As long as there have been human beings, there have been stories.
Every culture in the world has its folklore and fables, fairy tales and tall tales, myths and legends, epics and urban legends.
In a word: fantasy.
Cinderella is a great example – this is one of the oldest folk tales we know of, with countless variations in many countries. The shoes change (fur, gold, glass, leather, even sandals) and the names change (Aschenputtel, Katie Woodencloak, Yeh-Shen, Rhodopis, Domitila and Rushen-Coatie), but the bones of the story endure.
Although most of us experience stories through reading—and in the last century, via television and movies—many tales were originally passed down through generations as oral traditions. That always makes me think of the ghostly campfire stories that held me fascinated as a child, or my Welsh gramma telling me about the faery man who lived in her garden….
But regardless of the method of delivery, the point of any fantasy story is its underlying message. Wikipedia describes the theme of Cinderella as "unjust oppression and triumphant reward". In many versions, however, Cinderella didn't win simply because she was pretty under all that dirt, or because someone felt sorry for her. She chose to be patient and kind in a situation where others were not, and that is what brought her the reward in the end.
The following, from author Neil Gaiman, is one of my favorite quotes.
"Fairy tales are more than true – not because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten."
All readers, myself included, want a good story, something that takes us out of our own little world for a while. We need characters we can care about enough to root for. Add to that a sense of wonder, a little mystery and magic, and voilà, we have entertainment.
But whether we realize it or not, we're often longing for one more small but vital thing: HOPE.
One of the most appealing things about fantasy stories is the promise of hope. Hope that evil doesn't prosper forever, hope that good is eventually rewarded, hope that truth matters, that courage and honor make a difference, hope that kindness, compassion and love can win the day.
It doesn't matter if it's The Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien, or The Avengers by Marvel, or the Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews, or even Aesop's fable of The Crow and the Pitcher. If the characters overcome differences big or small, if they prevail over minor struggles or overwhelming obstacles, it makes me feel that I can too.
May you discover a story this week that brings you hope.
………………..
Note: World Folktales and Fables Week is celebrated each year during the third week of March.
………………..
THE GRIM SERIES by Dani Harper
The fae are cunning, powerful and often cruel. The most beautiful among them are often the most deadly. Hidden far beneath the mortal world, the timeless faery realm plays by its own rules—and those rules can change on a whim. Now and again, the unpredictable residents of that mystical land cross the supernatural threshold…
In this enchanting romance series, the ancient fae come face-to-face with modern-day humans and discover something far more potent than their strongest magic: love.
