Fairytale's. Aren't they lovely? Well, no, they're sort of not that great when you think about it. This morning I was reading an old-school fairytale to two enthralled children when I realised the words coming out of my mouth weren't quite like I remembered. There is this mermaid and of course she realises she loves a man - who lives on land. So she trades her voice and switches her tail for legs. The condition is - if she doesn't win the heart of the man in a few days she will be turned into sea foam. The man tragically kisses another woman, ultimately marrying her instead. So as if watching the love of her life move on isn't punishment enough she also turns into sea foam and "floats forever miserable on the waves of the ocean".
Wow. That's really horrible isn’t it? As we all contemplated what had just happened I swiftly moved on to something a little more light-hearted. Ah Hansel and Gretel an old favourite. Hmm kids in a cage and an evil woman burned alive - screaming - in an oven. What about Jack In the Beanstalk? Oh lovely, an ogre who eats children and drinks their blood. Everywhere I looked there was gobbling children, scary foxes, poison and evil relatives. When I asked a group of mothers about this some said they didn’t read the old fairytale's to their kids anymore due to the sexist, barbaric content. This got me thinking. Imagine not knowing who Snow White was? Or What happens at midnight to Cinderella? I spent most of my childhood happilly daydreaming about these stories. I think for a child fairytale's help clarify new emotions, inspire thought, and evoke imagination. Children relate the story’s meaning to their innocent world, rather than really understanding the words. Children don’t see the horror of a witch burning alive; they see a meanie being punished for doing something naughty – and rightly so. Fairytale's allow children to understand right from wrong, see that evil is punished, and the good generally have a happier ending. I think we should keep the tradition alive - just don’t read them right before bed, edit a few words for the little ones, and chat about the meaning when you’re done.
Not that mermaid story though. That was just horrible.
Ax
Wow. That's really horrible isn’t it? As we all contemplated what had just happened I swiftly moved on to something a little more light-hearted. Ah Hansel and Gretel an old favourite. Hmm kids in a cage and an evil woman burned alive - screaming - in an oven. What about Jack In the Beanstalk? Oh lovely, an ogre who eats children and drinks their blood. Everywhere I looked there was gobbling children, scary foxes, poison and evil relatives. When I asked a group of mothers about this some said they didn’t read the old fairytale's to their kids anymore due to the sexist, barbaric content. This got me thinking. Imagine not knowing who Snow White was? Or What happens at midnight to Cinderella? I spent most of my childhood happilly daydreaming about these stories. I think for a child fairytale's help clarify new emotions, inspire thought, and evoke imagination. Children relate the story’s meaning to their innocent world, rather than really understanding the words. Children don’t see the horror of a witch burning alive; they see a meanie being punished for doing something naughty – and rightly so. Fairytale's allow children to understand right from wrong, see that evil is punished, and the good generally have a happier ending. I think we should keep the tradition alive - just don’t read them right before bed, edit a few words for the little ones, and chat about the meaning when you’re done.
Not that mermaid story though. That was just horrible.
Ax
I think a world without fairytales is a sad sad place.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like the little mermaid with a bad ending! I bet Disney changed the old tale to their revived one not to upset the kidlets.
ReplyDeleteThat was wonderful. You should keep these and write a book =o) I look forward to your thoughts every day.
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