#Fairytale and Folktale Inspired

[kaynanarie]

Eyes of Gold (Part 4)

(A WukongxReader story inspired by Beauty and the Beast and Lutung Kasarung.) (Part 1) (Part 2) (Part 3)

            Two days later, the rash was finally gone. The baths and medicine had cleansed it away, leaving healthy, itchless skin in its wake. You couldn’t be more relieved. Shihou endured your smothering hugs and endless thanks with grace and a smidge of pride.

            With you now poison ivy free, the monkey was ready to show you the way up the mountain. You didn’t realize how literally he meant it until you were three hours into a grueling hike.

            “How much further?” you whined, climbing up yet another set of stone steps. Shihou snickered where he sat waiting for you to catch up.

            “Just a few more. Would you had preferred scaling the side of the mountain?”

            You huffed, pausing to catch your breath. “No, but I wasn’t expecting a maze of staircases and secret tunnels. Did Monkey King find all these?”

            “Actually, he made most of them,” Shihou said, leading the way down a side passage. “Fruit and Flower Mountain has seen plenty of battles and having a backdoor comes in handy.”

            Glowing moss along the walls offered some light but you still kept close to Shihou. With so many twists and turns, getting lost would be all too easy. After another flight of stairs and a few more tight tunnels, Shihou finally stopped by an unassuming patch of stone.

            “Here we are!”

            You glanced at the rocky surface then back at him. “Where exactly is here?”

            With a smirk, Shihou pushed the wall aside. Instead of stone like you first assumed, a cloth was brushed away, revealing a brightly lit hallway on the other side. You stepped out into the light, letting your eyes adjust while also enjoying the fresh air. Behind you, a woven tapestry fell back into place, covering the secret doorway without a trace.

            Once you could properly see, you found yourself in a corridor, one side dotted with large windows streaming in sunlight. Lining the opposite wall were statues, murals, and hanging weapons interspaced between ornate doors. Despite being carved from the mountain itself, the stone palace was just as regal and intricate as any human-made castle.

            “Your room is over here, peach friend! Come take a look!” Shihou called from down the hall. He was nearly hopping from excitement by the time you joined him in front of the open door. “What do you think?”

            The room was huge, a carefully carved cavern with artistic details etched into the very walls. Rosewood furniture adorned the space, expertly crafted and polished to a mirror shine. The wardrobe tucked in the corner revealed silk robes similar to your first gifted set. A bowl of fruit and bouquet of colorful flowers decorated a small side table. You were most excited to see a real bed, plush with a downy mattress and covered in embroidered blankets and furs. The whole space glowed by the light of the bay window leading out to an overlooking balcony.

            Of all the things you expected from a mountain palace full of demons, such royal accommodations were beyond your wildest dreams. “It’s beautiful! Look at this view!”

            Being so high up was breathtaking and dizzying all at once. The whole of Fruit and Flower Mountain stretched before you all the way down to the edge of the forest. Cascading green hills plummeted alongside the thunderous waterfall. Above the canopy of trees, white clouds drifted through the endless blue sky. You were so enthralled by the sight, Shihou had to tug you back by your robes before you could tumble over the balcony railing.

            “Careful! Wouldn’t want an accident before the King announces your arrival.”

            “He’s announcing my arrival?” you repeated in disbelief.

            “Of course!” Shihou chirped, leading you back into the room. With your weary body weighted down by the sudden news, the bed looked more inviting than ever. You all but flopped down on the mattress, sighing into the cloud-like comfort. The weight on the blankets shifted as Shihou hopped up to sit next to you. “The King wants to formally welcome you while also making the others aware of your presence. Best way to avoid any mishaps.”

            “If you say so,” you hummed, glancing over to him. “Any other surprises I should know?”

            “Well actually, there was something I’ve been meaning to tell you…” Shihou suddenly looked quite contrite, avoiding your gaze as he scratched at the back of his head. “But you have to promise not to panic or get angry. Okay?”

            You raised a brow. “Is it that bad?”

            “Probably not,” he said though his frown wasn’t very convincing. “Just…try not to hate me?”

            Before you could respond, Shihou jumped off the bed and scurried to the center of the room. You sat up to watch him, suddenly worried by whatever was about to happen. He took a slow breath, so focused even his tail was still. In a quick nod, a cloud of smoke enveloped him with a startling pop. You jumped to your feet, coughing and waving the haze from your face. As fast as it appeared, the cloud settled, leaving you blinking as a shrouded figure came into view.

            “Ta-dah!”

            Where Shihou had once been was now stood a demon. He was slightly taller than you, wearing simple pants and robes tied with a belt. The overall appearance was nearly human but his fur, tail, and bare feet were monkey-like. A nervous smile played across his simian face while he waited for your reaction. Only the familiar golden gaze kept full blown panic at bay.

            “Shihou?” you asked after a tense moment.

            “Yep! It’s me! Just a little taller now. And with clothes,” he smirked but there was still a cautious edge to it. “You’re not going to freak out, right?”

            Your arms flailed in bewilderment, grasping for understanding. “First you can talk, and now this? I thought you were just a regular monkey!” Your hands covered your face, mind whirling with every awkward conversation you had with him. “How? Why?”

            Shihou looked a bit sheepish at your confusion. “I didn’t mean to lie. When I found you, I disguised myself so I wouldn’t scare you and I wasn’t sure how to bring it up afterwards. Now that you’re here, you’ll be seeing a lot more demons around so I might as well be the first.”

            A deafening silence filled the room as you processed the monkey’s confession. The longer you stared, the more nervous he became, tail twitching as he fidgeted in place.

            “Are you mad at me, peach friend?” he asked, gold eyes wide and pleading. Despite the larger demon form, he managed to look quite pitiful in his remorse.

            You sighed and shook your head. “You’re lucky you’re still cute.”

            “Aww,” he cooed, his smile sharpening to a cheeky grin. “You think I’m cute?”

            His teasing turned to full blown laughter at your unamused glare. “Don’t push it. I’m already embarrassed I carried you around for three days.”

            “How about I carry you next time to make it up to you?” Shihou chuckled at your mortified blush. “Anyways, now that you know, it’ll be easier to show you around. For now, you should rest while I let the King know you’ve arrived. Will you be okay while I’m gone?”

            The idea of being left by yourself in an unfamiliar demon palace was unnerving but you nodded anyways. Shihou sensed your hesitation and placed his now much larger hand on your shoulder. “I won’t be long. Once everyone’s gathered, I’ll come get you for the announcement.”

            With a final wave and a quick wink, Shihou whisked out of the room. Alone with your reeling thoughts, you laid back on the bed to study the carved ceiling. Soon enough, you felt the fatigue of the day pull you into dreams filled with underground labyrinths, demons in disguise, and the looming presence of the infamous mountain king.

[bluebirdwordz]

Taylor Swift as a Witch

Fairytale Plot: They said magic was dead. Everyday they saw the sun rise and flowers bloom in a thousand colours and they thought magic was dead.

If it is dead now, it was once alive —-

[thewickwheat]

I am fingers crossing that by increasing the opacity on the top I can avoid flagging but lets find out

together

BUT ANYWAY

there was another FFXIV Gala event on twitter that I participated in and since the theme was Fairytales and I am someone who looks for any excuse to bring up my favorite folktale, I had to pay homage to Prince Lindworm by depicting Zenos as the titular Lindworm and Earley as the shepherd’s daughter. 

You can read the folktale here!

There’s also a process video available for Patrons! (which I try to do with all my illustration pieces)

Design notes below the cut for interested folks

The goal with Zenos' outfit was to communicate shedding skin, with each layer getting more raw. So its a matte wool suit layered with shiny red satin and the underlayer being soft velvet (originally the suit had iridescent sequins sewn near the cuffs to imply scales but I couldn’t find a way to depict it nicely, though I think it would look stellar IRL) 

Earley's was heavily inspired by Queera Wang's gender neutral wedding designs, which also worked well with the layered "fine shifts" in the story. Other elements minorly borrowed from folk designs (it was a stronger influence earlier in the design but a lot of it got discarded) and I’m very sad her boots could not be shown off in the final composition 

there's also...another theme in the designs but I think you can figure that out~

[welcometowriteblr]

WTW PRESENTS OUR 43RD EVENT!

We live...again! WelcomeToWriteblr invites you to attend our fabulous Feast of Fright. Counting down the days until Halloween night, we have chosen themes and prompts designed to help you flesh out your WIP, from the characters and relationships to the setting and magic system. The calendar can be completed in any order and you’re free to do as much or as little as you want. This event will run for the LAST TWO WEEKS OF OCTOBER.  Unlike our previous two preptober events, this one will be a slightly shorter variant where we encourage posts to be as long or as in-depth as you'd like!

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Tag your posts as #WTWEVENT and #WTWCOMMUNITY

Format your posts like this: WTW FEAST OF FRIGHT - DAY #: THEME

Wait for your post to be added to the queue. 

NSFW content will not be posted to the blog. 

OPTIONAL: Join our discord server if you would like to ensure your post makes it onto the blog! Tumblr’s tagging system can be unreliable and we want to make sure everyone’s creations are shared! Please note, you must be 15 OR OLDER to enter our server! 

PROMPT LIST

Jack o' Lantern - Write a 250-500 word character study for your protagonist

Scarecrow - Introduce the main relationship(s) in your WIP

Ghoul - Talk about recurring themes & tropes in your WIP

Full Moon - Discuss your biggest sources of inspiration

Poison Apple - Write about a fairytale, folktale, or urban legend in your WIP

Tombstone - Your protagonist has to give something up: What do they choose?

Haunted Hayride - Describe the main setting

Cauldron - Write about an important historical event in your WIP

Poltergeist - Discuss the main conflict of your WIP

Cursed Relic - Plan the climax

Grim Reaper - Brainstorm the Point of no return

Cobwebs - Write a bad synopsis of your WIP

Pumpkin Pie - How did you choose which POV(s) to write?

Headless Horseman - Write an in-universe letter from your protagonist

Banshee - Plan out your magic system: Tell us how it works!

Feast of Fright - Discuss your top five favorite scenes

CREEP IT REAL, JOIN OUR SERVER HERE! (discord.gg/earlgrey)

[bekkathyst]

The new jewelry collection is finally dropping this weekend! From today until Saturday, I will be posting an English retelling of one of the Austrian folktales that inspired this collection (over on my Patreon).

I’ve decided to name this collection Märchenwald, which means Fairytale Forest. Many pieces in this collection have real plants that came from my garden or local forests, which I think makes the name even more fitting!

I can’t wait to show you even more previews. I’m really happy with how this collection is turning out.

[elrielffs]

This is just a loose theorizing by me about Gwyn's role in the future books and how this ties to Azriel and an Elriel story.

It's not meant to be anti-Gwyn. I actually really like Gwyn as a character but it does incorporate Lightsinger Gwyn and for some, this is anti-rhetoric.

This is just me kicking things around in my noggin' and nothing concrete but just loose attachments.

Under the cut cause it's kinda long.

I was thinking about some of the details we've been given in story and some meta things from SJM's pinterest. I don't really subscribe to the pinterest as end all be all but I do think some things are very interesting on it.

I do think SJM is pulling from various fairytales and myths, particularly Blodeuwedd, Koschei the Deathless and other Russian folktales, and The Little Mermaid. We know SJM takes inspiration from fairy tales.

First we have Blodeuwedd which SJM saved titling Elain. The story of Blodeuwedd is that she was made to be the perfect wife of Lleu Llaw Gyffes but rejects him and falls in love with another, Gronw Pebr.

In the Koschei and the Deathless, we have Ivan Tsarevich who has 3 sisters that marry 3 winged wizards. Ivan saves Marya Morevna, a warrior princess, from Koschei and marries her.

I think the first two speaks for themselves on how they relate to ACOTAR so I won't delve to much into it but you can see how it relates to the story that is playing out.

Last is The Little Mermaid. We all know this story because of Disney and also it's probably one of the more well known fairy tales' but the broad strokes of the ORIGINAL telling is: The Little Mermaid falls in love with the human prince, makes a deal with the Sea Witch for her fins to be turned into legs to be with him on land, the prince falls in love with someone else, and the Mermaid is tasked by the Sea Witch with killing the prince to get her fins back but she can't do it because she loves the prince too much and instead turns into bubbles/foam/becomes an air spirit.

How does this relate to Gwyn?

Gwyn has been described many a time with ocean/water like imagery and has been stated to have nymph heritage. Her eyes are constantly described as the sunlit sea and she even says the quote," I am the rock on which the surf crashes."

We are also told about Lightsingers in the same book that Gwyn is introduced: They are ethereal beings who will lure their prey to them, appearing as friendly faces. Only when their prey were in their arms would their true faces emerge.

This shares many similarities to Sirens: creatures that live in or by the ocean, that lure victims to them with an alluring voice. Sirens have also become synonymous with mermaids, merging into one creature with siren and mermaid being used interchangeably to describe the one being.

Gwyn has show these same characteristics in story. Gwyn is shown to be a singer and have a beautiful voice and to also glow when she sings.

When Nesta hears Gwyn sing she describes it thus:

Drawing any listener in.

Nesta also says this about Gwyn upon first meeting her:

Gwyn also tells Nesta at one point that Nesta wouldn't like the "real" her.

I won't go too in depth to the Lightsinger theory because there are plenty of other posts floating around breaking it down better than me but suffice to say that there is a correlation between Gwyn's voice/singing=some type of power. This easily translates into Lightsinger/mermaid/siren imagery and theory.

Now this next part is just me spit balling and is more fast and loose and how this could tie into an Elriel story:

We don't know too much about Koschei in story except that he's a Death God and older brother to Stryga and the Bone Carver, beings who traveled from another world to Prythian (Daglan/Asteri?) and a powerful wizard that cursed Vassa.

At one point he tells Azriel he has "been preparing for you". What could this mean? Why has he been preparing for Azriel?

Why would Koschei, who is a powerful wizard, bargain with the Acheron's father, a human nobody? Is it because he is Elain's father?

Rhysand speculates that there's a possibility that the priestess have been infiltrated. We saw with Ianthe that not all priestess's harbor good intentions and in ACOWAR that the library can be broken into.

It has been highly speculated that Merrill, a priestess in the Library, is up to something. Is she in line with Koschei?

Who works under Merrill? Gwyn.

We know from HOFAS that the cauldron is corrupted by the Asteri/Daglan, a fact speculated by Azriel himself in the bonus chapter.

Is possible that Koschei as a Daglan/Asteri had a hand in corrupting the cauldron to mix up Elain's mates? Is that how Koschei "prepared" for Azriel?

And what about Gwyn working under Merrill? Gwyn could be manipulated and unknowingly assisting Koschei/Merrill or she could be working for them for some kind of favor--returning her sister Catrin to life?

Also, the fact that Gwyn and Catrin are twins can be used for shenanigan's. What if Gwyn is actually Catrin? (This is purely speculative on my part by the fact that they were made twins rather than just sisters.)

It's also mentioned that Catrin had webbed fingers. I love this little detail and wish Gwyn had them too but is there a reason she doesn't? Could this be to distinguish Catrin and Gwyn at a later date besides hair color?

Could Merrill/Koschei know about Gwyn's Lightsinger heritage and be using her as way to lure Azriel away from Elain?

What is one of the gifts Elain gets Azriel? Ear plugs.

We know it as a gag gift but we also know that Elain has visions--we don't know how fragmented or how fully she receives them but is is possible that she saw something that inspired her to give Azriel the ear plugs?

Is this to upset the balance of the 6 pointed star mentioned in HOFAS?

Could Gwyn, unknowingly or knowingly be working for Koschei to infiltrate the IC via Nesta and the training, lure Azriel away from Elain? Could Gwyn fall in love (this part is not needed, it can be just business on Gwyn's end) with Azriel but realize thru her connections with the Valkyries and training and Azriel that she can't go thru with it?

Let me reiterate, I don't think Gwyn is evil. I think she could be manipulated, coerced, or promised something she can't refuse to help or go along with Koschei/Merrill. She might not even know it's Koschei she is helping or that she is even in fact assisting. She could be manipulated into using her unknown Lightersinger powers.

Gwyn (the Mermaid) is promised/manipulated into using her Lightsinger powers by Koschei/Merrill (Sea Witch) to lure Azriel (the prince) away from Elain (the woman the prince loves) but the end she can't go thru with it either because she realizes it's wrong, realizes she's being manipulated or because she can't do that to Azriel.

I know there is more that can be conjected but this is already quite long and I didn't even delve into the Swan Lake and Sleeping Beauty parallels.

I realize this could have been posted before and nothing new but I just wanted to put my thoughts out there and hear some more of my fellow Elriels!

[oolhan]

Everlark: The Classics #6

When the Moon Fell in Love with the Sun by Mejhiren

Published: 2012 Chapters: 15 | Discontinued/Abandoned/Perpetually waiting for an update

Hey, hey! Another entry for my small fic rec series after such a long time. It's been a while so please indulge with fairytale!everlark. Covering my eyes as I write this because I did not do the fic any justice with my amateur mood boarding skills. But bear with me as I gush about my all time favorite everlark fic of all. Okay, so when the moon follows the whimsical tale of victor Peeta Mellark bringing Katniss to his fairytale-like mansion after winning the 74th games. It is heavily inspired by the Norwegian folktale East of the Sun & West of the Moon, a myth on personifying animals and nature. Hear me out! Look at me [proceeds to cup both cheeks in my hands] It sounds incredibly foreign for those not used to reading fanfics but I assure you, this is beyond want. This fic is a need. The world-building of this story brings out the playfulness of Peeta and Katniss, something they were deprived of from canon, especially K. Peeta personified the warmth, hope, innocence, and all things that Katniss needed, especially the cooking. The metaphors of sun!peeta and moon!katniss, of geese and does, the red ribbons, foxes and little prince, the braids, the Appalachian themes, genealogies, even Katniss' obliviousness to Peeta's feelings is hauntingly entertaining--just read it. Although I must say it is quite a long book since it's nearing 400k words in just 14 chapters, I promise you when you're hooked you'll yearn for more.

The vibrancy of its themes is colorful and alive even if the setting is on a cold winter season. Also the writing structure??? God. It's immaculate. It's illegally sublime. The immense joy when I experienced reading this for the first time transformed my insanity. Would 100% sell my soul in exchange for the complete version of this. It's basically a 400k word love poem. That's it.

[kaynanarie]

Eyes of Gold (Part 2)

(A WukongxReader story inspired by Beauty and the Beast and Lutung Kasarung.) (Part 1) (Part 3) (Part 4)

            While staying in a cave did offered protection, the same could not be said for a good night’s sleep. You tossed and turned on the stone floor, kept awake by the noises of the forest and the constant itching of your skin. When dawn broke, you were still tired but happy to have survived your first night on the mountain.

            With the morning light came your new monkey friend, Shihou. He appeared at the cave entrance carrying various fruits for breakfast.

            “Good morning!” he greeted, tail swaying cheerfully despite the early hour. You grumbled in reply, picking out a peach to munch on. Shihou grabbed a fruit for himself and sat by your knee. “So, I spoke with the King about you.”

            Anxiety woke you like a cold plunge, your appetite suddenly gone. “He’s not going to kill and eat me, is he?” you asked cautiously.

            “Eat you?!” Shihou burst into high pitched, chittering laughter. “Of course not! On the contrary, he officially welcomes you as his honored guest. The King also gave me some good news about your so-called ‘curse’.”

            It was the first positive thing you had heard relating to the Monkey King. “What did he say? Does he know a cure?”

            “Well, you see…” When Shihou held out his paw, you could see a similar rash across his palm. Knowing he now shared your affliction filled your heart with guilt and shame.

            “I’m so sorry!” you cried, backing away. “I didn’t think it was contagious.”

            Shihou waved his hands, trying to calm you down. “It’s okay, I’m fine. You’re not contagious. This is where I grabbed your sleeve yesterday,” he said, pointing to your robes. “It’s not a disease; it’s poison ivy. Someone must have ground up some dried leaves and put the powder in your clothes. That’s what’s causing your rash.”

            You tugged at your robes curiously, noticing that everywhere they touched was where the rash had spread. Instantly, you knew who was responsible. “This seems like something my sister would pull.”

            “Perhaps,” Shihou shrugged. “But it’s nothing that can’t be cured. Hurry up and eat, I have something to show you.”

            With a flick of his tail, the monkey scampered out of the cave. You quickly finished your breakfast and stepped outside, finding Shihou waiting in one of the trees. Seeing you, he leapt to another branch, waving for you to follow. “Come on, peach friend! You’re wasting the sun’s time!”

            “Peach friend?” you asked with a giggle, keeping pace with his swings and jumps.

            “Yep! You shared a peach with me so now we’re peach friends!”

            As you walked, the distant sound of rushing water grew louder until the forest gave way. Beyond the trees, a waterfall tumbled from the peak of the mountain, cascading into a crystal blue river below. All the surrounding trees were green and laden with colorful flowers and fruits despite the wintery season back in the village.

            “Over here, peach friend!” Shihou called from the riverbank. Next to him was a folded bundle of clothes and plants organized into piles. “These herbs should help with your rash. If you bathe and wash your robes out, you’ll be healed in no time.”

             “You want me to wash here? In the river? Out in the open?” you asked, glancing around. “What if someone sees me?”

            Shihou just laughed. “You’re the only human on the mountain.”

            “What about demons? I don’t want them spying on me, either.”

            “Only Monkey King’s subjects come this close to the waterfall,” Shihou said. When he noticed you still weren’t convinced, he sighed and patted your knee in reassurance. “I’ll keep watch if you want but this place is pretty private.”

            You gave him a skeptical look. “And you aren’t going to peek?”

            He waved your concerns away with a scoff. “I’m going to be too busy making your medicine over here. Now hurry up, your rash will only get worse at this rate.”

            Shihou turned away and started mixing leafy fronds and purple flowers together before smashing them with a stone. With your given privacy, you shimmied out of your robes and slipped into the pool at the base of the waterfall.

            The water was cool but not cold, immediately soothing the itch and burn of your rash. You gently scrubbed your skin and rinsed away the dirt from your night in the woods. By the time you swam back to shore, you felt clean and refreshed.

            You found Shihou lounging on a tree branch above the water. His ears perked as you splashed closer but his eyes remained respectfully closed. “Rub the paste on your skin; it’ll stop the itch and speed up the healing process. There are some clean clothes over there as well.”

            The plants had been mashed into a green poultice and left waiting on a stone. You rubbed the medicine over the worst of your rash, already feeling the soothing tingle as it started to work. Once you and the paste were dry, you unfolded the waiting clothes and quickly dressed.

            “Where did you get these robes?” you asked, feeling the silky material under your curious hands. It was smooth and light as a breeze against your sensitive skin. Delicately embroidered clouds decorated the hem while ornate swirls flowed down the sleeves. Despite being from a noble family, you had never worn anything so extravagant before.

            One of Shihou’s golden eyes peeked open before he sat up, looking quite pleased to see you in his fancy clothes.

            “The King sent them,” he answered, a smug satisfaction in his cheeky smile. “Consider them a welcome gift.”

            The robes suddenly feel much heavier draped over you. “These are much too precious, I can’t except such royal clothes. They’ll be ruined in the forest.”

            “Don’t you know it’s rude to reject a King’s gift?” Shihou’s mood suddenly grew annoyed. The gold of his staring eyes seemed to faintly glow, a frown pulled at his lips, and his tail dangling from the tree swished in irritated lashes. “Besides,” he continued, gesturing to the pile of discarded clothing. “What else do you have to wear while your old robes still need washing?”

            It was strange to be chastised by a monkey but his logic was sound. Even if wearing gifted robes from the Monkey King himself seemed strange, you had few other options. Even worse, you had offended your new friend by insulting his King.

            “I’m sorry. I meant no disrespect,” you finally amended. “Would you be willing to pass on my thanks for your King’s generosity?”

            Shihou’s bristling softened at your acceptance. “You can thank him yourself. He’s invited you to stay at his palace in the mountain once you’ve healed up.”

            “His palace?!” you gasped, careful not to reject the offer as you fought down your growing alarm. “Why?”

            “You’re his honored guest, remember? I’ll lead you up the mountain myself once preparations are ready.” A sly smile lit up Shihou’s face. “Unless you’d rather stay in your cozy little cave down here?”

            Your answering grimace sent him into peals of howling laughter.

            “Fine,” you sighed, crossing your arms in defeat. “As long as the preparations don’t involve me being dinner.”

            He shook his head with a chuckle. “I swear, no one will put you on the menu no matter how tasty you look. I already promised I wouldn’t let anything happen to you and I plan to keep my word.” Despite his teasing words, Shihou’s tone was surprisingly serious.

            “I trust you to keep me safe,” you said, grateful for whatever protection he could provide.

            “I’m honored to do so. Now that that’s settled!” Dropping from his perch, Shihou landed on your shoulder, throwing you off balanced as he clung to the fabric of your robe. On instinct, your hand reached up to steady him as you found your footing. His golden-brown fur was surprisingly soft, almost as silky as your new robe. Instead of shying away from your touch, he leaned into it, chirruping at your tentative pets. Once he was satisfied, Shihou shook himself to focus and pointed at the tampered clothes. “Laundry time. Let’s get rid of this poison ivy mess, peach friend!”

[pr0serpinaa]

Favorite dreamy Fairytale/Folktale inspired films

Panna a netvor (Beauty and the Beast) (1979)

The Thief of Bagdad (1940)

The Company of Wolves (1984)

Rusalochka (The Little Mermaid) (1976)

A Song of the Forest: Mavka (1983)

The Red Shoes (1948)

Ever After (1998)

Morozko (Jack Frost) (1964)

Labyrinth (1986)

Ashik Kerib (The Lovelorn Minstrel) (1988)

[muitamaita]

Here is my submission to DBTR-server's zine, this time we had folklore and fairytales as our inspiration, see the other amazing artists behind the link!

My little comic was inspired by my favorite folklore ghost story, which in Finland is usually called "The Dead Travel Light" or "The Dead Travel", it is a "dead bridegroom carries off their bride"-type folktale, the most famous version is the German Lenore-ballad. In these tales two young people are lovers, and the bridegroom is send away to work or to war, where he suddenly dies. One night he arrives to fetch his bride, but she has no idea he is a walking dead as news of him dying have not reached her. He tries to carry her to his grave, but the bride is saved the last moment.

In the Finnish version we have some special features I wanted to incorporate, such as it is always a cold winter night and the bridegroom arrives on a horse drawn sleigh instead of riding.

I have brought the story to BG3 here, as I found Astarion's story is a perfect fit to it. Bride's part is played by my Tav Eris.

[theboarsbride]

Faerie Book Recommendations🧚✨📚

So reading Sarah J Maas and her very, very shitty interpretation and (under)utilization of fae lore is inspiring me to create a personal list of books I've read that I feel like have like... ACTUAL faeries and folklore in them (not the normal-looking-hot-folks-with-pointy-ears-and-MAYBE-wings brand of faerie SJM popularized), and are actually worth your time

And if you've any books, stories, comics, etc. that you'd want to add to this list, feel free to add them in the comments, reblogs, tags, or my DMs!!

House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland

Very eerie fairytale vibes that center on the aftermath of the disappearance, and even more mysterious return, of three sisters when one of them goes missing again almost 10 years later. And also the writing is legit just B E A U T I F U L!!!

Emily Wilde's Encyclopedia of Faeries by Heather Fawcett

This is chock-full of classical faeries and folklore, and almost reads like a textbook about them since this is about a woman, the titular Emily Wilde, traveling to a Scandinavian country to complete her own encyclopedia about the fair-folk. It also features some lowkey cottagecore vibes and an academic rivals-to-lovers romance!

Gilded (Gilded #1) by Marissa Meyer

A retelling of Rumpelstiltskin that reads like its own dark Grimm's fairytale, and it's as eerie and grim as a YA fantasy novel can get. It also centers on themes of telling stories and folktales since the main character, Serilda, is infamous for spinning wild tales - which is what leads to her encounter with the famed, and feared, Earlking (who, as a villain, is so sinister and creepy - and utterly FAE!). Personally, this book wasn't really my cup of tea and I'm unsure if I'll read the sequel, Cursed, however it still has some classic fae vibes that SJM's work lacks, so it deserves a place on this list!

The Changeling by Victor LaValle

I'm using the term 'faerie' very loosely here, as the idea of changelings (and trolls), for me, is more of a narrative device to help us look into grief in fatherhood. But there is still a very strange, vaguely Pans Labyrinth-esque urban fantasy vibe playing in the background throughout!

Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom

Not necessarily FAERIES but more of mischievous and distrustful woodland folk - and also forest gods. Very heavily steeped in early colonial America era folk horror vibes... if you love media like Robert Eggers' The VVitch then you will ADORE this book! Also Brom's accompanying artwork is so, so beautiful! This is honestly such a perfect fall-time read once Halloween season rolls around.

Legendborn Cycle series by Tracy Deonn

Ok no faeries but... mixes classic Arthurian legends with southern Black beliefs while also telling an epic urban fantasy story centering on themes of grief, trauma, and prejudice. So no fae, but LOTS of great urban fantasy vibes (which I mean... if you're looking for more series to put on your shelf instead of Harry Potter......) Just... Please... just... this series... it's so GOOD!! IDK what else to add that hasn't been said about this series!

Direwood by Catherine Yu

Once again, not necessarily faeries in this book but instead vampires that have a very fae-like quality about them! (as well as blood-hungry butterflies and caterpillars hee-hee) The story as a whole feels like a whimsical fever dream that is STEEPED in tasty Gothic vibes! It sort of has the feeling of being in a late '90s/early '00s Goth music video.

Like Falling Stars by Avalon Roselin (@roselin-books-official)

A story about a girl who's forgotten her past and comes to develop a sweet friendship with a brooding ice faerie prince, and is brimming with so many cozy fantasy vibes!! Also all the fae characters in this novel are so colorful and lively, and they're all very heavily tied to elements and the seasons. Also ALSO!! The main relationship focuses primarily on platonic love as opposed to romantic, and is just as endearing! A perfect cozy winter/fall-time read.

Netvor: A Retelling of Beauty and the Beast by @rosesnwater

Both a completed novel and an in-progress webcomic available to read on Tapas and Webtoons. Again, another story where major themes center on storytelling and fairytales, but also recovering from trauma and grief! There are so, so many classic faerie vibes, and even featuring pinnacle figures from classic fae lore like the Goblin Market, and it manages to feel equal parts nostalgic and unique in its use of faerie lore!

Dandies in Danger podcast by @dandiesindanger

A table-top RPG podcast instead of a novel! It features four queer men that are dragged into a world of fae and horror, all while set against the backdrop of Regency era London. It starts as a VERY eerie fae mystery (featuring figures like Titania and Oberon), but it slowly becomes a dark, horror historical-fantasy, and it's great! Also art by the podcast's creators is so good!

So these are the recs I have to offer for now!! As always, feel free to add more recommendations!!!💛

[adarkrainbow]

Fairytales in French cinema

Pictures of "Azur and Asmar", Michel Ocelot second big animated success after "Kirikou and the Witch". Released in 2006, this movie is not inspired by any precise folktale, though the story could be a One Hundred and One Nights fairytale. Whereas Kirikou was a translation of Western African folklore, this movie is set within the Muslim Maghreb of the Middle-Ages, and just like with Kirikou, Michel Ocelot uses the format of a fairytale to explore serious topics such as physical discriminaton, social injustice or geographical displacement.

[vacantgodling]

RED DEATH & THE ORACLE'S FAVOR

Red pressed her face to the table, hiding her eyes. “I have no money to offer you, nor children to sell. I have no clothes other than those bloodied on my back. No riches, nor connections can this deal between us bring. But I do have myself, and any services you ask of me.” The Oracle pondered her brazen request, and smiled to himself at her earnestness without jest. Her head he raised with a kind hand, cupping her chin beneath his palm. “Raise your head, sweet Red, no need to grovel just yet. The night wanes to the hours, young. Come, I will give you lodgings for the night, and then in the marrow, our deal, we shall strike.”

Red like blood, that’s what she named herself. Red like death. 

All seek The Red Death for the howls of her moon scythe to fall down upon their enemies, like the jaws of a wolf on innocent sheep. Just as the jaws of The Wolf Queen close upon even the furthest reaches of this land and has spiraled this country into a seemingly endless ruin.

The vendetta Red has against The Wolf Queen is personal: she is responsible for the kidnapping of her elder sister, Iole. For years, Red has been scouring the land high and low, under rock and hill, to find her beloved kin. Her reputation grew from desperation; burdened with this curse that stole Iole’s life and their childhood away from them. Yet, this curse is her only hope of salvaging it. 

For sustenance, she kills. Shelter, she forgoes. She will not rest until Iole is safe with her once more. 

But she is running out of time and she has exhausted all options. A stroke of luck leads her to another cursed one such as herself, The Oracle; a young man named Hel. The man who knows everything if asked the question, yet he says nothing if not offered a worthy bargain. It is with him that Red strikes her final deal: they will traverse these war battered lands to find and protect The Hidden Prince, who will free this land from The Wolf Queen’s maw. And if she succeeds... The Oracle will give her the knowledge she seeks.

• • • Further Details

Inspiration(s): The folktale Snow White and Rose Red, Snow White and the Huntsman (2012) - but redone because it had such wasted potential, and general fairytale tropes

POV: third person omniscient with a folk tale, singsong cadence.

Themes: overcoming grief, childhood trauma, curses as blessings and blessings as curses, political power struggles, someone is haunting the narrative

TW(s): death, gore, body horror, mentions of child abuse and of SA

Features: all queer & all black cast, neurodivergency of many kinds, atypical romantic/qp relationships

main tag: s: red and hel / s: rdof <- main tag now but older posts are under red and hel

• • • Main Cast

ROSMARIN / RED (The Red Death) -> she/her, aro/grayace

HEL (The Oracle) -> he/him, mspec gay & poly

ARDEN (The Hidden Prince) -> he/him, straight (?)

IOLE (The Innocent) -> she/her

THE WOLF QUEEN (The Scourge) -> any pronouns though people tend to use feminine due to being the "Queen"

[blue-cat-ter-flies-blog]

In a bit of a fairy tale mood- so have some fairytale/folktale Sukugo AUs!

Cinderella- not Disney. Ever After version seems to suit them both if you must because the dynamic between Danielle and Henry is peak Sukugo to me. Alternatively, we can also go with All-furs/Sapsorrow [1] [2] version instead. Or whatever local version you have or a localised Japan version (do they even have a Cinderella story of their own? That we can recognise, that is.)

Crane Wife-inspired AU- Satoru isn't the crane but he is their child. Here, Satoru is a shunned clan member (albino and an indecipherable CT) and had just buried(cremated?) his mother. His father had been dead and gone for longer. When he's trying to sell some bolts of cloth at a market- a mix of his mother's work and his-, he's harassed by Naoya Zen'in and some cronies about how Satoru should just be his concubine. It's gotten to the point where Satoru, in frustration, bursts out saying he'd rather marry the King of Curses and sleep with him than let Naoya's tiny dick anywhere near him (well, in Heian parlance, whatever that is). Surprise! Guess whose at the market? Sukuna and Uraume. Satoru, after comparing both Naoya and Sukuna to each other, stands by his declaration that Sukuna is the better choice. He's somehow surprised when he finds himself engaged and married in short order and, surprisingly enough, eventually falls into mutual love with Sukuna. The biggest surprise is finally figuring out his CT with Sukuna.

Rapunzel AU- either Sukuna first meets Satoru when he's making an escape from his tower- hair cut messily short and the rest of it hanging from the hook by his window- and catches him as he's falling. OR, Sukuna finds the tower during a walk and when he hops up, finds a furious Satoru inside after a failed escape attempt- hair growing again and barriers on the window to keep him in.

Animal Bride AU- except Satoru fell first and keeps leaving his skin/cloak 'unattended' in order for Sukuna to steal it. Sukuna, against all expectations, actually hands it back and Satoru immediately accepts the proposal. It takes a while but Sukuna falls back- and falls harder- and carefully takes care of Satoru's skin/cloak whenever his husband hands it over to him. Alternatively, it can be Satoru's 'heavenly robes' instead if we're going more Eastern.

[eventideluminary-games]

Poll time!

If I make an IF based on/inspired by fairytale/folktale/public domain story, which would you rather read?

[kathaniii]

।। Aloukik।।

~ A folklore event ~

To all who are interested,

I'm hosting an event focusing on Indian folktales, fairytales, mythos and legend.

Aloukik is a month long event dedicated to highlighting stories from different cultures of India. There will be 10 prompts. It will run from 25th June to 24th July, with 3 days dedicated to each prompt.

Folklore has been an integral part of many cultures worldwide and India is no different. In our kaleidoscopic country, there exists a myriad of stories in different cultures, passed down from generation to generation. Storytelling has always been a fundamental part of human existence, stories become living, breathing things, transcending time and space as long there's someone to tell them.

So I'm inviting you to share your stories and your culture, folklore from any region, any state, any religion, any culture is welcome.

•To participate, you can post your writings, art, GIFs, Edits, Moodboards, anything you want.

•New content is appreciated but old content is also welcome.

•You can participate as much or as little as you'd like. You can post multiple entries for a given prompt or none at all.

•Late submissions are also welcome.

•Hateful content is not allowed. I have the right to ignore any content I see as hateful, but I will excercise this carefully. Furthermore, I will block you if it becomes a repeated offence throughout the event.

Be respectful of each other's cultures and religions.

To submit your entry, please follow the format given below:

@kathaniii | Aloukik 2023 | Day X

Please also use the event hashtag #Aloukik 2023.

The prompts are:

Day 1: (25th-27th June) Stories from your culture

Focus on and highlight stories from your state, religion or culture.

Day 2: (28th-30th June) Horror

Horror is a recurring theme in folklore. Horror stories are often the cornerstone of folktales. Highlight your favourite bhootnis, spirits, demons, and witches alike.

Day 3: (1st-3rd July) Women in Folklore

From witches to fairies, women have always played an integral role in many folktales and fairytales. Celebrate the inspiring women in folklore, their stories and their role in folk culture.

Day 4: (4th-6th July) Your Favourite Fairytales

Fairytales are, for most people, an important part of their childhood. Post about your favourite Princes and princesses, fairies and demons, kingdoms and magic.

Day 5: (7th-9th July) Unsung Stories

Post about folktales that you think are underrated and unsung. Tales that not many people know about, tales that you think deserve more love.

Day 6: (10th-12th July) Heroes and Heroines

Post about your favourite heroic characters, your favourite heroes and heroines, your favourite knights in shining armour.

Day 7: (13th-15th July) Villains

We all love a good villain and folktales have given us many iconic villains and antagonists. Post about your favourite evil queens, evil kings, dark witches and demon kings.

Day 8: (16th-18th July) Your favourite characters

Post about your favourite characters from fairytales and folktales. Tell us about any characters you fell in love with, hero or villain.

Day 9: (19th-21st July) Childhood stories

We all grew up hearing fairytales and folktales from our parents or grandparents. Tell us about your favourite childhood stories, stories you grew up with, stories you cherish.

Day 10: (22nd-24th July) Creator's Choice

This day is a free-for-all. Post about anything you want, any stories, any characters, anything your heart desires.

Feel free send any questions about the event to the event's blog @kathaniii. Thank you.