The Grim Reaper - a history by Jenni Spangler

 

I was always one of the spooky kids – my bedtime reading was filled with ghost stories and my teenage fashion choices leaned towards goth. My mum took me exploring in graveyards and my uncles gave me books on poltergeists and real life ghost hunters. Maybe it was inevitable that I’d write a book with death front and centre.

Valentine Crow and Mr Death is about a foundling boy who, due to a clerical error, is apprenticed to the Grim Reaper. The challenge was finding a narrative about death that was the right sort of spooky for middle grade readers.

It was daunting. I was writing during a pandemic, watching my own children learn about death in a scary and sudden way. I didn’t want to sugar coat things – kids can see right through that – but I also didn’t want to terrify anyone.

We’re not very good at talking about Death in our culture – we distance ourselves from it, and it’s taboo to talk about in many circles. But for as long as we’ve been telling stories, we’ve been telling stories about death. We need stories to get our heads round the stark truth: one day, we won’t be here any more. As simple and as incomprehensible as that.

I read a lot of traditional folk tales in my research and found that stories about death tend to have two key messages – firstly that death is inevitable and necessary, and secondly that everyone is equal in death.

The Three Dead, from the Taymouth Hours, 14^th century

One of my favourites – which I borrowed to create a character in Valentine Crow – is ‘Mother Misery’. An old woman tricks Death into climbing an enchanted fruit tree which traps him in its branches. Initially her neighbours are pleased but over time they begin to suffer, as the very sick and old can no longer pass on to the afterlife. She lets him down only once he promises never to come for her, which is why we will always have misery in the world.

Another story tells of a young man who imprisons death to save his mother. But when he tries to cook their supper, he can neither pick vegetables nor kill a chicken, as animals and plants can no longer die. There’s a strange sort of comfort in these tales, because however dark they get (and some of them get VERY dark) they offer us a ‘why’ for death.

Illustration by John B Gruelle, of the story
‘Godfather Death’, Grimms Fairy Tales 1914

Turning death into a character scales it down to something easier to understand – once it has a face and a voice, it’s something we can interact with, bargain with, rail against.

The earliest depiction of death as a cloaked skeleton carrying a scythe was in the 14^th century, as the black death swept through Europe and cut down victims swiftly and indiscriminately, as a farmer cuts down a field of wheat at harvest time. The name ‘The Grim Reaper’ came much later, in 1847, and both name and image have stuck with us as the instantly recognisable figure of death.

Illustration by Noel le Mire of Death as a skeleton

with a scythe, from “la mort et le mourant”

At around the same time a motif called the ‘danse macabre’ became popular in medieval art. Grinning skeletons dance hand in hand with living people – kings, bishops and beggars alike - leading them merrily towards their demise. It works as a comfort to the poor and a warning to rich: whatever your status in life, we’re all going to the same place in the end.

 These are often surprisingly playful and comical images, and I love them for that. They’re not (only) an expression of the terror of death, but also evidence of dark humour in the face of unpleasant reality. The urge to take something ugly and scary and turn it into art and laughter.

Illustration of the Danse Macabre from the Nuremberg

Chronicle, by Hartmann Schedel (1440-1514)

It’s still with us, in our zombie movies and haunted house rides and on Halloween, when we dress our precious children up as ghosts and skeletons and ply them with sugary treats. An acknowledgment of death, and a defiance of it: we see you there, reaper, but we’re going to celebrate anyway.

Writing challenge – The Grim Reaper is a personification of death. Create a personification of a different abstract idea or concept (hope, truth, power etc). Think about how they might look, speak and move and how they might interact with other characters.

Jenni Spangler is the author of The Incredible Talking Machine, The Vanishing Trick and Valentine Crow and Mr Death.

Theatre school drop out, ex-999 operator and occasional forklift driver, Jenni writes children’s books with a magical twist. She loves to take real and familiar places and events and add a layer of mystery and hocus-pocus.

She was part of the first year of the ‘WriteMentor’ scheme, mentored by Lindsay Galvin, author of ‘The Secret Deep’. As well as her magical middle grade novels, Jenni writes short contemporary YA stories for reluctant and struggling readers, including Torn and Wanted for Badger Learning. Jenni has an Open University degree in English Language and Literature, a 500 metre swimming badge and a great recipe for chocolate brownies. She lives in Staffordshire with her husband and two children. She loves old photographs, picture books and tea, but is wary of manhole covers following an unfortunate incident. 

You can find out more about Jenni and her books at www.jennispangler.com and follow her on twitter and instagram

Tips on the art of storytelling

To celebrate National Storytelling Week (January 29^th to February 5th)
Susan Brownrigg asks for tips on telling stories to an audience …

Storytelling has a long tradition (Photo Tom Hughes)

Where do you find your stories?

GAV CROSS: “I’m a Magpie when it comes to stories! What shiny gems can I find in traditional tales, myths and legends? What is already on my shelf? In the library? Tucked away in a charity shop? I love charity bookshops and the old compendiums of stories and nursery rhymes. There is always a hidden gem! Most of the stories I tell have been written by somebody else. It just so happens that that somebody else is 1000 years or even older! They don't mind that I take their ideas and give them a twist.  I like telling stories that are a little bit silly. A pinch of nasty. A little bit bitey. A little tense…”

Gav Cross with Dave the toilet brush! (Photo Gav Cross)

TOM HUGHES: “I generally use traditional folk tales in my storytelling, stories that have been passed on for many years, some are even centuries old.  If they have been around for that long then usually that means they are worth re-telling.  I have a good collection of tales gathered by storytellers which is sometimes useful for helping put together a set of stories on a theme, but I get most of my stories from local history books.  Some very curious things happen down country lanes, less so in big cities, and there are all sorts of strange tales to explain unusual features in the landscape.”

DOM CONLON:  “I find my stories in two ways: firstly in the quiet times where I let my mind wander without needing to think. I might be looking up at the Moon, or walking through the countryside and I just naturally start wondering what might be happening by a riverbank or in the deep shadows of a lunar crater. The other way is when I'm given a theme. I love this. Ladybird asks me to write books from time to time and they give me a theme. They might tell me the book should be about Christmas, or that it's funny. In those cases I think about the stories I love and what I might do differently. Or I might try to cover a selection of genres like sci-fi, mystery, fairytale, and so on. Then I think about who my characters are and how they'd react if they were faced with a particular problem.”

ROGAN MILLS:  “The stories I tell come from a variety of sources. Sometimes I’ll read a book, maybe a picture book or a short story and I’ll get a sense that it will translate well into an oral story. Very often I’ll hear another storyteller tell a tale and I’ll think, “I’m having that”. The storytelling community is a very sharing one. I always encourage children to do the same with a story that I might have shared with them. Sometimes I’ll make up a story myself. I carry a notebook around with me so I’ll jot down ideas all the time. Traditional stories are a great source too.If it's well known, I like to add in a twist to keep it interesting. As long as you can remember all the key events in the story, you can have great fun weaving in as much fun or silliness around the plot as you like.

Do you use any props/costumes when storytelling?

TOM HUGHES: “When performing at events I dress in some historical costume, anything from a medieval pilgrim to a Victorian pauper.  I enjoy having a good wardrobe of dressing up clothes. I have always been very shy, but as soon as I dress up in some clothes from the past, then I am not myself, I am in another character and that's who people are looking at and listening to, so there isn't the same pressure. Also if someone is dressed in funny looking clothes, they usually already have the audience's attention, so the first bit of work is done.  

 

Storyteller Tom Hughes (Photo Tom Hughes)

“Most of my storytelling work is history based so it all helps.  I used to take a lot of props with me, partly to  remind myself of the stories, but they can end up being a distraction to the listener, so I now use props very little.  One thing I do use as a sort of prop are my bagpipes.  I play various types of historic bagpipes, but not the Highland type which most people know.  Starting with a tune helps keep people focussed while all the audience are gathering, and there are so many great stories from across Europe relating to bagpipes too.”

DOM CONLON: “I do have some props but I try to ask the audience to manage those. For some stories I have soft toys which children use to join in with the story. For other stories I might use plushes to give children a way to focus on what I'm talking about. I have a wonderful soft moon which I often use (and it's looking a bit tattered like all well-loved toys ought to). I also have space toys - like a model Saturn V and a projection moon - for when I'm talking about my space poetry. I think using props which underline my ideas help but I don't make them a key part of a session because I'm not a natural storyteller. 

“I just tend to gush about how amazing it is that maths and engineering can make it so we can launch a rocket made up of three million parts so that it travelled at 23 metres per second by burning more fuel in a single second than it takes to travel across the Atlantic ocean. And I'm lucky because if I can't remember those facts then there are so many more I can mention in my 'story' that the audience still understand how impressive the accomplishment was.”

ROGAN MILLS: “I occasionally use props for the Early Years and KS1. For junior children, I far prefer for the focus to be solely on me, using body language, eye contact, and variations in my voice to convey different emotions or anticipation. Using different voices is very important for young children because it helps them to differentiate between the characters.

"The one story that I always use props for is ‘The Three Little Pigs’. I have a wolf hat that I put on each time I become the wolf. I also have a play tunnel that I use for a follow up activity after ‘The Three Little Pigs’ which becomes the chimney. In my version of this story, the wolf gets stuck in the chimney and, following the tale, the children take turns at putting on the wolf hat and getting stuck, all accompanied of course by a rhyming song that everyone can join in with.

Rogan Mills, storyteller (Photo: Rogan Mills)

"I’m quite a reluctant dresser upper but I do often tell bedtime stories dressed in my cap and nightgown as Wee Willie Winkie. The children come to their school or library dressed in their pj’s and snuggling their favourite cuddly."

GAV CROSS: “I don't use many props or costumes and I'm always envious of people that have magnificent hats in particular! For me it's because I have a gigantic head. (If only it were full of brains.) Having a gigantic head means I can't find all the fabulous hats that instantly make a character. I like to find or have made, little surprising props. One of my favourites is Dave. Dave is a very sad character who is a very close friend of mine and happens to be a toilet brush. Don't worry, I clean Dave, twice. Mostly. I also love an umbrella. An umbrella is a brilliant prop for a storyteller. It can be a walking stick. An oar. It can be a sword. It can be another character! And if I'm telling stories in a festival, it can even be an umbrella!”

3.  Can you give any tips on being a storyteller?

ROGAN MILLS: "The biggest challenge for any aspiring storyteller is to find their own style, the one one that works best for them. And you can only do that by practising. The good news is that you’re almost certainly already a storyteller. It’s part of being human. You’re telling a story when having a gossip (“You’ll never guess what Rogan did yesterday!!!”). You’re telling a story when you tell your mates about that grumpy man in Asda. You’re telling a story when you’re discussing what happened on Corrie last night. Or how fantastic that goal was you scored on Saturday.

"Know your story but don’t learn every word by heart. Just learn the key events and then have fun. Don’t rush, take your time. Look your audience in the eye. If you don’t feel confident, pretend that you are confident! Read your audience and if something isn’t working, don’t be afraid to change what you’re doing. In some stories there are moments when everything stops. There is a silence. If in those moments of stillness you look across at a sea of faces and they are, every single one of them, fixed on you in anticipation, then you know that you have your audience right where you want them. And it feels great."

Dom Conlon, author and poet (photo Dom Conlon)

DOM CONLON: “I think storytelling is mostly about finding the approach which works well for you. If you are great at organising your storytelling and then acting it out then go big! Dress up, use props. That way you can enjoy pretending. I always prepare a script to help me understand the flow of what I'm going to say but then I'll mostly ignore it. Once I know my story then I can relax a little and let the audience guide me. If I rehearsed too much then I'd get rattled if I had a question or something unexpected and that would throw me as though I'd lost my place. My rambling style helps me to keep everything together without looking like a complete fool.”

TOM HUGHES: “My main tip for starting storytelling would be to make sure you really know your story inside out before you start.  It's a bit like telling a joke, you have to remember everything in the right order before getting to the punchline. A good tip is to look to the people furthest away and aim your voice to them, usually everyone will hear.  Other than that just think about the setting and avoid noisy settings with other distractions. There are so many fantastic storytellers out there in lots of different styles.  It's well worth getting out and listening to as many as you can in real life, not on a screen which tends to break the magic of it all.  

“I think its so important to keep a tale to be no longer than ten minutes, and make it shorter if you can.  Short and snappy is best, five minute tales are great.”

GAV CROSS: “My tippiest top tip for storytellers is that everybody loves stories! People will sit and listen and join in when you want them to. They will get a bit nervous at the right times, laugh with you, or at you and gasp and feel nervous, even if they know deep down it's all going to be okay. Probably…

“People always like to laugh. Popping jokes into your stories. (And I don't mean knock-knock ones, though I love them too.) Pulling a funny face for a character will get a laugh. A silly voice will get a laugh. Get that laugh and your audience already likes you and your story.

“Have some stories in your ‘back pocket’. Maybe you've read some local legends on the Internet just before you go camping. You can all sit by the light of the fire and can drop into conversation your tales. People want to hear a story whilst they gaze into the flames of a wood fire.

“But the biggest top tip is to try to enjoy yourself.”

Thanks to Gav, Tom, Rogan and Dom for their insightful responses.

National Storytelling Week is annual celebration of the Oral Tradition organised by The Society of Storytelling. This year's theme is Your Story, My Story. Find out more at https://www.sfs.org.uk/

Have you watched this week's Time Tunnellers YouTube video? Discover the history of storytelling and have a go at our challenge!

Gav Cross is a storytelling and theatre maker and can be found all over the country showing off to children, young people and their families. Usually by invite! He is also Chief Chaos Wrangler for Funny Looking Kids: Live. An alternative comedy club for families, at the Bluecoat in Liverpool.

Find more information about Gav and the stories he tells in schools, libraries, festivals, theatres, pubs and online here: https://linktr.ee/gavcross 

 

Tom Hughes has been a storyteller for 15 years. He works in museums sharing stories as part of his job, but also tells tales at festivals and storytelling clubs.  Since reading a book about legends and traditions of Cheshire when he was ten (the place where he grew up), Tom has been really interested in stories about landscapes and why certain places get their name or perhaps why a hill or rock is shaped in a certain way.  He is also very interested in old and lesser known tales, and likes to save them from being lost so that they can be passed on again.

Follow Tom Hughes on twitter @TomTellTale 

 

Dom is a disabled, hat-wearing, thought-thinking, cake-eating poet and author whose books have been nom nom nominated (sorry, still thinking about cake there) for the Carnegie and the Greenaway medals. He’s a bit of a work in progress but has written books such as Meet Matilda Rocket Builder, This Rock That Rock, and the Wild Wanderers series (which so far include Leap, Hare, Leap! Swim Shark, Swim! Blow, Wind, Blow! and Shine, Star, Shine!). They have been praised by Chris Riddell, Brian Bilston, Nicola Davies, and even the European Space Agency, so that’s a bit smashing. He’s also written for Ladybird, Puffin, and the BBC as well as interviewing people on stage and appearing on television to talk about the importance of libraries.

Find out more at https://domconlon.com/

 

Rogan Mills has 20 years of experience as a professional storyteller. I have a wealth of stories in my pretty little head. Purveyor of tall tales, shaggy dog stories and joyful exaggerations. Your wish is my command!

Follow Rogan Mills on twitter @MillsRogan 

Susan Brownrigg is the author of the Gracie Fairshaw mystery series and pirate adventure Kintana and the Captain's Curse. Find out more at susanbrownrigg.com