For this week's Illustration Friday word(s), Tales and Legends, my thoughts immediately went to one of my favorite fairytales - the story about a mean stepmother married to an oblivious king. She banishes the princess and turns all the princes into swans. It becomes the task of the princess to turn the swan brothers back into people brothers.
Here's just a bit from The Wild Swans, by Hans Christian Andersen. "But however quietly its white glassy surface rested, there was still a motion on the shore, as its waves rose and fell like the breast of a sleeping child. When the sun was about to set, Eliza saw eleven white swans with golden crowns on their heads, flying towards the land, one behind the other, like a long white ribbon. Then Eliza went down the slope from the shore, and hid herself behind the bushes. The swans alighted quite close to her and flapped their great white wings. As soon as the sun had disappeared under the water, the feathers of the swans fell off, and eleven beautiful princes, Eliza’s brothers, stood near her."
When I was looking up the story, it seems there are many versions of the tale, titles and details - as well as a variety of numbers of brothers - 7? 11? I still love it and... it rekindled a desire to illustrate the whole story. So...that could be a good project.
5 comments:
Beautiful. It has a nice fairy tale feel to it. Isn't this also the story behind the ballet Swan Lake?
ooooh, really beautiful illustration!
I love this tale and your illustration i s perfect!
This has always been one of my favorite tales. As a child I received a beautifully illustrated book, and was completely lost in the desperate tale of the brave young girl sacrificing for her brothers. Your illustration has such an enchanted feeling. Really beautiful!
I love listening to H.C. Andersen's tale as a child and you chose a wonderful story. Your illustration is beautiful with a dreamylike quality. I really like the crowns on the swan princes.
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