What I Learned From Fairy Tales

Hello, my lovelies!

I feel like so often these days people love to hate on traditional fairy tales. They like to say “princess stories are bad” or “they’re all so dark and evil” or “girls need strong female heroines so no fairy tales for them!” It makes me sad, really, when people say that. Because fairy tales shaped my childhood and while they may definitely not be for everyone I do not think writing them off entirely is the solution.

Looking back, fairy tales have always held a deep and special meaning to me. And today, I want to share that meaning with you- specially the things fairy tales taught me:

-Princess and the Pea taught me that I don’t have to look like a princess, nor did other people have to believe I am one in order for me to be one

-King Thrushbeard taught me true love doesn’t leave me where it finds me but pushes me to be a better person

-Beauty and the Beast taught me self-sacrifice is always better and to look past what meets the eye

-The Twelve Dancing Princesses taught me the power of having sisters

-Rapunzel taught me it’s okay to dream bigger than what I know

-The Goose Girl taught me that justice wins in the end, no matter how unlikely that seems in the middle

-The Steadfast Tin Soldier taught me that doing the right thing isn’t always about getting what I want

-Snow White taught me that I can be innocent and full of light even if I am surrounded by darkness

-Arabian Nights taught me I can change with world with stories and the power of my voice

-Robin Hood taught me to stand up for what is right no matter the cost

-Peter Pan taught me the beauty of growing up

-King Arthur taught me that standing for what is just and good doesn’t always mean I get what is right in the end but that’s okay, I need to stand for it anyway

-Maid Maleen taught me that princesses can save themselves

-Sleeping Beauty taught me that sometimes the things that happen to me aren’t my fault

-The Snow Queen taught me to never give up on someone, no matter how far gone they seem to be

-The Princess Who Never Laughed taught me the lengths to which people will go to make the people they love happy

-The Frog Prince taught me it’s important to keep my word no matter how hard it is and to not make vows I don’t intend to keep

-Diamonds and Toads taught me that what I say can either be considered riches or make people run in fear

-The Pied Piper taught me that breaking my word is serious and something that will always cost me dearly

-The Little Mermaid taught me that sometimes things don’t work out the way I want them to and it’s okay for life to be sad

-Mulan taught me that I determine my own worth, not my culture or the people around me

-Little Red Riding Hood taught me that I don’t always know what is best

-Prunella taught me that real men will help me even if I won’t kiss them

-The Ugly Duckling taught me that this too shall pass

-The Lion and the Mouse taught me to never think I am better than anyone else and to value diversity

-Puss in Boots taught me that help comes from the craziest places

-Cinderella taught me it’s okay to want to go to the ball

-Medusa taught me sometimes blessings look like curses

-Persephone taught me it was okay to be more than one thing, even if they are vastly different

-Cassandra taught me that just because no one believes me that doesn’t mean I’m not right

-And then of course there are all the countless stories whose names I am sad to say I can’t recall but were full of strong, clever heroines who used their wit and their cunning to save themselves and the people they loved. I always wanted to be those girls. I always knew I could be. No matter the circumstances, no matter the message of the culture surrounding me. I could be these strong, resourceful women who let their spirits and their character define them.

So fairy tales may not be for everyone but I think we ought to give our daughters more credit. We are so worried about what might harm them that we keep them from wonderful stories about strong, beautiful women who could help shape who they are in the most positive way possible.

Or at the very least please stop saying that they harm all girls because they don’t; I was never harmed and I know many others who weren’t. So perhaps give them a chance before writing them off entirely. Or just let them alone if they aren’t for you or your daughter.

How about you? What are some things you learned from fairy tales, either as a child or more recently? I would love to hear about them.

I’ll see you on Friday with another book review! Until the next time we meet don’t forget to live happily ever after <3

~Jennifer Sauer, the Ivory Palace Princess