Bicorne and Chichevache: Monster Week Day 1

Today's monsters are more of a sort of Medieval joke, a social satire, than anything anyone ever believed actually existed. They are the Bicorne and the Chichevache, and they are generally spoken of together, as a pair of opposites.

The Chichevache (or "scrawny cow"; also known in French as the Chichifache, or "thin or ugly face"; also called the Thin-gut) is described as an extremely thin cow with a miserable, ugly human face. It's state of malnourishment and misery was said to be caused by it's diet: it fed only on faithful and obedient wives, said to be in short supply.

The Bicorne (or Bycorne, Bicorn, and sometimes the Burrowing Bicorne; also called the Bulchin) in contrast looks like a grossly plump panther with a pleased expression. This is because the Bicorne feeds on hen-pecked, subservient husbands, of which it can find a great abundance. The Bicorne is said to have two horns (one suspects the ubiquitous 'cuckold horns' joke so beloved of the Middle Ages and Renaissance) that it drops when captured.

As obscure as these creatures are, they have a presence in literature: Chaucer in "The Clerk's Tale" cautions wives not to be too good lest the Chichevache devour them, and Bicorne horns are mentioned in the Harry Potter books as an ingredient in Polyjuice potion.

Panda and the Magic Serpent: Movie for a Summer Afternoon

If anyone had asked me a few months ago what was the first anime that had engaged me, I would have said that it was the run of Dragonball Z on Cartoon Network that premiered about twelve years ago. Then with a start I might have remembered Alakazam the Great, Toei's take on Monkey and his journey to the west, which I had watched and enjoyed as a toddler in the Sixties. But what had become a vague, fugitive memory in my brain, and which was just as old, was Panda and the Magic Serpent.

Panda and the Magic Serpent (a.k.a. Hakujaden, Legend of the White Snake, The Great White Snake, The White Snake Enchantress) was the first color anime feature film, created by the Toei Company and released in Japan in 1958 and then (edited and dubbed) in the US in 1961. Although it had won awards overseas, it did not do as well in an America with its expectations set by Disney, and in less than a decade Panda was appearing on TV. This is where I saw it, before I was even in first grade.

The movie begins with a vast, supernatural storm striking China. In its wake, a magical white snake is transformed into a beautiful maiden, Bai-Niang, and a stranded fish is turned into her maid-servant, Xiao Chin. Years before (in snake form) Bai-Niang had been friends with a boy called Xu-Xian, whose fearful parents had parted them. Now that she is human she goes in search of him once more.

Xu-Xian, now an orphan, lives with his friends Panda (an immature Giant Panda) and Mimi, a Red Panda, in a tumbledown little house. Mysterious music responding to his flute playing and the mischievous Xiao Chin lead him and his friends to Bai-Niang, now living in a magically restored great estate nearby. While youth and maiden woo, their three sidekicks frolic. Their antics bring a wooden dragon decoration to life and the comedy relief is carried off, to plunge through the roof of a state treasure-house. The maid-servant finds two jewels shaped like stars and she gives them to the lovers.

Fa-Hai, a local monk with a magical crystal, has been on the trail of Bai-Niang and Xiao Chin, whom he believes are evil spirits. When he hears the jewels are missing, he sends the local authorities to the magic palace. The girl and her maid escape, but Xu-Xian remains and takes the fall. He is arrested, convicted, and exiled to a distant province. Panda and Mimi go in search of their friend. Fa-Hai follows the boy, feeling sure the spirits will seek him out.

Panda and Mimi finally find Xu-Xian, with the help of the White Pig Gang, whose gigantic leader Panda has defeated (making him the original Kung Fu Panda, by the way). Bai-Niang sends the boy a dream, telling him to meet her at the Thunder Pagoda, but the monk finds out about it on his crystal ball. He interferes before they can embrace, and a magical battle ensues.

Bai-Niang and Fa-Hai ascend to a spiritual space and match their powers against each other. The resulting fight leaves the monk hanging from a rooftop by his robes and the lady weakened and reverting to her serpent form. When Xu-Xian hears from the monk that he has defeated the evil spirit, he rushes back to Thunder Pagoda to find her.

Bai-Niang decides that she can never be with Xu-Xian unless she becomes truly human. She changes to her astral form and starts to leave; Xu-Xian rushing into the top of the tower sees her, tries to follow, and falls to his death. Fa-hai sadly takes his body to the Temple of the Golden Isle.

Bai-Niang travels through the heavens to the Dragon God, Master of All Spirits, who for the price of her immortality and magic powers gives her the Flower of Life to restore Xu-Xian. She returns to earth, where Mimi is waiting to lead her to the Golden Isle, where Panda and the White Pig Gang have followed Fa-Hai. The monk does not believe the now-mortal maiden, and will not let her boat land on the island. He turns the maid Xiao Chin back into a fish, and the Flower of Life falls into the sea.

But Xiao Chin still has her powers, and with the help of the Great Dragon Fish stirs the sea into a storm, and another battle with Fa-Hai and his crystal begins. Bai-niang's boat capsizes. Mimi and Panda retrieve the Flower of Life and restore Xu-Xian to life; seeing Bai-Niang in trouble on the stormy seas he plunges in to save her. Fa-Hai finds the Flower and realizes that the girl was telling the truth.

The monk tosses his crystal ball into the sea, which stills the storm and transforms into a boat, rescuing the lovers. Fa-Hai now gives the young couple his blessing; Bai-Niang and Xu-Xian sail off together under a rainbow sky, Xiao Chin returns to her life under the sea, and Panda and Mimi wave a tearfully joyous farewell.

The version of this film most widely available is presented by "Cartoon Craze" (Digiview Productions), and seems to have been created from stock in very poor condition. It is full of skips, jumps, and scratches; the beginning is particularly rough. This is a film that could truly benefit from a restoration and remastering, perhaps even a new editing and English dubbing (though it would be a shame to lose the narration of Marvin Miller, whose voice-overs included work on Pink Panther and Rocky and Bullwinkle; his most famous job was as Robby the Robot in Forbidden Planet). A little polish on this historical gem could really make it sparkle.

But even in its present condition it is full of considerable nostalgic charm, redolent of old times and different sensibilities. To me it speaks of long summer afternoons, when you could lose yourself for a few hours in strange worlds of fantasy and adventure, and sudden unknown by-ways to distant lands and ancient legends could open up before unsuspecting eyes. It is a splendid kind of movie for little children, whether in front of the TV or inside the heart.

Some Images Of Merlin

Niel Hancock Crosses Calix Stay

It is my melancholy task to note the passing of Niel Hancock on May 7th of this year, at the age of 70. He died of an aneurysm during an annual motorcycle trip to New Mexico. He was a Vietnam War veteran and a Buddhist, and these experiences and beliefs infused his works. He was an early practitioner of High Fantasy in the wake of J. R. R. Tolkien, publishing between the years of 1977 and 1990 his stories of Atlanton Earth. His books include The Circle of Light Series, comprised of Greyfax Grimwald, Faragon Fairingay, Calix Stay, and Squaring the Circle; Dragonwinter, a standalone volume; The Wilderness of Four Series, comprised of Across the Far Mountain, The Plains of the Sea, On the Boundaries of Darkness, and The Road to the Middle Islands; and The Windameir Circle Series, comprised of The Fires of Windameir, The Sea of Silence, A Wanderer's Return, and The Bridge of Dawn. The fate of a further volume or series entitled The Brandigore Gate, announced as long ago as 1999 and returning to the story of his heroes Dwarf, Bear, and Otter, remains unknown.

Pondering Why I Blog

A little more than two weeks ago my computer crashed and I lost an extensive library of images and music that I had been gathering for almost five years (always back up your files, kids!). I realized several things in the time before I was able to replace my old desktop and get the new one up and running.

1) How much I had come to rely on my computer for most of my entertaining for casual moments. I constantly turned reflexively to the computer desk when I was bored, rather than books or TV.

2) How much I had come to rely on my computer for news, research, and keeping in touch socially.

3) How little some people (and among them I count myself) understood the urges and purposes behind my blogging.

I came to this realization during my efforts to obtain the replacement computer. A lady whom I know (and whose opinions on the business of life I greatly respect) evinced the opinion that there was very little practical value (i. e., monetary benefit) in my activities, beyond perhaps practicing my composition and writing skills. In fact, to her thinking, what I was doing was basically boasting about my possessions, bragging about my supposed superior mental skills, and indulging in a sort of constant sort of one-ups-manship with a network of strangers and fanatics.

I was stunned. I was confounded. I was even...flabbergasted. Before I could splutter out any explanations or justifications she passed on to other, more pressing matters, and I was left to flounder emotionally in her wake.

Well, I finally got my new computer, and with no small thanks to her good efforts. After some further fooferaw getting my web connection re-established, I am finally able to start posting again. But before I do, I thought I would consider my aims and motives in blogging, to make it clear to myself and to have a ready answer should the subject ever arise again.

I really can't blame the practical lady for her misapprehensions. I don't know for sure that she has ever even looked at PowerOfBabel. The literary by-waters I habitually navigate are of little interest to her (she enjoys mystery thrillers) and the world of action figures even less. So the few times I talked about my activities with her was to mention in passing things like my 500TH post or my 40,000TH hit or the people from foreign countries who had looked at my blog.

I suppose to anyone who doesn't realize what modest accomplishments these are in the world of blogging (especially over a four year period or so) it might seem like bragging. I believe most of her impression of on-line life comes from accounts of flame-wars, trolling, and Facebook tragedies. I do not know if she realizes that blogging for applause or recognition is rather like (to adapt Robert Graves dictum on poetry) dropping a rose petal into the Grand Canyon and waiting for the echo.

So, why do I blog? Its minor function is as a sort of informal journal, scrapbook, and commonplace record. I have a few scattered friends and family; the blog is an excellent way to keep in touch with them about my enthusiasms and activities. I make notes about things and pin them down for my own satisfaction. If anyone else finds these of interest or it helps them, so much the better.

But the main thing I do, I like to think, is serve my subject. It's not ranking, or popularity, or any sort of gain. That kind of thing is rather hopeless in my situation. But if I can bring forward some sort of obscure work, dust it off a little, and show its merits, or if I can illuminate a minor aspect of a larger work, I think my efforts are worth it.

Any sort of personal matter that enters my posts is usually by way of explanation of how I found out about something or what my credentials are for some assertion. I hope boasting has very little to do with it. I don't think I would ever monetize my blog because of the constraints it might put on what I could publish.

So there it is. I'm ready to start up again. Despite crashed computers, knock-you-down heatwaves, emotional distress, and my own dilatory nature, it's time to get back up on the horse once more. My next post should be much more interesting than this one, because it will be about something other than me.

Pondering What To Write

Horrible Hall And Some Of Its Appointments