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[stacey2545]

I just finished the most wonderful rendition of Snow White I've ever read. Deerskin, by Robin McKinley. Don't know if you've read it, Mimi, though I suspect you have. If you haven't, you better. It's absolutely gorgeous with some very original twists to it

Comments

Re: Necrophilia?

[thelauderdale]

That's interesting, because I've always heard Donkeyskin classified as another version of the Cinderella myth. You can see the parallels--nobleborn woman brought low but finds her way up in the world via way of a disguise (Donkeyskin's donkey skin, Cinderella's gifts from her fairy godmother or the tree under which her mother is buried), after which her true nature is revealed.

Myself, I think there's a lot of similarities between Snow White and Sleeping Beauty. Princess sleeps, is "awakened" by prince, whether by a kiss or by sex or whatever. In one of the older versions of Sleeping Beauty, the prince finds his way to her chambers, takes her in her sleep, and then leaves. Nine months later, still asleep, she bears twins who crawl over her body in search of her nipple. She awakens when one sucks the spindle poison from her finger.

Ah, innocent, gentle, comforting fairy tales....P)

Hey Stacy, could you tell me what Salowey has put on the curriculum for this year? I mean in terms of book titles, editions, authors, editors, etc.? I want to try to keep up with you guys on my own, which I know is impossible, but...feh....I'm gonna do it anyway. So if you could give me the info, I plan to chase the stuff down online....

Say yo to the Greek gang for me...er, what's left of it....My African violet thrives....

Re: Necrophilia?

[stacey2545]

I don't really know much about Donkeyskin. I don't think I've read the "original" version. It wouldn't surprise me that the themes are so similar. I think Cinderella, I think of the French version, but the tale is familiar in many cultures that never were influenced by the French. You've got versions of Red Riding Hood all over the world (Lon Po Po, or something like that). I'd like to know where Donkeyskin originated from. Man I'd love to find a book that traces different folk tales.

Re: Greek. It's not so impossible. As long as you have the motivation. You can work on the translations, email them to me, and I can compare them to what we come up with in class.

Re: Necrophilia?

[thelauderdale]

Re: Greek. Ooh, you really want to suffer, don't you? I might just take you up on that. Meanwhile, I still visit those Greek links you looked up for us that one time. Or was that Blair who found those?

Re: Cinderella. There's actually an Egyptian version of Cinderella, believe it or not! I can't remember in the time of which Pharoah it's supposed to be taking place, though I think it is right before Alexander the Great hits Egypt. Anyway, story goes that there is an Egyptian merchant who owns a beautiful young Greek slave girl. He has owned her since birth and thinks of her less as a slave than a beloved daughter, so he is very kind to her and has given her this lovely pair of shoes (can't remember if they're leather or what). One day she is lounging out in the sun and an eagle flies down and takes off with one of the shoes. It flies away and drops the shoe in the lap of the current Pharoah. He looks at this exquisite shoe which has fallen from the sky and becomes enamored of its smallness and beauty. Becoming fixated on finding the owner of the matching shoe, he uses that as his guideline to find the slave girl, who of course he marries.

Re: Necrophilia?

[stacey2545]

Re Greek: I'm just a glutton for punishment. And, as my sister's AIM profile says, "If I survive this semester, I'm either a genius or I will have had NO social life." I'm hoping to prove genius. ^_^;

Re: Cinderella... Wouldn't it be cool if they had a collection of comparative myth/folk tales? You know, a section each for the Cinderella, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Sleeping Beauty stories of the world? I'd buy that. I don't read enough fairy tales to be able to track them down and do my own research, but I'd love to study them. My favorite are modern renditions. Robin McKinley, Elizabeth Ann Scarborough... hmmm, funny, they're all by women. Well, Orson Scott Card did that one Enchantment, based sort of on Baba Yaga stories.