Allison has a big book of bedtime stories that she received as a gift when she was born. We've never actually read anything from it because they stories were a bit long and she wouldn't have the patience to sit through them at a young age. Well, at bedtime last night, she picked out that book for me to read to her and I figured she's old enough to sit through one or two of the stories. The first one was Goldilocks and the Three bears - cute story. The second one was Hansel and Gretel. Of course I am familiar with the name but I honestly didn't remember much about the story because the last time I heard it was probably when I was a kid and my mother read it to me. I remembered something about breadcrumbs and a candy house and that was it. Well, I started reading the story to Allison and I realized what a dark horrible horrible story it is. First the evil stepmother wants her husband to take his kids and leave them in the woods because the family is very poor and the stepmother is very selfish. Then the kids find this house made of candy where this "nice" old lady invites them in and feeds them, but then locks up Hansel in a cage so she can make him fat in order to eat him!!! This is a kids bedtime story. I couldn't stop there because I knew there had to be a happy ending and I didn't want Allison to have nightmares (although I'm sure it was too late for that). Then the kids manage throw the old lady, who's really a witch, into a fire and lock her in there. The kids somehow find their way home to their father who missed them dearly and tells them their stepmother died. And they all live happily ever after...WHAT! This is not a kids bedtime story -it has child abuse, kidnapping, cannibalism (well almost). If this were a real life story in today's news it would be the most horrific story. And yet it here it is, packaged in a nice blue book of children's bedtime stories with happy bunnies and piggies on the cover. I really need to start screening what I read to Allison. I asked her afterwards what she thought of the story and all she said was "That wasn't really a witch because she wasn't wearing black." Let's just hope that's all she remembers from it. Luckily she didn't wake up at all last night. That's one story I'll be sure to never read again!
Monday, June 2, 2008
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3 comments:
We have the same book, and I've often thought the same thing. It wasn't long ago that we ended up reading H&G, and then having the same discussion as you. Audrey's response was, "that witch wasn't very nice". I don't know what she got or didn't get, but I'm with you on this one. Weird stories out there that were the norm for us growing up.
That's what I said! We've been reading through some of the books we have for Aubrey and have realized that a lot of the older stories are terrible!!!! I prefere the Llama books and the more recent "nicer" stories with lessons in them. Anyway, I second your post. Maybe we'll see you in a few weeks when we come down?
I would never let my mother finish that story when I was a kid. I never read it to you, Amy because I hated it and cried halfway through it. Allison has such a fantastic imagination hopefully she realizes that it is just pretend. Grandma
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