Snow White

Posted on 29/04/2012 by FairyTaleLover

Fairy tale Snow white is for sure one of most known in the world. As far as I know it is pretty new and in my opinion some sort of hybrid made from several others classic fairy tales. If we, for instance, compare two famous collections from Perrault and Grimms, this fairy tale is by far most known of all missing in Perrault’s Tales and Stories of the Past with morals, more known by its subtitle (Tales of Mother Goose).

As you can expect, I will provide some interesting facts and speculations on Snow White, fairy tale mostly known from Grimm’s book of fairy tales.

Snow White and her evil stepmother in disguise

Snow White and her evil stepmother in disguise

* There are numerous versions of fairy tales with elements the same as in Snow White available on-line.  There is Celtic version with king who married Snow White, then lost her because of her jealous mother (!) and got her back with a lot of help of his new wife and in the end happily living ever after with both (!) wives. And there is Italian version of jealous stepmother who convinced her husband to leave her in the woods, where she reach a hut with seven robbers. If we look at Basile, great resource for many classic fairy tales, we find Snow White in some aspects  similar to Sleeping Beauty and other to Bluebeard…

* Seven dwarfs in Snow White symbolize men who are not men enough for Snow White who turned from girl into woman. They obviously can’t protect her and her only hope is prince (real man) who came by to rescue her and made her his wife.

* Most popular version of Snow White today came from Disney Studios. This is first version with names of the dwarfs (being undeveloped and incapable for taking care for Snow White they really don’t need names) and first with a kiss (all older versions provide almost the same solution: object causing the death is moved and girl is live again). It is also first full length synchronized animated movie in color with astonishing budget and as big hit in box office one of most important milestones in Disney’s business.

Can you add your own thought or two on Snow White??

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Hans Christian Andersen

Posted on 04/04/2012 by FairyTaleLover

Why is Hans Christian Andersen (sometimes spelled Hans Christian Anderson) so special name in the world of children literature? O.k., he wrote couple of big hits like Little Mermaid, Thumbelina, Princess and the Pea, Nightingale…), but we can find at least ten other great authors from the same field and without their own World Day.

Let me provide some speculations!

Portrait of Hans Christian Andersen

Hans Christian Andersen portrayed by Christian Albrecht Jensen

I think three reasons would be enough for a start:

- Andersen’s life was sort of fairy tale by itself. He was born poor, he followed a dream and became famous. He dined with kings and his writing made him really big star.

- Writing of Hans Christian Andersen was much different than writing of his contemporaries. It was simple, to the point and after all these years it is still fresh. Most of his contemporaries on the other hand are totally unreadable now.

- In Andersen’s Fairy Tales (I’ll write special post about that subject) we can find situations and relations from his time and critique of the time itself. This was revolutionary approach in traditionally conservative fairy tales which is now widely accepted in modern fairy tales writings.

And what do you think about Hans Andersen and his work?

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Three Little Pigs

Posted on 07/03/2012 by FairyTaleLover 


Today we’ll take a look at Three Little Pigs. It is very well known story from English folklore. As far as I can find out it was first written by James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps and couple of years later by Joseph Jacobs in English Fairy Tales and Andrew Lang’s Green Fairy Book too.


Story talks about three pigs. Every one of them is seeking for his own home, but first builds it of straw, second of wood and third of bricks. When wolf enters the scene he can blows down first and second house, but can not do much about third one.


Story about three little pigs teaches us we should take some time to take care about our safety, set some foundations for our lives before we commit to pleasures.


Three Little Pigs by Leonard Leslie Brooke
Three Little Pigs by Leonard Leslie Brooke


And here comes some interesting thoughts about this classic fairy tale:


- There are many known variations of this fairy tale. In some first two pigs die and only last one survives, in some first runs to second pig’s house, then both run to third pig’s house and at the end the all survive. There are also versions where we have rabbits instead of pigs or two boys and a girl who is smartest of all. The fate of the wolf also varies. In some versions he blows himself up, in some version last pig eats him and in some versions he survives and is just disappointed. And there are also versions where his role  is taken by fox.


- Psychoanalitics are looking at this story as an example of different phases of growing up. Only last pig has enough maturity to properly care of himself, so he deserves to survive. First two pigs are still to childish (they both rush to finish their houses so they can play for the rest of the day), so they are incapble to survive. Looking at the story through this explanation, there is no problem if wolf eat them because a child as listener will identify himself with all of the pigs: first two are just the phases on his way to third pig (maturity) who is certain winner.


- Story of Three Little Pigs is pretty exceptional in one more aspect. We can find magic number three in a lot of fairy tales, but in most cases winner is youngest of protagonists. Here we have different situation. The oldest pig is the only one capable to take all responsibilities coming with living on his own, so he is the winner.


Fairy tale of Three Little Pigs is full of symbolism, so I guess you can easily add some interesting thoughts too!

							

	
			

									
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Benefits of reading


			

				Posted on 20/02/2012 by FairyTaleLover			


				

				
What are the benefits of reading, you may ask? Well, in this blog we are dealing with fairy tales, but most of kids know fairy tales only from television or cinema, not books. Books have some old fashioned feel and they are certainly not attractive as video version with all special effects. But books have some great advantages too!


Benefits of reading
There are many benefits of reading books


Let me emphasize some benefits of books reading for children:


1. Every kid can absorb information with his own pace, so he can get much more from a story written in book than a story, presented in video. Movies are massive media and this means information in movies is often reduced to level appropriate to most lazy minds. So audience, capable of more complex information doesn’t get what it can. On the other side audience not capable of process a lot of info doesn’t get any chance to reread some more difficult parts and doesn’t get a chance to improve their knowledge. We all know knowledge is power!


2. Books, even richly illustrated, require a lot of imagination from reader. In books you can’t notice all details, shown in movies.  You can’t see how somebody walks, talks, changes. But you can imagine… And imagination is prerequisite for creativity. Don’t get me wrong, I strongly believe, we live in pretty advanced society with a lot of help from technology, but I think our society can benefit a lot from some additional creativity.


3. Reading books increase vocabulary and memory what means avid reader has much better communication skills than people who don’t read. In era of information all communication skills are more than welcome, especially if those skills are supported with good memory. Good memory gives us a chance to learn from mistakes. Just like in fairy tales, remember?


Readers of this blog know me good enough to know I always stops at number three. I am sure everybody can expand this list to seven, nine, or even ninety-nine benefits of reading. So your comments are more than welcome!

							

	
			

									
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Goose Girl


			

				Posted on 27/01/2012 by FairyTaleLover			


				

				
Goose girl is well know fairy tale written by brothers Grimm with a lot of variations. The story starts with princes who left her home with a maiden. On the way to other kingdom maiden force the princess to switch positions.


When they reach their destination maiden becomes a princess and princess becomes a goose girl. King suspects something fishy is going on and tries to find out from goose girl what is her secret. But goose girl (real princess) refuses to say because she gave her word to the princess (real maiden).


King asks her to tell the truth to iron stove and secretly listens to the story, than at dinner asks the fake princess what would she do to a servant who betrayed her master. Princess (real maiden) suggests cruel punishment not knowing she is going to be punished.


The Goose Girl by William-Adolphe Bouguereau
The Goose Girl by William-Adolphe Bouguereau


As you may expect here comes some my thoughts. Why is Goose girl so typical Grimm’s fairy tale?


1. It is based on importance of given word. Despite the fact word is given to member of lower class and villain, princess stands by her promise. If she would not keep her promise, she would not be anymore entitled to her noble class. Something similar we can find in Frog prince (Frog king).


2. Princess must fail to earn her position again. This sort of transformation is almost a must in fairy tales, where beggar can become a prince, but in many cases prince (or princess) must become a beggar (or swine herd or goose girl) to earn his noble title.


3. The villain is severely punished. In Goose girl the maiden declares herself to cruel death. We can find cruel punishment in many Grimm’s fairy tales, like Cinderella, Snow White, Rumpeltiltskin, Hansel and Gretel… I guess they believed every resistance to ‘natural order’ deserves ultimate punishment.


Agree?

							

	
			

									
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Virginia Frances Sterret


			

				Posted on 10/01/2012 by FairyTaleLover			


				

				
Today I would like to present an illustrator with astonishing talent combined with passion which made great impression but her success was short lived. Virginia Frances Sterret died only 31 years old.


Aladin
Aladdin by Virginia Frances Sterret


Here we go with some basic data about this talented artist:


- She was born in 1900 in Chicago, her father died when she was still a kid and than moved with her mother and sister to Missouri and later to Kansas. She returned to Chicago as 15 years old to study art, finished high school and as talented artist got a chance to study on Art Institute of Chicago without tuition. Unfortunately only about year later her mother became very sick, so she has to leave school and start supporting family. She worked for several advertising agencies.


- Her first illustrating job was illustrating Old French Fairy Tales by Comtesse de Segur. She was only 19 years old, full of talent and already diagnosed with tuberculosis. Miss Sterret got new book to illustrate (Tanglewood Tales by Nathaniel Hawthorne) and finished it in 1921. Her health was deteriorating fast and she was foced to move to sanatorium.


- Virginia Frances Sterret got another interesting project to work on, biggest so far. Arabian Nights was perfect for her imaginative style with very special tenderness and become her biggest success when she finished it. Her health improved too and she left sanatorium, spent some time with family and had several exhibitions. That lasted only couple of years when tuberculosis returned in even stronger form and she died in June 1931. Her fourth and last illustrating work (Myths and Legends) stayed unfinished.


Imagine what else she could offer to the world!

							

	
			

									
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The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack


			

				Posted on 19/12/2011 by FairyTaleLover			


				

				
This popular fairy tale is most known from Brothers Grimm’s collection. It is about three brothers who left home to learn their professions and earn magic gifts. First two brothers lost their gifts but the third saved his and regained theirs, so happy ending is inevitable…


Table, Ass and Stick by Walter Crane
Table, Ass and Stick by Walter Crane


As you may expect, I will also provide some speculations:


1. Three brothers and three magic objects represent three aspects of materialistic approach to wish fulfillment. First is momentary (eating as much as somebody can), second permanently (having unlimited source of money) and the third to protect the first two. We can find similarities with Jack and Beanstalk (full pockets of money, hen laying golden eggs and singing harp), but there the third object (harp) wasn’t meant to protect (it was probably the step forward from material world and sign of Jack’s intellectual prevail over giant).


2. There are numerous versions of Wishing Table (even the Grimm’s version has at least three different titles known): in Basile’s version there was only one son, who served at ogre, in Asbjornsen and Moe’s version there was ram instead of donkey and North Wind instead of ogre, and there is also version from Philippines where we can find three magic gifts (goat producing silver coins, net always full of fish and magic jar always full of rice) given by magic tree and protected by fourth (stick again)…


3. In Grimm’s Table-Be-Set, Gold-Donkey, and Cudgel-out-of-the-Sack we can also find one very popular fairy tale motif: father incapable to protect the child. This motif if very noticeable in sleeping Beauty where father ordered to destroy all spinning wheels but failed, but it can be found also in Miller’s daughter where father thanks to his big mouth pushed his daughter into big danger and something similar happened in Wishing Table, where father believed his goat instead of his sons.


I guess one of most important messages from fairy tales for children is: soon or later there will come time to leave your home and take your chances.


Don’t you think so?

							

	
			

									
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Fairy tale as a mem carrier


			

				Posted on 30/11/2011 by FairyTaleLover			


				

				
Yes, fairy tales can be looked as possible transmitter of ideas, norms, values, etc. called memes.  The term meme was first used in Richard Dawkins’ revolutionary and controversial book The Selfish Gene. Richard Dawkins is one of greatest advocates of Darwin’s evolutionary theory and brilliant author who is constantly fighting with creationists. And what have all this to do with fairy tales?


Looking for meme?
Looking for meme?


Memes are analogues of genes. If genes carry physical information like color of hair, height or inclination to some sorts of diseases, memes carry  ideas, instructions or symbols and as such directly influence our behavior. Fairy tales in their numerous forms look as perfect package for memes.


1. In memes from fairy tales we can find out what is appropriate and what not, what is right and what is wrong.


2. Memes in fairy tales can be great supporters of stereotypes but they can also ignite a revolution (in fairy tale everything is possible).


3. Memes tend to replicate themselves and this is their main goal.


Memes, like genes, are in very competitive environment. If they want to survive, they have to constantly pass from one carrier to another, from one human to another, from one book to another … And they also have to adapt, just like genes.


Some typical memes from fairy tales are: child abuse (Cinderella), sexual awakening (Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel), children abandonment (Hansel and Gretel),…


Like it or not, most of us tend to live their own fairy tales, dictated by memes, which thought us to find the princess, kill the dragon, build a castle, take responsibility – and live happily ever after!


Nice start for serious academic career in local children’s library, huh?

							

	
			

									
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Donkeyskin


			

				Posted on 22/11/2011 by FairyTaleLover			


				

				
This fairy tale is well known among fairy tale lovers but pretty neglected in mainstream. Donkeyskin talks about a widower, powerful king, who set so high standards for his new wife, only his own daughter could match them. Of course she was not very excited about his idea, so she escapes. After some hiding she finds her real (and appropriate love) and everybody live happily ever after…


Donkey Skin by Clement Pierre Marillier
Donkeyskin by Clement Pierre Marillier


And here are some more interesting facts:


1. Motif of Donkeyskin is loosing its popularity in fairy tales. Father-daughter issues, well known from Greek drama, were not in high demand after transformation of wonder tale (for adults) to fairy tale (for children, at least from 18th century), where mother-child issues became more and more important. But we can easily find dozens of versions all around the world, where father wants to marry his daughter, just fur becomes pig’s, bear’s, cat’s, rabbit’s, cow’s…


2. Donkeyskin is really subvariant of Cinderella, what is most obvious when prince in the end searches for the girl whom ring best fits. But it has also a lot of similarities with Goose Girl, where princess tries (unsuccessfully) to hide her royal origin.


3. Donkey is a symbol of worker, lower class, thus ideal for transformation in fairy tales, where change of social class is probably most popular of all. We can find donkey in lots of fairy tales. The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack, The Donkey Cabbage, The Bremen Town-Musicians or The Donkey are all found in Grimm’s fairy tales  (Donkeyskin is Perrault’s). Donkey also personifies determination, another well known quality in fairy tales.

							

	
			

									
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Difference between fairy tales and fables?


			

				Posted on 14/11/2011 by FairyTaleLover			


				

				
It is not always easy to distinguish between fairy tale and fable. They both look suitable to children, they are both amusing, both have talking animals and moral in the end of the story. From time to time there is really difficult to tell if certain story belongs in one or other group.


Talking frogs can be found in fairy tales and fables
Talking frogs can be found in fairy tales and fables


So here are the main differences:


- Fables are on average much shorter than fairy tales. This fact can be easily explained with less complex characters and clearer messages which can be condensed into simple sentences like : “Stronger is always right.”, “Persistence is better than haste.” “Prepare for the days of necessity.” etc.


- Characters in fables always represent one single and very purified human characteristic. Fox represents trickery, turtle represents persistence, wolf represents gluttony,… and this characteristics determines the acting of the character from the beginning to the end, as stands for the story too. On the other hand characters in fairy tales (at least main characters) can be very complex and they always transform. Poor girl can become a princess, smart boy can become a king, evil witch can be transformed into stone,… This makes fairy tales much more unpredictable. Frog from fable will be still a frog in the end, but frog from fairy tales can become just everything.


- Fables are talking about the world as it is, fairy tales are talking about the world as it was (or will or can or should) be. Fables are addressing our reason, fairy tales are aiming at our imagination. They both carry strong moral messages, but fables’ are easier to understand (and forget) and messages from fairy tales are more subliminal and subversive.


So enjoy the fables and beware of fairy tales!


 ;) 

							

	
			

									
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