Kassandra Grob

Ancient stories used to explain how the world worked. Different cultures explained the same things in different ways and we know them today in the forms of religion, mythology, folklore, fables, and fairytales. These stories can help us cope with traumatic and stressful experiences, and their value reaches through history. For instance, I see parallels between the obstacles that characters from Evangeline Walton's novel, The Children of Llyr, face to the events and experiences I have had in my own life. Themes like the struggle against something that seems insurmountable, familial loyalty, the overwhelming presence of Christianity, the non-traditional family, and perseverance resonate at the core of humankind. Subsequently, The Children of Llyr, like many similar stories, has been retold and adapted over and over: Swan Lake, Black Swan, The Swan Princess, The Wild Swans, The Twelve Brothers, The Daughter of the Forest, and even The Ugly Duckling, are all simulacrums of The Children of Llyr. Using animation, I give this story a purpose, separate from its entertainment value. I write my own version of The Children of Llyr, creating a modern mythology and language to describe the fairytale narrative to provide a cathartic release for myself and viewers.