Tales of Wonder
The highlight of "Pan's Labyrinth" was a young girl's visit to the lair of the Pale Man. He was a child-eating creature, whose eyes were located on the palm of his hands. And he sat silently in front of a large feast. The faun warned the girl not to taste the food, and he allowed three fairies to guide her. But the war made her famished. She ate two grapes, which awoke the Pale Man. He devoured the two fairies. The girl narrowly escaped him, but this infuriated the faun. He refused to give her another task.
Guillermo del Toro's dark fantasy was partly inspired by Edward Plunkett's "Wonder Tales". The 18th Baron of Dunsany lived the life of adventure, having traveled around Europe and Africa. He could've penned exotic tales, but his stories were based from Irish folklore. Dunsany was also a huge fan of Greek mythology. And his imagination had no bounds.
In able to appreciate Lord Dunsany's creativity, one must take a look at his stories. Here are some samples:
The Bride of the Man-Horse. Shepperalk took a silver horn from the golden coffer. It wielded seventeen cities of men into submission, but the centaur would use it as a wedding bell of sort. He wanted Somebelene, whose beauty was known all over Zrerazoola. And she was dead. Dunsany penned his own version of "Sleeping Beauty", but readers would sense fatalism. Shepperalk wore an amulet, which he also took from the coffer. Could it be the centaur's protection against the malevolence surrounding Zrerazoola? His mother only sighed and let him go. The author didn't reveal if love conquered all. Shepperalk would face Somebelene, and readers must use their imagination.
The House of the Sphinx. The narrator dreamed of a quest, where a fertile valley would await him. But he must passed through the labyrinth. The Sphinx guarded the place, and she won't show mercy to visitors. The narrator could have do it easily, as this was his dream. But why was he drawn to the sphinx? What secrets he could learn from her? One must remember the tale of a young Egyptian who slept under the head of the buried Sphinx. She promised him to make him pharaoh if he would remove the sands (that buried the rest of her body). Ancient Egyptians swore this was the story of Thutmose IV.
The Quest of the Queen's Tears. Many princes tried to win the heart of Sylvia, the Queen of the Woods. But no one moved her. Ackronnion, a young man dressed in rags, thought of stealing tears from the Gladsome Beast. The creature's name was synonymous with joy. This was no different from the other fairy tales, where the female character was anything but virtuous. Ackronnion's mission had its share of perils, and it would be better not to reveal the outcome. It could be a spoiler.
The Hoard of the Gibbelins. The Gibbelins have an insatiable appetite for men. They knew their lust for treasure, so they have hordes of gold, emerald, and ruby to lure them. One man would put an end to it, but his effort won't be appreciated. This was a tale of greed, which would befall anyone. Lord Dunsany didn't pen a disheartening tale, as one man's good deed won't go unnoticed. Time would be a fair judge.
The Wonderful Window. Many men would envy Mr. Shadden, but he only wanted the window he bought from an old man's shop. It brought him to places he never known, even fulfilled his desires. Some readers would judge Mr. Shadden, reminding him that some were contented with what they have. But this was a Walter Mitty moment.
