In the old LHC I started a thread on this topic, which poeple enjoyed. I'd like to add to it here. I sure hope the old thread can be brought back as well!

Love, Maria

In Haida or Tlingit legend, there is a figure called Fog Woman, with long flowing hair, which appears to produce salmon, the main food of Northwest Coast indigenous people, by combing them out of her hair into the water. This is an interesting story, and I am going to track down the original texts where this is described. More on this later.

Love,

Maria

Helen Adam's "I Love My Love" (http://faculty.pittstate.edu/~knichols/lizzie.html#helen) is about a woman's hair, and how it rises from her grave to strangle her murderous lover. Kinda creepy, kinda cool.

Scroll down the page to read the poem.

I always think of the various mermaid legends, and combing their hair in the waves.

I'm remembering a poem about a river in Euope and a poem that gave it it's name. I know the woman's name in it was Lorelei, and the translation spoke of her flowing golden hair and voice, but can't remember details. D:

What about the Lady Godiva story?

I remember a Chinese legend that I read in a children's book, but I can't remember what it was called. The gist was that there was a beautiful Chinese maiden with the longest, blackest, most beautiful hair in the world. Then an evil spirit (a dragon?) roosted in the mountain beside the stream that fed their village its water, and he dammed it up, demanding a sacrifice from the village. The maiden grew so worried that her long hair became white. The spirit then demanded that the maiden become his bride, but a benevolent character made a clay doll of her and cut off her hair, fastening it to the doll. The villagers tossed the doll into the stream and it lodged where the waterfall was; her hair became the white streaks in the waterfall. I can't remember what happened with the evil spirit, but he was vanquised or dealt with. I do remember that the maiden's hair grew in longer and blacker and brighter in the end.

I thought it was an interesting story, especially the bit about the waterfall.

From "The Highwayman" by Alfred Noyes:

He rose upright in the stirrups; he scarce could reach her hand,
But she loosened her hair i' the casement! His face burnt like a brand
As the black cascade of perfume came tumbling over his breast;
And he kissed its waves in the moonlight,
(Oh, sweet black waves in the moonlight!)
Then he tugged at his rein in the moonlight, and galloped away to the West.



I used to have a book of poems when I was a kid and it had an illustration of "The Highwayman," complete with Bess' long dark hair as she leaned out of a window.

Thanks to all, especially, Wavelength and Artemis for the contributions. Rubyredslippers, I had the text of that Chinese legend in my former thread on this topic. I will not post more about Lady Godiva, others have posted on this... I'll post something about the Lorelei as well.

There is a Norse myth involving the goddess Sif having her hair stolen by Loki, and he has to replace it, and has the dwarves make her shining locks of gold...

There is a Ray Bradbury (or was it Robert Heinlein) story about a girl in the future who has very long, natural hair while everyone else has short, odd colored hair. Some aliens land on earth and need fuel to return to their home. Turns out hair contains a vital ingredient for said fuel. She sacrifices her crowning glory which leads to fashions changing and all the girls on earth grow their hair out.

One of my most favorite tales of all is "The Gift of the Magi" by O'Henry in which a young poor couple who are deeply in love each make a sacrifice in order to buy a gift for the other. The woman, who has long, beautiful hair sells her hair in order to buy a new chain for his watch. However, unknown to her, he has sold his watch in order to buy an expensive hair-ornament for her long hair.

warning, mini-hijack, apologies in advance

Mitzy, I can't be positive, as I don't recall that particular story, but it sounds more like Bradbury than Heinlein to me(both a book worm and sf geek here :blushing: )
In general, Bradbury went for the fancier / fantasy like imagery while Heinlein was known more for hard SF. However, I can't put it past Heinlein either - he published so much, and such a variety. While his "boy scout books" were much better known, he also did juveniles targeted at girls as well. Also, despite the reputation for hard sf he did have some works that were nothing like that("Cliff and the Calories" for example). Anyways, from the description it sounds like a Bradbury story to me.

ps - any other time I would be able to think of plenty of contributions to this thread, but now I'm drawing a blank. As far as non-repeats, how about Medusa(ok, not the most positive, but very distinctive hair, nonetheless) or (this feels a little too obvious) Rapunzel?


eta: had thought of the O'Henry story but of course EbonyCurls beat me too it .... but futurama had a great little parody of that story on one of the christmas episodes :silly:

Oh, yes, I know about the O'Henry story. It is easy to find on the net, that's why I did not post it here. But thanks for reminding us of it here.

I'm remembering a poem about a river in Euope and a poem that gave it it's name. I know the woman's name in it was Lorelei, and the translation spoke of her flowing golden hair and voice, but can't remember details. D:

She's one of the Rhine Maidens (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhine_Maidens), who were like the Greek Sirens in that they lured sailors to their doom.

Lorelei was in Wagner's Ring Cycle if that helps any. I can't remember the poem either.

If slightly (ok really) creepy is your thing, there's always Robert Brownings Porphyria's Lover.

Ooh, and I love The Highwayman. The poem, and I also have two different versions of it set to music.

Let us not forget poor Samson, either. :)

And doesn't Pele (the Hawaiian goddess) always have long, flowing black hair like streams of lava flowing down the volcano?

- starsaphire

How about this:

Perhaps no Cherokee legend has been more enduring than the belief in the Yunwi Tsunsdi’, the Little People.. About knee high to an adult, they were well shaped and handsome, with long hair, which reaches the ground. Considered to be wonder workers, like the Nunne’hi, they spent half their time drumming and dancing. Helpful and kind hearted; they were especially helpful to children, and frequently helped adults, unseen at night, at such things as gathering corn. Usually associated with a certain place or community, if they were offended, they would leave the place, never to be seen again!

8) Jim

Black Is The Color Of My True Love's Hair (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuEzkuAu8ik&feature=related)

This is not exactly what you asked for, is it? I looked it up without realizing you had not included music in your request. Sorry.

Thank you all, I did not know about Pele, and about the Cherokee beings.