tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post8317043201133586423..comments2024-03-27T06:42:26.250-07:00Comments on Seven Miles of Steel Thistles: Be bold, be bold! (But not too bold.)Katherine Langrishhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-52164464523904390012020-04-27T00:38:43.167-07:002020-04-27T00:38:43.167-07:00Thanks for your comment,Ian! I'd love to have ...Thanks for your comment,Ian! I'd love to have seen you and your wife's play; I'm sure the children adored it - I've told the story to ten year old schoolchildren on many occasions in the the past twenty years and they'e always loved it. Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-24210712578193465522020-04-24T04:18:00.411-07:002020-04-24T04:18:00.411-07:00What an excallent blog. I was drawn here after a d...What an excallent blog. I was drawn here after a discussion metioned the folk song Reynardine, which I first heard in the 1960s. When I looked at the Wikipedia page for it, rather oddly no mention was made of the connection to the story of Lady Mary and Mr Fox which I heard in my childhood. <br /><br />I was not aware of the Faerie Queen and Shakespeare references before. Certainly this was how Shakespeare slipped in references to topics he expected his audience to be familiar with.<br /><br />I find the evidence for Mr Fox being a very old story convincing. The evidence for the song is less strong. Bert Lloyd was a talented man but not above "improving" songs for political reasons.<br /><br />My late wife and I put on a traditional version of Lady Mary and Mr Fox as a primary school play in about 1991. It went down well, the kids loved it. I don't suppose stories about mass murderers would be considered acceptable for under 11s these days!Ianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17323467505583081632noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-45780899878925201502019-08-17T10:09:25.061-07:002019-08-17T10:09:25.061-07:00... while there were still visible...! :(... while there were still visible...! :(Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-86082060320971224502019-08-17T10:08:43.506-07:002019-08-17T10:08:43.506-07:00To the gent who left the lovely comment of today, ...To the gent who left the lovely comment of today, my thanks and apologies. I was about to hit reply and managed to hit delete instead, but your kind words were very much appreciated! Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-50671549104878055432016-09-22T15:05:43.924-07:002016-09-22T15:05:43.924-07:00When I started reading this post I thought "M...When I started reading this post I thought "Mr Fox" was the story about the murderer that baked women into pies until one day a woman poisoned herself to take him with her, but that ust be called something else. I'm sure the titlestarted with "Mr." though. Made me quite confused whenI came to the part where you said you liked it better than Bluebeard ;)<br /><br />It's always fascinating to learn about the history of fairy tales that goes beyond the written sources. The pillar is especially fascinating. I wonder if the story is true.<br /><br />Great post as usual. I heard the saying a few times before and it's good to know the context.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11593854763215902252noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-87920229780368734672016-09-22T02:09:56.646-07:002016-09-22T02:09:56.646-07:00Wonderful! This was the story Penny Dolan told at ...Wonderful! This was the story Penny Dolan told at Charney, wasn't it? Quite riveting!Sue Purkisshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09084528571944803477noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-65044160806484411492016-09-17T08:31:43.421-07:002016-09-17T08:31:43.421-07:00Yes, I was thrilled!Yes, I was thrilled!Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-29539789691402037022016-09-17T06:16:09.632-07:002016-09-17T06:16:09.632-07:00Great post, Kath! I'd not heard of that pillar...Great post, Kath! I'd not heard of that pillar - what a find!Catherine Butlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17693526864905868829noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-26131762500851846782016-09-17T02:10:13.344-07:002016-09-17T02:10:13.344-07:00He was indeed! He was indeed! Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-84193691302081656402016-09-16T17:44:08.011-07:002016-09-16T17:44:08.011-07:00I'd swear I posted a comment here, maybe it di...I'd swear I posted a comment here, maybe it didn't save? Anyway, I have both the Jacobs books, which are available on Gutenberg, and nice it is to have some English fairy tales. They do fit nicely into the folktale tropes, but good to see the English versions. One of Sophie Masson's novels was inspired by Tattercoats rather than Cinderella. <br /><br />And I'm chuffed to learn he was an Aussie!Sue Bursztynskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09362273418897882971noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-54044371188674632162016-09-15T21:45:48.070-07:002016-09-15T21:45:48.070-07:00Many thanks for this excellent contribution to a t...Many thanks for this excellent contribution to a tale so many of us love.<br />I've added your link to my own recording: <br />http://tellatale.eu/tales_mr_fox.htmlAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02629671179969389449noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-29667487464544884062016-09-15T14:57:58.911-07:002016-09-15T14:57:58.911-07:00Love this post, Katherine! And love Mr Fox..first ...Love this post, Katherine! And love Mr Fox..first read it many many years ago in that JJ Jacobs collection..and it also found its way as an inspiration in my book 'Three Wishes' (which I wrote under the name of Isabelle Merlin)..Love Jacobs' collection of English tales..another of his, Tattercoats, was the major inspiration of my novel Cold Iron.Sophie Massonhttp://www.sophiemasson.orgnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-33472935116593373692016-09-15T14:43:23.344-07:002016-09-15T14:43:23.344-07:00Hi Kath, I'm so glad you and David were able t...Hi Kath, I'm so glad you and David were able to come over to visit. And what a thrilling story you have made of it! It's striking that we find 'Be bold, be bold...' in so many places. As David said, it might have become a catchphrase of the early seventeenth century - the sort of thing that would have been an internet meme today. I could imagine the spiritual descendents of Richard Fort now pass their time carving out ONE DOES NOT SIMPLY WALK INTO... as the barrel-bombs drop around their foxholes. I hope they never have to do it in Painswick.John Dickinsonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-63431287179995675102016-09-15T10:58:49.563-07:002016-09-15T10:58:49.563-07:00It sounds to me as if the song relies on its heare...It sounds to me as if the song relies on its hearers to know the fairy tale - and understand just how dangerous Reynardine is!C.J.Busbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12288574235370421625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-91810441236951400762016-09-15T09:24:56.305-07:002016-09-15T09:24:56.305-07:00I'm so sorry, Amanda seems to be finding it to...I'm so sorry, Amanda seems to be finding it tough too! I have no idea why... Not techy enough. I will investigate! And yes, I know and sometimes sing Renardine - there must be a connection somewhere! Katherine Langrishhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12529700103932422873noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-77655383279728782802016-09-15T07:26:05.307-07:002016-09-15T07:26:05.307-07:00Really great post - enjoyed it a lot. Have you com...Really great post - enjoyed it a lot. Have you come across the folk song, 'Bold Reynardine'? I'm pretty sure it must be based on the same story. Bert Jansch sings a great version, and there's a lovely one on the first album of the Carolina Chocolate Drops ('Genuine Negro Jig") - the female singer has a gorgeous voice and there's a chill at the end when the eponymous character tells the hapless maiden: "Oh, I'll be in my castle, pray enquire for Reyardine"... <br /><br />CeliaC.J.Busbyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12288574235370421625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4950999049789394042.post-4611849632364082982016-09-15T03:25:52.520-07:002016-09-15T03:25:52.520-07:00Wonderful post Kath. Mr Fox also crucial to the st...Wonderful post Kath. Mr Fox also crucial to the story of CORPSE BRIDE, Tim Burton's wonderful stop-motion film.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com