Sunday, 2 September 2012

Of Dead Ends and Fairy Tales




The hedge maze is deep emerald green in the light of day, though within the deepest parts of the maze it is cool and full of silver mist. She and Piper begin on separate paths, taking new routes and seeing who can reach the centre last. They have traversed the many corners and trails so many times they have memorized every possible route to the centre and now make a game of finding the worst possible route to take, going in circles and coming to dead ends, following spirals that twist in on themselves until they end up where they started. Eventually though, they each find their way, congratulating one or the other when they reach the centre after such a long time. Once there they collapse in a heap on the soft earthen floor, in the centre of the clearing in which bubbles an old fountain with a small stone basin and in which stands many old statues brought there or built by scholars from other lands. Surrounded by the aroma of Spanish moss and looking up at the sky with hedges and statues draped with drooping moribund tendrils, Piper tells stories of the statues. Tales of the rampant lion, or the pale lady missing her eyes and crying out in anguish, the god-like man with goat’s legs and horns atop his curly hair. She tells of the many knots in the bases of some of the statues, explaining trinities of life, death and rebirth, or maiden, mother and crone. Her companion responds with lessons from her father about the power of trinities, of elements tied together in contrast or harmony. They chase one another around ram-headed lions, winged horses and a giant faun so covered in moss and ferns he is almost lost in his own foliage. 

Art by Guillermo Del Toro

Text by Lucie MacAulay

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