Heidi Anne Heiner's Blog, page 172

Music Month: Bluebeard by Cocteau Twins

Bluebeard by Cocteau Twins (1994) is today's song of the day from the Four-Calendar Café album. I love when Bluebeard gets referenced in popular culture. Even if most people think he was a pirate these days...

From the chorus/refrain:

Are you the right man for me?
Are you safe? Are you my friend?
Or are you toxic for me?
Will you mistreat me
Or betray all my confidence?

The title of the song, instead of the lyrics, answer the questions rather well if you know the tale.

Here's rather fuzzy video, too:

Women in Folklore

The above book is the highly recommended Women and Tradition: A Neglected Group of Folklorists edited by Carmen Blacker and Hilda Ellis Davidson.


The traffic and readership on this blog has increased quite a bit since March 2010 so I wanted to point new readers to my Women in Folklore month of posts from that time when I shared daily posts on the subject for Women's History Month. You'll have to page through the month backward though that link but since the posts were not very chronological, but mostly freestanding, it doesn't matter much.

March, being a mid-school semester month, gets so many themes and celebrations from Art to Music to Women's History that I have chosen a different one for each of the past few Marches. Last year was art with children's illustrators highlighted each day. This year is music although the daily posting has been challenged due to unforeseen scheduling and projects that are bombarding me.

But I miss you all! Don't think I am going away! I am very sad that my March postings aren't as robust as I had planned, but we will all persevere!

Art: Cinderella by by Joseph Albert Colquhoun Morrison

Cinderella by Joseph Albert Colquhoun MorrisonOil on canvas, 39.3 x 31.8 cm Collection: The Stroud District (Cowle) Museum Trust Collection
Now isn't that an unexpected time period for a Cinderella? Anyone want to analyze her clothes and figure out the date on this one? Morrison studied from 1901-1904 and had a long career--at least through 1931 but I cannot find easy dates in a quick search.
Again via the Your Paintings Project.

Art: Cinderella by George Cruikshank

Cinderella by George CruikshankDate painted: 1854Oil on panel, 43.2 x 53.3 cm Collection: Victoria and Albert Museum
Cruikshank's pen and ink drawings are so ubiquitous to his name that it is rather startling to see what is so certainly his style and work in a colorful medium. I really love the fairy godmother and pumpkin coach in process.

Again via the Your Paintings Project.

Art: The Sisters of Cinderella by Walford Graham Robertson

The Sisters of Cinderella by Walford Graham RobertsonDate painted: 1905Oil on canvas, 104 x 103 cm Collection: Sewerby Hall Museum and Art Gallery
The painting shows a woman wearing a blue dress and holding a fan on the right, a second woman in the centre looking into mirror and a woman on the left in a white dress..

Found through the BBC's Your Paintings site, a great project!

It's the Ides of March Again

 
No one in my real world life--except my husband--has understood my Ides of March references this week. Am I really that much of a literary geek? So I had to repost from last year because I know there will be some kindred spirits here...

From last year's Ides of March post:

I couldn't resist. This day gives my literary soul a bigger shiver than most Friday the 13ths although I don't claim to be much of a superstitious person. Mostly it's just fun to notice--unless something bad does happen! Then we can blame it all on the calendar...

From The Old Farmer's Almanac:

The Ides of March has long been considered an ill-fated day. Julius Caesar was assassinated on March 15, 44 B.C. Historians note that it is likely that a soothsayer named Spurinna had warned Caesar that danger would occur by the ides of March. William Shakespeare included the phrase "Beware the ides of March" in his play Julius Caesar.

The ides were the 15th days of four months (Martius, or March; Maius, or May; Quintilis, or July; and October) in the ancient Roman lunar calendar; they were the 13th in all other months (originally, Aprilis, or April; Iunius, or June; Sextilis, or August; September; November; and December. Ianuarius, or January, and Februarius, or February, were added later).

The word ides comes from the Latin word idus, which is possibly derived from an Etruscan word meaning "to divide." The ides were originally meant to mark the full Moon (the "halfway point" of a lunar month), but because the Roman calendar months and actual lunar months were of different lengths, they quickly got out of step. The ancient Romans considered the day after the calends (first of the month), nones (ninth day before the ides, inclusive), or ides of any month as unfavorable. These were called dies atri.

Added from last year, the original Shakespeare:

Caesar: Who is it in the press that calls on me?
I hear a tongue shriller than all the music
Cry "Caesar!" Speak, Caesar is turn'd to hear.

Soothsayer: Beware the ides of March.

Caesar: What man is that?

Brutus: A soothsayer bids you beware the ides of March.

Julius Caesar Act 1, scene 2, 15-19

And, then, you know, he was killed. So good warning...

Guest Post: Little Red Riding Hood Gets "Smash"ed

Hello all, Gypsy from Once Upon a Blog generously shared one of her own posts to guest post here on SurLaLune to help me while I am overwhelmed with some current projects. I've been checking in with her posts the last several weeks and regretting my inability to write longer ones myself right now. (Brief reading breaks are my sanity points right now.) And this post reminded me that I still haven't had time to watch Smash and hope to sometime soon since I am a sucker for Broadway and musicals and the rest. Thanks for sharing, Gypsy! And if anyone else has something to share, please send it along and I will hopefully get back to you within a few days. I am very erractic right now, even more so than usual!

Gypsy's post:

In case you're not aware, NBC has a new hit show called "Smash", based around the lure and magic of Broadway which... well, I'll just give you the official premise :

"Smash" is a musical drama that celebrates the beauty and heartbreak of the Broadway theater as it follows a cross section of dreamers and schemers who all have one common desire - to be a "Smash." The series centers on a desire to create a Broadway musical based on the life of Marilyn Monroe...

The show is full of musical numbers which are (thankfully) usually staged where they would be in real life: in performance or rehearsal. With the TV series based around the creation of a Broadway show about Marilyn you can bet there are a load of double entendres and other fun writing, especially in the Broadway show number/lyric scenes. While it's not perfect it's definitely one of the best written and constructed (and entertaining) shows on TV right now.


A couple of weeks ago, in the Epiosde "The Cost of Art", the main number was based on Red Riding Hood - and other stories with Big Bads - and was a lot of fun.  
Rehearsal of "I Never Met A Wolf" from Smash
Here are the lyrics (note - Ivy is the lucky gal who has just gotten the Marilyn lead role and does a great job at imitating the icon as the numbers are being "work-shopped". Lyle is a potential investor for which some of the cast are doing an impromptu staging of the number at a party):

I Never Met A Wolf Who Didn't Love To Howl

Prologue / Ivy ("Marilyn"): 

When you are born with sex appeal / In a forest called Hollywood, / You'll find more wolves at your backdoor / Than that Little Red Riding Hood. / Now she and her little old Gramma / Could have learned from the men I've dated / That a wolf can be quite a devotee / Once he's domesticated! 

Ivy:Here's a lesson they should teach in school,When a girl gets curvy, and the boys all drool,If math and science just ain't your style,Just give that teacher a wink and a smile,For a passing grade, you won't have to wait,And you can thank him later when you graduate, 

Cause I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!No, I never met a man who wasn't on the prowl,If a nice diploma you wanna get,Well, then, make that teacher the student's pet, 

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl! 

You never know where a wolf might crouch,But his natural habitat's the casting couch,So take lots of pictures of the wildlife,To tell the wolf you could share with his wife,The Hunter gets captured by the game,Then Leo the Lion will be roaring your name! 

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!No, I never met a man who wasn't on the prowl,If your face and figure are whistle bait,Then honey, you'll have the keys to the studio gate! 

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl! 

Ensemble:The three little piggies sure had it wrongWhen the wolf came-a-knockin' with that old song 

Ivy:He was huffin' and puffin' sayin' "Marilyn, I gotcha!"I say "Come on in" & I put on Sinatra. 

Oh, Frankie! 

I Never Met A Wolf Who Didn't Love To Howl (Impromptu Pitch-Performance) from Smash

A wealthy wolf likes to buy his toysBut he really is just one of the boys.If you've got something for which he's cravin',It sure is good that he's been savin'.Be a fan, give his cheek a peckBut get his autograph on a cashier's check. 

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!No, I never met a man who wasn't on the prowl. 

Even if that wolf's just a grey old goat 

Lyle: WHAT?! 

Ivy:He still will make a nice fur coat. 

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl! 

Go, baby, go! 

Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl!No, I never met a man who wasn't on the prowl. 

This wolf looks like he's ready to dine. 

Lyle: Tell me, where can I sign on the dotted line? 

Ivy:Yeah, I never met a wolf who didn't love to howl! 

Oh, yeah! 

I loved it and thought it worked incredibly well with all the metaphors and while it's not a new concept, I think they made it very fresh.

If you like theater and Broadway this is a must-see show. The writing, on both the scenes and the Marilyn show, is mostly excellent, as is the music and staging. More episodes than not have been very enjoyable with enough of the behind-the-scenes fun theater people know and love, with a dollop of the dramatic. Smash is on NBC on Monday nights and all the full episodes are currently available for viewing online HERE (click on "Video").

Here's the Wolf clip from the show:

Music Month: Rapunzel by Emilie Autumn

Today's song is Rapunzel by Emilie Autumn from her Enchant album first released in 2002.

Excerpt from the lyrics:

In a courtyard
Used to sing as loud as she could
Locked away here
She's been quiet, lovely and good
But no one listens now
She lost her voice
She had no choice

CHORUS
If you sing loud and clear
Someone passing by will surely hear you
No you can't be afraid
If you ever want somebody near you
If you sing loud and clear
Someone passing by will surely hear you
No you can't be afraid

Here is a video so you can hear and read the full song since lyrics appear in the video:

Guest Post: Swan Maidens by Carolyn Turgeon

    With today's official release of Carolyn Turgeon's The Next Full Moon, Carolyn kindly offered up a guest post about her relationship with Swan Maiden tales. Turgeon is one of our current fairy tale apologists in fiction with several books inspired by fairy tales in her bibliography, including Godmother: The Secret Cinderella Story and Mermaid: A Twist on the Classic Tale (Little Mermaid). The previous books were published for adults, but this new title stretches to a larger audience, recommended for ages 9 and up.

And so without much further ado, here are Carolyn's words:

I'm not sure where I read my first swan maiden tale. But in the version I read, there is a man, a hunter I think, who one day witnesses something extraordinary: three swans landing by the side of a river, removing their feathered robes to become beautiful maidens, and taking a swim. After, the maidens emerge from the water, put their robes back on to become swans again, and fly away. Of course the man is forever changed, as anyone would be after seeing such a vision. And of course he is madly in love, too. So he waits. And one day the swans come back, and the same thing happens, but this time the man is ready. He's noted which robe belongs to the maiden he loves, and while the maidens bathe he dashes out to steal the feathered robe of his beloved. When the maidens emerge from the water, two of them put on their robes and fly away. The third is left alone, stuck in her human form.

Luckily for her, the man takes her home and marries her, and somehow they're happy—though surely she longs for wings and flight, but I don't remember this in the story—and they have children and all is well and fine until one fateful day the man confesses, for some reason, his previous crime. As I remember it, the man takes out the feathered robe and shows it to his wife, and to his shock she reaches out, takes the robe, puts it on and flies away. Leaving the man and their children alone.

In my book, The Next Full Moon, I imagine the story of the child left behind. In this case it's just one child, a girl, Ava, who's about to turn thirteen and has been raised alone by her father in the middle of Pennsylvania. She keeps an eerily beautiful black-and-white photograph of her mother, whom she believes died when she was two, by her bed. Her father is a professor and a fly fisherman; he loves to go fishing for trout on nights of the full moon. All is going fine in Ava's life—especially now that it's almost summer and the cutest boy in school seems to be noticing her—and then one day she starts growing feathers. Which is very, very embarrassing. She's forced her to wear a hoodie to school even though it's June. Life is embarrassing and awkward enough for a twelve-year-old girl, isn't it? Ava is convinced she is a freak of nature.

I really like the idea of combining the awkwardness of adolescence with the discovery of magic and beauty in the world generally, and in yourself specifically. What would it be like to discover that your mother was—and maybe still is—a swan maiden? What would it be like to discover that all the weird, embarrassing things that happen to a girl's body at that age are rooted in a mysterious, unfathomable magic and power? That kind of is what becoming a woman is like, isn't it, even if an awful lot of young girls don't realize it? I certainly didn't at that age. When I was twelve, I was already 5'8" and built, I looked years older than I was, and I existed in a constant state of embarrassment, confused and horrified by my unwieldy, ever-changing body.

It made sense to me that our swan maiden wife, when confronted with her feathered robe, would have no choice but to put it on and fly away, even if she was happy, even if she loved her husband and children. She was never meant to live as a human, and given the option to return to her real self and her real world—whatever magical place that is, and in my various readings I never found a description of the place the swan maidens come from, or an explanation of what these creatures really are—she has no choice but to take it. And so she is heartbroken and the husband-now-father is heartbroken, too, but they are both where they are meant to be, and in the bodies they were meant to occupy. But maybe something magical can happen on those nights of the full moon, down by the river. I saw Ladyhawke at an impressionable age, and love nothing more than a good tragic love affair.

Eventually, Ava's feathers will become thick and jacket-like, and she will shed them in one horrifying, strange, wonderful moment when she pulls a white-feathered robe from her own skin, emerging whole and beautiful with this sparkling garment in her hand.

This is what I love most in the swan maiden tale I first read, and in the versions I read after, and in fairytales and folktales generally: those moments of transformation, of metamorphosis, when we become our best or most horrifying or most beautiful, essential selves, in an instant.

Carolyn Turgeon's The Next Full Moon: Release Day and Giveaway Winner

Today is the official release day for Carolyn Turgeon's The Next Full Moon. So this is the official announcement post. Regular readers are also aware that I have a copy to giveaway (see here) and I have randomly selected a winner from the entries I've received. The winner RichLayers. I don't have an email for you, RichLayers, so please contact me with your mailing address. For everyone else, the book is available in paperback and well worth the list price of $6.99! It is not in Kindle format yet, perhaps because it is aimed at younger readers.

Look for my next post today, a special guest post by author Carolyn Turgeon!

Book description:

This thoroughly compelling, gorgeously told tale, begins as the weather turns warm enough to swim in the local lake, twelve-year-old Ava is looking forward to a lazy summer, and her crush, Jeff is most definitely taking notice of her. Everything is going beautifully. Until Ava starts to grow feathers—all over her shoulders, arms, and back. Horrified, mortified, and clad in a hoodie, she hides out in her bedroom missing her dead mother and worrying about the summer, and the rest of her freakish life... Carolyn Turgeon has a gift for imagining magical worlds. In Ava's case, this other-worldly place belongs to the Swan Maidens, one of whom is Ava's mother. Ava goes back and forth between middle school and this magical realm taking the reader along for an exhilarating, extraordinary ride.