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adarkrainbow · 1 year

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Fairytale talk: A brief history of fairytales

Fairytales have a very old and rich history, some being as old as humanity itself (well, I'm exaggerating, but since they are oral stories inspired by myths and legends they are fairly old).

However, we can pinpoint a precise point at which a "fairy tale" or "fairytale" became a true literary genre.

Italy, 16th century. The birth of the genre of fairytales.

With one work: Le Piacevoli Notti. The Facetious Nights, by Giovanni Francesco Straparolla. The grandfather of all fairytales. Published between 1550 and 1553, this book is a collection of what would later be known as "fairytales" inspired by the extremely famous Italian novel the "Decameron".

The Decameron, by Boccace, is a collection of short stories framed by one overall narrative: a group of ten young people leave a plague-infested Florence to rest in the beautiful countryside. During their stay, they invent a game. Each day, someone will decide a theme and the others will have to tell a tale based on the choice. As a result, for ten days, the ten young men and women each tell a tale. 10 X 10 = a hundred tales in total. The Decameron is not a fairytale book: the stories in it are mostly centered around women, love and sex, ranging from epic, beautiful, poetic romances, to funny, grotesque, lustful stories, all in a realistic and not at all magical context. But this book (dating from 1349/1353) became a classic of Italian medieval literature, and had a HUGE cultural impact on the following literary works, such as The Facetious Nights.

The Facetious Nights work in a similar way to the Decameron: a group of young, wealthy people reunite in a palace near Venice. Each night, names are chosen among their company and they have to tell stories. Each "night" opens with a madrigal and ends with an enigma, the stories told in between. Here, the stories clearly take a more magical, folkloric and "fairy" identity. While there are 74 stories or "fables" in total in the book, not all are actually fairytales - there is also a lot of erotic/grotesque stories. In fact, some people tend to reduce the list of "fairytales" in the book to 22 tales.

Another major fairytale work of Italy is the Pentamerone, that some known better under the title of "Tale of Tales".

Published between 1634 and 1636 by Giambattista Basile, inspired by both the Decamerone and the Facetious Nights, the Pentamerone is a collection of 49 fairytales. Just like in the previous works, these tales are linked together by an over-arching narrative, except here the "tale of tales" in question is one of the fairytales too. And once again, the fairytales are divided into five "days" - each split into ten parts (the narrative tale being the 50th fairytale).

While Italy was the beginning of fairytales, the landmark, the grandfather, the genre only popularized itself thanks to FRANCE! Glorious France!

France is the next step of the history of fairytales. In the 17th century, fairytales became THE literary fashion in France. No need to tell you that, at the time, literary circles and literary clubs were a hobby and passion of the wealthy, noble and powerful, far away from the peasants. As a result, the French fairytales became the toys of dukes, countesses and princes. It was at the time the "preciosity" movement, a literary and cultural moment which demanded delicate, refined, intellectual, beautiful, poetic things. And so were the fairytales: fairytales were beautiful, refined, intellectual stories supposed to entertain nobles and royalty. This is why some fairytales were told in verse, like a poem, and why many had a "moral" at the end, to imitate the genre of fables. There were numerous female authors who tried themselves at the making of fairytales, like L'Héritier de Villandon or Madame d'Aulnoy. But THE most remembered and famous French fairytale author was a man. Charles Perrault, and his "Contes de ma Mère l'Oye" (Tales of Mother Goose). This collection of eight fairytales was a tremendous literary success which deeply marked French culture - today, Charles Perrault is better remembered in France than the Brothers Grimm.

The popularity of fairytales lasted in France to the 18th century. Three main events can be noted in this century: the French "translation" and publication of the Arabian Nights, or One Hundred and One Nights, which made Europe discover the genre of the "Arabian fairytale" ; the publication of "Beauty and the Beast" (first by Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve, then by Marie Le prince de Beaumont) ; and finally the publication of "Le Cabinet des Fées", a collection of fairytales spread over 41 volumes, and which collects as much the French fairytales written in the previous centuries, and "Arabian fairytales", exotic tales from Arabia, Turkey, India, China...

While France popularized the genre of fairytales, it would be Germany tht would immortalize it, thanks to the Brothers Grimm.

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm decided to collect in one book all of the legends, folkloric tales and fairytales of Germany. This resulted in the "Kinder und Haüsmarchen", Children's and Household Tales. First published in 1812, their book was criticized for not being "kid-friendly" enough and thus they published a revised, "censored" version in 1815 - this is the one most people know of. Several other editions were made, up to 1850, and with each edition they added new tales : where the first edition had 86 tales, the final edition of the Grimm book had 200 fairytales (without counting the appendix). They also were the ones who popularized the German word "Märchen" for fairytales (in French we call them "contes de fée" ou "contes merveilleux". In Italian... I do not know)

The 19th century was also the century of the British Isles in term of farytales. Two names can be remembered.

The first is Andrew Lang, a Scottish poet, writer and critic, who spent a huge part of his career collecting fairytales. After translating Perrault's fairytales, he decided to start his collection called "The Fairy Books". In 1889 was published The Blue Fairy book, a first collection of fairytales, followed by The Red Fairybook in 1890, and so forth. In totel there were twelve Fairybooks, each of a different color, the series ending in 1910 with The Lilac Fairy Book.

The second name is Joseph Jacobs, an English historian who actually published between 1890 and 1910 a series of books collecting fairytales, nursery rhymes, ballads and other little magical stories, inspired by the work of the Brothers Grimm. His six books had their own big impact on fairytales (for example he was the one who popularized the Three Little Pigs fairytale): English Fairy Tales ; More English Fairy Tales ; Celtic Fairy Tales ; More Celtic Fairytales ; Indian Fairytales ; and European Folk and Fairy Tales.

The 19th century also had other folklorists, inspired by the Brothers Grimm, collecting fairytales in their own countries, though they are not well known in the Western World, such as Alexander Afanasyev who is considered the Russian equivalent of the Brothers Grimm, Petre Ispirescu, who collected Romanian fairytales, or even Yei Theodora Ozaki who collected Japanese fairytales in his "Japanese Fairy Book" (though this one is not in the 19th century, since the book was published in the 1900s).

And precisely, the 20st century was the start of a new trend: the creation of fairytales.

Famous authors decided to write their own fairytales, "artifical" fairytales that nonetheless became as iconic and well-known ass the regular fairytales. Agai, here I can mention two names. Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish author behind tales such as "The Little Mermaid", "The Snow Queen", "Thumbelina" ; and George MacDonald, the Scottish creator of tales like "The Light Princess", "The Lost Princess" or "The Wise Woman".

#fairytale talk #fairytales history #french fairytales #italian fairytales #german fairytales #english fairytales

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pandoraimperatrix · 4 years

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Two Names For Change

Gotham | BatCat | Four Names ‘Verse | Two Shots | Read on AO3

Summary: First he was threatening her all the time with a proposal and now she actually wants one he seems to forget he ever wanted to marry her in the first place. People say that women are hard to understand. They never dated Bruce Wayne.

This is an introductory piece for the actual sequel. The sequel will tell Jason’s story so you can expect angst, this introductory piece however will be pure sugar sprinkled candyfloss cavity inducing fluff.

It got too big so I had to break it in two parts which was nice since I used it to expose myself as a Fairy Tale nerd. Thanks to my mutuals on Twitter for the incentive and Lily for helping me with the title.

Enjoy.

Two Names For Change

Part I – Restoration

"When they found that she was a Princess born, there was another burst of joy, which was almost the death of them; but when she told them the names of the King and Queen, her father and mother, they recognised them as the sovereigns whose dominions they had conquered. They imparted this fact to Finette, and she immediately vowed she would not consent to marry the Prince until they had restored the estates of her father. They promised to do so, for they had upwards of a hundred kingdoms, and one more or less was not worth talking about."

- Finette Cendron by the Countess d'Aulnoy

Selina fell next to Bruce, her heart still racing, she was panting hard. She smiled when she felt Bruce taking her hand and raising their arms over them, the blue glow of the monstrosity that Dick insisted in calling the “Batcomputer” being the only source of light in the room bouncing on their sweaty skin as their fingers laced together.

“You drained me, Cat.”

She let out a throaty laugh.

“You are tired? I did all the work myself.”

“In my defence, you do it so well, can you blame for liking to just lie down and watch?”

She snorted.

“You are such a pillow princess.” Saying that she slipped her hand from his and stood up. Bruce watched with longing and affection as she tried to make sense of the mess her hair had become, her naked form looking surreal under the penumbra of the cave.

“Let’s go to bed. The sun will rise soon.”

She turned back to him, her expression bashful.

“Sorry, B. I have to go home.”

Bruce’s soft smile fell, his jaw tense. Selina winced.

In a quick powerful motion he stood up, pulling his hair up nervously.

“I don’t get why we’re still doing this. You and Helena are here all the time.”

Guilt left Selina’s face and was substituted by annoyance.

“I already told you. I like having my own place.”

“I’m not talking about giving up your flat completely, but it’s stupid that you keep insisting in pretend that you still live there when you’re here all the time. It’s selfish. Helena doesn’t deserve to be keep being dragged from home to home.”

“Fine. She won’t. Because for now on I’ll keep that in mind and remember where we actually live.”

And she turned to leave, when she felt Bruce hug her from behind.

“No, no, no. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” His voice muffled by her hair. “I know what having your own place means to you.” Selina relaxed under him. “And it was wrong to bring Helena up, even though I stand by what I said regarding to her.” Bruce couldn’t see, but Selina bit her lip to control the pang of guilt. “I just hate that we’re not living together.”

Selina sighed and turned in his arms, Bruce’s hands left Selina’s waist and went to her face, holding her curls in place tenderly.

“I know… I’m sorry too. But as you said, I, we are here all the time.”

“It’s not the same.”

“Bruce…”

“Please? Just consider. You don’t have to say yes…” His serious demeanour cracked. “Now.”

She slapped him weakly on the chest.

“You are so full of yourself.”

“I could say the same.”

Selina’s chin fell and she closed her eyes in outrage.

“Oh my god, Bruce! Gross!”

“And yet true.” He mocked.

He could see she was having trouble trying to control the urge to laugh, her lips twitching despite her whole disgusted performance.

“That’s it. I’m leaving,” she said as they picked the parts of their scattered suits from the ground “I’m gone.” She turned back dramatically from the stairs. “And I’ll never come back!”

“Don’t forget to bring the things Dick needs for his school project when you come to dinner.”

“Shit, yes, I forgot. Thank you.” A few moments after she was back, but sadly not naked anymore. She eyed Bruce who was sitting on his ridiculously enormous chair, dressed in sweatpants, mug of espresso steaming in one hand as he worked at the computer.

“Didn’t you say you were going to sleep?” She raid running her fingers through his moist hair.

“Didn’t you say you were going home?”

“Your shower is better than mine.” She bended over to kiss him scrunching her nose at the bitter taste of coffee. “Text me later to remind me of Dick’s stuff? What is he doing again?”

“Some flying machine I think. He won’t let me help him. Hardhead.”

“Yeah, I know someone like that. But will you?”

“I’ll do better than that, I’ll text Helena.”

Selina smiled and then kissed him again. This time lasting longer, Bruce put the mug on the table so he could touch Selina, wishing they were back on the floor, with her feverish and wanton all around him.

She purred softly as they parted.

“See you later.” She whispered.

“Cat. Promise me you’ll think about it?”

Selina sighed but nodded before leaving, this time for good.

Bruce used the rearview to spy on his kids. Helena was drooling on her hand, her head on Dick’s lap, her legs folded against her body, very uncomfortable sharing the back sit with Dick who was also asleep and Bruce could hear the hum of the earbud that had fallen one of his ears but was still hanging on one of his knotted curls. The boy was in need of a haircut. They were coming back from a weekend in Metropolis, Bruce was investigating Superman and when the kids learnt that the was going to the city they used all sorts of blackmail and schemes to go with him, in the end it became a whole family trip. He eyes then, Selina, she was looking through the pictures they took on her phone.

“I talked to Lucius about the proceedings to recognize Helena as my daughter.”

“Hmm… And you didn’t think about talking to me about it?”

“I’m doing it now.” He sighed. “I don’t want us to fight about it. I just want to give Helena what is rightful hers, including the Wayne legacy and name.”

“I know… I know… It’s just…”She hugged herself. “I was so afraid someone would take her away from me if I told them she was yours too.”

“I understand, but things are different now. We are different.” He diverted his eyes from the road to Selina, picking her hand and lacing their fingers together, she rolled her eyes, but there was unable to stop her own fond smile.

“We’ll need to talk to her.” She turned briefly to the kids. “I’m not specially attached to my last name, if she wants to ditch it for yours I won’t mind.”

He let the words sit for a while before continuing.

“About that…” His voice an octave higher from his faux absent-mindness.

“Too soon.” She said dryly.

The car shook when he suddenly pushed the brakes the kids didn’t wake but mumbled annoyed.

“Meaning that eventually will be the right time?”

She bit back a smile at his excitement.

“I guess? I don’t know why you make such a huge deal out of this.”

“Because I love you, that’s why.”

She looked away shaking her head.

“You are so cheesy.” Her smitten tone brought a pleased smile to Bruce’s face that broadened after her thumb started rubbing his hand absently.

Two years later, Selina had been sending signs that she was ready for what she feels like ages but nothing happens. And Bruce being Bruce she can never pinpoint when he actually is trying to create proposal settings to troll her or just being his usual sappy self. But after a while when a walk on the beach by the sunset when they took a trip so San Francisco for Dick’s fourteenth birthday was just a plot to convince her do it on the sand – and she found sand in weird places for weeks. All dinner dates in fancy restaurants were only PR appearances. And all special homemade desserts just because he liked to cook to her, it started becoming ridiculous.

She was ranting about that as she folded laundry and drank wine. Barbara was just drinking the wine. Heaven forbid her royal Kareness to help do any housework.

“But have you told him you want to tie the knot? I actually don’t know why the wait, how long have you been together since he came back? Four years?”

“Three. And no, but wouldn’t that be like proposing to him?”

“Well, kinda. I didn’t think you from all people would care about that.”

“It’s not like that. I don’t care about tradition, and shit. But have you any idea of how full of himself he’ll be if I’m the one to propose? I can see his already giant head inflating and flying him to space.”

Barbara laughed.

“Sorry, kiddo. I don’t know how to help you. Nobody proposed to me either.”

“Really? I thought Gordon did, back in the day.”

“He did. Sort of. We talked about it. Even thought all the shit that happen later I’m glad we never got to do the white picket fence, 2.5 kid scenario. That was no life for me. And as much as I’m grateful for how good he is to Babs, I couldn’t take five minutes of Lee’s life.” She shivered. Selina snorted.

“Would you have married Tabby? If you could back then?”

“I don’t know.” She chuckled. “Do you think she would’ve married me?”

“Oh man, imagine how extra that would have been. All rogues in one single place. I’d be the maid of honour, of course. Ivy providing de the décor with some poisoned flowers, Oswald throwing a fit because you were getting more attention than him. Do you think anyone has a minister’s licence?”

“I did something like that to punish Jim. Wore a dress and all” she snorted “I was one crazy bitch back them. Tabby helped.”

“Geez. I don’t even get to imagine a fucked up scenario because reality in this city is crazier.”

“We were so much worse before Tabby took you in. I sometimes wonder if you were what grounded us a little.”

“Really? Because you were such a bitch to me when I went to live with you guys. I used to miss vanilla straight Barbara a lot.”

“Oh honey, I’m sorry. I was jealous.”

“Of what?”

“Tabby. She gave up on me and took you as her new little project.” Barbara rolled her eyes dramatically. “And there was Butch.” She groaned.

“Now I’m very happy that I didn’t have the same destiny as him.”

“Oh kitty-cat, I was jealous but I loved you. I always did. I might even have been jealous of you too. You were my little project first.”

Two weeks and a family picnic on the Wayne state organized by Alfred, regular post-coitus moon bathing on the roofs and a very interesting day on a boat only the two of them after, nothing changed, except that Holly was home and spread on the carpet with Selina. Her head on the lap of her surrogate mother as Selina played lazily with the strands of hair that were dyed in a fading blue. The girls were in Helena’s room playing videogames. And Barbara was coming from a kitchen a batch of something supposedly drinkable on a tray.

Selina wrinkled her nose.

“What is that?”

“My favourite, alcohol.”

“No thanks.”

“Why not? What’s the point of girl’s night without getting wasted?”

“My stomach is hurting. Bruce took me to that new Indian restaurant three days ago. I’m too white for that.”

“Really? Because I’m pretty sure I have seen you eat rock.”

Holly snorted, Selina pulled her hair not hard enough to hurt enough to send a message.

“Ouch, Selina!”

“I’m getting old, I don’t know Barbara, if I wanted a doctor I’d have called Lee.”

They continued their chatting though the night, Holly telling them all about college drama and they trash talked their mutual friends until they all fell asleep. Selina woke up feeling horrible. Everything was dark. Even Helena’s room was silent. She pushed Barbara’s legs off her lap and got up from the sofa, dragging her wobbling legs to the kitchenette. She barely made to the sink before empting her stomach.

Shit.

She jumped when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Fuck, Barbara! Don’t do that!”

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” She said is a shaky voice, wiping her mouth. “Maybe I should see a doctor.”

Barbara looked at her with one eyebrow arched and folded arms.

“What?”

“Nothing. I’m just having a déjà vu now.”

Selina widened her eyes in horror.

“No…”

“You said that too back then.”

“Fuuuuuck.”

The wave of nausea hit again, but now there was just bile. She was still hiccupping when Barbara made her sit down.

“Is it possible?”

Selina just glared at her.

“Very possible, then.”

“I mean. We use protection, mostly. You know I can’t take the pill. But I had my period.”

“Did you?”

“Yes!”

“Did you?”

Selina shut up for a second counting and then she covered her face in realization.

Barbara laughed and walked across Selina returning to the living room. She shook Holly awake.

“Wake up Holly, dear. We have a baby shower to plan.”

Pleeeeeease reblog my work if you liked it. It really helps me out. Thank you.

#batcat #bruce wayne #Selina Kyle #gotham #helena wayne #Four Names for Love #two names for change

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