The Princess and the Pea
By: Hans Christian Andersen
1835
and
The Daisy
The Candles
The Ugly Duckling
"and the pea was put in the museum,
where it may still be seen, if no one has stolen it.
There, that is a true story."
This has always been a funny fairy tale to me, why would you want such a picky Princess. But none the less, a favorite. The story starts with a Prince searching for his Princess. He however has specific requirements she must fill, she must be a REAL Princess. One night after returning to his castle, and knock came at the door. It was a Princess however you couldn't tell how the wind and rain had made her look.
The Queen thinks quickly of a plan to test if she is a true Princess. So she takes all the bedding of the bed, and places a single pea and the very bottom. She then stacks 20 mattresses and 20 down-beds on top. They then send the Princess to sleep. In the morning the Queen promptly asks the Princess how she slept. She replies “Oh, very badly!” “I have scarcely closed my eyes all night. Heaven only knows what was in the bed, but I was lying on something hard, so that I am black and blue all over my body. It’s horrible!”
With this response the Queen knows that she is obviously a real princess, for only a princess could be that sensitive to a single pea. So her and the Prince were wed. And that Pea was put in a museum for everyone to see.
Recommended to: This is a short and sweet one, I think everyone even younger children could focus long enough for this tale.
Problems: Teaches to be picky like a Princess.
My Reaction: The ending to this tale, is my absolute favorite. Such a funny way to end a tale. To talk about how the Pea was put in a museum. Its the best line ever.
Showing posts with label Fairy Tales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Fairy Tales. Show all posts
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Grimm Tales- Rapunzel
Rapunzel
By: the Grimm Brothers
from the Grimms’ Kinder und Hausmärchen
by Edgar Taylor and Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes
and
The Frog King or Iron Henry
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
Little Red-Cap
This fairy tale is a common one, but had a few details I never caught before. Its a story of a happy couple, who can't have a child. They try and they try with no success. Then one day the wife is looking out her window and sees some delicious rampion (or Rapunzel) but its in the witches garden. However she wants it so badly that her husband climbs over the wall and gets her some. She happily eats it right up, and wants more the next time. So her husband climbs over for a second time and gets caught by the witch. He explains his situation and she agrees to let him live, if they give her there first child. So they do.
The witch keeps Rapunzel, which is what they name the first baby girl, in a very high tower. However she is nice and comes and visits her every day, and says
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair to me."
And each day Rapunzel lets down her hair, and the witch climbs up.
A handsome Prince happens to walk by one day, hearing Rapunzel's singing he stops, and wants to meet her. He sees how the witch climbs up and decides to try it for himself the next day. They fall in love. Then one day Rapunzel accidentally says to the witch, you are much heavier than the Prince, and the witch become furious. She cuts of Rapunzel's hair, ships her off, and waits in the tower for the Prince. He comes and as usually calls up to her, as he reaches the top, he is overcome with surprise that it is the witch and not Rapunzel. The Prince leaps of the tower and pricks out his eyes in a rose bush. The Prince roams around blind and eventually finds Rapunzel and the twins she gave birth to. Rapunzel's tears cure the Princes eyes, and they live Happily Ever After.
Recommended to: Older children, but I think both genders would like the story since it has romance and violence.
Problems: Slightly violent, and some parents might be offended by how easily the parents were able to give up there only child.
My Reaction: I liked this fairy tale, its almost to fast pace though. But most fairy tales are. I liked it because not only the Rapunzel has to overcome a problem, but the Prince also becomes blind and wanders around the desert searching for her. That's dedication.
By: the Grimm Brothers
from the Grimms’ Kinder und Hausmärchen
by Edgar Taylor and Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes
and
The Frog King or Iron Henry
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
Little Red-Cap
This fairy tale is a common one, but had a few details I never caught before. Its a story of a happy couple, who can't have a child. They try and they try with no success. Then one day the wife is looking out her window and sees some delicious rampion (or Rapunzel) but its in the witches garden. However she wants it so badly that her husband climbs over the wall and gets her some. She happily eats it right up, and wants more the next time. So her husband climbs over for a second time and gets caught by the witch. He explains his situation and she agrees to let him live, if they give her there first child. So they do.
The witch keeps Rapunzel, which is what they name the first baby girl, in a very high tower. However she is nice and comes and visits her every day, and says
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair to me."
And each day Rapunzel lets down her hair, and the witch climbs up.
A handsome Prince happens to walk by one day, hearing Rapunzel's singing he stops, and wants to meet her. He sees how the witch climbs up and decides to try it for himself the next day. They fall in love. Then one day Rapunzel accidentally says to the witch, you are much heavier than the Prince, and the witch become furious. She cuts of Rapunzel's hair, ships her off, and waits in the tower for the Prince. He comes and as usually calls up to her, as he reaches the top, he is overcome with surprise that it is the witch and not Rapunzel. The Prince leaps of the tower and pricks out his eyes in a rose bush. The Prince roams around blind and eventually finds Rapunzel and the twins she gave birth to. Rapunzel's tears cure the Princes eyes, and they live Happily Ever After.
Recommended to: Older children, but I think both genders would like the story since it has romance and violence.
Problems: Slightly violent, and some parents might be offended by how easily the parents were able to give up there only child.
My Reaction: I liked this fairy tale, its almost to fast pace though. But most fairy tales are. I liked it because not only the Rapunzel has to overcome a problem, but the Prince also becomes blind and wanders around the desert searching for her. That's dedication.
Perrault- The Master Cat
The Master Cat, or Puss in Boots
by: Charles Perrault
1697
and
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella or Little Glass Slipper
The Fairies
"The cat became a great lord, and never again ran after mice, except for entertainment."
The story of Puss in Boots, which is the name I recognized it by, is much more cleaver an detailed than I once remembered. The story starts with a Fathers passing, and his only inheritance to his children is his Mill, his donkey, and his cat. So his three sons split it up, the and the youngest ends up with the cat. So the son complains that after he has eat the cat he will surely starve and die. Once the cat hears this, is sad that his master thinks this is his only worth. So the cat requests a bag and a pair of boots, and in exchange promises that his Master will never go hungry.
The Cat soon catches a Rabbit, and brings it to the King, and displays it as a gift from his Master. He continues with this giving different gifts to the king, over a three month time period. One day he know the king is out with his daughter, who happens to be the most beautiful princess in the world. The Cat tricks the King into believing his master is drowning, and the King saves his. After all the gifts the King is very impressed with the young man. The cat tricks the King several more ways so that he believes his master owns lots of land and a big Castle. Where a Big Ogre lives. The Cat needs to get rid of him, so he also tricks the Ogre into turning himself into a mouse, and then processes to eat him. The Cats Master and Princess lived happily ever after, and so did the Master Cat.
Recommended to: Both girls and boys. Middle-school aged.
Problems: This could teach that it is okay to lie, and cheat, and even kill to get what you want and be successful in life.
My Reaction: This is such a fun story, I love the imagery of a Cat wearing high boots. I also like that the cat is so cleaver he never catches things for his own master, but brings them straight to the king. Planning someday to never have to work again.
by: Charles Perrault
1697
and
Sleeping Beauty
Cinderella or Little Glass Slipper
The Fairies
"The cat became a great lord, and never again ran after mice, except for entertainment."
The story of Puss in Boots, which is the name I recognized it by, is much more cleaver an detailed than I once remembered. The story starts with a Fathers passing, and his only inheritance to his children is his Mill, his donkey, and his cat. So his three sons split it up, the and the youngest ends up with the cat. So the son complains that after he has eat the cat he will surely starve and die. Once the cat hears this, is sad that his master thinks this is his only worth. So the cat requests a bag and a pair of boots, and in exchange promises that his Master will never go hungry.
The Cat soon catches a Rabbit, and brings it to the King, and displays it as a gift from his Master. He continues with this giving different gifts to the king, over a three month time period. One day he know the king is out with his daughter, who happens to be the most beautiful princess in the world. The Cat tricks the King into believing his master is drowning, and the King saves his. After all the gifts the King is very impressed with the young man. The cat tricks the King several more ways so that he believes his master owns lots of land and a big Castle. Where a Big Ogre lives. The Cat needs to get rid of him, so he also tricks the Ogre into turning himself into a mouse, and then processes to eat him. The Cats Master and Princess lived happily ever after, and so did the Master Cat.
Recommended to: Both girls and boys. Middle-school aged.
Problems: This could teach that it is okay to lie, and cheat, and even kill to get what you want and be successful in life.
My Reaction: This is such a fun story, I love the imagery of a Cat wearing high boots. I also like that the cat is so cleaver he never catches things for his own master, but brings them straight to the king. Planning someday to never have to work again.
Jacobs- The Fish and The Ring
The Fish and The Ring
by: Joseph Jacobs
English Fairy Tales
1890
and
Teeny-Tiny
The Rose Tree
Johnny- Cake
The Fish and The Ring is a story of a Baron who is a great magician, who can predict the future. So one day when his little boy was only four years old, he looked into his future and saw that he was to marry a poor maid. So he sets off to change the future, he goes to the maid's house when she is still a baby. And he offers to take the child to take the burden off the family. Relieved they family gives the baby to him, he soon throws her into a river to die. However she doesn't and floats down and becomes a beautiful daughter of a fisherman. Soon the Baron stumbles on to the fishing hut, during his hunting and finds that the girl is still alive. So he hatches another plan. His plan falls fails, by extraordinary means. And the girl and his son are wed. The Baron soon visits and find that the very thing he tried so hard to prevent, had occurred. Furious he takes the girl on a walk to a cliff, and threatens to throw her over. The poor girl pleads for her life, and the Baron makes a deal. He takes his ring and throws it into the ocean, and says “Never let me see your face till you can show me that ring”.
So the girl leaves and finds work at a neighboring castle. One day the Baron and his son come to dinner at this very castle. In side the girl is preparing a large fish for supper, and as she is cleaning it she sees a shiny object. She soon sees it is the ring the Baron had thrown over years before. Happily she prepared the fish and served it to the Baron and his son. When the Baron sees it is her, he is beyond furious and became violent. But before he could do anything she showed the Baron his ring. He realized he could not fight fate, and allowed them to live happily ever after.
Recommended to: Older children, who would understand the concept of fate.
Problems: Violence towards babies.
My Reaction: This was my favorite of Jacobs, it not only has one trial but many that the girl has to overcome to be with her prince. I also love the theme of fate, and think it is beautifully show in this story.
by: Joseph Jacobs
English Fairy Tales
1890
and
Teeny-Tiny
The Rose Tree
Johnny- Cake
The Fish and The Ring is a story of a Baron who is a great magician, who can predict the future. So one day when his little boy was only four years old, he looked into his future and saw that he was to marry a poor maid. So he sets off to change the future, he goes to the maid's house when she is still a baby. And he offers to take the child to take the burden off the family. Relieved they family gives the baby to him, he soon throws her into a river to die. However she doesn't and floats down and becomes a beautiful daughter of a fisherman. Soon the Baron stumbles on to the fishing hut, during his hunting and finds that the girl is still alive. So he hatches another plan. His plan falls fails, by extraordinary means. And the girl and his son are wed. The Baron soon visits and find that the very thing he tried so hard to prevent, had occurred. Furious he takes the girl on a walk to a cliff, and threatens to throw her over. The poor girl pleads for her life, and the Baron makes a deal. He takes his ring and throws it into the ocean, and says “Never let me see your face till you can show me that ring”.
So the girl leaves and finds work at a neighboring castle. One day the Baron and his son come to dinner at this very castle. In side the girl is preparing a large fish for supper, and as she is cleaning it she sees a shiny object. She soon sees it is the ring the Baron had thrown over years before. Happily she prepared the fish and served it to the Baron and his son. When the Baron sees it is her, he is beyond furious and became violent. But before he could do anything she showed the Baron his ring. He realized he could not fight fate, and allowed them to live happily ever after.
Recommended to: Older children, who would understand the concept of fate.
Problems: Violence towards babies.
My Reaction: This was my favorite of Jacobs, it not only has one trial but many that the girl has to overcome to be with her prince. I also love the theme of fate, and think it is beautifully show in this story.
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