Title: Rapunzel
Author: Grimm Brothers
Genre: Traditional Literature
Summary: An old man and woman longed for a daughter, and every day they hoped that God would grant them their wish. One day, the woman was looking outside her window at the evil enchantress’s home where she saw some beautiful rampion. Each day, her longing for it grew more and more. Her husband, eager to make her better he climbed over the wall after dark and got her some rampion. The next day, she craved it even more, so that night he went over the wall to get her some. Unfortunately, the enchantress was there once he climbed over, and decided to punish him. His first born child shall be given to her. Agreeing to this deal, he took the rampion and went back home. They soon had a daughter, and the enchantress named her Rapunzel, and took her away. She grew to a beautiful young woman, but saddened because she was locked up in the tower. The only way to enter the tower was for Rapunzel to let down her hair. One day, the prince heard Rapunzel singing, and after hearing the enchantress call out “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair”, he waited patiently for her to leave, and then called out those same words. The enchantress soon learned of their meeting and stole her way. The prince returned, climbed her hair but instead of Rapunzel, he found the enchantress. He jumped out of the tower to escape, but pierced his eyes with thorns on the way down, blinding him. He wandered for years, and one day came upon Rapunzel and her twins. Her tears of joy wetted his eyes and he was able to see again. They returned to his kingdom and lived happily ever after.
Reaction: I loved this story. I thought it was really cute, and it was a fun read! And what was even more entertaining was that it was different than the one I had heard originally, so it kept me entertained!
Recommendation: I’d recommend this tale to children of all ages, I doubt that it’s one that they have heard.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: I didn’t have too many problems although I didn’t like the part where Rapunzel has the kids in the desert. It only makes the children wonder what happened…
Title: Cinderella
Author: Grimm Brothers
Genre: Traditional Literature
Summary: Cinderella’s mother dies, and her father remarries. Her stepmother, as well as her step sisters are beautiful, but have a black heart. Cinderella goes to her mother’s grave every day, prays and weeps. One day, her father asks what he should bring back from the town for the girls. The step sisters ask for dresses and pearls, while Cinderella asks for a branch from the tree that first hits him on his way home. Cinderella plants that branch and it grows into a beautiful tree, where a bird listens to her wishes and grants them. One day, the girls hear that the prince is looking for a bride and they are invited to a three day party. Cinderella (with the help of her animal friends) separates lentils from the ash several times, before find out that she may not go to the ball. She runs out, and back home. The next day, she does the same thing, although this time, the prince slicks the stairwell so when she ran away, her shoe was stuck. The next day he goes to their house, and the two evil stepsisters both try to get their foot in the shoe. The first one cuts off her big toe and rides away with the prince, but doves help him realize that her foot is bleeding and that she’s not the rightful heir to the shoe. Then the younger sister tries on the shoe, and cuts off her heal to make it fit. Same thing happens again, the prince realizes she’s not the shoes owner and returns her. He finds Cinderella at the house, and she tries the shoe on. It’s a perfect fit. They go off and get married, and the sisters (trying to get in on her new found fortune) get their eyes pecked out at the wedding.
Reaction: I thought this was a cute story, although it was slightly graphic for children to be reading it.
Recommendation: Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend this book to children. Maybe older children, but not young kids.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: I had a problem with how the girls cut off body parts and how the birds pecked the girls’ eyes out. That’s disgusting and children don’t want to read that.
Title: Rumplestiltskin
Author: Grimm Brothers
Genre: Traditional Literature
Summary: There was a poor minner man, who had nothing but when he went unto the king, he told him that he had a daughter who could weave straw into gold. This interested the King very much, and had her brought in to him. He set her in a room filled with straw and told her she had the night to sew it all into gold or she would be killed. Once the door was locked, she began to cry. A little man entered the room and helped her out, in return for her necklace. The next morning, the king arrived at the room to find all the straw woven into gold. He placed her in a bigger room, and locked the door. She began to cry again and the little man appeared. He wove all the straw into gold in exchange for her ring. One the third night, the king told the girl that if she wove all the straw (now in a bigger room) by the next morning, he would make her his queen. She began to cry, and when the little man appeared, she told him that she had nothing left to give. Your first born child will be enough. Thinking that won’t happen for a while, she agreed, and the next day became queen. A year later, she gave birth. The little man appeared, waiting to collect his baby. She cried, and begged him to let her keep it. He felt sorry for her and gave her three days to find out what his name was. She tried all sorts of names, and on the last night, she sent a servant out after the little man. He came back with a chant that he heard him singing, along with the name Rumplestiltskin. He came to the castle on the last night, expecting to collect the baby, but she was prepared. She guessed his name right, and out of furry, he plunged his leg into the floor and tore in two.
Reaction: I thought this was a cleaver little story, and one that was quite entertaining to me. It kept my attention and I actually thought it was quite humorous.
Recommendation: I’d recommend this book to anyone. I thought it was clever and funny.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: Honestly, I didn’t really see any problems with this tale.
Title: A Riding Tale
Author: Brothers Grimm
Genre: Traditional Literature
Summary: There were three young women who were transformed into flowers. One of the young women was allowed to stay at home during the night time. One day, when the day light came, she told her husband that if he came to the field and picked her, she would be freed from the spell. How did he know which flower she was? Easy, she stayed in at night, so there wasn’t any dew on her petals.
Reaction: I thought it was cute, but rather short. I wasn’t thoroughly impressed.
Recommendation: Honestly, I wouldn’t really recommend this story to anyone. There wasn’t a real point to it.
Potential Problems/Conflicts: I thought it was short, and bland. It didn’t really speak to me.
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