Heidi Anne Heiner's Blog, page 57

AT 508 The Bride won in a Tournament: A Grateful Dead Tale Type

There is a short description for today's tale type, AT 508, found in The Grateful Dead Tales From Around the World (SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series), but that is misleading for the type offers usually the longest versions of the tale--or at least sustained versions with the Grateful Dead motif figuring throughout the story. In the near future, I will be sharing some of the medieval romances that fall into this tale type. This tale type is also one of the types I have the greatest affection for in the Grateful Dead group. Stay tuned and I'll explain more in coming days.

Many of the oldest known tales with Grateful Dead motifs are also AT 508 tales. More about that to come, too. I feel like I am a big tease today, but most of the AT 508s that appear in The Grateful Dead Tales From Around the World (SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series) deserve their own blog posts, so I am anticipating those instead of cramming them all into this one post.

In AT 508 The Bride won in a Tournament, now folded into ATU 505 also, the hero again gains a traveling companion through his personal sacrifice to bury a stranger’s indebted corpse. The companion asks for the same division of spoils and then helps the hero win a princess’s hand by winning a tournament. The grateful dead companion provides the means—horses, servants, and weaponry—for the tournament to be won although the hero’s own strengths and honor in battle also help him. Many of the medieval romances that include the Grateful Dead motif, to be discussed a little later, follow this tale type. Again, this tale type usually ends with the hero’s honor tested by the grateful dead man’s demanded division of spoils before all is revealed and rewarded to a happily ever after.

Just about the only AT 508 I won't be discussing--I think--is "The Story of Thorsteinn, The King's Son." It is in the new book, of course, but you can also read it online in Icelandic Legends by Jón Árnason. And really, this is the tale type that would make a fun action adventure movie.

New Release: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

(US/UK Links)
Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge is released today in both the US and UK. See Crimson Bound (UK Link). This one retells Little Red Riding Hood.

This book is the sequel to Cruel Beauty. My niece Leighton read Cruel Beauty last year and really liked it. This new book is delivering to her Kindle today as her new title pick for this month. I preordered it months ago when she kept asking for the sequel.

Book description:

An exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, from the author of Cruel Beauty.

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless—straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in a vain effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her hunt for the legendary sword that might save their world. Together, they navigate the opulent world of the courtly elite, where beauty and power reign and no one can be trusted. And as the two become unexpected allies, they discover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic . . . and a love that may be their undoing. Within a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

AT 506 The Rescued Princess: A Grateful Dead Tale Type

It's time to return to some more discussion of the tale types found in The Grateful Dead Tales From Around the World (SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series). Last week was more than a little hectic and I lost momentum in my blog posts, so let's see if I can some back.

Today's tale type--AT 506--is now one of the subsets of ATU 505. (Need a refresher? Go to Grateful Dead Motifs and Tale Types.) This is one of the less complicated Grateful Dead tale types and therefore often shorter in length than some of the other tale types, which is most likely one of the reasons it was folded into ATU 505 although there are plenty of examples of AT 506 for it to have warranted the separate designation Thompson gave it. In the days to come, I will be sharing examples of AT 506 in greater detail, but for today, I will give this brief description:

AT 506 The Rescued Princess, now folded into ATU 505, begins with the standard burial of an indebted dead man with the hero’s last resources. Soon a companion, the grateful dead man disguised, joins the hero on his journey. Along the way, the hero rescues a princess from slavery or robbers and is either married or betrothed to her. As they are returning to her father’s lands, the hero is thrown overboard by the rival for the princess’s hand and is presumed dead by all. The grateful dead man rescues the hero and helps him return to the princess’s kingdom where he is welcomed usually through some sort of recognition requirement, either with an object or a story. He is married to the princess, the rival is punished, and the hero gains the princess and her kingdom. After a period of time, the grateful dead man returns and demands his half of the hero’s increase including the princess and any offspring. The hero begs to keep his wife and children in exchange for the entire kingdom but finally agrees to the terms of their agreement. Then the grateful dead man relents and reveals all, giving everything to the hero as his final reward.

Several AT 506 tales are offered in the The Grateful Dead Tales From Around the World (SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series). A fine example to also read online can be found in Fair Brow, an Italian tale presented by Thomas Crane in his Italian Popular Tales.

New Release: A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas

(US/UK Links)
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas is released this week in both the US and UK, see A Court of Thorns and Roses: UK Link. This is the first book in a new series by Maas and draws from Tam Lin folklore, which tends to be a fan favorite for many. Tam Lin, and this retelling, have Beauty and the Beast influences, too, so if that is your catnip, now you know of another book to add to your list!

Book description:

When nineteen-year-old huntress Feyre kills a wolf in the woods, a beast-like creature arrives to demand retribution for it. Dragged to a treacherous magical land she only knows about from legends, Feyre discovers that her captor is not an animal, but Tamlin-one of the lethal, immortal faeries who once ruled their world.

As she dwells on his estate, her feelings for Tamlin transform from icy hostility into a fiery passion that burns through every lie and warning she's been told about the beautiful, dangerous world of the Fae. But an ancient, wicked shadow over the faerie lands is growing, and Feyre must find a way to stop it . . . or doom Tamlin-and his world-forever.

Perfect for fans of Kristen Cashore and George R. R. Martin, this first book in a sexy and action-packed new series is impossible to put down!

Last Day: Twelve Dancing Princesses Tales From Around the World for 99 Cents

Today is the last day, Twelve Dancing Princesses Tales From Around the World is on sale in ebook format for $.99. It is usually $4.99.

Book Description:

The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a fairy tale known under several names such as "The Dancing Shoes," "The Worn-out Shoes," and "The Shoes that Were Danced to Pieces." The best known version of the tale comes from the Brothers Grimm and yet the tale remains relatively obscure in comparison to tales such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel. However, it has been a popular favorite with fairy tale readers for decades, appearing in countless collections of tales, but rarely studied. In recent years, many books and even a toy collection, a movie and a musical have used the story as inspiration. This collection offers over twenty variants of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, some that are new English translations.

In addition, several Grateful Dead tales and Greek myths are presented as interesting comparisons to the tale. Sometimes the princesses journey to a version of hell, at other times they visit a version of heaven. Many of the stories are obviously related to each other and at times the relationship is tenuous. Some additional stories with similar motifs or elements are also included, illustrating that the elements of this tale are not as obscure as they first appear.

In the over fifty tales collected here, strange journeys are made, secrets are revealed, and curses are broken. Most-but not all-of the heroes and heroines live happily ever after. Either way, the journeys and the mysteries they solve provide fascinating visits to other realms. Whether you are a student of folklore or an armchair enthusiast, this anthology offers a diverse array of tales with a unifying theme that both entertains and educates, all gathered for the first time in one helpful collection.

Bargain Ebook: Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe Book 1) by Rosamund Hodge for $1.99

 
Cruel Beauty (Cruel Beauty Universe Book 1) by Rosamund Hodge is on sale in ebook format for $1.99 this month in the Monthly Deals: Kindle Books for $3.99 or Less.

The sale price is thanks to the May 5th release of Crimson Bound. This is the fairy tale book my niece has requested this month since she enjoyed Cruel Beauty.

Book description:

The romance of Beauty and the Beast meets the adventure of Graceling in a dazzling fantasy novel about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny. For fans of bestselling authors Kristin Cashore and Alex Flinn, this gorgeously written debut infuses the classic fairy tale with glittering magic, a feisty heroine, and a romance sure to take your breath away.

Betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom, Nyx has always known that her fate was to marry him, kill him, and free her people from his tyranny. But on her seventeenth birthday when she moves into his castle high on the kingdom's mountaintop, nothing is what she expected—particularly her charming and beguiling new husband. Nyx knows she must save her homeland at all costs, yet she can't resist the pull of her sworn enemy—who's gotten in her way by stealing her heart.

New Release: Tyme #1: Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison

(US/UK Links)
Tyme #1: Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel by Megan Morrison is released this week in both the US and UK. See Tyme #1: Grounded: The Adventures of Rapunzel (UK Link). It is obviously Rapunzel inspired but there's some Jack and the Beanstalk thrown in, too.

Book description:

In all of Tyme, from the Redlands to the Grey, no one is as lucky as Rapunzel. She lives in a magic tower that obeys her every wish; she reads wonderful books starring herself as the heroine; her hair is the longest, most glorious thing in the world. And she knows this because Witch tells her so---her beloved Witch, who protects her from evil princes, the dangerous ground under the tower, even unhappy thoughts. Rapunzel can't imagine any other life.

Then a thief named Jack climbs into her room to steal one of her enchanted roses. He's the first person Rapunzel's ever met who isn't completely charmed by her (well, the first person she's met at all, really), and he is infuriating-- especially when he hints that Witch isn't telling her the whole truth. Driven by anger at Jack and her own nameless fears, Rapunzel descends to the ground for the first time, and finds a world filled with more peril than Witch promised ... and more beauty, wonder, and adventure than she could have dreamed.

ATU 507 The Monster’s Bride: A Grateful Dead Tale Type

The Grateful Dead Tales From Around the World (SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series) is available for ordering and immediate shipping!

Last week I shared Grateful Dead Motifs and Tale Types and today I am going to discuss the ATU 507 tale type. While many people would assume that a tale with a Grateful Dead type would be scary and bloodthirsty, overall that is not true. Except for when one is discussing The Monster's Bride tales. These tales are the ones that started me on this years long journey of Grateful Dead discovery, for the tale type shares qualities also with The Twelve Dancing Princesses. Which is why Twelve Dancing Princesses Tales From Around the World is on sale this week for a dollar, down from its usual $4.99 in ebook format.

As you'll see below in the excerpt from my introduction, this tale type contains what is essentially a possessed, evil princess who causes the death of her bridegrooms on their wedding night. They die very badly but each man is willing to take the risk to gain her as a wife and her kingdom. It doesn't go well for any of them until our hero gains advice from a Grateful Dead traveling companion on how to survive the night. This is the one Grateful Dead tale type that would make a fine basis for a horror movie, for it includes a battle of good versus evil, and often an evil sorcerer, man-eating basilisks or dragons, and other horrors.

ATU 507 The Monster’s Bride tales begin like the standard ATU 505 tales with a young traveler providing a funeral for a stranger by paying for the corpse’s debts and/or funeral, often using his last resources to do so. Soon afterwards he is joined during his travels by a companion who helps him. They agree to divide all of their increases equally at the end of a period of time. At this point, the tale type diverges into two different main parts that were previously divided into AT 507A, AT 507B, and AT 507C.

In the first version, formerly AT 507A The Monster’s Bride, the dead man helps the hero aquire magic objects along their journey, usually from three giants. The hero then passes tests set forth by the princess to win her hand, although she is infatuated with a monster, usually an evil magician, ogre, or devil. The grateful dead man succeeds in killing the monster that controls the princess and purges the power that still ensorcels her with either a beating, burning, bathing or combination of these of either the evil magician or the princess herself.

In the second version, formerly AT 507B and AT 507C, all of the princess’s previous bridegrooms have perished during their wedding night. The grateful dead man counsels the hero to marry her anyway. During the wedding night, a serpent or dragon enters the bridal chamber to kill the hero. In some variants (AT 507C), the serpent actually emerges from the princess’s mouth. The grateful dead man enters their chamber and kills the serpent. Often he cuts the princess in two to remove the serpent or its enchantment upon her, thus saving her life, too, for she is resurrected from this violence.

These ATU 507 tales often include a division of spoils up to the physical dividing of the princess to test the hero’s honor. The hero begs for the lives of his wife and his children, if there has been issue from his marriage, offering all of his riches to the companion in exchange for their lives. Once he passes the test by showing his willingness to equally divide all of his gains, albeit very reluctantly, the grateful dead man reveals himself and gives all to the hero.

Most readers may be reminded of the judgement of Solomon to divide a person to solve a legal matter, but the hero’s challenge has arguably a stronger relationship to a different Bible story, that of Abraham’s near sacrifice of his son Isaac. Abraham is led to the brink of sacrificing his son to test his commitment, a test he passes after which his son is spared. An interesting discussion of the similarities between these stories can be found in William Hansen’s article, “Abraham and the Grateful Dead Man.” [Found in Folklore Interpreted: Essays in Honor of Alan Dundes]

Also, for readers interested in other popular tale types, primarily ATU 507, as well as some variants of ATU 505, are closely related to ATU 306 The Danced-out Shoes, more familiarly known as The Twelve Dancing Princesses. A previous SurLaLune anthology—Twelve Dancing Princesses Tales From Around the World (2011)—offered several ATU 507 tales closely related to ATU 306 that also appear in the present collection. Please consult the earlier book for further discussion of ATU 306 tales.

An example of ATU 507 can be read online on D. L. Ashliman's site at Sila Tsarevich and Ivashka with the White Smock. As you can guess from the title, the tale is from Russia.

Bargain Ebook: Twelve Dancing Princesses Tales From Around the World for $.99

For one week only, Twelve Dancing Princesses Tales From Around the World is on sale in ebook format for $.99. It is usually $4.99. This is the book that started me on my journey to The Grateful Dead Tales From Around the World (SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series) for it, too, contains some stories with Grateful Dead motifs. I will be discussing that a little later today as I continue my posts about The Grateful Dead Tales From Around the World (SurLaLune Fairy Tale Series).

Book Description:

The Twelve Dancing Princesses is a fairy tale known under several names such as "The Dancing Shoes," "The Worn-out Shoes," and "The Shoes that Were Danced to Pieces." The best known version of the tale comes from the Brothers Grimm and yet the tale remains relatively obscure in comparison to tales such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel. However, it has been a popular favorite with fairy tale readers for decades, appearing in countless collections of tales, but rarely studied. In recent years, many books and even a toy collection, a movie and a musical have used the story as inspiration. This collection offers over twenty variants of The Twelve Dancing Princesses, some that are new English translations.

In addition, several Grateful Dead tales and Greek myths are presented as interesting comparisons to the tale. Sometimes the princesses journey to a version of hell, at other times they visit a version of heaven. Many of the stories are obviously related to each other and at times the relationship is tenuous. Some additional stories with similar motifs or elements are also included, illustrating that the elements of this tale are not as obscure as they first appear.

In the over fifty tales collected here, strange journeys are made, secrets are revealed, and curses are broken. Most-but not all-of the heroes and heroines live happily ever after. Either way, the journeys and the mysteries they solve provide fascinating visits to other realms. Whether you are a student of folklore or an armchair enthusiast, this anthology offers a diverse array of tales with a unifying theme that both entertains and educates, all gathered for the first time in one helpful collection.

New Release: The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey

(US/UK Links)
The Girl at Midnight by Melissa Grey is released this week in both the US and UK (see The Girl at Midnight: UK Link). This one is more unusual, drawing inspiration from tales of the Firebird. I really like the US cover this time.

Book description:

Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, but if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.