Mariel Murigneux, Midi Libre correspondent in Aigues-Mortes and David Sol, visual artist have produced a book for young people “The Island of Children, Once Upon a Time Brind’len and Cotonet”.
This is the story of Brind’len, Cotonet and Father Dauphin, three puppets born in Lille, in the 1950s, from the imagination of Geneviève Dermech and Cyril Robichez, the parents of Mariel Murigneux, retired from Acute-Mortaise and correspondent Midi Libre.
“My father dreamed of being an actor,” explains Aigues-Mortaise. “Before starting his company, he began his career as a puppeteer by presenting L’île des enfants to many little ch’timis.”
Made from papier-mâché, these glove puppets – they adorn the hand of the person handling them – were passed on to Mariel Murigneux at her wedding. “For two or three years, we did a few shows with my husband. Then, I let them fall asleep at the bottom of a trunk. Until 2011, when we moved to Aigues-Mortes and they reappeared, I wanted to bring them back to life.”
Illustrations by artist David Sol
David Sol, visual artist from Aigues-Mortais, has brought the three characters back to life through his colorful and tender illustrations. Mariel Murigneux imagined their story in a book for young people entitled “The Island of Children, Once Upon a Time Brind’len and Cotonet”.
A story to tell for 5-10 year olds
It’s the story of a princess, Brind’len, always crying. The king has promised his hand to the one who will stop making his tears and the rain flow. “This book of around thirty pages, self-published, is aimed at children between 5 and 10 years old,” explains the author. “We can read or tell the story, because it is written like a scenario, and play it with puppets. The story’s message is happiness and transmission.”
Brind’len, Cotonet and Father Dauphin are 74 years old and still have many lives ahead of them: “My dream is that my four children and six grandchildren will one day take over and continue to revive them”smiles Mariel Murigneux.
