Iconage - Wild Swans

[qos]

I've swiped up a few new icons recently, and particularly love this one. It's based on one of my favorite fairy tales, The Wild Swans.

Every so often I try to analyze why this one has touched me so deeply since I was a young child, but I've never quite figured it out. The best reason that I can come up with is that it so elegantly -- and unexpectedly -- turns on its head the usual conventions of who rescues whom. Elise is the savior, even though she endures terrible hardship. And while the storyteller makes it clear that what she's doing isn't easy or pleasant, there's an awareness that her task of gathering nettles and weaving them into shirts is one she's freely chosen. She's not one of those fairy tale 'heroines' (*cough* *cough*) who "weeps bitterly" because of her situation. She's not a martyr. The prince who comes by is a nice guy, but his attempt to rescue her and foist a Happily Ever After onto her isn't welcome, and almost results in her death and the ruin of all her work.

I guess I've always liked Elise's courageous, solitary commitment to her work. She won't speak even when her own life is threatened. She chooses, again and again, and triumphs in the end because of her own courage.

I like Tam Lin for similar reasons. . . *waves at tamnonlinear*

(Yes, I own Starhawk's book that uses The Wild Swans as a foundation for magical training, but I've never been able to get into it.)

I don't know the name of the artist who created the original image, but the icon is by "royal_highness"

Comments

[toesontheground.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a good story - have never read it or come across it. Must change that.

[qos.livejournal.com]

Fairytales are always best in storybooks with beautiful illustrations, but here's a straight text: http://www.candlelightstories.com/storypage.asp

[toesontheground.livejournal.com]

Thanks :)