What is it about folk tales that unsettles us so? If you skip past the Disney versions of fairy and folk tales (perhaps with a detour to Angela Carter, which I definitely recommend) to the original Grimm Brothers or Charles Perrault or Giambattista Basile, you’ll find stories with strange rules that twist the ordinary into the frightening or the bizarre or the surreal. Kelly Link’s collection, White Cat, Black Dog, takes inspiration from classic and lesser-known folk tales that fascinate and disturb just like their precursors.
Standouts from this collection include:
“Prince Hat Underground,” inspired by Tam Lin. Who doesn’t love a retelling of Tam Lin, a story about a love so determined that it drives one lover to chase the other across the world and through curses? In this version, a man follows his husband all the way to Iceland, using tiny details about Prince Hat’s past. Whenever he is stumped, someone (or, more usually, something) appears to guide him on to the next step. Our protagonist has so many opportunities to turn back but his love for Prince Hat is so strong that he’ll risk the Queen of Hell to get his husband back.
“The White Road,” inspired by the Bremen Town Musicians. Not only do our protagonists have to contend with the hardships of constant travel in what appears to be a post-apocalyptic countryside, they also have to avoid the ever-present White Road and its undead inhabitants. The only thing that can ward off death is the presence of an actual corpse or a troupe of actors talented enough to fake a wake. Our actors and musicians know the rules of the road (and the Road) but the young man they’ve been paid to escort loses his cool and puts them all in danger. I really enjoyed this horrific take on a story of always traveling but never arriving.
“Skinder’s Veil,” inspired by Snow-White and Rose-Red. House-sitting is a strange gig, although it can be fun if the accommodations are cozy or swanky enough. Our protagonist here is cajoled into subbing for a friend who is house-sitting for a man with very specific rules. He must always let in the owner’s friends but must not ever let the owner in the house. Since our protagonist has never met the owner, all he has to go on is that friends will arrive at the kitchen door while the owner will always turn up at the front. Like many folk tales, the reasons for the rules are never given and these rules are expected to be obeyed completely, with the implication of terrifying consequences. The protagonist has theories about the unbreakable rules but, to be honest, most of the fun in this book is just speculating about who (or what) is going to show up next.
I recommend this collection for fans of the odd, especially those who like stories that draw from centuries-old tales. The lessons at the heart of these stories are often opaque, so I would also recommend this collection to readers who like to puzzle over their reading long after they finish the last page.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.