Synopsis
Allison Gross, a hideous witch, tries to bribe the narrator to be her "leman". She combed his hair, first. When a scarlet mantle, a silk shirt with pearls, and a golden cup all fail, she blows on a horn three times, making an oath to make him regret it; she then strikes him with a silver wand, turning him into a wyrm (dragon) bound to a tree. His sister Maisry comes to him to comb his hair. One day the Seelie Court comes by, and a queen strokes him three times, turning him back into his proper form.
The Challenge of Allison Gross for a modern audience.
Allison Gross is a 'ugly' witch who isn't desired by her love interest because of her appearance. In retaliation to his refusal she turns him into a worm.
Illustrating a woman that isn't desired because of her looks is a difficult sentiment as I don't feel I want to promote that any particular features are 'ugly' to children and thus illustrating the witch to be 'ugly' will be the challenge of this piece.
Illustrating a woman that isn't desired because of her looks is a difficult sentiment as I don't feel I want to promote that any particular features are 'ugly' to children and thus illustrating the witch to be 'ugly' will be the challenge of this piece.
Allison GrossO ALLISON GROSS, that lives in yon towr,
The ugliest witch i the north country, Has trysted me ae day up till her bowr, An monny fair speech she made to me. She stroaked my head, an she kembed my hair, An she set me down saftly on her knee; Says, Gin ye will be my lemman so true, Sae monny braw things as I woud you gi. She showd me a mantle o red scarlet, Wi gouden flowrs an fringes fine; Says, Gin ye will be my lemman so true, This goodly gift it sal be thine. ‘Awa, awa, ye ugly witch, Haud far awa, an lat me be; I never will be your lemman sae true, An I wish I were out o your company.’ She neist brought a sark o the saftest silk, Well wrought wi pearles about the ban; Says, Gin you will be my ain true love, This goodly gift you sal comman. She showd me a cup of the good red gold, Well set wi jewls sae fair to see; Says, Gin you will be my lemman sae true, This goodly gift I will you gi. ‘Awa, awa, ye ugly witch, Had far awa, and lat me be; For I woudna ance kiss your ugly mouth For a’ the gifts that ye coud gi.’ She’s turnd her right and roun about, An thrice she blaw on a grass-green horn, An she sware by the meen and the stars abeen, That she’d gar me rue the day I was born. Then out has she taen a silver wand, An she’s turnd her three times roun an roun; She’s mutterd sich words till my strength it faild, An I fell down senceless upon the groun. She’s turnd me into an ugly worm, And gard me toddle about the tree; An ay, on ilka Saturdays night, My sister Maisry came to me, Wi silver bason an silver kemb, To kemb my heady upon her knee; But or I had kissd her ugly mouth, I’d rather a toddled about the tree. But as it fell out on last Hallow-even, When the seely court was ridin by, The queen lighted down on a gowany bank, Nae far frae the tree where I wont to lye. She took me up in her milk-white han, An she’s stroakd me three times oer her knee; She chang’d me again to my ain proper shape, An I nae mair maun toddle about the tree. |
Annotating the Ballad
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Research
16th century English Visard
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Solution One- Absence of face
Could illustrate with the absence of the face, leaving the 'ugly' of the face up to the viewer's imagination.
Solution Two- Taking influence from nature's undesirables
Illustrating the witch as entirely inhuman may bypass the issue of pinpointing faults in human characteristics.
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I could take influence from specifically Scottish native fauna.
Wild Boar were native to Scotland in the 13th century but were hunted to extinction. A Boar's face is used to portray ugliness in early illustrations of the beauty and the beast story.
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Thumbnailing
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Illuminated manuscript page
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Butterfly Allison
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Goat Allison
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I think subliminally this spread from Coorie Doon, a book illustrated by Jill Calder, inspired the first spread for Allison Gross. Similar colours and painterly marks have been used.
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Type for Allison Gross
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Final illustration for Allison Gross spread 1
Allison Gross Spread 2
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This spread was by Jill Calder from her book Coorie Doon was influential for the following spread for Allison Gross.
The colours and backgrounds from several pages of this Jill Calder book are airy, light and magical to reflect child narrator's dreams. I wanted to capture a similar otherworldliness for the second Allison Gross page because the 'seely' court, the fairy court, transform the man back into a worm. Clear magical and fantasy themes. Also I thought a more pastel page would be a break from my rich coloured pages. |
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