Ruchira takes us through the wonderous world of fairy tales. An exclusive for Different Truths.

I am  sure most of   the  elderly and  ageing  citizens of our  country, have  been nurtured  on a  diet of fairy tales and folklore,  language  notwithstanding.  Over and above the ethnic repository we have a humongous array of fairy tales from the Western world, a legacy of the British Raj. Two most outstanding creators of these memorable stories are Hans Christian Andersen, a poor Danish citizen-turned storyteller and the German born  siblings  familiarly  known as Brothers Grimm. Together they have succeeded in regaling hundreds of thousands of children and adolescents not only across Europe but also worldwide. Though originally scripted in the authors’ native languages, Danish and German respectively, over the years the stories got translated in nearly all major global languages.  Consequently their popularity soared.

Two most outstanding creators of these memorable stories are Hans Christian Andersen, a poor Danish citizen-turned storyteller and the German born  siblings  familiarly  known as Brothers Grimm.

Perhaps the most popular and endearing fairy tale is that of Goldilocks & the three bears. We vividly recall how a tiny little girl strays into a den of bears where she finds that her needs and comforts fully matching that of the baby bear, not his parents’.   There is Little Red Riding Hood who encounters a wolf in the guise of her grandmother. Siblings  Hansel & Gretel  are abandoned in a  deep forest  by  their father (at the behest  of their wicked  step mother).They  are embroiled in adventures and escapades, but ultimately manage to return home  safe and sound.

Then we have Cinderella, a poor plain girl, constantly tortured by her step mother and step sisters. However when Dame Luck smiles on her, she finds her Prince Charming and true love. The story of The Frog Prince reveals how an arrogant princess despises a helpful frog, but thoroughly repents, upon discovering that he was actually a prince caught in the spell of a curse.  The Beauty & the Beast is a tender love story between a beautiful young lady who is compelled to wed a hideous beast. Wonder of wonders, eventually the beast turns out to be a handsome prince!

Hans Anderson’s most famous story The Mermaid  is the poignant, nay  tragic tale of  a mermaid  who rescues a shipwrecked prince  and falls madly  in love with him in the process.

Hans Anderson’s most famous story The Mermaid  is the poignant, nay  tragic tale

of  a mermaid  who rescues a shipwrecked prince  and falls madly  in love with him in the process.  Determining to become human/mortal to be able to marry him she undergoes an excruciating process: her fins turn into a pair of legs. Finally approaching the prince she is horrified to discover that he does not recognise her and is on the verge of entering wedlock with his lady love.

The Wild Swans depicts the trials and tribulations of eleven princes and their sister and their ultimate triumph. Let me wind up with the story of The Nightingale, wherein a nightingale befriends a mighty emperor, nurses him back to health with her soulful melodies  but finally departs  to the forest ,her natural habitat. The bonds of love are ephemeral.

Recreation and relaxation apart, fairy tales are replete with symbolism besides helping in value creation. Some of the stories are a veiled warning to the real-world step mothers: to treat their step children with kindness or else no good will come to them.

Recreation and relaxation apart, fairy tales are replete with symbolism besides helping in value creation. Some of the stories are a veiled warning to the real-world step mothers: to treat their step children with kindness or else no good will come to them.  Little children must not be foolhardy and venture out on their own, lest any danger may befall them. Honesty, truthfulness, bonds of affection among brothers and sisters must be cherished, lifelong.

In this modern age of Internet, satellite and audio-visual revolution, the little ones no longer read fairy tales as voraciously as most of us were wont to, in our times, a few  decades earlier. That does not imply however, that these imaginative masterpieces have lost their charm and popularity. In tune with the times, the most popular ones among them are now being transformed into animated cartoons, full length films and lots more…

Photos from the Internet