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By Judy Ramsook
Aug. 26, 2005 It’s amazing how most kids are not scared when listening or reading a fairy tale or two, especially if such a reading is being done in a class room setting in the company of other kids. And what’s there to be scared of, after all, a fairy tale is just that right? For the most part, yes, but what if just out of curiosity you want to peruse the non Disney version of say Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs, what you may learn can be surprising, keep in mind it’s only a fairy tale. And even though it has been noted that the Brothers Grimm learned of such tales from wandering in and around Germany, has it ever crossed anyone’s mind if such things actually took place? In Snow White for example, what you have is a mother, the Queen who is envious of her daughter’s beauty. The Queen learns of this when she consults her talking mirror about the matter that reveals to the Queen that although she is beautiful, her daughter, Snow White is the one with the true beauty when it says: ‘ You my queen, may have a beauty quite rare, but Snow White is a thousand times more fair,’ after giving birth. Of course when you are an innocent, naïve, sheltered kid, who reads about the tale, such a revelation would not bother you. But if you were to read this tale again when you are a worldly wise adult, such a notion might tug at your emotions for a while. What’s even more thought provoking is the many ways the Queen tries to eliminate the competition, her own daughter, Snow White. Her first attempt at this comes when she, the Queen tells one of the hunters in the kingdom to take Snow White out into the woods and do away with her, and return with Snow White’s liver as proof of her death. But the huntsman was so overcome by her beauty that instead he set Snow White free, thinking that the wild beasts in the forest would soon destroy her. And when the Queen learns that Snow White is still alive from consulting her mirror, she finds other ways to dispose of her. There is the use of a poisoned comb, an attempt at binding Snow White with string, and then there is the one method we all know so well, the poisoned apple. So much time and labour spent on what? Trying to rid the land of the most beautiful person in it, the Queen’s own daughter at that. And all for what, being beautiful. And if someone’s beauty can create such a barrier between mother and daughter, can you imagine how a stranger who deems herself lacking in such beauty may receive the person who has all those attractive physical attributes? On a personal note, I wonder if one of the Seven Dwarfs who had a major crush on Snow White felt a little disappointed when she was ultimately rescued by a dashing Prince. Since it’s only a tale, we may never know the answer, but the tales are still fun to read, especially if there are some you did not read when you were a kid in school. Source: The Complete Fairy Tales Of The Brothers Grimm. Translated by Jack Zipes. ------------ About the author Judy Ramsook: My first book titled: "Karen's Adventure" which is about two young girls who go in search of their missing parents, is now available. I was born and raised in Trinidad & Tobago, then in the mid eighties I came to the US where I attended San Antonio College and The University Of Texas At San Antonio. Visit: http://www.authorsden.com/judyramsook www.publishedauthors.net/g2rdy Email: j2rdy@hotmail.com Tell a friend about this site! ------------ All articles are EXCLUSIVE to Useless-Knowledge.com and are not allowed to be posted on other websites. ARTICLE THIEVES WILL BE PROSECUTED! |
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