Fairy Tales?

[Pensive]

Yesterday I was reading Grimm's Fairy Tales, say for the first time (though I realised after sometime I had read most of their translated versions) but for some unknown reason I found them very weird (perhaps due to the fact I was trying fairy tales after quite a long time) but interesting. Couldn't stop myself from proceeding on and on...

Would like to know about the fellow forum-ers' favourite fairy tales. Would like some recommendations as well and it would be very nice if they are available online and you can provide a link. :)

So, is anybody still interested in them? (or am I the only one reading what's supposed to be for little children :p)

[Logos]

Here's one I'd recommend: Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women.
http://www.online-literature.com/george-macdonald/phantastes

I just added this the other day and of what I read of it so far think it's quite lovely :) although if you had asked me a few days before I would have 'bah! fairy tales? I'm not interested!':p

It's written by Scottish author and preacher George MacDonald and was highly lauded by many other authors of his time including C. S. Lewis and Lewis Carroll. There's a great article about it on the MacDonald Society website too:
http://www.macdonaldsociety.org/NW19/nw19soto.htm

MacDonald wrote many other Fairy Tales like The Princess and the Goblin, you can find them on his author page:
http://www.online-literature.com/george-macdonald/

[kiz_paws]

Pensive, excellent thoughts. No you are not the only one -- I like to read Grimm's Fairytales, too (ha, oh well!). As you say, the tales really are 'different', but fun. When I was around eleven or twelve, my parents bought me a little plastic typewriter that actually worked, and I pumped out a whole bunch of my own crazy tales -- so attached to these fairy tales was I then (and still).... Think that was the thing that got me hooked on writing and crazed with creating... :)

A collection of 'adult fairytales' is found in Herman Hesse's Pictor's Metamorphosis (totally awesome collection of these). :thumbs_up

I saw a cartoon-movie of The Princess and the Goblin, Logos, very cute story, and to read it would be great fun.

I have been researching some of the folk tales that the North American Indian heritage has for young people, quite interesting, but I have no links to provide as of yet. The library has stuff on this, though!

Thanks for the interesting thread, Pensive! :)

[storybookauthor]

I love fairy tales. :). Nobody's too old for them. I actually haven't read a lot of them though.

My favorite by Grimm was Hansel and Gretel. :).

My overall favorite used to be The Little Mermaid, but then somewhere in my elementary years I read the real ending and became upset. :(.

-Anna.

[Logos]

I found some more :)

Horace Walpole wrote some fairy tales in his Hieroglyphic Tales:
http://www.online-literature.com/horace-walpole/hieroglyphic-tales/

Here's one by Charles Dickens: "Prince Bull: A Fairy Tale":
http://www.online-literature.com/dickens/reprinted-pieces/20/

Annie Fellows Johnston's The Gate of the Giant Scissors:
http://www.online-literature.com/annie-johnston/gate-of-the-giant-scissors/

By Oscar Wilde:"The Young King: A Fairy Tale"
http://www.online-literature.com/wilde/2316/

and
"The Star Child: A Fairy Tale"
http://www.online-literature.com/wilde/2319/

L. Frank Baum http://www.online-literature.com/baum/ wrote many fairy tales including The Master Key
http://www.online-literature.com/baum/master-key/

and American Fairy Tales:
http://www.online-literature.com/baum/american-fairy-tales/

[ThousandthIsle]

Here's one I'd recommend: Phantastes: A Faerie Romance for Men and Women.
http://www.online-literature.com/george-macdonald/phantastes

Logos, thank you for the link! It sounds intriguing, I am starting to read it now! :)

[Niamh]

i was only rereading grimms last year! And yes there is something weird about them. I love their story Seven with one blow.
Thumbelina
Oh and as fairytales go in Irish mythology, i Love the story of Midir and Etain! I'd love to write my own version of that story.

[Nightshade]

George Macdonald is great, although my fav would be the day boy and the night girl and seconded by the light princess ( I couldnt get the curse from that out of my head for ages) :nod: so are Grimm. Im sure that somewhere around here are the threads I started when I got obsessed with Cinderella, and the social anthropolgical meaning behind it all.

Nursery rhymes are pretty nifty too:D

[JCamilo]

Oscar Wilde faery tales (such as the Nightingale and the Rose or the Happy Prince) are in my opinion his best works.
There is a collection by Italo Calvino (Italian Fables? I think that would be the english name) that can be added to the Grimms, Perrault, Andersen usual cast...

[Lote-Tree]

Favourite Fairy Story for me is The Beauty And The Beast :D

Love as an engine of Metamorphosis of the heart and soul - is interesting....

[Scheherazade]

My favorite fairy tale collection is this. (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Politically-Correct-Bedtime-Stories-Collection/dp/028563223X/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/202-1037526-7674239?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1188315981&sr=8-1)

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/I/51C2XJCQGHL._AA240_.jpg

[Niamh]

that cover makes me think of the animated movie Hoodwinked!

[Whifflingpin]

"It's written by Scottish author and preacher George MacDonald and was highly lauded by many other authors of his time"

Coincidentally, Litnet's Book Title game led me to read a Macdonald story for the first time in forty years or more. "At the back of the North Wind" - a luminous tale.

[Bakiryu]

Favourite Fairy Story for me is The Beauty And The Beast :D



:blush: I actually love this!

I can't think of another fairy tale I mean My parents read to me Gulliver's Travels, Dracula or Frankenstain!

Do these count?

[Lote-Tree]

:blush: I actually love this!


You obviously have taste Backy :D

It is deep and meaningful - even now :D

[Literary_Cat]

My favorite Grimm's tale is the rather obscure "King Thrushbeard"--but I liked it so much as an adolescent that I tried to make my own short story out of it.

Well, and "Tales from 1001 Nights" is classified as fairy tales too, isn't it?

For an excellent Beauty and the Beast rendition, see Robin McKinley's "Rose Daughter," and for an intriguingly obscure one, see Donna Jo Napoli's "Beast"--both YA novels, but quite mature.

Hmm...perhaps I'll reread my Grimm sometime soon.

[Nightshade]

Havent read the Napoli's but McKinley is always good although prefer the Beauty version rather than rose daughter but that might just be because I read it first. Deerskin by mckinley is a bit like Donkey skin if youve ever read that or really dark cinderella stories-- but it is disturbing freaky and Defineatly not for kids.
Mercedes lackey did/does a series called elemntal masters "The serpents shadow" is a great version of Snow white and "Pheonix and Ashes" is a great version of cinderella

[Pensive]

Thanks Logos, kiz, storybookauthor, ThousandthIsle, Niamh, Nightshade,
JCamilo. Lote, Scher, Whifflingpin, Bakiryu and Literary Cat for replying to this thread.


Here's one by Charles Dickens: "Prince Bull: A Fairy Tale":
http://www.online-literature.com/dic...ted-pieces/20/

I tried it yesterday. It was fun to read. :)


"The Star Child: A Fairy Tale"
http://www.online-literature.com/wilde/2319/

Both of the times when I read it (once the translation and last time for Forum Book Club), I loved it immensely! One of my Wilde's favourites. I like most of Wilde's works but this one is one of the best I think. :)



Oh and as fairytales go in Irish mythology, i Love the story of Midir and Etain! I'd love to write my own version of that story.

I have tried google for it but can't find it anywhere. Can you please give a link for the story of Midir and Etain? Mythological tales always attract me! :D


Favourite Fairy Story for me is The Beauty And The Beast

I remember neither liking it very much nor disliking it. Perhaps because I watched the cartoons before reading the story.


My favorite fairy tale collection is this.

Heh. Judging by its reviews, it looks good. :D


Coincidentally, Litnet's Book Title game led me to read a Macdonald story for the first time in forty years or more. "At the back of the North Wind" - a luminous tale.

*noted*

Have never tried any Macdonald story...


My favorite Grimm's tale is the rather obscure "King Thrushbeard"--but I liked it so much as an adolescent that I tried to make my own short story out of it.

Well, and "Tales from 1001 Nights" is classified as fairy tales too, isn't it?

For an excellent Beauty and the Beast rendition, see Robin McKinley's "Rose Daughter," and for an intriguingly obscure one, see Donna Jo Napoli's "Beast"--both YA novels, but quite mature.

Hmm...perhaps I'll reread my Grimm sometime soon.

Oh I remember falling in love with Arabian Nights! Do you mean them by Tales from 1001 Nights? My favourites were Sindbad, The Sailor, Hatim Tai and some others about djinns! :D

[Lote-Tree]

I remember neither liking it very much nor disliking it. Perhaps because I watched the cartoons before reading the story.


And as a grown up - do you like the story? Do you get the message of the story? The theme?

[higley]

The oral (peasant) traditions of popular fairy tales are quite different from the written versions by Perrault, Grimm etc., who altered the stories to better suit children's ears. Maria Tatar's "The Classic Fairy Tales" is a good source for several different versions of each story, if you're ever curious about them. :)

My favorite is probably Puss in Boots--wish my cat were so clever!

[Bakiryu]

I remember neither liking it very much nor disliking it. Perhaps because I watched the cartoons before reading the story.



Yeah but the REAL written story is so deep and meaningful.

another good story is the Cinderella version written by Donna Jo Napoli. Bound. It's wonderful and better than the real Cinderella story. I love it.

[Nightshade]

Yeah but the REAL written story is so deep and meaningful.

another good story is the Cinderella version written by Donna Jo Napoli. Bound. It's wonderful and better than the real Cinderella story. I love it.

ok havent read it...but because of the cinderella obsession a couple of years ago I can say 'the original' cinderellla story is difficult to find because there are over 108 cultural versions of cinderellla in the world ranging from the Ancient Egyptian and Ancient Chineese version of the story all the way dowm to the Grimm brothers version.

[kiz_paws]

Oscar Wilde faery tales (such as the Nightingale and the Rose or the Happy Prince) are in my opinion his best works.
There is a collection by Italo Calvino (Italian Fables? I think that would be the english name) that can be added to the Grimms, Perrault, Andersen usual cast...
Thanks for this lead, JCamilo!

Also thanks to all the others (Logos in particular!), who gave more input to this thread. I really love the nature of the Fairy Tales, and have written some myself (really corny, mind you, but hey!!) :)

[Niamh]

I have tried google for it but can't find it anywhere. Can you please give a link for the story of Midir and Etain? Mythological tales always attract me! :D
:D

I'll try write up a version of it for you.:) cant find anything either, but it is beautiful!

[JCamilo]

The oral (peasant) traditions of popular fairy tales are quite different from the written versions by Perrault, Grimm etc., who altered the stories to better suit children's ears. Maria Tatar's "The Classic Fairy Tales" is a good source for several different versions of each story, if you're ever curious about them. :)

My favorite is probably Puss in Boots--wish my cat were so clever!

To be more precise, Grimm's alterated it for Children, Perrault still wrote them aiming to a mature audience.
I also find the "real" story of blabla a bit annoying. They are all real in many senses as all authors changes their stories for their audience. What matters is the talent used in those tales.
A note, the great Guimaraes Rosa wrote a version for Red Hooding named Green Lace in the Wair (Fita Verde no Cabelo, in book, Ave Palavra), that is is one of the best short stories I have ever read. The poetic saddness in the tale is amazing. Too bad it is better suited in portuguese.

[higley]

To be more precise, Grimm's alterated it for Children, Perrault still wrote them aiming to a mature audience.
I also find the "real" story of blabla a bit annoying. They are all real in many senses as all authors changes their stories for their audience. What matters is the talent used in those tales.


I didn't say "real," I just said "oral." I have no opinion as to what versions of a story are better. My interest in the peasant tales stems only from historical curiosity. Often the oral traditions are a good source of symbolism for that time period's culture and society.

[Bakiryu]

.
A note, the great Guimaraes Rosa wrote a version for Red Hooding named Green Lace in the Wair (Fita Verde no Cabelo, in book, Ave Palavra), that is is one of the best short stories I have ever read. The poetic sadness in the tale is amazing. Too bad it is better suited in Portuguese.

Where can i find this? (In Portuguese or English, doesn't really matter)

[Shurtugal]

clueless little ol' me want's to now what exactly do you mean by fairy tales?

[Bakiryu]

clueless little ol' me want's to now what exactly do you mean by fairy tales?

You know: Little red riding hood, the three little piglets, Snow white.....:D

[Shurtugal]

alright i thought so... then you must read the origanal "Little mermaid"! it is so good, but make you sure it's the origanal

[JCamilo]

I didn't say "real," I just said "oral." I have no opinion as to what versions of a story are better. My interest in the peasant tales stems only from historical curiosity. Often the oral traditions are a good source of symbolism for that time period's culture and society.

oro ? But I said "real", so what makes you think I was answering directly to you if I wasn't even talking about what you said ?

Bakiryu:


Where can i find this? (In Portuguese or English, doesn't really matter)

I checked Amazon, both Ave Palavra (by Nova Fronteira) and Fita Verde No Cabelo (also by Nova Fronteira) are not avaliable. If You can order from brazilian sites I can see if I find one for you. Anyways, if you give me your email I can send you an word archive with Fita verde no Cabelo In portuguese.

[Bakiryu]

Of course, I'll PM you.

[Pensive]

I'll try write up a version of it for you.:) cant find anything either, but it is beautiful!

Aah, that's very nice of you. Or you can just tell the tale briefly. :) Oh and I would like to add one of my childhood favourites in this thread: Goldilock and Three Bears! Loved reading it again and again though it was not very moralistic... Quite simple and entertaining, like Red Riding Hood!