This probably isn't what you had in mind, but I've always been fascinated ...well, not always, but for the time, I've been intensely fascinated by the whole ...Masons/Templars/etc stories/legends.
I have a book of Irish fairy tales, my particular favorite Egg soup, about a mother who proves that her baby is a changeling by making a soup out of eggshells. The infant becomes so curious it's starts asking why she is doing it, but before the mother can catch the changeling, the changeling vanishes and her real baby is returned.
I also like the story of Pegasus, born out of Medusa's blood. I also like the three furies.
I've really gotten into the stories of fairy babies switched with mortal babies. Somewhere out there is an SGA AU in which John was a changeling (to explain his pointy ears ;)) I loved that story but can't find it.
I've also been reading up on some African legends, such as these people who are so small they ride ants. And were-hyenas, of course :D... if Wikipedia can be trusted *eyes it warily*
I have so many. When I was a child my mother and maternal grandmother read to us and many were fairy tales Some of my favorites: Rapunzel - her golden hair thrown down from the tower window to attract a suitable suitor Grim's Cinderella (step sister cuts off part of foot to fit into the shoe) :P Goldilocks and the Three Bears - the notion of a young girl sleeping in a bear's bed Little Red Riding Hood - why didn't she notice that the wolf did not bear any resemblance to her DGM?? Hansel and Gretel - the candy and cake coated cottage fascinated me... and so many more. I often wondered why Tolkien never included fairies in his tales....I mean he used elves, trolls, goblins etc. but no fairies?? I also liked Legend with the exception of Cruise. I love fantasy in general. I guess it is mainly due to the exposure to it as a child. Every culture seems to have its own fantasy tales.
Tolkien did write a fairy story outside of Middle-earth, it's called Smith of Wooton Major. I'm pretty sure the elves ARE the fairies of Middle-earth, given this from The Hobbit: "For most of them... were descended from the ancient tribes that never went to Faerie in the West. There the Light-elves and the Deep-elves and the Sea-elves went..."
It was a real favorite of mine. I suspect maybe because as a little girl, I thought how wonderful it would be if a prince came along to rescue her. I know, a hopeless romantic even at an early age.
Generally, any story in which the girl is heroic, with the exception of the story about the girl whose older brothers get turned into swans. Tam Lin is good. I also like old folk songs like that, like Jackaroe or The Outlandish Knight (Child Ballad #4). And sometimes I like songs about girls who misbehave, like The Female Highwayman. (All of these songs are on contemplator.com, and at http://tam-lin.org/ you can find probably every version of the Tam Lin lyrics ever.)
And I know it's technically a bit modern, but as always, the Lay of Leithian is one of my most favorite stories ever.
Hmm... I'm a big fan of Greek myth, but my favorites tend to be fairy tales- the ones that Disney usually gets their hands on XD Sleeping Beauty is a fun one, with the sleep-rape and pregnancy...
Comments 15
Reply
Reply
I also like the story of Pegasus, born out of Medusa's blood. I also like the three furies.
Reply
Reply
I've also been reading up on some African legends, such as these people who are so small they ride ants. And were-hyenas, of course :D... if Wikipedia can be trusted *eyes it warily*
Reply
Some of my favorites:
Rapunzel - her golden hair thrown down from the tower window to attract a suitable suitor
Grim's Cinderella (step sister cuts off part of foot to fit into the shoe)
:P
Goldilocks and the Three Bears - the notion of a young girl sleeping in a bear's bed
Little Red Riding Hood - why didn't she notice that the wolf did not bear any resemblance to her DGM??
Hansel and Gretel - the candy and cake coated cottage fascinated me...
and so many more.
I often wondered why Tolkien never included fairies in his tales....I mean he used elves, trolls, goblins etc. but no fairies??
I also liked Legend with the exception of Cruise.
I love fantasy in general. I guess it is mainly due to the exposure to it as a child.
Every culture seems to have its own fantasy tales.
Reply
I like Hansel and Gretel too.
Reply
Reply
I know, a hopeless romantic even at an early age.
Might give you some ideas:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rapunzel
Reply
And I know it's technically a bit modern, but as always, the Lay of Leithian is one of my most favorite stories ever.
Reply
Reply
Hmm... I'm a big fan of Greek myth, but my favorites tend to be fairy tales- the ones that Disney usually gets their hands on XD Sleeping Beauty is a fun one, with the sleep-rape and pregnancy...
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment