I can’t believe I’m typing up the 8th post in this series - this month as flown by! After this, there are just 2 more left before the end of the re-draw project - after that, I’ll be illustrating the mystery 9 tales and putting the zine together, so make sure you keep your eyes peeled for that next month! But until then, please click here to see the previous 7 posts where I cover all of the fairy tales so far - I always pack them full of links to loads of fun resources, as well as places to read the stories for yourself, so make sure you check them out if you haven’t already!
Also, make sure you’re following the Puddles of Ink Instagram! Not only am I uploading the fairy tale illustrations daily, but I also share a lot of behind-the-scenes exclusives on the pieces and give you the opportunity to have your say on what you’d like to see in the zine, as well as lots of fun art videos like Washi Tape Art, and I uploaded a fun Etsy Haul this morning!
Please let me know which fairy tales have been your favourites so far, and leave me any suggestions for fairy tales I can put in the final zine! I hope you enjoy the trio of tales in today’s post - there’s a real mixture of animals, magic and dancing - the perfect Sunday afternoon read!
The Tsar’s Riddle
I don’t actually remember how I first came across this fairy tale; it’s not the most well-known and I think that’s down to its translation. Originally from Russia, I think this has been translated with a different title, or it’s been re-told and the title has been adapted to something really different from the original, because it’s nearly impossible to find!
Unsurprisingly, I managed to find the blog where I first read this story, so that’s a positive! Actually, I’m really happy to be able to share this with you because I really love this short and sweet tale, and I’m excited to launch my own re-telling in the zine. In a similar vein to Beauty and the Beast, this follows a young girl who has to use her intelligence to save her father. I won’t spoil it because it’s super short, so please go and read it. My retelling is going to be longer, but I’m hoping I can hold on to the essence of the story because, as much as the ending is a bit frustrating from a feminist perspective, it’s one of those stories that certainly means well.
The 12 Dancing Princesses
Ok, I’ll admit it: out of every single story I’ve included in this project, this is the one that makes the least sense to me. I just don’t understand what the lasting moral is supposed to be! The premise follows the mystery surrounding the King’s twelve daughters; although they are locked into their shared bedroom every night and no one has ever witnessed them leaving or returning, their shoes are always worn out and scuffed the next day. Desperate to find out where they are going, the King announces that he will generously reward the man who brings him answers. The princesses retaliate by spiking the wine of every candidate, until a soldier comes along and things take a turn from there. If you’re intrigued and want to know what happens, click here to read it for yourself!
Whilst it definitely succeeds in asserting that lying and deceiving is wrong, I just feel that readers are left so confused over why the plot apparently condones a man forcing his daughters into a locked room every night, and bargaining them off to any stranger who serves his needs. It also apparently condemns dancing…I know the arranged marriage concept is far from unusual in fairy tales of this time, but I just find it frustrating that the actions of the males in the story tend to be overlooked or normalised, but the women are punished and judged scathingly. I’m not condoning their lies, or the fact that they spike the wine of unsuspecting men, but they are also being held against their will and that’s not acceptable either! This article by Mari Ness is super interesting and presents such a good analysis of some of the themes and inconsistencies in the story. I think it’s a brilliant read, whether it’s one of your favourites or not, and discussions such as these are why I wanted to bring attention to stories like this one in my work. If they are left to be forgotten or go unchallenged, they either fade into history or become normalised as opposed to acted upon.
There are so many film and theatre adaptations, as well as lots of re-tellings, so if you’re intrigued by the story it’s worth looking into them. I’m fascinated by the number of variations of this story from all over the world: you’ll find a list here, and I think I want to have a read through some of these and see how different cultures have adapted it. If you’re looking for some beautiful imagery and an archive of some other gorgeous fairy tales, then check out Pook Press.
The Enchanted Snake
The credit for the conception of this story goes to Giambattista Basile, but the Andrew Lang translation is the most widely-circulated in English, so I’ve linked that here for you to read. The story begins with a woman desperate for a child. She adopts a snake as her son, and over time the snake grows into an adult. He decides he wants to marry the princess, and the King puts forward a series of challenges that he must complete, but before the marriage can go ahead, a misunderstanding leads to a whole other adventure.
I really love this story, and I’ve been having such a fun time writing up my adaptation. I love that it’s got a totally different plot from your average fairy tale, and has a really interesting cast of characters. You can find a bunch of stories in a similar vein here, and make sure you’re keeping your eyes peeled for when I reveal my retelling!
Thank you so much for reading and getting to the end of another Re-Draw post! I can’t believe we’re nearly at the end! Let me know in the comments which ones are your favourite, give this a like if you enjoyed it, and leave me any suggestions for fairy tales to check out too!