Wednesday 23 May 2012

Traditional Children's Fiction

There is this book, it's the loveliest book. It permanently lives here and has traditional fairy tales from all over the world.
It has African stories, Greek legends, Norwegian tales, Anderson stories and of course Grimms' Fairy tales and so many more! My dad had gifted this to my sister and me back in 1996 and it has suffered quite a lot over the years.






Whenever I come here I have to read these stories in bed before sleepy time, even though I'm too old for them . My favourite is 'The Twelve Dancing Princesses' by the Grimm brothers. This book has better stories in it with more fantastical plots and creatures but for some reason I love this one dearly. 








It is about 12 princesses whose father is really confused as to why their dancing slippers are worn through every night. He has to get new ones everyday. He sends out word all throughout the kingdom, anyone willing was asked to try find out where the girls went at night. They were given three days for the task, having accomplished it they would win the hand of anyone of the girls that he wished but if he failed his head would be cut off (naturally).  


So of course many come and then their heads are cut off because the princesses give them a sleeping wine. But one man with the help of an invisibility cloak figures out their secret. Their secret includes a trapdoor bed, a walk through a forest filled with trees of silver, gold and diamond and dancing the night away at a banquet with 12 princes till their shoes are all worn out. 


I guess the reason I love it so much is that there is no evil in this one at all. It's just merry dancing! And their is nothing better than that in this world. 




4 comments:

  1. Yes! Dancing all night! It is certainly the loveliest one.

    Another favourite was the one with the evil princess with the scary necklace that turns you into a pearl when you touch it!

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    1. Yes! that was a really cool one. I'm going to read that today now!

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  2. yeah...there's no evil at all....head cutting is the new national sport is it not?

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    1. Of course it is! How are you supposed to have a fairy tale without an "off with his head!" moment.

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