Although the stories of Cinderella and Rumpelstiltskin are best known because of Walt Disney and the brothers Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, different versions of these tales were told throughout Europe. What makes the 500 newly found fairytales collected by 19th century historian, Franz Xaver von Schonwerth, different from the way they are interpreted today is his faithful recording of the way stories farmers, servants, and other country folk passed them on by word of mouth.In Oberpfalz, Bavaria, where von Schonwerth collected and published local myths, legends, and fairytales in 1857-1859, cultural curator Erika Eichenseer has published a collection of his works. In Munich, Dan Szabo is now translating them into English.
Eichenseer sees fairytales as a treasure of ancient knowledge and wisdom, a way of helping youngsters understand how virtue, prudence, and courage can overcome dangers and challenges. We might see tales involving evil witches, magic animals, spells, and brave princes as helping children think outside the box. When a maiden is threatened by a witch, for example, she transforms herself into a pond. The witch drinks the pond dry, and the girl kills the witch by cutting herself out of the witch's stomach.
Using a prince, a bear, and a witch, The Turnip Princess seems to stress the importance of following instructions. When the prince did as the bear directed, pulled a rusty nail out of a cave's wall, and placed it under a turnip, the witch turned into a beautiful, kind girl who married the prince.
When Szabo's English translations are completed, kids and Disney will have new material to interpret. Meanwhile, children can ask grandparents to tell them the stories they heard when they were youngsters.When I taught, I was surprised to learn that many students had not heard of a Greek slave's Aesop's Fables, recorded by the 14th century monk, Maximus Planudes. Maybe grandparents will introduce their grandchildren to "The Fox and the Grapes" and "The Lion and the Mouse."
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