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Fairy Tales as Children Stories

The realm of fairy-story is wide and deep and high and filled with many things: all manner of beasts and birds are found there; shoreless seas and stars uncounted; beauty that is an enchantment, and ever-present peril; both joy and sorrow as sharp as swords. In that realm a man may, perhaps, count himself fortunate to have wandered, but its very richness and strangeness tie the tongue of a traveler who would report them. And while he is there it is dangerous for him to ask too many questions, lest the gates be shut and the keys be lost.
(Tolkien 33)

Yet some questions must be asked. Fairy tales have been an important part of cultures all over the world. They have been passed down through generations and read and reread to countless children. But do they really have any place as children's stories? This is one of the questions that has recently been pressed against them and one which is well worth asking. If children are to be presented with fairy tales, it is quite reasonable to question the effect of these stories on them. This is reasonable to ask, but the answer may not come as naturally. Children are people too. They and their reactions can be just as varied as their grown-up counterparts. So any generalization made concerning them can be nothing more than that, a generalization. But still through all these shades of doubt, a general statement can be made. Fairy tales can make good children stories.

Before this case proceeds much further, it should be at least attempted to clarify what a fairy tale is. This point may seem trivial but may well need setting straight. A recently conducted survey helped to show just how varying this definition could be. When teachers and students were asked, "In your opinion, what is a fairy tale?" they gave some rather interesting responses. Some seemed to find the story's cultural significance or moral value to be what identified it as a fairy tale. Though perhaps these things may be true of fairy tales, they do not really define them. If all stories which express culture are to be considered fairy tales, this leaves the area hopelessly broad, for what story does not in some manner or other reflect its respective culture? And if fairy tales are to be considered all stories with morals, this again includes too wide a range of stories for this discussion. There is so much written that is meant to have a moral, and perhaps so much that is seen to have one even though it may not have been originally written to. Still if fairy tales were defined to be stories that are culturally significant and/or morally valuable, to argue whether or not such stories are good for children could become quite absurd. To take nearly the whole of literature and say that it's all well and good or totally improper for children would surely be a blunder either way. The field certainly needs to be narrowed.

Some of the other responses to the survey better serve to narrow the meaning of fairy tales. To some fairy tales were simply made-up stories. Though this does help some, it is still quite broad. To others, fairy tales were stories with talking animals or fairies or magic. Many fairy tales may have talking animals. And to say that fairy tales are stories with fairies in them does certainly make a fair amount of sense. But fairy tales can be so much more. To say that fairy tales are stories of magic may come the closest yet and perhaps may be close enough. Hopefully it is, and all this has helped to make what is meant by "fairy tales" a bit more clear though it does not approach defining it. Some things resist defining. To again quote Tolkien, "Faerie cannot be caught in a net of words; for it is one of its qualities to be indescribable, though not imperceptible. It has many ingredients, but analysis will not necessarily discover the secret of the whole" (39).

Fairy tales are magical. They may provide a window to another world, a chance to look beyond the mundane. They may provide a means of relief from some of this world's troubles simply in their otherworldliness. This otherworldliness is one of the many questioned virtues of fairy tales. Some people worry that fairy tales do not give a truthful rendition of life. They fear such stories are therefore unhealthy for children. Bruno Bettelheim, an educator and therapist of severely disturbed children, confronts this misconception. Speaking of the people that fear that fairy tales are untruthful, he says, "That 'truth' in the life of a child might be different from that of adults does not occur to these people" (116). He goes on to say that, "no sane child ever believes that these tales describe the world realistically" (117). Children understand that fairy tales are not real. Some parents worry that telling such stories to their children constitutes lying to them. These parents' concerns are spurned on by the child asking, "Is it true?" A parent that is already convinced of the value of fairy tales has little trouble answering the child. Such a parent is assured of the story's worth beyond its factual truth, and thus is confident that the story will still have meaning regardless (Bettelheim 116-118).

Oftentimes when a child asks, "Is it true?" all they really want to hear is, "There are certainly no dragons living around here today." Such fears about dragons or ogres or trolls or such are sometimes held strongly against fairy tales. Yet these fears may not be created by fairy tales but are merely given form in these tales. Children may be faced with deep inner conflicts and anxieties but more often than not are unable to express this verbally, so they may end up expressing fears indirectly, by fear of some real or imaginary animal, or fear of the dark, or such. Parents may belittle these fears or altogether overlook them. Much of modern children literature may do the same. But fairy tales confront these problems seriously and provide ways of facing such problems. Fairy tales can provide an outlet to anxiety. They frankly confront problems such as the fear of losing a parent or fear of dying. They also give hope that no matter how bad things may now seem that there is still hope of a happy ending (Bettelheim 10).

Without at least the hope of a happy ending, problems may very well seem insurmountable. Fairy tales nearly always have happy endings. Though to some happy endings may seem unrealistic, all people need the hope that they may find one in reality. Without the hope of a happy ending, there may be no reason to confront a problem. If there is no chance of winning, there may seem no point in even trying. Fairy tales assure that even incredibly impossible situations can be overcome, and encourage children that they too can make it. So many times this happy ending is found by going out into the world, by learning to let go of home and moving on. By learning these things the hero may find himself, perhaps his true love, and nearly always his happy ending. The fairy-tale hero may often have to, for a while, make his way through on his own, but he always finds help when he needs it (if it doesn't find him), and he always wins through. The fairy-tale hero and his fate help give children hope that they too can win through.

Children can well relate to fairy tales and their heroes. Here when "fairy-tale hero" is said, it is meant to speak of the fairy-tale heroine as well. Contrary to what some may think, women have very important roles in fairy tales. Fairy tales aren't always stories of some helpless damsel in distress being saved by her charming prince. There are many stories where the hero is female. But then all this does not really matter so much to children as may be thought. Children typically relate to whichever character they feel is in the situation closest to their own, irrespective of whether that character is male or female or how old they may chance to be (Bettelheim 17).

Fairy tales do little to create stereotypes. Linda Wagner, a former first grade teacher, put this point rather well. When asked about fairy tales enforcing stereotypes she said:

I'm sure that because they were written many years ago that there are some stereotypes in them because people at that time saw things differently than we do. That doesn't mean that it's bad or can't be used because they do that. I think that as an adult when you're teaching, that you've got to explain the things they do . . . I think fairy tales weren't meant to and don't influence a child that way.
Indeed, fairy tales do little to influence children in that way. In fact they may do much to help tear such stereotypes down for in fairy tales nearly anything becomes possible.

Just because anything may be possible, does that mean that anything is acceptable? What about the violence in fairy tales? Admittedly fairy tales can be quite violent at times. This is one of the main reasons that fairy tales have been so harshly criticized. This is a rather new complaint about fairy tales. Even the Victorians, with their stodgy way of life and emphasis on moral discipline, encouraged their children to enjoy fairy tales. The widespread questioning of the violence in fairy tales has happened so recently in part because of the rather new discoveries in psychology of just how anxious, destructive, violent, and even sadistic a child's imagination can be. For example, though a young child may strongly love his parents, there are also times when he hates them. Some people claim that fairy tales largely encourage such violent feelings. Such people are typically more in favor of stories that stay away from violence altogether. Bettelheim points out a crucial problem in this idea by stating, "Those who outlawed traditional folk fairy tales decided that if there were to be monsters in a story told to children, these all must be friendly - but they missed the monster a child knows best and is most concerned with: the monster he feels or fears himself to be, and which also sometimes persecutes him" (120). By keeping this monster unspoken of, adults severely disable the child in spinning fantasies about it that allow the child to get to know it better and eventually gain mastery over it. The child, as a result, is considerably helpless to work out his worst anxieties, certainly more so than if he was read fairy tales which help to give these monsters form and show ways they may be overcome. Bettelheim gives an illustration of this point with an extreme case: "After long therapeutic work, a boy who at the end of his latency period had become suddenly mute explained the origin of his mutism. He said: 'My mother washed out my mouth with soap because of all the bad words I used, and these had been pretty bad, I admit. What she did not know is that by washing out all the bad words, she also washed out all the good ones'" (121). Children's literature can be like that too. If all the bad is washed away, so much of the good can be lost too. Fairy tales recognize that there is bad in the world, and they offer ways to face it (Bettelheim 120-121).

Many of the same well-meaning people who distrust fairy tales because of violence or such are the same ones who suggest that simplified or edited versions of fairy tales be told to children. The stories may outwardly appear much the same as the original. They may remove or blunt the elements which adults may find improper for children. There may not seem to be much harm in this. After all, fairy tales have been handed down through generations and have no doubt been changed by some if not all of the retellings. So it may be hard to see what the harm if any there might be in changing them yet once again. Changing it once more could lose a lot. In simplifying or rewriting fairy tales, many important features of the tale may become lost. These features may seem insignificant, but they can be truly important.

The tale "The Fisherman and the Jinny" from the Arabian Nights can well illustrate the point of how a simplified story can fall short. On the surface "The Fisherman and the Jinny," may seem to be easily told as simply as a story of an evil Jinny seeking to kill his weak human liberator, who manages to outsmart the powerful Jinny. It might seem unnecessary to include that the fisherman had cast his nets into the water three times before that and that each time he pulled up something that seemed even worse than the last. It might also seem unnecessary to include the history of the Jinny's thoughts. In the original tale, for the first hundred years that the Jinny is trapped, the Jinny said in his heart that he would enrich forever whoever released him. Over the course of centuries that the Jinny was trapped, this wish to bless whoever set him free gradually turned into a promise to kill his now unfortunate benefactor. Though these details may seem unimportant to the overall story, they are a large part of what helps the child relate to and learn from the story (Bettelheim 32-33).

That the fisherman has to cast his nets several times can be an important part of the story. Although it certainly would be simpler to start the story with the fisherman catching the Jinny, this aspect of the story tells, without moralizing, that one cannot expect to get what one wants on the first, the second, or sometimes even the third try. This perhaps seemingly trivial part of the story tells children that things may not always be as easy to accomplish as they might wish them to be. This sort of message is often a part of fairy tales. Fairy tales can do this effectively without presenting it as a demand or a moral, which perhaps is the most effective way to present it to a child.

The history of the Jinny's imprisonment also is an important part of the tale. Children can relate to what the Jinny went through. What the Jinny experienced is much the same as what a child does when he has been "deserted." At first the child may think about how happy he will be when his mother returns or when he will be released from his room, and how he will reward his mother. But as time drags on, he thinks of how he will get back at those who have deprived him. That he may in all truth be glad when the desertion is over does little to change his thoughts. Therefore, the Jinny's history of captivity lends a note of truth to the story and gives the child something more to relate to. The Jinny's situation is, in a way, an exaggerated version of the child's own. The exaggeration is necessary to make the Jinny's reactions plausible. Also this makes the story relate more indirectly, so the child is not forced to make the application to himself (Bettelheim 29-32).

Fairy tales can be so beneficial because they help a person find his own solutions. This person finds these solutions by inwardly reflecting on what the story implies about his life at that time. The context in which the tale is told has little if anything to do with the person's external life, but it does have much to do with his inner one. Oftentimes this is just what a child needs. Fairy tales leave to the listeners how to apply what the story may reveal if they choose to apply it at all. Many other children stories do not provide such open options.

All this is not to say that versions other than the originals or other children stories are of no good. Brief versions of fairy tales have their purposes too. Nearly anytime a child is read to, it encourages him to read. That in itself is an important point for any children story. Though many children stories may benefit children, fairy tales in particular do so in a multitude of ways. To try to name and explain them all in this report would be rather foolhardy. Still, using the fairy tale of "Beauty and the Beast" some of the most important underlining features and effects of fairy tales may be illustrated. "Beauty and the Beast" is a rather popular and therefore likely well known fairy tale, so hopefully is not necessary to reprint it in its entirety here. A compressed version though will be given to refresh the memory of this classic tale.

"Beauty and the Beast" begins with a merchant who once upon a time was quite rich; however a sudden catastrophe befell him and was left very poor. This merchant had several daughters, the youngest of which was called Beauty. Beauty's sisters took very poorly to their new harsh way of life, but Beauty's character shone brighter than ever. After some time, the father gains news that not all his previous wealth has been lost, so he makes plans to travel to where he may regain it. Before he leaves, each of his daughters, with the exception of Beauty, asks for extravagant gifts. The father notices that Beauty does not ask for anything and insists that she also request a present. Beauty then asks for a rose. The merchant goes on his trip only to find himself as poor as when he had set out. Making his way back home through a terrible storm, he stumbles across a magnificent castle where he takes shelter. In this castle he is well attended to though he does not see anyone. On riding out of the castle, he sees roses planted by the way which remind him of his promise to Beauty, so he picks one. Suddenly the angry Beast appears and threatens to kill him. The merchant pleads for his life and tells the Beast why he picked the fateful rose. The Beast agrees to let him go on the condition that by the appointed time he will return or one of his daughters will willingly come in his place. The merchant returns home but merely to say good bye, for he does not wish his fate on any of his daughters. But Beauty sees the whole misfortune as her fault since she was the one that had requested the rose, and she insists on going back with her father. When they arrive, the Beast asks Beauty if she has come of her own free will and learning that she has, sends the father away with a chest full of gifts for his other children. Beauty stays in the castle where she is treated like royalty. Yet she grows somewhat bored and lonely and even begins to look forward to the short daily visits from the Beast. Every day the Beast comes to visit her for a short while and talks with her, and just before he leaves he asks her if she will marry him. Beauty repeatedly tells him no. One day the Beast notices that Beauty is very sad and inquires as to what is so wrong. Beauty confides that she dearly misses her home and her family and wished to see them again. The Beast is distraught that she is so unhappy with him and so is willing to let her go as long as she promises to return in two months time. Beauty promises and returns to her family with more gifts. Her family is very glad to her and her sisters are quite happy about the gifts. Beauty so enjoyed being at home and getting to be with her family once more that she stays longer than the two months. Finally she wishes herself back to the Beast and immediately finds herself there again, but now the Beast appears to be dead. She rushes over to him, successfully revives him, and tells him she loves him. Soon after this the Beast again asks Beauty to marry him, only this time she tells him yes. At this the Beast turns into the prince of her dreams. They have a large wedding the next day to which Beauty's family attends. And then, of course, they live happily ever after (Lang 44-63).

The tale of "Beauty and the Beast" has many important ideas in it, and some of which have no doubt been lost in the simple rendition of the tale given above. Still some very fundamental facets may shine through, and these are characteristics which are at the very heart of fairy tales and well show why these stories can be so valuable to children if they are but given the chance. Bettelheim described this quite superbly with his concluding remarks:

Whatever may be true in reality, the child who listens to fairy tales comes to imagine and believe that out of love for him his parent is willing to risk his life to bring him the present he most desires. In his turn, such a child believes that he is worthy of such devotion, because he would be willing to sacrifice his life out of love for his parent. Thus the child will grow up to bring peace and happiness even to those who are so grievously afflicted that they seem like beasts. In doing so, a person will gain happiness for himself and his life's partner and, with it, happiness also for his parents. He will be at peace with himself and the world.
This is one of the manifold truths revealed by fairy tales, which can guide our lives; it is a truth as valid today as it was once upon a time. (310)

Works Cited

This page modified on October 12, 2009 by Beverly Davis.