Wednesday 14 November 2012

Bribing Gods And Threatening Wights

(Illustration by Joanna Barnum.)

Poul and Karen Anderson's The Dog And The Wolf (London, 1989) remains fascinating in its presentation of a period of religious change against a background of historical fantasy. The authors convey the joy of a Christian convert receiving baptism and putting away heathenry. Meanwhile, however, Tera continues to bargain with her Gods although she had said earlier that they are now mere ghosts of their former selves.

While delivering a child, she offers three bulls to Cernunnos and a walrus ivory figure for ritual use to Epona. But the real sign of changing times is the threat that she makes to elves, nymphs, ghosts and every wood or water dweller. She can lead " '...the Christian wizard...' " to their haunts which he would give to his saints. (p. 175)

Behind the scenes, the supernatural conflict is not only between the one new God and many old but also between saints and elves etc, or, at least, that is how it is bound to appear to someone like Tera who has seen Cernunnos.

http://www.joannabarnum.com/gallery/pinup/epona

http://www.etsy.com/listing/160039015/epona-goddess-illustration-print-in 

2 comments:

Joanna Barnum said...

Hi there. Would you please credit me for the use of my original illustration of Epona? I am happy for my work to be shown on personal blogs and educational websites, etc. but would like to be credited so people can look me up if they like my work.

If you'd like to be especially helpful, you could link to my Etsy shop where I have a print of it available: https://www.etsy.com/listing/160039015/epona-goddess-illustration-print-in

However, a credit of "Joanna Barnum" would be sufficient.

Here is where the illustration appears on the first edition of my website: http://www.joannabarnum.com/gallery/pinup/epona

Meanwhile, as I post newer art online, I am being more diligent about including built in watermarks on my artwork to make it easier for people to share and credit me, since I know it can sometimes be hard to track down the original source of a work once it starts floating around online.

Thanks so very much for your cooperation and understanding!

Paul Shackley said...

Joanna,
Credit added to post. Thank you for making contact. We will see about adding the link tomorrow.
Paul.