Where in Melbourne Puzzle - May 2013

Where in Melbourne Puzzle - May  2013.
 

THIS PUZZLE HAS BEEN REVEALED

Clue 1 - Carved between 1931 and 1934, many children have seen it.

Clue 2 - "... the old sorcerer spider in his large web is still weaving fantastic shapes and humming strange mystic tunes, always working and never being still ..."

just a short walk from the city

Clue 3 - Only a stroll away from Shakespeare's House.

Clue 4 -

"I have carved in a tree in the gardens for you, and the fairies,

but mostly for the fairies and those who believe in them,

for they will understand how necessary it is to have a fairy sanctuary.

A place that is sacred and safe as a home should be to all living creatures."

                                                                                                                

                                                                                                                       - Ola Cohn

SOLUTION REVEALED

 

The May 2013 puzzle is an image of the Fairies Tree in Fitzroy Gardens, Melbourne.

  

Where in Melbourne Puzzle May 2013 revealed

The Fairies' tree - plaque

 THE FAIRIES' TREE
CARVED BY OLA COHN, M.B.E., A.R.C.A
FROM 1931 - 34
A GIFT TO THE CHILDREN OF MELBOURNE

FOREWORD FROM HER BOOK "THE FAIRIES' TREE"

I HAVE CARVED A TREE IN THE FITZROY GARDENS FOR YOU
AND THE FAIRIES, BUT MOSTLY FOR THE FAIRIES. AND THOSE
WHO BELIEVE IN THEM, FOR THEY WILL UNDERSTAND HOW
NECESSARY IT IS TO HAVE A FAIRY SANCTUARY - A PLACE
THAT IS SACRED AND SAFE AS A HOME SHOULD BE TO
ALL LIVING CREATURES.

THEREFORE I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO CHILDREN AND FAIRIES
AS IT IS TO THEM I OWE MY INSPIRATION.

MELBOURNE 23 MAY 1932 OLA COHN

  

The Fairies' tree - East side

The Fairies' tree - North side

The Fairies' tree - Fitzroy Gardens

The Fairies' tree story has been put most eloquently by Walter Jago.

A FAIRY TREE.
Carved, by a Woman.
TREASURE FOR CHILDREN.
(BY WALTER JAGO.)

 

"Miss Cohn was born in Victoria. She went to London to study, and returned with her degree from the Royal College of Art. She returned also with the inspiration to give the children of Melbourne a Fairy Tree.

In the Fitzroy Gardens stood a tall stump of red gum, said to be 700 years old. It was stark and unsightly, and might any day have been grubbed out.

 

But now it is a monument, guarded by the City Council, cherished by the people, for Miss Cohn has materialised her dream by turning the stump into the Fairy Tree. On half the surface for about ten feet high she has carved a multitude of animals, birds, insects, reptiles, fairies, and imps. Ivy, growing to the top, covers the other half.

There is a story connected with each character, and the old sorcerer spider in his large web is still wearing fantastic shapes and humming strange mystic tunes, always working and never being still, but the web is a friendly playground for the fairies who swing from the heavy strands and turn somersaults.

 

An opossum, hanging by his tall from a knot of the tree, watches them with envy, for the web is not strong enough for him. The imps are not so fortunate, and one has been caught in the web. He is held there until Stoutheart comes with his magic bulrush, and charging on his gallant frog, forces the wicked sorcerer to flee.

Stoutheart is the Australian Peter Pan. He is the joy and pride and protector of every fairy and imp. He keeps the Sneaky Snake in check, and if It wasn't for Stoutheart the snake would sneak out of the knot-hole and devour a grand old frog. But with Stoutheart about the frog just looks out of the corner of his eye and smiles, and has no fear.

 

In carving the fairy story Into the tree she used the natural shape of the trunk economically, and all the irregularities yielded to her chisel to pro- vide the forms she wanted. For three years she worked to turn the dead stump into a living universe, and then, as though to acknowledge her achievement, a swarm of bees came and filled the old hollow trunk with golden honey."

Fairies' Tree, Fitzroy Gardens.



Research Links

East Melbourne Historical Society - catalogue

East Melbourne Historical Society - catalogue images

National Portrait Gallery

Wikipedia

Only Melbourne

Trove

 

The next Where in Melbourne Puzzle will be published on 3rd June 2013.

 

This page was last updated on the 27th of May.