Fairy Tales, by Ricky

          I know I’m not the only one who noticed how fairy tales are used to teach safety, appreciation, and “standards” of conduct.  The brothers Grimm and Aesop are perhaps the best known to my youth.  The Grimm’s tales were often rather grim (pun intended) and Aesop is known for the “moral” aspect of his tales.

          While the overall stories seem adventurous enough for small children, the overt warnings are clear--all step-mothers are wicked (Cinderella, Hansel & Gretel, Snow White), witches are evil (Snow White, Hansel & Gretel), never take candy (or gingerbread) from strangers (Hansel & Gretel), the woods are dangerous places (Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel & Gretel, Wizard of Oz—which is just a very long fairy tale).

          Then just when a child has it all internalized, the contradictions become apparent.  Not everyone in the woods is evil or bad (Snow White’s dwarfs, Little Red Ridding Hood’s woodsman, Wizard of Oz’s Tin Woodsman). All princes are handsome and heroic (Snow White & Cinderella, but not the singer Prinz).  Mothers believe their sons are not very intelligent (Jack and the Beanstalk) nor do they believe in magic.  Adults (who trade beans for cows) don’t believe in magic even when they say they do (Jack and the Beanstalk).  Children do believe in magic, that’s why the beans did grow.

          The fairy tales tell of justice served, if not always measured.  Wolves get killed and grandmas rescued (Little Red Riding Hood).  Bad little boys get eaten (the Boy Who Cried Wolf).  Evil witches are destroyed, some in ovens and some by falling houses (Hansel & Gretel, Wizard of Oz).  The ultimate “justice served” is of course the “Happily Ever After” part. 

Now the third most important question concerning fairy tales follows.  Except for Glenda in the Wizard of Oz, “Why are there no good witches in fairy tales?”

The second most important question is dealing with fairy tales is, “Why are there no wicked step-fathers?” Perhaps because men wrote or told the stories???

I will now answer the most important question.  The answer is “Peter Pan.”  Why?  You ask.  Because that is my favorite fairy tale, (Tinkerbelle is a fairy so it counts as a fairy tale).  I don’t know why it is my favorite, it just is.  Hmmmmmm.  Let’s see—Peter Pan, playing with the Lost Boys and a fairy.  Hey!  Peter Pan is gay!!!

© 22 Dec 2010 

About the Author 

 I was born in June of 1948 in Los Angeles, living first in Lawndale and then in Redondo Beach.  Just prior to turning 8 years old in 1956, I was sent to live with my grandparents on their farm in Isanti County, Minnesota for two years during which time my parents divorced.

When united with my mother and stepfather two years later in 1958, I lived first at Emerald Bay and then at South Lake Tahoe, California, graduating from South Tahoe High School in 1966.  After three tours of duty with the Air Force, I moved to Denver, Colorado where I lived with my wife and four children until her passing away from complications of breast cancer four days after the 9-11-2001 terrorist attack.

I came out as a gay man in the summer of 2010.   I find writing these memories to be therapeutic.