Have you ever wondered why fairy tales are so tragic? I have, and lately I have been quite startled by this bizarre fact. Reading those tales out loud for my little son I cannot help but wonder as to why, people would write down such melancholy tales for innocent young minds. And the irony - we sing them out for our little ones, dancing and clapping to all the sadness therein.
If you still have difficulty ascertaining what I intend to drag your attention to then behold,
Humpty dumpty had a great fall.....
Jack fell down and broke his crown and Jill came tumbling after......
Little Miss Muffet...there came a big spider.... and frightened Miss Muffet away....
Little Bo-peep has lost her sheep..
Rock-a-bye baby on the tree top....when the bough breaks the cradle will fall...down will come baby cradle and all..
Ladybird, ladybird....your house is on fire and your children are gone...
Ring-a-ring o' roses..A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down..
There was an old women....had so many children, didn't know what to do.
Now here we are...rhymes that we sing to amuse our tiny tots are all surprisingly, drenched in a pool of accidents and bruises and burns and sadness....
Ironic isnt it?
Enlighten me with your thoughts on it.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteThis is indeed a good point that you have raised here on this forum. I believe that these rhymes try to give the young ones a sense of what life actually is at a very early age. Also, the words highlighted above are emphasized when most people sing the poems, and the actions, for instance on "fall down". are what amuse tots the most.
The irony is that although we realize the negative aspect of these rhymes, we still sing them to the kids. The question here is, what are we as concerned parents doing to make a difference?
Yes thats the exact question that keeps ringing in my head. Do we need to rewrite tales or sing the old ones with just the right set of emotions and actions? Or...may be grief occupies an integral part on the canvas of life and learning to cope with it with a smile on your face is just what these tales purport. And as the law of nature stands, its indeed after a fall that we learn to rise and walk again.
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