Fairy Tales, Editing, Poetry and 15th Century England

Just look: the Whisky Trench Riders' Driftin' has passed the 1000 viewers mark!
Wonder how soon they can crack 2000?

There's a fun blogfest going on, all about fairy tales. Oddly enough, the Word Wenches recently featured a post on fairytales as well.

The What If? Blogfest, hosted by Morgan, Leigh, Mark and Cassie Mae, asks you to:

"Think of your favorite 'well known' fairytale and ask 'What If...!' Then, pick one of these four categories (be sure to mention which category you're joining, during your blog post!):

Best Plot Twist

Best Love Story

Best Tragedy

Best Comic Relief

Finally, write a scene(s) illustrating a new detail of the fabled fairy tale that changes our perspective."

I'm not actually entering the blogfest - if it runs again next year I might be ready then. Because... drum roll...

I've just finished writing the first draft of my own Beauty and the Beast tale!

Now I've got to type it all up. And return to Rome, Rhymes and Risk and all the editing I left behind...

Not just in Ancient Greece, but even in the last century, there used to be poetry at the Olympics! Unfortunately: "Today, lovers of poetry and sports must be content to ponder the rare survivors, like the Finnish wordsmith Aale Maria Tynni's 'Laurel of Hellas,' which took the gold at the 1948 London Games:

 Laurel of Hellas noble-born, / most celebrated tree,
gazing to your lofty crown / the mind must dazzled be.

This proved the last gasp for official Olympic poetry. Organizers began to doubt the quality of the offerings, as the gulf between the sports-related entries and contemporary poetry grew ever wider. Apart from the niggling amateur question, one official speculated that 'there are not enough artists who find occasion to study the beauty of the human body in motion or have connection with the world of sport.' In 1952 at Helsinki, literature was quietly dropped, along with the other arts contests."

But The Poetry Society kept the competition alive. And they've brought in other crafts, like knitting!

As for the editing... I've been looking at some of the photos I took in England back in April/May, all set in or near the time frame of Rome, Rhymes and Risk, and the next story set in that time (1470s to 1490s), featuring Santiago and Mawdlen (Magdalena) - Rosa's parents. The best part is that this story will be set in London!

 Canterbury

 Canterbury, along the river

 Panorama of Canterbury

 The church where Christopher Marlowe was baptised...

 ...and the plaque commemorating its bombing in 1942

 A Tudor building

 The oldest building in Winchester

 The Sun Hotel, 1503, later visited by Charles Dickens

 This gate is nearly a thousand years old. Look up at those windows...

...in the 17th Century, a husband, wife, kids and hogs all lived up there together

Which fairy tale would you change the ending of?

Comments

Talli Roland said…
Love the photos. Canterbury is such a pretty please!

Hm, I'd like to change the ending of Rapunzel and have her escape rather than having to let down her hair when the right man came around!
S.P. Bowers said…
Congrats on finishing! Well, I've always kinda thought the beast should stay as a beast since that's who she fell in love with. But there are certain problems associated with that...
Jeff Clough said…
I really need to visit Canterbury one day. It's been on my list, but your photographs just moved it up.
Matthew MacNish said…
Ah the good old British Isles. I would give just about anything to retire there.
Anonymous said…
I never knew about the Olympics' tie to poetry. Thanks for teaching me something new. And those pictures are quite beautiful. Makes me want to hop on a plane now.
Great pictures! I wish that there were more historical buildings like that in the U.S.; it seems like all the buildings are new these days.
If they had poetry at the Olympics today, I would have watched it. I like poetry better than sports.
I do miss UK, and loved your pictures. I can't beleive how many WIPS you have going on? Astounding. Brilliant in fact. Good luck with your goals for the week ahead. X
Anonymous said…
Congrats on finishing, Deniz. I've been so stuck lately; it's good to see someone being productive. :)
nutschell said…
aw, man. This takes me back to my own Canterbury trip. I loved exploring that cathedral!

Nutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
Nadja Notariani said…
While not exactly a fairy tale, I once read an interesting novel in which the author revisited the tale of Robin Hood. However, she added an intersting twist! The deplorable Sheriff of Nottingham was actually against Prince John...and purposefully 'avoided' capturing the notorious Robin Hood. He loved Maid Marion - and eventually earned her love. It was a wonderful story.
Deniz Bevan said…
That's a great idea, Talli!

Oh, now that's interesting, Sara. Really interesting. I'll have to think about this...

It was my first time, Jeff!

Me too, Matthew!

Thanks, Gloria!

I'd have watched the poetry too, Neurotic.

I can't believe it either, Shah! I used to try to finish one before starting the next, but this story just grabbed hold of me...

Thanks, Linda! Hope you get unstuck soon!

Thanks for coming by, nutschell!

Sounds intriguing, Nadja. I love how these fairy tales and legends can be shifted and changed sometimes.
Golden Eagle said…
Congratulations on finishing your draft!

It's interesting to see all the old architecture.

I'd change the ending of Sleeping Beauty. Can't say I like the original OR Disney version of it. :P
Congratulations on finishing, Deniz. Those stories just keep pouring out of you, don't they?

I started out studying the early Middle Ages, and kept drifting until I ended up in the late fourteenth century, but I love it all, really.

I want to get back to the UK soon, and you've just put more dots on my map.

I can't think offhand of a fairy tale I'd like to change that hasn't been mentioned. I think there are stories galore in the Arthurian legends where I'd like to toss in a heroine with a backbone, though!
Anonymous said…
Congrats on finishing your draft. :)

I'd love to visit Canterbury. When I go to England I always end up in Brighton and London. I'd love to explore other cities.

I rewrote Rumpelstiltskin for the blogfest. It's my favorite fairytale.
Zan Marie said…
Lovely pics as always, Deniz!
I want Cinderella to do more for herself instead of toiling away without a peep!
Hi Deniz .. love the photos - and the info re poetry and the Olympics .. the knitting was back in the 1850s and on ...

I'm going to post on poetry and the Olympics fairly soon .. there's a lot going on - which probably hasn't really been noticed .. even though it's well advertised. I'll link back to you ..

I think I'd change the wolf in Little Red Riding Hood - always frightened me as a kid!

Cheers Hilary
Carol Riggs said…
COOL photos--love the guy in the red hat in the one, that splash of vivid color. ;o) And way cool on you finishing your first draft! I love Beauty and the Beast tales of any sort.
Deniz Bevan said…
Thanks, Eagle!

Thanks, Elizabeth - that's a great idea for the Arthurian legends.

Loved your entry, Medeia.

That would make an interesting story, Zan Marie.

Can't wait for your post, Hilary!

Thanks so much Carol :-)