#madame beaumont

[princess-ibri]

Does the French fairytale Princess Mayblossom exist in the Disneyverse?

Eh, I was tempted for a bit as it is where the og name Carabosse comes from, but ultimately I decided that it was 1. A little too close to what we already have with Sleeping Beauty (hence why the name travled over into the Sleeping Beauty Ballet and became ubiquitous with the Wicked Fairy until Maleficent's portrayal gained prominence)

And 2. Its just a little bit too silly? Well not silly so much as tounge in cheek, which was very common for the salon fairy tales/ conte de fees before the Brothers Grimm's more folkloric style gained popularity (one of the reasons Beauty and the Beast has managed to become a staple when so many of the other salon takes have faded was because Beaumont's version reworked it into this folklore style)

And while I can definitely appreciate the tounge in cheek aspect and actually enjoy it from time to time my personal tastes run more towards Grimm's style.

[adarkrainbow]

How Mother Goose's fairytales switched from adults to children

I have frequently talked about how printed fairy tales were always originally meant for adults, not children.

The fairytales of Charles Perrault and madame d'Aulnoy in France were for an adult audience and adult in tone and content (with illusions of "childishness" as a narrative convention), and only later became stories for children due to a mass-spreading, an access to popular culture and a misinformation about their purpose. Before them, the first "fairytale collections" of Basile and Straparola, the "Pentamerone" and "The Facetious Nights" are very obviously for adults due to their nature as NSFW dark comedy filled with sex, rape, gore, scatophilia and Punch-and-Judy humor. Even in the case of the brothers Grimm! The first edition of the brothers' fairytale collection was for a purely scientific, cultural, folkloric purpose - it was meant to be read for scholars and folklorists and other adults. It was only as they realized that their book turned out to be a huge best-sellers for families, and that it was most often used as a way to entertain children, that they decided to make their stories more "kid-friendly". Hence why each re-edition of their collection became more "SFW" and more edited (they even made a side-book, a mini-collection of fifty edited fairytales specifically selected for children!)

This is the long history of fairytales. Each time prepared by adults, for adults, and yet ending up in the hands of children and being treated as for kids... And since the cosmos loes balance, now that the fairytales are throoughly ingrained and defined as "for children", they always end up being reimagined and renvented for an adult audience... Anyway.

The reason I bring back this entire topic is because I recently stumbled upon an article about Martine Hennard Dutheil de la Rochère, about the adaptations of Perrault's "Les Fées" (The Fairies, better known today as "Toads and Diamonds") for England. It was quite an interesting read so I will share some of its content below, rearranged a bit with additional info (such as the one above).

First off, it should be noted that, from the get go, when fairytales of France were first translated in England, the idea that they were for adults was still around. For example the very first literary fairytale of France, L'île de la félicité, by madame d'Aulnoy, was translated as early as 1691 - because the novel which contained it was translated, "The History of Adolphus", and since it stayed within its original context, it stayed an "adult read" (since the novel was a story for adults). [For more information about it, check M.D. Palmer's text "The History of Adolphus, the first French Conte de fée in English")

This doesn't come from the article I talked about, but in another paper about the European fame of madame d'Aulnoy's fairytales in the 18th and 19th centuries, there was this precision that the same way in England Charles Perrault's name was overshadowed by the one of the fictional "Mother Goose", madame d'Aulnoy's own name was erased for a nickname seemingly coming out of nowhere: "Mother Bunch". Just a desire to match the other famous "fairytale mother"? Not quite... Because the name "Mother Bunch" was associated in England with a specific type of woman - the type of woman who knew more private, romantic, erotic secrets, the kind of woman teenagers would go to to ask advice on how to seduce other people, and young couples would question about how things were meant to go in bed. A kind of Nanny Ogg, if you know your Discworld. A saucier "Mother Goose". It was probably not because the English audience perceived the subversive, erotic and bawdy elements within madame d'Aulnoy's fairytales, unfortunately ; but it was mostly due to England being aware of the various scandals and extravagant adventures madame d'Aulnoy lived, which gave her a reputation of a quite unconventional woman.

The real "turn", the true switch within a general perception of these fairytales was probably the first real translation in English of Charles Perrault's fairytales: Robert Samber published in 1729 "Histories, or Tales of Past Times... with Morals by M. Perrault". This was the original sin, so to speak. Because you see... Robert Samber meant this book to be for children and he did not hide it.

As I repeatedly said before, Charles Perrault's fairytales were not meant for children. He did imitate a simplistic story-style associated with children stories ; he did include morals at the end of each of his tales... But his intended audience (and test audience, and those he dedicated the stories to) was made of adults, his morals were all ironic and subversive, and his stories were filled with puns and references only an adult person (and more so an adult person of a certain social condition living by or near the royal court) would understand. But Robert Samber? He made a huge effort to highlight how Perrault's fairytales were moral - like, literaly, he took every Moral of Perrault at first-degree, as praising virtue and denouncing vice, completely missing the jokes and incoherences within it - and were "educational". And perfect for children. In fact, Robert Samber dedicated his translation to the children of a certain lord Carteret. Bear this in mind, it will come back later.

A clear and obvious proof of Samber literaly falsifying the text to fit his personal perception is the preface of his translation. He did translate most of Perrault's own preface for his fairy tales... But he included in it extracts from another preface. The preface of Jean de la Fontaine's Fables. An extract about how Plato praised the fables of Aesop when it came to teaching children about wisdom and virtue, and how he advised people to prefer them to the "poetry of Homer" (the Iliad, the Odyssey, etc). Not only did Samber literaly took the words of a different author for a different work and grafted them here... But when you are aware of the context, it becomes even more extravagant.

I spoke regularly about this, but the fairytales of France took place within a cultural battle known as "La Querelle des Anciens et des Modernes". On one side, the "Ancients", people then in charge of the dominating cultural institutes, and who held the long tradition that any cultural piece worth anything had to come from the classical and "perfect" era of the Greek and the Romans. On the other side, the "Modern", a new generation of culture-makers who claimed that other sources and other influences could be used rather than Antiquity - more "modern" resources such as the various romances and epics of the Middle-Ages. La Fontaine and Perrault were not bitter enemies at all - in fact, Perrault greatly admired La Fontaine and references his Fables within his own fairytales... But they stood on opposite sides of the schism. La Fontaine was part of the Ancients - hence why his most famous work was the Fables, a French adaptation of Aesop's own fables and other Antique stories "recreated" for Renaissance France. Perrault, meanwhile, was the unofficial leader of the Moderns - hence why he created his fairytales, inspired by French folklore rather than any Greek epic or Roman tragedy. As such, to confuse the explanation-texts of these two authors isn't just falsifying a translation - it is literaly fusing and reinventing two conflicting and contradicting opinions about the use and format of culture. And it completely falsifies Perrault's own initial project and intentions. (Plus it perpetuates a confusion between "fables" and "fairy tales")

Not only that, but Samber also removed several key sentences from Perrault's preface. Including those that explicitely said that his fairy tales could be read differently depending on the age and the level of experience of the reader... A subtle way to point out the obvious: under an apparently simplistic and childish folk-story was hidden an adult literary work. But again, for a Samber taking literaly every one of Perrault's Morals and aiming a book for children and only children, such sentences had to be removed.

Another fascinating element... In his preface, Robert Sambre points out that the fairytales within his book are organized in a pedagogical way, from the most childish to the most mature. Another "proof", according to him, of why this book was made for children. Problem... Robert Sambre used a Dutch print of the fairytales, a 1721 Amsterdam edition which completely changed the order of the fairytales. Perrault's original order, in the 1697 edition, was: Sleeping Beauty - Little Red Riding Hood - Bluebeard - Puss in Boots - Toads and Diamonds - Cinderella - Riquet with the tuft - Little Thumbling. But in Samber's edition? Little Red Riding Hood - Diamonds and Toads - Bluebard - Sleeping Beauty - Puss in Boots - Cinderella - Riquet with the tuft - Little Thumbling. And... one more fairytale. "L'adroite princesse, ou les aventures de Finette" (translated as "The Discreet Princess"). This fairytale was actually not part of Perrault's texts - it was written by Perrault's niece, and one of the famous French fairytale authors, mademoiselle Lhéritier. But ever since this Dutch printing (and then its English translation, and then ever before since the first mistake was made in 1716), there is a common habit of identifying this fairytale as being Perrault's... a mistake which still appears sometimes today. But all of that to say, Samber's edition was complete randomness.

A few more reads disponible in English: "The Authentic Mother Goose Fairy Tales and Nursery Rhymes", 1960, by Barchilon and Petit + Jones' "Mother Goose's French Birth and British Afterlife" (this article is disponible on publicdomainreview.com)

Dutheil de la Rochère highlighted several key differences between Perrault's original French text, and Samber's translations, about the "Diamonds and Toads" fairytale. First, Samber's translation of the title as "The Fairy" - which isn't what Perrault wrote (he titled his stories "The Fairies", for subtle reasons since there is only one fairy in his story but who poses as two different women ; Samber probably meant to "correct" the title). Then there is the fact that Samber removed a certain "rustic", "peasant" tone and vocabulary within the dialogues, which Perrault precisely included to make the reader feel like in the French countryside and among common folks. There is also Samber's "moral" removing of a specific sentence - Perrault wrote that if the mother prefered one sister over the next, it was because she looked more like her and "people like more what is like them". It was part of Perrault's satire of human nature - Samber simply removed it all together. Finally, there is a distinctive "childish" selection of words to make the story seem more... "kiddy" let's say. Where Perrault wrote "a beautiful girl", Samber writes "a pretty little girl". Where Perrault wrote "my mother", Samber writes "mamma".

Random trivia: The nasty sister's name is translated as Fanny, a name derived from Frances and quite common in England at the time, soon to be associated with John Cleveland's scandalous "Fanny Hill, or Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure". Perrault's name was merely "Fanchon", which is a rural diminutive of "Françoise" and was one of those stereotypical names for a young peasant girl.

Mind you, the "infantilization" of fairytales was not all due to England. It happened within France itself. Perrault, d'Aulnoy, Lhéritier and others were the first wave of fairytales, end of the 17th century. id 18th century there was a revival of the traditional French literary fairytale, a "second generation" so to speak - and a part of this generation grew the idea of writing fairytales for children. Chief in this school of thought was madame Leprince de Beaumont, the woman behind the most famous version of "Beauty and the Beast". She was a governess for the aristocracy, and part of what was then a progressive movement: teaching girls! Arg! The progress! As such, she personaly read fairytales as the perfect tool to teach children in a pleasant and educative way, and she was one of the first fairytale authors in France to have like straightforward manichean, moral and religious Morals at the end of her tales. Heck, her fairytale collection is called "Le magasin des enfants, "The children store", precisely because it was a children book.

But where am I going with this? Remember when I said Samber dedicated his work to the children of Lord Carteret? Well, Leprince de Beaumont also dedicated her work to children... To one child specifically. Sophia Carteret, youngest daughter of Lord Carteret (a character in the book was even based upon her). Indeed, while Madame Leprince de Beaumont was French and wrote in French, she had emigrated to London in 1748 and had worked there for British aristocracy. Given she created her own fairytales after Samber did his translation of Perrault's, and she herself described in her texts Perrault's story as "puerile but perfect for children" (*cough cough*), it is very likely she was influenced in her fairytale writing by Samber's complete reinterpretation and flasification of Perrault's tales. And since Leprince de Beaumont's work came to be spread and known throughout Western Europe... Began the misconception that fairytales had been written for kids.

Trivia: Madame Leprince de Beaumont wrote her own variant of "Toads and Diamonds" - but she wrote it as a fable. "The fable of the widow and her two daughters", in the line of other French fables for children such as those of Fénelon.

Last reading recs: Shefrin's "Governess to their Children: Royal and Aristocratic Mothers Educating Daughters in the reign of George III" (in "Childhood and Children's Books in Early Modern Europe" by Immel and Witmore) + Seifert's "Madame Leprince de Beaumont and the Infantilization of the Fairy Tale" (in "The Child in French and Francophone Literature".

[adarkrainbow]

Indeed! It is a little trivia people point out from time to time.

Mérimée never wrote about the "merveilleux", the style to which fairytales belong, however he left a deep mark within the "fantastique", its twin style. [Merveilleux (marvelous) is how French literature classifies tales where the supernatural is "accepted" or part of the world ; Fantastique (fantastical) is a term for all stories where the supernatural exists, but shocks the protagonist or suddenly appears within a "normal" world. Fairy tales are merveilleux, Dracula is fantastique.]

And it is quite fascinating to see that his two most famous fantastique tales (two short stories) are both imbued with a certain... I can say "fairytale subtext". One is "La Vénus d'Ille", an extremely famous story in French literature, likely inspired by the opera "Zampa", but which is the literary, French variation of a certain story-type that modern audiences today will be more familiar with under the shape of Tim Burton's The Corpse Bride. (Except La Vénus d'Ille is... much less joyful than The Corpse Bride)

The other is Lokis, a short story technically about Lithuanian legends and folklore, but which also explores a more general motif in European folklore: the supernatural bear/the bear-men/the bear husband.

Why did I not know until just now that Prosper Mérimée, the author of the original book of Carmen, was the great-grandson of Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont, the author of the second and more familiar French literary version of Beauty and the Beast?!

@ariel-seagull-wings, @adarkrainbow

[lepetitdragonvert]

La Belle et la Bête / Beauty and the Beast

d’après le conte de Madame Le Prince de Beaumont

CERF - bohem press

1981

Artist : Fiona Moodie

[pompadourpink]

hi! what are the fairy tales that most french kids grow up hearing?

Hello,

I would say mostly Charles Perrault's Tales of Mother Goose (Sleeping Beauty, Puss in Boots) and Madame de Beaumont (la Belle et la Bête), as well as a handful of the Andersen tales (the Little Mermaid, the Princess and the Pea) although they are Danish. Madame de Ségur's Les malheurs de Sophie used to be popular as well because of the animated show (1998).

We are also expected to memorise a dozen Fables by Jean de la Fontaine in primary school (which are adaptations of Aesop's works). Later, most of us have to read Candide by Voltaire and one or two of the Lettres Persanes of Montesquieu.

Hope this helps! x

Fanmail - masterlist (2016-) - archives - hire me - reviews (2020-) - Drive

[unchataparis]

Iris Verdi

Liladrien Week 2024 | Day Six: School

Adrien has started to call neo-Françoise Dupont the ‘green school’, although this probably wouldn’t make much sense to anyone else.

After all, to specifically attribute such an adjective would usually mean that the place stands out for it. No one would call a Haussmann terrace in the middle of Paris the ‘limestone house’ and no one would describe a specific cow among a black-and-white pasture as the Holstein-Friesian cattle.

Neo-Françoise Dupont is surrounded by buildings just as frondescent, just as sustainable, just as solar punk. Ink-dark glass panels installed upon rooftops, slanted on both sides, to catch every last drop of UV light. Lively lavender and frog-green ivy climbing up brick façades, low buildings, and a community garden in each apartment park – appropriately named because with the rise of interest in human-centred, hands-on community hubs, each residential area in Paris is now built around children’s playgrounds.

Still, when Adrien bikes to school this morning, waving hello to neighbours and fellow students – bikes because there are no longer any needs for individual cars and he lives too close to the school to rely on the entirely electric mini buses –  he pulls up to a Françoise Dupont that seems a cut above the rest of regenerated Paris.

Apple and tangerine trees planted in the courtyard bloom generous fruit in the height of spring, a warm breeze ruffles the verdant leaves. Colour-coded bins are clearly marked Déchets, Recyclage, and Compost. Stickered rainwater tanks decorate corners and crevices. 

Members of the student council and volunteers are manning the morning breakfast program. Fresh juice, waffles, cereal, yoghurt, eggs, and bacon are divided in catering trays and sampled freely by hungry students bearing wooden plates and metal cutlery.

In Adrien’s new homeroom, manned by a newcomer to the school named Madame Beaumont, most of his classmates are already gathered and they cheer to see him.

“Morning, Adrien!” Kim bellows across the room. He’s wearing a recycled polyester and cotton-blend hoodie with thrifted jeans. Beside him, Max dons a tunic weaved from hemp linen.

“Morning!” Rose chirps.

“You’re almost late!” Alya teases.

“Hey, guys.” Adrien looks down at the front row where Marinette is sitting. Hair tied into pigtails with gingham ribbons, lids and lips tainted with cocoa-butter-based cosmetics. She beams, clearly waiting for him and demurely pats the seat beside her. Adrien drops his canvas satchel and blows a gentle kiss towards his girlfriend. Marinette’s cheeks darken even further, already adorably flushed, and although she trembles, she doesn’t panic. Adrien is so proud of her. Marinette is growing over her fears admirably, conquering past trauma bit by bit like a champion.

“Alright, class!” Madame Beaumont announces, clapping her hands together to rein some control over her raucous homeroom. 

Nathaniel is doodling in a kraft paper sketchbook and Mylène is showing off her homemade bead jewellery to Juleka and Ivan. In the row behind them, Alya and Nino had leaned over to start talking to Adrien and Marinette about plans for the weekend. The Seine is crystal-clear and smells of salt and algae, perfect for swimming in. And afterwards, how about a picnic at the Jardin du Tuileries?

“Class!” Madame Beaumont repeats sharply. “Please – your attention, please!”

Voices settle down and rears are fully planted down on benches.

Madame Beaumont clears her throat before the classroom’s interactive whiteboard. Adrien sees the plans for today’s lessons floating there: agriculture lectures and an introspective analysis of Dead Poets Society.

“I’m very happy to announce that we’re going to have a new student join our class today,” Madame Beaumont says. “Her name is Iris Verdi and she hails all the way from Italy. This is her first time in France and she’s still getting a little used to the language. So, please give a very warm welcome and a friendly greeting to our new friend!”

Adrien claps along with the rest of the class as Madame Beaumont gestures for someone outside the classroom to step in. Adrien claps along with the rest of the class as an unusually tall girl saunters her way beside Madame Beaumont. Adrien stops clapping when the girl turns to face them with a smile that borders on a smirk, but no one else does.

The rest of the class continues clapping for this girl. She has long, nearly-yellow blonde hair twisted into a low chignon. She wears a red wool beret and matching blazer, a smart grey vest, a pleated black skirt, and polished leather boots. Her eyes are vixen-like and rimmed with black, her lips are pouty and glossy with the colour of ripe apricots.

“Bonjour, everyone!” she says in a sweet, melodic voice. Her nails are almond-shaped and painted the same colour as her lips. She has slung upon one shoulder a brown leather schoolbag. “It’s so nice to see you all.”

“Hi, Iris!” the class choruses.

Adrien looks behind him to see all of his friends beaming at Iris with nothing but geniality and sociable curiosity in their eyes. Adrien looks to his right to see Marinette nodding at Iris with warm welcome.

“As Madame Beaumont told you all,” Iris says in an accent that is different to the one she used when she came to their school as a new student last time. Less high-pitched, more sensible. With an undercurrent like trickling water. “This is my first time in Paris and French is a third language. Please forgive me if I make any errors.”

“Nonense!” Rose cries. “You sound fine.”

Everyone chants in agreement.

Iris’ eyes curve with her smile, her hands coming up to cup her mouth in faux overwhelm. 

“Oh, you guys are so kind!” she coos. “I can already tell I’m going to have the time of my life here!”

“French is your third language?” Marinette asks. “What’s your second?”

“English,” Iris replies easily. “Although that’s only because I’ve spent half of my childhood growing up in California.”

“California?” Alya says, perking up as she always does whenever anyone makes the slightest mention of the U.S. 

“Isn’t that where Hollywood is?” Nathaniel remarks.

“Yes!” Iris says. “Actually, I lived with my uncle just on the outskirts of LA where he owns a vineyard. It was a super cool place to grow up, because you get to meet the fanciest people and celebrities who come to tour.”

The class whispers their excitement to each other.

“How exotic!” Madame Beaumont says.

“If everyone’s willing,” Iris says, unclasping the magnetic flap of her bag. “I could show you all some pictures–”

“Excuse me,” Adrien says, speaking up. He feels as if he had been submerged in a dream-like trance where he was nothing but a helpless and doomed witness to pre-destined events. He listened to the inane conversation and if he himself lacked a mouth to speak with and a will to act with. Adrien snapped out of his stupor because Iris’ act of opening her bag reminded Adrien intensely of her opening her bag when she showed Adrien her faux-Fox Miraculous almost exactly one year ago. “But aren’t you Lila Rossi?”

Read the rest on Ao3 here.

[jeongyunhoed]

As seen on my FF.net Also seen on my Ao3

Following the events of fifth year, a new adventure awaits for Norah Lee. Boys, exams, school events, common room parties, and old foes outside of Hogwarts. Even battling pensieve guardians was easier than this.

Main Pair: OC/? Genre: Adventure/Angst/Fluff (it's a little of everything, tbh)

KEEP IN MIND: Characters are aged up (even if the story's got them in sixth year) to make it more appropriate. Time period is leaning towards the modern day so in case you might find anachronisms in the dialogue or references, this is why. This may also be quite a lengthy fic too.

BE WARNED: Social anxiety, mentions of blood and injury, grief, drinking, kissing but nothing more than that, death (this is Hogwarts Legacy, after all)

P.P.S: Some "trauma dumping" ahead between Norah and Garreth. Also some slight sexual tension too. I'm setting up what would be a very FWB relationship ahead. No smut though. Smut's gonna be in the sequel.

Masterlist

Chapter 16

The congratulatory comments Norah heard didn't seem to stop at Hogwarts. Everywhere she, Amit, Sebastian, and Natty went, she would be met with well-wishes from people whom she helped the year prior. At the back of her mind, Norah felt like this seemed to pose a distraction from the fact that Harlow was still on the loose and was rebuilding his business enterprise, perhaps finishing what Ranrok and Rookwood started but failed. As much as she wanted to revel in the good feeling of having achieved such an accolade, Norah felt like there was still more to be done. Even Madam Beaumont had previously warned her that she had done all that she could. And Merlin knows what Mrs. Daisy Rabe and Madam Bickle would tell her next about this.

Or worse, that damned Officer Ruth Singer. Norah didn't have fond memories of her encounters with the so-called law enforcer. If she and Natty had to take matters into their own hands to catch Harlow the first time, she was doubtful Officer Singer and the authorities would make more of an effort this time. The lack of effort only made Norah despise Officer Singer.

But, as Norah had observed, only months into the sixth year at Hogwarts, she was also undergoing the very familiar, but also quite bittersweet, feeling of her friend circle going through some changes. Because Andrew and Poppy had now become an item, she hardly hung out with them as she was now absorbed into Andrew's circle of friends. Natty seemed like she was on the verge of it as well, given the possible nature of her relationship with Henry, whatever it was that was going on between them. This reminded her that the wizarding world wasn't all that different from how muggles lived their lives. Including friends who ditched their friends to be with their romantic partners.

Nevertheless, Norah had come to terms with it, but it left her unsure of who to turn to now. They only had a year left until they were finished with Hogwarts, and what then? They would be on their own. Those thoughts had left her with the conclusion that she seemed better off hanging out with whoever wanted to hang out with her.

The price to pay for being a Slytherin, perhaps. Everyone would eventually not like her as much. It seemed like a lonely life was ahead, and being named the Hero of Hogwarts wasn't as all as it's cut out to be.

She dwelled on those thoughts while sitting at the bar of the Three Broomsticks one afternoon, with days left until the Hufflepuff common room party. More than a month left until the Yule Ball as well.

"Sickle for your thoughts?"

Norah snapped out of her continued dwelling when she saw Garreth appear, seating himself on the stool next to her while Sirona poured him a pint of butterbeer. "What?"

"You looked like you've got something on your mind," Garreth replied before taking a sip of his drink. "In fact, if I recall correctly, you've been like that for a while, is something wrong?"

Norah smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I can deal with it."

But the redhead didn't seem so convinced. "Even heroes need help, you know," He teased.

"Hero," Norah scoffed. "That's interesting. I don't feel like it, that's for sure."

Garreth's teasing expression faded at her words. "I'm sorry, that might've been inappropriate for me to say."

Norah waved a hand dismissively. "No, no, it's not your fault. I'm sorry, I'm just not feeling like myself today."

The Gryffindor looked down at his drink, then glanced at her. "Norah, I know our last conversation ended the way it did, but that doesn't change the fact that you've helped me, that you've been willing to help me, without even asking for anything in return."

"Then do me a favor and please don't ask," Norah quipped, glancing at him. "I know you're just trying to help, but I can assure you, I can handle it. Whatever it is."

Garreth didn't press any further, taking a long drink of his butterbeer as he glanced at her every now and then. "My oldest brother thinks the same way whenever we can tell he's having a hard time. Thinking he can deal with it on his own because it's what's expected of him. Whenever we ask if we could help, he brushes it off, telling us not to worry because he, as you said, could deal with it. He thinks we simply don't understand," He said quietly as he recalled those memories. "I'm really going to back off after this, but just know that it's good to let it out. Better out than in, is what my mum always says."

He finished his pint, asking Sirona for another one, in which she obliged, glancing at Norah with a hint of concern on her face from time to time. The two of them continued drinking in silence. Norah was stubborn that way. She didn't want to involve anyone out of knowledge that most of them couldn't even fathom what she had to face the year before. Even as they had repeatedly assured her that they would be fine.

As Amit once told her after they went through the goblin mine, that the whole escapade was enough of an adventure for a lifetime.

But if she wanted to change it, to change this thinking, she knew she had to make an effort, and it was going to be hard. She was, what the muggles would call, brooding, and she didn't like it.

"I don't know what to do," She suddenly said, after feeling some difficulty saying it. Garreth glanced at her, not saying anything but he remained still, ready to listen. "We're in sixth year, I don't know what to do after we leave Hogwarts, what profession to take up, and as much as I say I don't care if no one asks me to the Yule Ball, it still stings to know that it might be true. I have some unfinished business to take care of, NEWTs might become my cause of death, and I'm not sure if I still have my group of friends this year."

Garreth stared at his own drink while he listened. He wasn't sure if it was a good time to try and make her feel better, but his instincts told him not to say anything for now. Perhaps Norah was going to say more, and she did.

"Frankly, I was still embarrassed after the whole boggart thing. Carrow cursing me in the entrance hall was another thing to be embarrassed about," Norah somehow felt herself becoming more at ease. "Adele Kang told me I would've been confused for a Gryffindor because of how much I bled, apparently. But I ultimately felt ashamed, because people have this image of me in their heads, that I'm brave or something, that I couldn't get hurt, that what happened to me down at the caverns was nothing. I'm having a hard time trying to live up to that."

You don't have to, you never had to, Garreth thought. He wanted to say it, but he knew better than to do so for now.

"In reality, all those things that happened to me the year before? I was just as terrified, I feared for my life just as much as anyone. Imagine having to face several acromantulas in one year? Fighting troll after troll after troll? An entire cellar full of spiders big and small, multiple loyalist and Ashwinder encampments? Inferi?" Norah sighed. "The cave near the castle that's been infested with dugbogs, a dragon fighting ring. Sometimes I get the shivers just imagining those dead dugbogs still floating in the water."

Garreth also shuddered at the thought.

"But most of all? It's terrifying knowing that I actually fancy someone. But I know he doesn't plan on anything. He's too scarred by his own past to consider anything, not that I know he likes me back, but," Norah shrugged. "It's like everything and nothing all at once."

The description seemed familiar, and Garreth had an idea of who she was talking about. He's a complete idiot if he doesn't ask her to the ball, Garreth thought. But hearing her explain what was on her mind seemed to humble him a little bit and comfort him at the same time. The hero of Hogwarts, the youngest recipient of the Order of Merlin, First Class, admitting how even she had been struggling this entire time. Perhaps since the end of fifth year even.

Norah glanced at him, having been quiet this entire time. "I'm sorry for suddenly dumping this on you, I know it's a lot," She said, emptying her pint. "I told you I needed to deal with it on my own."

Garreth shook his head. "It's not a problem. In fact, I think it's a wonder that you managed to make it out of those in one piece, no injuries, nothing," He said. "...You still don't have a date to the Yule Ball, do you?"

She shook her head. "No, but I just think it's because I've scared anyone who would want to try, off," She muttered with a sigh. "Or maybe I'm just not anyone's type, which leaves me wondering what I should do to appear otherwise."

"You don't have to do anything," Sirona blurted out, refilling their pints. They can tell she had long wanted to say something. "You won't lose anything if no one asks you, but you should never feel like you're doing something wrong. In fact, I think it says more about those boys than it does about you if no one seeks you out for the Yule Ball."

Norah stared at the bubbles and the foam of her butterbeer. "It is pointless to try and make all that effort to get a boy to notice me," She nodded. "Besides, it's not the end of the world if no one asks me to the ball, compared to what Natty and Nellie are making it out to be."

The mention of Nellie made Garreth look up, then sigh. "Nellie really fancies Amit," He said. "You were right last time, maybe I really should move on."

Norah frowned. "It went downhill, huh?"

Garreth hummed. "She said she never really saw me as anything other than a friend, a schoolmate even. What's worse? I'm not even her type."

"I'm sorry, you must really like her," Norah said, moving her pint towards his in a toast. "The next round of butterbeer's my treat."

She laid down some more coins before Garreth could decline. "Thanks," He said, only to sit up when he remembered something. "My brew's ready now, by the way. It's in the Honeydukes cellar if you'd like to come try some," He suggested.

"We can finish this first," Norah joked as they downed what was left from their mugs.

~

A moment later and they found themselves in the sweet shop's cellar, looking at a barrel painted red with gold letters that said "Weasley's Fizz-beer." Garreth conjured some mugs to fill it in with the bubbly amber-colored liquid that smelled like the sweet treat itself. "Took a while to perfect, a year and a half, but I think I've nailed the recipe now. I would've preferred to make it look like the candy, but this is much better," He was pleased, taking another sniff of the beverage.

Norah brought the mug to her lips to take a sip. It tasted just like Fizzing Whizz-bees, only much stronger. It wasn't sickly sweet, but sweet enough to mask the alcohol content for a moment. It took her a moment to realize that she was already inches off the floor, as was Garreth, who looked even more overjoyed and nearly spilled his drink in the process.

Once their feet were firmly on the floor, Garreth put his mug down, arms suddenly outstretched and coming in for a hug. Norah, taken by surprise, wrapped an arm around him to return it, feeling a little calm now at the contact. He was warm, they both were, from the few butterbeers and then this. The brew aside, Norah could get a whiff of his cologne.

"I have to hand it to you, Garreth, you did well on this. You should bring this to the Hufflepuff party," She suggested as they pulled away, taking another sip and feeling herself float off the floor a few inches again. It was mostly to hide how she felt her cheeks heat up at how close they suddenly got. She reminded herself that it was because of the butterbeers and the brew.

Garreth grinned. "You think I should?" He said, making sure to reach out to her while she took another sip.

"Yeah, I mean, I didn't die or break out or anything, I think it's a success," Norah gave him a thumbs up as her feet were back on the ground.

She put the empty mug down, followed by a quick evanesco to clear them. "I'm quite brilliant, aren't I?" Garreth looked proud, as if his little revelation about his heartache earlier never happened.

Norah laughed as they went down the secret passage to leave. "Don't push your luck, you might not be to successful next time."

They passed through the familiar caverns, opting to swim rather than make the jump instead to get to the other side. Garreth took the lead, his cheeks suddenly getting ruddy when Norah emerged from the water, followed by a charm to dry their clothes. He was going to pretend he didn't accidentally glance at the way Norah's wet clothes clung to her.

"I'm forever glad you told me about this passage, Garreth. With people trying to look for me all of a sudden, even those I don't know, this is a nice way to go back to the castle," She said as they passed through the narrow lanes, some of which were covered in cobwebs.

Garreth turned to her, the thoughts of the two of them getting wet from the body of water they climbed out from and their little hug in Honeydukes cellar still on his mind. At this point, some parts of her dark brown hair were still wet at the ends, further reminding him of how she looked.

"Well, you were the new fifth year, I needed to tell you some of the ins and outs of the castle, even ones not many teachers know about, especially Professor Black," He tried to say as coolly as possible as they entered the lift that would bring them up to the entrance of the passage. "Besides, it looks like we ended up in Hogsmeade and back together after all," He said.

Norah smiled, the two of them getting off the elevator and climbing up the steps to the door that was behind the statue. She could feel herself getting rather light-headed, a little tipsy even, and she suddenly giggled, making Garreth turn to her, holding her by the arm in case she fell over.

"We might have had a bit to drink, huh? Or my brew was surprisingly strong," The redhead started laughing as well. "Ironically, I didn't even put alihotsy into this brew," He leaned toward her, the two of them leaning on each other for support. "Oh no, this isn't going to sit well with anyone."

"Your brew was stronger than you thought," Norah playfully slapped his arm, which slinked around her waist while they held each other up. "But I think we needed it, to clear our minds of whatever we're going through," she said, looking down at their feet.

As she looked up, she caught his gaze, their expression softening the closer they got to the entrance, the looming figure of the statue near. "I've got some hangover tonic in the common room," He said quietly. "You know, I'm curious as to what it would be like to kiss you."

Norah's cheeks turned pink at the remark. "Why don't you find out for yourself?" She challenged, another giggle escaping her.

The redhead hummed and groaned. "If I do anything, it will feel like I'm taking advantage of you again," He said, shaking his head.

Another giggle came from her. "I'm giving you an advantage. You get to kiss me, I finally know what it'll be like to be kissed by someone not related to me," she said. "This doesn't mean anything anyway, you were curious, I let you. And of all places, we're here, where hardly anyone can see us."

Garreth chuckled. "I don't know what it is about you Slytherins, especially you, Norah Lee. If I didn't know any better, I'd think you fancied me."

Norah scoffed. "I simply took the opportunity of wanting to know what it's like to be kissed. If you don't want to, it's okay. That just means you're a good person."

As if on reflex , Garreth wrapped his other arm around her waist. "You're making it hard for me to resist. Are you sure nothing will happen?"

"I should ask you the same thing," Norah patted his cheek, which he immediately leaned into. "You really made something strong with that brew, if the two of us are being like this..." She muttered, staring when Garreth pressed his forehead on hers. "How are you going to give me that hangover tonic when our common rooms are far away from each other?"

Garreth hummed. "You're right. Do you think we should sleep it off?" He said, giving her a little squeeze before letting go. "Maybe I could get Sallow to bring it to you."

"Sebastian?" Norah laughed. "I don't think anyone should know, at least for now."

"If you say so," Garreth sighed, trying to hold back his laughter as they stepped out.

[starberry-cupcake]

Serpentin Vert (aka The Dragon Husband) won my fairy tale poll, so here's more about him

Serpentin Vert is both a character and the title of a fairy tale by Madame d'Aulnoy, published for the first time in 1698.

Even though the name is closer to "serpent" and some illustrators have depicted him as such, d'Aulnoy's description of him is closer to a dragon than a snake, and his size is big enough to have allowed him to physically carry his bride to safety.

Here is an English translation of the description by James Robinson Planché:

He has green wings, a body of a thousand colours, ivory claws, fiery eyes, and on his head is a bristling mane of long hair.

This is him rescuing his soon-to-be bride in an illustration from the Garnier edition, circa 1850 (my favorite one of him):

Serpentin Vert (translated by Planché as Green Serpent and in Spanish by Editorial Siruela as Serpentino Verde) is a fairy tale in the category know as "The Animal as Bridegroom" (Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index's ATU 425).

Some of these, and this one is no exception, work with Cupid and Psyche as a foundation (the most popular being Beauty and the Beast), but d'Aulnoy's style doesn't just use it as reference, she includes it in the story, as a tale the lead character reads and, much like Psyche or even Orpheus, still does what she shouldn't.

The lead of the story is Laideronnette, a princess cursed by a fairy to become the ugliest person alive, while her twin sister doesn't get said curse. She exiles herself after her family treats her poorly and meets Serpentin, who falls in love with her but she rejects him, since she's afraid of him. When he talks to her without her seeing him, she distrusts him, because she doesn't believe a king would fall in love with her, but starts having feelings for the person she spends so much time talking to. Their marriage is the halfway point of the story, because it's through Laideronnette breaking her promise (much like Psyche) that she will have to face many challenges to save the dragon she has fallen in love with. Of course, like most Animal Bridegroom stories, Serpentin is actually a cursed man.

Like most fairy tales written by the salonnières, this is a very long story, that takes twists and turns, has the characters move through different settings and gets in there a couple of songs and poems. If you're more used to the Perrault-like or even Grimm-like fairy tales, you may not be too familiar with the way in which salonnières told fairy tales, but these stories, born for the entertainment from women to other women in salons, are not always devoid of lessons but are more focused on the storytelling aspect and take a lot more pages to tell the story, describe surroundings and have the characters express their turmoil to the reader (or listener, originally).

Serpentin is always gentle and caring, although able to drop an "I told you so" when he feels it's warranted. Differently from Villeneuve's Beast (or Beaumont's even), he's more eloquent throughout the story and more active as well. There is a mutual saving between him and Laideronnette and her tasks to save Serpentin come after realizing she's in love with him, which makes their relationship dynamic a longer element to develop.

The fact that they're both cursed by the same fairy also generates an interesting dynamic in which both are at the mercy of a same enemy and can bond through the isolation caused by their self-imposed exiles. Of course, this being a classic fairy tale, she doesn't remain "ugly" and he doesn't remain a dragon.

The story isn't devoid of problematic stereotypes, these were French women in the 1600s, but most of the elements included trace back to the typical inspirations for d'Aulnoy: Greek mythology, opera and the folklore shared by midwives and nurses that accompanied women through motherhood. I talked a bit more about d'Aulnoy on this post, she was wild.

Now, to some more illustrations of the man of the hour:

This one is from Harriet Mead Olcott (1919), who went more snake-like but kept the wings.

Another one from the Garnier edition, it didn't stay very consistent on the size of him.

This is a part of the engraving made by Jean-Louis Delignon over this original by Clemént-Pierre Marillier (1785):

Maria Pascual played a bit more with Laideronnette's features, but it's more evident when she's beside her sister.

And a very recent depiction came from Natalie Frank in 2017 for Jack Zipes's compilation of d'Aulnoy stories titled The Island of Happiness, I think this is after Laideronnette was already transformed and changed her name into Discrète.

Serpentin Vert is actually the first of the fairy tales I included in my virtual workshop that starts next month (in Spanish). I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that it won the poll because of a) the nature of this site and b) the fact that d'Aulnoy would vibe with the discourse on here if she was around. You can find the original fairy tale in French here, the Planché English translation here and the Lawrence and Bullen translation here. For the Spanish version I had to translate it myself for the workshop, but there is a good translation in Siruela's edition of El cuarto de las hadas.

[identity-library]

Diverse Sexuality (TV Shows)

A:

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (2013)

José "Joey" Gutierrez (Gay)

Marcus Benson (Gay)

All Saints (1998)

Charlotte Beaumont (Bisexual)

American Dad (2005)

Greg (Gay)

Terry (Gay)

Andor (2022)

Cinta Kaz (Unspecified WLW)

Vel Sartha (Unspecified WLW)

Arthur (1996)

Nigel Ratburn (Gay)

Patrick (Gay)

B:

Battlestar Galactica (2004)

Felix Gaeta (Bisexual)

Big Mouth (2017)

Ali (Pansexual)

Charles Lu (Unspecified MLM)

Connie LaCienega (Pansexual)

Elijah (Asexual)

Jayzarian "Jay" Bilzerian (Bisexual)

Jessica "Jessi" Glaser (Bisexual)

Matthew MacDell (Gay)

Maury Beverly (Pansexual)

Megan (Bisexual)

Mona (Bisexual)

Nadja El-Khoury (Lesbian)

Shannon Glaser (Lesbian)

Simon Sex (Bisexual)

Sonya Poinsettia (Bisexual)

Tyler Pico (Pansexual)

Bob's Burgers (2011)

Natalie "Nat" Kinkle (Unspecified WLW)

Brooklyn Nine-Nine (2013)

Jenny Gildenhorn (Bisexual)

Jocelyn Price (Lesbian)

Kevin Cozner (Gay)

Raymond "Ray" Holt (Gay)

Rosalita "Rosa" Diaz (Bisexual)

C:

Chicago Fire (2012)

Clarice Carthage (Bisexual)

Darren Ritter (Gay)

Emily Foster (Bisexual)

Leslie Shay (Lesbian)

Chicago Med (2015)

Lawrence Dayle (Unspecified MLM)

Peter Kalmick (Unspecified MLM)

Terry McNeal (Gay)

Code Black (2015)

Carla Niven (Lesbian)

Malaya Pineda (Lesbian)

Noa Kean (Bisexual)

Community (2009)

Craig Pelton (Unlabeled MLM)

Frankie Dart (Unspecified WLW)

Craig of the Creek (2018)

Alexis (Pansexual)

Courtney (Lesbian)

George (Gay)

Jasmine Williams (Lesbian)

Kelsey Pokoly (Lesbian)

Laura Mercer (Lesbian)

Raj (Gay)

Secret Keeper (Gay)

Shawn (Gay)

Stacks (Lesbian)

Tabitha (Lesbian)

D:

Dead End: Paranormal Park (2022)

Barney Guttman (Gay)

Logan Nguyen (Gay)

Norma Khan (Bisexual)

Zagan (Pansexual)

Doom Patrol (2019)

Kay Challis/Crazy Jane (Lesbian)

Larry Trainor (Gay)

Dr. Who (2005)

Adric (Pansexual)

Bill Potts (Lesbian)

Canton Everett Delaware ||| (Gay)

Chris Cwej (Bisexual)

Clara Oswald (Bisexual)

Elizabeth "Liz" Shaw (Bisexual)

Heather (Lesbian)

Jack Harkness (Omnisexual + Polyamorous)

Jennifer "Jenny Flint" Scarrity (Lesbian)

Madame Vastra (Lesbian)

Melony "River Song" Pond (Bisexual + Polyamorous)

Nyssa of Traken (Bisexual)

Oliver Harper (Gay)

Olivia "Liv" Chenka (Bisexual)

Patricia Haggard (Lesbian)

Rogue (Gay)

Tania Bell (Lesbian)

Tegan Jovanka (Bisexual)

Toshiko Sato (Bisexual)

Yasmin Khan (Queer)

E:

Equestria Girls (2017)

Sunset Shimmer (Bisexual)

ER (1994)

Courtney Brown (Lesbian)

Kerry Weaver (Lesbian)

Kim Legaspi (Lesbian)

Maggie Doyle (Lesbian)

Sandy Lopez (Lesbian)

Euphoria (2019)

Cal Jacobs (Bisexual)

Elliot (Unlabeled MLM)

Jules Vaughn (Unlabeled WLW)

Nate Jacobs (Unspecified MLM)

Rue Bennett (Lesbian)

Ever After High (2013)

Apple White (Unspecified WLW)

Darling Charming (Unspecified WLW)

F:

G:

Glee (2009)

Adam Crawford (Gay)

Alistair (Unspecified MLM)

Blaine Anderson (Gay)

Brittany Pierce (Bisexual)

Dani (Lesbian)

David "Dave" Karofsky (Gay)

Elliott Gilbert (Gay)

Hiram Barry (Gay)

Kurt Hummel (Gay)

Leroy Barry (Gay)

Santana Lopez (Lesbian)

Sebastian Smythe (Bisexual)

Spencer Porter (Gay)

Grey's Anatomy (2005)

Amelia Shepherd (Bisexual)

Arizona Robbins (Lesbian)

Callie Torres (Bisexual)

Carina DeLuca (Bisexual)

Dayna Knox (Lesbian)

Eliza Minnick (Lesbian)

Erica Hahn (Lesbian)

Levi Schmitt (Gay)

Mika Yasuda (Bisexual)

Nico Kim (Gay)

Taryn Helm (Lesbian)

Teddy Altman (Bisexual)

H:

Harley Quinn (2019)

Basil Karlo/Clayface (Gay)

Edward Nygma/The Riddler (Gay)

Frank (Asexual)

Harleen Quinzel/Harley Quinn (Bisexual)

Leslie Wills/Livewire (Lesbian)

Mari McCabe/Vixen (Bisexual)

Pamela Isley/Poison Ivy (Bisexual)

Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Unspecified WLW)

Sylvester "Sy" Borgman (Bisexual)

Hazbin Hotel (2024)

Alastor (Aromantic, Asexual)

Angel Dust (Gay)

Charlotte "Charlie" Morningstar (Lesbian)

Cherri Bomb (Bisexual)

Husker (Pansexual)

Sir Pentious (Bisexual)

Vaggie (Unspecified WLW)

Valentino (Pansexual)

Vox (Bisexual)

Heartbreak High (2022)

Darren Rivers (Gay, Queer)

Donald "Ca$h" Piggott (Asexual)

Dustin Reid (Unspecified MLM)

Malakai Mitchell (Bisexual)

Missy Beckett (Bisexual)

Quinni Gallagher-Jones (Lesbian)

Rowan Callaghan (Bisexual)

Sasha So (Lesbian)

Heartstopper (2022)

Ben Hope (Unspecified MLM)

Charles "Charlie" Spring (Gay)

Darcy Olsson (Lesbian)

Isaac Henderson (Asexual, Aromantic)

Nick Nelson (Bisexual)

Tara Jones (Lesbian)

How I Met Your Mother (2005)

James Stinson (Gay)

Human Resources (2022)

Claudia (Lesbian)

Danielle (Lesbian)

Flanny O'Lympic (Bisexual)

Van (Lesbian)

I:

J:

K:

L:

M:

Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir (2015)

Alix Kubdel (Aromantic)

Caline Bustier (Unspecified WLW)

Gisèle (Unspecified WLW)

Juleka Couffaine (Unspecified WLW)

Marc Anciel (Unspecified MLM)

Max Kanté (Asexual)

Nathaniel Kurtzberg (Unspecified MLM)

Rose Lavillant (Unspecified WLW)

Zoé Lee (Unspecified WLW)

Modern Family (2009)

Cameron Tucker (Gay)

Gil Thorpe (Gay)

Mitchell Pritchett (Gay)

Pepper Saltzman (Gay)

Ronaldo (Unspecified MLM)

Mom (2013)

Bonnie Plunkett (Bisexual)

Ray Stabler (Gay)

Rudy (Bisexual)

N:

Nanbaka (2016)

Jyugo (Bisexual)

New Amsterdam (2018)

Elizabeth Wilder (Bisexual)

Iggy Frome (Gay)

Lauren Bloom (Bisexual)

Leyla Shinwari (Lesbian)

Martin McIntyre (Gay)

New Girl (2011)

Melissa (Unspecified WLW)

Reagan Lucas (Bisexual)

Sadie (Lesbian)

O:

P:

Peacemaker (2022)

Christopher Smith/Peacemaker (Bisexual)

Leota Adebayo (Lesbian)

Private Practice (2007)

Amelia Shepherd (Bisexual)

Q:

R:

Raising Dion (2019)

Kat Neese (Lesbian)

Roswell, New Mexico (2019)

Alex Manes (Gay)

Allie Meyers (Unspecified WLW)

Anatsa Mufaro (Unspecified WLW)

Blaire (Unspecified WLW)

Forrest (Gay)

Isobel Evans-Bracken (Bisexual)

Michael Guerin (Bisexual)

Shivani Sen (Unspecified WLW)

Runaways (2017)

Karolina Dean (Lesbian)

Nico Minoru (Bisexual)

Xavin (Pansexual)

S:

Safe (2018)

Pete Mayfield (Gay)

Saving Hope (2012)

Bree Hannigan (Lesbian)

Maggie Lin (Bisexual)

Sydney Katz (Lesbian)

Shadowhunters (2016)

Alexander "Alec" Lightwood (Gay)

Aline Penhallow (Unspecified WLW)

Magnus Bane (Bisexual)

Olivia Wilson (Unspecified WLW)

Samantha (Unspecified WLW)

She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)

Adora (Lesbian)

Bow (Bisexual)

Catra (Lesbian)

Double Trouble (Gay)

Entrapta (Bisexual)

George (Gay)

Glimmer (Bisexual)

Huntara (Lesbian)

Kyle (Bisexual)

Lance (Gay)

Light Hope (Lesbian)

Lonnie (Bisexual)

Mara (Lesbian)

Mermista (Bisexual)

Netossa (Lesbian)

Perfuma (Unspecified WLW)

Rogelio (Bisexual)

Scorpia (Lesbian)

Sea Hawk (Bisexual)

Spinnerella (Lesbian)

Station 19 (2018)

Amelia Shepherd (Bisexual)

Carina DeLuca (Bisexual)

Dayna Knox (Lesbian)

Eli Stern (Bisexual)

Emmett Dixon (Gay)

Maya Bishop (Bisexual)

Michelle Alvarez (Lesbian)

Nikki (Bisexual)

Pam Williams (Lesbian)

Travis Montgomery (Gay)

Steven Universe (2013)

Bismuth (Lesbian)

Dogcopter (Gay)

Harold Smiley (Gay)

Pearl (Lesbian)

Peridot (Asexual, Aromantic)

Ruby (Lesbian)

Sapphire (Lesbian)

Stumptown (2019)

Dex Parios (Bisexual)

T:

The Babysitter's Club (2020)

Dawn Schafer (Unlabeled WLW)

Janine Kishi (Lesbian)

The Magicians (2015)

Eliot Waugh (Gay)

The Owl House (2020)

Amity Blight (Lesbian)

Darius Deamonne (Gay)

Eda Clawthorne (Bisexual)

Gilbert Park (Unspecified MLM)

Harvey Park (Unspecified MLM)

Hunter (Bisexual)

Lilith Clawthorne (Asexual, Aromantic)

Luz Noceda (Bisexual)

Willow Park (Bisexual)

The Resident (2018)

Jake Wong (Gay)

The Rookie (2018)

Jackson West (Gay)

Gino Brown (Gay)

The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy (2024)

Klak (Unspecified WLW)

Slug Girl (Unspecified WLW)

The 100 (2014)

Bryan (Gay)

Clarke Griffin (Bisexual)

Eric Jackson (Gay)

Lexa (Lesbian)

Nathan Miller (Gay)

Niylah (Lesbian)

Zev (Gay)

Titans (2018)

Tim Drake/Robin (Bisexual)

Total Drama (Franchise)

Bowie (Gay)

Raj (Gay)

U:

V:

W:

X:

Y:

Z:

#:

9-1-1 (2018)

David Hale (Unspecified MLM)

Evan "Buck" Buckley (Bisexual)

Henrietta "Hen" Wilson (Lesbian)

John Russo (Unspecified MLM)

Karen Wilson (Lesbian)

Michael Grant (Gay)

Tommy Kinard (Gay)

9-1-1: Lone Star (2020)

Carlos Reyes (Gay)

Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand (Gay)

[aurorasheir]

Character List: Aurora's Heir

Introducing... MEMBERS OF THE KINGDOM OF VERDELIS:

King Ivan Vongreen of Verdelis

Queen Katherine Vongreen nee Galeveine

Crown Prince Alexander Vongreen - HEIR TO THE THRONE

Crown Princess Bianca Aurelia Vongreen nee Galeveine

Princess Xiomara Vongreen - SECOND HEIR

CASTLE STAFF, GUARDS, AND LADIES

Lady Rosalind Faelin - LADY TO THE SECOND HEIR

Armin Blackthorne - GUARD TO THE SECOND HEIR

Duke Gideon of Verdelis

Lady Madeleine Woods of Verdelis - LADY IN WAITING

Lady Kaltayne Blossom - SECOND LADY

Cassian Beaumont - CAPTAIN OF THE GUARD

CITY OF BRINLEA RESIDENTS

Celeste Mae Faelin

-

AURORA'S HOUSE COURTESANS

Madam Isabelle Aurora

Courtesan Dahlia Aurora - MAIN COURTESAN

Courtesan Wren - THE BLOSSOM OF AIR

Courtesan Morgan - MISTRESS OF THE MOON

Courtesan Andromeda - LADY OF THE GALAXY

Rowan

Tatiana

Karina

Catalina

Victoria

AURORA'S HOUSE INFIRMARY

Healer Malachi Ashlee

Apothecary Salem

-

MEMBERS OF THE KINGDOM OF ARDENTHIA

King Maxon Zahira of Ardenthia

Queen Luna Zahira nee Vongreen

Crown Prince Brennan Vongreen - HEIR TO THE THRONE

Princess Amaya Gwendolyne Zahira

Princess Layla Zahira

MEMBERS OF THE KINGDOM OF RAVENWOOD

King Hikaru Nightbourne of Ravenwood

Queen Fayeth Nightbourne nee Zahira

Crown Prince Ren Nightbourne - HEIR TO THE THRONE

MEMBERS OF THE KINGDOM OF AVRIVINTER

King Sakari Galeveine of Avrivinter

Queen Midoree Galeveine

Crown Prince Takoda Galeveine - HEIR TO THE THRONE

THE DECEASED - MAY THEIR SOULS BE COMMENDED TO MAGNUS

Princess Marisol Veronica Vongreen

Luciana

Prince Ren Nightbourne

(These characters were all created by me, additional characters to come)

[saintandasinner]

She said yes!

I still can't believe it. After all the ups and downs we finally found each other again and you will be my wife.

I can't put into words how happy you make me and I don't want to spend a day without you because you make me complete. I can't wait to experience my future with you.

You are my life, my love and my heart.

Madame Beaumont

@monegasque-fille

[carbone14]

Char B1 Bis Bearn II 401 du 37e Bataillon de Chars de Combat de la 1ère Division cuirassée saboté par son propre équipage par manque de carburant - Bataille de Flavion – Bataille de Belgique – Beaumont – Belgique – Mai 1940

Photographe : Heinz Fremke

©Bundesarchiv - Bild 101I-125-0277-09

Après la bataille de Flavion opposant les unités blindées françaises et allemandes dans le secteur de Charleroi en Belgique le 15 mai 1940, la 1ère Division cuirassée est contrainte au repli sur Beaumont. Le lendemain, 16 mai, la division tente de défendre Beaumont avant de céder le terrain. La dernière compagnie du 37e Bataillon de chars de combat à court de carburant, les équipages n'ont pas d'autre choix que de saborder leurs B1 bis avant la retraite. Le char B1 bis BEARN II 401, char du chef de bataillon, le Commandant Jean-Marie Courtot de Cissey, est sabordé rue Madame. A ses côtés, le MEUSE sera déplacé par les Allemands pour libérer le passage.

Equipage du char B1 bis BEARN II 401

Chef de char : Commandant Jean-Marie Courtot de Cissey

Pilote : Sergent Bonnat

Radios : Adjudant René Morlot et sergent Hubert Chabod

Aide-pilotes : Caporal René Lequeux et chasseur Bischoff

[adarkrainbow]

Hi! I wondered if you had anything (you probably do) on La belle et la bête ? Specifically looking for origins of the Mme Leprince de Beaumont one, but anything else goes :)

Hi! Well, unfortunately... Not much!

I know it sounds surprising but here's the thing... I do specialize in French literary fairytales of the golden age. But only 17th century... Beauty and the Beast belongs unfortunately to the 18th century fairytales, the "second generation" of French literary fairytales (or third if you count the Arabian Nights-era as the second generation). As a result I do not have a LOT of interesting info to share...

It is too bad because had you caught me six months earlier I had a copy out of the library of the Bibliothèque des Génies et des Fées's volume dedicated to Leprince de Beaumont, which was one of the most complete things ever... Unfortunately I can't get it back for now... All I can suggest you so far is to check my "Beauty and the Beast" tag because I did reblog a LOT of interesting posts throughout the years made by other people WAY more knowledgeable than me.

On my own side all I can do so far is dig up in my own books see if I have any article Beauty and the Beast adjacent which could be of some use... Outside of this sorry, you knocked at the wrong door...

[princesssarisa]

What is your best advice for any writer who wishes to write a story inspired by Beauty and the Beast but wants to make sure it feels creative and fresh and new?

Hmm... there are a lot of possible answers to this question.

For starters, I'd suggest going back to the original literary versions of the tale. If the length of Madame de Villeneuve's original novel is too daunting, just stick with the shorter versions: Madame de Beaumont's, Andrew Lang's, and/or Arthur Quiller-Couch's. You might also rewatch a few of the film adaptations (Disney's, Cocteau's, and at least two or three others – the Czech Panna a Netvor is a particularly acclaimed lesser-known version).

Then decide which themes stand out the most for you and emphasize those themes in your version.

Do you want to go back to the story's original meaning, an allegory for arranged marriage, but put a new spin on that theme that reflects your views on the subject? Or do you want to downplay that theme, as most modern adaptations do? Do you view the story as chiefly about gender relations, with the Beast's frightening looks and Beauty's initial fear of him representing female fear of patriarchal power and male sexuality, which she loses as he treats her with constant respect and chivalry? Or about different types of love, with Beauty learning to choose "companionate love" (based in friendship, mutual respect, and shared interests and values) over shallow, appearance-based infatuation? Or do you prefer the Beast to represent a social outcast: someone wrongly feared, hated, and forced to hide from the world, whose true value and worthiness of love Beauty discovers?

And what matters most to you about the ending? The Beast's transformation into a human, or Beauty's willingness to love him in his Beast form?

I still remember that post I once read about Beauty and the Beast-type stories, which discussed whether the central appeal of those stories is identifying with Beauty and the fantasy of "taming the Beast" (winning the love of something frightening and making it safe and gentle to you), or identifying with the Beast and the fantasy being loved despite being "ugly," "frightening," and "different"? Of course neither of those perspectives is the single reason for the story's appeal: why cant it be both?

There are more questions you'll want to ask yourself too. Who is the real protagonist in your version, Beauty or the Beast? Whose growth takes center stage: Beauty's as she learns to love the Beast, the Beast's as he earns her love, or both equally? Will your version include a villain, or do you see no need for one? Do you want to keep the air of mystery from the original tale? (e.g. "Who is the Beast, how did he come to be, and what does he want from Beauty?") If so, that will probably require changes to the Beast's backstory, because the familiar tale is so well-known. Or are you content to cut the mystery aspect and let the audience know exactly who and what the Beast is from the start? For that matter, how did the Beast come to be cursed? Would you want to go back to Villaneuve's original version and have him cursed by a wicked fairy whom he refused to marry? (That has interesting potential in today's post-#MeToo era.) Or follow the post-Disney tradition of making it a punishment for some wrongdoing? Or some other, completely original means of enchantment?

You might also want to draw on unique traditions from other cultures' variations on the tale. For example, in Eastern European versions like Panna a Netvor or Russia's The Scarlet Flower, the Beast hides from Beauty, so through most of her arc of learning to love him, she never sees him, but only hears his voice, and doesn't know he's a Beast. Only just before she goes back to visit her family does she finally see him, so the struggle of whether or not she can love a Beast becomes a late plot twist rather than a problem presented from the start. That could be an interesting choice to adapt.

And then there are the story's two most controversial aspects: the issue of "Stockholm Syndrome" and the ending. How are you going to deal with the fact that Beauty is the Beast's prisoner through most of their romance arc? A few modern retellings have avoided making the Beast the one who threatens Beauty's father or who accepts her as a prisoner in his place, but instead portrayed both Beauty and the Beast as prisoners of whatever higher power cursed the Beast in the first place. You could find an original way to do that too. Or, if you think that would rob the Beast of the moral grayness that makes him interesting in traditional versions, find some other solution to fend off accusations of "Stockholm Syndrome." Then there's the claim some people make that the ending goes against the story's message when the Beast changes into a handsome prince. Would you want him to stay a Beast in your version, possibly with Beauty becoming (or discovering that she already is) a non-human creature too? Or would you make it clear that the Beast's hideous form symbolizes some emotional unhealthiness within him (e.g. his "animalistic" selfishness and rage in the Disney version, or his trauma and depression in Megan Kearney's webcomic) and that his becoming human again represents his healing?

I hope I haven't gone on and on too much. There are many more things I could say, but this is enough for now.

Just find which aspects of the traditional story speak to you the most, and which aspects you don't care for as much and might want to change, and then do whatever you like with them.

[planet-onfire]

Durante las festividades de 1888, Ugo Fontaine celebró junto a sus padres, y los ochenta y ocho invitados que habían asistido a la glamorosa cena navideña en la mansión Fontaine. Una de las tantas preguntas obligatorias que debió responder fue acerca de su pasatiempo como mago e ilusionista, objeto de bromas y muecas confundidas por parte de los amigos de sus padres, grandes inversionistas para los proyectos Fontaine. A pesar de que nadie le cuestionó directamente sobre la familia que había abandonado, sí que fueron susurros a sus espaldas los que dominaron el festejo. Poco antes de caer la medianoche, irrumpiendo como si la fiesta hubiese sido suya, Madame Beaumont resurgió de entre los muertos. Acusó al matrimonio Fontaine del precio que habían puesto sobre su cabeza, todo por enseñar supuesta brujería a su único hijo. Ugo huyó detrás de ella cuando fue escoltada fuera de la mansión, pero al llegar al exterior solo encontró una carta en el suelo en posición invertida, The Magician.

@atimeodyssey

[mask131]

French fantasy: The children of Orpheus and Melusine

There is this book called “The Illustrated Panorama of the fantasy and the merveilleux” which is a collection and compilation of articles and reviews covering the whole history of the fantasy genre from medieval times to today. And in it there is an extensive article written by A. F. Ruau called “Les enfant d’Orphée et de Mélusine” (The Children of Orpheus and Melusine), about fantasy in French literature. This title is, of course, a reference to the two foundations of French literature: the Greco-Roman heritage (Orpheus) and the medieval tradition (Melusine).

I won’t translate the whole text because it is LONG but I will give here a brief recap and breakdown.

A good part of the article is dedicated to proving that in general France is not a great land for fantasy literature, and that while we had fantasy-like stories in the past, beyond the 18th century we hit a point where fantasy was banned and disdained by literary authorities.

Ruaud reminds us that the oldest roots of French fantasy are within Chrétien de Troyes’ Arthurian novels, the first French novels of the history of French literature, and that despite France rejecting fantasy, the tradition of the Arthuriana and of the “matter of Bretagne” stayed very strong in our land. Even today we have famous authors offering their takes, twists and spins on the Arthurian myth: Xavier de Langlais, Michael Rio, Hersart de la Villemarqué, René Barjaval (with his L’Enchanteur, The Enchanter, in 1984), Jean Markale, Jean-Louis Fetjaine or Justine Niogret (with her “Mordred” in 2013). He also evokes the huge wave and phenomenon of the French fairytales between the 17th and the 18th century, with the great names such as Charles Perrault (the author of Mother Goose’s Fairytales), Madame d’Aulnoy (the author, among others, of The Blue Bird), and Madame Leprince de Beaumont (author of, among others, Beauty and the Beast). He also evokes, of course, Charles Nodier, which was considered one of the great (and last) fairytale authors of the 19th century, the whole “Cabinet des Fées” collection put together to save a whole century of fairytales ; as well as the phenomenon caused by Antoine Galland’s French translation of the One Thousand and One Nights – though Ruaud also admits this translation rather helped the Oriental fashion in French literature (exemplified by famous works such as The Persian Letters, or Zadig) than the genre of the “marvelous”.

Ruaud briefly mentions the existence of a tradition of “quests” in French literature, again inherited from the medieval times, but quests that derived from Arthurian feats to romantic quests, love stories, “polite” novel of aristocratic idylls or pastoral novels of countryside love stories – the oldest being Le Roman de la Rose (the Novel of the Rose, the medieval text began by Guillaume de Lorris in the early 13th century and completed by Jean de Meung one century later), and the most recent L’Astrée (THE great romantic bestseller of the 17th century, written by Honoré d’Urfé). But overall, Ruaud concluded that between the 17th-early 18th century (the last surge of the marvelous, abruptly cut short by the French Revolution and the reshaping of France) and the 1980s (the time during which role-playing fantasy games and the English-speaking fantasy was translated in France), there was very little “fantasy” to be talked of as a whole, a gap that resulted in people such as Gérard Klein declare in the 90s: “Fantasy is a literature made by ignorant people for ignorant readers, and with a true absence of any kind of challenge”.

At least for literature… Ruaud however spends a lot of time detailing the “fantastical” and “marvelous” traditions of visual art – from the stage performances to the movies. There was quite a rich tradition there, apparently. He starts by evoking the massive wave that the release in the United-Kingdom of “The Dream of Ossian” caused. France ADORED Ossianic stuff – even when it was proven that it wasn’t an actual Scottish historical treasure, but a work made up by Macpherson, people still adored it – from Napoleon who commissioned enormous paintings illustrating the Ossianic stories, to the colossal opera by Jean-François Lesueur, “Ossian ou les Bardes”, created for the then brand-new Imperial Academy of music.

There was also the fashion of the “féeries”, a type of stage-show that was all about depicting stories of fairies, gods, magics and other fairytale elements – the “féerie” fashion was at the crossroad between the opera, the ballet and the theater, and in the “dreary, drab and modern” era of the 19th century, people were obsessed with these “little pieces of blue sky” and “golden fairy-clouds”. However, despite the quality of the visuals, costumes and sets (which made the whole power of those féerie, it was their visuals and their themes that drew people in), the dialogues and the plots were noted to be quite bad, simplistic if not absent. The “féeries” were not meant to be great work of arts or actual literature, but just pure entertainment. Gustave Flaubert, right after finishing Salammbô (see my previous post), was exhausted and trying to escape the colossus of the historical novels, he tried to entertain himself by getting into the fashion of the féeries. He read thirty-three féeries in one go, and he was left sickened by so much mediocrity. He decided to create his own féerie that would rehabilitate the genre, and the result was “Le Château des Coeurs”, “The Castle of Hearts”. Nine “tableaux” written by Flaubert on a “canevas” by his friend Louis Bouilhet: “The gnomes, the new avatar of the bourgeois, are stealing the hearts – and thus the ability to love – of humans, to keep them locked up in the vault of the Castle of the Hearts, as their treasure. But the fairies are afoot: they will try to revive love on earth, through two human beings that are said to still have a heart, and to still have the ability to love”. Unfortunately this play, while entirely created, was never actually showed on any stage due to two things. One, at the time the féeries were falling out of fashion and nobody wanted to see them anymore ; two, Flaubert was carried away and placed a LOT of special effects in his play, many which were incredibly more complex than those used at the time. A typical féerie special effect would be for example for a table to turn into a chair, or for a bed to turn into a hammock – but Flaubert demanded for a YOUNG MAN to turn into a DOOR LINTEL.

Anyway… The use of legends and myths was also reigniting in operas thanks to the enormous success of Wagner’s pieces. Claude Debussy created a “Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune” in 1894, based on Mallarmé’s work (Prelude to a Faun’s afternoon), and later created a Pelléas et Melissande in 1902 based on Maeterlinck. But again… In France, the literature was all about the “fantastique” rather than the fantasy – the supernatural was supposed to be of this disquieting, disruptive, bizarre magic, wonders and horrors that entered the normal, rational, logical reality we all knew. It was the reign of Gautier, Maupassant and Poe through the lenses of Baudelaire). In the 20th century a lot of authors touched upon the “wonderful” and the “marvelous”, but they were discreet touches here and there: André Dhôtel, André Hardellet, Jacques Yonnet, Charles Duits, Henri Michaux, Marcel Aymé, Pierre Benoît, Marguerite Yourcenar, Sylvie Germain, Maurice Maeterlinck, Julien Gracq… Once again, the visuals won over literature – and to symbolize the French fantasy cinema of the 20th century, Ruaud only has to mention one name. Jean Cocteau. Cocteau and his two most famous movies: La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast, 1946) and Orphée (Orpheus, 1949). They stay to this day the greatest “fantasy movies” of the 20th century.

But unfortunately for France, there never was any “popularization” of the fantasy through media like the pulps of the USA. Science-fiction as a genre was accepted though, to the point that anything that was a “marvel”, a “wonder” or a “supernatural” had to be science-fiction, not magic. The 70s and 80s were the supreme rule of the science-fiction in France: Jean-Pierre Fontana had his stellar ark/arch, Alain Paris his antediluvian continent, Michel Grimaud his spatial colonization, Bernard Simonay his spy-satellites, Hugues Doriaux all sorts of sci-fi gadgets… In this time, if you wanted to do something out of ordinary, you had to go into speculative science, else you wouldn’t be taken seriously. Again, it was Klein’s opinion that fantasy was for “ignorant” readers and writers who didn’t like to “challenge” themselves.

However, in this “desert” that preceded the true fantasy boom of the 90s in France, Ruaud claims that there are actually true French fantasy novels: five “ancestors” of the French fantasy. And those I’ll reveal in a second post…