Friday 13 August 2010

Friday is for Fairytales: Snow White and the Seven Dwarves



Friday is for Fairytales is a meme hosted by Irena (me) at This Miss loves to Read. Every Friday, you can choose a fairytale you love, or simply find interesting or haunting, and review it or simply say why you like it so much, or why it has captured your attention. Instead of a fairytale, you can choose a favourite fairytale character and describe him/her and tell us why you like them, or you can simply share an experience connected to a fairytale. Fairytales can be old and modern, written by a known author or anonymous, written down or passed on orally, short or in novel form (like re-writings of fairytales), international or typical for your country alone. In this case, present your country’s fairytale and we can all become acquainted with a new fairytale. So, make a post every Friday that is connected to the world of fairytales, be it a review, a character description or your own fairytale experience. Let’s celebrate fairytales and share our love for them.

MY POST IS ABOUT: "Snow White and the Seven Dwarves"
I’m sure this fairy-tale doesn’t need a special introduction. It’s safe to say we pretty much all know it. I’ve always liked this story, from back when I was a kid until now. It’s just a really delightful tale. This Friday I will described my Top 3 moments from “Snow White”.

1. The mirror moments. I just love it every time the Queen consults her magic mirror. “Mirror, mirror on the wall, who in the land is fairest of all?” For a long time, the mirror replies that the Queen is the fairest lady in the land, but the best moment is when the mirror honestly replies that Snow White is prettier than her and the Queen has a bit of a hissy fit. Anyway, I like the idea of a magic mirror telling you things you want to know.

2. Snow White meets the dwarves. The dwarves are such an interesting bunch and I always liked it how warmly they took in a stranger. Sure, they had a condition, “If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything that you want.” But still, they took her in and they all had a merry time together. Like a big, warm family.

3. The prince finds Snow White’s coffin and falls in love with her. I’m a romantic, I am a sucker love declarations from princes to princesses. But, I have to confess that I prefer the cartoon version to the Grimm fairy-tale, because in the cartoon the prince saves Snow White with a kiss. In the story, the prince has her coffin taken away to his castle and on the road there, his servants stumble and this causes the poisonous apple to dislodge from her throat. Not as romantic as a kiss saving her, right?

So, these are my favourite Snow White moments. But, I love the fairy-tale as a whole. It’s fun to read, although it’s a little cruel at times. But hey, it’s the Grimm brothers. You have to get used to their ways. Still, their tales, Snow White being no exception, are one of my favourite ones. When I was a kid, my favourite princess was Snow White. Then I discovered other princesses too, but Snow White remains a beloved one.

What did YOU choose to write about?

7 comments:

Blodeuedd said...

The Grimm story is creepy in a way, what did he mean do do with a #dead" girl in a coffin?

Alexa Adams said...

I love the psychological implications of the Grimm tales - necrophilia anyone? I have a wonderful edition of the Grimms' version translated by Paul Heins and illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman. The illustrations are magnificent! The book is out of print, but I highly recommend finding a copy to all lovers of this story.

Irena @ This Miss Loves to Read said...

Thanks for the recommendation, Alexa!

Yes, I've heard the theory about necrophilia. Neil Gaiman used this idea in his short story "Snow, Glass, Apples" from the collection "Smoke and Mirrors". God knows why the prince wanted to have Snow White in a coffin.;)

The Insouciant Sophisticate said...

I love the mirror moments too-it sounds like a pretty awesome toy to have. I also like how they incorporate the mirror in to Shrek, pretty funny.

Irena @ This Miss Loves to Read said...

Oh, yeah, the mirror in Shrek, haha, that was so cool!

danya said...

So many of the Grimm tales are so much more morbid than Disney makes them out to be! Snow White always disturbed me with all those poison apples (and in the original isn't she given a dress that tries to squeeze her to death, or am I remembering that wrong?)

Danya
A Tapestry of Words

Irena @ This Miss Loves to Read said...

danya, you're right, the dress was the Queen's first attempt to kill her. Pretty cruel and disturbing, I admit.