fairy tales - quotes and descriptions to inspire creative writing

So, there's Handsel and Gretel, who are neglected, emotionally abused and abandoned, who get lost and go to the can-die house with a psychopathic monster, one who uses sweetness as a mask over evil. It's a horror story of what parental neglect and emotional indifference does, leading the kids into a dark place and robbing them of even the most meagre trail "home"... the route to love and emotional safety, security, trust and self esteem. Sometimes all we can offer is the a "bag of bread crumbs" ... stories of how we made it home from the woods when we were all alone... but that's a start. Sometimes we can hold out a hand, offer arms to hug, be patient while their heart heals and expels the storms caused by the cruelty of indifference. Some stories are for the kids, but perhaps some are really for the parents.

After dinner it’s time for some tall tales of bravery, we model how to overcome fear and win, we show them from a young age that fear is an illusion and love is real and can be trusted, always. I can’t tell the kids the tales I heard as a little girl, they were part of the fear culture. The things I learnt from them weren’t healthy at all, horror stories for babies. Perhaps it was the logical reaction of loving parents in a psychopathic culture to start the conditioning from as early as possible, teach them the culturally accepted responses to fear - run, hide, build a big house, ingratiate yourself to someone rich, you can’t trust your parents…

You think I’m kidding? I’m not. What is there to learn from the three little pigs? They are forced to leave home into an unsafe world. They are poorly prepared and eaten by a wolf who tries to trick them. So who, in this story, is the child supposed to identify with? The pigs? I do hope they didn’t have bacon for breakfast. How about Cinderella? Your mother, the most important anchor of love you have in this world, could die and be replaced by someone who hates you. Then your father will be too weak willed to stand up for you and will let you suffer. This story is a tale of fear and betrayal - the key lesson being not to trust love. That’s a horror story for a kid if ever I heard one. Let’s try Hansel and Gretel, again, your mom will die, the new mom will try to kill you, your father will be too weak to protect you. You will be tricked and trapped by a witch who wants to eat you and you will have to rescue yourselves because Daddy isn’t coming. How messed up is that? No wonder we grow up to watch CSI and programs about “Special Victims.” We’re brought up on fear, conditioned by our own families and schools.