The Light Princess
Apr 17th 2008
Sabrina JeffriesOn Writing!
The subject of fairy tales came up the other day between me and artist/writer friend Ursula (we both like “Bluebeard”–go figure), and I told her of my favorite, an obscure little fairy tale written in the 19th century by a Scot named George MacDonald. It’s called “The Light Princess.” It’s actually quite amusing and romantic (go here if you want to read it). It’s about a princess who has no gravity–in either sense of the word.
Now that I reread it, I realize it’s similar to my books in that it’s both romantic and a bit melodramatic while also poking fun occasionally. Huh. Never noticed that before.
Anyway, oddly enough it wasn’t the first time this month that fairy tales were mentioned. Earlier, a writer in my chapter had cited her favorite as “Cap of Rushes.” Ever heard of it? No, me either.
So tell me, what’s your favorite obscure fairy tale? Do you like romances based on fairy tales? And what is one fairy tale you’d just LOVE to see turned into a novel?
40 Comments »
Karen Hawkins on 18 Apr 2008 at 6:38 am #
I read all of the Grimms’ Fairytales while in middle school and the story that read over and over and that was The Twelve Dancing Princesses. At eleven, I loved the idea of sneaking off in a beautifful silk dress and dancing the night away until my beautiful jeweled slippers were ruined.
Ah, I loved that book!
Sabrina, I’m going to read your story now.
Buffie on 18 Apr 2008 at 7:20 am #
Oh, I do love fairy tales!! I’m off to read about George MacDonald.
LisaK on 18 Apr 2008 at 7:32 am #
Hi all! I’m new here and after some weeks of quietly following your REALLY entertaining discussions I now (finally) decided to put in my two cents, too. Since I am from Germany, the birthplace of most of the fairy tales (OMG, I know, I’m embarassing by being proud of it since I haven’t had anything to do with the arisal of these fairy tales, but I can’t help it!), I grew up with them and learned to love them ALL!
But, well, maybe my favourite one is “The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was” (what a title!), because, thinking about it, this guy is the embodiment of a romance-hero, isn’t he? I always thought he must be quite a handsome fellow. I’d take him right away!
I recently read the first two books of Celeste Bradley’s “Heiress Brides”-Series, which is obviously based on fairy tales. Love it.
And one fairy tale I’d just love to see turned into a novel is “Little Red Riding Hood”, for I can’t see ANY romance hidden in there. Would be a challenge, definitely.
LisaK on 18 Apr 2008 at 7:40 am #
Just got an idea.
The wolf could be a werewolf, really good-looking as a human, and Red Riding Hood actually not is a little child, but a beautiful young woman lost in the wood. Then they meet each other and have a romantic little picnic with grandma’s cake and wine Red Riding Hood was taking with her.
Okay, the story’s a bit austere, but expandable, and that would be a good start, wouldn’t it?
I’d love it.
SuzyQ on 18 Apr 2008 at 7:52 am #
Welcome LisaK! Glad you decided to jump into the discussions and btw, I think your spin on LRRH is great!
As for the topic of todays blog, I can’t really think of anything right now. I haven’t had a full cup of coffee yet
elsiehogarth on 18 Apr 2008 at 7:52 am #
I just love fairy tales….all time favorite is Beauty and the Beast. Sandra Schwab has a book called: Castle of the Wolf which is like a “Little Red Rding Hood” story with the Black Forest, a Castle, a Beast and talking gargoyles. I would love to see that as a movie.
I just love Oscar Wilde but his fairy tales are the best. “The Happy Prince” is my all time favorite and it would be great to see as a movie and a novel.
Gannon on 18 Apr 2008 at 7:54 am #
I love fairy tales, too. Karen H, I’ve always liked The Twelve Dancing Princesses, as well.
I really can’t think of any obscure ones right now. Off to read The Light Princess.
Claudia Dain on 18 Apr 2008 at 7:58 am #
My dad used to read me a bedtime story every night from a book of Swedish fairy tales. I can still remember the smell of the pages…and the chewing gum I accidentally stuck to one of them. I can’t remember my favorite fairy tale from that book, but I do remember one illustration of a troll under a bridge, waiting in the shadows for a poor, hapless traveler. It gave me shudders! I couldn’t stop looking at it, snapping the book closed, peeking in to look at it again. The lure of the terrifying!
amy1242 on 18 Apr 2008 at 8:22 am #
Oh Sabrina, I absolutely LOVED Bluebeard as a child. My mom had it in one of her books and refused to read it to us because she didn’t like it. So one day I snuck it out of the bookshelf and hid it under my bed to read that night after lights out. It became a favorite of mine and I read it over and over again. The other story I really liked, I can’t remember the name of, but it was about a boy who had a magic tablecloth that could produce food and a magic stick and I think there was a lamb in it.
I like LisaK’s idea of LRRH. That would be a fun read.
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Apr 2008 at 8:24 am #
Claudia, I love that description! Definitely the lure of the terrifying. I think that’s why I liked Bluebeard. It fed my nightmares. And actually, as a child I had few nightmares, which I attribute to purging them during the day by reading gruesome fairy tales!
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Apr 2008 at 8:31 am #
Oh, and welcome, LisaK, coming all the way from Germany! Germany definitely produced some serious fairy tales…fortunately for the rest of us.
I’ve always wanted to see the Light Princess turned into a genuine romance, but I can’t figure out how you could do it these days. She’s so fey at the beginning!
My son loves the Rumpelstiltskin movie with Amy Irving (I think he likes the old Rumpel himself), but that version really doesn’t work as a romance for me. I mean, what were they thinking to make her yearn to marry a prince so she could be rich? That’s not appealing. And it’s not actually true to the original either, if I remember correctly.
cail on 18 Apr 2008 at 8:39 am #
welcome LisaK!
i’m boring. my fav is totally not obscure… Beauty and the Beast, of which there are 100000000000s of romance novels that are based off it.
i did love 12 dancing princesses too. but i’ll always be a huge B&theB fan.
Margaret on 18 Apr 2008 at 8:40 am #
I love Beauty & the Beast romance novels. One of my favorites is “The Bride & the Beast” by Teresa Medeiros. I guess I like the idea that Beauty sees thru the scars to the handsome prince that dwells inside.
Because I am one of those people who have to look stuff up, I am a Google addict. I couldn’t think of an obscure fairy tale. Like Karen, I grew up on Grimm. There are some obscure ones there, I’m sure. When I Googled for obscure fairy tales, I came across a blog that had me sitting her laughing out loud till I had to clean my glasses for further reading. The blogger is Sarah Beth Durst and she has, apparently, written a couple of books for young readers. If you don’t read anything else, be sure to read “Snow White and Her Children”. The last one on the list. Too funny! The first one I read was “Snow White and Rose Red”. I love her running commentary on these stories. A real day brightner.
http://www.sarahbethdurst.com/fairytales.htm
Meg on 18 Apr 2008 at 8:58 am #
I have never heard of Bluebeard; I’ll have to look that up. And the new spin on Red Riding Hood sounds interesting. It doesn’t bother me if a book is based on a fairy tale. Although, the only ones I’ve have read were based on the Cinderella tale.
When I was a kid there was a show on etv hosted by Shelly Duvall that was all fairy tales. There was one where a man had a jar of water that he could see death through and a burlap bag that he could catch anyhting in by saying “Wickity wack into my sack.” I can’t remember the name of this particular one but it has stayed with me ever since. Does anyone know what I’m talking about?
Lisa H on 18 Apr 2008 at 9:22 am #
I love this blog! Welcome Lisa K! My favorite fairy tale when I was young was called “The Tinderbox” it is not a romance per say, yet I loved the soldier going down into the ground and finding the dogs with the big eyes guarding the doors. I would love to see this turned into a novel.
My favorite subjects for romance novels are definitely Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast. My favorite rendition of a Beauty and the Beast is KEW’s “A Rose in Winter” I looooooove that book!
SheridanLA on 18 Apr 2008 at 9:29 am #
ooh, Karen, I am with you on the dancing princesses! I first saw/heard the tale from a kid’s special in the 70s “Once Upon a Brothers Grimm” I loved it and fell in love with the princesses. (I think this is when I still had delusions of ballerina-dom)
One of my all time favorite books was called “Dazzling Brightness” by Roberta Gellis. She took the story of Hades and Persephone and told it from the perspective of Hades and Persephone as a romance with the meddling of her mother - Demeter and her resulting controlling antics to try to get her daughter back.
I think so many basic story lines have been covered - but I am thinking the dancing princesses has been woefully neglected
Karen Hawkins on 18 Apr 2008 at 9:44 am #
YES! That’s what it was called - “The Twelve Dancing Princesses!” Man, did I ever wanna wear out my slippers. I’m so glad you guys likes it, too! I always thought it was just me.
Any of you see movie about the Grimm Brothers that was made a few years ago? Wasn’t Brad Pitt in it? Or Matt Damon or someone? I never saw it, but wanted to. Seems I don’t see most movies I want to, daggnabbit!
I need to read Oscar Wilde’s fairy tales! I had no idea! And definitely, I’m gonna track down the Gellis. She’s a phenomenal writer.
I wrote a book based on Sleeping Beauty called And The Bride Wore Plaid. It’s set in Scotland and with a heroine who was a stained glass artist who lived in the woods with her 12 hulking Scotsmen assistants. I had a lot of fun with that.
Sabrina, that fairy tale is SO funny! I loved it. Where did you first find it?
kelly on 18 Apr 2008 at 9:47 am #
i like the reverse fairy tales– the girls go off and save the guys, befriend the dragons, etc. some gave the precocious reader child me an anthology when i was little (and now i can’t remember the name!), and then when i encountered disney and grimm i was all, what the hell??
also, the fact that you are loved and adored by ursula vernon gives you massive awesome human being points. just wanted to point that out.
Margaret on 18 Apr 2008 at 9:59 am #
Oh Karen! I loved the whole Talisman Ring series. I thought the stained glass artist was a hoot and she got the perfect St. Johns brother in Devon. I can’t even pick a favorite of the 5. Marcus’s story was so funny. I was glad to see him get un-stuffed. In fact, I love the humor in all the books. Thanks for mentioning it. I’ve got to dig them out for a re-read.
And I had to look up “The Brothers Grimm” in IMDB.com. The Grimm brothers were played by Matt Damon & Heath Ledger. I didn’t recognize a single other actor in it. I’ll bet it’s on DVD now.
LisaH, The Tinderbox is one of the stories that Sarah Beth Durst has done with her side comments. I never heard of it. So, I went to read it and her take is pretty funny while giving you the gist of the story.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 18 Apr 2008 at 9:59 am #
welcome LisaK!
I loved fairy tales as a child. Still do.
I still own my favourite book- Hans Christian Anderson’s fairy tales to read aloud.
My fav was The Wild Swans. 11 brothers and one sister. their evil stepmother had turned the brothers into wild swans and tried to change the sister into an ugly little thing too, but she was too pure. Very interesting story. I’ve read it so many times, it’s awonder the book is still held together!
http://hca.gilead.org.il/wild_swa.html
read it for yourself.
Robert Munsch wrote an interesting take on a dragon slaying princess, called The Paper Bag Princess.
Caren Crane on 18 Apr 2008 at 9:59 am #
Meg, I remember watching the Shelly Duval program with my son. I think the wickety wack story was one of the Jack Tales. I’ve seen it called, “Wickety Wack, In My Sack” and called “Soldier Jack”. The Jack Tales are a series of American folk tales (with origins of who knows where). I hadn’t thought of that in years!
Sabrina, I loved The Light Princess! I can’t believe I never read it before. I spent months when I was about 12 reading nothing but books of fairy tales. I read dozens of versions of most stories, including the original tales of the Brothers Grimm. Man, lots of fairy tales (from lots of countries) are dark, dark, dark. People had to seriously suffer for their happy endings. I guess nothing really changes in genre fiction, does it? *g*
One of my personal faves was Snow White, Rose Red. I also loved East Of the Sun, West Of the Moon. Think I need an afternoon at the library!
Caren Crane on 18 Apr 2008 at 10:04 am #
Oh, I loved “The Brothers Grimm” movie. I think many of you would like it. Basically, the brothers were poor and they were travelling around looking for villages where the people were convinced they were bothered by monsters or witches or something. Then they would pull stunts to make the people believe they had gotten rid of the pest. Then they find a village where they really ARE plagued with monsters and magic and mayhem.
A fantastically fun movie! And, of course, the Brothers repent their wicked ways in the end. *g*
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Apr 2008 at 10:06 am #
Okay, Margaret, you deserve a big fairy tale kiss (not from ME, you understand, because that would just be gross for you, but from some FROS guy for sure) for posting that link. I read the one you recommended, http://sarahbethdurst.blogspot.com/2008/02/obscure-fairy-tale-sleeping-beauty-and.html , and laughed so hard that tears are running down my cheeks. Literally. Tears of laughter. That is the funniest darned thing I’ve ever read!
Kelly, are you a Ursula Vernon fan??? She is the best! We are definitely a mutual adoration society. I swear, if I had half the talent she has in her little finger …
She has a children’s book coming out in June, too! Can’t wait to get it.
Margaret on 18 Apr 2008 at 10:25 am #
Thanks for not offering to kiss me yourself, Sabrina. You’re a wonderful human being and a probably a swell kisser. I just don’t want to be reading one of your books and wondering what it would be like. LOL
Unfortunately for me, at my age the only FROS who might even remotely want to kiss me would be a Wilfred Brimley. God forbid that it could be Sean Connery even tho he is older than I am. I think I’ll just get my kicks by reading goddess works.
“Sleeping Beauty” had me in tears also. I’m going to have to hunt up Ms. Durst’s book when it comes out in paperback. It’s geared toward young readers, but so was Lucy Maude Montgomery’s “Anne of Green Gables” and I didn’t read her till I was in my 40’s. I’m young at heart. Sometimes even at mind. I play well with toddlers.
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Apr 2008 at 10:26 am #
How weird that y’all should mention Oscar Wilde’s “fairy tales,” because one of my OTHER favorite fairy tales as a child was “The Selfish Giant,” which was his.
Karen, I found the Light Princess in a collection of children’s stories that my parents had bought for us. It was a 12 volume set, and it had one volume devoted to “Tales of Magic.” It was in that. “The Selfish Giant” was in a separate two-volume collection. A few years ago my mom split up the books we’d had as kids and passed those on, and I got those two. I was so thrilled! They’re upstairs on my shelf in my office even as we speak.
And yes, many of those old fairy tales were dark, dark, dark. I love them for it, too.
Karen Hawkins on 18 Apr 2008 at 10:40 am #
LOVED the Sara Beth Durst commentary! That woman has a wicked tongue. Gotta get one of her books!
And who, pray tell, is Ursula Vernon? A writer? An actress? I’m so confused! Someone turn on the light before I fall and hurt myself!
Margaret, thank you so much! I loooove magic. Before paranormals were popular, I was slipping it into my books with the Talisman Ring Series. I just wish I could wiggle my nose like Samantha and make things happen.
I just put The Brothers Grimm on my netflicks list. I adore Heath Ledger’s work and hate that he died so young.
Karen Hawkins on 18 Apr 2008 at 10:42 am #
Sabrina, what a delightful gift to receive from your parents! There are some books at my parent’s I’d love to have for my own kids.
I have to say I used to HATE it when fairy tales ended badly. It just seemed such a waste of some great characters!
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Apr 2008 at 11:03 am #
No, Karen, by dark I don’t mean end badly. I didn’t like that either. I mean that they had dark elements to balance the happy ending. The characters went through a LOT of crap.
Ursula pops by here from time to time–she’s a well-known artist in the sf/f community and a (new) children’s book writer. She also has an online comic that was up for an Eisner award last year.
She’s a lot of fun and a voracious reader. She reads faster than anyone I’ve ever seen!
DebMarlowe on 18 Apr 2008 at 11:13 am #
Oh, Sabrina, I was going to mention Wilde’s Selfish Giant! I always liked that one. Also, I loved Tam Lin and the idea of the lady battling the Queen of Faerie for her lover.
Karen, Ursula is a very talented artist and writer. I can’t wait for her children’s book to come out!
Julia London on 18 Apr 2008 at 11:16 am #
I, too, am a sucker for the Beauty and the Beast tale. I used to really like Cinderella tales, too, but not so much now.
My favorite fairy tale when I was a girl was Rapunzel. I really coveted that long golden hair, LOL
Kathy/Cookiedough on 18 Apr 2008 at 11:26 am #
I’m a sucker for a good fairy tale. I posted- or so I thought before, but it didn’t comethrough! awww!
Welcome LisaK
my all time favourite is Han’s Christian Anderson’s The Wild Swans.
check it out here:
http://hca.gilead.org.il/wild_swa.html
I read it so many times as a child, I am amazed my book still holds together. I got it out of my bookcase to check it- the copyright reads 1960, so it went through a few older siblings as well.
Karen Hawkins on 18 Apr 2008 at 11:27 am #
Sabrina, ahhhh! Gotcha! I like that, too. Several of the older fairy tales where the hero/heroine were 1) Eaten by a wild animal, 2) Killed by mean and evil strangers, 3) Tortured by various and sundry Bad, Bad People, often a family member. It just seemed unfair.
DebM, thank you for the Ursula clarification. I’m going to have to find something by her!
Margaret on 18 Apr 2008 at 11:33 am #
LOL, Julia. I’m on my way out the door but had to read the latest TGB. I loved Rapunzel. When I was a pudgy 10 year old, I dreamed of having long, golden hair. Forget the prince. I wanted the hair. My mother never let me grow it long enough to even have a pony tail. A few years later I was in the era of the tight perms, poodle skirts, triple roll bobby sox, saddle oxfords. Yes, I was quite the fashion plate.
Rapunzel, Rapunzel. Let down your long hair. It never occurred to tender headed me that it would hurt like heck to have some oaf use my hair as a ladder. Duh
Claudia Dain on 18 Apr 2008 at 12:45 pm #
That Grimm Brothers movie is wonderful, though I know people who hated it. The thing is, it’s a real fairy tale in and of itself. I love fairy tales so I loved this one. It stars Matt Damon and Heath Ledger as the brothers and they were amazing, playing borderline dorks. Talk about a stretch!
My favorite fairy tale as a kid was The Little Mermaid, the “real” version. Such a sad love story! I got a lump in my throat every time it came to the big sacrifice scene, hoping for a different outcome, moved deeply when the little mermaid became an air fairy (or that’s what she looked like in the illustration). I always thought the “hero” was a complete moron. Still do. Which is why I write them differently now that I’m in control of the story!
Kathy/Cookiedough on 18 Apr 2008 at 3:30 pm #
I watched Ella Enchanted a few years back with a then five yr old. She started crying in the middle. She said they were so mean to Ella, and she didn’t want to watch any more. Poor little girl! I had to let her in on the happy ending and whisper what came next so her sisters could still watch it.
Her eldsest sister cried at the end of Beauty and the Beast when she was 3. I asked her why and she wailed ” I want them to be real!!”
Sabrina Jeffries on 18 Apr 2008 at 4:04 pm #
Kathy, I LOVE the Wild Swans. Something about the longsuffering silent princess weaving her coats of nettles just always touched my heart.
Kathy/Cookiedough on 18 Apr 2008 at 6:48 pm #
Sabrina, I sometimes think I’m the suffering silent sister.
hmm, a little too much insight into my life. lol
Judy on 18 Apr 2008 at 11:40 pm #
I’m afraid to say I know no obscure fairy tales (does Howl’s Moving Castle count?) As for my favorite…I’d have to go with Arabian Nights, to me the hero isn’t a Prince, yet he still gets the girl, the girl is clever enough to stay alive…and unfortunately that’s all I know about it *cringing with embarrassment*
As for fairy tales turned into novels, there this series in YA books called the Once Upon a Time series, the authors rewrite a fairy tale and put their own little spin of it. For the Twelve Princess’ there’s this great arthurean story twist with it, it’s called The Night Dance by Suzanne Weyn, if anyone wants to read it (I truly recommend it, it’s one of my favorites from the series) and they also have Arabian Nights, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White, Little Red Riding Hood, Beauty and the Beast, The Frog Prince, The Little Mermaid…just to name a few, but I think their awesomely written…
kelly on 20 Apr 2008 at 9:09 am #
metalandmagic.com is ursula’s website. go! wonderful insanity will ensue! (/plug)
sabrina– dude, when she referred to you on her blog a couple months ago (and i connected the writer with the name she uses) i about fell over. the two blogs i stalk (sorry, read on a regular basis) KNOW EACH OTHER?? proof that greatness gravitates towards each other. it makes me happy.
children’s book!? hell, i’m in a college and i’m all over it…
Becca Furrow on 21 Apr 2008 at 8:05 pm #
I loved The Light Princess when I was a girl! I liked the other books by George MacDonald, too, when I was a kid.