Warning
Contains spoilers for The Garden of Bones
The story is a loose reimagining/inversion of The Travelling Companion: a lesser-known fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen. The orginal story follows a wanderer named John, who comes across a wicked princess, believed to be a witch. She secretly keeps the company of a sorcerer, and she decorates her garden with the skeletons of suitors who cannot guess the truth of what she is thinking. Nenia’s name is a Latin word meaning ‘dirge’, as well as the name of the Roman goddess of funerals, relating to how she is seen as unlucky and connected to death.
Soren’s name is of Danish origin, and means ‘stern’ or ‘severe’, referencing his flinty and serious personality. John is named after the protagonist of the original story. His surname, Silvershoes, references his fairy tale counterpart: a traveller who used silver to pay off a dead man’s debts.
King Agnar’s name means ‘awe, fear’ and ‘edge of a sword’, relating to his warmongering past. The Marble City is named after the kingdom from the original story, where the king and princess lived in a marble palace with a roof of red gold.
John’s first riddle game with Soren is inspired by the princess’s test in the original fairy tale. The princess decreed that she would receive any suitor from any class, and he would win her hand only if he correctly answered her question, “What am I thinking about?” three times. All those who failed would be killed, and their bones hung in the princess’s pleasure garden. John is shown the garden by the king, in an attempt to warn him against engaging the princess, but he insists upon continuing. By contrast, the witches’ garden of bones acts not as a display of power, but of remembrance and respect, even to one’s enemies. The willow switches used to beat Nenia, and which she in turn uses to attack her father, are based off the willow sticks in the original story. When the princess flies to meet the sorcerer, the travelling companion strikes her with the sticks until she bleeds.
Soren’s faery salve is based off the salve which appears in the original fairy tale, which can heal any wound. Nenia and Soren, and all with faery blood, display a weakness to iron. This is a common motif from faery mythology, as is the disdain for dishonesty and lies.
The hollow mountain which contains the Faery Borderlands is based on the sorcerer’s lair from the fairy tale. Nenia’s nightmare featuring the giant red spiders is based directly on the original description of the mountain’s interior. Mara is named after a Latvian goddess of earth, while Valerian’s name means ‘strength’ or ‘health’. Esme’s name means ‘esteemed’ or ‘beloved’.
The three conditions given to Nenia by the witches echo the three questions of the original story. One of them uses almost the exact same wording: “What are you thinking about?” The condition of Nenia remaining until May Eve references this date’s relevance to witchcraft, faeries, and the beginning of summer. It is seen as a liminal time, when the border between worlds is thin.
The coven’s creed to harm none is found in many Neopagan paths, particularly Wicca. Other Pagan motifs are the use of a magic circle, the calling of the quarters, and the Four Elements. Hans is named after the author of the original fairy tale, Hans Christian Andersen.
Faerie containing many kingdoms, each ruled by their own queen, is referenced in Irish and wider Celtic mythology. Another reference to mythology is how the passage of time can be markedly different within the Faerie realm. Although the character of the travelling companion himself does not appear in The Garden of Bones, he is referenced in the form of Agnar being revived and accompanying John on the journey to the Borderlands.
The final question put to John by both Soren and Nenia, “What am I thinking about?” with the answer being Esme, is a reference to the final question in the original story. The princess’s answer is the sorcerer’s head, and John responds by revealing the severed head itself, thus forcing her to admit defeat and marry him. Nenia, however, uses this opportunity to be rid of John and gain her freedom. |