by Swetha Ramachandran
[box]Dwarfs, elves, fairy Godmothers and many more. Join Swetha Ramachandran as she takes you on a journey to lands of magic and fantasy that have found their celebrated beginnings in the unforgettable pages of some of the most enthralling works of English fiction.[/box]From elves to witches, dwarfs to vampires, hobbits to urgals, the world of fiction writing has witnessed many magical creatures right from the works of the Brothers Grimm to that of Enid Blyton and J.K.Rowling. Be it a damsel in distress, a cursed princess or a helpless young boy, these creatures – which have either originated from ancient English folklore or been born out of the creativity of many an imaginative author – have played an important role in helping or distressing the protagonists.
Amongst all these magical creatures, the dwarfs have always been portrayed as helpful creatures, the only exception being the story of ‘Rumpelstiltskin’. Rumpelstiltskin was a dwarf who helped the miller’s daughter spin straw into gold with his magical powers and later when she married the prince, wanted her new born as a token of gratitude for his help. Nevertheless, in the world of folklore, good always wins over evil and in the end this evil dwarf learns a lesson!
In ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ (a tale translated and compiled by the Brothers Grimm), the dwarfs help Snow White escape from the traps set by her evil step-mother and finally meet her price charming too. Though short in stature, the bravery and hard work of dwarfs extend to great levels and are not likely to be forgotten. Hence it was once again brought to light in Christopher Paolini’s series of three books, ’Eragon’, ‘Eldest’ and ‘Brisingr’ where the dwarfs join in fighting against their enemies, the ‘urgals’ and the ‘shades’. The ‘urgals’ and ‘shades’ are groups of fictitious characters that are known for their brutality and wickedness, the ones that join the league of witches, vampires and werewolves.
Another magical creature that traces its origin into ancient folk tales is the elf. The elves have always been described as beautiful, petite and devoted creatures. Who can forget the wide eyed, adorable Dobby and cute little Winky who were brought to life in J.K.Rowling’s best selling ‘Harry Potter’ series? They were creatures that were ever ready to help anybody and saved Harry from many a danger.
It was also in the Harry Potter series that the creatures called death eaters came into existence. They were evil spirits in whose presence one could feel his or her soul cringe with sorrow and fear. They possessed the power to take away one’s soul with a single kiss! Their very mention sends shivers through the characters (of the book) and the readers alike.
But what is so captivating about these magical creatures that it has lured authors and readers to this day? After reading the story of Cinderella who wouldn’t wish for a fairy godmother? Which ‘Potter’ fan wouldn’t want to study at ‘Hogwarts’, the school of witchcraft and wizardry? Why is Edward Cullen (the male ‘vampire’ protagonist of the ‘Twilight’ series by Stephenie Meyer) the heart throb of every teenager?
How have these works of fiction, in spite of being a product of the author’s imagination seemed so real? The answer lies in the well accepted truth that the human mind always likes to believe in miracles and that is what makes this genre an all-time hit. The entire concept of magic and fantasy fascinates and mesmerizes us mortal beings and makes us want to believe that anything extraordinary can happen in our own lives too. It gives the mind the hope to believe in something that we know is improbable yet not completely impossible! After all, when this is portrayed through books where the protagonists’ ordinary lives attain perfection all of a sudden, magically, who wouldn’t want to read it?
Of course there are always the science fictions, biographies, mystery novels and other fiction and non-fiction works, waiting in the racks. But will a dose of magic every now and then be of any harm? Let your imagination run riot, pack off reality for a while and sit with a book that explores the world of magic. And the next thing you will be doing is asking for more!
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