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Thursday, April 12, 2012

Top of the Heap!

Once upon a time there was a magical place that didn't actually exist. Though intangible and utterly mysterious, this place was well traveled by people, but not in person. Their thoughts could gather and their words mingle, but they, themselves, could only look in through a shifting window. The formless landscape spread out infinitely, setting forth many varied paths to follow. And so, they watched and wrote; sharing their thoughts and feelings with each other. It was a brilliant, colorful place, filled with music and laughter, awe and wonder. The great connection pulled them in closer and closer, giving each a voice in a crowd of many. All of the songs and stories were collected by each different perspective and kept in this fantastical arena made of smoke and mirrors...

This weeks top of the heap: Fairy tales (YAY! : )

Where are the twelve princesses dancing their shoes into pieces every night? It is the quest of a gallant, young soldier to find out- less he lose his head. Should he find the answer to this puzzling question, the kingdom will be his, and he will win the hand of one of the beautiful sisters. What more can I say? This story has it all. The Twelve Dancing Princesses by the Grimm brothers is the most magical fairy tale I have ever known. I have envisioned it for as long as I can remember. I am still fascinated by the different worlds they enter- this sparkling story sets my imagination into overdrive (lol!) Here's a few illustrations from my absolute favorite fairy tale.  ~ F


      Then they went right down, and when they got quite underground they stood in a marvelously beautiful avenue of trees. All the leaves were silver, and glittered and shone. 
     The solider thought, "I must take some token with me." And as he broke off a twig, a sharp crack came from the tree. 
     The youngest cried out, "All is not well! Did you hear that sound?"
    "Those are the triumphal salutes because we have eluded our 'prince'!" said the eldest.






There are so many amazing fairy tales that it is hard to pick just one as my favorite. I debated back and forth a bit- but in my heart I knew what I would pick all along... Snow White! Ever since I played Snow White in a play in first grade (yes, I do have blond hair- but also a fantastic memory) I have been enchanted by the many versions of this story. I always imagined Snow White to be so beautiful and her step-mother was hideous in my mind because even though she was described as gorgeous- her mean spirit made her ugly. The magical mirror is fantastic to think about, and I have always wondered if it could do more than simply say who is the most beautiful in the land. The dwarfs always made me laugh with their names and personalities. I love that there are different endings to this fairy tale depending on the version that is being read.  I have many copies of this classic tale, as my mom buys me different ones whenever she spots them. Who knows what version I will read next!  ~L



13 comments:

  1. Disney's Snow White was the first movie I remember seeing in the movie theatre - a re-release of course. I love getting into all the different versions of fairy tales. I collect picture books of different takes on Cinderella and Rapunzel.

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    1. Leslie- How cool that you collect different picture book versions of Cinderella and Rapunzel. I bet you have seen some amazing ones! :)

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  2. Those are great choices! I'm impressed that you were able to narrow down to two! :)

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    1. Shannon- It wasn't easy to narrow it down to two! Glad you like our choices. :)

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  3. gotta love fairy tales!! found your post on Pinterest - yay!!

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    1. Hi Laura! Fairy tales truly spark the imagination! Thanks for stopping by : ) ~ F

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  4. Uh oh. I've never heard of the 12 Dancing Princesses. If I did, and I read it, it would have been a very long time ago. guess I'd best start looking for it.

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    1. Hi Donna,
      You definitely have to check it out! It is the most beautiful story- though harsh if you read the original by the Grimm brothers.

      Always wonderful to hear from you : ) ~ F

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  5. I haven't read The Twelve Dancing Princesses either! The artwork you've shared is awesome. Snow White was my first fairytale. I still have the little, tattered copy on my shelf. I believe it was the first book I'd owned (since I used to share books with my sisters ... but this one feels personal)! My favourite princess story though, is Beauty and the Beast.

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    1. Claudine- I highly recommend it! I am glad you enjoyed the artwork. I think that is awesome that you still have your first tattered copy of Snow White. I also love Beauty and the Beast. Out of the Disney movies it is my favorite!

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  6. You have to read it! I saw the preview for Snow White and the Huntsman and it looks very intriguing! I can't wait to see it. :)~Jess

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