Prologue[]
Once upon a time, there was a man who died. All the stories the man spun came true. So the king, the nobility and the kingdom's rich all went to him, to get him to write them stories. But when they saw their wishes granted, stark terror of his power seized them and they began to abhor him. When the man finally died, the people rejoiced that this wellspring of misfortune had dried up. No one heard the echoing sound of the dead man’s scornful laughter.
Story[]
Fakir meets with Autor, a boy who leaves a book for him at the library - as well as the librarian informing Fakir that Autor has also taken out all the books he is now returning which raises Fakir's suspicions.
In the ballet school, the girls are receiving their pointe shoes to begin learning en pointe. However, Mr. Cat does not give Ahiru any for thinking she has lost sight of her ambition in becoming a ballerina and so she watches the class instead of participating. Elsewhere Fakir has come across Autor, a musician who offers to tell him everything he needs to know about writing stories and using the power Drosselmeyer had. Fakir agrees and Autor tells him to come to his house the next day. Elsewhere, a group of cloaked men watches the events unfolding and decide to keep watching before acting unnecessarily. Drosselmeyer panics at their appearance.
Fakir goes to Autor’s house where he learns he is a descendant of Drosselmeyer hence the reason for his power. Days later in school, Ahiru’s class watch Rue and Mytho perform however halfway through when Rue hesitates to take his hand, Mytho throws her aside causing Rue to run out of the room. Later, Ahiru goes to Autor’s to find Fakir who has been standing in the room for three days without food or sleep to sharpen his mind.
That night, Autor takes the two of them to where an Oak Tree used to be where those who could turn stories into reality proved their powers. The tree has been removed however contact can be made through a stone, if the person can hear the Oak Tree’s voice they have the power however there is the chance they may be sucked into the tree and lose their life. At midnight Fakir makes contact and suddenly changes into the Oak Tree with his body in the center, Ahiru becomes Tutu and calls out to him. Upon hearing her voice, Fakir turns back to normal after speaking with the Oak Tree.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Subtitle: Lieder ohne Worte
- Ahiru sees a Book Man.
- The tree talks like Edel, who we haven't seen since last season. "The beginning will end, the end begins." "To those who accept everything, happiness. To those who resist everything, glory."
- We actually meet Autor for the first time - and he plays the title music for the episode.
- Fakir is made to stand without food or drink for three days. Three is a magical number in fairy tales, and three days shows up other places as well: Jesus rose from the tomb after three days.
- The Tale Spinner's Tree is an oak tree, and oaks have a lot of mythological significance - To the Celts, oak doors were the portal between worlds. One specific oak was sacred to a Germanic tribe, and its destruction marked the end of paganism and beginning of Christianity. Also, Fakir channels lightning, and oaks were sacred to the thunder god Thor.
- "The Knight's Dance" fits Fakir. This movement is also known as Montagues and Capulets, which anyone with half a knowledge of Shakespeare knows are the warring families in Romeo and Juliet, and so the alternate title fits the fact that Fakir learns something about his family - or rather, ancestor - who he will have to fight eventually.
Music[]
- Tchaikovsky, Piotr Ilyich: The Nutcracker: Act II, No.12(e) – “Dance of the Mirlitons”
- Debussy, Claude: Préludes, Book 1: Girl With the Flaxen Hair
- Mendelssohn, Felix Bartholdy: Lieder ohne Worte, Op.67 no.4 “Spinning Song”
- Ippolitov-Ivanov, Michail: Caucasian Sketches, Op.10 Mvt 2 "In the Village”
- Prokofiev, Sergei: Romeo and Juliet: Act I, Scene 2 no. 13 – "The Knight's Dance”
- same: same: Act I, Scene 2 – "The Knight's Dance”
- Ravel, Maurice: Pavanne pour une enfante defunte (orchestral)
- Dvořák, Antonin: Symphony No.9 “From the New World”: Mvt 2, Largo
- Saint-Saëns, Camille: Carnival of the Animals: Finale
- Mendelssohn, Felix Bartholdy: (arranger unknown): Lieder ohne Worte, Op.38, no.3 (arr. for horn & piano)
- Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus: Rondo in a-minor, K.511