#famous fairies

[adarkrainbow]

An example of the book's fascinating studies: as I said before, the chapter about Sleeping Beauty notices how fin-de-siècle authors, when "perverting" the tale, focused on the fairies around the baby's cradle - and Jean de Palacio notices that the names chosen for these fairies are very revealing of this "perversion".

Indeed, some authors in their twist-take on Sleeping Beauty, decided to name the group of fairies around the cradle. Anatole France, in his take on the Sleeping Beauty story in 1909, listed eight fairies: Titania, Mab, Viviane, Mélusine, Urgèle, Anna de Bretagne, Mourgue. Catulle Mendès, in 1888, had evoked in his work a total of 12 fairies - Oriane, Urgande, Urgèle, Alcine, Viviane, Holda, Mélusine, Mélandre, Arie, Mab, Titania, Habonde. Jean Lorrain did this list twice - once in 1883 including Habonde, Viviane, Tiphaine, Oriane, Mélusine, Urgèle, Morgane ; and another in 1897, simply removing Urgèle. As for Joséphin Péladan, he also did a double list: one in 1893, Mélusine, Morgane, Viviane, Mourgue, Alcine ; and another in 1895 to which he removed Mourgue to add Urgèle, Nicneven and Abonde.

These names can be taken as just random famous fairy names - but Jean de Palacio highlights that... They are not just chosen randomly, and all denote a way to discredit the fairies or to highlight their ambiguous if not negative nature. Of the recurring names four are taken from the matter of Britain, Arthurian and medieval legends: Viviane, Melusine, Anna de Bretagne (a variation of Anne of Britanny, an actual queen of France) and Mourgue/Morgane. Famous characters, right... But who is present here, around this baby's cradle to deliver gifts? Morgan le Fay, half-main villain of the Arthuriana half-healer of Avalon. Viviane, the good lady of the lake, oh yes... but also a shameless seductress who used Merlin's lust and love to steal his secrets and get rid of him. And Melusine - a national treasure, one of France's beloved legends... And a snake-woman with a strong demonic aura and devilish reputation. Viviane, Melusine and Morgan are all manifestations of the "femme fatale", of the deadly though seductive woman.

There is also a British influence at work here, since we have Titania and Mab, the two famous Shakespearian fairy queens. But Titania's reputation had already been soiled in Shakespeare's play by her mad love for a donkey - sorry, an ass ; as for Mab, in the minds of fin-de-siècle century, she is still strongly associated with the "materialistic atheism" of Percy Bysshe Shelley's poem "Queen Mab". Not perfect example of "godmothers"...

But let's return to Mourgue/Morgue briefly. Yes, she is the Franco-British Arthurian character of Morgan le Fay... But she is also part of the Italian literary tradition thanks to the Orlando Furioso, where she is Morgana, the incest-born sister of the enchantress Alcina who... Oh look! She is there too! Alcina in French is "Alcine" and in the lists you find... Alcuine. Once again, a new discredit over the fairies, as you have two wicked enchantresses dedicated to the dark art - including a lustful old hag so vain she hides her true appearance under a glamour of youth and beauty.

Of the various fairies presented in this list, only Urgèle seems to be free of any same, flaw or negative side - but that's because she is the most "recent" of them all, and not an old literary heritage or cultural figure, but rather a fresh creation. Urgèle was created by Voltaire in 1764 for a short tale/fairytale of his, "Ce qui plait aux dames", "What pleases the ladies", and immediately taken back for an "opéra-comique" adaptation by Favart in 1764, "La Fée Urgèle, ou Ce qui plaît aux dames". And while Théodore de Banville made her a good fairy victim of a wicked enchanter in his comedy "Le Baiser", "The Kiss" ; it didn't refrain Michel Carré and Paul Collin to make her the wicked fairy of Sleeping Beauty in their theatrical-opera adaptation of the fairytale in 1904...

[As a personal note, if you are interest in the other fairy names, Habonde is a variation of Abonde - la fée Abonde was a figure of popular folklore and superstitious beliefs in medieval France, an embodiment of abundance and prosperity fought off by the Church and who was tied to the rite of leaving "meals for the fairies" on special nights such as Christmas or the Epiphany. Holda is of course the same as Frau Holda/Frau Holle of Germanic mythology ; Arie is a reference to "Tante Arie", a Christmas gift-giver of eastern France, and Nicneven is a variation of Nicnevin/Nicnevan of Scottish folklore. I have to admit I do not know about the origins of Mélandre or Tiphaine.]

[uwmspeccoll]

French Fairy Treasures

Around the World Treasures: Famous French Fairy Tales by the father of the French fairy tale Charles Perrault (1628-1703) and collected and adapted from the original Perrault by David Stone, was published in New York by Frankin Watts Inc., a division of Grolier, in 1959. The book includes The Picture Story of Perrault's Famous French Fairy Tales, illustrated by British artist and teacher Charles Mozley (1914-1991), a book illustrator and designer of posters, book covers, and print. Along with these striking color drawings are black-and-white illustrations depicting key moments within each story. Noel Streatfeild (1895-1986), an English children's book author, provides an introduction to the book. In it, she details the essential moments in Perrault's life that led him to write these stories. According to Streatfeild, before Perrault's Contes, nobody had ever read a fairy tale! Before that, these stories were passed down and enjoyed through oral tradition.

Perrault played a significant role in the literary controversy called the "Quarrel of the Ancients and the Moderns." At 23, he became a lawyer, following in his father's footsteps, before embarking on a political career, which led him into the court of the Sun King, Louis XIV of France. Spending time in his court is where Perrault garnered inspiration to write his stories. His simple, unaffected style breathed new life into half-forgotten folk tales. Interestingly, some of his versions influenced the German tales collected by the Brothers Grimm more than a century later.

So, whether you find yourself wondering in the woods like Little Red Riding Hood or dreaming of glass slippers like Cinderella, Perrault's timeless tales remain a delightful part of our childhood imagination, capturing the magic and wonder of storytelling for generations to come!

-Melissa, Special Collections Graduate Intern

-View more posts from our Historical Curriculum Collection

[romancemedia]

Belle and the Beast - Cartoon & Anime Adaptions

[octocharger]

ok so like many people didn't appreciate how magical backup was portrayed in the finale, both because it felt like Peri was mostly being portrayed as a joke throughout the entirety of it and that it just. freaked me out a bit? so i did this small doodle of what i would've done a little bit after it aired i think

some other ideas i thought of after drawing it is that magic would leak out in other ways besides vomitting, like through tears and sweating. if the fairy had access to the ability to use magic, they'd also start frantically casting spells to try and remedy it, entirely out of control (this might probably be late stage? shrug)

they'll still get delirious (which gets worse over time the worse and worse it gets) but since this is something i figure only happens to godparents, one thing they'll consistently think about even when they're like this? their godkid.

as for that scene where Dev finally realizes Peri cares for him, i think if Peri looked more like this it would've really hit more? like the guy is *literally dying* BECAUSE of this kid, and yet, even while completely unaware of his surroundings, he still wants to "do right by him" because he has always cared about this

i think it would also be a little better if Peri was aware enough to *kind* of have a proper conversation with him with some actual intent in the words he says, i think it'd be nice if *he* brung up Dale for Cosmo and Wanda to continue off of to call Dev out on what he *really* wants

[phoenix-before-the-flame]

*holds microphone out to u* You heard her. Say it

[saturngalore]

she’s so darling to me honestly <3

[devouringyourson]

something so deeply attractive about rich actors having bad teeth on purpose

[musicalmoritz]

We need more Ghost Hotel Aoinene angst. There’s so much potential here, with them being friends (or even girlfriends) while Aoi was alive and then Nene going through the whole process of mourning her, only to find her again when she stumbles upon the hotel. People usually focus on Mitsukou, HanaNene, and Terukane(aoi) when it comes to this au and I totally get that but c’mon, Aoinene shippers!! We need to get our heads in the game

[neos-schlond-poofa]

if i had a nickel every time mariposa from the barbie franchise had a purple bisexual fairy that was in love with her fall off of a ledge in the final moments of a film only to be saved by a flying animal in a dramatic moment id have two nickels. which isn’t a lot but. it’s weird it happened twice, right?

[ho1ymermaid412]

Walking the streets of Ciudad de Mexico ‘24

[imreallyonthishellsite]

I feel like if they made a rotg tv series it would be something abt how the internet is killing the children's belief in the guardians/their cores, which could be interesting but I know it would focus to much on outdated internet terms and old tiktok dances and less on how the internets cynicism and the need for fame will eventually destroy young children

[brits4gerardway]

I just bought this dumbass fucking fairy figurine because she looks like she's having an existential crisis and I relate to her in that sense

(there is glitter everywhere)

[herearedragons]

baldured gate dwarf bardlock from my brain (washed up musician who made a deal with The Fae for fame in exchange for one week of bad luck. the luck was so bad that he got tadpoled. but hey, you're going to be famous! for saving Baldur's Gate! should have specified you wanted fame as an artist)

(I still do not own the game)

[romancemedia]

Cinderella and Prince Charming - Cartoon & Anime Adaptions

[shoukohime]

If an anime is somewhat bad, it must have a killer soundtrack to make up for it. such is the law of equivalent exchange

[thencomethecherryblossoms]

From these photos alone, I’ve decided that if there’s ever a thai adaption of nevertheless I need her to play seo jiwan

And Fah as Yoon Sol please!!!