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dailyrandomwriter · 2 years

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Day 39

A child dressed in a long sleeve pink shirt and jean overalls races across the field. The gauzy fake butterfly wings on her back flutter as she makes a beeline towards the grove of old oak trees. The tiny brass bells at the end of her two long pigtail twists jingle as she clambers over large gnarled roots of the old oak trees. The oaks’ branches spread out far above the child, allowing only flickers of sunlight through.

The brown-red leaves crunches underfoot as she jumps off a root down to the ground below. It stirs up the musty and earthy scent brought about by dying leaves and early morning fog. Unbothered by the smells of the forest, she hums, crouching down to shift through the leaves, uncaring of the bits of dirt sticking to the tips of her fingers. Brushing aside the leaves reveals a ground littered with acorns. One by one she picks them up and studies them in the dappled sunlight. If the acorns were too tiny, she would drop them back into the ground; if they were too big she would toss them into a little nook around the roots believing squirrels must be hiding nearby waiting to grab them. But the ones that were around the size of a quarter she kept, putting them into a brown pouch knitted by her gran. The bag is out of place among all the pink and sparkles, nor does it match the shiny purple shoes on her feet.

A tall lanky man appears from behind an oak tree. His vivid curly red hair tumbles over his shoulders as he perches on one of the large overgrown roots. The child jumps at the sudden appearance of this strange man, and despite the fact he stares at her with his unnaturally golden yellow eyes she has no fear in her heart. In all honesty, he looks like a character that had just stepped off the pages of one of her fairy tale books. In fact, his whole form stood out in that little oak grove, in spite of the fact his clothes were nothing but varying shades of brown.

She looks around, as if reconsidering where she was, before asking, “What are you doing all the way up there mister?”

“I’m watching the turning of the leaves, little one, and what are you doing all the way out here?”

“I’m collecting acorns for the fairy market!”

Amusement leaks into his voice as he asks her in turn, “The fairy market?”

“Uh huh! I read it in a book! That fairies hold secret markets to sell fairy things! And they trade in acorns,” she paused and hums, “And yellow leaves like the leaves on the trees, but they’re all red, not yellow. So I can’t use those.”

The man cackles at this answer as he hops down from his perch. Landing on his feet like one of the stray cats that roams the little girl’s neighbourhood. He struts towards her, seemingly pleased by her answer. As he comes closer, she realizes he is tall, taller than any adult she had seen before. She takes one large step back, and he stops before her, holding out a hand.

“May I see your acorns, fascinating one?”

“Am I gonna get them back?” she clutches the pouch to her chest as she asks this.

“Of course! I’m no thief! I’ll give your acorns back to you, every single one acorn. I shall give them back to you,” he assures her.

She takes half a step forward and holds out the pouch, dropping it into his waiting hand. Taking the bag he pours the little acorns into his hand; the sound of soft clinking of acorns fill the space between them. He hums, admiring the attentiveness she shows in her choice of oak seeds.

“What is your name, diligent one?” he asks as he admires a particularly blemish free acorn.

“Mama said to not give my name to strangers.”

He chortles at this, the response amuses him. With great care he puts all the acorns back into the pouch, counting them aloud one by one before handing the pouch back to her.

“How about a trade observant one?” he inquires as he crouches down to be close to her height, his knees bent so much he looks almost frog-like in posture.

“A trade?” she looks at him and then to her pouch of acorns, “Do you trade in acorns too mister?”

The man grins with a wide smile full of teeth, “Why yes, I do, for I too like to trade in the… fairy market.”

He holds out his hand to her once more, and with a twist of his fingers appears two small charms, a small golden oak leaf and an even smaller brass acorn, both hanging from a thin leather cord. They gleam in the dappled sunlight, and as the wind blows through the grove, it tugs at the charms causing the acorn to chime like a bell. The little girl stares at the charms with wide eyed surprise and looks at the man in disbelief.

“Could I really have that for my bag of acorns?”

“Yes, a trade is a trade, this pretty trinket for your bag of acorns. I will honour this trade of your acorns for my trinket. This is a trade of acorns and trinkets,” he nodded as he spoke.

With a shriek of delight she holds out her bag of acorns with both hands. The man looks at it and smiles, telling her gently.

“When trading, hold out your trade in one hand, and take what you want to trade with, with your other hand. This way we both know it’s fair, yes?”

He then puts the trinket into his right hand and holds it out to her, reaching out for the pouch with his left hand.

#12 month writing project #September entry #not happy with the flow but here it is #fairy stories

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bodgei · 2 years

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Tamsin the Rhymer (chapter 1)

Tamsin thought that Huntly Bank was a stupid name for a club. She really did, but it didn’t matter, her friends wanted to go there.

For someplace with such a stodgy name it was too loud, too dark, and also too bright. It was just all wrong. She could be home writing poems that she would never show to anyone.

She was saving a table when he sauntered over. He leaned against the wall next to her table, arm up against the wall. He was striking with high cheekbones, his skin was the color of autumn dawn on acorns, long curls pulling at the ribbon tying them back in a loose ponytail. A few had escaped framing the largest midnight eyes she had ever seen.

And he seemed to be glowing from the inside. Like her parents said angels did.

He came to her table and leaned against it, smiling.

"Are you an angel?” she asked. She wouldn’t have if she hadn’t been drinking all night.

He laughed, his teeth bright in the flashing lights of the club. Bright and somehow sharp. She leaned forward, drawn in by his beauty, his laugh, his light.

“Oh no, Tamsin,” he said, reaching out and taking her hand, “I am the king of all Elf Land and I've come to visit Thee.”

She stood and let him draw her to the dance floor. She had never been much of a dancer, but she didn’t have to be. She was pulled along in his light, she danced with him for what must have been hours. She danced with him for what might have been moments. He bent low and said in a voice quiet, but clear, “I’ve come to take you, but kiss me first and we will know for sure.”

She kissed him. She felt filled with sunshine.

He broke the kiss and said, “Stand beside me for seven years, for well or woe as we will see.”

“I should tell my friends,” Tamsin said.

“Why?” the King asked.

“They will be looking for me,” Tamsin said.

He gestured with his long, delicate hands, “They will not.”

Her friends were all absorbed by other men on the floor.

“It is possible that my men may bring them as well,” he said with a long and languid shrug. He held a hand out to her, “Will you come with me?”

“Seven years?” Tamsin asked.

"Yes,” he said.

The lights were flashing on the dance floor, haloing him in flashing red and green, “Yes, I will come with you.”

She took his hand and followed him out onto the street, where a white motorcycle was waiting for him. He mounted it and then pulled her up onto the seat behind him.

"I thought this would be a horse?” she said.

"It is,” he said, “I have a glamor on him. People don’t like seeing horses standing on the street.”

They pulled away from the curb and she said, “What do I call you?”

"I am the Erlking,” he said, “but at home, you may call me Eik.”

As he guided the motorcycle through city traffic, she rested her head against Eik’s back. She was not one who normally did things on the spur of the moment, but she felt like she had to go with Eik.

If the kiss had told him that she was the one to go with him, it had told her that she could trust Eik. That standing with Eik was right.

That the path she should take led her to the Erlking.

As they rode the world changed around them, soon they were in the countryside. And they had left the cold January chill for warmth and sunshine.

She had been on the bike long enough for day to dawn. She had been on the bike for a split second.

Tamsin had driven out of the city countless times. This wasn’t anyplace she recognised. She held Eik tight and felt the muscles across his abdomen, despite how close they had been dancing she hadn’t realized how much muscle he had packed into his lithe body. It was almost enough to make her forget what she was going to ask.

Almost.

“Where are we?”

He turned his head, she noticed freckles dotting his skin, she hadn’t seen them before and she was taken by the desire to kiss each of them.

“Your people call this Fairy Land, but we are at the border of Summer,” he said with warmth and almost a laugh. Then, “Hang on.”

She tightened her grip and below her the bike twisted and changed. Then they were astride a white horse. The horse started moving under them. His trot was long and smooth, it was like riding the wind. A smudge of a forest was looming before them. He pulled the horse back to a walk and turned to look at her, that was when she gave in and kissed the freckle at the top of his nose.

“Why did you kiss my nose?” he asked.

“There is a freckle.” she said.

"Yes,” he grumbled, “I cover them, because…” he trailed off, gesturing at nothing with his hand.

"I think they are adorable,” she told him.

"Not very kingly,” he told her, turning forward again.

“I disagree,” Tamsin said.

“I am to be perfect in my season,” he said.

“In your season?”

“Yes, I am the Oak King of Summer,” he said, “Right now we are in the season of the Holly King of Winter.”

"You know that sounds silly.”

"It is Fairy, most of our things sound silly to your people.”

“Is it all a fairytale?” she asked.

“It is,” he sighed and pulled the horse to a stop, “We can’t enter the Kings Woods like this. Slide down.”

She dismounted and Eik followed her, he stroked his mount’s dished face, “Call Bonfire.”

The white stallion raised his head and bellowed.

Eik turned to Tamsin, “I should have asked if you ride.”

"I do,” she said.

"Sidesaddle?”

"Yes,” she confirmed, “I ride sidesaddle.”

"Good,” he said and he gestured at Tamsin. Her clothes moved around her, reforming itself into a long silk dress, with a velvet mantel, “Once we leave the borderlands it will be winter again.”

“Oh,” she said.

His clothes were reforming as well, a deep green and gold tunic and green hoes, his mantel was golden. She liked seeing his legs. More of his curls had sprung free.

"The colors don’t suit you,” she said.

"They are the colors of my court,” he said with a shrug.

She stepped close to him, letting her fingers brush the freckles, then she traced a few small scars on his cheek, “Don’t change your face back.”

"The court will be in the trees,” he said quietly, rubbing his face against her fingers.

"I could love this face,” she told him.

He smiled and kissed the tips of her fingers, “I already love yours.”

Tamsin thought that her face was plain, heart shaped with eyes that could have been bigger and a nose that could have been smaller. Her hair was long and curly, someplace between blond, brown, and red. She thought she was rather forgettable.

But she was a strong rider.

And she had a secret desire for adventure.

Maybe that was what he had seen.

"What do you know about Fae royalty?" He asked, taking her hand in his. He glanced at the woods and then back at her.

"I mean, I read Midsummer Night's Dream," she told him.

He brightened a bit, "so you know I have a wife. But not like what you think of when I say 'wife'. I like her well enough, but she is more like…" he sighed, "not a sister exactly. I should have told you before we got this far."

Tamsin looked deep into Eik's eyes, they were wide and shining, she wasn't sure if he was worried that she would turn back or if he was excited to be home.

"Kings have Queens, but they also have a royal mistress," she said.

"Declared Companion," he said quietly, "you'll have a cottage in the King's Park, or you can stay in my apartments. Or both."

"We'll see," she said.

That was when the blood bay stallion ran to them. He had a sidesaddle and a full bridal on. The billots on the off side exposed so she would be able to tighten and loosen her own girth, and a green and gold breast plate with a matching saddle pad. The horse nudged Eik with his nose.

"Tamsin, this is Bonfire. He will be your horse to ride as long as you like. If he doesn't suit you, we will find you a mount that does. We have more than a month of leisure before my season. Other than one Feast in the Court of Winter, for Imbolc, we mostly ride and hunt until the equinox."

“Really?” she asked.

“Really,” he told her, moving to her left and crouching hands bridged, “Give me your foot?”

"Thank you, Your Grace,” she said with a smile. She placed her left foot in his hands and stepped up, turning as he stood, lifting her right leg over the saddle horn and settling into the saddle.

"You are welcome, My Lady.”

“I’m not-” she started only to be cut off by Eik.

“You are my Declared Companion,” he said in a firm tone, “That makes you Lady Tamsin.”

“But -”

"But nothing,” he said, mounting his horse, “I am King, I can make you a Lady if I wish.”

She could tell he was trying to be imperious, but he had missed the mark. He was managing to look like a baby deer. She couldn’t help but laugh. When he looked offended she asked, “do you use your magic to make yourself look fierce?”

“I can look fierce,” he said with a wide smile, “I just choose not to.”

“Come,” he said, “Meet my Wife and her Declared.”

He urged his mount into a ground eating canter, and Tamsin followed on Bonfire. He was an incredibly smooth ride, the only difficult part was keeping him from overtaking Eik’s Moonshade. She couldn’t help but laugh in joy.

"Faster!” she called to Eik. Then his heels touched his horses sides and Moonshade took off, in a wild gallop. Bonfire matched the white horse stride for stride. She was still holding him back until Eik called over, “let him run!”

Bonfire opened up, eating the ground between them and the woods with his long stride. Moonshade was behind, forcing the pace. They raced those yards wild with joy.

She pulled Bonfire up before the trees, and they trotted into the woods side by side, Eik was to her right and Moonshade’s haunches were at Bonfire’s shoulders. They were greeted by about forty riders. They were all beautiful, dressed in bright silks and velvets.

In the center was the woman who was obviously the Queen. She wore no crown, but her long blond hair shone like gold, it was tied up in complex braids. She glowed the way Eik did when he had his perfect face on.

“You finally brought me a sister!” She said to Eik as she rode between him and Tamsin. First she kissed Eik, then she kissed Tamsin.

Eik smiled broadly at the Queen, “Wife.”

“Husband,” she replied, “what is her name?”

“Lady Tamsin, this is my wife Lumikello, Queen of Summer.”

The queen rode between and then turned her horse, riding up to the off side of Tamsin’s horse. She gestured at the man that turned and rode next to the queen, “This is my Declared Companion, Lord Bastian.”

Bastian turned and waved. He was sandy haired with gray green eyes, a human face that looked like it was used to smiling. He had a sword at his waist and a gun scabbard strapped to his saddle.

He saw Tamsin looking and said, “I have to protect my Lady. And I am better with the gun, but she gave me the sword as a gift when I agreed to come here.”

“I was given a horse?” Tamsin said.

“Oh no,” The Queen said, “He will give you something at a feast.”

“Yes,” Eik said, rolling his eyes, “There will be a whole to do.”

“I thought you love to dance,” Tamsin said to Eik, “we just danced for the whole evening.”

"I love dancing,” Eik said.

Lumikello looked over at her with a bright smile, “He hates the pomp and circumstance of High Courts.”

Eik grinned at his wife, “That is not true, I hate the pomp and circumstance of all courts.”

“I make it sound like he is a bad King, but he is very good at the important parts.”

"It is just the formal parties,” Eik said with a smile, “with all the puffed up Lords and the Court Dances.”

“Well people won’t be throwing their girls at you, in hopes of earning your favor.”

“Some of the boys were tempting,” Eik said with a shrug.

This was when Tamsin caught sight of the castle. The trees had gotten very dense, with branches twining together, they had formed a wall.

But now they were passing between two of the largest oaks she had ever seen, the branches of these ancient trees formed an arch framing her view of the castle.

The stones of the curtain wall shown, gold and the green of serpentine in the son. There were walls inside of walls inside of walls. There was a riot of towers, towers at the corners of each of the walls.

Inside the walls was a graceful tower, rounded and larger at the top then the bottom.

“Wow,” she said. There wasn’t anything else to say.

“You should see it in our session,” Eik told her with a grin. He reached out and took her hand before pushing his horse forward.

They held hands as they passed into the Palace

#fiction #fairy stories #Marwan Kenzari has eaten my brain.#that picture

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senadimell · 2 years

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I am making an executive decision to use the term “fairy stories” despite the fact that it is not native to my White American English vocabulary because “fairy tales” is just too dang romanticized, commercialized, and disneyified. sometimes a girl just wants to talk about a Brainweird man whose superpower is not experiencing a typical fear response and the story ends when his annoyed trophy wife dumps a cold barrel of fish on him so he’ll stop complaining, much to his delight.

#fairy stories #look people can have all the fun they want talking about cinderella and good for them #but too much *beloved retellings* and not enough *really weird stuff happens* for my liking #the tropes i'm talking about are not the kind subverted in Enchanted!#folk tales fits the bid but it seems to fall into a category of not-magic and i don't really want to make a distinction

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gatorinator · 3 months

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“Walrus on your doorstop” this “fairy’s more unrealistic” that my professor just uttered the sentence “there was one day I found a real octopus in my backyard” this man hasn’t left Utah his entire life. How was there an octopus in his backyard in Utah. He then said “I do not have time to elaborate we need to cover a lot today in class” GIRL WHAT DO YOU MEEAN

#al speaks #we are fifteen minutes into class and still haven’t had any class cuz he was telling a story. wdym you don’t have time for the octopus story #stop class I want to know everything. I guess he would say he would be more surprised to see a fairy than a walrus #walrus or fairy

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thelemonzone42 · 3 months

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Georgia the Guinea Pig Fairy

(Here is the another story from the Rainbow Magic series)

Georgia The Guinea Pig Fairy

Rachel and Kirsty were admiring animals on a strawberry farm. After petting the animals, it made the girls thirsty. During their time, they saw some ducklings go into the water for the first time and went on a pony ride.

After Kirsty’s mom left for the tea room to get a coffee, Rachel and Kirsty headed off to the rabbit hutches. On the signs, they showed which animals are which and what food they like(Rabbits are mostly herbivores, similar to vegetarians). Many of them like carrots, Brussel sprouts, sunflower seeds, and apple slices.

In one of the runs, there were two guinea pigs instead of three, that was because the baby guinea pig had escaped. Within the hutches, they found Baby Carrot, ‘The baby guinea pig’ going off on his own. After fixing up the door, they chased after Baby Carrot.

Kirsty and Rachel followed the scampering guinea pig. It ran straight up a tree and into a hole, much to their surprise. Inside, Kirsty tried to get it, but it turned out that the guinea pig was really Georgia’s pet guinea pig. By a nest, Georgia flew down and waved ‘Hi’.

Georgia was thrilled to find her pet, ‘Guinea pig’ Sparkly, who was also looking for Sparky. Before Georgia could tell where Baby Carrot might be, a goblin disguised as a sheep got out a butterfly net and captured Sparky.

Rachel and Kirsty turned into fairies and chased after the goblins, but lost them in a flock of sheep. That’s when they found the goblin going into a dark barn.

Inside, they couldn’t see anything in the dark. Luckily, Georgia used her wand as a flashlight. Sparky did a few high pitch squeaks and Rachel and Kirsty flew off. When they found Sparky, the goblins started trying to capture them. Rachel and Georgia escaped through a broken window, but Kirsty got captured.

Unfortunately, Magic Pets’ powers don’t work when they’re scared. Georgia and Rachel then decided to lure the goblins out with the sound of an angry bull. Georgia used her magic to hold the goblins until they left the barn for good. After making ‘Bull noises’, the fairies told the goblins they'll free her, as long as they free Kirsty and Sparky.

Being stubborn, the goblins decided to only free Kirsty, because Jack made them not to come back unless they had Sparky. After Kirsty was freed, they opened the door with scared goblins scampering away with Sparky in one of the goblins. Georgia used her magic to use a rope to capture the goblins.

The goblin was abandoned alone. After freeing from the goblin’s hand, he happily ran towards Georgia. The fairy assured the rude goblin that the magic would wear off in a few minutes.

Rachel and Kirsty were so caught up in rescuing Sparky, they forgot about Carrot. However, there was no time, it was almost 4pm and they had to meet with Kirsty’s mom.

Back as fairies, they found Baby Carrot by a hen with her little chicks, who is considered his second family. When they caught up to Baby Carrot, he felt like he’s ready to return to his hutch.

After reuniting Baby Carrot with his mother and aunt, Georgia secured the door tight, making sure they didn't escape again.

When they went their separate ways, Kirsty and Rachel in human form. They met up with Kirsty’s mom. By foot, they got a bag of sunflower seeds to give to the guinea pigs, which is secretly a gift from Georgia.

The End.

#Rainbow Magic #Daisy Meadows #Fairy stories #guinea pigs

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nelehjr · 4 months

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Outrunning the Night is Complete!

All chapters are officially up and available on both Patreon and Kindle Vella. If you were holding out to read the entire story in one straight shot, now’s your chance! Gary is a ranch hand that followed some polka music into a field in January 2020. Nyxlynn is the princess of the Night Court. It is her duty to marry the king of the Day Court to keep the peace in Fairy. Both want out of their…

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#Adventure #Asexual #Asexual Romance #Cute #Fairy Stories #Fluff #Helen M. Pugsley #Helen M. Pugsley Author Of The Gishlan Series #Helen M. Pugsley author of War and Chess #Kindle Vella #Outrunning The Night #Patreon #Serial Story #The Changeling Sister Books #The Changling Sisters Books #The Tooth Fairy #The Tooth Fairy by Helen M. Pugsley

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lepetitdragonvert · 6 months

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The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen

Artist : Errol le Cain (1941-1989)

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cheeseanonioncrisps · 2 months

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Stuck on the idea of vampires as a kind of reverse fae, or like someone's twisted, perverse attempt at moulding humans into fae.

They're repelled by liminal spaces.

A vampire could never enter fairyland, not just because they'd never be welcomed, but because most of the usual entry-ways are naturally barred to them.

They can't cross running water. They can't be seen in mirrors. They will wait forever at a crossroads, unable to pick a direction to go in. They can't even step over a thresh-hold unless there is absolutely no ambiguity about whether they are welcome inside.

They crave human blood, iron and salt, but are repelled by herbs and plants. They are supernaturally prevented from harming you unless the rules of hospitality have been invoked.

A fairy may replace your newborn child with something unnatural and ever-hungry. A vampire will do the same, but with your grandmother's corpse.

The fae are typically associated, even in stories where they're the bad guys, with flourishing and purity. Vampires, even in stories where they're the good guys, are typically associated with decay and corruption.

The fae turn ancient human burial mounds into fancy halls for their courts. Vampires take ancient human castles and let them grow mildewed and cobwebbed, exchanging the beds for coffins, turning them into burial places.

Fae don't tend to live among humans, but can generally pass for them with relative ease if they so choose. Vampires nearly always live among humans, but tend to find not revealing themselves a huge struggle.

I can't think of many stories I've read where fae and vampires even exist in the same universe, let alone ones where they actively interact. I feel like their enmity is almost more inevitable than that between vampires and werewolves, however.

The rivalry between vampires and werewolves is, essentially, the rivalry between two apex predator species who share a territory. (Even in stories where the werewolves aren't actually hunting humans.)

The vampires hate the werewolves because the werewolves interfere with their access to prey. The werewolves hate the vampires either because they consider themselves aligned with humans (the prey species), or because they are also predators and the vampires are competing with them.

By comparison, I think there's some story potential in the fae finding something genuinely creepy and uncanny valley about vampires.

They're immortal, like them, but also dead. They can be beautiful, like them, but that beauty is something they actively require humans to sustain. They like to inhabit beautiful and ancient ex-human dwellings, like them, but they actively work to make those places dark, damp and empty.

Fairies who are unflappable in the face of all sorts of Otherworldly monsters, can look an eldritch horror in the eye(s) without blinking, and have never been phased yet by any human, but will recoil from even the weakest vampire.

Vampires who hate fairies just as much, but in a more envious way. The way that the creature for whom immortality is a curse is bound to hate the creatures for whom immortality is an eternity of sunlight and laughter.

Maybe their touches burn each other. Maybe vampires can't stand physical contact with anything so alive and vital. Maybe immortal fairies become ill from too much exposure to the undead.

Maybe they fight over the human population when their territories overlap. The fairy need for servants and people to make deals with, competing with the vampire need for thralls and blood to drink.

Just… fairies and vampires. We need more stories about them interacting.

#vampires #fae #fairies #fantasy #fantasy headcanons #urban fantasy #now imagine all this in the context of an enemies to lovers story

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betterthanapokeintheeye · 7 months

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30 gifts for 30 days of November

Day 20!

Here is the twentieth of thirty Better Than a Poke in the Eye recommended gifts for the book lover in your life even if that book lover is YOU!

Today's recommendation is A Whole New World (Twisted Tales) by Liz Braswell

Rachel loves fairy stories from all over the world. Disney’s Twisted Tales series takes those tales and twists them into something new but familiar. Designed to be for the YA market, these books are a fun read for any fairy tale or Disney fan.

A Whole New World explores the what if scenario of Jafar having found the lamp instead of Aladdin and the consequences of that on the world that Aladdin loves.

There are currently 16 books in the series plus a load of short stories which you can purchase as an advent calendar. Three more books are due in 2024 which includes a twist on the Brave story.

You can purchase most of these books through our bookshop Disney books - Beautiful, Villianious and Twisted! list.

A Whole New World (Twisted Tales) by Liz Braswell - R.R.P. £8.99

You can purchase it through our online bookshop or through any of our affiliate links.

Better Than a Poke in the Eye Bookshop .org

Amazon UK

Foyles

Waterstones

WHSmith

Blackwells

#books #christmas gifts #yuletide gifts #love books #disney #disney books #twisted tales #fairy stories #fairy tales #aladdin #jafar #liz braswell

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smorgasbordinvitation · 8 months

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Smorgasbord Blog Magazine - Weekly Round Up -9th - 15th October - Chat Eau, Big Band, Barbra Streisand, Spirits, Green Kitchen, Fairy Stories, Book Reviews, Aromatherapy, Funnies-

Welcome to the round up of posts you might have missed this week on Smorgasbord. A week in our world’s history that has shocked, horrified, divided and has the potential to do so for the foreseeable future. I try to keep my personal opinions regarding world events to myself, as I have no wish to enter into debate about such a polarising issue. But I will say this. There is no place on our earth…

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#Aromatherapy #Barbra Streisand #Big Band #Book reviews #Chat Eau #Fairy stories #funnies #Green Kitchen #Smorgasbord Round Up #Spirits

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madewithonerib · 9 months

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6.] The Purpose of Story

[C] Now category C, story. [30:45]

One of the ways that people deal with the fact that nothing in life really gives them what they are looking for is art!

They go to art, they go to story, they go to movies, they go to narrative. [living in my head]

And J.R.R. Tolkien, who was one of C.S. Lewis' close friends, who of course wrote the famous trilogy 'The Lord of the Rings' — wrote a very important essay, some years ago, obviously.

Called: On Fairy Stories

“On Fairy-Stories” is an essay by J. R. R. Tolkien which discusses the fairy story as a literary form. It was written as a lecture entitled “Fairy Stories” for the Andrew Lang lecture at the University St Andrews, Scotland, on 8 March 1939

And in it, he gave a rationale for why he wrote —not what he called realistic fiction, which he wasn't against, but he liked fairy stories.

He liked epics, he liked myths, he liked even science fiction; & he said that no matter how much we say:

“Oh if you're a serious contemporary modern person, you will not want to read fairy stories —fairy stories about evil enchantments & you know princes kiss sleeping beauty to awaken her, and dragons & knights..

Yeah that's for children.”

If you're a grown up person—you read realistic fiction. 𝗧𝗼𝗹𝗸𝗶𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗹𝘆, that human beings, including adults would never ever ever get past an insatiable desire for fantasy fiction.

6.1] For What Reason

And here's what he said the reasons were, just take a look at fairy tales & science fiction, here is what you have in them:

[1] You have stories in them about people who escape death, in which they step outside of time,

[2] communication with intelligent beings who are not human

[3] love which they never ever lose, love without parting, and

[4] good triumphs over evil, where evil is completely defeated by good.

He says the reason why many keep spending billions and trillions of dollars to read, watch, consume stories like that—what we call fairy stories is because we are endlessly fascinated by these subjects.

𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻!

Even though we know it's not true, but there is something deeply consoling about a well told story—realistically depicted, in which people escape death & live forever. [33:25]

Or have love without parting, or communicate with non-humans, or step outside of time,

We're just fascinated by it, we have this incredible appetite [natural desire to satisfy a bodily need].

Why? 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀!

It is the reason why real life will never satisfy us.

We're reading those stories, & if they're told well it will console us even though it is bitter-sweet & it tells you something about the human heart and the human soul. [33:54]

It wants those things, & we can't not want those things. That's ridiculous, that's silly! Life is over, when you die that's the end.

You can't escape time!! you can't have love without parting, everybody you love you're going to lose. They are going to move away or go away from you, or something is going to happen, they are going to die, or you are going to die.

This is silly!

Why do we keep reading & watching these stories?

Tolkien says because that is what the human heart wants, & realistic fiction cannot scratch that itch! [34:27]

And he actually says, interestingly enough, that fairy stories awaken this deep desire, satisfying it while often whetting it unbearably—they succeed.

Did you hear that?

He said when a good story awakens these desires, satisfying them, while often whetting them unbe- arably, the story succeeds.

6.2] Fiction is form of Escapism [34:53]

The American Psychology Association defines escapism as the tendency to escape from the 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘀𝘆 world. Since life is innately stressful, coping strategies are essential to making it through each day.

So one of the ways I know a lot of people just get by is narrative, the story—real life is just kind of dark, story makes you feel like life has meaning.

—𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲, even though as far as you know there isn't.

Hope Beyond World P:1,2,3,4,5,𝟲,7,8,9,Q1,Q2,Q3,Q4,Q5,Q6,Q7,Q8,Q9,

#Hope Beyond World #Escapism #denial #Fairy Stories #fairy tales #JRR Tolkien #CS Lewis

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