It seems that in some quarters of the world fairytales are getting the cold shoulder.
This is bad news indeed for poor cinders and red riding hood et al. We have mentioned before the Gift of Reading Project and its hard-hitting campaign to keep our favourite characters alive.
This is bad news indeed for poor cinders and red riding hood et al. We have mentioned before the Gift of Reading Project and its hard-hitting campaign to keep our favourite characters alive.
I confess that Hansel and Gretel used to freak this Onion out, with the Stepmother's multiple abandonment attempts, the chicken bone-finger substitute and the oven big enough to bake children*. But it was Sleeping Beauty who caused the nightmares. My grandmother was an accomplished wool-spinner and she was keen for us to keep the craft alive so we had spinning wheels in the house, and I had a recurring nightmare about pricking my finger and falling into a death sleep - with no prince in sight to save me...
As an older reader, the only book that scared me enough to need to leave the light on (at age 16) was Stephen King's The Shining. But did it turn me away from reading? Oh, no it did not. As soon as I finished I quickstixed to the library to borrow the next Stephen King. I chose Salem's Lot - hello vampires!
But back to fairytales. Stepmothers get plenty of poor press in traditional fairytales, and with so many blended families in the world maybe it's understandable that we are shying away from stories that promote the idea of stepmothers being wicked.
Actually, the press isn't much chop for any women in fairytales - which is perhaps why authors are inspired to revisit fairytales and tinker with the original versions. I remember being much enamoured of Angela Carter's wonderfully racy feminist re-tellings in The Bloody Chamber.
More recently, of course, we were swept away by Margo Lanagan's achingly brilliant Tender Morsels which draws on Snow White and Rose Red for it's inspiration.
More recently, of course, we were swept away by Margo Lanagan's achingly brilliant Tender Morsels which draws on Snow White and Rose Red for it's inspiration.
And Ms Rowling has reminded us that fairytales still have the power to enchant. For those who aren't up to speed, The Tales of Beedle the Bard is the wizarding world equivalent of the tales of those Brothers Grimm.
Indeed we suspect that rumours of the death of the fairytale are greatly exaggerated. So, helpfully, with his poem “Instructions” in M is for Magic, the marvellous Neil Gaiman has been kind enough to offer this sage advice should ever we find ourselves landed in the mysterious world of fairytale. Enjoy.
* And I was reading the tame version, not The Goosle, Margo's re-telling that caused a bit of kiff and koff which she affectionately refers to as Gooslegate.
