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The Green Fairy Book, or, the Roots of King's Quest

Started by ATMachine, April 06, 2011, 03:02:16 PM

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ATMachine

So over on the Telltale forums there's been some discussion about one of the principal sources of inspiration for the King's Quest series: namely, Andrew Lang's Victorian fairy tale collection The Green Fairy Book, first published in 1892. I thought I should point out to Sierra fans here why it's such an important book in the history of KQ.

This was the third in a series of twelve "coloured" fairy books edited by Lang (with names like The Blue Fairy Book, The Crimson Fairy Book, etc). In these books Lang brought together fairy tales from a variety of sources, and although he didn't record any new stories, many of the tales he collected were ones never previously published in English.

Of all Lang's books, the Green Fairy Book in particular seems to have been a major source of inspiration for Roberta Williams in crafting the story of the KQ games. Consider these details from stories in the Green Fairy Book:

The book's story Rosanella features a princess named Rosanella, daughter of Queen Balanice. Rosanella is distinguished by a birthmark (flower-shaped, on her throat). When the princess is young, she is kidnapped by fairies who split her into twelve different maidens, whom Balanice raises as surrogates for her missing daughter. Eventually the fairies restore Rosanella to her single self, just in time to wed a handsome prince.

This tale is obviously where Roberta got the names Valanice and Rosella for Graham's wife and daughter.

In another tale, Heart of Ice, Genesta, queen of the fairies, takes a newborn prince from his royal parents and raises him under her care to protect him against evil. The prince, who is known as Mannikin, eventually embarks on a series of adventures, watched over by his guardian fairy. Ultimately, with the help of Genesta, Mannikin retrieves the heart of a princess, which an evil fairy had stolen and set--in the form of a diamond--within a frozen palace atop an icy mountain. Having won her heart by restoring her spirit, Mannikin weds the golden-haired Princess Sabella.

The good fairy Genesta in KQ4 came from this tale, of course, and the story of Mannikin and the Princess Sabella may have inspired the characters of Herbert and Alicia (AKA the Weeping Willow, whose heart was stolen by a witch) in KQ5.

Likewise, the tale of Prince Vivien and the Princess Placida includes a good fairy named Lolotte. Roberta took this name and used it for the evil fairy queen in KQ4. There's also a kingdom known as the Green Lands, about which more below.

The story The Enchanted Ring features a young man named Rosimond, who comes into possession of a magic ring, which allows him to become invisible, as well as to assume the appearance of a king's son. This may have inspired the magic ring in KQ1; it's certainly mentioned as a possible inspiration in the entry on the ring in the KQ Companion's Encyclopedia (1st and 2nd editions only).

In Prince Featherhead and the Princess Celandine, the heroine hails from the Summer Islands. Combine this name with that of the Green Lands and you get the Land of the Green Isles, first mentioned in KQ5.

In the final story, The Three Dogs, a shepherd (with the help of his dogs) slays a dreadful dragon that's menacing a kingdom. Said dragon had gotten into the habit of demanding a yearly maiden sacrifice, and this year the allotted victim was the King's daughter. The shepherd eventually marries the Princess and becomes King.

Of course, this is where the whole latter half of KQ3 comes from. Only Rosella, the dragon's near-victim, is Alexander's sister and not his love interest (thank heavens).

Interestingly, many of the original illustrations by H.J. Ford show several of the heroes from the stories sporting mustaches. This may have inspired the mustache Graham seems to have in illustrations in the KQ2 and KQ1-reissue manuals. (Then again, it may not have, since later editions of the Green Fairy Book replaced the original, exquisitely engraved Victorian illustrations with more "modern" art.)

These illustrations also show the heroes in Renaissance clothing, which may have inspired the Tudor-era wardrobe look used for Alexander in KQ6 (although that was less period-accurate than the heroes' costumes in this book's drawings, being essentially a modification of Kevin Costner's Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves outfit), as well as the Elizabethan-style dress and hairdo drawn on Valanice in an early sketch of her KQ6 character portrait.

The Green Fairy Book is available to read for free on Google Books. The version online is one with the original illustrations. I myself have gotten hold of a copy from the 1930s, for which H.J. Ford went back and added four color plates in addition to his original black-and-white drawings.

Blackthorne

It's always neat to find the things that inspired people to make something - very neat.


Bt
"You've got to keep one eye looking over your shoulder
you know it's going to get harder and harder as you
get older - but in the end you'll pack up, fly down south, hide your head in the sand.  Just another sad old man, all alone and dying of cancer." - Dogs, Pink Floyd.

MikPal

Of course most of these tales are variations on older tales. For example:

QuoteIn the final story, The Three Dogs, a shepherd (with the help of his dogs) slays a dreadful dragon that's menacing a kingdom. Said dragon had gotten into the habit of demanding a yearly maiden sacrifice, and this year the allotted victim was the King's daughter. The shepherd eventually marries the Princess and becomes King.

That's a variation on the "Saint George and the Dragon"-story.
And by saying this I'm not meaning that Lang stole it from someone, but rather to show how stories evolve through out history. Kinda like the story of Little Red Riding Hood before Perrault, Grimm and Lang. My personal favorite is the version where she is saved from the wolf because she has to go and take a dump in the woods before going to bed.

kindofdoon


Daniel Dichter, Production/PR
daniel.dichter@postudios.com

dark-daventry

#4
This is quite insightful; I'm tempted to read this so called fairy book now. After all, I am a fairy... XD j/k. I'm so not that kind of guy. bad jokes aside, this is very interesting information.
Founder of the (new) Left Handed Alliance Of Left Handed People (LHALHP)

Gay and proud of it!

Avid Adventure Game fan

Enchantermon

Quote from: MikPal on April 06, 2011, 04:11:09 PMMy personal favorite is the version where she is saved from the wolf because she has to go and take a dump in the woods before going to bed.
So what if I am, huh? Anyways, I work better when I'm drunk. It makes me fearless! If I see a bad guy, I'll just point my sword at him and saaaaaaaaaay, "Hey! Bad guy! You're not s'posed to be here! Go home or I'll stick you with my sword 'til you go, 'Ouch! I'm dead!' Ah-ha-ha!" Ha-ha. *hic* See? Ain't no one gonna be messin' wit' ol', Benny!

MikPal

Quote

Abridged version from Wikipedia:
QuoteThese early variations of the tale differ from the currently known version in several ways. The antagonist is not always a wolf, but sometimes an ogre or a 'bzou' (werewolf), making these tales relevant to the werewolf-trials (similar to witch trials) of the time (e.g. the trial of Peter Stumpp). The wolf usually leaves the grandmother's blood and meat for the girl to eat, who then unwittingly cannibalises her own grandmother. Furthermore, the wolf was also known to ask her to remove her clothing and toss it into the fire. In some versions, the wolf eats the girl after she gets into bed with him, and the story ends there. In others, she sees through his disguise and tries to escape, complaining to her "grandmother" that she needs to defecate and would not wish to do so in the bed. The wolf reluctantly lets her go, tied to a piece of string so she does not get away. However, the girl slips the string over something else and runs off.

You want death and gore? Always bet on fairy tales.

LadyTerra

Quote from: Enchantermon on April 06, 2011, 07:22:37 PM
Quote from: MikPal on April 06, 2011, 04:11:09 PMMy personal favorite is the version where she is saved from the wolf because she has to go and take a dump in the woods before going to bed.

:rofl:

My favorite variation is a recent one I heard as a kid: "Little Red Running Shorts."  Essentially, the wolf tricks her into taking the long way to her grandmother's house, but because of how fast she could run, she beat him there anyway.
I have my cake and eat it too, until it's gone.  Then I can't do either.


Aww!  You have the Sword of Hugging +3!  All of your attacks deal affectionate damage!

dark-daventry

The best variation of a fairytale is The Stinky Cheese Man. THAT was the best! "You can't catch me, because I'm the Stinky Cheese Man!" Unfortunately, I don't think *any* of these books have that. Mainly because it was published in either the 80's or 90's.
Founder of the (new) Left Handed Alliance Of Left Handed People (LHALHP)

Gay and proud of it!

Avid Adventure Game fan

snabbott

Quote from: LadyTerra on April 06, 2011, 08:59:26 PM
My favorite variation is a recent one I heard as a kid: "Little Red Running Shorts."  Essentially, the wolf tricks her into taking the long way to her grandmother's house, but because of how fast she could run, she beat him there anyway.
I think that's also from The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.

Steve Abbott | Beta Tester | The Silver Lining

dark-daventry

Quote from: snabbott on April 06, 2011, 09:10:43 PM
Quote from: LadyTerra on April 06, 2011, 08:59:26 PM
My favorite variation is a recent one I heard as a kid: "Little Red Running Shorts."  Essentially, the wolf tricks her into taking the long way to her grandmother's house, but because of how fast she could run, she beat him there anyway.
I think that's also from The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.

Come to think of it, it sounds like it's something that book would have in it. I want to buy that again XD It was such a good book!
Founder of the (new) Left Handed Alliance Of Left Handed People (LHALHP)

Gay and proud of it!

Avid Adventure Game fan

LadyTerra

It was a great book.  My other favorite story from that book was "The Princess and the Bowling Ball."  The actual Stinky Cheese Man terrified me.  I think it was the art.
I have my cake and eat it too, until it's gone.  Then I can't do either.


Aww!  You have the Sword of Hugging +3!  All of your attacks deal affectionate damage!

Enchantermon

Quote from: MikPal on April 06, 2011, 07:32:04 PM
Abridged version from Wikipedia:
QuoteThese early variations of the tale differ from the currently known version in several ways. The antagonist is not always a wolf, but sometimes an ogre or a 'bzou' (werewolf), making these tales relevant to the werewolf-trials (similar to witch trials) of the time (e.g. the trial of Peter Stumpp). The wolf usually leaves the grandmother's blood and meat for the girl to eat, who then unwittingly cannibalises her own grandmother. Furthermore, the wolf was also known to ask her to remove her clothing and toss it into the fire. In some versions, the wolf eats the girl after she gets into bed with him, and the story ends there. In others, she sees through his disguise and tries to escape, complaining to her "grandmother" that she needs to defecate and would not wish to do so in the bed. The wolf reluctantly lets her go, tied to a piece of string so she does not get away. However, the girl slips the string over something else and runs off.
Excuse me while I go cry in the corner now...
So what if I am, huh? Anyways, I work better when I'm drunk. It makes me fearless! If I see a bad guy, I'll just point my sword at him and saaaaaaaaaay, "Hey! Bad guy! You're not s'posed to be here! Go home or I'll stick you with my sword 'til you go, 'Ouch! I'm dead!' Ah-ha-ha!" Ha-ha. *hic* See? Ain't no one gonna be messin' wit' ol', Benny!

Blackthorne

I know my need to poop has saved me from a wolf or two in MY day.


Bt
"You've got to keep one eye looking over your shoulder
you know it's going to get harder and harder as you
get older - but in the end you'll pack up, fly down south, hide your head in the sand.  Just another sad old man, all alone and dying of cancer." - Dogs, Pink Floyd.

snabbott

Quote from: LadyTerra on April 07, 2011, 03:07:38 AM
It was a great book.  My other favorite story from that book was "The Princess and the Bowling Ball."  The actual Stinky Cheese Man terrified me.  I think it was the art.
We have it at home. My wife is an elementary school librarian. :) We also have Math Curse and Science Verse XD

Steve Abbott | Beta Tester | The Silver Lining

dark-daventry

Quote from: snabbott on April 07, 2011, 08:20:19 AM
Quote from: LadyTerra on April 07, 2011, 03:07:38 AM
It was a great book.  My other favorite story from that book was "The Princess and the Bowling Ball."  The actual Stinky Cheese Man terrified me.  I think it was the art.
We have it at home. My wife is an elementary school librarian. :) We also have Math Curse and Science Verse XD

Ok, I want BOTH of those now! XD Those sound like my kind of books!
Founder of the (new) Left Handed Alliance Of Left Handed People (LHALHP)

Gay and proud of it!

Avid Adventure Game fan