When I was younger we had a lot of books that I will call the "Why" stories e.g. why the chicken scratches the ground/why the eagle and the chicken are not friends. We also read the usual Fairy Tales e.g. Puss in Boots, Cinderella etc..
Also my grandparents and my dad would tell us stories to while away the time. For my generation and the ones before ours folk tales were crucial to a child's education. We were taught various values and about taboos e.g. telling the truth, sharing etc using stories - some perhaps true accounts of historical events, or amusing and far-fetched tales of giants and ogres, or fables involving animals. Sadly, folk tales have become a thing of the past and even the books available on the market seem shallow by comparison - like a diluted version of the original.
Also my grandparents and my dad would tell us stories to while away the time. For my generation and the ones before ours folk tales were crucial to a child's education. We were taught various values and about taboos e.g. telling the truth, sharing etc using stories - some perhaps true accounts of historical events, or amusing and far-fetched tales of giants and ogres, or fables involving animals. Sadly, folk tales have become a thing of the past and even the books available on the market seem shallow by comparison - like a diluted version of the original.
Today our children learn from the tube - TV, DVDs. There is hardly any time for reading because our present day society is about cracking books and very little learning about how to live in society.
I was reading it with my son this morning and with all the questions he kept asking , I saw it in a new light. The Cat LIES throughout the WHOLE tale and that helps his master get his way. His master by the way is also a culprit in this because he's also a liar by omission - he sits there and doesn’t say a word, he just enjoys the "fruits" of the cats lies.
The moral of that story if any is that there is an easy and fast way to riches you just need a loyal partner and great cunning. Hehehehe ;-)
Let me not start with how all the Fairy Tales depict step mothers as evil women - but then again in most cases she is…is this a predisposition or do the children become little terrors (having read all the stories about how EVIL step mothers actually are http://www.amazon.com/Hansel-Gretel-Rika-Lesser/dp/0525461523) and she has to up her game?
I never looked at that story that way EVER now seeing it through my son's eyes its about lies and theft. I think that’s what our politicians cut their teeth with. The millers son gets free clad from the king coz the cat lied that his master was set upon by thugs who threw him in the river. Then the cat intimidates the peasant farmers tilling the land into saying that the land is for someone they don’t know. Lastly, he tricks the Ogre and takes his castle thereby winning himself the princess.
The moral of that story if any is that there is an easy and fast way to riches you just need a loyal partner and great cunning. Hehehehe ;-)
Let me not start with how all the Fairy Tales depict step mothers as evil women - but then again in most cases she is…is this a predisposition or do the children become little terrors (having read all the stories about how EVIL step mothers actually are http://www.amazon.com/Hansel-Gretel-Rika-Lesser/dp/0525461523) and she has to up her game?
This evening read your child a story with some moral fiber http://www.amazon.com/East-African-Folktales-World-Storytelling/dp/0874834899
I guess with the speed life is rushing at, we forget to teach morals, cultures n religion. Thanks for trying to do yr part n also remind us.
ReplyDeleteThanks also for reminding me of all the tales I read, heard from folks n pals while growing up.
Cheers