“The musicians played old tunes, very excellently even though it was now over a hundred years since they had touched their instruments. When supper was over they were married in the chapel of the castle, and though the bride was one hundred years older than the groom nobody would ever have guessed it.
A few days later the Prince took his bride to live with him in his own palace, and the enchanted castle and wood vanished, never to be seen again.”
Ahhhhhhh….
(shaking head slightly to return to reality)
Safely standing on the bottom shelf of Mam-Maw’s very polished book case stood the prized, bright red book filled with stories that captivated my wildest imaginations. Each weekend during our visit to my grandparent’s home, one of my aunts would take the time to read to me for hours from The Worlds Best Fairy Tales.
I thought this book was one of the best books ever written and always treated it special.
Opening the pages now, I realize that none of them are crumpled, bent or stained. Obviously, I was a neat, clean and dainty little girl.
It wasn’t hard for me to become completely engrossed in the stories and I especially loved the romantic ones. You know the type – boy meets girl, solves a problem, falls in love and lives happily ever after.
any more than the meals I have eaten;
even so, they have made me.”
Why isn’t life as easy as the fairy tales found in the bright red book? Have I been completely disillusioned by the characters and stories?
Hmmm….
No, I do not believe I have been disillusioned.
I still believe that if a man really loves a woman, he is willing to slay the dragon, climb the thorn covered tower and kiss her sleeping lips to awaken her from a deep sleep.
Romantic?
Yes.
Realistic?
Definitely!
My grandfather was a prince and treated my grandmother like a princess all the time. I remember all the flowers he picked for her, the sweet kisses and the gentle hugs. I even realize now that those funny raised eyebrow looks he flashed in her direction that melted her into a giggling girl were actually quite sexy!
The fairy tales had a hand in molding me into the romantic person I am today and that’s a good thing. So I’m hanging onto the book and the dreams too.
Excuse me, but I have to go unlock the front door.
Why?
Well, the princes around my age usually are running out of steam by the time they get half way up the tower. So if they get past the dragon, I will just let them run through the front door.
What can I say?! I’m a realistic princess!
Well, I need to go read about a Big Bad Wolf and some chick named Little Red Riding Hood, so I must bid you adieu for now. I wonder what food there is in the basket. Do you think the story will have the recipes?
(wink)
That last photo is my favorite!!
It is so fun to look back through old books like that…especially when they mean something to you.
I just started a Fairy Tales and Adaptations class today… and I'm pretty sure we're using a newer edition of that exact book! =)
Redhead Riter, you are the last of the red hot romantics! :o)
Yes, there's a place in this world for a realistic princess,& I'm sure any #AgingWithStyle prince will appreciate the open door!
Love the post, but darlin' how in the world do you tell the Prince from the Big Bad Wolf? Blessings, Janet
I loved fairy tales, too. Alas, my books pages are brittle and yellowed and are separating from the cover.
But I never cared for those "happily ever after" stories. Seemed to me that if the prince and the princess had any thoughts of their own, there was bound to be some conflict. Fortunately, I met my prince and we live happily ever after having wonderful arguments. : – )
The actual Grimms Brother's Fairy Tales are kind of gruesome – except for the live happily ever after part. My fav fairy tale has the bad serving woman put in a keg with spikes and drug through the street pulled by a horse.
Maybe it's all about facing the dragons somehow together – maybe that's why they lived happily ever after.
BTW – grandbaby girl was born this week. We were SO HOPING for a redhead (skips a generation in the fam) – but our son sent a pict out when she was born with the words "THICK BLACK HAIR" – so we were to be sorely disappointed but totally amazed at the sweety pies 1 inch long think wavy hair – we joke that we could braid it:)