#GRIMMread2019 Challenge Week 1

What is it about Grimm Fairytales that people love?

I found them fairly unpleasant with sad and often harrowing messages. I’m remembering why I don’t read these fairytales.

This week we read The Frog Prince, Rapunzel (EG’s pick), Poverty and Humility Lead to Heaven, and Cat and Mouse in Partnership. Here’s our take aways:

​Poverty and Humility Lead to Heaven…

​…not sure that’s an accurate tale. They definitely led to a spot under the stairs where the king’s son died of virtual starvation. EG’s face was horrified. I think the only message she took from that is that people get treated badly and then they die.

The Frog Prince...

...is downright icky. I get fulfilling your promises, but that went to an extreme. In this story a father ordered his daughter to take someone into her bed—ok, it was a frog, but still, that’s just wrong. Then the frog turns into a prince, for literally no reason. He professes love to the girl, who’s done nothing but abuse him. That’s a recipe for an unhealthy future.

What was the message of The Frog Prince? It was not love conquers all. It came across as lie to get what you want. That’s not a message I want my kids internalizing.

What’s next?

Ah, yes, Rapunzel. It wasn’t on the list for the week, but EG picked it out herself. I’m sure she was expecting something like Tangled.

Be aware, the original Rapunzel story is nothing like the Disney version.

​Unlike Tangled where Rapunzel is kidnapped from her loving parents, in Grimm’s version she is willingly given to Gothel by her parents in exchange for produce. Produce as in lettuce.

Let that sink in.

Message: the cost of quickly made promises can be steep.

The story continues with Rapunzel stuck in a tower alone and bored. Of course a handsome prince finds her and sneaks in. Immediate love. The sneaking continues and then Rapunzel lets slip that she’s been seeing someone behind Gothel’s back.

Punishment ensues. Magic tears fix everything. All EG cared about were Rapunzel’s twins.

Wait. You didn’t know that part, did you?

Yes, in the Grimm version, Rapunzel has a teen pregnancy that results in twins.

Message: sneaking around will get you pregnant, but don’t worry because he’ll definitely stay with you and give you a kingdom.

Hold your breath and wait for that to happen in real life.

Cat and Mouse in Partnership

The cat continually stabs the mouse in the back—he’s cheeky about it too—then kills her for having the audacity to figure out what kind of person he really is. I’m guessing the message there is to stick to your own kind. Or was it trust a liar and end up dead? Either way, I was as pleased with the story as EG.

Big Takeaway...

​Ultimately, reading Grimm is making me question my liking of fairytales. I definitely dislike unhappy stories already. That hasn’t changed. I prefer stories where the characters overcome their adversity with happy results. Stories where you just get dead for being a good person and rewarded for bad behavior (kingdom for being abusive or sneaking around, anyone) are not giving the messages I want my kids to have.

#GRIMMread2019