Aesop and the 'Invention' of the Fable

Aesop's Fables Poster (Found at AllPosters.com)
Artist Unknown

Of course there were fables before Aesop - in fact, according to THIS article fables are thought to be the second oldest source of stories known (myths coming before then) but apparently many think fables were all Aesop's idea.

It seems funny it should even need addressing but this article I found is a nice read with a lot of interesting things about ancient stories and when they were written down so I thought I would share.

Aesop: Fox and a Sick Lion Color Woodcut
by Joseph Low

Please note: this article does not make mention of ancient forms of story recording by Mayans, Egyptians and Australian Aboriginies among other ancient peoples. From time to time a new way of looking at these surviving 'art-writings' or 'visual stories' (in murals, cave paintings, pictographs, pottery etc) reveals our 'translation' of these artforms has been incomplete or crude. The beginnings of writing and recording stories is one of those topics that get academics a little steamed so I don't presume to present the complete historical fact for you here. Just thought I'd mention the omission.

Aesop's Lion & the Mouse
by Paned Expressions

In addition, there's a little bit of information about Aesop himself too. Here's an excerpt:

As nothing in that era was written down (except the exploits of a King or warrior), it is impossible to know exactly whether Aesop thought of the fables himself, or whether he was a wandering storyteller who collected fables. In the days of such widespread illiteracy, it is likely Aesop could not even read or write. Some have suggested he may have been blind, as Homer is suggested to be. The earliest reference to written fables we have is from the Greek historian Herodotus from around 300 BC. Unfortunately, Herodotus seemed to think everyone knew Aesop and his fables so well that he did not need to give any details of Aesop or his work.

You can read the whole article HERE.

The Gnat and the Bull
(from The Classic Treasury of Aesop's Fables)
by Don Daily

For more information on Aesop himself, WIKIPEDIA is a good place to start.

Hansel & Gretel's Woods Take Over the New Victory Theater

My thanks to 'Anonymous' for pointing me in the direction of this production. Here's their comment in response to Monday's post that set this post in motion:

I'm in NY and there's a great show at The New Victory Theater in Times Square of Hansel and Gretel: LINK

They basically re-did the whole theater from top to bottom as the haunted forest of H&G!

'Anonymous' wasn't kidding - throughout this post you can see some pictures from the Scottish Catherine Wheels Theater Co., production.Here's an excerpt from the article:

Mounted throughout the theater, which is transformed into a cluttered, old haunted house with swirling nets, mad drawings and a variety of art installations made of dolls, the production begins downstairs, where a cellist plays tunes by the Bay City Rollers inside the 1970s-style house of Hansel and Gretel. As soon as the two (played by the apple-cheeked actors Tommy Joe Mullins and Ashley Smith) start dropping bread crumbs, the audience is led upstairs through a hallway backstage and around a maze assembled inside the theater.

It goes on to describe how the audience are, at one point, seated along a large dinner table, as if guests at the over-the-top feast (see below).And here's a description from Theater Mania :

The Grimm brothers' fairytale will literally unfold from the top to the bottom of the theater, and theatergoers, in groups of a 100, will follow the action from, according to press notes, a "kitschy 1970s inspired home through a spooky forest and into the dangerous clutches of a bald-headed witch who is at once nasty, funny, and completely off-her-rocker."

The show is aimed to be child-friendly so, despite the subject matter, the show is designed to be enjoyed by most ages (I would caution against very young children attending). The British Theater Guide HERE gives a good write-up of the show and addresses its suitability for children. I'd see it based on this report alone, if I could.Here's a trailer which gives a good idea of how the whole show is staged:


I love the whole 'leading the audience through the woods and making them a part of the scenes' approach. This is exactly the sort of thing I loved doing in theater when I had a chance - the show was different every time because it partly depended on the audience's involvement and partly because the close proximity with the audience provided opportunities for improvisation that the traditional audience-on-the-floor-actors-on-the-stage simply couldn't. Possibly the best result from staging a production like this, though, is that anyone who comes to the production will remember it forever. And this is why it's so important to do a REALLY good job!

The article - link HERE (the same as the link above) - is a very good review, hi-lighting both the good and the bad of such an adventurous show. Overall, the show is a recommended experience - it's currently sold out and has a wait list - and I sincerely wish I could go.From the copy: “Hansel and Gretel” runs through Nov. 1 at the New Victory Theater, 229 West 42nd Street, Manhattan; (646)223-3010, newvictory.org.

Hansel and Gretel and A Taco Stand

Hansel & Gretel overhear the plan to leave them in the wood

Today's artwork is from a similar project to the animation student posted on Monday HERE.

Gino Whitehall is now a working professional in design and illustration. The Hansel and Gretel project is from his final couple of years while studying at the prestigious Art Center College of Design and is included in his current professional portfolio.

Here you can see more concept sketches and how they developed into the final pieces.I like seeing how he translated the traditional witch's house into a Taco Stand. (From the description on his blog: "evolution of the witches house from a loose frank loyd wright inspiration to a taco stand... ") Notice the "Kids Eat Free" sign, which I can't help mentally switching around into "Eat Free Kids"...I particularly like how the witch gets her comeuppance.You can see more of Gino Whitehall's work HERE in his blog or HERE at his website, whitehallstudios.com.

Fairy Tale Art Exhibit: From Dark Wood to Happily Ever After (Incl. Art by Lisa Hunt!)

Friend of Once Upon A Blog, the incredibly talented and world-renowned tarot artist Lisa Hunt (who's work I've had the privilege of sharing before HERE), recently let me know she's about to be involved in a new exhibit of (contemporary) fairy tale art in Brooklyn. It opens this Friday - the 23rd of October, 2009. (All art included in this post is by participants in the show and included in the press release.)

The exhibit will focus on the "duality of fairy tales" - showing the dark side (of which many people remain unaware) juxtaposed with the dreamy, pretty side that comes to mind most often when people hear the words "fairy tale".

Persephone
by Kristina Carroll

[Aside: Incidentally, I've noticed that "fairy tale" is often spelled "fairytale" but that an unconscious separation seems to have occurred between the two terms. When the two words are joined, as in 'fairytale', the term is generally used to describe an ideal state or happy resolution to a story or personal experience. This single word, 'fairytale', now seems to be a part of modern day vocabulary and describes a state which has, ironically, not as much to do with "fairy tale/s" as most imagine. When I read 'fairy tale' as two separate words, the reference is most often to the actual tales and stories traditionally classified as 'marchen' or 'wonder tales'. I don't believe this distinction happens with any intent of distinguishing, except perhaps by fairy tale and folklore scholars/enthusiasts who insist on referring to fairy tales/stories with a two-word term. There's duality for you.]

The Frog Prince
by Kris Waldherr

But back to the exhibition. Here's an excerpt from the press release:

Fairy tales have a special place in our childhood memories. But did you know that these beloved stories were originally written for an adult audience? Fairy Tales: From The Dark Wood to Happily Ever After is an art exhibit which explores this surprising duality. It presents a wide variety of visual responses to fairy tales — from children's book illustration to fine art; from fantasy to graphic novels. The exhibit opens Friday, October 23 at Kris Waldherr Art and Words gallery in Ditmas Park, Brooklyn.

Kris Waldherr, owner and curator of the Brooklyn studio-gallery, says “This exhibit goes way beyond Disney to explore the rich complexity of fairy tales. I'm very excited to bring together such an illustrious group of artists for it." Waldherr is also an author-illustrator of many books, including Doomed Queens and The Book of Goddesses; she will have paintings from her picture books The Firebird and Rapunzel on display in the exhibit. Other artists in the exhibit include Kristina Carroll, Leela Corman, Mary Louise Geering, Lisa Hunt, Aram Kim, Amy Saidens, Carisa Swenson, and Karen Zuegner. All are Brooklyn residents except for Hunt, who lives and works in Florida.

Yay Lisa! Congrats on being included in what appears to be a wonderful exhibition!

Puss in Boots
by Lisa Hunt

Lisa says she feels honored to be involved. Here's a statement from the announcement on her blog:

I am so honored to be sharing artshow space with these immensely talented artists, each bringing a vision of Fairy Tale land that is uniquely their own. I will be having original watercolor paintings from the recently published The Fairy Tale Tarot (Llewellyn Publications) as well as pencil drawings from the book and limited edition prints showcased in this splendid collection of outstanding fairy tale works. This is a rare opportunity to see my original art and the work of others on display for viewing and purchasing. I have to tell you, I LOVE this gallery. It’s a treasure filled with books, art and endless inspiration. I was so lucky to have been able to spend some time in this beautiful sanctuary with my close friend and owner, Kris Waldherr. It felt so comfortable and lovely and was filled with this ineffable artistic energy that really induced feelings of creative satiation.

You can find the rest of the information on where, where, entry fee and books/prints etc available HERE.

Note: I will share more on Lisa's amazing work in a separate post, rather than make this one any longer. To have the chance to see her work (and the others) in person is something not to be missed if you can possibly manage it. The exhibit will run through the holidays and children are welcome.

Hansel & Gretel Foundation

Here's a sobering set of posters from the German Hansel & Gretel Foundation for the prevention of child abuse.From the website HERE (the site is in German. I suggest using babelfish.yahoo.com to approximately translate the page):

"Not every child is looking forward to coming home.

In Germany every 5th child gets sexually abused.

In 80% of the cases it happens in their home.

Get more information at: www.haensel-gretel.de

Help prevent child abuse"

The scariest thing about the Hansel and Gretel story - for me at least - is not the witch. Had both children been a little less faint from hunger I doubt they would have gotten in such trouble, though I have to wonder if their role models had a hand in setting them up for such a terrible thing. Whatever the case, eventually their smarts helped them escape the situation (this was particularly due to Gretel but Hansel should be credited for taking his sister's advice on the letting the witch test a stick instead of his finger for meal-readiness). It's the abandonment (at the very least) of the children that always got me. That the kids continue to return home despite the clearly malicious behavior of both parents always baffled me as a child, especially when everything seems to be a happy ending - the witch is dead, they escape, they have treasure, they find their way out of the woods... only to go back to the place where they received the most harm. I always felt my breath catch in my throat at the point in the story when they run - they RUN! - back to their father. Why? I know why now. It doesn't make me any less sad or distraught.This problem is as old as the ages but at least it's not considered 'normal' anymore. I applaud, thank and support all who work tirelessly to end this problem, the resulting abuse cycle and child pornography. Thank god for foundations like this that tackle these issues daily and rescue children from these crimes.

Hansel & Gretel Production Design Assignment by Varga Petra

In putting together yesterday's blog post I realized I have enough Hansel and Gretel material to make a whole "Hansel & Gretel Week" - so that's what I'm going to do. :) (Don't worry - there will be other things popping up now and then too.)

Today I want to bring an animation student from Budapest to your attention.When people study animation in a formal setting they're often given assignments that force them to think about the creation of different elements of production beyond character drawings. These elements include background design, overall style, choosing a color palette (one for day, one for night and any other key atmospheric settings for the story - eg, rain, mist, snow, sunset/sunrise etc).What does this have to do with fairy tales? Fairy tales are an oft-used vehicle for students to explore these concepts. A common assignment is for the students to choose a fairy tale (sometimes they're given a more obscure one, to force a little more research and development) and to build the elements of a film, as if it were going to go into production.

The images you see here are by Varga Petra and show how she had to consider the story in creating the other elements for a potential production (see her titles below each piece to see which element was the focus). You can see other pieces from her assignment HERE.Although I admit I would love to see a less popular tale tackled, no matter how many students do a single fairy tale, the results are always different. I find that fascinating.You can see the rest of Varga Petra's lovely art blog "Anillusion" HERE (or click on the Anillusion header below). Included are a Red Riding Hood piece, a Rapunzel piece and lots of Alice in Wonderland work, not to mention other interesting characters that seem ripe fodder for fairy tales.

Nibble Nibble Little Mouse - Hansel & Gretel and Halloween

Hansel & Gretel
by Scott Gustafson

Halloween is approaching and this year I have a whole different perspective on it. It's always been one of my favorite holidays for many reasons. From the serious remembrance of our ancestors and consideration of the supernatural through to whimsical decorating and dressing up by adults and children alike, there's lots to celebrate for many different people. This year, as I try to figure out what costume my 2 year old is going to wear, the thought of gingerbread houses and strangers with candy is giving me nightmares!Hansel and Gretel in the Woods
(Artist Unknown)

There's no doubt Hansel and Gretel is one of the scariest popular fairy tales out there - parents that go beyond neglectful and purposely leave their children to die in the wood, a cannibalistic witch... it's the stuff of nightmares. And at Halloween candy and nightmare houses suddenly abound, turning our suburban streets into very different places. I fully understand the paranoia of parents only accepting wrapped candy and chocolate and the sensibility of those who will accompany their children door too door (I will be one of them). While there's no question of doing both of these while my child is so young I know I will have to come to terms with sending my son out into the wilds of suburbia and using his judgment on whether or not to accept the treats offered to him (and this extends beyond Halloween too, of course).

Gingerbread house at the Festival in Qormi, Malta

In the meantime, here's a house made of sweet breads and candy, inspired by Hansel and Gretel that I wish we COULD have visited. On Saturday (October 17, 2009), in Qormi, Malta a local cultural and folkloric festival was held called Ljel f'Casal Fornaro. Qormi is known as 'la casa del fornaio' - 'the house of the baker' - and baking of all sorts is a huge part of this event. One local pastry chef was inspired by Hansel and Gretel and made/created/constructed a complete gingerbread house.

From a TIMES OF MALTA on the festival:

Man does not live on bread alone... A staggering 250kg of chocolate, 1,200 lollipops, 40kg of assorted sweets, 50 bags of marshmallows and 250 pieces of chocolate make up this Hansel and Gretel-inspired house of sweets. The brainchild of pastry chef Ronnie Caruana, this suite of sweets is more than one month in the making. It will go on display during Lejl f'Casal Fornaro in Qormi on Saturday (October 17th, 2009).

Staggering indeed.

I was always curious as a child how such a thing could possibly be constructed in the middle of the wood, surviving the elements, without very strong magic. And why, if that were the case, could the witch not conjure up something she herself would find palatable. But perhaps that's the point.

Image from Project Gutenberg - Artist unknown

At least Hansel and Gretel survive the experience (or so the story says anyway). Did you ever wonder how such an experience would affect the siblings? Well, we're apparently we're about to find out.

From geektyrant.com:

Norwegian co-writer and director of the horror comedy ‘Dead Snow’ Tommy Wirkola is putting a little twist on the whole dark children’s tale of Hansel and Gretel. This new idea explores what happened to Hansel and Gretel 15 years after the gingerbread house incident. They have become bounty hunters that specialize in tracking down and killing witches.

Hansel and Gretel

by Cattish (deviantART)

Adam McKay (one of the Producers) said this about the movie:

“The idea is, they’ve grown up and they hunt witches. It’s a hybrid sort of “old-timey” feeling, yet there’s pump-action shotguns. Modern technology but in an old style...

Sounds promising. Unfortunately this next comment has me cringing and thinking the producers (McKay and Will Ferrell) are thinking marketability, not story:

"We heard it and we were just like, ‘That’s a freakin’ franchise! You could make three of those!’ “

Yikes. Unless by that they mean making Red Riding Hood a werewolf hunter...

Hansel and Gretel

by Laura Palmer (lpspalmer on deviantART)

Then Tommy Wirkola added these comments about the film a couple of months later:

“It’s an action-adventure horror movie that finds Hansel and Gretel fifteen years [after their first witch incident] and they’ve grown up to become merciless witch hunters. Blood and gore and action, all the stuff that I love. I’m working on the first draft now so it’s a little ways off, but it’s going to be a lot of fun. It’s definitely an R-rated movie, the first draft has a lot of blood and guts. First and foremost, it’s an action movie, I think, with horror elements. And of course some dark humor as well. But the action and horror are the most import feelings I want.”

From the twenty or so announcements about the film I've read, people (generally) really like the idea. Reviews on the Director's previous movie "Dead Snow" are very positive with people finding a good balance of comedy against the horror.

Hansel & Gretel
(Artist Unknown)

The film will be live-action and heavy on the effects. No casting has been announced yet but Will Ferrell is confirmed as staying off-camera and sticking to his Producer's chair on this one. The budget is reportedly on the tiny side for any kind of film so I'm not sure if that's a good or a bad thing considering the effects load. Let's hope the film has some substance and doesn't end up as a B-Grade slasher instead.

Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters is currently due for release in 2011.

Hänsel und Gretel by Cory Godbey
(You can see more of Cory's work in this previous post HERE)

*Sources for quotes about the film are HERE and HERE.

Wedding with Fire Breathing Snail Carriage

I'm rarely envious of what other people do for their weddings (we were married at the LA Zoo between the giraffes and the chimps - it was a hoot!) but Justin & Jordana, who were married in Oakland on October 11th, have tweaked my "I-wish-I-had-done-that" meter.

A fairy tale setting in a redwood forest and a steampunk fantasy carriage (shaped like a snail and breathing fire) = AWESOME!As a complete girly aside - did you notice her dress? Gorgeous!

You can see even more lovely pics HERE.

This must be the only street legal snail in the world - let alone the only fire-breathing street legal snail. The unique vehicle is called The Golden Mean and you can find out more information about it HERE.

Here's a night picture of The Golden Mean at the Fire Arts Festival so you can see the flaming antennae in all their glory.Makes you want one of your own, doesn't it? Well, for those motivated souls, here's an 'Instructables' tutorial so you can construct your own:

Snail Art Car The Golden Mean - More cool how to projects

You can hire the The Golden Mean and other fiery accessories HERE.

Baba Yaga Told With Legos & Other Storytelling Toys

My son (2 1/2 yrs) has recently discovered - and become obsessed with - Lego. He loves watching the stop-motion animation scenarios people have filmed in their homes so, naturally, I set out to see if I could find some non-violent Lego fairy tales for him to enjoy.

The best one I found was Baba Yaga and Vasilisa, which, seeing as it's turning into Baba Yaga day at Once Upon A Blog, is very appropriate. :) I particularly like how the Chicken Legged Hut was constructed.


And since we're on the subject of Baba Yaga toys, I thought I'd share these plushes I found a while back. The plush chicken leg huts at the head and tail of this post are by Melissa Sue and is available through her Etsy shop HERE. The Baba Yaga plush-with-hut comes from the Here Be Monsters line of plush toys by Toy Vaults HERE.

I also couldn't resist adding this Lego-type creation: The Baba Yaga 2050. It's a futuristic Chicken Leg Cottage (found HERE) and has the following description:

The Baba Yaga 2050 Cottage solves many of the problems humanity will face in the future:

- Scarce resources: your cottage will simply get up and walk (or run!) somewhere better.

- Peak oil: that may look like a huge diesel engine on the back, but I assure you that it's hydrogen powered, and those are hydrogen tanks on the side. Ability to deploy windmill hampered by GW's militaristic attitude to spare parts.

- Overcrowding: stacking is possible, aka the Mimas Hopper-parking solution.

- Zombie Apocalypse: see problem #1

I think you'll agree that it also satisfies the first requirement of the future: awesomeness.

Aaaand now we have the 2nd installment of steampunk Baba Yaga story ideas!

Baba Yaga Meets Tamagotchi

I just found this darling Russian animation that puts Baba Yaga in an unusual situation (don't worry - no Russian language skills required to enjoy this piece!).

Somehow, this film blends Russian and Japanese cultures beautifully, without detracting at all from the Baba Yaga myth.There are a lot of echoes from original Baba Yaga tales in the objects and animals around her but I particularly like the homage to Baba Yaga's 'fire-skull fence' by using the street lights. I won't say any more - you'll just have to watch to see what I mean. :)

Enjoy!