The Dead Mother
I first picked Russian Folklore, because of their
stereotypes for being tough and hardcore I was curious what their stories were
like. I was not disappointed, beginning with the introduction; ghost stories,
vampires, and other tales of the "undead." My three favorite genres
(in no order) are supernatural, sci fi, and dystopian. I read the first story
“The Dead Mother” and wow, can you say creepy(pasta)? These are stories I
definitely look forward to further exploring - they are short and to the point
but could be re-embellished with so many new details and twists.
The Little Mermaid
Next I looked for Danish stories, because I wanted to find
The Little Mermaid. I had heard that the original story was pretty brutal. Over
the years I also have heard that the reason for the happy ever after is that in
American culture, we like a happy ending. Whereas in other parts of the world
they want a realistic ending . However… this was a very long story. While I do
intend on reading it at some day, that day is not today. (Maybe I’ll listen to
it as my first audio book).
Rumpelstiltskin
Finally, I looked down the list and saw the four Grimm
entries. After clicking the first one, I decided to read Rumpelstiltskin and
for the life of me I cannot figure out the moral of the story. Don’t sell your
children would be a good guess. Maybe that history repeats itself, if I was
going for a stretch.
Oh, this is great, Selena: I am so glad you found your way to that Russian unit. Those are stories collected by a true folklorist, W. R. S. Ralston, and folklore abounds in stories of the scary and supernatural (much more so than fairy tales, which are often more fantasy than horror). You might enjoy browsing through that whole book to see what you think; it includes commentary that is really fascinating too: Russian Fairy Tales: A Choice Collection of Muscovite Folklore
ReplyDeleteP.S. Did you see H. P. Lovecraft in today's announcements? :-)
ReplyDeleteAugust 20: H. P. Lovecraft's birthday
I really just adore the supernatural/crazy/creepy stuff because it is so endlessly creative. My favorite book that I never get tired of rereading is called Poison by Chris Wooding, he writes a lot of supernatural/otherworld stories that I’ve never heard anyone come up with before. This is the description of Poison:
ReplyDeletePoison has always been a willful, contrary girl, prone to being argumentative and stubborn. So when her sister is snatched by the mean-spirited faeries, she seeks out the Phaerie Lord to get her back. But finding him isn't easy, and the quest leads Poison into a murderous world of intrigue, danger, and deadly storytelling. With only her wits and her friends to aid her, Poison must survive the attentions of the Phaerie Lord, rescue her sister, and thwart a plot that's beyond anything she (or the reader) can imagine. . .
I’m really excited to read more Russian stories, I think they might even be the theme I’ll go with.
I did see the Lovecraft post! I had no idea today was his birthday, I also need to read that story soon since it's one of his more famous ones - I just like reading the collection I have in order, although so far I’ve only read The Beast, The Alchemist and the Tomb.