Rediscover Folktales and Fairy Tales

by Erika Kosin

Most children will tell you that fairy tales begin with “Once Upon a Time” and always have a happy ending. What they don’t know is that fairy tales and folk tales are stories that were passed down by word of mouth for generations throughout different cultures until they were collected and written down. In their original form, these tales were moral and cautionary tales meant to frighten and teach small children how to behave. Some, especially folktales and tall tales were told as a way to explain natural phenomena such as mountain ranges, lakes, or the characteristics of some animals.
Many folk tales and fairy tales have been modified and changed into many different versions. Some have added new characters or changed the cultural setting of the story. In recent years, many of these modified tales have deleted the morbid life stories found in the originals. The early versions of the Brothers Grimm tales may have happy endings, but they contain some gruesome and harsh realities along the way. While originally found in a Nursery Tale book, the original story of the Three Little Pigs has the wolf eating the first two pigs, portraying the wolf’s natural instinct as a predator. While the third pig triumphs, he is aware of the true nature of the wolf in the story and finds a way to protect himself from the predator.
Next time you are at the library, why not rediscover the many different folktales and fairy tales that are held in the children’s collection. From the likes of Hans Christian Anderson and Aesop’s Fables to classic stories like the three Billy Goats Gruff and Snow White, there are numerous retellings of these tales along with the originals found in the 398.2 section of the library.
Cendrillon: A Caribbean Cinderella by Robert D. San Souci – This version of Cinderella is retold with Caribbean flair through the eyes of the Godmother who is not a fairy but a poor washer woman who happens to have a magic wand. The colorful illustrations by Brian Pikney portray the vibrant colors found in the Caribbean. This book won the 2000 North Carolina Children’s book Award.
Anansi and the Magic Stick by Eric A. Kimmel – Losely based on the Liberian tale of the Magic Hoe, this story finds Anansi the spider being very lazy and not wanting to do his chores. When he finds the Hyena’s magic stick, he uses it to do his chores so he can relax. Only when he falls asleep and forgets the magic words chaos ensues. This book won the 2004 North Carolina Children’s book Award.
Rumplestiltskin by Paul O. Zelinsky – From an earlier version of the Grimms Tale, a fair maiden is locked in a room to spin straw into gold and a little man helps her but in return wants her first born child unless she can guess his name. This illustrated version of the classic tale is done in vivid medieval style oil paintings and a was Caldecott Honor book.
The Bremen Town Musicians and Other Animal Tales From Grimm. Retold by Doris Orgel. – This collection of animal tales are close to their original Grimm form. With an introduction by the author and illustrator and a brief description of the Brothers Grimm, this collection of tales illustrates the use of stories as cautionary tales.