#our folklore/fairy tales are a lil 'different'

[ilikedetectives]

Playing as a female Durge hits differently because I see Durge and Orin' sister relationship as the equivalent of Vietnamese Cinderella and her younger stepsister minus the cannibalism (before you ask, there are multiple instances of murders and cannibalism going on in our version and it is NOT done to outsiders)

[mattscoquette]

𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭-𝐜𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐲𝐥𝐨𝐫 𝐬𝐰𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐬 𐙚 ⊹ ࣪ ˖

just a lil list i've made of taylor songs that remind me of matt! this was made before ttpd came out so i don't have that on here yet - but i will add those at some point

debut 

stay beautiful 

mary’s song 

our song 

fearless 

fearless 

breathe 

the way i loved you 

JUMP THEN FALL. 

today was a fairy tale 

speak now

mine 

sparks fly 

never grow up 

enchanted 

haunted 

long live (this is more ab all three of them than js matt but whatever)

OURS. 

SUPERMAN. 

electric touch 

timeless 

red

state of grace

treacherous 

holy ground 

everything has changed 

BEGIN AGAIN. 

come back be here 

forever winter 

the very first night 

1989

style

out of the woods 

i wish you would 

wildest dreams 

THIS LOVE

clean

you are in love

new romantics 

S L U T. 

suburban legends

sweeter than fiction 

reputation 

end game 

delicate 

look what you made me do (bc of that one edit)

SO. IT GOES. 

KING OF MY HEART?????

dress

CALL IT WHAT YOU WANT?????¿¿

new year’s day 

lover

lover

the archer 

i think he knows 

miss americana & the heartbreak prince 

paper rings 

false god. 

AFTERGLOW!!!!!!

DAYLIGHT!!!!

all of the girls you loved before 

folklore

lowk the whole album 

cardigan 

my tears ricochet 

mirrorball 

SEVENNNN

august 

invisible string 

betty 

PEACE

evermore 

gold rush 

ivy 

cowboy like me

right where you left me

midnights 

maroon

anti hero 

you’re on your own kid 

MIDNIGHT RAIN

bejeweled

sweet nothing 

paris 

hits different 

© mattscoquette

[theragamuffininitiative]

Okay tell me ALL about your fairy tale retelling WIP, I am most curious!!

hi hi hi!

Brief lil disclaimer here: I wrote this story as my nanowrimo project back in erm 2021 and have barely looked at it since. (working on that!) Everything I am about to say is based on my memory of how the story was working at the time and a couple glances at my documents tonight - and if I say something in this post that I like better than what I originally had, I will run with it. XD

Right then!

Tsarevitch Ivan, the Firebird, and the Gray Wolf is a Russian fairytale classified as a 550 on the ATU folklore index (a fact I sprinkle in not to be pretentious but bc I recently discovered the index and it is fascinating). This basically means the story revolves around catching a mystical bird, sometimes a phoenix, and involves a princess, usually a horse, and some supernatural animal helper. In my retelling, I also take from the Grimm Brothers' The Golden Bird version.

As you know, I fell into the intrigue of this tale when visiting an art museum displaying Vasnetsov's A Knight at the Crossroads, which is a reference to this tale. Now, Vasnetsov also painted Tsarevitch Ivan on a Gray Wolf:

And it's just so????!

In my retelling of this fairytale, our hero is a bit of a simple boy. He is content with simple things and a simple life after his near-death at a young age to a mysterious wasting disease spreading across the land - a madness that robs the infected of sleep and appetite until they go insane. The only cure is the fruit of an equally mysterious tree. Ivan fears his healing may have not been complete, for he has not felt the need for sleep or food the way he ought to ever since.

When fruit begins to disappear from the closely protected tree, the threat of losing the cure drives Ivan into action. An enchantment of sleep shields the thief from being captured. Here, Ivan's curse is a boon, as he alone sees a great golden bird steal the fruit. Although a great company set out to capture the bird, Ivan becomes separated from them and lost. At an ancient crossroads that promises death in every direction, he meets the Wolf, the instrument of the crossroads' doom. When the Wolf unexpectedly takes Ivan to find his missing companions, they discover the whole company has fallen to the madness - Ivan's brother among them.

It is no disease, but a curse.

Ivan, now with the Wolf, seeks aid from his best friend, the Princess Evolett, who was to be wed to the prince of the neighboring country and seal a treaty of peace between them. But all is not as it seems in these foreign lands, and Ivan must work with the Wolf to capture the golden bird, protect the fruit tree, rescue Evolett, heal the madness, prevent war between the two kingdoms, and defeat a dark enchantment for good - if the Wolf, the madness, or a multitude of other enemies don't kill him first... [ramble continued below the cut]

I love, love, love playing around with the fairytale motifs in this story.

For example, the original fairytale has a very episodic, repetitive sort of scavenger hunt that Ivan is forced into. I messed with it a lot to give the different elements their own, interconnected importance: the tree is a magical cure, the bird has magical elements of its own, the golden cage from some versions of the tale is a metaphor for the princess's imprisonment, the inns are not merely symbolism for laziness but traps laid by a powerful enemy to serve a dark purpose, and nothing is as it would seem - least of all Ivan or the Wolf.

The characteristics for Ivan specifically came to me while watching Mal in the first season of Netflix's Shadow and Bone.

I really love Mal's stubborn tenacity, fierce loyalty, and simplistic personal goals in the face of all the complexity and conniving of everything around him. Since this fairytale showcases a "simpleton" character, I wanted to show that character at their very best.

Also! I love writing Ivan and the Wolf. Ivan's plucky, irreverent sense of humor set against the Wolf's stoic, utterly dry and cold attitude is so much fun to play with. 👏

(tried to credit the images by link, not sure if that worked)

Excerpt from Ivan meeting the Wolf:

Then the wolf made a guttural, whining sound from the back of its throat, a sound which rolled forward out of its mouth and formed into four distinct words. "Will you kill me?" Ivan stared at it.  Having never met a wolf before, he couldn’t say with absolute authority that they did not speak, but he also thought that if they had, someone might have mentioned it to him once upon a time. This one, however, most assuredly had spoken. He supposed he should have asked it to repeat itself, or even agreed with the sentiment and at once lifted his weapon. Instead, he considered the question posed to him. "I don't think so," he said in the end. "Not unless I have to.”  He didn’t add that this was because he didn’t think he could beat the wolf if he tried. There was something else at work here, as he had feared, and he needed to find out what the game was. In his head, he noted that this creature was not merely a wolf, but the Wolf. The wolf made another noise, and this sounded like a quiet, “Ah, then.” “What will you do if I come down?” Ivan ventured to ask. The Wolf blinked lazily. “I have deprived you of your mount,” it stated. “I have come to take you where you must go.” That didn’t sound promising, although slightly better than admitting it wanted to gobble him up. “Are you fae?” Ivan called to it. He felt he remembered something from his father’s stories that the fae had to answer truthfully the questions you asked them directly. “I am not.” Enchanted or a liar, then. A wolf given the tongue of man. It also seemed to think something like a man, though its tone was distant and cold. “How can I trust you?” he asked it. The Wolf stared at him, not responding, and cocked its head. So maybe not the thinking of a man. Maybe the concept of trust was foreign to it still. He tried something less abstract. “Are you going to attack me?” “That is not my purpose,” said the Wolf. “There is an inn, a long distance from here. You have strayed from the path and it took me some time to find you, but I can lead you there, through ways horse hooves cannot tread, before the Wood grows dark.” “Is leading me to the inn your purpose?” “It is.” “Why?” The Wolf had to think about this, and Ivan thought again that it didn’t seem to be comfortable with questions that involved reasoning beyond cold facts. “The crossroads demand a price from everyone who passes through them. The price is set by your choice and you have chosen. Now I will take you where your path leads.”

Yes, I'll take "uneasy partnerships founded on enmity but sealed in friendship" for $500, thank you.

A messy music playlist I haven't touched since NaNo writing: here It's a story of family, loyalty, honor, and simple truths more powerful than any deep enchantment. 🥺😭

Excited to write Evolett more, she is a spitfire and impressed by no one (even when probably she should be, for her own good lol). Ivan's father was an adventurer in his own day, and I love writing little nods to his offstage capers - there's an invisibility cloak!

Ivan's brother is kind of a jerk. 🙈 But hey, still family. And he's less of a jerk than the guys in the old fairytale ok. 😅 Probably.

Ok, I feel like that's a pretty boring ramble, but I have tried to type this up about five different times so here we are! I have shed tears over Ivan and the Wolf, and lived in the nonsense from the random old woman running the dilapidated inn next to the one that breathes enchantment, and sketched out the borderlines between kingdoms and the unseen shadowy arm reaching across borders to ensnare them all, and written a lot of dog jokes. I love this one, I can't wait to get back into it. 😊

Thank you for asking and letting me ramble! 💛

[solacefruit]

Oh wow, that was breathtaking! Everything from previous chapters slotted together so nicely - from both the message of the story to Talltail feeling connected through stories, his prior conflicts, The Hare! The lot of it was like one of those interlocking wooden contraptions that move as a whole and you *know* so much thought went into making them.

I also love a good cat color creation myth (I have one of my own) and I love the direction you took with it - both the different feelings the animals have for the cat and how she gets the colors (accident, parting gift, over time, by surviving), how it ties into things cats do too, and how it is so perfect for Talltail's story. All too often I think many worldbuilding fans (myself included) throw stories in without considering if it's just for the lore / character moments or if the story itself is relevant, and this one is just... so perfectly crafted. The last kitten being a tux like Talltail is a lil cherry on top (And cats havjng color myths makes sense - they don't see many other animals with quite as much variation, especially on a day to day basis!)

You're really showing off your skill in the craft here, and I'm very envious of it and delighted to have read the fruits of it! Are there any tidbits you're particularly proud of?

Hello! Thank you very much for this message, I'm so glad you liked reading the chapter. This one + the one before it (which I kind of consider two parts of the same chapter) have been probably the most technically difficult for me to pull off and stick the landing for, so it's a huge relief to hear you've enjoyed it so much! Like you say, so much of the story has been working up to this moment, and I knew from the beginning if it didn't hit right, the whole story would kind of fall flat.

Also--the interlocking contraption analogy is incredibly flattering, thank you! Writing this story has definitely felt like that from my end, where I'm holding a dozen tiny threads at all times and trying to make a coherent tapestry from them, so it feels lovely to know that from your perspective, the story has such synergy.

Anyway, to actually answer: there's a lot of things I'm proud of with this piece, mostly because I set myself a goal to write something that felt at home with the tales of Watership Down and Aesop's fables and I'm very pleased with how this one turned out. I'll answer the rest under the readmore!

I was very happy with how each season + each creature represented different relationship too, and how each colour was imparted differently--like you said, accident, inheritance, from exposure over time, from bitter experience. I'm glad you noticed that!

I feel that the best fables work on two levels: the literal story, which is enjoyable and told for entertainment; and the metaphor, which is speaking about something deeper than a goat on a roof, or some bulls in a field. On a surface level, the story is about how tortoiseshells and other patched cats came to be, along with some of the cat's signature survival skills, which is a fun origin myth.

But on another level, for me at least, it's about how we absorb and carry pieces of the people we get to know through our lives, and how in some ways we become a patchwork of all the people we've known. I can think of so many people who've shaped who I am, through their positive impact on my life, but also unfortunately there have been some people who left very negative impacts on me too.

It's why I wanted particularly to include the ermine at the end: some lessons we learn through bitter experience, from people who don't care about us or even wish us ill. The cat solves nearly all her problems through kindness and generosity, but the stoat takes advantage of that. That's not to say kindness was ever a mistake--but the wisdom to run away after the fall I think speaks for itself.

There's a lot of other little things I like about the story. I like that the cat befriends both the bees and the fox (in her own way), despite the fact those two can't quite live in harmony with each other. I like that I was able to include a fox, which I always wanted to do as my own little nod to The Little Prince, as the fox chapter in that novella really gets me in the heart every time. I like that the old badger warns that cleverness will be needed to survive, but the cat gets by on kindness and care for others instead for the most part.

I've always had a huge love of folklore and fairy tales (and I've taught them for several years now), and it was really fun to try to make something that felt real and true and like it belonged among the folktales I love so much.

Anyway, thank you for reading--and for your lovely words!

[mypersonmyg]

not so far far away | pjm

pairing: jimin x reader

genre: fluff, like a lil bit of angst but not like grrrr angsty more like oh man that sucks angsty

wc: 1.1k

warnings: sad times for mr park

summary: you need a bit of a boost OR jimin is your knight in sweaty armor

a/n: drabble #6; i wonder whether these are even readable lmao. i don’t edit them and i don’t read them over, this is all raw material folks. so enjoy :-))

also...i’m writing this with the Get You couple, so i’ll just attach that masterlist hehe and a quick tag for @bangtandongsaeng​

prompt 6.  F - Folklore. Write about your otp+ in a fairy or folk tale style. Or: the otp+ shares their favorite folk tales and urban legends.

november drabbles masterlist

main masterlist

Get You masterlist

Once upon a time in a complex not so far away the distant clacking of heeled boots slaps the linoleum of a lengthy stairwell as Park Jimin makes his way to the top most apartment. His regard lies not in his own safety, but that of the panicked damsel that rang him not twenty minutes prior. 

Though breath is short as he bursts through a weighted door, his pace slows not once until your neatly decorated door comes to view. His fist pounds against the exterior, key buried in the depths of his jeans long forgotten in present adrenaline. He knows not what state you’ll be in upon reveal, but the strain of your tone along a distant line was telling enough for his long winded athletics.

The door is pulled in an instant, our shining knight immediately through the threshold without a second glance. When he does whirl, taking in your ruffled appearance he settles on the trail of swiped tears staining made up cheeks. His attention is caught, the beauty before him breathtaking even in her current state.

“What’s the matter? I got here as fast as I could.” His inhales are heavy, the swipe of a hand over a damp brow catching your attention.

“Chim, did you run here?” You grab hold of him, his question held for the moment. He loses train of thought, watching you glide around the kitchen, a flowing dress dancing about your delicate legs. “You’ll get sick!”

“Huh?” Focus draws back to your marathon around the kitchen, grabbing at various items, incoherent mumblings in your wake. You pass a mug, substance appealing tea-like but altogether unknown, Jimin shoves it with insistence, “I’m fine. I’m here to check on you.”

“Oh, I’m just,” He watches the shuffle of heeled feet, hands itching to pull you to the nearest stool. “I wasn’t gonna tell you because it’s not really a big deal…”

“Tell me what?” He stands now, guiding to the plush of the sofa a room out, your breathing is labored as his, though reasons differing vastly. “Y/n?”

“Well, you remember a few days ago when you had to bail on movie night?”

“Yeah, I said I would make it up to you--”

“No no, I know,” He watches the steady rock of your skull, mind contemplating your next words, wrought with nerves. Jimin barely notices the warmth seeping to his hand, your bare leg situated under his palm. If not for cautious air there’s sure to have been immediate removal. “But when you couldn’t come I was trying to see who else was available.”

“Okay…”

“By some stroke of luck it happened to be Jeongguk and of course I was kind of panicked because we’ve never really spent time along together and you know I-” He hears the trail of your words match the plummet of his heart, buildup shattered at the mention of a fancy long forgotten. “Well, anyways, things went pretty well and he asked me out, like for real. So I’ve been trying to get ready and I guess I just go frustrated because nothing looks right and I know it’s stupid but yeah.”

“Oh.”

“I’m sorry I called, you were probably busy. You can go.” Your thigh falls from his grip, the loss of warmth pulling Jimin from his stupor and back to his feet as yours carry to your bedroom. 

“Knock it off, you know you never have to apologize for calling me.” 

He musters up the courage to play the best friend, the ever loyal knight to stand by until the prince swoops in on white horse, clad in boyish charm. If not for skepticism in compatibility, Jimin would still operate under lowered inclination to watch you walk out of that door on Jeongguk’s arm. It’s nothing against him, a long matured friendship reason for your introduction, but the thought of you with anyone but him seems to leave a taste so foreign.

“You say that, but you seem annoyed. It’s fine, you can leave.” He steps through a cluttered threshold, garments and heels nearly knocking him from his feet. He regards you as you take a seat at a vanity no less scattered, continuing with the fix of  a puffed face.

“I’m not annoyed,” He assures, relenting at the look of deadpan thrown with a half lined eye. “Maybe I would have taken the time to find my keys had I known you weren’t on the verge of extinction, but I’m not mad. Never at you.”

“Your keys are in your pocket,” You choose to speak following the fall of an unsure silence. Jimin’s words are weighted, though neither party holds the confidence to push further. Jimin’s hand slides to the slot of his jeans, the slight jingle a sure sign of the truth in your words. “You’re always doing that. Help me pick shoes please?”

You move to your bed, lightly drowning yourself in the plush of rumpled sheets. Jimin easily scoops a pair of shoes, his earlier concentration of legs never-ending all the information he needs to provide you with your evening’s footwear. As if you sense his proximity your leg extends, offering your bare foot. 

Jimin almost feels silly, the slide of the slipper reminiscent of aged tales and films alike. Your skin is smooth under his touch, the uncertainty of a shiver almost drawing him away. 

“Sorry, your hands are still a little cold.” Your words are a wisp of air, less than convincing as of current. Jimin can only mutter a silent apology before he moves to the leg, your reaction more easily concealable this time around. 

The heady scent of lotions and perfume adorning your skin draws Jimin forward, his face level with the build of your calf. You don’t push him away and the slide of a matching heel follows with patience and care. The gentle discarding of your leg has you lifting from your position among comfort, Jimin still unmoved from a kneel along the carpeted flooring. 

“Thanks,” You regard, voice still nowhere to be found as you sit unmoving. “You know, you’re always saving me.”

“Relax, it’s just a shoe.” You lightly shove at a rounded shoulder, Jimin well aware of the effect of the moment on both parties. He imagines a lean forward, just so, pushing lips against your own. It seems your own mind wanders as well, your eyes locked in silent stare. It’s the ring of a bell that separates permanently.

“How do I look?” You needlessly primp, already more than perfect in Jimin’s eyes.

“You look beautiful, don’t worry.”

“Yeah?” Your lips fall between your teeth, stains no doubt waiting for a later haunting.

“Of course, now don’t bite your lip you goof.” 

“Thanks, Chim.”

 Jimin sighs, following from your room and to the door, opening to find Jeongguk. There’s no denying, the two of you are a vision, likely to be revered by any passersby. There’s an exchanging of words, insignificant in the grand scheme before Jimin watches the close of the door.

Just waiting to play the knight once more.

[thenightling]

I have been too shy to talk to you as I haven't been a fan of The Sandman for very long. I hope that's okay and I love your fan fiction. I am almost done reading volume 6 Fables and Reflections and I would like to know how would you rank the stories in it from most favorite to least favorite? Also how would you rank the stories in the third volume Dream Country from most favorite to least favorite?

Hello,

Oh, sure! Don't be shy. I won't bite (unless asked. ;-) I love talking about The Sandman. And welcome to the fandom! I still consider myself new too. I only finally read it for the first time in 2017 and others of my age group were reading them since the 90s. So I'm making up for lost time.

Let's see.

Fables and Reflections in order of favorite to least favorite...

There are so many good ones in this one it's hard to decide.

Fear of Falling - I love this one. Morpheus is helpful and inspiring and it's very pro-creativity and pro-taking chances on yourself and what you do, artistically. Note: Not every version of Fables and Reflections comes with this but the 30th anniversary one does and I'm using that to make this list.

Soft Places - I like this one a lot. It tells the nature of The Soft Places / the Shifting Zones. It's a good story and you get to see characters at different points in their adventures. You have Marco Polo of the thirteenth century, Gilbert obviously shortly after A Game of You but before Brief lives. And Morpheus, fresh from his captivity, right before Imperfect Hosts. This is before Gregory found him and brought him to The House of Mystery to recover. And you can see his character growth. Marco Polo gives him water and in return he uses his last bit of strength to help Marco Polo get home. It's sweet.

Parliament of Rooks - I love this one. It introduces us to the concept of The Lil' Endless, we get to see baby Daniel apparently lucid dreaming while still only a toddler. We get the story of Eve. And it's always great to see Cain and Abel as storytellers. I also love seeing Matthew mock Cain and compare him to Vincent Price. "That Bargain basement Vaudevillian!" Hehe.  (I love Vincent Price.)  Also Goldie is very distinctly gendered as he here, repeatedly. So why is it, I wonder, that in all the spin-off versions of The Dreaming Goldie is suddenly a she?

Thermidor - I like Johanna Constantine. And this is the first appearance (I believe) of Orpheus other than his brief mention in Calliope and the stand-alone Sandman: Special Song of Orpheus. I also really like Jessamy. (*Glares at David S. Goyer* YOU KNOW WHAT YOU DID! ....I'm okay... JESSSSAMY!!!! (You'll get that in about a year I think...)

The Hunt - Who doesn't love a slightly subversive werewolf story / fairy tale? Also Lucien looks great here and we get to see him pro-actively protecting his library.

Song of Orpheus - Some versions of Fables and Reflections don't have this story as it was originally a stand alone one shot but it's absolutely necessary if you aren't well versed in Greek mythology. It essentially retells the myth of Orpheus but with The Endless and Morpheus as his father (Many think Apollo was his father). It's very well told and you really feel for Orpheus. This is not a comfortable story to read but gives you an idea of what Morpheus was like at his most... assholary. It's also really well drawn.

Ramadan - I like this one.  The artwork is a little busy but I do love Morpheus’ entrance into the story.  Again this is back during his asshole days and there is some good commentary here.  It’s also very respectful to the Islamic faith.   I love Morpheus’ outfit in this one.   

Three Septembers and a January. - This is a good one. Dream vs. Despair. And the real world, historic, Emperor Norton gets to appear in The Sandman. It's historically accurate (save for The Endless) and actually very respectful to history.

August - This one is good but a little sad, a little depressing. It's very well drawn and it introduces us to the raven Aristeas, the poet. Poor Morpheus, welcome to the running gag of being mistaken as Apollo. There's some abuse in here, if I remember right. And Morpheus is a little callous, as he often was before his "Time out" bubble.

___________________________________________ 

Dream Country in order of favorite to least favorite

 A Midsummer Night’s Dream - I love this one.  We get to see William Shakespeare for the first time since Men of Good Fortune (the story that introduces us to Hob Gadling).  A Midsummer Night’s Dream happens to be my favorite Shakespearean play. I always loved Puck even if Neil did feel the need to turn him into a little psychopath.  

If you pay careful attention you see that Shakepseare’s son is tempted with faery fruit and so will be turned into a faery by the eating of it, as is how it goes in some folklore.  Sometimes it places you under the faery’s spell. Sometimes it makes you one of them.  In this case he becomes an immortal faery and that’s a much better fate than dying (I hope.)  He does end up Titania’s slave (Unfortunately fae are a race with a very slave-based class system) but fae are strange and fickle and maybe he enjoys his role serving her and prefers it to the short life he would have had as a human.  

This is also the story where we get the famous “Shadow truths” speech from Morpheus, which I hope will be in the new Netflix series.   And we learn that it’s thanks to Morpheus that mortals will continue to dream of, think of, and even believe in the fae for years to come thanks to him having Shakespeare write that play. He has helped to sustain faery magick in our world and I like that.         

Calliope - This one is a very difficult read since it addresses concepts like slavery, dehumanizing, forced imprisonment and rape.   It’s the second time we see non-human creatures being dehumanized by being stripped of clothing and not being perceived as a person. The first time was with Morpheus, himself, in the very first issue, Sleep of the Just.   This one is difficult to read because you feel so bad for Calliope.  But the revenge Morpheus takes for her is so satisfying.  I hope the Netflix show doesn’t change it too much.  I know how modern audiences and writers feel about “White knights” and might want Calliope to save herself but I think it’s important to show Morpheus coming to her aid because it reveals how much character growth he’s had.  That he knows he treated her poorly back when they were married.   And again, the revenge he takes for her is very satisfying.  

Dream of a Thousand cats - I love animals.  I love cats.  I have three cats of my own.  Two of them I adopted the very day I read Dream of a Thousand cats for the first time (by pure coincidence).  The death of the kittens is something very difficult for me.   That is gut wrenching.  But I do love the concept that if a thousand souls dream the same thing at the same time it has the potential to re-write all of reality is that things were always a certain way.  This also nicely foreshadows the story we get in The Sandman: Overture and I love Overture.     

Façade - I’m sorry to say I kind of dislike this one.  I don’t think it’s what Neil intended but if feels like it romanticizes death a bit (as a concept, not a person).  You have a protagonist who is clearly clinically depressed and isolated and the best answer is apparently suicide!?  What she needed was a real friend, one that wouldn’t judge her by her appearance, and perhaps counseling.  A friend of mine attempted suicide a few summers ago and I had to hastily contact her mother on Facebook while it was happening so that may have impacted how I see this story.  This is one of those stories where I don’t think Death is as kind and sweet as so many fans think she is.  She came off as rather callous to me and not really friendly, and Kat Dennings’ delivery in the audio drama verison didn’t help matters.  

I’m glad The Sandman audio drama reversed the order for A Midsummer Night’s Dream and façade.  I think A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a much better place to end on than Façade.    

[banquishedtotheglasshill]

Beltane Films

It’s a bit shit we can’t go frolic with the fae in the fields this Beltane and your one allocated government walk a day isn’t exactly the same as sitting, saturated by the sun all day on the Heath getting melted and eating strawberries. So I’ve made a list of my favourite films to help magically transform our inside lives into one that suitably reflects the mood of a fertility and love festival. Freya forbid it rains on friday but if it does dampen our witchy festivities at least we can get cosy and escape into nature through our imagination. 

1. Practical Magic (1998); 90s dreamy scene scape, botanical witches, cute vintage dresses, midnight margaritas, chocolate cake for breakfast and a true love story, is there anything more worth watching on the Witches valentines? It ends on Samhain it’s a perfect witchy Beltane extravaganza- I mean that greenhouse tho

https://ww2.123movie.cc/movies/practical-magic/

2. The Love Witch (2016)

Beltane is about LOVE and WITCHES duh. There’s a Beltane ritual, the visuals are everything I want and need, it’s a smart, aesthetically appealing deep dive into the subversion of the male gaze. Anna Biller made all the costumes (!!) herself, she wrote, directed, produced it and personally I believe it to be one of the best horror flicks to have emerged in the past decade. Reminisce on all those terrible, tragic and non-consentual love spells I know you cast long long ago and indulge in some glamourous murder. 

https://ww7.123moviesfree.sc/mov/the-love-witch-2016/

3. Tuck Everlasting (2002)

   A film about a family that lives forever after drinking some magical spring water in the woods? Very Beltane. It has that 00s dreamy sheen, edwardian costume, a love story, a coming of age story and it’s all set in New England right at the end of the turn of the last century. In the original story our protagonist Winnie Foster was 10 years old and it was originally written as a children’s book which honestly is a bit creepy. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful story about finding yourself, acknowledging the wheel of time and appreciating life death life cycles. Also whatshername from Gilmore Girls is in it. Cute. Perfect for a spring festival. There’s also a musical that flopped massively but some of the songs are worth a lil listen. 

https://www.putlockers.cr/movie/tuck-everlasting-4736.html

3. FairyTale: A True Story (1997)

It’s Beltane we must have fairies! I was obsessed with this film as a child, particularly with the teeny tiny furniture they make for the fairy dolls house. I also spent a lot of time trying to untie myself from ropes like Houdini.This is the fictional retelling of the true story of the Cottingley girls who were caught up in the popular mysticism craze in the early 1900s and accidentally became celebrities after photographing the ‘fairies’ at the bottom of the garden. The story was a national sensation but after further investigation it was discovered that the photos had in fact been faked. No shit. The truly shocking thing is that the Cottingley girls seem to have escaped unharmed by the fae. It’s a great heartwarming film and features an interesting depiction of the British obsession with fairies and mysticism following rapid industrialisation. It also celebrates the beauty of Yorkshire and the British countryside in a very understated manner and honestly it might have been this film that launched my deep desire to run away into some woods and never look back. 

https://ww2.123movie.cc/movies/fairytale-a-true-story

4. The Last Leprechaun (1998) 

Ok this one is a bit mad. Another childhood favourite of mine, this film was given to me on a tape by my Scorpio Sun Gemini Moon Scottish grandad and within that context this film makes a lot of sense to me. It’s set in Ireland, this American family move into this huge house and discover the land is populated by the fae, quel surprise. There are banshees, there are fairies in a mine, there’s leprechauns looking for gold, it’s batshit and nowhere near as visually appealing as the films listed above but it’s a really fun watch. A good reminder at this time of year- don’t mess with the little people. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFd63gzYamw

5. Globe Theatre productions/ Online Theatre

This time of year would normally herald the start of outdoor concerts, festivals, garden parties and theatre out in the open air. Nothing compares to the magic of experiencing theatre outdoors, combining my two favourite lasting loves, theatre and nature in one. Naturally I’m devastated to be missing an entire season of outdoor theatre but thankfully the Globe has made loads of productions available online for FREE. Unfortunately, one of my favourite plays to watch at this time of year, As You Like It, is not part of the Globe’s free offerings https://globeplayer.tv/videos/as-you-like-it but if you’re looking for love and romance set in a forest with a good smattering of witty repartee and cross dressing look no further. Shakespeare’s birth and death day just passed us by (23rd) and if you haven’t yet celebrated this Taurean by indulging in a bit o cultchah I’m gently suggesting that you’d enjoy it. Equally, I’d recommend Emma Rice’s production of Midsummer Night’s Dream from the Globe, it’s literally the best production I’ve ever seen and at this point I’ve likely seen over 20 different productions of Dream so take me up on it. The cabaret artist Meow Meow plays Titania and I can’t think of anyone playing the Fairy Queen better.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p08b015k/culture-in-quarantine-shakespeare-a-midsummer-nights-dream

FREE ON BBC IPLAYER!!!

The customs in the play are somewhat a mixture of Beltane and Litha practices so tbh it’s good sabbat to sabbat. I guess you could also watch the Tempest if you really wanted but I kind of hate it ngl. 

Angela Carter’s ‘Wise Children’, dir. Emma Rice

https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p0892kf6/wise-children

Free on BBC iPlayer, I was lucky enough to see this show in person while it was at the Old Vic and yes, I’m a massive Emma Rice fan and if you watch it you’ll understand why. The show has nothing to do with the fae or Beltane but it is from modern myth maker Angela Carter (who wrote the Bloody Chamber) so there’s lots of folklore and mythical elements woven in. It’s just a bloody good time, it’s colourful, queer and musical whilst unconventionally exploring family trauma. 

A Winter’s Tale, Royal Ballet

The Royal Opera House/Royal Ballet is screening their production of A Winter’s Tale on Friday at 7pm, it’s very magical, it’ll be available for a week, wahey

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-byR-6p-qA

6. Anne with an E: Season 3, Episode 5, Netflix

https://www.netflix.com/watch/81025449?trackId=13752289&tctx=0%2C4%2Cf5cee1ae-463c-468c-90ac-6ccae34b01ad-31458487%2C%2C

 I wasn’t too keen on Anne of Green Gables before Netflix made it dark and hashtag real. I particularly love this episode which features a Beltane ritual at the end, I know I wish I could meet you all round a bonfire waving ribbon wands in my nightgown. The last season in particular really solidifies Anne as symbolic of wild woman in tune with nature and the rhythms of her own soul and I could probably deep dive into this ad infinitum. 

Skip to 40:14 minutes if you wish to only see the ritual. 

7. Honorable mentions:

Pan’s Labyrinth (2006) because fairies 

https://www4.123movies.gr/movie/pans-labyrinth-2006/

Midsommar (2019) because although I know this film is really more for Litha, they have a Maypole so I think we can make it work

Far from the Madding Crowd ( 2015) Carey mulligan and countryside and terrible life decisions, the soundtrack is also very soothing on its own. You can watch it free (legally, shocker) on the BBC website. 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfilms/film/far_from_the_madding_crowd

Tess of the D’urbervilles (2008) the TV series!! with Gemma Arteton (?) as Tess; pastoral life, nature pagan goddess allusions and a finale at Stonehenge very Beltane. Once you get past all the religion stuff Hardy’s aight. 

https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2739yo

Happy Beltane Witches!!!