Even just saying the word makes you look over your shoulder. Goblins have been in the human culture since someone heard a suspicious noise outside the cave door. "Hey Ug, what's that sound?? Did you see that shape? Kill it with your club...IF you can..." said the cave woman.
Yes, once again it's time for a Story at our StoryBook Club! Last night, we searched for Goblins!
Every month we pick a topic of children's literature and research on our own. Then we bring what we've found back to group and tell tales on the topic ...and EAT, DRINK and be MERRY!
We found out a lot of things, so much information...and much of it was conflicting! Yet the one thing that was consistent was that no matter WHAT goblins looked like (there is no rule...from terrifying Orcs to little Gremlins) the only thing that Goblins shared in common is?
They are mean nasty little shits. Grumpy, angry, malicious, mean spirited little feckers.
Yup. That's the only common denominator.
Their looks run the gamut. But it boils down to this: basically any creature that is unusual, ugly and creepy and jumping out at you and scares the bejesus out of you... COULD be a Goblin.
Usually they are small....but some of the orcs in LOTR are not!
Here are some other interesting tidbits of Goblin Lore:
Goblins ride Wargs.
Goblins eat anything....including PEOPLE.
Goblins sometimes kidnap females to make them (unwillingly so) into Goblin WIVES.
Goblins switch out human babies for Goblin changeling babies.
Goblins can sometimes possess magickal abilities (i.e. Rumplestiltskin was likely a goblin)
Goblins like MONEY.
Goblins do mischief and malice just for fun and because it makes their little black hearts HAPPY.
Keith found a great old Victorian poem called "The Goblin Market" and it seems that there is some underlying and now fading link to Women's Rights, homosexuality and Goblins.
As in, "if a woman becomes "knowledgeable or independant, sexual in any manner...or if she's a woman who lives with another woman, FIE! She has gone over to the "dark side" and the Goblins (i.e. devil) surely has his claws into her!"
Here "The Goblin Market" info and background. CLICK THIS TO READ IT!
Interesting.
So, the message here is: Be afraid of independence ladies! The Goblins will get you if you go out at night! Or have that kiss from that handsome stranger! You will be DOOMED and no amount of wishing you hadn't wished that baby away will save you. And for God's sake, DON'T partake of any Goblin food for you will wither away and pine for it at the same time. (i.e. once you get a taste of sexuality,...you are LOST, sort of Victorian reasoning.)
Heedless of the danger to ourselves....
Our StoryBook Club was UNDAUNTED and we met at Phil & Christine's house and they had it decorated perfectly for our evening's swaree!
Some of the delightful bounty of the table was:
A cheesy, meaty Goblin dip, Baked Apples,
Goblin Goulash, Goblin Soup (made with cabbage and savory browned bits of Hobbit :)
It was wicked fun!
There were many movies that are out there featuring Goblins! "Legend", "The Spiderwick Chronicles", "Lord of the Rings", "Harry Potter" just to name a few!
But our movie of choice was "Labryinth" with David Bowie for our Goblin viewing pleasure.
(That and seeing David Bowie in tights :)
Unfortunately most of us had to get home before the Goblins got us....
and the rest of us fell into a charmed spell of relaxation and started snoring in the comfy chairs there.
Christine shared an interesting tidbit of info on this movie, was that the baby "Toby" in the movie "Labyrinth" is actually Brian Froud's son!
You remember Brian Froud, right? He is the amazing artist who brought goblins and fairies into the forefront of our psyche with his work in "The Dark Crystal" and Jim Henson's Creature Shop! He is really raising his child in the fantasy world right from the get go!
Mermaids too....are not the sweet things that Disney would have you believe. I can't wait to hook one and pull it out of the water. I hate taking the hook out though...
Certainly there is more within THIS story than Disney wants us to know.....
Keep Reading and Learning!!
No comments:
Post a Comment