� 2001-2006 by Shiloh
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productiveFaerie tale myths: Are they true...or debunkable?
L'Enchanteur Magazine tests various faerie tale myths to see if they can hold up in modern times.
By Bella Von Prince
L'Enchanteur Special Sections Editor
Part I: An actual dreamer's land found over the edge of the rainbow--or not?
Somewhere over the rainbow"When the going gets rough, the tough get going." No one likes troubles or stress. If they're hard enough or too numerous, even the most pragmatic Type A personality will choose to escape...even by doing the very thing he or she makes fun of the Type B personality for: dreaming.
Way up high
There's a land that I heard of
Once in a lullabySomewhere over the rainbow
Skies are blue
And the dreams that you dare to dream
Really do come trueSome day I'll wish upon a star
And wake up where the clouds are far behind me
Where troubles melt like lemondrops
Away above the chimney tops
That's where you'll find me
In the immortal story, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum, young Dorothy is beset by a grievous problem: the awful Miss Gulch wants her aunt and uncle to get rid of her beloved dog, Toto, for having bit the ill-tempered witch. In spite of everyone's protests Miss Gulch "dognaps" Toto and Dorothy goes after her to rescue him. Upon being reunited with Toto who escaped, Dorothy starts for home as a tornado touches down and heads her way. She races for home and somehow trips, falls and hits her head. When she comes to, we along with Dorothy and Toto, are lead on fantastical journey to find "our" way back home with Dorothy.
Somewhere over the rainbow, in troublesome times we all hope and dream there is a magical land to which we can escape to...if only for a lil while. Until our troubles become more bearable. A place where, as the song says, troubles melt like lemondrops/Away above the chimney tops/That's where you'll find me. A place where there are no worries, no responsibilities, no Miss Gulches. A place that appeals to us uniquely and individually.
Does such a place exist? Or is it only in our dreams? Scientists will say no, it is only a myth. They'll tell you a rainbow is created when light is refracted by or through water. That a rainbow is an intangible thing only and fades too quickly to explore its end or edge. Perhaps so, but there are people, honest people, who swear they have truly seen the Little People and seen faeries flitting about in their gardens. There are many things out there, this writer thinks, that we humans have not yet discovered or proved that exist. Who's to say they are wrong, that an invisible world doesn't exist "somewhere over the rainbow?" After all, it's been proven science isn't always right.
And, as far as this dreamer is concerned, an escape over the rainbow, to my own personal land now and then, while it doesn't really melt my troubles away, it definitely relaxes and refreshes me so I'm able to tackle my problems again and conquer them...one...by...one. And that feeling of accomplishment reminds me that I'm glad to be back. That "there's no place like home."
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