Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Questions I Have For Fairy Tales

Recently, I rediscovered my copy of Grimm's Fairy Tales. I've got a few questions about motives for some of the more famous stories.

Snow White

To Snow White's father: why do you want to marry someone who is "proud and haughty, that... could not bear any one to be better-looking than herself"? Is that really a role model you want to have for your one-year-old daughter? Also, is that really someone you want in your life?
To Snow White's stepmother: Why do you want to kill your stepdaughter? According to the story, she outstrips your prettiness at the age of SEVEN. No matter how attractive a seven-year-old is, you have at least six years before you need to worry about her attracting too many people. If she does attract the wrong kind of people, you have the power to smite them. You can do it in the name of "I was just protecting my young stepdaughter," even if you really feel that they should have been paying attention to you. Also, why are you so worried about being attractive? And is a pretty face really worth killing people over? Also, why try and poison someone through their hair? Is that even possible?
To the Dwarves: The first thing you say about SEVEN-YEAR-OLD Snow White is "what a beauty she is!" Why is that? Why not ask, "Why is there a seven-year-old girl sleeping in the bed of Dwarf #7?" Also, why do you ask a seven-year-old to do your housework? And why do you leave her alone when you know there's a threat of Evil Stepmothers? ESPECIALLY SINCE SHE ALMOST DIED TWICE.
To the Prince: This young girl in a glass case is DEAD. Why are you so interested in taking possession of said glass case? I respect that you are willing to honor and protect her so long as you live, but why? Are you into necrophilia AND pedophilia? If so, are you sure that the king's daughter is the best choice for partner? I know she's the prettiest in the land and all, but have you researched the possible legal ramifications of making a partner out of the king's dead daughter? Would you really want to risk a war between kingdoms over a dead seven-year-old? Also, how old are you?


Cinderella

To the stepfamily: I understand the sentiment when you say, "They who would eat bread must earn it," but why don't you do any chores? Also, after years of work, why don't you let Cinderella have a night off? Stepmother, what's with the challenge of Picking Things Out of the Fireplace before Cinderella can go to the festival? Don't you know by now that Cinderella hangs out with birds? Also, I understand your logic when you say Cinderella can't go to the festival because "you have no clothes, and you cannot dance; you will only be laughed at," but whose fault is that really?
Also, Cinderella does change into fancy clothing before going to the festival, but it says nothing of washing her face. How do you not recognize her when she's been dirty for so many years?
I'm sure that queens don't have to walk much, but is cutting off your heel or toe really a good idea to get a man? What if you just happen to marry someone who wants their wife to have an active role?
To the father: Surely you realize the abuse that your daughter is going through? Why don't you do something about it? Did you practically disown her? Why did you not keep up a relationship with her? How did you not recognize your own daughter at the festival when you've known her for HER WHOLE LIFE? When the prince asks, why do you have so little faith that your own child can be amazing? Given that, why weren't you "smitten with blindness" at the end, too?
To the king: Are you sure that a three-day festival is the best way for your son to meet a high-quality spouse? Do you expect the marriage to last longer than three days?
To the prince: I applaud your gentlemanly behavior when you offer to see Cinderella home safely. But don't you think she comes off as a little crazy when she runs off into a pigeon-house the first night and a pear tree the second night? Also, if you don't know where she's from, can't you just say, "I really like you, tell me more about yourself. Where are you from?"
That way, you don't have to "spread the whole way with pitch" so her shoes will come off. I applaud your thinking on this front, but are shoes really the best identifier? Why not hair? "If you have hair that matches this color and a weird empty-hair spot in the back of your head, you just might be my future spouse!"

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