Where does the magic happen?

Even if you have never been interested in cartography, you have probably held maps in your hands- maps of cities, malls and shopping centers, and even entire countries. These maps were made (and used!) almost entirely by adults. Not many maps exist of the many fictional worlds of enchantment. So, how can a person navigate their imaginary travels without such a map? It is time we help the adults by drawing our own magical maps. To this end, we will make a journey into the world of fairytales and magical worlds of literature; as we do so be sure to take note of the places you discover.

Stories and fairy tales of magical worlds exist around the world, from each andevery culture. As we work together we can create a magical, comprehensive map of imaginary locations.

Here is the plan: every one of us will read one fictional story or fairy tale from beginning to end. While reading, keep a pencil and a sheet of paper at hand. As soon as you encounter a description of a place, write it down- it could be a forest, a well, a bridge on a river, a river itself, or something else. All the places you note must be divided into two groups depending on whether magic takes place there or not. Remember: for our purposes places where life takes place with no sign of magic are called “ordinary” places. These places will be marked as black and white on our maps. Places where something magical or enchanted happens (ie. where a fairy or another mysterious creature lives) will be marked in color. They are called “enchanted” places. Coloring the enchanted places will make them stand out from the ordinary, everyday places.

As soon as you finish reading your selected tale, start to draw a map! Use a pieceof paper, colored pencils, crayons, or felt-tipped markers. Our map will be real; it is a view from above, as if we were admiring a magical landscape from a flying carpet. You can draw the places – rivers, forests, houses, and deserts. Remember, if it is an enchanted place, draw and label the magic that happens there. For example, draw a giant living in a cave or a hidden magical lamp. 

We will not only create a fantastic map of fairytales locations, but we will also gather data on different types of magical places in different countries.