FTBC--Jack the Giant Killer

Here’s my earliest memory of Jack the Giant Killer:         Confusing, huh?Mickey didn’t set out to kill a giant in either case, and to be honest I don’t think he did. I vaguely remember a giant trussed up like a turkey or maybe hog tied like a calf (don’t get me started on my childhood confusion about hogs tying up baby cows).Anyway, those two stories became conflated in my head. Mickey handles the giant, gets the princess (Minnie) and I suppose they live happily ever after in a G rated sort of way.Later, I saw the NBC miniseries of Jack and the Beanstalk: The Real Story starring Matthew Modine (2001). It was more of a re-telling, casting the original Jack, Modine’s something-great-grandfather, as a villain who stole from and killed the giant, Thunderdell, who was kind, if a little too trusting. I really loved this story because it was a true happy ending—Jack repents for his ancestor’s wrong-doing, peace and prosperity return to the kingdom in the clouds, and he and the very capable, independent “princess”, Ondine, live happily ever after.It wasn’t until much later in life did I realize that there was another story. A more gruesome story.The original story of Jack the Giant Killer has Jack killing at least six giants (or seven, depending on how you count two-headed giants). One three-headed giant is robbed by Jack and King Arthur’s son. The giant gives Jack gifts for sparing his castle (and him, presumably) because Jack’s reputation is becoming legendary in the giant community. The last giant he kills was to alleviate boredom and wins himself a duke’s daughter for a bride.As a rule, I try and find something to say about a story that relates to feminism or how it speaks to a modern reader. This story is too confusing to find anything in it. It borrows from so many stories, that were themselves popular, that reading it had me constantly stopping for odd moments of literary déjà vu. I can say the duke’s daughter is clearly an afterthought. There’s some Lady who isn’t given a name either and is under the thrall of Lucifer. Jack beheads him and then the Lady marries King Arthur’s son.Mostly, the Jack in Jack the Giant Killer comes across as some bro-dude who just likes killing giants. And clearly I wasn’t the only one who had a problem with the story and just said, “To heck with it,” and mixed Killer and Beanstalk.  How about you, FF reader? Did this story leave you as confused as me?Come back next month, and we'll discuss The Golden Goose.See you then!

FTBC The Fairy

FFT readers, I have a confession to make. I accidentally used this story as a post a few weeks ago entitled, Diamonds or Toads. I wrote, in detail, the plot as well as my feelings about its subject matter, which you can read about here. With that said, I still want to know your thoughts about this story. Reading it was like reading a precursor to Cinderella, which bares out because both were written (or should I say “collected”) by Charles Perrault. In fact, it is believed (but I can’t confirm this) that the good daughter was made into a step-daughter to lessen the similarities to Cinderella (not a very good try).What I liked about the story was how quickly it was all resolved. In Cinderella we have to suffer through two balls, a kingdom-wide search and two mean step-sisters trying to glom onto her man. Diamonds and Toads or The Fairy, as Perrault named it, has a good daughter—who helps a fairy in disguise, is granted wealth, and wins a prince. The bad daughter is too haughty to help the fairy, is immediately struck down with vipers and toads dropping from her mouth and is kicked out of her house. However, I do have some issues with the endings for both girls. For the bad one, I think it would have been more edifying if she learned her lesson and became a better person. As for the good daughter, I know the greatest reward any girl in the 17^th century was expected to want was an excellent match, but I’m calling foul on this one. Precious gems and sweet-smelling flowers fall out of her mouth and a prince wants to marry her? You have to wonder if it’s for the lady or the loot. Remember Rumpelstiltskin? A girl’s life is threatened three nights in a row and her reward is marrying the guy who issued the threats. That said, I do like the story (sans the creepy ending) and think it’s a great one to revise. Any takers? I would love to hear a new ending for this tale. Next month: Jack the Giant Killer

Fairy Tale Book Club--The Goose Girl, or how to be a princess without really trying

Welcome to the first posting of the FTBC. And today we'll start with The Goose Girl.Fairy tales are something we keep discovering. I know I am. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised when I read a new story. This was not one of those times.The Goose Girl, one of the many stories from the brothers Grimm, is about a much-loved princess who is sent to a far-off land to wed a prince. She’s send with a servant, who decides she doesn’t want to be a servant anymore and refuses to help the princess in any way. By the time they reach the prince’s castle, the princess is a disheveled mess. What’s more, the servant says she’s the princess. She has the real princess sent to be a servant and for good measure makes sure the real princess’ horse has his head lopped off because it can talk and will likely spill the beans.So the real princess becomes a goose girl, helping the goose boy herd geese in the fields. She never says a word even though the goose boy tries to touch her hair, the horse still speaks (it’s head it mounted over an entranceway), and she’s generally miserable. The king finally notices and long story short (I know, too late) everything is fixed ala Gilbert and Sullivan.Forgetting for a moment that the real princess is sent off to meet her new prince with just a servant and a talking horse for company, this story is truly disturbing. The moral of the story is to stay meek and silent and then good things will come to you. The servant, who wanted more for herself is obviously the villain (equicide aside) because she speaks up. I’ll admit there is a time for silence, but this story borders on martyrdom. A chilling thing to teach a girl.But this blog is about finding insight in generally arcane stories for a modern reader. I want to say, if you’re ever in a jam make sure you have a talking horse, but I imagine horses are judgmental and who needs the running commentary on a long ride? No, I think the best thing we can take away from this story is a cautionary tale. If you don’t speak up, you may end up in situations best avoided. We can’t all have kings and horses watching our backs!So what do you think?Remember, comments will automatically enter you in the Smuggler's Path contest.Here are the rules:

1.  The comment has to be about the story, The Goose Girl.
2. Fill out the form. Pick your book format preference.
3.  Each comment will add your name to my hat for a better chance to win a free copy of A Smuggler's Path. Three winner will be chosen.
4. The contest ends July 23, 2018 at midnight ET.

[contact-form][contact-field label="Name" type="name" required="1" /][contact-field label="Email" type="email" required="1" /][contact-field label="Website" type="url" /][contact-field label="Comment" type="textarea" required="1" /][contact-field label="Format" type="radio" options="paperback,mobi,epub" /][/contact-form]Next Month's FTBC reading: The Fairy by Charles Perrault

Fairy Tale Book Club (FTBC) update

I hope you’re all as excited as I am to start the ball rolling on the FTBC. There is still one more week before I open the forum to comments about The Goose Girl. As an added bonus for our inaugural club “meeting”, anyone who posts a comment will automatically be entered in the random draw to win a free copy of my new book, A Smuggler’s Path. Here’s a description: In Canto, magic is a commodity, outlawed by the elites after losing a devastating war and brokered by smugglers on the hidden market. But some know it’s more—a weapon for change.Inez Garza moves through two worlds. She's a member of the noble class who works as a magical arms dealer—a fact either group would gladly use against her. Neither know her true purpose—funding Birthright, an underground group determined to return magic to all at any cost.But the discovery of a powerful relic from before the Rending threatens her delicate balance.Inez’s inherent magic, which lies dormant in all the Canti, has been awakened. Now the Duchess’s daughter, radical and smuggler must assume another forbidden title—mage, a capital crime. This will bring her to the attention of factions at home—fanatical rebels bent on revolution, a royal family determined to avoid another magical war, her mercenary colleagues at the hidden market willing to sell her abilities to the highest bidder—and in Mythos, victors of the war and architects of the Rending.Evasion has become Inez’s specialty, but even she isn’t skilled enough to hide from everyone—and deny the powers drawing her down a new path.Three lucky winners will be chosen the day before the book is officially released on July 24th, 2018!I'm looking forward to reading everyone's insights for the FTBC!