Its a drag when you and all your brothers get turned into birds and your little sister has to save you with magical clothing.
Its an even bigger drag if you are the little sister.
There are lots of stories from lots of cultures about boys getting themselves turned into birds. In some of those stories the boys have bird adventures but in some they simply wait around for their sister to save them. She does this with the power of her crafting (!!!) and her sweetness. The sister is always good and pure and beautiful and lonely and sad (and dull). You know, a total little-goody-two-shoe type. But she has mad crafting skills.
I’m telling a smart-ass version of The Wild Swans, (“De vilde Svaner”) as its found in Hans Christian Anderson. In this story there are 11 Swan Brothers and the Swan Princess has to make shirts from stinging nettle. Yes, stinging nettle which she picks and spins with her bare hands. That Swan Princess may be goody-goody and dull as a doorknob but she is pretty freaking tough.
As I mention in the video, using nettle as a fiber is a real thing. Once the plant has been stripped of its leaves, which is where the sting comes from, it makes nice bast fiber. Birte Ford has a book out on how to turn nettles into yarn. You can also check out her website which some resources on that topic too.
These posts are so easy. All I do is spin some yarn and run my mouth. People seem to like them though. I have a few more and you can find them on the Spinning In Cowgirl Boots page. Enjoy!
"There is no failure. Only feedback." - Robert Allen
10 Comments on "Spinning In Cowgirl Boots – The Wild Swans"
So awesome! I love this story so much. I also have a romance novel that I like based on this story that I thought I would share with you: http://www.amazon.com/Wild-Swans-Faerie-Tale-Romance/dp/0505523833 . Yes, there are sex-y bits, it’s a Romance Novel after all! But it is a very hilarious one I think you might enjoy 🙂
I’m reading the description on amazon and it sounds perfectly ridiculous! lol But that story makes a good point. Maybe the King marries the Swan Princess because she doesn’t talk. I wonder how their marriage fared after she started talking again.
Hmm..
Now I have to worry about the boy with one swan wing/arm AND the status of Swan Princess’ marriage.
That was wonderful! You have a great storyteller’s voice. I have never heard that story before. Thanks for sharing. I know its not but you make the spinning look so easy and relaxing.
Thank-you! Its a nice story and I really have always wondered about that little brother stuck with the swan wing. If I was clever enough I’d write a sequel of my own that was all about him.
But writing fiction is hard! I’ll stick to playing with yarn. 🙂
I had a comment, but thought you might like one from someone else instead:
My 12 year old watched the video and said she wishes she had you for a teacher 🙂
wow! That is a very nice complement.
I wonder if she’d feel the same way about me after a math lesson? 😛 Let’s NOT out it to the test.
Lol, how about a science lesson? She’s doing online school over the summer, and it’s soooo boring! She says the spinning wheel helped her concentrate. I predict yarn in her future 🙂
Anyways… I wanted to say thank you. I didn’t hear many fairy tales as a kid, and I love the way you tell them. The mix of folklore and facts has me waiting for your next story every week!
Thank you! I’ll have to keep spinning yarn and rambling at the mouth. That’s easy. Its not like I ever run out of things to say. 😛
I predict some yarn in that little girl’s future too. Spinning is very relaxing. Knitting is very soothing. And the knotting of crochet is so very satisfying at the end of a frustrating day.
This is a wonderful feature on your blog. Please keep it going.
Thank-you thank-you! I will.