Friday, July 08, 2005

This all a fairy tale

Many life lessons can be learned from fairy tales. Here are three of the ones I have discovered:

  • Title: The Frog Prince, or Iron Henry


  • Synopsis: A princess promises to let a frog eat from her plate and sleep in her bed after the frog retrieves a golden ball from a well. The king makes sure the princess keeps her promises. After the frog gets really cheeky, the princess throws the frog against the wall. The frog turns into a prince. (Note: there is nothing about a transformative kiss in this particular tale.)

    Lesson Learned: Contrary to my pacifist upbringing, violence sometimes is the short-term solution.

  • Title: Rapunzel

    Synopsis: A witch allows a pregnant woman to eat a special salad in exchange for the woman's daughter later on. The witch keeps Rapunzel (named after the special salad) in a tower without stairs and daily climbs up the poor girl's long hair as if it were a rope ladder. In an old version, after a prince visits the tower via the long hair, Rapunzel becomes pregnant. The witch feels betrayed, cuts off Rapunzel's hair, and banishes her. The prince is blinded by briars, but has his sight restored in time to view his twin children, whom Rapunzel has raised in the desert.

    Lesson Learned: A world of ills can be avoided if I keep my hair short.

  • Title: Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle

    Synopsis: An orphan girl learns from her godmother how to sew and weave. When the godmother dies, the girl inherits her godmother's business. When a prince comes to town looking for a bride who is both "the poorest and the richest," the sewing tools spring to life and create beautiful textiles. The prince is impressed.

    Lesson Learned: Take a sewing class. Learn to solder a piece of jewelry. Change a tire. Skills are handy.

    From a tee-shirt on Babywit:
  • 4 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    Thank you!

    Saints and Spinners said...

    You're most welcome. Have you (or anyone else reading this) insights to be shared regarding fairy tales? (Just don't tell me that it's so groovy for the princesses in the stories because they get to marry the prince and live happily ever after. It's not that easy. It's never that easy. Most if not all of those princesses went through a lot of suffering and trauma before they got a bit of good news.)

    Anonymous said...

    Insight to be shared regarding fairy tales: Those princesses went through a lot of suffering and trauma before they got a bit of good news.

    This is viewing #777 of your blog.

    Saints and Spinners said...

    Wow. Those numbers went up fast! Thanks to everyone who took the time to read a bit. Please visit again. I'll tell you a story.