1001 Nights of Snowfall

Infobox graphic novel
title = Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall


imagesize=
caption = Cover of "Fables: 1001 Nights of Snowfall"
Art by James Jean
publisher = Vertigo
date = October 18, 2006 Hardcover
March 05, 2008 Softcover
series=
main_char_team = Snow White
origlanguage=
origisbn=
writers = Bill Willingham
artists = Charles Vess
Brian Bolland
John Bolton
Michael Wm. Kaluta
James Jean
Tara McPherson
Derek Kirk Kim
Esao Andrews
Mark Buckingham
Mark Wheatley
Jill Thompson
pencillers=
colourists=
US=y

"1001 Nights of Snowfall" is a hardcover, original graphic novel that is a prequel to "Fables" by series creator Bill Willingham. It was published in 2006 by Vertigo.

In the story Snow White has been sent to negotiate with the Arabian fables. The sultan, considering it an insult that a woman was sent to negotiate, holds her hostage. Snow White tells him a story every night to keep him from beheading her.

Plot

This tale is set in the 1800s, in the early days of Fabletown, when Snow White was sent as an envoy to the lands of the Arabian Fables. But the Arabian Fables are actually offended that a woman would be sent to negotiate. When she catches the eye of the sultan, Snow finds herself filling the unenviable role of Scheherazade, the teller of the original "One Thousand and One Arabian Nights" tales.

Snow has to amuse the Sultan with tales of wonder and imagination every night - for a thousand and one nights - to keep her head off the chopping block. We see the stories as Snow tells them in a framing sequence similar to the original. Running the gamut from horror to dark intrigue to mercurial coming-of-age, it reveals the secret histories of familiar characters through a series of compelling and visually illustrative tales.

Tales

The ten stories, in order:

A Most Troublesome Woman

Penciled by Michael Wm. Kaluta, inked and painted by Charles Vess. It's the framing story, text with illustrations, like a lavishly illustrated old time storybook. Nineteen pages, seven of which are full splash pages.

The Fencing Lessons

Painted by John Bolton. It's the longest story, 32 or 33 pages. This is the one that illustrates the first few days of Snow's and Prince Charming's married life as well as just what Snow's problem with the dwarves is - and it's not pretty. This story further explains where Snow and Charming's marriage may have gone wrong.

The Christmas Pies

Painted by Mark Buckingham. Fourteen pages, focuses on Reynard's behavior in a remote wooded valley, reminiscent of the world of Narnia. In the story, Reynard tricks the armies of the Adversary into baking and delivering pies to a clearing to replicate the "miracle of the Christmas pies". This ruse allows the trapped animals an opportunity, not only to eat, but to escape from the valley and into the mundane world.

A Frog's Eye View

Painted by James Jean. Eight pages. It concerns Flycatcher's life from the moment he became human and fell in love with his wife who loved him dearly, and married her- and how he truly lived happily ever after for a time. It was revealed that in the past when Flycatcher, then known as Prince Ambrose, was nervous, afraid, or overly excited he would transform into a frog and only transform back into his human form when he was kissed by his wife's kiss. It tells about his last days in the Homelands -- and tells why he was able to escape the Adversary invasion, while his wife and children didn't.

The Runt

Painted by Mark Wheatley. Thirteen pages long. It's described as a 'dire tale' and focuses on Bigby Wolf's mother, Winter, and the North Wind. It also gives us a glimpse of some of Bigby's past, prior to his reformation.

A Mother's Love

Painted by Derek Kirk Kim. A three-page tale, short and nasty and about hares, in which Colonel Thunderfoot is cursed from harekind to humankind to live out his days until "the true love of a doe of our people restores you to harekind".

Diaspora

Illustrated by Tara McPherson. Fourteen pages long, revolves around Snow, her sister Rose, and Frau Totenkinder, and includes our first visual look at Snow and Bigby's first meeting. Contains another story within it called. . .

The Witch's Tale

Painted by Esao Andrews tells us the background of Frau Totenkinder and her connections to other fables.

What You Wish For

Illustrated by Brian Bolland. Two pages. A very short, cautionary tale. It tells the story of a very adventurous girl named Mersey Dotes who has traveled the globe and then wishes to travel the sea and becomes a mermaid. Not too long after Mersey joins the merfolk village under the sea the Adversary launches capture of sea kingdoms. This causes Mersey to be the "big fish" of the Farm since she is unable to pass as human in Fabletown. She is seen chatting with Reynard Fox about her discontent with the fact that she is stuck in a little lake and not traveling.

Fair Division

Painted by Jill Thompson. It's about King Cole, but the Mean Little Sunflower Kid and other Fables that live at the farm including the Badger, the Three Blind Mice, and The Three Bears all make an appearance. It tells how King Cole very unselfishly shared all of the food with his subjects before himself; and how when he collapsed from hunger his subjects all worked toward salvaging him food.