024. Cinderella

Marcus Speh's collaboration with his daughter has led to some deft myth-making in the retelling of fairy stories, and I picked his Day 13 post as today's inspiration; cheating slightly again by drawing on a Fairy Tale collection I did in 2010. Perhaps that is part of being a magpie, getting the shiny things out of the cupboard and looking at them again, maybe in a new light, maybe displaying them for new friends to see.

In the old days, they wanted me to make then look rich and pretty so they could catch the eye of someone rich, naive and influential. Simpler times, blonde ambition reached no further than catching their prince and having their dream day in the whitest frilliest of dresses with the envious crowds looking on.

It's easier for them now of course, the thirst for fame is as strong, if not stronger than the hunger for a fairytale wedding. Easier for me too, even those that still believe in me I send away from my door. 

I am getting too old to be moved by all of those bright eager faces, and besides the fad these days is for self-belief, not belief in magic. If they don't have that in spades the reality shows will grind them up anyway, just as surely as the days of domestic boredom drove the Cinderellas to become manipulative politicking courtiers.

Now, where's an old woman to get a nice cup of tea from? I call out to Charlotte, still as ugly as ever, to bring me refreshments and hand me the remote control. Britain's Got Talent is just starting...

009. Iceland

Catherine Singer's theme for 100 days is Iceland. How could I resist? Her image, possibly Þingvellir, is winterbound, stark and eerily beautiful. I visited in the summer, when Iceland was a land of light, and the image I chose is of Sólfar (The Sun Voyager, by Jón Gunnar Árnason). The colours echo (foreshadow, if I was not working backwards) the coffee and cream glacier in day 10.

From the Orkneyinga saga (written by an unknown Icelander in the early 13th century) - secondly inspired by Marcus Speh's use of mediaeval images & characters in 100 days and nights


Next morning when it was light they went to look for runagate men among the isles if any had got away;  and each was slain on the spot as he stood.  Then earl Einar took to saying these words:  “I know not what I see in Rinansey, sometimes it lifts itself up, but sometimes it lays itself down, that is either a bird or a man, and we will go to it.”  There they found Halfdan long-leg, and Einar made them carve an eagle on his back with a sword, and cut the ribs all from the backbone, and draw the lungs there out, and gave him to Odin for the victory he had won then Einar sung this:

                  “Man broad-bearded oft is outlawed,
                  Many a one, for stealing sheep;
                  But in isles here I for felling
                  Mighty Harold’s youthful son:
                  Risk hangs o’er me, say the freemen,
                  From the king so courage-full,
                  Harold’s shield I’ve hewn a hole in,
                  None can call that dint in doubt.”