That so-called children's classic, Hansel and Gretel scared me worse than any horror movie I ever saw as a kid. The idea of finding an edible house with candies and goodies was intriguing, but the thought of being abandoned by parents, and the supidity of dropping a crumb trail (I knew the birds would eat them) and that old hag witch caging the kids and fattening them up to put them in the oven...well as my oldest granddaughter said when she was a little girl, "The kid who told that story had a bit of violence in him, don't you think, Nana?"
I couldn't resist snapping this photo of Bill by a gigantic gingerbread house. It was actually part of a dining area and there was a table and chairs inside for diners. I kept one eye on the viewfinder, and one eye out for the wicked witch. And by the way, those are real cookies and candies adorning that lovely gingerbread house. No way, though could I dine inside. I went right to the buffet. I couldn't do it. Could you?
Then, I thought, "Hmm, if that old witch sees me fattening up...."
15 comments:
Cute story. Isn't it amazing what we think of and how we think as kids. Fear for me was those flying monkeys and talking trees on the way to Oz!
That one never scared me. Jack and the Beanstalk was mine. Must be why I am afraid of heights ..... afraid of the giant I will find at the top?
Too late for me. I've already fattened up.
When I was a child we had a volumn of Grimm and a volume of Anderson. I never read Grimm until my brother gave away the Anderson when I was a teenager. When I read Grimm I realized why I could not manage it as a kid.
By the way, that is the tallest elf/dwarf I've ever seen!
Most of the Grimm tales are, well, grim. Talk to Cathy C. Hall about them---she LOVES those fairy tales and has written some good ones of her own.
Most of Grimm's tales involve a parent's death, evil stepparents and child abuse or abandonment...you know, all the good stuff.
I'm surprised those stories aren't banned books.
I disliked Rumpelstiltskin most as a kid.
You know Linda - some of those old stories were quite scary! sandie
Wait! That was a scary story? I guess I was too wrapped up in the thought of an edible house to be afraid. So a few fattened kids get shoved in the oven. Oh, well.
I've never been one to cast myself as a character in a story. But I have friends at work who say they ALWAYS imagine themselves as a main character.
The story of Hansel and Gretel scared me too--then again so did The Pied Piper and Peter Pan (Captain Hook gave me nightmares.
Come to think of it, Linda, Hansel and Gretel is pretty scary...especially the oven part!
But Bill was a good sport to have his photo taken near the candy house. Susan
Seems like a lot of the old fairy tales should come with a PG-13 rating for violence, disturbing situations, and graphic images. Many are definitely not suitable for bedtime reading...unless, of course one enjoys nightmares.
Pat
Critter Alley
Hi Linda. When you come to think of it, an awful lot of the old fairy stories were very frightening indeed, although children seem to love them down the ages. Hope all is well with you.
Hey, parents had to keep their kids in line somehow back in the day. A few scary stories did the trick. =0) How about Willie Wonka? Now that guy had his act together.
Scary or not, those memories had me laughing. My daughter used to make gingerbread houses, and I once sneaked a cookie-cobblestone, I think. Ack! It was stale and probably glue covered. Never again. I'm plenty fattened up as it is.
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