The Questing Beast was a creature from Arthurian lore. It combined the features of a deer, snake, leopard, and dragon. Shy yet fierce, it was the quarry of King Pellinore, who spent his life searching for it. This Questing Beast was by artist Terri Whitlatch who specializes in speculative biology.
A Kay Nielson illustration for Cinderella
Fairy tales were not intended for children.
I repeat that, fairy tales were NOT intended for children.
Just take a look at the Kay Nielson illustration for Cinderella above. Despite the name, Kay is a he, a classically trained Danish artist who worked heavily during the first half of the 20th century. The moment depicts Cinderella in her finery meeting the Prince at the Royal Ball she has been forbidden to attend. But the meeting is… questionable, let’s say. For a start, the Prince looks awfully feminine with his slim legs, high heels, and heavy-lidded eyes. Perhaps he’s meant to be besotted with her, but by the way he’s grabbing the item from the leering, slinking Negro servant on the right, he looks about to offer poor Cin a date-rape drug as she (futilely) attempts to fend him off. The other ball attendees look equally decadent with their powdered faces and high wigs, whereas Cinderella is tiny and helpless, trapped in her immense ball gown. The whole scenario speaks of an innocent wandering into exploitation.
Well, I could just be talking out my ass here, but at any rate, I’ve wanted to showcase Nielson’s art forever, and this post seems as good a way as any to do this. The stylized ink illustrations of Aubrey Beardsley were a big influence, obviously, as well as Art Nouveau and the vogue for stylization inspired by the off-kilter compositions of Japanese woodcuts, all of which Nielson likely absorbed. He did many other fantasy illustrations and even worked for Disney for a while, supplying sketches for Fantasia. I first encountered this picture on the front of a greeting card in Seattle’s Pike Place Market decades ago, and I had to buy it. I still have it, even though it’s now widely disseminated on the internet.
Back to the idea that fairy takes were meant for adults: what we think now of fairy tales are part of the folklorish tradition which includes myths, legends, and morality tales, all of which were passed down orally in cultures from generation to generation. It’s only in recent times that a “fairy tale ending” meant a happy one with everything tied up neatly and sweetly. In some of the original versions of Cinderella, for example, the stepsisters mutilate their feet to fit them into the glass slipper of the Prince, one cutting off her toe and the other her heel; the deception is noted only when blood drips out. And the other great Disney Princess-inspiring tale, Sleeping Beauty, has been seen through the lens of sexual awakening and rape.
The delightful thing about all of these tales, however, is the creativity and outlandish nature of their names. Like the ones I created for an imaginary version of 1001 Arabian Nights, these were fairly easy to generate. And who knows, the titles might inspire some real-life stories.
| The One-winged Partridge
The Cripple and the Sausage The Tongue with No Smile in It The Boy Who Tried to Catch the Sunset The Widow and the Crystal Blackbird The Sky Brother and the Fire Sister The Sea-Peacock The Two Curious Charwomen The Three Greedy Monks The Dutiful Squire The Iron Prince of the Sea The Widow Who Wasn’t Crippled Enough Emperor of the Fortunate Isles The Child Born of a Loaf The Boy Who Thought He Was a Goose Ruyanzel The Story of the Two Cursed Cabbages The Scholar Who Taught the Chicken to Squawk Why the Clouds are Always Youthful Pretty Little Hungry-Eyes The Princess Has No Stockings The Magical Onions The Misadventures of Prince Benjamin The Wise Simpleton Snow Blue and the Ten Brides The Bad Gift of the Fisherwoman The Donkey Husband The Pavilion Made of Glass Jack the Unicorn-Killer The Little Monk Boy The Clever Little Hermit |
And other body parts as well, apparently. Artwork by the great Ed Emshweller.
Billie Holiday and her dog Mister backstage
Entirely by coincidence, I found out that tables used for generating magic spells could also generate names suitable for blues singers from the first half of the twentieth century. Enjoy!
| Sissy Withers
Addie Gate Sister Willie Ella Denny Durst Quincy Pearl Slow Soft Bird Nickie Jackson |
Jerris Howler
Jerkie Davis Viola Peach Junior Rufus Mama Vyrene Lewis Blind River Otter Big Vulture Daddy |
Illustration by Jack Gaughn
One of the things I enjoy about vintage SFF illustrations is how it’s possible to pinpoint the time in which they were painted by how they depict hairstyles, clothing, and other elements. Take the image above. The woman has a fashionable hairdo like that of the Moonbase girls on the Gerry Anderson series UFO (1970) — and sported as well by many young women of the period — and she wears a silky blouse with poufed sleeves that were in fashion during the late 1970s. The being in back of her looks like a tall Jawa from the original Star Wars movie, which dates the artwork further to, or after, 1977 when the movie was released. So I would say it was painted in the years 1977 to 1980.
William Shakespeare is considered by many to be the greatest writer in the English language. He left behind a legacy of 39 plays and 154 sonnets that are still being performed and read today. Just to hear the name “Shakespeare” among someone’s interests is a mark of high intellectual discernment, and used as an adjective, it expresses even more. “Shakespearean” can denote a plot (or even real-life events) of high drama, a lush use of language, or even a mode of dress.
As a name, its origin is straightforward and dates from Old English. Back then, in the 1300s, “shake” meant to brandish or hold, and “spear” is of course a spear. Therefore Shakespeare meant the family’s originator was some anonymous spearman, a soldier.
Being as Shakespeare is held in such high renown, and inhabited a European world moving out of the Renaissance but still not into the Industrial Revolution, he could be a bit character or background fluff in many fantasy worlds. Here are some different names for him to hint that he is pretty much the same character.
| Shathemberpeare
Shamespear Drakeslear Scufeddaleíre Shekespea Cakeslear Takespeer Sabellvhier Shatrapean Shethespure Bakespoety |
Shadespeera
Shatellapá Shadespeera Shatellapá Zëkepeazh Sjakespeát Sheikstriar Shakesneer Shakspiqué Rakespare Shortesnoire |
Distinctive cover for a pulpy men’s paperback, I’m guessing from the late 1960s by the singer’s teased hair and polka-dotted bodysuit. However the chest straps are very un-1960s, even for Paco Rabanne. And note those clawed hands, hard eyeliner, and sad Francoise Hardy face!
Magical experimentation created this hybrid between hedgehog and lion.
Need some spells about animals for your campaign? Look no further.
| Aelbun’s Annoying Sparrow: Enchants a nearby sparrow to harass an opponent by diving at it and flying in its face. Humanoid creatures will attack at -1 capacity.
Blandoth’s Wrack Sea Serpent: Causes great pain in sea serpents of all kinds. Most often used for torture. Born of the Wolf: This spell convinces the victim they are a werewolf. Charm of the Minotaur: Bestows on the caster all the charisma of a fully grown minotaur, which is to say, none, except to another minotaur. Frogspider: Turns frogs or toads into spiders, and vice versa. If the original form was poisonous, so is the changed form. Glove of the Dragon: Rare and powerful, the dragon glove corresponds to any dragon type. It enables the user to create a mini version of the dragon’s breath weapon merely by pointing a finger. Most versions of this glove depict scales and claws. Grinlo’s Chanting Cats: When activated, this spell causes all cats (including magical ones) in the area to chant a short phrase over and over, like “Go back! There is danger” or “The witch is out at the moment” in high-pitching, mewing voices. Impish Bull: Enchants a nearby bull into acting in a mischievous manner. Keep Hound: Successfully enables the caster to adopt a stray dog. Minotaur Musk: Used as a vital ingredient in enchanted perfumes. Phoenix Tinderbox: When someone tries to light a fire with this cursed tinderbox, it completely burns both the box and the user up. Primrose’s Psittacine Fraternity: Spell that makes the caster understand parrot language and makes the caster more attractive to them. Often used to train parrots. Vyrez’s Fractious Hare: Confuses and enrages any lapine animal to the point of attack. Whip of the Squid: This magical whip resembles a cat o’ nine tails. Six whips are normal length, two are much longer and tipped with small hooks. The total number of attacks is eight. The longer strands can hook into an opponent and draw them closer. This whip gives +3 on attacks when used on the sea (i.e. on a boat) or by the sea (on a beach.) Wyvern Wool: A very rare, highly magical, fibrous substance sometimes found growing on the undersides of sexually mature wyverns that are ready to mate. Wyvern wool can be of any color and is harsh to the touch. It is an essential ingredient in magical rope and certain types of magical clothing. Zhism’s Clasping Scorpion: This small, brass pin in the shape of a scorpion will hold any two items together indefinitely. |
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