2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/ Lussumo Vanilla & Feed Publisher http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221067#Comment_221067 2010-02-22T13:10:41-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 RobSpalding http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=647

I'm currently planning something that will use fairy tales and folk tales. But rather than specific stories I want to play with the easily recognised type characters and situations. Being a board ...

But rather than specific stories I want to play with the easily recognised type characters and situations.
Being a board of widely read people I thought a good few of you would be interested in these topics.

Below are the characters and situations I've thought of that are most common / most recognisable. But I'm interested to hear from anyone who thinks I've missed one or many off my list.

3 sisters/women/witches
Evil step-mother
Trapped Princess
Troll under bridge / monster on outskirts of town
Youngest / least regarded son saves the day
Object to be obtained on top of mountain
Woman who lives alone is evil / good witch
A tricky oath that can be out-thought
A simple request that turns out to be far more than expected
True love proved by an act of trust / faith

And if anyone has a good local folk-tale that doesn't fit any of these, I'd love to hear it.]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221070#Comment_221070 2010-02-22T13:20:29-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 chenryhen http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=3517

It's less broad, but I think more than one fairy tale uses this idea: X brothers/companions, each of whom has a singular talent that comes into play at some point during a quest

X brothers/companions, each of whom has a singular talent that comes into play at some point during a quest]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221076#Comment_221076 2010-02-22T14:27:03-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 RenThing http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=155

Kidnapping of various flavors A tricky oath that is used to catch someone in a round-about fashion A wish that backfires horribly, often to teach a lesson (where two people get wishes but one ...

A tricky oath that is used to catch someone in a round-about fashion
A wish that backfires horribly, often to teach a lesson (where two people get wishes but one person is punished by having their wish turn against them because they wished for something selfishly, while the other person asks for something unselfishly and is blessed)
Fairy godmother
Wise, elderly person
Maligned servant who is taken care of in the end
Stalwart hero]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221078#Comment_221078 2010-02-22T14:36:00-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 adrian r http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=619

Vladimir Propp's work is worth looking at. He examined tons of Russian folk stories and distilled them into the following sequence. One story won't necessarily use all of them, but this is the ...

1: Absention. One member of the family absents himself or herself.
2: Interdiction. An interdiction is addressed to the hero – a command, request, suggestion, etc.
3: Violation. The interdiction is violated. At this point, the villain enters the story.
4: Reconnaissance. The villain attempts to gain information.
5: Delivery. The villain receives information about the hero or victim.
6: Trickery. The villain attempts to deceive his victim.
7: Complicity. The victim submits to this deception.
8: a) Villainy. The villain causes harm or injury to a member of the family. This function is exceptionally important, since by means of it the actual movement of the story is created.
b) Lack. Some tales may initiate complication through lack or insufficiency rather than villainy. The family may desire something or lack something.
9: Mediation. Misfortune or luck is made known; the hero is approached, requested, or commanded. S/he is allowed to go or dispatched.
10: Counteraction. The hero agrees to take action to counter the misfortune or lack.
11: Departure. The hero leaves home.
12: First Donor Function. The hero is tested, interrogated, attacked, which prepares for his or her receipt of a magical agent or helper from a donor.
13: Hero’s Reaction. The hero reacts to the actions of the future donor.
14: Receipt of Agent. Hero acquires use of magical agent or helper.
15: Guidance. Hero is led or guided to the object of search.
16: Struggle. Villain and hero engage in direct combat.
17: Marking. The hero is branded or marked.
18: Victory. The villain is defeated.
19: Liquidation. The misfortune or lack is now liquidated.
20: Return. The hero returns.
21: Pursuit. The hero is pursued.
22: Rescue. The hero is rescued from pursuit. Many narratives end here, or preceding elements of the narrative may be repeated.
23: Unrecognised Arrival. Hero arrives, unrecognised, home or elsewhere.
24: Unfounded Claims. A false hero presents unfounded claims.
25: Difficult Task. A difficult task presented to the hero.
26: Solution. Task solved.
27: Recognition. Hero is recognised.
28: Exposure. False hero or villain is exposed.
29: Transfiguration. Hero given new appearance.
30: Punishment. Villain is punished.
31: Wedding. Hero is married and/or ascends the throne.

Characters that perform a function:

The Hero – a character that seeks something.
The Villain – who opposes or actively blocks the hero’s quest.
The Donor – who provides an object with magical properties.
The Dispatcher – who sends the hero on a quest via a message.
The False Hero – who disrupts the hero’s success by making a false claim.
The Helper – who aids the hero.
The Princess – acts as the reward for the hero and the object of the villain’s plots.
Her Father – who acts to reward the hero for his effort.

www.youdothatvoodoo.com -- chock full of storytelling goodness]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221082#Comment_221082 2010-02-22T14:52:43-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Fan http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=6919

Apparently there's a Aarne-Thompson classification system wihch categorizes 2500 plots.

Aarne-Thompson classification system wihch categorizes 2500 plots.]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221083#Comment_221083 2010-02-22T14:53:48-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 RobSpalding http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=647

I can't believe I forgot Fairy Godmother!

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221095#Comment_221095 2010-02-22T16:03:27-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 dorkmuffin http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=6719

Popular variant on the "questing to find x y or z" type of theme, someone is deathly ill and only a magic thinguhmuhhoozer from very far away can save them.

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221100#Comment_221100 2010-02-22T16:46:19-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 RenThing http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=155

@RobSpalding It's ok, I got your back. *grin* But yeah, I can't believe you forgot the fairy godmother either. @dorkmuffin "thinguhmuhhoozer" otherwise known as a McGuffin?

It's ok, I got your back. *grin* But yeah, I can't believe you forgot the fairy godmother either.

@dorkmuffin

"thinguhmuhhoozer" otherwise known as a McGuffin?]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=221105#Comment_221105 2010-02-22T17:08:50-08:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 roque http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=482

Innocent, beautiful young person who has been transformed into an animal, monster, or crone/geezer. Cause is usually either a maleficent sorcerer/ess, or some transgression committed by the victim. ...

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=233127#Comment_233127 2010-04-22T12:50:14-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 jonni http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=6097

Though it's really to do with mythology The Hero With A Thousand Faces is basically a book about this, and about how so many myths use the same very important tropes, I'm sure a lot of it would cross ...

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=233141#Comment_233141 2010-04-22T13:48:17-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Brandon Seifert http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=333

The TVTropes.org list of fairy tale tropes. @RobSpalding — Fairy Godmothers weren't actually common in fairytales — they just happen to be featured in a couple of stories that got really ...

The TVTropes.org list of fairy tale tropes.

@RobSpalding — Fairy Godmothers weren't actually common in fairytales — they just happen to be featured in a couple of stories that got really prominent.]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=233150#Comment_233150 2010-04-22T15:07:29-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Cassandra http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=3993

Angela Carter's Book of Fairy Tales is worth looking at for a different twist on Propp - she has collected fairy tales from around the world with something of a female slant. The Innuit ones are ...

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=300280#Comment_300280 2011-07-03T12:22:54-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 BettyBoolean http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=8924

I read somewhere a theory that a lot of fairy tales were the old pagan gods and goddess stories preserved in oral tradition like sleeping beauty was originally Persephone and so on

like sleeping beauty was originally Persephone and so on]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=300453#Comment_300453 2011-07-04T18:54:09-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Emperor http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=1503

One of the most useful references for this that I have is Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, perhaps best ordered from your library but if you keep an eye out ...

Funk & Wagnalls Standard Dictionary of Folklore, Mythology, and Legend, perhaps best ordered from your library but if you keep an eye out you can still snag a copy pretty cheaply.]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=300483#Comment_300483 2011-07-04T23:42:01-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 imaginarypeople http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=7661

even cinderella echos jesus from the bible. man/woman of perfect heart living in guise of poverty, has to be accepted in lowly state.

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=300495#Comment_300495 2011-07-05T01:30:08-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Ben Klumaster http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=2723

Except Cinderella didn't wander around giving lessons to people, and Jesus didn't live happily ever after?

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=300497#Comment_300497 2011-07-05T02:03:45-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Horrible Warning Si http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=1223

Yeah, but it's a Known True Fact that our Lord And Redeemer had tiny tiny girly feet, and liked to wear diamond slippers.

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=300504#Comment_300504 2011-07-05T02:50:57-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 BettyBoolean http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=8924

Warren wears diamond slippers?

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=300548#Comment_300548 2011-07-05T07:44:44-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Ben Johnson http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=4951

One of the weirdest folktales I've ever encountered, with lots of variants across different cultures: The Girl Without Hands

The Girl Without Hands]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=301086#Comment_301086 2011-07-08T11:24:15-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 roadscum http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=7712

Hmmm... so i clicks on Mr Johnson's link and has a look at the Wikipedia article on 'The Girl Without Hands'. There's a link to the story of 'The Nixie of the Millpond'. I spend a while reading about ...

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=301098#Comment_301098 2011-07-08T11:56:24-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 diello http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=3575

Single-parent household.

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=301130#Comment_301130 2011-07-08T17:01:15-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 PatrickBrown http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=1800

"The Giant's Daughter" - where the hero loves the girl, but to win her hand has to carry out a series of apparently impossible tasks set by her evil father, and usually does so with the ...

The hero who can only be killed in a specific way, and reveals this to his treacherous wife who passes it on to her lover to do the deed is another one that comes up a lot.]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=301131#Comment_301131 2011-07-08T17:11:52-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 PatrickBrown http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=1800

The giant's daughter is a "plot coupon" story: the hero has to collect all the coupons - fulfil all the tasks - which he can then cash in for a happy ending. The other variant is the ...

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=301146#Comment_301146 2011-07-08T21:07:41-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 diello http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=3575

Guy has to accomplish impossible tasks to prove he loves the girl, but the girl doesn't have to do jack shit to prove her love back to him.

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=301150#Comment_301150 2011-07-08T21:26:24-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Fishelle http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=8854

I know that Evil Step-Mothers are the stereotype now, but I've read/heard that it used to be just plain mothers that did the scary things in stories, before the Brothers Grimm adaptions. I don't know ...

Disguises are a big thing. Getting out of traps by pretending to be someone else, or being disguised against your will. Sharing bodies, etc.



I seem to have forgotten everything from my Gothic and Supernatural Literature class. Pity.]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=301197#Comment_301197 2011-07-09T09:22:24-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Jason A. Quest http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=5192

"even cinderella echos jesus from the bible. man/woman of perfect heart living in guise of poverty, has to be accepted in lowly state." "Except Cinderella didn't wander around giving ...

"Except Cinderella didn't wander around giving lessons to people, and Jesus didn't live happily ever after?"

Evidently your newsstand didn't get Gospel of Matthew #28. SPOILER: Jesus gets better. :)]]> http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=303239#Comment_303239 2011-07-24T14:45:59-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 Ben Klumaster http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=2723

Gah, didn't think of it that way. But I bet you can't find a Bible passage where he floats off to heaven with his charming new husband.

http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/comments.php?DiscussionID=7773&Focus=303305#Comment_303305 2011-07-25T08:29:58-07:00 2013-05-20T14:32:36-07:00 johnjones http://freakangels.com/whitechapel/account.php?u=1052

Anyone reading Bill Willingham's Fables series? It and especially Jack of Fables do a lot with tropes and storytelling archetypes in the fairy-tale genre.

Fables series? It and especially Jack of Fables do a lot with tropes and storytelling archetypes in the fairy-tale genre.]]>