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On the holy night of Christmas, as the world gathers to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, there exists a tale that tells of a different kind of presence. It is said that a witch roams the night, casting her spell over the land. This witch, with her dark arts and mysterious ways, brings intrigue and fear to the hearts of all who hear her story. As the clock strikes midnight, the witch emerges from the shadows, her black cloak billowing in the cold winter wind. With an ancient staff in hand, she glides across the silent streets, leaving a trail of mystical energy in her wake. Her face, concealed by a pointed hat, holds an aura of enigma and power.

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This Companion provides an authoritative reference source for this complex and captivating genre, exploring the tales themselves, the writers who wrote and reworked them, and the artists who illustrated them. They usually follow a hero or heroine who comes up against some sort of obstacle or obstacles from witches and ogres, to dwarves and as the name suggests fairies.

Her face, concealed by a pointed hat, holds an aura of enigma and power. Legend has it that this witch possesses immense powers, capable of both great good and great evil. Some believe that she uses her magic to bring joy and happiness to those who are in need, while others fear that she seeks to sow chaos and darkness wherever she goes.

A husband and wife reimagine fairy tales with Black children in mind

Bathed in a golden light, she looks out from a photo resembling a fashion magazine spread with a commanding stare, surrounded by massive teddy bears. Instead of yellow curly hair, she wears thick, afro-textured, honey blonde locs.

This is the Goldilocks of CROWNED: Magical Folk and Fairy Tales from the Diaspora by husband and wife photographers Kahran and Regis Bethencourt. The two have reimagined familiar stories with photographs of Black children and, occasionally, new plot points, in an elaborate book of 141 photos.

It's the sequel to 2021's GLORY: Magical Visions of Black Beauty.

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The book is broken down into three categories: Classic fairy tales, African and African American Folktales and original stories. The couple intentionally casts Black children of different ages, skin tones and hair textures in traditionally white roles, like Cinderella.

Cinderella becomes Asha in this retelling. CROWNED hide caption

In the retelling of Cinderella, "Asha the Little Cinder Girl," Asha wears an extravagant blue gown with purple tulle shooting from the bottom as Jamal, her Prince Charming, slides on a white high-top sneaker instead of a glass slipper.

Perhaps the most striking element in the picture is Asha's hair, a structure of carefully placed black braids and white pearls piled high on top of her head.

"I think it's important for, specifically, Black and brown kids to be able to see themselves reflected in the stories that they read growing up," Kahran said.

The Bethencourts began their photography careers in Atlanta in 2009. For a while, they worked in the children's fashion industry, capturing headshots for adolescent actors and shooting campaigns for kids' brands. But they noticed a specific and unsettling pattern among Black children in the industry.

Poisoned Apple, from the book CROWNED, which casts Black children as the central characters in fairy and folk tales. CROWNED hide caption

"We realized that a lot of the kids that had natural Afro hair would come in to get their headshots and the parents would have their hair straightened because they thought that's what they needed to do to get their kids into the industry," Kahran said.

"We thought, 'Gosh, wow! At an early age we're teaching our kids that they're not acceptable, that their looks are not good enough.'"

The two began doing personal projects where Black children were encouraged to wear their natural hair in fashionable settings. Staying connected to the industry helped them build enough clientele to create their own photography company, CreativeSoul.

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Candyland, from the book Crowned, which retells familiar stories with Black children. CROWNED hide caption

CROWNED is a visual representation of the CreativeSoul original mission: celebrate and embrace natural Black beauty. But the book also showcases Regis and Kahran's ability to imagine and translate new worlds.

"Goldi: The Girl with the Golden Locks" was the favorite story for Regis to retell because the original story "didn't really have a lesson at the end."

"It pretty much was a story about a privileged girl going in and just eating everything and just leaving and going back home," he said. "No lesson learned."

In CROWNED, Goldi is still a privileged girl, but she is welcomed into the bears' home. The bears don't have much, but they have each other and a once-haughty Goldi leaves the house with three new friends and an appreciation for nurturing her relationships.

Changing the ending "was so cool for me because I feel like we're actually changing history," Regis said.

Treasures from the sea nestle in the little mermaid's rosy hair as she strikes a royal pose. CROWNED hide caption

The book was released May 23, three days before the live action film The Little Mermaid premiered with Halle Bailey, a Black woman with natural locs, as Ariel, a princess and the main character.

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Like the live-action adaption of The Little Mermaid, the Bethencourts' version is setting the standard for Black representation in traditionally white spaces.

The husband and wife duo dress Aliyah, the little mermaid, in silver jewels and colorful pearls from head-to-toe. As she floats under the sea, she plays in her big red flowing hair filled with loose braids, shells, leaves and bright red tulle.

Aliyah holds her head high in every shot like the most confident, royal figures. She stares off into the distance and also directly at the camera, as if to say this story was always her own.

Lisa Lambert edited this digital story.

Image Credit: ‘Mother Goose reading written fairy tales’ by Gustave Doré. Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons.

It is said that her true intentions are known only to her, and that only the purest of hearts can truly understand her purpose. On the holy night, the witch is said to visit those who are in need of her assistance, be it a child longing for a present or a lost soul yearning for guidance. She is said to grant wishes, heal the sick, and bring a glimmer of hope to those who have lost their way. But her powers come with a price, as it is said that those who seek her help must be willing to make a sacrifice, be it a cherished possession or a pledge to change their ways. Yet, not all who encounter the witch on the holy night sitch are met with benevolence. Some believe that she punishes those who have strayed from the path of righteousness, casting curses upon them and instilling fear in their hearts. It is said that her dark presence can bring upon misfortune and despair, leaving a trail of misery in her wake. Despite the tales of her powers and her ambiguous intentions, the witch on the holy night sitch continues to captivate the imagination of all who hear her story. Whether she is a force of good or evil, her presence on this sacred night serves as a reminder of the duality of human nature and the power of faith. On this holy night, as the world celebrates the birth of Christ, let us remember the story of the witch and ponder the meaning behind her existence. Is she a symbol of the darkness that lurks in every human heart? Or is she a testament to the possibilities of redemption and transformation? Perhaps, she is both..

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