Depending on which fairy tale version of Sleeping Beauty that you remember, there’s always a fairy whom the king and queen forgot to invite to their daughter’s christening, for they either lost that fairy’s forwarding address or thought she’d long died. And so she arrives at the christening pretty pissed off that she wasn’t invited when everyone else was. Worse, there is no seat for her along the golden table reserved for mystical beings like her and she has to sit with the commoners.
And so as all the fairies were handing out their blessings for the wee princess, the pissed-off fairy gave hers as well – that the princess, on her sixteenth birthday, would prick her finger on a spindle and die. A bit extreme, but there it was. She wished the princess to die on her sixteenth birthday. Kinda harsh, I know…
But we all know that there was one more fairy who hadn’t had a chance to give her blessing. I think she must have been inside the loo at the time, much like Christine Lahti being in the bathroom when her name was called during the Emmy Awards. And when the last fairy’s turn came, while she could not undo the pissed-off fairy’s blessing, she could soften it, and so she reversed the curse of death to that of a 100-year long sleep that would be undone by the kiss of a prince. While the prince thing here is a bit vague, at least there’s no death involved – let’s just hope that a good sturdy mattress is involved because a hundred years is a mighty long time.
So when it comes to being transformed into a mystical being with the gift of magic, that’s who I’d like to be. That last fairy who can soften curses and ill intentions of others, and along with it hopefully also soften the heart of the one who gave them. Maybe help them consider all the different options with love and compassion. While it wouldn’t necessarily bring about world peace, it is a start. A wish-ful start for 2014.
Oh, and while we’re on the topic of fairy godmothers, here’s a beautiful take on that christening and the blessing from that last fairy. CARABOSSE, a beautiful poem by Delia Sherman.
Morrighan's Muse 
what an amazing picture you chose! I could get lost within it. I love your choice of magical power – yes indeed she is very much needed – blessings!
Thank you! It is a beautiful picture, that’s for sure!
You want my autobiography? Short or long version?
LOL there you are!
That is a beautifully detailed picture of Snow White.You have spoken about great intentions, have you thought of the core issues which lead to the various problems in the first place. If these core issues cannot be resolved, what else could you do without needing to morph into that mystical being?
Have a great 2014.
Shakti