shukriyya Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The fairy tale thread got me thinking about the importance of fairy tales and had me casting a long, relaxed line back to the rivers of my childhood and the fairy tales that I loved. As an adult now I find it interesting that the feeling I had when I read them back then, the emotional body, remains firmly lodged in my psyche somewhere such that they are still resonant for me. So as an exercise in soul-tending I'm going to re-read them. And then I thought, hey alot of us here could probably use some good old fashioned soul tending...What your two favorite fairy tales? Once you've figured that out, go and read them and then come back and share your experience. How did you feel reading them as an adult as opposed to reading them as a child. Did any memories come up? This will only be as resonant as you make it but it would be even more so collectively. Okay off to go and read about a certain beauty and a noble beast... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYoungerMrsWarde Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Beauty and the Beast and Diamonds and Frogs. D&F has such a sense of Justice that really apeals to me. Unless you're reading Gail Levine's version, The Fairy's Mistake, which is silly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Cupid and Psyche The Emperor's New Clothes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Mine are Beauty and the Beast and The Little Match Girl. Faith, have you seen Kuniko Craft's illustrated version of Cupid and Psyche? It's gorgeous. Is that a fairy tale you loved as a child or that you came to as an adult? A lot of the fairy tales that are familiar have been reworked to include some beautiful illustrations. Google Marianna Mayer and you'll see some of the gorgeous things she's done with traditional fairy tales. Kuniko Craft, who I linked above, does a very different style, ethereal and filled with light. Hers are lovely as well. TYMW, I googled Diamonds and Frogs as I wasn't familiar with it...that's quite a story and I had a visceral reaction to both the diamonds and jewels and flowers falling from the younger daughter's lips and the frogs, toads and vipers falling from the older daughter's lips :eek: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I had this book, which I loved http://greenjello.typepad.com/.a/6a00df351eabfd8834010535f46786970c-pi (Snow White and Rose Red) I also enjoyed the story of Thumbellina. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Mine are Beauty and the Beast and The Little Match Girl. Faith, have you seen Kuniko Craft's illustrated version of Cupid and Psyche? It's gorgeous. Is that a fairy tale you loved as a child or that you came to as an adult? A lot of the fairy tales that are familiar have been reworked to include some beautiful illustrations. Google Marianna Mayer and you'll see some of the gorgeous things she's done with traditional fairy tales. Kuniko Craft, who I linked above, does a very different style, ethereal and filled with light. Hers are lovely as well. TYMW, I googled Diamonds and Frogs as I wasn't familiar with it...that's quite a story and I had a visceral reaction to both the diamonds and jewels and flowers falling from the younger daughter's lips and the frogs, toads and vipers falling from the older daughter's lips :eek: Cupid and Psyche was one I was introduced to as an adult when I began researching classical literature for my older kids to read. I have never seen the Kuniko version which makes me want to run off to Amazon and find it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 I had this book, which I loved http://greenjello.typepad.com/.a/6a00df351eabfd8834010535f46786970c-pi (Snow White and Rose Red) I also enjoyed the story of Thumbellina. Loved that cover picture you posted. I can see how it would be so inviting to a child. I came to that fairy tale as an adult through this book illustrated by the wonderful Ruth Sanderson. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 My youngest and I have a running joke. He is the youngest of 3 boys. The youngest of 3 boys is often featured in fairy tales, and more than once, we have encountered tales where the youngest is called in insulting name, like "Dumling". He used to say he hated those stories, but really, he just hated this unfair characterization, because almost always, dumling or his namesake prevails and conquers the dragon, or marries the princess, or finds the treasure. Sometimes I tease him by calling him dumling. I couldn't possibly choose 2 favorites. We have read a lot of tales over the years. Ruth Sanderson, BTW, wrote an original tale that we have in picture book form, called, The Enchanted Wood. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Well, well. You got me thinking about Thumbellina and why I liked it. It occurs to me now after all these years that it was because I could be her in my mind. I was very small and often felt that life carried me away with it, even if I didn't want to go where it took me. Thumbellina tried to make the best of it and found her way back into the sunshine and lived out her days as queen in a land of flowers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Gosh, I can only pick two? I don't know if it counts as a Fairy Tale, but I like the story, The Five Chinese Brothers. I also like Puss in Boots. The Five Chinese Brothers is a lot of fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I guess it qualifies as a fairy tale: Ma Lien and the Magic Brush was my childhood favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Oh, & to go slightly off-topic from the original question.... I've read various books (as an adult) that are retellings/variations on fairy tales. I always find it interesting to see what the author does/how the story stays the same & how it changes. Anyway, a few that I'd highly recommend (for anyone who likes things like that) are: Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi (includes variations of Reynaud the Fox tales, which I did not ever read or know about when I was growing up; plus it has other various fairy tale elements in it) Sleeping in Flame by Jonathan Carroll (weaves in elements of Rumpelstiltskin) The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by A.S. Byatt (various fairy tales retold for adults) I love finding fairy tale elements in books for adults. Does anyone else have some (for adults) to recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 Cupid and Psyche was one I was introduced to as an adult when I began researching classical literature for my older kids to read. I have never seen the Kuniko version which makes me want to run off to Amazon and find it. Do it...if you like her work you won't be disappointed. We have several of hers. Pegasus is particularly lovely. She's also illustrated a lot of adult's fantasy books as well. You can see some of her work here Gosh, I can only pick two? I don't know if it counts as a Fairy Tale, but I like the story, The Five Chinese Brothers. I also like Puss in Boots. Nah, you can pick as many as you like. In fact that's always interesting because you might see a theme running through that could be fruitful to explore if you're into that kind of thing. Well, well. You got me thinking about Thumbellina and why I liked it. It occurs to me now after all these years that it was because I could be her in my mind. I was very small and often felt that life carried me away with it, even if I didn't want to go where it took me. Thumbellina tried to make the best of it and found her way back into the sunshine and lived out her days as queen in a land of flowers. I love this. And that's why I started this thread. For me Beauty and the Beast has been a theme. I am drawn to that alchemical relationship in many different manifestations. The Strength card of the Tarot, and Rousseau's painting The Sleeping Gypsy are so compelling to me. Oh, & to go slightly off-topic from the original question.... I've read various books (as an adult) that are retellings/variations on fairy tales. I always find it interesting to see what the author does/how the story stays the same & how it changes. Anyway, a few that I'd highly recommend (for anyone who likes things like that) are: Mr. Fox by Helen Oyeyemi (includes variations of Reynaud the Fox tales, which I did not ever read or know about when I was growing up; plus it has other various fairy tale elements in it) Sleeping in Flame by Jonathan Carroll (weaves in elements of Rumpelstiltskin) The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye by A.S. Byatt (various fairy tales retold for adults) I love finding fairy tale elements in books for adults. Does anyone else have some (for adults) to recommend? The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye has always intrigued me as I've read some of Byatt before and enjoy her erudition and imagination. Perhaps this will go on my tbr list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmmetler Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The Light Princess and the Snow Queen. I also like the original Little Mermaid. I love the Hundred Kingdoms novels by Mercedes Lackey-they're set in a world where fairy tales/folk tales really happen, and deal with the efforts to try to keep them from messing up the people stuck in them too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Belacqua Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'll pick Firebird and Vasilisa the Beautiful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Vasilisa the Beautiful. Oh my goodness. Years ago, I took dd to see a puppet show version of this (which was billed as a 'Russian version of Cinderella'). Even though the show was for young children, it was quite dark (no surprise, as many of the original fairy tales are). This room, filled with a bunch of 5 & 6yos, was completely silent the whole time. Truly, you could have heard a pin drop. Afterward, dd says very matter-of-factly to me, "That wasn't the real Vasilisa story." I asked why not. "Because they were not speaking Russian." :lol: Thanks for jogging my memory. Her comment made me lol at the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mothersweets Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I had this book, which I loved http://greenjello.typepad.com/.a/6a00df351eabfd8834010535f46786970c-pi (Snow White and Rose Red) I also enjoyed the story of Thumbellina. I had that exact book! I loved that version and found it very hard to find as an adult (pre-internet) when I wanted to read it to my own children. My other favorite has to be the Cinderella story - I love that there are so many different versions of it from all over the world. The version I enjoy the most is this one -Princess Furball by Charlotte Huck and illustrated by Anita Lobel. Oh, wait! can I add another? Hansel and Gretel - what child could resist a house made of gingerbread, candy, and frosting?! I can't seem to find the version we usually read. as an adult reading to my children, I have loved Rumplestiltskin and Heckedy Peg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrar Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The Twelve Dancing Princesses East of the Sun, West of the Moon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jane in NC Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 My absolute favorite fairy tale is East of the Sun, West of the Moon. I adore the Rabbit Ears audio version narrated by Max von Sydow. Hard to choose a second. Maybe Momotaro, the Peach boy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I love Hans Christian Anderson and cannot stand Disney retellings. The Little Mermaid The Emperor's Nightingale and ds's favourites are The Emperor's New Clothes (love that kid!) and Thumbellina Onceuponatime, thank you for sharing. That's probably why it appeals to ds: he's actually very big for his age, but since he spends a lot of time with adults it probably doesn't feel that way to him. I also like HCA's Beauty and the Beast and abhor Disney's. I actually like HCA so much that we haven't even gotten to Grimm or Lang's Fairy Books yet, but I probably start fairy tales on the lateish side and keep reading them long after most people think my kids are "too old". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aggieamy Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I prefer my fairy tales sweet with happy endings. I am both an adoptive mother and a step-mother ... my people don't fare well in most traditional fairy tales. I love Robin McKinley's Beauty. Anything illustrated by Ruth Sanderson is lovely. For a fun retelling we like Cinder Edna. It's a bit expensive but we have watched Ashpet a million times. It's a great story of an Appalachian Cinderella. That director does other fairy tales also and they were all great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I am both an adoptive mother and a step-mother ... my people don't fare well in most traditional fairy tales. :lol: and :grouphug: I can sympathize. My name is a variation of Cinderella's evil stepsister. :tongue_smilie: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 :lol: and :grouphug: I can sympathize. My name is a variation of Cinderella's evil stepsister. :tongue_smilie: I'm guessing you have the option of choosing to think of yourself as a Russian princess instead. Or maybe not, depending on which version of that tale you subscribe to. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 I'm guessing you have the option of choosing to think of yourself as a Russian princess instead. Or maybe not, depending on which version of that tale you subscribe to. :D Ah, yes, I like that comparison of course. But she was real, not a fairy tale. She had an untimely end, though. I just mentioned the stepsister since we were talking about fairy tales. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shukriyya Posted May 16, 2014 Author Share Posted May 16, 2014 I just asked my tween ds what his favorites are and he said The Snow Queen (long version) and Mother Holle. He then explained to me why he liked them by retelling them to me. I could hear in the way his voice grew or shrank with the details what really resonated and moved him. So interesting! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The Six Swans and The Emperor's New Clothes were two of my favorites. Although I love Snow-White and Rose-Red and Beauty and the Beast as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kateincali Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Twelve Dancing Princesses and the Gentle Giant. If we can only list two! I love fairy tales and rewritten fairy tales. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The Firebird and The Snow Queen Although, anything illustrated by K.Y. Craft is an instant favorite. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Silvershod was my favorite as a kid. I wanted to believe it could be true! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 Ah, yes, I like that comparison of course. But she was real, not a fairy tale. She had an untimely end, though. I just mentioned the stepsister since we were talking about fairy tales. :lol: Yeah I was thinking of the real life fairy tale that circulated for a while about Anastasia escaping and living out life peacefully in anonymity in another land. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostSurprise Posted May 16, 2014 Share Posted May 16, 2014 The Tinderbox and Rikki Tikki Tavi come to mind. Although I did like Snow White and Rose Red. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slartibartfast Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I always liked Twelve Dancing Princesses and The Nightingale. I also liked Snow White and Rose Red, I just mentioned that one the other day to dd but she didn't remember me reading it to her. I had to drag out the giant book of fairy tales. :) When my sisters and I were little we had this record of someone reading Thumbelina. I wish I knew where that record was, we used to listen to it ALL THE TIME. I love Thumbelina. I couldn't possibly just pick two. :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anne in CA Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I loved The Twelve Dancing Princesses, and the Little Mermaid. Not the one in the Disney movie, but the one where she transcends her death. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I had a Grolier Encyclopedia from the 50's, I think, when I was growing up. There was a volume called Leisure Time Activities. It was the BEST book--myths, fairy/folk tales, jokes/riddles, crafts, games, nursery rhymes... I read most of my fairy tales from it! Little Mermaid and The Snow Queen were my favorites. i also loved Cinderella. I had this volume:She was way prettier than the Disney movie version (this is a Disney version, too, oddly enough--pages from Walt Disney's Cinderella Big Golden Book) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sherry in OH Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Snow White and Rose Red and The Elves and the Shoemaker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I love all of them! One of my favorite books is the Beni Montressor illustrated version of Perrault's Red Riding Hood (she is not rescued). I paid a small fortune for the book and now I see it is on Google images. http://kidpix.livejournal.com/797200.html 9/11/2014 deleted photo as per SWB request Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Momof3 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I had a Grolier Encyclopedia from the 50's, I think, when I was growing up. There was a volume called Leisure Time Activities. It was the BEST book--myths, fairy/folk tales, jokes/riddles, crafts, games, nursery rhymes... I read most of my fairy tales from it! Little Mermaid and The Snow Queen were my favorites. i also loved Cinderella. I had this volume:She was way prettier than the Disney movie version (this is a Disney version, too, oddly enough--pages from Walt Disney's Cinderella Big Golden Book) I had that book! :) Brings back wonderful memories... I spent sooo much time looking over those Cinderella pictures! My favorite fairy tales...if I *had* to pick two...(and if Narnia doesn't count? ;)) I liked Rumpelstiltskin and The Knights of the Silver Shield. Others at the top of my list... Beauty and the Beast The Emperor's New Clothes Snow White and Rose Red (thanks for reminding me of this one, all! :)) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 The Little Match Girl used to make me cry... I never liked fairy tales, honestly; they seemed kind of arbitrary and strange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Jack and the Beanstalk and Hansel and Gretel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fdrinca Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I had this book, which I loved http://greenjello.typepad.com/.a/6a00df351eabfd8834010535f46786970c-pi (Snow White and Rose Red) I also enjoyed the story of Thumbellina. I was so excited the day I found that Snow White and Rose Red at the thrift store! I love the Eloise Wilkin-esque pictures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gaillardia Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 The Practical Princess, which I have long since lost from my childhood, was a really cool story. The art work was splendid. My other favorite is East of the Sun and West of the Moon. I don't remember the name of the author of the version I read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Wah!! Bluebeard gave me nightmares for years!I'm convinced fairy tales are all about the art work. The Ex didn't know the story of the Little Match Girl and I could only find a version illustrated by 2 year olds with orange textas. It really wasn't the same. It was depressing and morbid, just like he said. The Little Match girl should be set in beautiful Victorian style illustrations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I love all of them! One of my favorite books is the Beni Montressor illustrated version of Perrault's Red Riding Hood (she is not rescued). I paid a small fortune for the book and now I see it is on Google images. http://kidpix.livejournal.com/797200.html Wow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onceuponatime Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I always liked Twelve Dancing Princesses and The Nightingale. I also liked Snow White and Rose Red, I just mentioned that one the other day to dd but she didn't remember me reading it to her. I had to drag out the giant book of fairy tales. :) When my sisters and I were little we had this record of someone reading Thumbelina. I wish I knew where that record was, we used to listen to it ALL THE TIME. I love Thumbelina. I couldn't possibly just pick two. :( That's probably the same recording I had. It was fascinating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Wow! Yeah, we more a Perrault family than a Disney family, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Thought this was funny-- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Wah!! Bluebeard gave me nightmares for years! :iagree: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 Beauty and the Beast and Diamonds and Frogs. D&F has such a sense of Justice that really apeals to me. Unless you're reading Gail Levine's version, The Fairy's Mistake, which is silly.UGH. I was going to say this! You stole my favorite stories!! ;) And I can't do the OP's activity of re-reading them and comparing my responses now as to when I was a child. I've never stopped reading them. I re-read fairy tales every year or so. There hasn't been a time when I read them only as a child and then re-read them now after many years have passed. It's only been like 18 months since I last re-read them. I don't think I've changed that much in 18 months. ;) I've grown with them and they've grown with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freeindeed Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 I've always loved Beauty and the Beast and Sleeping Beauty. Is there anywhere online to read the original versions? ETA: I found both online and then remembered that I own The Blue Fairy Book, which contains both...duh, LOL. I reread both of them, and I love them even more now as an adult. :) When I was a child, Beauty and the Beast was more about finding a handsome prince and living happily ever after. When I read it today, it was more about digging deeper than what's on the surface to find the true depth and beauty on the inside of a person. Also, it spoke to me of finding contentment and happiness regardless of one's circumstances. (This could be because I'm currently struggling with issues of sadness about my special needs child, being very tight financially, and envying other people on lavish vacations.....) As for Sleeping Beauty, no real revelations there, except for the reminder that the original is so different from the Disney version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted May 17, 2014 Share Posted May 17, 2014 This reminded me of when I retold the story of the Elves and the Shoemaker on my blog. Guys, I'm not trying to promote the blog for any reason other than you guys will appreciate the retelling of the fairy tale. Most people who read the blog are my friends and many of them are sadly lacking in fairy tale knowledge. It starts off talking about some shoes I found in the closet and goes from there. http://dustylizard.wordpress.com/2012/10/07/exploited-elves-a-lazy-shoemaker-and-a-seriously-sleep-deprived-lizard/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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