Fairy Tales!

Lion from a felted tapestry I made last year with the Fiore animals

Another reason I love my persona? It gives me an excuse to research just about anything. I'm helping plan (and doing the feast for) our local group's November event. It is always a toy-raiser for Toys For Tots and we try to have a compatible theme. This year we are doing a fairy tale theme. Since many of the most familiar tales we still know were published in the 16th Century by Italians, I'm in heaven. I took a class in college on the history of children's literature and as a result always thought fairy tales began with Perault. Even the WIkipedia article agrees (ha!) He was beaten to the punch by the appetite of the Italian presses for things to publish. Giovanni Francesco Straparola published his 2 part book of 75 tales in the 1550's. It includes the oldest version of Puss in Boots (Constantine Fortunato) as well as others. Perault borrowed many of them for his collection. Giambattista Basile's book "The Tale of Tales: Or entertainment for little ones" was published pothumously in the 1630's and includes Cinderella and Rapunzel. I just got Out of the Woods: The origin of the literary fairy tale in Italy and France, which discusses many of the themes as well as why these tales came out of Venice, and am currently consuming it.

I'm also trying to decide on a menu. I keep going back and forth between a feast selected from Platina's "The Temperate Voluptuate" in keeping with the Italian origins of the tales or if I want to pick and choose recipes from times and places based on individual tales.  Plotting it out is giving me something to think about as I keep embroidering away on my mermaid cuffs.  The new camera is here so I'll post pictures of my progress in just a bit.

And, just in case you happen to be in Utah November 9th, here's the event announcement.

We invite you to join The Province of Arrow’s Flight on November 9, 2013, for Toys For Tots, our Signature Event devoted to generosity, history, fairy tales, and the child in all of us.

Rapunzel, Cinderella, Puss in Boots, The Goose who laid the Golden Egg, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty. The stories charm every child anew and yet are timeless. Legend goes that Emperor Constantine’s mother Bertrada of Laon was called Regina pede ancae or “Queen Goosefoot.” She was known for her stories and love of children and as her tale evolved the nickname shifted to “Mere l’Oye” or Mother Goose. 16th century Italy finds the first publication of The Pleasant Nights by Giovanni Straparola and The Story of Stories by Gianbattista Basile where old tales, including those just mentioned, are first collected and published.

Bring your favorite tales to tell for the bardic and participate in storytelling and crafts based on stories throughout the day. Participate in our I Spy scavenger hunt, finding characters and treasures hidden in the stained glass decor. Youth, heavy, and rapier fighters can save the fair maiden, foil the dastardly witch, and create their own legends in scenarios based on classic stories. While away the afternoon by attending some wonderful classes on fairy tale subjects, or teach your own, then end the day with a sumptuous feast featuring subtleties like 4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a pie and Cinderella's Coach as well as seasonal favorites like gingerbread and baked apples.

Also planned: lunch fundraiser, youth activities, contests, games, prizes, and more. Watch for details!

Directions: From I-15, exit 278 for American Fork Main Street, turn East. Drive for 1 mile and the destination is on your right.