Locations/scenes straight out of Andrew Langs "<color> Book of Fairy" series:
“It grew in the midst of a wonderful garden, all the paths of which were strewn with pearls as big as peas. The roses were crimson diamonds, with emerald leaves. The pomegranates were garnets, the marigolds topazes, the daffodils yellow diamonds, the violets sapphires, the corn-flowers turquoises, the tulips amethysts, opals and diamonds, so that the garden borders blazed like the sun. The Golden Branch itself had become as tall as a forest tree, and sparkled with ruby cherries to its topmost twig.” From “The Golden Branch ” in The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
“These good people had a little window at the back of their house, which looked into the most lovely garden, full of all manner of beautiful flowers and vegetables; but the garden was surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to enter it, for it belonged to a witch of great power, who was feared by the whole world. One day the woman stood at the window overlooking the garden, and saw there a bed full of the finest rampion: the leaves looked so fresh and green that she longed to eat them.” From “Rapunzel in The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
“She told him that her brother Norka was then at her youngest sister's. So he went on to the youngest sister, who lived in a golden palace. She told him that her brother was at that time asleep on the blue sea, and she gave him a sword of steel and a draught of the Water of Strength, and she told him to cut off her brother's head at a single stroke. And when he had heard these things, he went his way.” From “The Norka” in The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
“`But how did you get across the fiery river?'
`Why, I've a handkerchief of this kind--when I wave it thrice on the right hand, there springs up a very lofty bridge, and the fire cannot reach it.' ... When he came to that river he waved the handkerchief three times on the right hand, and suddenly, springing goodness knows whence, there hung across the river, high in the air, a splendid bridge. The Prince rode across the bridge and waved the handkerchief twice only on the left hand; there remained across the river a thin, ever so thin a bridge!” From “The Death of Koshchei the Deathless” in The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
“After climbing higher and higher, till he grew afraid to look down for fear he should be giddy, Jack at last reached the top of the Beanstalk, and found himself in a beautiful country, finely wooded, with beautiful meadows covered with sheep. A crystal stream ran through the pastures; not far from the place where he had got off the Beanstalk stood a fine, strong castle.
Jack wondered very much that he had never heard of or seen this castle before; but when he reflected on the subject, he saw that it was as much separated from the village by the perpendicular rock on which it stood as if it were in another land.” From “Jack and the Beanstalk” in The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
“`That beast which thou wishest to overcome is my brother. He is staying just now with my second sister, who lives not far from here in a silver palace. I bound up three of the wounds which thou didst give him.' ” From “The Norka” in The Red Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
"He rubbed his watch and wished for a carriage ornamented with gold and silver, and drawn by six horses, with harness glittering with precious stones. The father did not dare to sit in this gorgeous coach, but went to the palace on foot. The King and his daughter were immensely surprised with the beauty of the carriage, and mounted the steps at once to go to Jenik's banquet.” From “The Enchanted Watch” in The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
“When Jenik heard the wheels of the carriage, he rubbed his watch and wished for a still more beautiful house, four stories high, and hung with gold, silver, and damask; filled with wonderful tables, covered with dishes such as no king had ever eaten before. … and left Jenik with his wife in the enchanted house.” From “The Enchanted Watch” in The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
“One lovely summer evening, as they sat together on a shady lawn shaped like a star, from which radiated twelve splendid avenues of trees”) From “Rosanella” in The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
“The Prince thought they had better find their way to the Fairy of the Beech-Woods and put themselves once more under her protection, and they had hardly agreed upon this course when two little chariots wreathed with jasmine and honeysuckle suddenly appeared, and, stepping into them, they were whirled away to the Leafy Palace.” <<more enchanted chariots …>>) From “Prince Featherhead and the Princess Celandine” in The Green Fairy Book by Andrew Lang.
Me again.
For anyone interested in creating diverse areas in the Nevernever I can not recommend the Andrew Lang <color> Book of Fairy series strongly enough. It has creatures, locations, descriptions, names & titles, and so forth galore and all the books can be downloaded for free from Project Gutenberg.
Good luck and happy hunting!
