Fairy Tales

I have been thinking about the stories that we have grown up with as kids lately, now none of these stories have ever really sat that well with me, but never knew why, until now. Having them read to you as a small child you don’t really see the darker side of the story. Go back and read them now that you are all grown up and you will see what I am talking about. But just in case you still don’t see it or, really can’t be bothered reading them, I will run through them for you.

Hansel and Gretel: It’s about child abuse, cannibalism and the murder of an old woman.

Aladdin: He was a thief and a con-man who charmed his way into a rich family.

Snow white and the seven dwarfs: A woman living with seven men and not paying any rent well, not with money anyway.

Jack and the beanstalk: This is the worst one of them all. A boy climbs up a beanstalk, broke into some one’s home, robbed them blind, and then killed them when they came after him for their stuff back.

There are so many more and, I shall address them in another blog sometime. But what I wanted to point out is, what kind of messages does this send to the kids that are reading them or, having them read too. That, it’s okay to steal, murder, eat other children and, sleep with the landlord if you can’t pay your rent. I think I will just read the new paper to my kids at night, it can’t freak them out anymore then fairy tales.