“East of the Sun and West of the Moon” is the third entry in The Blue Fairy Book. This Norwegian fairy tale was originally collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. It is Aarne–Thompson type 425A, Search for the Lost Husband. It is related to both the tale of “Cupid and Psyche” in The Golden Ass and to “Beauty and the Beast.” Beauty and the Beast is usually given its own subcategory as 425C which has the same name as the tale. East of the Sun and West of the Moon is usually placed in 425A: The Animal Bridegroom (Thompson 1945). You can read the entire fairy tale for free at Patreon.
Other related entries include She Sees Him by Candlelight, The Golden Age of Illustration, Riding the Wind, and The Troll Bride. Enjoy!
ANNOUNCEMENT: The day workshop schedules firmed up for the first Spring section of 
To kick off the new year, I’ve started a project revolving around 
Saint Nicholas, or Santa Claus, is a well-known Yuletide figure. However, over the years we have seen some of the more… unsavory characters come into the spotlight. Krampus was one of those characters from folklore who became wildly popular after his 2015 horror/comedy debut on the big screen. However, there are still other mythic stories, legends and folktales of different Yule spirits and demons and elves and trolls. Today, we are going to be taking a look at one of these, a witch who punishes naughty children. Her name is Frau Perchta.
You see, Frau Perchta — much like Santa Claus — will reward good children and punish the bad. She also punishes women for unkempt households and unspun flax. For those she deems good, a silver coin is left for them. If she deems you unworthy, if you forget to leave out a bowl of porridge for her, if your flax is half spun and unfinished, she slits open your abdomen, removes your organs, and replaces them with straw. She was also associated with the Wild Hunt, flying through the night sky while accompanied by her demonic Perchten — Krampus-looking creatures — and elves and unbaptized babies. During the last three thursdays before Christmas, you will hear the sounds of thunder and wind roaring, however it is really Frau Perchta leading her Wild Hunt.
Imagine this: a winding river in Japan. The scenery is lovely, the day warm, and all of a sudden something near the water moves. It looks like a child, so you draw closer. But when it turns around you find yourself face to beak with a grinning kappa.
They are known for drowning or devouring children who wander too near the water, waiting in toilets and assaulting women, and occasionally attacking men. However, if you can trick one into bowing, emptying the contents of its head, and offer to replenish it, the Kappa will be generous and grant the person a wish or a favor. They are also attributed to introducing the art of bone setting and salve creating to humans.