500 Design Tattoo

[lindsay bell]

Many tattoos of the Twentieth Century have been based upon
mythological creatures. Unlike the past centuries, the mythology
behind many of the subjects of lore have become a lot more fantastic
and alluring to people of all ages nowadays. Still, there are those
few groups (I usually like to call Bible-pounders) that believe the
entire ideas behind tattoos are Satanic and blasphemous. I will always
say, "To each his own". That philosophy works with everything for me.
Don't like the radio station? Change it! Not interested in what is
being played on the television? Turn it off! Don't like tattoos? Don't
get one! Geez, is this that difficult?
Have you ever read the true Grimm Fairy Tales? They certainly do not
have the Walt Disney "G" ratings on the original versions of the
stories! Take the fable of "Snow White." In the Disney ending, she and
Prince Charming live happily ever after. However, the wicked
stepmother in Grimm's fairy tales was brought before the couple on
their wedding day. There - in front of the wedding revelers - it is
written that the stepmother was forced to dance in iron shoes - heated
upon a blazing fire - until she dropped dead from the ordeal! Hmm, I
must have missed that part in the Disney version!
Nevertheless, one can see how the beginnings of one myth or folklore
can be changed over the centuries, to adapt to a more "G" rated crowd.
The same can be said for certain designed tattoos. From the more
arcane skulls and dragons, to the celestial fairies and hearts - the
original meanings surrounding many of these designs have become more
suitable to the owner of such tattoo art. Did you know that an ankle
bracelet tattoo used to ward away the fear of drowning? On the other
hand, some Native American tribes would etch markings upon their faces
if they were hurting from something. (I.E. Chronic headache sufferers
would tattoo their foreheads. Toothache victims would tattoo their
cheeks.)
Whatever the reasons may have been, somewhere along the lines,
hundreds - if not thousands - of designed tattoos have had their
original meanings wiped clean, and were replaced with the more "G"
rated idealisms of the Twentieth Century. I have two fairy tattoos,
and they both are elegant, beautiful, nude wood nymphs. However, after
a bit of research, I found that much fairy lore originated back to
Ireland.
Would you ever guess the creatures of Ireland are told to look more
troll-like and evil - performing all kinds of mischievousness for the
farmers and other landowners within the "fairy" properties? In fact,
many natives believe that to anger the fairies could cause even more
catastrophic occurrences, such as the burning down of homes, and loss
of life to both cattle as well as humans. Okay, the physique of the
fairy tattoos that I have etched upon me truly differ, but as far as
the mischievousness and the anger issues . . . well, nobody's perfect.