Do you, like me, still remember the fairy tales you heard as a child? I found nothing but enjoyment in them and the fact that I can recall their plots in great detail so many years later is testament to their ability to kindle our imagination and transport us to a magical place.
However, a new survey has found that parents are being creative and changing the plot of classic, much-loved fairytales so that their precious children are not traumatised by what the adults see as “horror” stories. The worst offenders, according to them, are The Gingerbread Man and Little Red Riding Hood, among others.
They cite the “gory” incidents in these tales as being violent and even politically incorrect. It is strange how times change. I remember reading these stories and enjoying them without suffering from sleepless nights tormented by nightmares. In fact, these were read and re-read. The child bullied by older siblings or school mates could identify and empathise with the downtrodden princess and the happy ending provided hope of resolution of all problems. The reversal of fortunes is so satisfying to a child who learns that bad times, too, will come to an end.
I wonder whether the reason why we found these so fascinating was because a fantasy world was created, into which we stepped willingly, savouring the happy ending and thrilled by the suspense as we waited for evil to be vanquished by good. We were children in a time of little violence and bloodshed and had no reason to compare stories we read for entertainment with what was happening in the world around us.
To quote G.K Chesterton, “Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that. Fairy tales tell children the dragons can be killed.”
These stories have been around for generations, but some parents feel that they no longer fit into today’s world as they once did. They want to sanitise the stories or ban them altogether, which is a shame.
Fairy tales being read out by parents are an integral part of growing up and the child absorbs some vital lessons even as he enjoys the twists and turns in the tale. They introduce big emotions in a safe environment, which is the home. Stimulating the imagination is what these stories do best, with fairies and angels and talking animals.
I vividly recall an older sibling making full use of these make-believe creatures to stir my imagination and curiosity. She convinced me that she was the queen of an underground kingdom where she was the only human. She told me that this land was inhabited by talking animals and she hobnobbed with the wildest of creatures who trusted her completely. Her tales of trees weighed down with luscious fruit and candy to which she had access whetted my appetite and reduced me to a pitiable begging wretch, pleading with her to take me to this magical place.
She was a master story teller and all the fairy tales I had read made me believe the tales she spun. To cut a long story short, I was never taken to that place though she kept me enthralled for a long time with her experiences there.
But when I came to know the truth, I didn’t feel cheated or indignant. I was strangely grateful to her for transporting me to another world and making me believe in all things magical.
Sheltering your child by censoring stories that you think may harm her or him seems a little over the top to me. Fairy tales remind us of the power to dream and remind us that there is goodness in the world and that anything is possible.
Vanaja Rao is a freelance writer based in Hyderabad, India.
