Early Australian fairy tales

Trooper Floyd, tired from a 'Day on the Diggings' (1850)  relaxes in a 21st Century Principal's Office. After a term as Acting Principal with the non-stop plethora of challenges that are part of the job: dead rats to bury; technology hiccups - dead photocopiers, dropped laptops; the worry of purchasing furniture/ shelving for our new library-technology space when my degrees are in education NOT design; trucks that smash the water meter 2 hours before 400 children descend on the school and want to use the toilet; dealing with student learning issues to maximise outcomes and coaching staff;  the opportunity to escape to our favourite J & J house in the Great Lakes area of Tassie and do some writing is my idea of bliss. Nestled amongst the gumtrees First I am attending The Australian Historical Society's Conference:  History At The Edge Conference   ash cloud and the demise of Tiger airlines permitting with a paper exploring the similarities between the fair

                                  Olga Ernst wrote Fairytales from the land of the Wattle in 1904 at the age of sixteen. Ernst cleverly placed the old world faerie folk of Europe that she knew from listening to the Grimm brothers fairytales and placed them into the new Australian landscape delighting Australian children. Ernst created a fairyland that Australian children could relate to and she says in her book introduction, "These are written in the hope that they will... win approval of those to whom a loving study of tree and flower, bird and insect, and the association of familiar elements of old world fairy-lore with Australian surroundings, commend themselves. I remember watching videos of Snow White (1937) (Too scary for children when released. My grandparents left my mother with a babysitter), Cinderella (1950)and Sleeping Beauty (1959) but haven't seen The Princess and the Frog (2009), an adapta

These are the stories I have defined as the first Australian fairytales. My choice is open to interpretation.  The definition of fairytales for analytical research in my thesis is that a fairytale is usually a short and simple story that features folkloric characters such as elves, trolls, goblins, giants, fairies, witches or other magical beings and the results of their interactions with humans. Talking animals or inanimate objects that speak may also be included. A happy ending is never guaranteed and there may be a moral message. 1.      187 0 Roland, Sarah Anne Charlotte (pseud. Gumsucker), Rosalie's Reward; or The Fairy Treasure, Wreford, Ballarat, Vic. 15 p. 2.      1871 Desda (pseud.), The Rival Fairies, Turner, Sydney, NSW. [From Mason's The Australian Christmas Story Book] 24 p. ; 17 cm. 3.      1871 Lockeyear, J. R, Mr. Bunyip; or Mary Somerville's Ramble: An Australian Story for Child

I started this blog as a way to reflect on intriguing aspects of my research. I wonder about who is reading this blog? It is nice to get emails and the occasional comment.  I ponder about  the regular visitor from Slovenia  and am delighted that I was discovered by Heyne family members quite by accident.   The most visited posts are: A PhD! What's in it for me?  Sept 12,2010 Teaching in the blood   Oct 19, 2010 Rosalie's Reward    Oct 16, 2010 Tassie Tales    Aug 15, 2010 Toxic Friendships    Jun 19, 2010 Producing a poster - AARE Conference   Oct 24, 2010 So... how popular are the Grimms?  March 6 2011

Brandenburg Gate, January 2011 With few customers a hot coffee is  always a consolation.  This is my favourite holiday snap. I am drawn to the incongruity of the seemingly NQR (not quite right) character (it's a German historical precinct not the North Pole) with a coffee. At the Brandenburg Gate, performers, dressed as WW2 soliders, stand in prime positions and expect payment from tourists who feel the need for a photo opportunity.  This has been feedback week:   1. Monday feedback on Thesis 2. Tuesday feedback on Staff Attitudes to School Survey 3. Wednesday feedback at gym. I feel empathy with the reindeer - will he learn the hard way that he's got it wrong?  But, like the coffe-break reindeer, I also see the sense in reflecting over coffee and ... coffee at Seven Seeds, Carlton is very good.  Feedback question: So, how do you think I’m progressing? In response to feedback here are my SMART goals: 1. writing to a timeline/structure before next meeting with supp

This week I revamped my poster, attempting to simplify it to send to Prof. Dr. Achim Barsch who has a student who is willing to translate it for me. It's difficult to know what to put in or leave out. An exercise in succinctly capturing the essence for another market.

The Experimedia room in the State Library of Victoria was a surprise. Most of my time at the SLV has been spent hunched over microfiche readers in dark corrals persistently trying to unearth tiny deposits of information on Ernst.  The light-filled bluestone lined courtyard  (once a carpark between buildings) with its modern atrium ceiling and digital tools is an intriguing blend of past and future.  Last night I was delighted that Hazel Edwards invited me to be part of the celebration of the ASA 's 'rebirth' in Victoria, with the opportunity to meet other writers and gain a compelling insight into the future of books and authorship in the digital age.