Sometime last year I began to have recurring dreams of walking on forested pathways, wandering off the large path onto smaller, hidden paths. And in most of the dreams, I was wearing this hood.
I couldn’t stop thinking of the dream, and I am a believer in following obsessions, so: I read every academic article I could find about the tale of Little Red; I checked out every illustrated children’s book of the story and put myself to sleep pouring over the artists’ varied visions; and while I was doing all of that, I knit the hood (pattern info follows). The hood is cozy and warm, and when I wear it, I feel as if I’m walking in a faerie tale.
Clarissa Pinkola Estes believes that the wolf in the story of Little Red is The Predator—that thing which lures all of us, at some point, away from our highest path and truest self. For her, we learn to avoid this Wolf as part of our maturation. I love Clarissa, but my reading of this tale is different.
When the wolf lures Red off the trail, he sets her a task—something to occupy her time so that he can pad over to the grandmother’s house and eat her up. The task is picking wildflowers. Now, instead of just a boring basket of muffins for her grandmother, Red will show up with a basket full of wild beauty that she gathered herself from the forest—treasures not found on the well-traveled path. She will find her own way through the woods. And when she arrives? Yes, she will be eaten by the wolf, as her grandmother was before her. But it turns out that they are perfectly well. They are swallowed whole by the wild and emerge exhilarated. They place the flowers on the table and feast with a wonderful new hunger. And the wolf? In some stories the hunter who hacks him open to rescue Red and Grandma stitches stones into his belly and throws him into the pond. But we shouldn’t worry about the wild wolf—he’ll be just fine.
I am positive that at the end of the tale, when Red promises her wise elder grandmother that from now on she will “stay on the path,” it is with a wink and a nudge between them. The Grandmother has known for some time, and Red is just learning: Who wants an everyday path void of danger when you can have beasts and shadows and secret flowers?
It’s a New Year (and, as I write, a New Moon). I wish you wild days and crooked trails. I wish you unexpected visits from the wild wolf of your imagination.
My beautiful hood is based on the Dragon Watcher’s Hood by Stephanie Dosen of Tiny Owl Knits. There are bells attached at the ends to keep you from accidentally sneaking up on an unsuspecting dragon, which is of course not recommended. The pattern is available on Ravelry, or better still, it resides among a bouquet of other dreamy patterns in Dosen’s enchanted Woodland Knits. In this book, knitting becomes a way to connect with the magic of wild places. Love it. I departed from the recommended yarn to use Ushya, a textured merino with a tiny touch of polyester (2%) to make it extra-soft and non-itchy.
This resonates so deeply. Thank you, Lyanda. And I LOVE the hood!
I love this interpretation of the fairy tale so much more than as the standard warning to stay on the path at all costs, avoid colouring outside the lines, etc. And the hood is stellar!
🙂 Where is the Wolf? just beware haha…
Always like this picture above, especially the Lyanda’s cute red hood
Yes! i remember this Dragon Watcher’s Hood with small bell, nice
Awesome the Dragon Watcher’s Hood!
This is just good to have the sims freeplay cheat online for the simoleons.
These kinds of all-natural qualities may be propounded some wind turbine to help you producing the primary power back up for the home.onlysolars. One of the best things about country houses such as Huntsham Court is the estate that surrounds them.After summer’s extreme temperatures,adidas superstar w noir et blanc, your car battery may be feeling drained! Don’t let your busy schedule get interrupted by a dead car battery. Author Resource:-Norton promo code lets you preserve a ton of dollars on N
We’ve identified that software program known as Frontline Rogue Remover is the perfect for doing away with Website Antivirus 2011. Nonetheless,Cheap Nike NFL Jerseys China, upon that scenario,Wholesale Football Jerseys, the currently contain the fiscal component coated.Travel to grow your network.You can set up your affiliate marketing account through each company that you would like. The write-up is aimed at instructing Laptop or computer customers in excess of how systems such as spyware and a
There are many advantages of buying the furniture while having discount as you can reduce the budget and at the same time get quality products meeting your requirement. The regular check out of a hacker assault features a computer system procedure staying manipulated through an unauthorised and exterior pressure.htm" target="_blank">Buy Photo voltaic Residence Generator< a>< strong>< em> Federal governing bodies and also urban centers be investing to be able t