Finally, the project has officially started! After a lot of promotion and correspondence the first drawing for the "Tell me a story..." project is ready. From now on once or twice a week a new drawing accompanied by the story will be posted on my blog. Please forgive any lapses in grammar and spelling as most stories submitted come from non-English speaking countries. The stories published on my blog are the 'rough-versions' and are not yet completely edited. I really hope you all will enjoy the stories and illustrations. Hopefully many of you will follow me while this project grows and eventually all stories and drawings will get published in a book.
NOTE: would you also like to see your story get illustrated? please check out my previous blog post here and read the guidelines.
(click picture for bigger view)
Story Title: The white deer
Submitted by: Chloé Country: France
Originally this story came from an old French song/ballad probably first written during the (late) Middle Ages as, at this time, cruel fairy tales and legends were "fashionable". There are, of course, several versions of this tale. It starts with a young lady and her mother going to the woods together. The mother was joyful but her daughter looked rather sad and thoughtful. "Why are you always sighing Marguerite?" asked the mother. "I've kept a secret for long and never found the courage to tell you about it before. During the day I'm a girl but at night I change into a white deer, hunted by barons and princes. But the worst of them all is my own brother Renaud. Please mother, go promptly and tell him to stop his dogs and hunters at least until tomorrow at noon.
And so did her mother: "Where are your dogs Renaud and your gentle hounds?" "They are in the woods mother, hunting down the white deer"
"Stop them my son! I beg you. Stop them immediately!"
He ordered to call back the hounds and to end the chase. Three times the copper cornet called but when it sounded for the third time the white deer was already dead.
"Let's prepare the deer for tonights dinner" Renaud then ordered.
As soon as the skinner started to cut her in pieces, he saw not a white deer but a fair and pale maid. But he remembered his instructions and decided to finish his work anyway.
Later on the banquet was ready and in a crowded room all the barons and princes had come.
"We are now all together except my beloved sister Marguerite..." started Renaud.
Suddenly he was interrupted by the quiet but cold voice of the young girl.
"Oh, don't wait for me, I was the first one to sit. My head is in a dish, my heart hangs on a hook. My blood is spread all over the kitchen floor, my bones are burning on the coal. It's me who was served for dinner, I'm the one you've been eating."
Amulets and talismans are such fascinating topics. Through time I have collected many modern amulets and talismans. But unfortunatley, I have not been able yet to get my hands on an old (preferable Medieval or Roman) piece yet. I have read a lot of books on the subject though and have seen many beautiful pieces in museums, which gave me the idea of 'reproducing' them. I say 'reproducing' as I am not very fond of copying, so the amulets I make are merly based upon old examples. Taking the utmost care to keep the old symbols and historical features preserved within.
The first pieces I made (showed above) are amulets ment to protect the owner against the evil eye. I'm afraid that the evil eye is too complicated a subject to explain in a few sentences but I will do my best to give a good description of this phenomenon.
The story:
It was believed in former days, and in some countries still, that people could do harm simply by looking at a person. We all know the saying, 'If looks could kill'. Well this was actually believed to be possible in the old days. The look of certain people, who had the evil eye, was supposed to bring misfortune, sickness and even death upon their victims. This does not have to be a human, as the evil eye could also be fatal to cattle and homes. The first glance was supposed to be the most 'fatal' so people invented all sorts of things, such as amulets, to distract the evil eye. Red ribbons, little bells, holy texts, images depicting horns, but also more vulgare objects such as little silver amulets in the form of a penis or vulva, were believed to ward of the evil eye and sometimes it was even believed that a simple handgesture could be enough to scare away the 'enemy'. Another tactic was the use of shiny objects. The evil eye would be reflected and in this way the curse would be reverted. The image of an eye was also believed to be a very powerfull and protective amulet as it would have the same effect as a shiny object and turn back the curse. That's why many shields, especially those used on the battlefield, were decorated with eyes. Nowadays when you visit Turkey you can still find many blue-colored, glass beads formed in the shape of an eye which are sold at any touristic place.
But who are those people with the evil eye?
Well many times it was said witches and wizards used their magical look to harm others. But you musn't think that these were the only people with a look that could kill. I have read accounts of simple country folk and even saints who were accused of having the evil eye. In fact many times the person couldn't help it, he or she was simply born with it and though they didn't meant to do any harm they couldn't help bringing doom upon another person. Many times the evil eye is not associated with magic at all but with envy and the later was supposed to be the real problem.
It might be fun knowing that is wasn't just someones look that could harm. No, this sort of evil could also be transferd by touch and words. I have read about the so called evil hand and evil tongue and I have even read once about an evil foot!
Does the evil eye really exist? Well, the belief in it certainly does. Luckly I don't have any personal experience with it but I do know people who claim they have. Once I met a person who told me about his sister, she was terribly sick. According to him his sister was so sick she was almost dying. Because no docter could help her they went to a 'white witch' who cured the girl from her sickness. This happend only a couple of years ago. There are most certainly things happening which can not be explained, such as this story. Though most of it is not much more then a curious folk belief there are these rare cases in which modern science fail to give an explanation.
If those amulets work or not, it can never harm to have one, just in case.....
The 'Evil Eye Amulets' are now available at my Etsy Shop!
Your grandmother always told you not to venture near this dark, ruined house on the edge of the forest. At first she wasn't too particular why you shouldn't but when you asked her some years later she told you this tale of legend and superstition. I am interested in these stories and I know others will be as well.
About the "Tell me a Story"Project:
The project's goal is to collect enough fascinating, known and unknown folk tales from all over the world to fill an illustrated book. Instead of taking stories from books the project aims to 'collect' these stories directly from the source: the people, you. On a regular basis Isabella will illustrate a submitted story. He or she who submitted this story will receive a free print of the illustration. Eventually all these illustrations combined, of course accompanied by the original stories, will be published in a book. Isabella will update her blog regularly on the progress of the "Tell me a Story" project.
How to participate in the project:
Participating in the project is rather simple: Send your story! Multiple submission allowed. As not all stories will be illustrated sending in more then one story will enlarge the chance of one of them being illustrated. If your story is chosen you will receive a free print. Next to this, both story and illustration will be published in the book. Please state beforehand if you want your name and hometown to be mentioned or rather wish to remain anonymous.
What am I looking for:
Every story connected with folklore is welcome. This can be anything: maybe there is a haunted cemetery or mansion in your home-town, or you remember this fantastic story your grandmother told you when you were young. Is Bloody Mary haunting your mirror as well or do you know another urban myth which circulates at your school. Personal encounters, rituals or superstitions are very interesting as well. This story can be traditional or modern as well. I am looking forward to every story you will surprise me with, and not only me, the readers of the blog as well.
A few 'rules' and notes:
When you are ready to submit the story send an email to info@isabellasart.com, or send me a note.
There is no word limit or anything but don't be too comprehensive, I intend to reserve a single page for each story.
Please keep in mind this is no writing-contest, I am looking for folk tales, not stories made up.
Everyone who submits will receive an answer, it might take a few days as I can be fairly busy now and then, but you will get a note in return from me for sure!
Once I have picked a story to illustrate, you will receive a small 'contract', nothing fancy, nothing scary just to have everything sure for the both of us.
About Isabella: Isabella is a Dutch artist/illustrator who is hugely interested in...., no passionately about, portraying folklore, myths and legends. The "Tell me a story" project is thus something very close to her heart.
It’s finally there….. my new blog! A blog devoted to my art and love for folklore.
As some of you might have noticed I have been absent for quite some time as I have been working on setting up this new blog. It was my greatest desire to create a place where I could talk about all things related to folklore and now it’s finally there, although in an embryonic phase….
Here I will write about my adventures as an illustrator of myths, legends, superstition, folk songs and all other things related to folklore. You will also follow my work as a writer and film maker. But most importantly you will find here the most beautiful collection of folk stories and folk songs.
As I have just started this blog there is not much to see yet, but in the upcoming weeks you will be able to read articles such as: ‘The Shadow as a manifestation of the soul; and it’s association with life and death.’ (An article I have written about superstition concerning shadows.)
I will show my latest drawings and tell you all about the legends behind the illustrations.
Besides this you can see my first try outs as a film maker. For the short films I make I use really old techniques, so that should be really neat. And yes, my film productions are related to myths and legends as well.
I hope I will be able to make beautiful things and to preserve these old stories and songs, which I love so much and want to share with others.
As I can use all the support I can get, I hope many of you will follow my blog. It’s really hard working in this branch as there is a minor interest in folklore, especially in the Netherlands, where I live. So every support would be more then welcome!
Thank you! Isabella
Ps: This blog will still remain as well and I will keep everyone updated about all my new projects and products. But for detailed information, please visit my new blog!
I know I haven't been around much lately. I was so bussy with custom orders and christmas sales that I simply did not have the time to update my blog or to visit other people's blogs. Which I missed because I really enjoy to read what keeps people bussy.
But I do have some good news to share with you all. I was the cover artist of the November issue of Les Bonnes Fees! For those who are not familiar with it, Les Bonnes Fees is a free e-Zine publishing fiction, retellings, art, poetry, and non-fiction relating to our broad topic of fairy tales and folklore.
Because I was the cover artist of this month, they also interviewed me. So for those who are interested the interview can be found here
Below you can see the result of the drawing I made for their current issue, which was all about Cinderella.
If you would like to know more about Les Bonnes Fees just click here
Here you can find everything about their projects, blog and also their e-zine.
