Stories have power. The stories we read have power, as do the stories we tell our children, and (maybe most powerful of all) the stories we tell about ourselves.
In this issue of Irreantum, we explore the stories Latter-day Saints tell about themselves and the world. We have a complex and increasingly rich identity as a people, with a folkloric tradition that includes fairy tales from many cultures, in addition to traditions, myths, legends, songs, dances, and customs that are distinctly ours. Mission stories (some dark and some miraculous), pioneer tall tales, and scriptural interpretations are pervasive. The fiction, nonfiction, and poetry in this collection stand as a testament to the influence of fairy tales and folklore on our individual and collective identities.
The stories we learn and internalize from a young age, and which we then go on to share, create a sense of meaning and order in our lives. At the same time, the realities of life complicate, challenge, and sometimes complement the truths held in these stories. Fairy tales and reality do not need to be at odds with each other, but can work together in harmony connecting our lived experience to the divine, the fantastic, and the internal worlds we know and love.
When reading through this issue, I am reminded that folklore and fairy tales stay with us throughout our lives and force us to contend with them. This issue contains a dozen pieces that illustrate this messy process and reveal how Latter-day Saints interpret and reshape their stories in order to better understand the world and our place in it.
We hope you enjoy these stories from the Blue Cherubim!
Chanel Earl, Dallin Hunt, and Heather Bergevin
Chanel Earl is fascinated by the connections and similarities between folktales and scripture. She has published in such venues as Wayfare, Smokelong Quarterly, The Arch-Hive, The Account, and Granfalloon. Find her online at chanelearl.com and @chanels.stories.
Dallin Hunt is a Utah-born and Idaho-raised writer who received his MFA in creative writing in 2021 and is now working on his third novel. His stories have appeared in SORTES , NDR, and The Colored Lens.
Heather Bergevin fell in love with mythology while viciously reading her way through as elementary school library. She is the author of the poetry collections Katabasis: Monologues for the Dead and Lawless Women.
In my painting, Forest of Truth and Story, I explore the feelings of comfort and security that a campfire brings amidst the vast unknown of the forest. The flickering flames cast a protective glow on the towering trees, while four figures linger in the safety of its light, their silhouettes veiled in shadow. The luminous orbs encircling them serve as beacons of hope and companionship, contrasting with the enveloping darkness of the woods. Through this juxtaposition, I seek to capture the essence of the campfire as a symbol of sanctuary, a sacred space where fears dissolve and connections deepen in the face of uncertainty. In the presence of its radiant warmth, the mysteries of the forest become not threats, but invitations to explore, to contemplate, and to find solace in each other’s company and in the stories we tell.
Amy Larsen (@amylarsen.art) is a self-taught, amateur artist based in the Pacific Northwest. She prefers a palette knife to a brush in creating abstract landscapes and textured animal-life portraits. She enjoys exploring different mediums and crafts as a means to decompress from her job in healthcare. She is supported by her husband and her three kids who like to learn and paint alongside her.
