Jane Yolen, "America's Hans Christian Andersen", Passes Away at 87

 

Jane Yolen (February 11, 1939 – June 11, 2026) - photo portrait by daughter, Heidi Stemple

We lost one of the most prolific and inspiring American authors who wrote across multiple genres and generations last month, and the loss is huge across literature and for the many who worked with and were inspired by her. Fairy tale folk, especially, are feeling the loss in the sort of way that marks the end of an era. Due to her constant work with and championing of fairy tales, Yolen was affectionately dubbed "America's Hans Christian Andersen"*, by the press and beyond.

Heidie Stemple commenting on her late mother's response to the affectation for Louisville Public Media

The author of over 450 books, Yolen didn't just write and work with fairy tales, of course, but they were a subject never far from her mind and heart. The range of tales she told and retold, for kids through to adults, reflected how integral they were to her own life and way of thinking, and that's what I will be focusing on in this tribute.

*She was also referred to as the "Aesop of the 20th century".

Reclaiming Women's History & Retelling Fairy Tales For Brave Girls

Yolen's first book sale, Pirates in Petticoats, happened on her 22nd birthday, February 11, 1961. The feminist non-fiction story already showed her proclivity for telling tales with strong and unusual female protagonists, something she continued to do throughout her life in her fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and in mining fairy and folktales for forgotten stories to retell in freshly inspiring fairy tale anthologies. Sometimes, as in Sister Bear, her retelling of a favorite Norwegian tale of mine (The Cat on the Dovrefjell), she would change the male hero into a girl or woman, asking that we reframe traditional ideas of bravery and heroism.

Tribute piece for Jane Yolen June 12, 2026 by Astrid Sheckles

Raising Up Forgotten Voices and Stirring Up Controversy

Born to Jewish parents and considering herself a secular Jew, Yolen identified as a poet and journalist/non-fiction writer, though she was most often referred to as a children's book author, as these became her most well-known works. Both Briar Rose and The Devil's Arithmetic, dealing with aspects of the Holocaust, were included on reading lists for middle and high school for a time, and later banned due to censorship for the subject matter and due to the sexual orientation of a key character. In a similar vein, her book on Christopher Columbus, Encounter, in contrast to other books at the time, portrayed the "discovery of America" as not only disruptive but frightening to the indigenous populations, which also drew controversy. Her writing on these subjects and others of a similar nature continued unapologetically throughout her life, encouraging and empowering many others to not only learn about these hidden histories but to investigate history themselves, take up their own pen, and continue to do the same.

A Champion of the Power of Fairy and Folktales

Winner of multiple prestigious awards (including a Caldecott, two Nebula Awards, the World Fantasy Association's Lifetime Achievement Award, and many more), Yolen's writing spanned multiple genres, with her use of folktales, fantasy, and poetic imagination drawing readers of all ages to both explore history in new ways and to see the world through eyes primed to discover and create their own wonder. A running theme through her life and work, she believed strongly in the power of fairy tales to succinctly communicate truths she believed people need to hear in a "non-messy" and memorable way, and to spread the type of hope they need to really live.

Writing With Her Children

Jane Yolen married David Stemple in 1962 and had three children, all of whom write ("the family business", as Heidi joked), and have creative careers. Jason Stemple is an author, photographer, and drone pilot, Adam Stemple is a musician and author (of seven books and many short stories to date), and Heidi Stemple is an author and speaker, writing mainly for children (with over thirty books published, at this writing). Yolen has creatively collaborated and co-authored multiple books with all three of her children. "Family business" indeed!

Yolen's Briar Rose

Yolen's Briar Rose (published in 1992) deserves a special mention on a fairy tale blog, as you will see. It was originally published as part of the Fairy Tale Series of novels, compiled by Terri Windling. It won the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Adult Literature in 1993. For those who are unfamiliar with, or need a refresher on, the book, I am including a quote from an education guide (on unbancoolies.org) to give a quick overview and to explain why its particular intertextuality was so unique at the time, as well as why it was, and remains, critically acclaimed (emphasis in bold and underline is mine): 

Jane Yolen’s Briar Rose is not just a story about a sleeping princess but a narrative that connects fairy tale motifs with real-world history. The book intertwines the traditional story with the experiences of a Holocaust survivor, who is the grandmother of the narrator. This blending of fantasy and history creates a powerful juxtaposition that brings new meaning to the themes of survival, memory, and the power of storytelling. By incorporating the Holocaust into her version, Yolen transforms Briar Rose into a story about resilience and the enduring strength of the human spirit amidst unimaginable darkness. This approach encourages readers to see fairy tales not only as escapist fantasies but also as vessels for preserving history and teaching important lessons.

Yolen’s use of storytelling within the narrative serves as a metaphor for healing and remembrance. The act of telling and retelling the story of Briar Rose becomes a way for the characters—and readers—to confront trauma and find hope. This technique highlights the transformative power of stories, a recurring theme in Yolen’s work.

With countless adaptations of Briar Rose or Sleeping Beauty, Jane Yolen’s version is distinguished by its emotional depth and historical context. Many fairy tale retellings focus on romance or fantasy elements, but Yolen’s narrative challenges readers to think critically about history, memory, and the importance of passing down stories through generations.

Another aspect that enriches Yolen’s Briar Rose is its subtle incorporation of Jewish folklore and cultural references. This adds authenticity and depth to the story, especially given the Holocaust context. Readers gain insight into how cultural identity and storytelling intertwine, making the narrative resonate on multiple levels. 

Despite multiple attempts and much enthusiasm from fans and entertainment industry professionals around the globe, this dream was never realized, though many other of her works found new life across the visual mediums of movies and TV.

Here is a little background on how this book came to be, which reads a little like a magical story all on its own. This screenshot is from Jane Yolen's personal website, in which she recounts how the book came to be. (It should be noted that this book was originally published for adults.):

Jane Yolen's personal recounting of the inspiration and impact of her historically-based retelling of Sleeping Beauty, Briar Rose

Briar Rose was an influential work for me* and sits on my favorite works bookshelf. Her more recent verse novel, Finding Baba Yaga (written as a series of connected poems), in which this blog was delightfully and weirdly mentioned through an odd misunderstanding I can't help but treasure, now sits beside it, and there's a story to that book, too, which I will tell below.

*I also recommend the audiobook - something I rarely do.

How Once Upon A Blog Ended Up In Finding Baba Yaga

Finding Baba Yaga credits OUABlog ("...the very strange website Once Upon A Blog... Fairy Tale News.." is how she refers to it) in the preface of this book, published in 2018, with writing the "Ask Baba Yaga" regular "advice" feature, which Yolen says inspired her to write this unique verse novel. While I did present the column in my own way, the "Ask Baba Yaga question and "advice" was not my work, but the brainchild of mythic writer and seer Tiasia Kitaiskaia. At the time, Kitaiskaia was publishing these brief pieces of advice to a niche readership in The Hairpin, and had generously given me written permission to re-publish them in my own format on Once Upon A Blog as a regular feature. Once Yolen's new book hit shelves, and I discovered the mistaken credit, I immediately began a flurry of messages and emails to Yolen, her publisher, and Kitaiskaia to rectify the mistake as quickly as possible. Though I never heard what passed between Yolen and Kitaiskaia regarding the mistake, it had been revealed that Yolen was a regular reader of Once Upon A Blog, and the discovery, via reading OUABlog, has remained a part of the preface (with adjusted wording so Kitaiskaia's genius is clear), becoming an odd part of the lore here, which I remained tickled by and treasure.

Screenshot from GoogleBooks showing the mention of OUABlog across two pages. Note: this is the adjusted mention

Always An Insightful, Generous Poet - Even When Commenting On Posts & Socials

Yolen was not only a prolific writer but also remained actively interactive with writers and artists of fantasy and fairy tale, often responding to comments on posts with spontaneous poetry that took conversations to another level. Terri Windling's incredible blog, Myth & Moor (now sadly retired), was a favorite online haunt of hers where she not only showed support for Windling and her other dear friends there, but regularly offered her artistic response to a post or comment by way of writing her responses in spontaneous, often fairy tale-alluding poetry. 

Her Mark - and Her Magic - Remains

Quirky, unique, outspoken, a master wordsmith, and magical, she is already greatly missed. To have lived in a world where she was writing, busy creating wondrous works, and distilling conversations and comments into little fairy tales filled with profound observations and wisdom that we can continue to tell, forever, has been a privilege. 

Thank you for everything, Jane.

Your star will shine brightly ever after.

Tribute portrait of Jane Yolen June 12, 2026 by Jarrett J. Krosoczka
__________________________________________________

A Small Selection of Yolen's Fairy Tale-Related Book Covers

Books shown (left to right, top to bottom):

• Briar Rose
• Finding Baba Yaga
• Tam Lin
• Sister Emily's Lightship and Other Stories
• Touch Magic - Fantasy, Faerie & Folklore in the Literature of Childhood
• Mapping the Bones
• The Girl Who Cried Flowers and Other Tales
• Gray Heroes - Elder Tales From Around the World
• The Seeing Stick
• Jewish Fairy Tale Feasts - A Literary Cookbook (Tales retold by Jane Yolen, Recipes by Heidi E.Y. Stemple)
• Sleeping Ugly
• Tales of Wonder
• His Fairytale Life - A Book About Hans Christian Andersen
• Not One Damsel In Distress -Heroic Girls from World Folklore
• Once Upon A Time (she said)
• Fairy Tale Feasts - A Literary Cookbook for Young Readers and Eaters (Tales retold by Jane Yolen, Recipes by Heidi E.Y. Stemple)
• Sister Bear - A Norse Tale
• The Moon Ribbon and Other Tales
• The Fish Prince and Other Stories (with Shulamith Oppenheim)
• Twelve Impossible Things Before Breakfast
• Mightier Than The Sword
• Favorite Folktales from Around the World
• The Barefoot Book of Ballet Stories (with Heidi E. Y. Stemple & Rebecca Guay)
• How To Fracture A Fairy Tale

Double Baba Yaga News: Worldwide Popular Game Fortnite Adds A Baba Yaga Skin/ Prof & Pints Have Dr. Rappoprt Talking About Baba Yaga Live Online TONIGHT!

Baba Yaga and her chicken-legged hut, designed by Epic Games for Fortnite

It's "Halloweek" (week of Halloween) and this year we have a good reason to talk about our favorite witch! Though she wasn't originally a character to be pulled from folklore and fairy tales just for this season (any Slavic kid will tell you, she has the ability to scare you all year long!), Baba Yaga has slowly and steadily been entering Western pop culture during the spooky season for some time now and she - and her chicken-legged hut - are now familiar figures. This year, however, she's achieved another pop-culture milestone via the worldwide gaming community of Fortnite. There's enough interest in her now that experts are running live lectures online for special presentations about her... (Read on for details.)

1. Fortnite (one of the most popular video games in the world in 2020) Releases a Baba Yaga "Skin"

Do you hear the sound of chicken legs...?

Baba Yaga has been making appearances in video games for many years but they have tended to be more independent games for niche markets. Then came Baba Yaga in the Hellboy comics and last year the most recent Hellboy on the big screen had Baba Yaga and her walking hut as a very scary antagonist (rated R). She's been appearing more in pop culture references the past few years and has become a stock character in dark fantasy offerings in books and on screen, but this week, Fortnite, one of the most popular video games in the world, introduced her - and her hut - to over 350 million active players around the world. 

Epic Games' video game creation Fortnite is a powerhouse in the gaming industry. Their e-sport tournaments are intensely competitive and the world's top players vie for big money.  If you have a gamer in the house they either tend to love Fortnite and play a LOT, or they hate it with other allegiances but are still fully aware of just how big this game is. (It's a third-person shooter game with a few creative components and lots of emphasis on teams.) While they do have narrative arcs and themes (currently they are running a Marvel-superhero crossover) they still often dip into legends, myths, and even fairy tales for little bits of story and various special character "skins" that players can "wear" and play as, fully animated. Fortnite's Baba Yaga is clearly a folkloric witch, complete with sprouting mushrooms and forest vibes, sporting a red-eyed crow in a cage on her back (called a "back bling"). Along with her chicken-legged hut to function as a "glider", and a special broom with sprouting mushrooms and chopped off chicken feet hanging from its twigs to be used as a "pickaxe",  the Baba Yaga skin which any player can "wear" (by purchasing it with "v-bucks" ie., virtual dollars), is the first crone skin (read, senior female skin), and possibly the most ancient-looking skin to be added to the game (as far as we can verify - vampires not being counted as they're all timelessly youthful). She became available in Fortnite item shop on Sunday evening October 25th at the 5pm item shop change and remained in the item shop for the Monday 26th update too (usually skins change every day, although new ones often get a couple of days spotlight). The Baba Yaga skin has no special powers in the game - none of the skins do, so as not to disadvantage players who can't purchase them, but she can do everything others characters can, including all those infamous Fornite dances, and wield any weapon she finds in treasure chests, or takes from her kills, including seasonal pumpkin bazookas through to the classic Fortnite LMGs (light machine guns). While there's a good chance she will return later in the week for Halloween, chances are, after this week, we won't see her again in the item shop until Halloween 2021, so if you know a folkloric gamer, make sure they get her today. There's nothing quite like being run down by a Russian witch!

2. Prof and Pints Online Are Hosting A Special Baba Yaga focused lecture by Professor Philippa Rappoport Live TONIGHT 

Come join us as we tune in to hear a fascinating lecture by Slavic folklorist Dr. Philippa Rappoport, on Baba Yaga TONIGHT! All time-zones welcome!

Prof and Pints Online are dedicated to bringing faculty members into bars, cafes, offices (and now living rooms!) to share their knowledge, without the pricey cost of tuition, or the stress of quizzes or grades. Since moving all presentations online due to the pandemic, tickets cost just $12 for an approximately 90-minute lecture, complete with Q&A. Prof and Pints curate presenters (faculty members) on a very wide variety of topics, including politics, history, sociology, and, of course, folklore and fairy tales. (Our Carterhaugh Profs are frequent presenters!) We are HUGE Prof and Pints fans and have attended many lectures, by various experts over the past few months and remain impressed at the quality of educators invited to speak and how generous in sharing their knowledge and expertise they are. We highly recommend them.

Tickets to join live via Crowdcast (no app download needed) are available right up to a few minutes before it starts and anyone can join. (Please be advised, content is aimed at adults, so should be screened before being shared with anyone under 18.) Live chats are very active during the lectures and proposing questions for the end Q&A is open to anyone attending. Lectures are also recorded so are available to watch again later, or tickets can then be purchased to watch at leisure after the event.

TONIGHT at 4pm PST/7pm EST, Slavic folklorist Professor Philippa Rappoport, whose lectures are truly excellent, is talking about Baba Yaga, along with other "dark denizens". (She's also a good storyteller and wonderful to listen to.)

Description:

Profs and Pints Online presents: “Tales from Netherworlds,” an evening with Baba Yaga and other dark denizens of the imagination, with folklorist Philippa Rappoport of George Washington University.

[This talk will remain available in recorded form at the link for tickets and access given via this site. ]

The traditional Celtic celebration of Samhain—now known as Halloween—marked the opening of a door between our world and the world of deities and the dead. In honor of that day’s approach, Philippa Rappoport returns to the Profs and Pints Online stage to tell Slavic folktales about journeys to a strange netherworld beneath us.

Baba Yaga by Ivan Bilibin

The ticket to taking such a trip is being in possession of a magic doll. A mysterious element of folktales in Russia and other East Slavic nations, they’ll open doors in the earth for you. Beware, though. Although you might escape danger on one side, you’re likely to face it on the other.

Professor Rappoport will tell the tale of one heroine, Vasilisa the Beautiful, whose doll-aided plunge into a netherworld leads her to confront the witch Baba Yaga and a host of ooglie booglie spirits. She’ll take us on a journey of our own, exploring what such folktales tell us about beliefs about women, witches, fairy godmothers, and magical helpers. We’ll tour netherworlds as places where we can find both terror and refuge. You’ll be surprised by how relevant much of what you’ll encounter is to spiritual beliefs and practices all around us today.

Professor Rappoport has also wowed Profs and Pints audiences with talks about Russia’s house spirits treacherous mermaids. Her latest effort will change how you think about Halloween.

Hope to see you there!

Puppet Film: 'Vasilisa' - Complete with Spooky Doll & Lots of Bones

Frequent readers know we're happy to chat Baba Yaga stories any day of the year, but we don't think we've yet shared this spooky little amateur puppet film, by Justine Hanchar, which tells the story of Vasilisa the Fair, almost in entirety, and it's perfect for the 'Halloween' season.

It's a little dark on the lighting side of things, and an older film so expect it to be a little murky in places and somewhat grainy but it adds to the spookiness if you're watching it as a story.

Puppet films tend to be endearing but, to give you a heads-up, we got Little Otik vibes from Vasilisa's doll, which, interestingly, made that little magical creature a perfect match to foil the cannibalistic tendencies of Baba Yaga.


While it's still a family-friendly little film, it's definitely spooky and you may wish to preview it specifically for when Vasilisa gives her mother's doll food; the doll feeding is... unforgettable.

We especially like that the end of the tale includes the vengeance of the flaming skull on the step-family and Vasilisa burying the skull before it can cause more damage!

Note: The horsemen, who are three of the many servants of Baba Yaga, appear in this film in the wrong order. After walking all night the first horseman Vailisa sees in the story is the white, not the red. The white horseman signifies the liminal pre-dawn ("My Bright Dawn"), the red represents day or sunrise or midday* ("My Red Sun") and the black, the descent of night ("My Dark Midnight"). The fact that there are two horsemen that ride so closely together is interesting. The grey between night and daybreak (the twilight before daytime) is important enough a time to have its own servant/horseman.

Enjoy! (And Happy Halloweek!)

One word of caution: we did attempt to find out more about the creator and animator but she appears to have only made this one film, and there are suspicious links and weird dead-ends in searching for further information. It's a pity. A lot of thought and effort went into making this film and we'd love to see more work using fairy and folktales by her (and her family, who appeared to have jumped in to help her in many aspects, according to the credits).

* Depending on which source you use.

A Hodgepodge of Timeless Tales News

If you follow us on Facebook/Twitter or receive our newsletter, you've probably already heard that we've released new editions adding poetry to issues #1-3 (Puss in Boots, Pandora's Box, and Twelve Dancing Princesses). Rather than repeat it all again, I'm going to focus on other news. But if you haven't checked out those five new poems, head over to our LIBRARY and get reading!

So instead, let's start this update off with a reminder that submissions for Hades & Persephone open up on August 25. Full details at https://www.timelesstalesmagazine.com/submissions

What I haven't talked about on social media is the major facelift we've given to ALL our back catalog. Shoutout to our amazing graphic designer, Geoffrey Bunting, for spending almost a year working with me to make everything polished and uniform.

There's far too much new artwork to show off them all, but here's a sample:

Arthurian Legends

Arthurian Legends

Arthurian Legends

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga

Baba Yaga

Perseus & Medusa

Perseus & Medusa

Perseus & Medusa

Psyche & Cupid

Rumpelstiltskin

Rumpelstiltskin

Rumpelstiltskin

 Still with me? Cool. Let's wrap up this update by talking about what's next:

1. I'm doing my very first public event on October 12! If you live in Central Texas, come on out to the Texas Teen Book Festival near Austin, TX. We'll have a booth and be giving out hard copies of our magazine!

2. Kindle Editions of all our issues will be coming soon. I've been wanting to offer ebook versions for ages, but it's been so daunting, I've procrastinated until this summer. Stay tuned for details!

3. We're still looking for a volunteer Marketing Assistant to join our team. More details on the original blog post.

4. I'm working on a book review for a collection of socialist fairy tales, so keep an eye out for that soon.

My Fairy Tale Survival Kit For Cancer (& Other Real Life Crises) - By Gypsy Thornton

"Silence will carry your voice like the nest that holds the sleeping birds"
Text by Rabindranath Tagore, illustration from the Stray Birds series by Kuri Huang
(Artist's social media & contact details at end of post)

2018 will forever be the year in which I was diagnosed with bilateral breast cancer. Having now had a double mastectomy, and continuing ongoing treatment, I can now officially say I am a breast cancer survivor.

I wish I could say I am feeling strong and confident and I have a new zest for life. Maybe that will come, if I'm lucky, but I'm certainly not there yet. I am clear, however, on one thing: fairy tales remain integral to my life; and by "life" I mean living beyond "surviving". 

Everyone's experience with cancer (and other life-threatening issues) is different but there are commonalities too, so to that end, here's my home-spun, Fairy Tale Survival Kit. I hope you find it useful.

(Note: I've included books and resources that were touchstones for me for each point. I suggest substituting resources that speak personally to you.)

My Fairy Tale Survival Kit for Cancer

(& Other Real Life Crises)

1. Be the one who learns what Fear is
      (and face it)

Fairy tale resource: Outfoxing Fear: Folktales From Around the World by Kathleen Ragan

    This book, written in direct response to the 9/11 attack in the US, and its aftermath, was especially helpful in exploring different cultural attitudes to fear and death. The tales really did have the effect of making me feel less trapped in my too-many thoughts, and eventually became a great way to talk about those specific fears with my son in a less direct way. Reading these fairy tales, especially, "grim-with-humor" stories to - and with - my son, gave us a way to talk (and think) about our very real fears without directing addressing my cancer. Seeing the way different cultures deal with various fears made us feel less isolated and encouraged us to think differently about facing our own very specific ones. Reading these tales also encouraged the first real laughter I had after my diagnosis and surgery - something vitally important to "living life beyond surviving".

2. Ask Baba Yaga to tell you her stories

       (and listen to her advice)

Fairy tale resources: Baba Yaga - The Wild Witch of the East in Russian Fairy Tales - Introduction and translations by Sibelan Forrester, with contributions by Helena Goscilo and Martin Skoro and a foreword by Jack Zipes; Ask Baba Yaga: Otherworldy Advice For Everyday Troubles by Taisia Kitaiskaia

    As regular readers here know, Baba Yaga has been a favorite of mine for many, many years, largely in part because of her primal aspect as well as her dual nature. Discussing the beautifully illustrated yet harsh stories in The Wild Witch of the East, gave my son and I something of substance to talk about that didn't feel like like a waste of suddenly-very-precious time together. They gave us a much-needed break from talking about cancer, pain, illness, doctors, hospitals, fears, and death. It was also an avenue to feel other emotions without guilt; to be shocked, disgusted and delighted, to laugh and to be real together without creating more exhaustion or focusing on very real fears. The raw yet lyrical advice to mundane and heartfelt questions in Ask Baba Yaga was another source of relief for me. The Baba's mythic (and sometimes feral) replies can be applied to an array of human experience and I found I was able to think about things I needed to in a fresh way. That different lens helped me see beyond my self-focus and not get so overwhelmed. Fairy tales tell resonant truths and offer hope for the journey. Baba Yaga makes sure you pay attention to those truths and illuminates the path with flaming skulls. It's exactly what I, and my family, needed.

3. Learn to use sleep as a weapon

       (avoiding poison apples isn't as easy as you'd think)

Fairy tale resources: Snow White variations & articles (papers, books, movies, novels & some deep thinking - Link 1 - history & Jung, Link 2 - Zipes & Tatar on the tale, Link 3 - a writer/psychologist explores problem resolving as a married Snow White, Link 4 - Novel: 'White As Snow' by Tanith Lee, Link 5 - Movie: Blancanieves (released Blu-ray/DVD 2012) directed by Pablo Berger, Link 6 - Picture Book: by Benjamin Lacombe, Link 7 - The Other Sleeping Beauty by WillowWeb)

    I quickly found there is this incredible pressure to "be an inspiring role model" when having "brave and radical surgery" (apparently a common pressure for breast cancer patients). But though I might have looked brave going into it all, I didn't feel brave. It isn't thrilling to "avoid death", it's exhausting. I couldn't do basic physical things and my brain had trouble putting the most elementary sentences together. (For a writer-reader this is very distressing!) I couldn't manage calls or visits; reading was hard; emails, news and social media were best avoided. The last thing I felt able to do was support and cheer others on, let alone write posts or a book (yes, I was asked) to "chronicle my inspiring journey". My stress was massively increased - the exact opposite situation my long-term survival is dependent on. Having also had to move house just days before the surgery, I had purposely unpacked my Snow White book collection where I could see them when I came home from hospital, to have them comfort and inspire me, to remind me to believe in new beginnings, to aim for survival despite the odds, and to have grace through it all. But I found myself returning to the image Snow Drop's death-like sleep and her lack of choice about it until that apple piece was dislodged. I knew I wouldn't be fully recovered until the cancer - and its poisonous effects - were completely gone from my body. Prior to diagnosis I was very fit and ultra-healthy (according to doctors). I had even maintained an excellent "anti-cancer" diet for many years, yet I still fell victim to the disease. Given that my chronic sleep issues and long-term stress likely had a big influence on my getting cancer in the first place, I knew I needed to fix that as a priority. Right then I gave myself permission to side step all of the pressure, build a cocoon of social silence and let myself sleep instead. Being able to think of this process as my season of hibernation and healing, so I could eventually bloom again, has truly helped change my thinking, and made it easier to get something my life depends on right now: lots of good quality, healing sleep. It's going to take a good long while, so if I don't get back to you, assume I'm sleeping... zzzz...

Note: A quick shoutout to those beyond my close family who have continued to send encouragement in many forms without pressuring me to respond over the weeks and months, especially Lisa, Louisa, Tahlia, Jack and Gina - a sincere THANK YOU to you very special people! It means more than I can say to have you be steadfast in your support despite the silence from my end. ❦

4. Know that your tale matters

       (you don't need to be a 7th son of a 7th son)

Fairy tale resource: Folk by Zoe Gilbert

     This book is in my top three of 2018. Though I'm certain I would have loved this book at any time, reading it at this crisis point was extremely helpful, and resonated right when I needed it. It reminded me that hardship doesn't mean an absence of magic and wonder. While the cycle of stories in Folk that take a generation to unfold, have as many happy endings as not, wonder infuses every mundane life and, to me, that felt both accessible and oddly reassuring. Unlike many modern reworkings of fairy tales and folklore, Folk does not continuously focus on a single person; there is no 'hero' or 'destined one'. Any one  - every one - of the community is touched by wonder - be it horrific or fantastic, no matter how long or short the life, no matter how stupid or smart, no matter how well or unwell, no matter how gifted or talented - or not. Where many retellings and collections focus on 'the special' for fairy tale and folklore to make a difference, this book focuses on ordinary people. With so much of my life having been changed and taken away, this made it feel like fairy tales were still accessible to me and that wonder is always close by.

5. Be your own fairy godmother

       (don't wait for magic to come to you)

Fairy tale resources: The Old Magic of Christmas: Yuletide Traditions for the Darkest Days of the Year by Linda Raedisch; The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury; #FolkloreThursday

   Time becomes uber-precious when Death leaves a calling card; it shifts your perspective. Getting my kid clean every day is suddenly nowhere near as important as helping him mark occasions and nurturing a 'habit of Wonder'*. I realized that paying attention to our place in the world via seasonal traditions, lore, rituals and story, helps us feel part of it. It lifts our lives out of the mediocre and shows us how we can make a difference - something I really want my son to understand. Doing this gives our story more, well, magic. But it's tough to commit to. Making magic is hard. It takes a lot of time and effort, and feels twenty-times harder when you are sick. Despite the wisdom of 'give yourself a pass this year' (advice which has great merit) I did my best to make magic this Samhain/Halloween and Christmas/Yule season for my little boy. It made me realize that even the most mundane of us, in the most undesirable situation, can work magic, if we try. While we may not be up to creating coaches out of pumpkins, just a touch of homemade enchantment can transform the world around us. It just doesn't come free. Not even the gifted get off doing magic for no price. As with most things worth doing, magic is 90% (or more) hard work. But despite the limited strength and energy dealing with cancer dishes you, it truly is worth it. My mundane 'efforts-by-human' look and feel like REAL magic, to my son but also, surprisingly, to me. Turns out, those endorphins that flood my system when I see shiny eyes taking in wonder, have a magic of their own: they're one of the best cancer fighters on the planet.

6. Look for breadcrumbs when you're lost

       (they're everywhere!)

Fairy tale resources: Firebird by Mercedes Lackey; Elemental Masters series by Mercedes Lackey (an ongoing historical-fantasy, fairy tale-based series)

    When I got my diagnosis, I found I had to make a lot of life-altering decisions (for me and my family) very quickly. To my dismay, I learned that if I didn't ask the right questions, certain things were never explained and yet it was my responsibility to figure all this out. I have spent  weeks worth of hours studying medical papers and texts, trying to understand current cancer research and my options so I can make the best decisions, but there are no right answers - or guaranteed treatment. This weighty research is hard enough pre-surgery but afterward, when treatment can get very complicated, and you have to discuss and decide while in pain, with a brain that is in an awful fog, feeling like your survival depends upon your decisions, it can drown you. I needed a brain break. At first I tried my usual route - fairy tale study and research - something I have always greatly enjoyed but instead I felt suddenly stupid, unable to concentrate and it only resulted in exacerbating my stress - I couldn't even do what I loved anymore! Disillusioned, I picked up an old fairy tale novel I had never gotten around to reading, wondering if I should donate it to a thrift store. It was an Elemental Masters novel, a series I'd always considered a light read for a younger audience, but flipping through the first few pages, something caught my eye. I was able to read and enjoy it and - surprise! - there was enough fairy tale 'meat' for me to chew on when I needed it. Even on the 'good' days, when my neurons were firing more normally, I found myself inspired to pursue plenty of research crumbs. It actually brought tears of relief to my eyes and I proceeded to hunt down others in the series and carried a book with me to every doctor's appointment so I could escape the stressy-go-round my brain would spiral into there. I would go so far as to say these books helped me find my way back to myself and my 'tell-a-tale' heart... (Heh.) Once there was a girl who never went anywhere without a book of stories in her hand. Wherever she went, she always had with her somewhere she wanted to be...***

7. Know that a leftover wing doesn't have to be a curse

       (neither do scars)

Fairy tale resource: A Wild Swan And Other Tales by Michael Cunningham, Illustrated by Yuko Shimizu

     While a double mastectomy is about more than losing body parts, what I didn't know is that it can also make you feel like an "unwoman". I never expected this. I thought the physical challenge would be the hardest part. Despite feeling very different from most folks my whole life, this was the first time I truly felt less than human. Reconstruction (a ridiculously painful, debilitating and still!-onging process of many months), seems - to me - only to underscore the fact. I finally started to find my feet again (so to speak) when I considered the little mermaid and the prince left with the wild swan's wing (note: a wild swan's wing). In Michael Cunningham's tales the characters tend toward self-indulgent victims of curses or magic; they are sad, lonely and often unable (or unwilling) to change their circumstance. The more I read, the more I found myself annoyed that the aspect of wonder each character lived with, was unappreciated, even hated. It wasn't until I came to the line in the title story of the wing curling itself on the sad prince's form that I realized I was guilty of heading down the same path.** Different may mean "something wrong" to most people, but it doesn't have to. It's taken a while but I've finally realized, with a different (to "normal") silhouette and extensive scars (outside and in) comes new opportunities - if I do something about it. I can't be the "old me". There's no going back. But the "new me" doesn't have to be tragic and feel cursed. I find I now have more realistic expectations of myself and others, but also appreciate those moments of wonder and magic much more. Maybe I'm a little distorted in form - I'm not used to it yet - but I can more easily see the wild in me now.

~ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ~

My journey through these particular woods has a long way to go but I'm grateful for every step forward. Clearly my tale isn't quite done yet...

Have fairy tales ever been helpful to you in a real life crisis?

 

Note: I must include a very heartfelt "thank you" to my fairy tale friend and OUABlog's partner Tahlia Merrill, Editor-in-Chief of Timeless Tales Magazine, for keeping the blog alive the past few months. She coordinated and posted book reviews, especially of books she knew I wished to have signal-boosted, and pointed readers toward fresh fairy tale goodness in Timeless Tales Magazine and on social media so I could ignore the online world and just pay attention to my immediate one. She will continue to do so as she can manage, as I cannot guarantee any consistency of posting from my end for the quite some time, so we thank you for your patience with the random timing of posts and reviews.

All artwork in this post by Kuri Huang's Andersen's Tales for Guomai & her Stray Birds series, based on verse by Indian poet Tagore. From top to bottom including the header: 1. Stray Birds series, 2. Steadfast Tin Soldier, 3. Stray Birds series, 4. Snow Queen (1), 5. The Iron Pig, 6. Snow Queen (2), 7. The Tinderbox, 8. The Wild Swans, 9. The Little Mermaid, 10. Thumbelina

Kuri Huang - Freelance Illustrator

Official website / Behance / Tumblr / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

Available for commissions - Contact her at kurihuang3344@gmail.com

~ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ∘ ✾ ~

Covers of books (and movie) mentioned:

*A 'habit of Wonder' is the best term I could think of to describe having a constant awareness of the potential of Wonder in a situation and nurturing it.                                                        ** A comment on the New York Times' printing of the title story from A Wild Swan and Other Tales (Cunningham) caught my attention and gave me excellent food for thought on this subject. I have included the relevant section below. Story at this link for context:                                 I believe the story's ending is profound: the wing has developed an autonomous nature as any unintegrated archetypal complex is prone to do. This mysterious condition is often populated with (usually hidden) evolutionary vestiges that become symbolic at best, but more commonly just uncomfortable, when, in the modern era, their significance is rendered banal by confusion and ignorance. (Excerpt from comment by BC_ OR from Portland Oregon in Oct, 2015)                                                                                                                              *** This is a paraphrase of a JK Rowling quote. Also see these other great reasons for always carrying a book.