Magical Shape-Shifters
October 8, 2011
For these are stories with staying power, as their antiquity shows, because the meanings they generate are themselves magical shape-shifters, dancing to the needs of their audience.
-Marina Warner, From the Beast to the Blonde: On Fairy Tales and Their Tellers
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9 Comments
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Fascinating picture. Love the raven.
very seductive picture Evaand couples well with the quote ,all the best stu
“…magical shape-shifters, dancing to the needs of their audience” What a great way to put it!
That picture is kind of scary…
I’m halfway through that very book, what a great quote to pull out of it! Looking forward to reading your review… (And yes, the picture is amazing too!)
what a lovely picture!
I love that idea, of the meaning shifting shape and dancing to the audience’s needs. The world was very different when a lot of them were invented, and for many readers/listeners it would have been much more physically dangerous, the sort of place where you would need to be warned to be careful in forests, be afraid of wolves, etc. Nowadays we don’t literally need to be afraid of the Big Bad Wolf, but we can adapt it to modern circumstances and enjoy the stories perhaps on a more symbolic level. Very thought-provoking quote, thanks Eva!
The picture is perfect for the quote!
May books sustain you as you make your way in your new life. And I didn’t realize you were a fellow Texan!
Great quote! I’ll definitely be checking out the book.