Hans Christian Anderson:
Anderson, H. (1983). The Complete Illustrated Stories Of Hans Christian Anderson. London, England: Chancellor Press.
The Little Mermaid
This tale takes place in an underwater kingdom. The king of these kingdom has six daughters. The youngest daughter is quiet and beautiful, and she waits eagerly for her turn to go up top. When she does, she sees a handsome human prince on a ship, celebrating his birthday. A storm destroys the ship, but the little mermaid saves the prince and gets him to land. She hides to make sure people find him. A group of girls discover him, so the mermaid goes home.Of course, the little mermaid has to try to make the man fall in love with her now, but she doesn't think she can do it on her own. So the little mermaid sneaks away from a swank undersea party to go find the sea witch and ask her for help. The sea witch says she will give the little mermaid legs and grace, but every step she takes will feel like she's walking on knives. If the prince marries someone else, the mermaid will die the next day. And, as if that's not scary enough, the witch will also cut out her tongue as payment. The little mermaid becomes a favorite companion of the prince's, but he is supposed to marry a princess from another kingdom. The little mermaid's sister show up to her aid and say they ahve given the sea witch all of their hair in exchange for a knife to kill the prince. If she kills the price she will keep her life. The little mermaid cannot do it though and becomes a spirit of the air instead of dying due to her kindness.
Thumbelina
The story begins with a woman who is sad because she has no children. One day she plants a magic seed and from the seed grows a flower. Inside the flower is a tiny, beautiful girl no bigger than the woman's thumb. Her name was Thumbelina. The two lived happily together until an ugly old toad sneaks in and snatches Thumbelina away. So began Thumbelina's adventures in a world full of dangers for little people. Through all of her tribulations, Thumbelina's kindness and courage bring her long-lasting happiness.
Grimm Brothers:
Grimm, J., & Manheim, R. (1977). Tales for young and old: The complete stories. New York: Doubleday.
Snow White
This tale begins with a wicked step mother who is jealous of her step daughter's innocent beauty. When she asks her magic mirror who the fairest in the land is it always respond with Snow White's name. The step mother seeks to be the fairest and decides to kill Snow White. Snow White escapes the step mother's first attempt when the huntsman is sympathetic for the young girl. Snow White finds herself at the mercy of teh huntsman and escapes to live with seven dwarfs. She lives with the dwarfs under the condition that she cooks and cleans for them; she gladly accepts this offer. The stepmother is enraged when she discovers Snow White is still alive and attempts to kills her three more times with a necklace, hair clips, and an apple. On the first two attempts the dwarfs arrive in time to save Snow White, but when presented with the apple Snow White meets her fate. Snow White's body is laid to rest in a glass casket so the dwarfs can mourn her beauty. The dwarfs are confronted by a prince while they are transporting her body. The prince is immediately taken by Snow White's beauty and convinces the dwarfs to give him her body. The casket is shaken when the prince takes it and the apple is dislodged from Snow White's throat. The prince and Snow White fall deeply in love when their eyes meet. Drawn by curiosity, the wicked step mother attends their wedding and is forced to dance in heated, iron slippers until she dies.
Hansel and Gretel
Hansel and Gretel are siblings who belong to a wood cutter and his wife. When the sibling's mother dies, their father remarries a terrible woman with selfish intentions. To avoid starvation the step mother tell Hansel and Gretel's father to abandon them in the woods. The pair hear their step mother's plan and figure out a solution to find their way home. When their father takes them into the woods the next day, the siblings are able to find their way back by following a trail of pebbles. The step mother tells the father to try again and the siblings overhear this conversation too. This time they use bread crumbs to find their way back, but this does not work. As they are scrambling through the Forrest they come across a house adorned in sweet treats. The pair start to snack on the house and are interrupted by an appealing woman. The old woman convinces the children to come inside. It is then that the old woman, who is really a witch, captures the children to eat as a meal. The children are kept here while the witch tries to fatten them up. When the opportunity presents itself Hansel and Gretel escape by pushing the witch into the stove. The children eventually find their way home and are greeted by their loving father, as their step mother has died.
Rapunzel
When a man fulfills his wife's has an unquenchable desire for lettuce, called Rapunzel, from a witch's garden by stealing the lettuce, the couple promise the with their first born. They did not expect to have a child because they are seemed barren. The couple has a daughter that they give to the witch. The witch names the girl Rapunzel. When Rapunzel is in her adolescent years, the witch locks her in a tower away from the outside world. The only way up the tower is by using Rapunzel's long hair as a rope. A traveling prince witnesses the witch climb the tower wall with Rapunzel's hair and wishes to go up and meet this beautiful young maiden. When he asks her to throw down her long hair and she does, the couple begin a secret tryst. This tryst continues until the witch finds out about it. The witch blinds the prince and banishes Rapunzel to a dessert. Coincidentally, Rapunzel and the prince meet again in this dessert. Rapunzel's tears heal the prince's eyes and the two run off together.
