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Looking for Fairytales and Folklore

Started by Mr_Nabby, February 07, 2013, 01:13:35 AM

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Mr_Nabby

Like the title says, I am on the hunt for books with Fairytales and Folklore. And I thought: "Who else knows more about these things than the avid King's Quest fan?!"

I have already bought H.C. Andersen, Brothers Grimm and Arabian Nights(All 1001 of them).

I have also ordered "Japanese Tales" and "The Kalevala: Tales of Magic and Adventure" from amazon.

Anything else someone can recommend?
There's so many movies/games/books/comics that I don't know where to start!

Well, better start with the classics and work my way forward...

Deloria

 
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stika


snabbott

My all-time favorite:
The Frog Prince from the Grimm Brothers.

The princess didn't kiss the frog. She got mad and threw him against the wall. I read the story in 2nd year high school German. (I was bored because they had to teach the rest of the class English grammar before teaching German grammar.) When I first read it, I thought I must have mistranslated something. XD

Steve Abbott | Beta Tester | The Silver Lining

Delling

Quote from: snabbott on February 07, 2013, 06:49:12 AM
My all-time favorite:
The Frog Prince from the Grimm Brothers.

The princess didn't kiss the frog. She got mad and threw him against the wall. I read the story in 2nd year high school German. (I was bored because they had to teach the rest of the class English grammar before teaching German grammar.) When I first read it, I thought I must have mistranslated something. XD

There's just so much win there... I'm not sure where to begin...

except here--

Quote from: snabbott on February 07, 2013, 06:49:12 AM
(I was bored because they had to teach the rest of the class English grammar before teaching German grammar.)

This is not win... well, it's win for snabbott, but sadly, this is the state of things in far too many language classrooms. :( :no:
Noli me tangere! Nescio ubi fuisti!
Don't touch me! I don't know where you've been!

Marquess of Pembroke
Duke of Saxony in Her Majesty's Court
Knight of the Swan for Her Imperial Highness

...resistance was obviously useless against a family that could invent italics.

"Let the locative live."

http://my.ddo.com/referral/Delling87

KatieHal

Fun!

I've always wanted to get my hands on some original versions of the Grimm fairy tales, read how they "really" ended.

Katie Hallahan
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Mr_Nabby

Quote from: Deloria on February 07, 2013, 03:33:49 AM
Is the Arabian Nights in French?

No, because don't speak French. It's this version.

Quote from: stika on February 07, 2013, 04:24:33 AM
you could also try this if you're interested in Russian folklore

Well, I've tried to find a good book with Slavic folklore. But I wonder which is better, that or this?

Quote from: KatieHal on February 07, 2013, 08:19:58 AM
Fun!

I've always wanted to get my hands on some original versions of the Grimm fairy tales, read how they "really" ended.

I'm not sure, but I *think* that this book has the uncensored stories(Sure enough, the frog gets thrown against the wall). In any case, it's a absolutely beautiful book!
There's so many movies/games/books/comics that I don't know where to start!

Well, better start with the classics and work my way forward...

stika

Quote from: Mr_Nabby on February 07, 2013, 08:50:20 AM

Quote from: stika on February 07, 2013, 04:24:33 AM
you could also try this if you're interested in Russian folklore

Well, I've tried to find a good book with Slavic folklore. But I wonder which is better, that or this?

I'm afraid that's something I can't really help, there aren't enough reviews on amazon to make a clear comparison

snabbott

Quote from: Delling on February 07, 2013, 06:59:17 AM
Quote from: snabbott on February 07, 2013, 06:49:12 AM
(I was bored because they had to teach the rest of the class English grammar before teaching German grammar.)

This is not win... well, it's win for snabbott, but sadly, this is the state of things in far too many language classrooms. :( :no:
Yeah - it's pretty depressing that they have to teach American high school students basic English grammar - I learned that stuff in elementary school. :-\ Come on, people, it's not that hard!

I was reading material for German V in German II. It was difficult because I didn't have the vocabulary down - it felt like I had to look up every other word. :P What's really sad is that it was a children's book I was reading: Emil und die Detektive. :P

Also, reading the German font (Fraktur?) made my head hurt. :P

Steve Abbott | Beta Tester | The Silver Lining

Rosella

Only tangentially related to the topic at hand, I remember seeing a Japanese book that boasted it had all of the kanji you'd need to know to pass the AP Japanese exam, three different levels of professional proficiency, or second grade as a Japanese child. :P
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snabbott


Steve Abbott | Beta Tester | The Silver Lining

snabbott

Regarding fairy tales/folklore - don't forget Greek and Roman mythology! (Sorry, I don't know a particular book for this.)

Steve Abbott | Beta Tester | The Silver Lining

GrahamRocks!


Deloria

I say go for the Afanasyev. I consider him to be the authority on the subject.

I asked if the Arabian Nights book was in French because oriental things were originally translated into French because it was thought to be more fashionable. This led to a trend of pseudo-oriental things being written by French authors and sold as authentic and recently rediscovered stories.
 
Holy Roman Empress
Queen of *all* Albion
Précieuse and salonnière! :D
"In cases of doubt about language, it is ordinarily best to consult women."-Vaugelas
Space! :D Extraterrestrium! :D Espace! :D

Mr_Nabby

Thanks Deloria. It's always nice to have some advice for these things.

And about Japanese mythology, I believe that I already mentioned that I had ordered Japanese Tales from amazon. Buuut, I might compliment that with a book about Yokai...

Also, Greek/Roman mythology, I think I might go with Ovid's Metamorphoses.
There's so many movies/games/books/comics that I don't know where to start!

Well, better start with the classics and work my way forward...

MikPal

Quote from: Mr_Nabby on February 07, 2013, 01:13:35 AM
"The Kalevala: Tales of Magic and Adventure"

Hahahhahahaa! That's what they're calling it now? "Tales of Magic and Adventure"? When Elias Lönnrot used to gather the stories he had some trouble with people not being able to remember the stories, except when alcohol was involved. It should be "Tales of Drunken Ramblings".

darthkiwi

Oh, yeah, Ovid's a pretty standard text for Roman mythology, and for good reason.

I also recommend Norse and Egyptian myths, but I don't actually know of any good books that summarise them. Norse mythology has a trickster god who gets his mouth sewn shut and is later tied to a tree by his entrails. Egyptian mythology includes a God who is cut into many many pieces and them successfully put back together except for his p****, because nobody can find it. FUN! :D
Prince of the Aquitaine. Duke of York.

Knight errant and consort to Her Grace the Empress Deloria of the Holy Roman Empire, Queene of all Albion and Princess Palatine.

Thaumaturge

How broadly are you looking?

African folklore has some interesting elements, such as the Tokoloshe or the trickster Anansi. As to books on the matter, I don't think that I know of any specific books offhand, but you might find something worth looking at in the "Further Reading" or "External Links" sections of the above-linked pages, or those of linked pages.

For something more general, I don't know how authoritative they are, but I've had enjoyment and inspiration from the Time-Life Enchanted World series, which includes quite a wide range of stories, including fairy tales, folk-tales, myths and legends, as I recall.

GrahamRocks!

Ah... Anansi the Spider. I remember those stories from when I was a child!

Sir Perceval of Daventry

The Green Fairy Book, and other books in the color Fairy series by Andrew Lang were a big influence on Roberta. Also books on more obscure things--creatures such as Undines, books on things such as the Zodiac, Elemental Magick and Gnosticism inspired some elements in the later games, as did Greco-Roman mythology. Also I'd check out H.R. Giger. His art style inspired parts of KQ5 and KQ6 (Mordack's Island and the Realm of the Dead, respectively). She was also inspired by H.P. Lovecraft. So if you're looking for things which influenced KQ it goes greatly beyond fairy tales.