The King of Elfland's Daughter

“… she crooned now a melody like a wind in summer blowing from wild wood gardens that no man tended, down valleys loved once by children, now lost to them but for dreams, a song of such memories as lurk and hide along the edges of oblivion, now flashing from beautiful years of glimpse of some golden moment, now passing swiftly out of remembrance again, to go back to the shades of oblivion, and leaving on the mind those faintest traces of little shining feet which when dimly perceived by us are called regrets..."

 

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“The King of Elfands Daughter” is a fantasy story first published by Lord Dunsany back in 1924. It inspired Neil Gaiman, to the point that he wrote the introduction to Del Rey's 1999 publication of the novel. In it Gaiman praises the beauty of the writing,  it’s honest portrayal of magic's repercussions in the non-magic world, and how a tale full of magic somehow manages to keep “its feet well planted on the ground”. At it’s end he states“Perhaps this book should come with a warning: it is not a reassuring, by-the-numbers fantasy novel … This is the real thing. It is a rich red wine..." He encourages all to "Trust the book. Trust the poetry and the strangeness, and the magic of the ink, and drink it slowly.” This intro was included in Gaiman’s “The View from the Cheap Seats”, which is how I learned of this golden tale and after a description such as that how could I not seek this book out? I now add that piece to the long, twirling list of reasons why I am grateful for Neil Gaiman.

For from the story's first page dedication “To Lady Dunsany” to the final shining page of magic, this book has charmed me entirely and completely. It is a story about life and hope and dreams. A cautionary tale to be careful what you wish for. It rings with true love, the loss of it, and the timeless pursuit to find it once more. It is the genuine fairy tale, one seeped with magic and unicorns and a mischievous troll called Lurulu. The story alone would be enough to captivate, but Lord Dunsany's use of writing is so rich with magnificent wonder, he has made it impossible to not become lost inside it forever. Every sentence is poetry, sung into story form. Every page made more beautiful by the magic each individual word holds and the dreams that they together invoke.

In short,  “The King of Elflands Daughter” is full of people and places that I have fallen utterly, absolutely in love with. It is a treasure of the truest kind and one I could not recommend strongly enough.

Aftermath

Shocked. Horrified. Incredibly saddened. I am struggling so hard right now to accept what this country has just done. Grasping to make sense of the hate so many people have allowed to take over their hearts for them to choose as they have. It makes me wish I wasn't part of this species called human, that I was a "lesser" animal instead. Sure they hunt, they cause pain, they kill; but at least with them it's due to instinct and survival and that is so much better than hatred. How can America be great when hatred is it's foundation?

 

As a woman I feel my worth and importance has been diminished. I can actually sense - for the first time ever - that thick bulletproof glass ceiling hovering just inches above my head, waiting to knock me down should I dare jump to high. I walked outside this morning - it blocked out the stars, sitting by my desk now - still there, laying in my bed last night- it was suffocating. How long will it last, will it ever fully fade?

 

Driving to work this morning on a four lane highway bogged down with traffic, hearing the promise of pollution in the air quality report, I looked at the future and felt cold fear twisting my stomach. It's still there, I expect it to be there, celebrating it's cruel victory, for a long time to come. I can barely take a breath without the threat of tears and I believe that it will be years before a true deep breath of comfort and safety will fill my lungs again. I am terrified for this country.

 

I wish, so very much that I could escape this world. I don't know how to process this new reality, don't know how to imagine a country where this is possible, much less live in it. I don't even know how to think anymore. I just don't know.