What is it?
Rumpelstiltskin
Who wrote it?
Berlie Doherty
Illustrated by Jane Ray
Where can it be
found?
Classic Fairy Tales (Walker Illustrated Classics)
Adaptation?
More a re-telling with a gentle ending.
My thoughts in
exactly 10 words:
Greedy, patriarchal colonialists take what they will, but
beautifully written.
Extended thoughts:
My feeling when I read this story was that the men all seem
to have no concern for the woman at all. Sure, the father wants a better life
for his daughter, but he’s quick to lie to get the king to take her with him.
The king on the other hand just thinks she’s good looking and wants to see her
make gold for him. So much so, he’s unconvinced of her ability until she
performs it 3 times, mysteriously doesn’t think to watch her do it, and never
seems to ask her to do it again after their married. These are all flaws in the
story, not the telling.
Berlie Doherty’s prose is beautiful, lyrical and very
reminiscent of what fire side storytelling must have been like at its best.
When paired with Jane Ray’s gorgeous illustrations this story (this collection,
really) is fabulous. There’s such a wonderful picture of the now-queen
breastfeeding her baby boy. It’s not often that breast feeding is depicted in
books for children, despite the fact that it was, at some point, such a large
part of their world. It was refreshing and charming.
If only they could have kept the ending where Rumpelstiltskin
is so angry he splits himself in two! It’s more fun! In this one he just
disappears and is never heard from again.
Favourite Quote:
“This is wonderful,” the king said when he saw it. “But can
you do it again?”
Moral of the story in
my own words:
If you’re beautiful and deceitful, you might just end up as
a queen.
Or
It’s probably best not to bargain with strange men,
especially when they ask for your first born.
Find it on Goodreads
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