but touched the well?!” He could not hide
everywhere, trickling out of the corner of its mouth,
the enthusiasm in his eyes, the excitement in his voice.
dribbling down its chin, flowing down its chest. It
Despite his excitement, she was uneasy. It was stupid, stupid to come here. Once they got back
stared at him. In shock, he realized that the high pitched
home she would make sure they never ventured into
shrieks that he had thought to be his sister were
the woods again. She was his elder sister; the smart
actually coming from his own mouth. He knew
one in the family, or so Father said. It was up to her
instinctively that she would never scream again;
to make sure this never happened again. That’s when
the shriek that died in her throat was a disturbing
it happened. The silence. The eerie, deafening silence
prophecy. He stumbled backwards, tripping over a
that made her feel as if she would never hear again.
branch, crashed to the ground, sprawling in the dirt.
Something was terribly wrong.
He scrambled to his feet as the thing turned away,
She opened her mouth to call to her brother,
towards the well; the moonlight putting on display the
tell him it was time to leave, to run away and forget
stark contrast between the white of its skin and the
they had ever come to this place. Movement. All
scarlet of his sister’s blood. It leapt towards the well,
around her, like a rush of icy wind billowing about
but he knew nothing else. He was running as he had
her, ripping at her skirt, clawing at her hair. A scream,
never run before, terror giving his feet wings. He did
working its way from her stomach all the way up to
not look back, even when he crashed through the door
her mouth, died in her throat. Too terrified to scream.
of his home, a home where he once felt safe. But he
The brother was alerted by the nauseating sound of a choked back scream. He turned to see just
knew nothing would ever feel safe again. Nothing was the same. Rules are there for a
in enough time to see the white figure leap at his sister
reason. Guilt consumed him. Did he go crazy? Did the
in a distinctly feral spring. It was upon her, a jumbled
ceaseless questions push him over the edge?
mix of white and red; the white of the figure, the red
Where is your sister? Where is she? It was
of his sister’s blood as it flowed down the side of her
your own fault. You know it. Now she’s with all the
neck, staining her clothes, speckling the leaves at their
others. At the bottom of the wishing well.
feet. The white figure was standing, his sister still clutched in its arms. It stood there in the moonlight, skin so pale it was almost translucent. It looked to 44
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UPON A TIME by Rose Dominick
Everyone loves fairy tales, especially little girls. Little girls grow up begging their parents to read them just one more story about the prince saving the princess, and them both living happily ever after. These little girls dress up and imagine themselves as their favorite character. When they grow up they still love fairy tales, watching countless film adaptations, reading novels based on the stories they loved when they were little, and dreaming of the day their own Prince Charmings might come in and sweep them off their feet.
Once upon a time there was
Fairy tale lovers young and old alike can enjoy a new outlet for their
an enchanted forest filled with
love with ABC’s new television show, Once Upon a Time. The show can be
all the classic characters we
enjoyed by both boys and girls, but the strong focus on the princesses’ stories
know. Or think we know. One
will appeal most to female viewers.
day they found themselves
The show revolves around Emma Swann (the daughter of Snow
trapped in a place where all
White and Prince Charming), the town of Storybrooke, and a powerful curse
their happy endings were
cast by the Evil Queen. At the wedding of Snow White and Prince Charming,
stolen. Our world. This is how
the Queen threatened to curse them and everyone else who lived in the
it happened...
fairy tale world, so that there would be no more happy endings save for her own. She did not place this curse into effect until the day Snow White and
- opening lines,
Prince Charming’s daughter was born – a girl named Emma. This child, as
Once Upon a Time
prophesied by Rumpelstiltskin, would be the only one who could break the Queen’s curse.
Twenty-eight years later everyone is stuck in the town of
Storybrooke. Time does not pass here, and the characters have no memories of their former selves, and no idea that anything about their lives is out of the ordinary. The Queen is the mayor of Storybrooke and Rumpelstiltskin is Mr. Gold, the wealthy owner of the town. Snow White volunteers at the local hospital, Prince Charming is a comatose patient with no identity, and Emma
is a lonely, single, bail bonds collector. She is brought back to Storybrooke by the son she gave up for adoption, Henry...who was adopted by none other than the Evil Queen.
Part of the charm of Once
Upon a Time is the fact that it draws heavily from the Disney adaptions of the characters it highlights. Cinderella, Jiminy Cricket, and even Pongo from 101 Dalmatians have all made appearances, and there is promise of the future introduction of other characters, such as Belle and Aladdin. Much of the delight comes from seeing how the costumes make the transition from cartoon film to a live action show. The costumes are a strong point of the show; they are creative and gorgeous, and not only do viewers get the chance to see real versions of the classic costumes, but they also receive the opportunity of seeing how people like Little Red Riding Hood or Snow White would dress if they lived in our world.
A strong plot and well developed characters
provide two other bonus points for the show. The
and most interesting back story belongs to The Evil Queen, who is not quite so much the typical fairy tale villain as one might think. As both Regina – the mayor of Storybrooke – and the Evil Queen, it is easy to hate her. There are moments, however, when it is hard not to feel genuinely sorry for her, and wish that her life had turned out more happily.
If you are looking for another source to feed
your fairy tale fascination, or if you just want a good show to follow and enjoy, give Once Upon a Time a try. You won’t be disappointed.
Watch it on
breaking of the curse gives driving force to the
abc every sunday
storyline, and the forgotten world of fairy tales
or
provides a unique and fascinating opportunity to blend the fairy tale with reality by showing back stories through flashbacks. Arguably the strongest character
for free online at abc.com the following week 47
Everyone loves fairy tales; even little boys are not immune to the magic by Rose Dominick
spell they cast. They will never admit that this is so, but what little boy does not dress up as a knight or a prince charming and set off on a quest to save the princess (if they have a sister who will play along) or slay the monsters (whether
“You saw him didn’t you-you saw who Holda really was. We have the ability to see what no one else can. When they lose control, they can’t hide and we see them for what they really are. This is no fairytale. The stories are real. What they wrote about really happened. You are one of the last of the Grimms.”
they have a sister or not)? When the little boys grow up, they’ll let their sisters or girlfriends talk them into watching fairy tale based films, or read books like Regina Doman’s Fairy Tale Novels, which they may or may not admit to enjoying.
This fall NBC introduced a show that young men who enjoy fairy
tales won’t be embarrassed to enjoy. Grimm is a cop show, with your classic gun fights and stake outs. The twist is each episode is loosely based on a fairy tale or folk tale, primarily a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm. The show centers around Nick Burkhardt, a homicide detective who discovers that he is the last of the Grimms, a long line of hunters who work in secret to keep people safe from the monsters that hide in plain sight.
These supernatural creatures hide themselves as ordinary people, but
every now and then their mask slips and the Grimms are able to see them. Most -- Aunt Marie, Grimm
of these creatures are animal like, similar to wolves, bees, or goats in several of the episodes, and one group, called the Reapers of the Grimms, are troll-like creatures whose focus is on hunting down the Grimms. Nick discovers his family heritage one evening when his Aunt Marie comes to visit and they are attacked by a Blutbad, a ‘big bad wolf’. Aunt Marie manages to tell Nick about the struggle he is now a part of before slipping into a coma. Nick struggles to keep his secret knowledge from his fiancee Juliette and his partner Hank. The only one he can turn to for help is Eddie, a reformed ‘big bad wolf’, and his reluctant companion in solving the crimes.
Character development is sadly not one of the strongest points
of the show. Nick is a fairly strong hero, but he adapts almost too easily to the knowledge that there are a) supernatural creatures in this world; b) he can see them when other people can’t; and c) a lot of them are out to hunt and kill him if they get the chance. Hank works well as a side character, but because he can’t see what Nick sees, he’s not much more than a prop. Juliette, the only constant female character in the show sticks to the background and as of yet has not played a substantial role in any of the plots. Eddie is the most interesting of the group, because he is the most unique. He’s a reformed bad guy, and where most of the characters are consistently very serious, he prefers to make snarky comments and poke fun at the situation.
The series’ strongest point lies within the
fairy tale adaptations. A devoted fairy tale fan looking
to fit a crime-based plot, and this fairy tale spin adds a new element that without which, Grimm would be just another cop show.
Younger viewers should be cautious when
taking on Grimm: the show is darker and many times the action and suspense become quite intense. Older watchers should enjoy watching classic fairy tales and folk stories come to life in a modern drama with mystery and murder. Overall, while it does have its weaker points, Grimm is enjoyable show worth looking into.
for obvious parallels to their favorite stories will be mildly disappointed with Grimm, yet the fact that there
Watch it on
are no blatantly obvious parallels is what makes them
Nbc every friday
so intriguing. Each show is based on a single story; the episode begins with a quote from that story, but it
or
is not directly stated which story it is. Unless you are
for free online at nbc.com the following week
very familiar with the tale being adapted, it will be difficult to figure out, but figuring out which story it is adds to the appeal. The tales are very cleverly adapted
49
bitter food makes you mad chapter three by Ciara Zaketti illustrated by Shaylynn Rackers
It was very clean, almost anally so. That was the first thing Sam noticed when she stepped into Chief Madden’s office. The desk was completely dust-free. The desktop computer was smudge-free. All the file drawers correctly aligned and in place. This was a man that took his job seriously, Sam knew instinctively. Objects in a room spoke to her about the person who owned them. A misaligned drawer might just be a misaligned drawer to a normal person, but Sam knew that the misaligned drawer could be the actions of an angry person who had not cared enough to take the time to shut the drawer completely. On the other hand, a perfectly positioned drawer could speak of an obsessively well-ordered mind. Many people mocked 50
the work she did, but what she did was no different than what normal cops did. She found clues and developed theories that fit the clues. The only difference was that the clues she found were not hard evidence; they were based on human behavior. Knowing a victim might help the authorities understand the perpetrator, and knowing the perpetrator is what solved crimes. Normal cops did not understand that. They focused on the crime; Sam focused on the victim. She could already tell that would be the main issue between her and Detective Will Madden. She could see by the tense muscles in his neck and shoulders that he was irritated by her presence. She was used to that. There was already the typical angst about territory between cops and Feds, but
she knew that her status as a psychology expert would only strengthen that chasm. The cold nod Will had given Charles Leger was enough to tip anyone off to that, not just her, a trained profiler. ~~~ Will wanted nothing more than to tell Special Agent Sam Bittner to stop profiling him. He could tell by the way her eyes rested on him that she was making quick work of the tenseness of his muscles, the scowl that adorned his brows. Well, let her. Let her have her hey-day. Telling her off would just make her profile him even more. Trying to relax, he leaned against the bookcase near the door of Gramps’ office, arms crossed. Jay glanced at him from the opposite wall as the door to the office opened and Charlie Leger walked in. Jay’s glance
was half an apology, half a “be nice” look. “William; long time,” Charlie greeted him. “Not long enough, Charlie,” Will grumbled back, to which Charlie smiled. “So, I see.” Charlie glanced around the room, taking in his surroundings. He nodded. “Jay.” “Hey, Charlie,” Jay grinned. “Have you met Special Agent Bittner yet?” Sam Bittner looked up from the file she was studying and gave Charlie a brief smile before turning back to the papers. Charlie gave her a stiff nod, “Nice to meet you, Agent Bittner. “ “Doctor Leger.” Her tone was quiet, controlled. Gramps pulled a drawer open at his desk and took out a file, “Well, I might as well hand these out. We’re just waiting for Special Agent Feud.” “Dryden’s always late; we might as well start.” Sam Bittner hadn’t even looked up from the file she was intently scanning. Dryden? There was something odd about the way she said his name. The tone was tender, but stilted. What was it that Special Agent Feud had said last night? “You can call me Dryden, but the people who value their limbs call me Feud.” Sure, he and Jay never used their formal last names, they pretty much always called each other by their first names, but Will
knew instinctively that there had been something between “Dryden” and Sam Bittner, something more than “just partners.” “Is there a problem, Detective Madden?” Sam Bittner’s tone was pointed, demanding. Will started and looked away from her; he had not realized that he had been staring. Unable to help himself, he blushed, sensing Jay’s smirk. Fine, let them think I’ve got a thing for her. That’s better than her knowing that I know. That was awfully sloppy of her. Charlie would never have let something like that slip. Will mentally face-palmed. There I go profiling again! Suddenly the door to Grandpa’s office was thrust open, and Special Agent Dryden Feud stepped inside. He peered around the room, caught sight of Sam, then turned and abruptly left. Sam Bittner flushed and looked down at her lap. Will’s grin was sardonic, wry. Love gone wrong? I think yes. ~~~ Well, that was weird. Jay Hume glanced at Will, hoping he wasn’t the only one feeling wrong-footed, but Will only had that awful sarcastic grin on his face, the one that said he was right about something that no one believed him about; the grin that usually made Jay want to punch him. They were too good of
friends for that to be a problem between them, but that would definitely not be an appropriate response in front of the Chief, or Leger, or blushing Sam for that matter. Blushing Sam? Now there’s a sight I thought I’d never see. The woman was cool, calm, and collected, not to mention remarkably pretty with her jet black hair and striking green eyes. Nothing about her would say that she would blush like a school girl in the presence of a man. But she had. It had been Special Agent Dryden Feud’s entrance that had done it, of course. Jay glanced at Will again, seeing the sarcastic smile still there. He’s onto something I’m not yet. Jay glanced at Sam Bittner again, then at the door, as it opened yet again, and SA Feud entered again. Suddenly the pieces came together and he looked at Will in wonder. That goof. Likes to pretend he hates psychology, but he profiles people even more than Charlie does. “Sam,” SA Feud’s lips moved stiffly, as if they had no desire to say that name ever again. Sam Bittner merely nodded stiffly in response. These two got under each other’s skin and never left, Jay suddenly thought. He knew that feeling all too well; he’d experienced it multiple times in his life, until he had finally settled down. It was the inevitable outcome of a passionate love gone wrong. Jay 51
had had his fair share of “first loves,” that’s for sure. What was remarkable was just how quickly the passion one felt while loving that person could quickly turn to a passionate dislike, or even hatred. His wife was his last “first love,” and now his only love. They had their ups and downs, that’s for sure, but the downs just made them cherish the ups that much more. But the tense air that hung between SA Feud and SA Bittner was nothing like that. It was an air that only remembered the downs; there was bitterness thick as jello, a bitterness that blamed the other for what went wrong, for having forgotten that they had had their good times too. This…is going to be interesting. Thank goodness I called Charlie Leger. ~~~ Charlie Leger surveyed the room, taking in Will’s sarcastic look, Jay’s mixture of anger and puzzlement, the bitter intense air that hung between SAs Feud and Bittner, the air thick with things left unsaid. He was sure going to have his work cut out for him. He took a deep breath, mentally pushing his research to the back shelf of his mind. He glanced at Chief Madden, who was still holding the file in his hand, but he gave him a slight nod. I’ll take that as permission. Charlie Leger got to his feet and went to the door. Opening it, he said, “Will, Jay, Agents Feud and Bittner; follow me.” 52
A brief glance was exchanged between Jay and Will, and then Will glanced at the Chief, who also gave him a nod. Without a word, Special Agent Feud walked out of the room, Sam Bittner stiffly following. Finally, Will and Jay followed them, a puzzled look on Will’s face. ~~~ “You have got to be kidding me.” Will’s facial expression stated exactly what Sam was feeling at the moment: a mix of “what the hell?” and an amused “are you serious?” at the same time. “I rarely kid, Detective Madden,” Doctor Leger answered dryly. “Now, bat that over here.” Jay was snickering to himself, “Will couldn’t hit the broadside of a barn if his life depended on it.” Sam smiled. These two clearly had a history beyond the police force. “Shut your face, Jay,” Will retorted. “Or what?” For an answer, Will spiked the volleyball at Jay’s face, hitting him square in the forehead; Jay toppled backwards onto the gym floor. “That is not the point of playing this game, Will! Now, help him up before I call your grandfather,” Doctor Leger said, irritated. Will jogged over to help Jay up, saying sarcastically, “Oh, wait, so there is a point to
making us play volleyball?” He yanked Jay to his feet. “Yes,” Doctor Leger said, stiffly. “To build teamwork skills, and to learn to play nicely.” Dryden opened his mouth for the first time, “If we all hit Jay at the same time, does that count as teamwork building?” Sam opened her mouth and smirked, “If we pick out the ball together, does that count as playing nicely?” Dryden grinned at her, wryly, and she couldn’t help but stare. That stupid, stupid grin. Don’t go making me love you again, Feud. Matters of the heart were never gotten over easily. And it’s not about Dryden and me, it’s about justice for the victims. Sam glanced at Will and Jay, who were casually batting the ball back and forth. But his only victims aren’t just the ones dead and buried… She glanced at Dryden again, taking in his height, his arrestingly handsome features. Our relationship was sabotaged by his evil, too.
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