#i know that stealing the amulet has cursed people but that the blessings and curses stopped after elena was freed

[inamindfarfaraway]

Inspired by the Disney Princess villain song series by Lydia the Bard, here’s my idea for Princess Sofia’s own dark version of a Sofia the First song and the backstory and animatic script accompanying it. There are mentioned dead bodies and a little blood. I’ve really tried to keep her in-character, despite the very different circumstances and tone. She’s more of an anti-villain here.

I’d love to hear feedback on this and talk to other fans, of Sofia or Lydia.

I’ve written one for Princess Elena too!

[thewhizzyhead]

a non-filipino's guide to trese: ep 1

So some of my mutuals decided to check out Trese aka the Netflix adaptation of the Filipino horror comic book series that I keep rambling about here and then since well um most of my mutuals aren’t from the Philippines fshfs I decided to make a long-ass post that basically consists of me rambling about the cultural context present in Trese with fun little tidbits about Filipino folklore. I’m not an expert on Filipino mythology so um I just typed out the stuff that I know and the stuff that I looked up on Wikipedia so um take this with a grain of salt aaaaa I’ll save the extensive google scholar research ramble on folklore present in Trese for another day.

I’ll try to find the sites where I got some of the information from cause um yea I kinda had a bit of a hard time finding the other shit so um once again, take the stuff here with a grain of salt. Also, feel free to add more info if you guys got any!

SO ANYWAYS ENJOY ME RAMBLING ABOUT EPISODE 1 OF TRESE WOO

+ MRT and LRT (Manila Metro Rail Transit and Light Rail Transit) are train systems in NCR (the capital region) and yea them suddenly stopping and malfunctioning in the middle of the goddamn rail is a daily occurrence and we have been trying to deal with this bullshit for years but alas, corruption and negligence are sweet sweet drugs.

+ When the MRT broke down, you'd see a red bee in the flashing billboard right? Well that's Jollibee and that's probably the most well-known fast food restaurant chain here heck there are even branches of it abroad!

+ According to many youtube comments along with other social media posts that I am way too tired to link here, the opening theme is an Ifugao ethnic song called Balluha'd Bayyauhen but with modern accompaniments and I think the song is about a fruit called a balluha that the character in the song tries to it but cannot swallow. (someone please correct me if I’m wrong here fjkfs)

+ The first um monster that we see Alexandra interact with is the White Lady of Balete Drive. White Ladies or “Kaperosa” are a type of female ghosts typically dressed in ghostly white dresses or similar garments. According to legend, she died in a car accident while driving along Balete Drive (a two lane street formerly lined with Balete Trees which are said to be a home for spirits and mysterious creatures) in Quezon City while other accounts say she died waiting for the arrival of her lover; others also say that she was a teenage girl who was run over and killed by a taxi driver at night and then buried around a Balete tree while another variation of the tale claims that a student from the University of the Philippines was sexually assaulted and killed by a taxi driver nearby and so said ghost haunts the street in search of her murderer. There are many other variations but according to local rumor, the legend was fabricated by a reporter in 1953 in order to make an interesting story. What remains consistent in many variations is that apparently taxi drivers would be stopped by a beautiful lady asking for a ride and if one would look at the rear window, they would see that the white lady in question is bruised and drenched in blood.

+ There are a lot of mentions about "lakans" and stuff in reference to Alex and her father right? In precolonial times, the term is used to refer to the paramount ruler or the highest-ranking political authorities in Tagalog communities (so um NCR and some parts of Region 4). In Muslim communities, they are called sultans while communities with strong trade connecitons with Indonesia or Malaysia called them Rajah. Datu is umm the more generalized term though when it comes to discussing the leaders of the precolonial Filipinos.

+ So, Alex’s mom is a babaylan and back in the pre-colonial period, each barangay (which a native filipino term for a village or a district; said term is still used today to describe um divisions in municipalities like) had them and these are basically Philippine shamans and they specialized in communicating with the spirits of the dead. To my knowledge, the role of babaylan went to women and yea people assigned male at birth but then identified as female were also allowed to become babaylans and they would be treated with the same respect given to any woman back then (honestly I dunno much about lgbtq+ stuff back in the precolonial times but all I know is that precolonial Filipinos were much a lot more welcoming towards trans identities bUT THEN THE SPANIARDS CAME AND UM ERR RUINED THAT); also the writing Alexandra's mom did in that one scene with the dagger is in Baybayin - preHispanic Filipino script. I dunno what she wrote down though. .

+ Also I kinda find it funny that the people here esp those who were at the White Lady scene are um,,, not at all surprised? Like yea quite a number of filipinos have their own superstitions and beliefs and all that but um yea the people in Trese seem very used to the bullshit,,,which in retrospect, isn't at all inaccurate fsdfd I MEAN WE DEAL WITH UNSURMOUNTABLE AMOUNTS OF BS ON A DAILY BASIS SO I DON’T THINK DEAD GHOSTS WOULD EVEN FAZE MANY FSKJDS

+ The one that appears right before Alexandra talks with the duwende (the one in the manhole) is called Laman Lupa (which i guess translates to um "What is in the earth"? just um YEA THEY ARE DIRT CREATURES). normally this is an umbrella term for duwendes and nunos but in Trese they are servants of these aforementioned creatures.

+ Duwende (which came from the Spanish phrase "dueno de case" which means "owner of the house") or dwarves in Filipino folklore are known to be mischievous and magical environmental guardians. They are believed to reside in trees or under earth mounds (those that live in the latter are called nuno sa pundo or old man of the mount) which is why quite a lot of Filipinos say "tabi tabi po" or “excuse me” when wandering around a forest or earth mounds as a sign of respect and in the hopes the duwende won't torment them. If the person is friendly, the duwende can also be friendly in return and will bring that person good lucl; otherwise, those who destroy their homes by stepping on them will face their wrath in form of heartless curse and predictions of ominous and disastrous fates. A duwende's color also depends on their budhi or conscience: to my knowledge, white duwendes are kind, red ones give protection amulets, green ones are firnedly with children and the black ones give nothing but trouble.

+ Chocnut aka the snack Alex bribes the nuno with is a very yummy chocolate snack made of coconut milk, crushed peanuts and cocoa powder. They are umm about an inch in length and maybe half an inch in width so it's fairly small; that being said I WANT THE CHOCNUT THAT ALEXANDRA HAS CAUSE HOT DAMN THAT'S A BIG CHOCNUT

+ In Trese, the creatures in the MRT scene and in the warehouse Alexandra visits after she talks with the duwende are called "aswang". In Philippine folklore, it is an umbrella term for any kind of monster so um an aswang in Luzon would be very different from the aswang in Mindanao. According to what I saw on wikipedia, they can be classified in 5 categories: the vampire (self-explanatory um they drink blood), the viscera sucker (the manananggal, i'll get to that next time), the weredog (cats and pigs are also possible but um yea they target pregnant women), the witch (self-explanatory boom curses and stuff) and the ghoul (they gather near trees in cemeteries to feast on human corpses). Aswangs are often described to have a long, hollow tongue, sharp claws and sharp teeth, although they do also have human forms.

+ To my knowledge, Ibwa, the leader of the aswangs in the warehouse, is a creature from Tinguian or Itneg mythology (they, like the Ifugao, are an indigenous ethnic group in northwestern Luzon) though I could be wrong about this dksfsf Ibwa seems like an ethnic filipino term tho wah I can't remember where I once read that. But anyways, Ibwa often stalk sthe house of a dying person to steal its body. In order for the ibwa to NOT succeed in that, some people burn holes in the garments of the dead and put a sharp iron object on top of the grave since those are most powerful weapons against aswangs which is what Alexandra uses to subdue the Ibwa and kill all the other aswangs (the knife alex uses is named Sinag which means "ray of light".)

+ ALSO I AM SO SO GLAD THEY KEPT THE FILIPINO SWEARS IN THE ENGLISH DUB YES YES THIS IS A VERY GOOD JOB so lemme discuss the versatility of tangina-

+ Also umm Bossing is a nickname of Vic Sotto - one of the three pioneer hosts of Eat Bulaga! which is the longest running Philippine noontime variety show. Over time, most probably due to the show's popularity, the term "bossing" then became um slang for "boss" or "chief"

+ Translation of what Alex says when she's stirring the eye inside the cup: “In the eyes of others, secrets will reveal themselves.”

+ Sidenote: The English dub's pronunciation of many of the tagalog lines are um yea they r pretty good but they could use a bit of work but then again I'm really not that good in speaking in Tagalog so who am I to judge gkdkf sorry po guys conyo po ako-

+ Maria Makiling is arguably the most famous of all the diwatas (ancestral spirits, nature spirits, or deities) in Philippine Mythology; she is associated with Mount Makiling in Laguna as the guardian spirit of the mountain. Mount Makiling is said to resemble a profile of a woman and people associate the profile with Maria herself. She is also known as a goddess by the name of Dayang Masalanta and people would pray to her for safety and to stop storms and earthquakes. That's the goddess Alexandra's mother mentions right when she tells Alex to hide. (Translation to what she said there: Maria Makiling, goddess of the mountain, bless us.)

+ ALSO YEA THAT MAYOR IN THE MRT STATION IS UMMM RATHER REMINISCENT OF MAAAANY POLITICIANS AND PUBLIC SERVANTS HERE LIKE BELIEVE ME I CAN THINK OF SO MANY NAMES RN. THEY WOULD FLAUNT THEIR MACHISMO AND PROMISE THAT THEY THEMSELVES SHALL PUNISH THE PERPETRATORS HARSHLY BUT IN THE END THEY DONT MEAN SHIT AND ARE IN OFFICE TO SERVE ONLY THEMSELVES AND TO SHIT ON THE REST ESP THOSE OF THE POORER SECTORS AND *NOTHING IS DONE ABOUT IT*. WE LIVE IN HELL OKAY. also hmm how the police are represented here is umm,,,interesting,,, like i know there are sOME good police officers like the ones alexandra assists but like,,,our current sociopolitical climate + the many cases showcasing the corruption in the police force + tHE SHEER AMOUNT OF POLICE BRUTALITY HERE would ummm beg to differ. but um anyways-

+ Also Mang Inasal posters can be seen in the MRT station backdrops and um it’s a very famous restaurant chain here and they serve lots of barbecue and other filipino stuffs and i miss them a lot God their halo halo is very yummy

+ Santelmo - oki so this is the fire face thingy that Alexandra summons inside the ruined train. This is the shortened version of the term "Apoy ni Santa Elmo" or "St. Elmo's Fire" - this is a weather phenomenon wherein plasma is created from an electrical discharge from a rod like object in an atmospheric electric field. This phenomenon was used to warn of imminent lightning strikes or storms (there is a chapter in Noli Me Tangere where Pilosopo Tasyo talks about that bUT I'LL SAVE THE NOLI ME TANGERE RAMBLES FOR ANOTHER DAY). But according to Philippine folklore, santelmos - which are said to be souls of people lost as sea - are balls of fire that appear where accidents or big arguments happen. In Trese, santelmos (alex's santelmo being "The Great Spirit of the Binondo Fire") can be called to assist in supernatural investigations

+ Translation of what Alex says when she draws the circles to meet with the purple ghosts: "Souls, where are you off to? I'll be entering too, so please open the door."

+ Remember the scene at the train with all the purple ghosts and the woman in a veil? Yea the woman is an emissary of a goddess named Ibu and she is the Manobo (again, another indigenous ethnic group but this time they're from Mindanao; fun fact we have around 134 ethnic groups) goddess of deceased mortals and the queen of the underworld; she also serves as a psychopomp and guides the newly deceased souls to the other side (having an MRT be the ride to the underworld isn’t in the legends tho so fkkjsf)

+ The aswang in the top hat is called Xa Mul and according to the Isneg/Apayao people (yay another ethnic group but this time in northern Luzon - the Cordillera regions to be specific), they are an evil spirit known to swallow people whole.

+ Alex has two henchmen right? Yea they are named Crispin and Basillio and No I still don’t know who’s who and I'm really sorry about that fsfjs so anyways the names Crispin and Basillio are actually those of two brothers featured in the Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo novels (Crispin is younger and Basilio is older) which are basically the national novels here cause um yea written by national hero Jose Rizal as sociopolitical commentary about the Spanish regime here. I don't know if I want to spoil this cause I kinda want other people to read the novel too fskfs BUT ALL IN ALL, ONE OF THEM DIES IN LIKE THE 10TH OR 11TH CHAPTER OF NOLI ME TANGERE (and the novel has 64 chapters btw) AND UM YEA-

+ OKI SO TO ADD MORE CONTEXT TO THE SQUATTER STUFFS MENTIONED IN TRESE (we r gonna use the tiny font here because holy shit this rant is long): So,in the Philippines, especially in the capital region, there are lots of slum areas called squatters. These are dense urban settlements made of compact makeshift housing units that aren't really officially recognized by the government. This is um very reflective of the poverty situation here and there are maaany factors that come into play here and if i were to go into depth about this topic, that rant would probably turn into an academic paper so for the sake of brevity, let's just say that Things Are Fucked Up Here. Oftentimes the poorer sectors are being ignored and left to their own devices despite tons of campaign promises to make things better and easier for them. The communities that live here are incredibly vulnerable to floods, fires, and the like and afaik no concrete solutions have been in effect to protect these people and their settlements. There have also been many times where squatter areas are dismantled or demolished despite protests of people living in those areas and yea I understand the need to make space and the need for renovation but the people should still be offered some sort of temporary settlement or financial compensation thingy that doESN'T fuck them over but alas, we have an anti-poor government. That being said, I really like Trese Ep 1's portrayal of governmental negligence, but I also have some thoughts, especially in regards to the mayor being arrested THAT FAST which um believe me, NEVER FUCKING HAPPENS BECAUSE MANY MAYORS AND A LOT OF POLITICIANS HAVE THE POLICE IN THEIR POCKETS SO UM ERR YEA JUSTICE IS RARELY A THING HERE BUT UM ANYWAYS YEA THE GOVERNMENT LIKES TO SHIT ON THE POOR WOO LET'S SAVE THE USE OF SOCIOLOGICAL LENS ON THIS MATTER FOR ANOTHER DAY

+ The news channel reporting the arrest of the mayor is ABC-ZNN WHICH IS AN OBVIOUS REFERENCE TO ABSCBN aka the top media conglomerate here (that has been fucked over by the government so many times to the point that they had to shut down operations last year which is all sorts of unfair so seeing them being referenced here kinda made me happy gksfks)

[queen-of-lightning-and-fire]

NAMELESS  MY PRICE

I AM SO SORRY THAT THIS IS SO LATE !!! I truly am.

But I got carried away with answering, like REALLY carried away. So much so that I need a keep reading and a table of contents.

 So within this post I will answer your questions on nameless is my price and the lock. But also: The history, What the Keys are, Where the Keys are, The Lock, The Witch Mirrors, Forging the Lock, The Queen who was Promised, Nameless is my Price, All the players in the unfinished game, Now and What could happen.

So yeah, I’m sorry this is so long and I am sorry this took so long to do. But I hope you enjoy :)

The History: The Valg have three kings. When they first left their realm, they went to Wendlyn. It was in Wendlyn where the three kings broke apart the keys and wielded them. Thus, allowing them to open portals between lands.

At some point, Brannon and Athril went to steal the keys. But Maeve followed them in hopes of taking the keys for herself. In the end, she killed Athril and Brannon took the keys back from Maeve. Brannon then burned the Sun Goddess’s temple and fled to Erelia and founded Terrasen. (Note: Baba Yellowlegs said Maeve banished two out of the three kings back to their realm)

Eventually the last remaining Valg King, Erawan made a comeback. And in desperation to end everything once and for all, Mala sacrificed herself for the Lock to be forged.

Brannon then bided his time to use the lock, waited for his magic to be at its peak. But Elena decided she knew best and stole the Lock/Eye and went off with Gavin to go and fight Erawan down in Morath. Elena did not know the purpose of the Lock, and so she decided to use it to lock Erawan into a tomb.

When she did this, the twelve gods and goddesses descended upon Earth and called her stupid and what-not. The gods originally wanted to release Erawan again, but Elena convinced them not to. In her shame and to appease them she made it so that:

The war would be handed off to another generation

She would aid whoever was supposed to be sacrificed in finding the keys

Fast forward a few thousand years, give or take. The King of Adarlan found the first key and took it down to Morath to show Duke Perrington. Who in turn showed the King the tomb of Erawan. They proceed to open it thus releasing Erawan. Erawan then went into Perrinton’s body and had one of his minions go into the King of Adarlan’s. After this happened the King of Adarlan tries to keep everything at bay by:

Going to Terrasen to have Aelin kill him with her fire magic

However, Evalin knocks Aelin out before this can happen

The Valg takes control of the King and kills the royal family of Terrasen

Aelin runs after Marion tells her to and ends up jumping into the Florine River

In the river, the Necklace of Orynth tries to protect her. But she dies anyways.

Elena after bargaining with the gods becomes corporeal and saves Aelin by picking her up, placing her on a log, steered her to shore, and then getting Arobynn (Note: The bargain that Elena makes with the gods in exchange for saving Aelin’s life is that she will go with them and the Valg into that other realm)

The world believing Aelin is dead, the King of Adarlan goes to war with Terrasen

In a last-ditch attempt to save Dorian and the rest of the world, the King of Adarlan erected the towers, thus banishing magic

The King couldn’t fight against the Valg because he was using all of his strength to protect the reason why he built the towers and wat their purpose was

What the Keys are: The Keys are slivers of the Wyrdgates. They are black and glittering. Originally broken into three pieces so that the three Valg Kings could wield them.

Where the Keys are: Brannon decided that the keys were not safe in anyone’s hands and so he hid them all. And only with a riddle could someone find them. (Note: This riddle can be found in Crown of Midnight on Page. 280)  

The first key was hidden in the Glass Castle in the stone crown in Elena’s sarcophagus.

Found by the King of Adarlan

The second key was hidden at Mala’s Temple that could only be accessed by someone with fire magic OR with one of the keys

Found by Erawan

The third key was hidden in the Amulet of Orynth

Found by Aelin

Now Erawan has the second key and Dorian has the first and third.

The lock: The lock is the Eye of Elena. It’s the small witch mirror that is in the middle of the Eye. That mirror is the place where the essence of the person who is to be sacrificed must go.

Witch mirrors: Originally which mirrors were sacred, used to build and break and mend and made up of silver. Some allow people to see into the future, the past or the present. Others can be spoken through, and some are amplifiers. They are very hard to be broken.

Forging the lock: The lock was originally forged by Mala, Brannon and Rhiannon Crochan along with the gods. Mala sacrificed herself for the lock to be forged because her fire is the only thing that can expel the Valg because they fear it.

For the lock to be forged, Mala needed help from Rhiannon to cast her essence into the witch mirror. And once used, the lock cannot be used again unless someone sacrifices themselves.

The lock itself cannot be forged by anyone other than a person with fire magic and Mala’s blood in their veins. This means that while the Havilliard line has Mala’s blood, Dorian cannot be used because he has Raw Magic. And Hollin couldn’t because he is not the Queen who was Promised.

Nameless is my price: Nameless is my price are clues for the keys and from Brannon as to who must be sacrificed. These clues result in learning that:

The person with the bastard’s mark.

The person who has the same gifts as Brannon, who has been blessed by Mala.

The person who can wear the Amulet of Orynth. Which is only a person of Galathynius descent, thus assuring that the blood of Mala flows through their veins.

That person will be the one who is sacrificed.

Now the reason that Baba Yellowlegs and Maeve said nameless is my price.

With Baba Yellowlegs, it was in response to Celaena asking what the price about knowing about the Wyrdkeys and Wydrgate would be. The wyrdgate. The wyrdgate which has a price of death. The death of the person who fits the criteria that the clues nameless is my price puts forth.

The reason Maeve says nameless is my price is that the nameless is my price refers to the keys and the person who is destined to wield them. Aelin being that person and her also being the person who has the keys. So, that is why Maeve says Nameless is my price. Because that means Aelin, and the keys and she wants both of them.

All the player in the unfinished game: Aelin, Dorian, and Manon. They for all intense and purposes are the players in the unfinished game. Aelin is to take the place of Mala, Dorian is the King of Adarlan and Manon is the last Queen of the Crochan witches and the one who is to break Rhiannon Crochan’s curse.

If all goes to the gods’ plan Manon will help Aelin cast her essence into the Lock (the mirror within the Eye of Elena). Aelin will die to forge the lock. And Dorian probably will seal the lock, sending the gods with the Valg into that dark realm where they came from to destroy the Valg once and for all. (Dorian’s purpose is speculation)

Now: Chaol and Nesryn are in the Southern Continent. Lysandra has shifted into Aelin and with Aedion, is going back up to Terrasen to ready for war. Dorian is going off to find the third Wyrdkey (probably will end up in Morath). Manon, the Thirteen, and Ansel are going to find the Crochan witches. Aelin is in an iron coffin with Maeve. Rowan is her husband and de-facto ruler of Terrasen. And him along with Gavriel, Lorcan and Elide are going to get Aelin back.

What Could Happen:

Option 1) Aelin doesn’t have to die. The lock was initially forged with Mala’s mortal body. Mala is a goddess. She was immortal then tied her life to Brannon’s (thus becoming mortal) and then gave up her mortal body (thus becoming immortal again) to forge the lock. So, if Aelin gives up her mortal body, she would then become immortal. A Fae.

Option 2) Aelin does die to forge the lock. But someone dead bargains with the gods to resurrect her again. This has already happened once before with Elena and the gods, so we know it works.

Option 3) Aelin dies forging the lock, but Rowan and Aedion and Dorian and Chaol and Lysandra make it so that if the gods want Erawan exiled and them to go with him, they must bring back Aelin because it is them who hold all three keys

[optimusr2-blog]

Review: Sofia The First Premiere Year: 2013 Category: Animated Television Series Company: Walt Disney Television Animation

When I first saw the title character of "Sofia The First", my initial reaction was "Aw, what a cute little princess.", but then I saw that it was going to be shown on Disney Junior, and that's when I started fearing for the worst. I feared that Disney would just make a total mess of it, just like they had done with all of their previous Disney Junior shows. But I'm delighted to tell you, that they haven't messed it up at all. It's just simply beautiful.

"Sofia The First" is the story about the little girl Sofia, who lived with her mother Miranda above their shoe shop in the little village in the Kingdom of Enchantcia. Sofia's life changed forever when she and her mother visited the kingdoms king, Roland II, who wanted to buy a new pair of slippers. King Roland and Miranda fell in love and got married, which made Miranda the new Queen, and Sofia became a princess, and her new father, king Roland, gives her the amulet of Avalor, a magical amulet that grants a power for every deed the wearer performs, a blessing for good deeds, or a curse for bad deeds. But what Sofia, or anyone else for that matter, doesn't know, is that the king's royal sorcerer, Mr. Cedric, wants to steal the amulet in order to use its power to take over the kingdom.

All of this I've just written is one of the things that makes "Sofia The First" so special for a Disney Junior series, namely the fact that it has an actual story. Yes, you heard right, an actual story. And that's one of the many things I like about this show. One other thing I like about this show, is the fact that the show has no annoying "4th wall-breaking". The characters doesn't stop the story every 4 minutes to ask the audience some stupid question. They don't interact with the audience at all, and that's terrific. And Sofia is wearing pretty dresses and tiaras, but those superficial trinkets are not what this story is about. It's about the fact that being a princess is not about how you look, it's about how you are inside as a person, and that's a wonderful message.

The characters are by far the best part of this show. Sofia is cute, but she's not a "Dora The Explorer" type of character. She's not stupid and doesn't ask the audience about what to do all the time, she's not annoying, but most of all, she's not loud when she speaks. Her mother Miranda is the most lovely mother I've seen in a Disney production for quite some time, next after Dr. McStuffins in "Doc Mcstuffins". King Roland II is a great father for Sofia. She's also gotten two new siblings through her parents' marriage, the twins James and Amber. Amber is the oldest of the two, by seven minutes, and she likes to be the center of attention, which is why she was extremely jealous at Sofia at first, but they kind of get along now. Not completely, but kind of. James is fun loving but is always getting into trouble. He and Sofia get along very well, and they stand up to each other, like brother and sister. Then there is the Castle Steward, Baileywick, who can seem strict at times, since his job is to make sure everyone in the castle follows the castle-rules, but he's also a good friend when you need one. Oh, and the classic Disney princesses are making guest appearances, when Sofia needs to learn from an experienced princess.

But the best character of them all in this show is Mr. Cedric, the show's villain. That's right, for the first time in a long while, Disney has finally made a true villain, and a great one at that. He is a slapstick kind of character, but he still feels evil, because he is strongly determined to steal Sofia's amulet and intend to use it to take over the kingdom. He even has a pet raven named Wormwood. Some people apparently want to compare Cedric with Dr. Doofenshmirtz from "Phineas & Ferb", simply because they both are slapstick comedy characters and villains. But these two characters differ on one important factor, namely the reason behind their bumbling ways of acting. Dr. Doofenshmirtz "Holy Mazda, that's a ridiculous name." is bumbling and silly, just for the sake of being silly. But Cedric is bumbling for a real reason, namely the fact that he gets nervous whenever he's near King Roland, and that's why his magic spells doesn't always work out as he intends them to do. So he's more developed then Dr. Doofenshmirtz, and that's the main reason why I like him.

The music in this show is truly wonderful, with songs that really feels like they come from the good old days of Disney, just like it should be. The animation is okay, it's not that revolutionary, in terms of the technology. But hey, since when has feature film quality animation been necessary in order to tell a great story? Because, like the great John Lasseter says "Technology doesn't make a movie entertaining, it's what you do with the technology that makes it special.".

In conclusion, what "Sofia The First" is, is an extraordinary wonder, a triumphant return to the old Disney-Spirit of storytelling. And that's something I feared we would never get the chance to see again. At least not for more then 150 years, or so. While this show isn't exactly contributing anything to the technological development of the art of animation, it does what no other modern Disney Tv series has succeeded in doing for many years, namely truly return Disney to its origins in storytelling. Lovable characters, a great plot, and wonderful music are the main reason why I feel that Disney should use this show as their main template for how to produce their animated TV series. And if they don't do it, then I will sue them. That's how good this show is. With more shows like this, Disney's future would be safe.

My Final Grade: Thumbs-Up, Way Up!

[christinaepilzauthor-blog]

Cats in the Days of King Arthur

by Kim Rendfeld

In 5th-century Britain, cats helped humans survive winter, but the way people regarded them depended on their religious beliefs. Romans introduced housecats to Britain in the 1st century. The island already had native feline species: the lynx (now extinct) and the Scottish wildcat (now endangered). But these animals had no interest in humans—today a Scottish wildcat remained wild, even if it's raised in captivity. The most significant difference between the housecat and the wildcat is temperament. Housecats live with us, although we're big enough to be predators. Unlike a lot of other animals, the early medieval housecat is similar to today's domestic shorthair. By contrast, horses and sheep were smaller in the Dark Ages. Pigs had bristles and tusks. While some dog breeds such as greyhounds and mastiffs go back to the ancients, many were quite different from today. Some canines, like a hunting and herding dog called alaunt, have since become extinct.

Cat and parrots mosaic (detail), in the National Archaeological Museum of Naples (by Massimo Finizio, CC BY-SA 2.0 Italy, via Wikimedia Commons)

Cats brought by the Roman descended from the Near Eastern wildcat, a species that hunted mice in granaries about 10,000 years ago. Today's Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica, also called the African wildcat) looks like a large housecat with longer legs and a more upright posture when sitting or walking. In ancient times, the friendlier felines domesticated themselves by hanging out with the humans who fed them table scraps. Just like a cat who decided to live with me and my husband in the 1990s. After my husband fed her, she left a dead mouse on the doormat. A thank-you gift, apparently. We named the cat Ellie, and she went on to become a pampered pet, still killing rodents on occasion. Had she lived in Arthurian Britain she would have had a job to do—just like every human and every other animal. The only pets, as we understand them, were toy-breed dogs for the wealthy who wanted to show off that they could have an animal that didn't need to do anything. I suppose those dogs had a job, too—status symbol. Housecats, along with ferrets and weasels, had the essential job of killing rodents that would otherwise eat the stored grain humans needed to get through winter. Perhaps, it is not too far a stretch for the Egyptians to see them as divine. When the Romans occupied Britain, housecats and other rodent killers played an important role in the international economy, too. Surplus grain from Britain was exported to the rest of the empire. A lot of people depended on cats' hunting skills.

Cat and two ducks, Roman artwork, 1st century BC (public domain via Wikimedia Commons)

Cats had a spiritual role as well. With their reproductive abilities—a female cat can have two to three litters a year, with up to eight kittens—they were symbols of fertility, an important thing in an age when aristocrats needed heirs and people didn't know how many children would live to adulthood. Romans might have smuggled housecats from Egypt, where they were believed to be too sacred for export, and some Egyptian beliefs about the cat-headed Egyptian goddess Bastet might have seeped into Greco-Roman mythology. Bastet, goddess of fertility and motherhood and protector of the home, became associated with the Greek Artemis and by extension the Roman Diana. A dream about a cat was a good omen and a sign of a good harvest. Roman amulets to ward off evil have images of cats. Feline images appear on a sistrum, a bronze musical instrument a handle and a rounded open frame with bronze rods that rattled. Common in Egypt, the sistrum, associated with fertility, also was used throughout the Roman Empire and even as far as London.

The Celts, particularly the Irish and Scots, had their own belief about cats. It's possible the Kellas cat, a black hybrid of the Scottish wildcat and housecat, had something to do with it. In the Highlands, the large black Cat Sidhe or Cat Sith could steal the soul of the dead before the gods claimed it, and the folk had several rituals to distract the creature until the body was laid to rest. At Samhain, they left a saucer of milk for the Cat Sidhe, who would bless the house. Those who neglected to leave the treat would be cursed.

Kellas cat on display in the Zoology Museum, University of Aberdeen (By Sagaciousphil, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons)

Christian clergy saw them as companions—purring sphinxes. Greek monks who came to Europe brought cats with them to share their cells. One of the most delightful poems about a churchman's relationship with his pet is the 9th century "Pangur Ban." The Irish monk compares his hunt for knowledge to his white cat's hunt for mice and the joy each of them feels. In 5th century Britain, religious beliefs were fluid. Pagan and Christian beliefs coexisted, often in the same person. A Christian might wear an amulet with a cat right beside their cross. They might interpret a dream of a cat as a good omen right before they attend sunrise Mass. Regardless of religious beliefs, people would have appreciated how the felines preserved the food supply. That furry creature who killed and ate mice in the granary was still essential. Sources Daily Life in Arthurian Britain by Deborah J. Shepherd Greek and Roman Household Pets by Francis D. Lazenby "Cats were so nice, they conquered the world twice" by Nsikan Akpan, PBS News Hour Classical Cats: The Rise and Fall of the Sacred Cat by Donald W. Engels "A cat that can never be tamed" by Bec Crew, Scientific American The Cat Sidhe by Deborah MacGillivray "House Cat Origin Traced to Middle Eastern Wildcat Ancestor" by Brian Handwerk, National Geographic News "Pangur Ban" ~~~~~~~~~~

Kim Rendfeld's short story "Betrothed to the Red Dragon," about Guinevere's decision to marry Arthur, is set in early medieval Britain and available on Amazon. She has also written two novels set in 8th century Europe. In The Cross and the Dragon, a Frankish noblewoman must contend with a jilted suitor and the fear of losing her husband (available on Amazon). In The Ashes of Heaven's Pillar, a Saxon peasant will fight for her children after losing everything else (available on Amazon). Connect with Kim at on her website kimrendfeld.com, her blog, Outtakes of a Historical Novelist at kimrendfeld.wordpress.com, on Facebook at facebook.com/authorkimrendfeld, or follow her on Twitter at @kimrendfeld.

Hat Tip To: English Historical Fiction Authors