There is a Different World Out There – It’s Called Schleich

<p class="articletext">Princess Feya ran into the forest clearing, her long robes flowing. She stopped, and turned to her little band of elves who were gathered there, waiting patiently. Her face was lit by the moon as she said "We must seek out the book of truth and wisdom for mankind. You must help me find it, and the answer to beating the forces of evil in the world". <br />
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This little scene was being acted out with the help of Schleich figures, on the living room floor, by the eight-year old daughter of our neighbour when I popped round for coffee the other morning. Such is the convincing detail of these models that you are drawn into a world of fantasy. The fantasy genre of the 20th century stems from 19th century Romanticism. Writers such as Tolkien, the Grimm brothers, and Andrew Lang made popular "fairy stories" sourced from popular folklore. One of the pioneering works of fantasy writing was The King of Elfland's Daughter, a 1924 novel by Lord Dunsany Tolkien, of course, gave us The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. Fantasy elves became extremely popular, representing perhaps, an alternative form of the human with sharper perceptions and greater moral values. These beings have the power of magic, which has long held sway in the human mind. We love to believe in magic and supernatural powers beyond what we can see. <br />
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Early English folktales portrayed elves as small, elusive people with slightly mischievous personalities. They were not evil but liked to meddle in human affairs. Elves were often thought of as representing a type of fairy, or even the embodiment of a force of nature. William Shakespeare imagined elves as little people who had pointed ears and were able to harness the forces of nature <br />
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Such is the strength of traditional wisdom, handed down by word of mouth, that still today, some of the natives of Iceland truly believe in "hidden folk" that dwell in rock formations. The elves of Norse mythology were imagined as beautiful females who lived in the forest with an Elvan king. They were long-lived, fair-haired, and light-hearted in nature, except when offended. In some cultures elves have been looked on as semi-divine beings, often associated with fertility and also ancestor worship. <br />
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Elves were originally thought by many to be spirits of nature with magical powers that they could use, both to help or hinder mankind. In more recent times they have been associated more with good, and the fight of good to triumph over evil. <br />
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The world of fantasy is only one of several worlds that Schleich can transport you to. There are also ranges of models and figures that can help to educate children in respect of the world today and the different types of domestic and wild animals that exist, the history of the medieval world of knights and castles, the history of the Wild West, and the extraordinary range of dinosaurs that once roamed the earth. Schleich models are so well formed and detailed that they are truly representative, and can inspire the mind in the way that pictures alone may not. If you wish your children to learn about the world, past and present, what better way is there, than with realistic models that they can hold in their hands?</p>

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Robert Esmund works with <a href="http://www.totallyschleich.co.uk" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.totallyschleich.co.uk</a>">Totally Schleich</a></p>

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