What was your favorite fairy tale that we read?
Julia (13): "'The Little Mermaid' was my favorite one. It was very interesting to hear the original and compare it to the Disney version."
Gabe (11): "I thought 'The Emperor Who paraded Naked' was funny.' The people didn't see any clothes so they all thought they were dumb. So they just pretended that they saw them."
Evy (8): "I like 'Little Tiny.' It's a cute story and I like the funny toads! Everyone wants to marry her! I also liked that she helped the swallow."
Daniel (6): "Mine was 'The Ugly Duckling' because it was happy at the end. It was kind of sad when people picked at him but he got to stay with a cat and a hen and a grandma. At the end when it was happy he was actually a beautiful swan!"
Michael (6): "'Little Tiny' was my favorite. I like that her traveled all they way with this bird to an island."
Mom's Notes: We're planning a trip out to California's Central Coast to visit our dear friends the Mathews. We booked a little vacation home in the charming Danish town of Solvang, which we have visited a few times in the past. I remember visiting the Hans Christian Andersen Museum, seeing the monument to him in the park, and stopping by the replica of The Little Mermaid fountain. All this inspired me to dust off the beautiful compilation of his tales that I brought home from Grandma's Logan shelves as she was moving. I prepped the kids for stories that wouldn't always end "happily ever after," like most of the versions they are used to. We read about a dozen, really only tapping the surface. But we made sure to spend time with the most enduring tales like "The Ugly Duckling," "The Princess and the Pea," "The Nightingale," "Little Tiny or Thumbelina," "The Emperor's New Suit," and "The Little Mermaid." "The Little Match-Seller" was beautiful and had us in tears. But we also enjoyed unexpected and thought-provoking treasures like "The Pen and the Inkstand," "The Conceited Apple-Branch," "The Mail Coach Passengers," and "The Loveliest Rose in the World."
I'll end with a nostalgic note about "The Little Mermaid." I remember Grandma Julie sending a card in the mail for my 9th or 10th birthday, letting me know that she'd soon be in town and had a special gift just for me: a reading of the original story of "The Little Mermaid" together. I remember looking forward to this time with Grandma - rare and precious quality time for any grandchild - but especially a twin! It was dark outside when she arrived. We snuggled under the pink canopy of my bed and she read the sweet and sad tale by lamplight. I still have memories of images that passed through my mind as she read. But mostly I remember how loved and special I felt that night. She went on to have some one-on-one time with Emily and taught her to crochet a rag rug. How insightful it was of Grandma to cater to us twins individually, and to choose an activity so well-suited to each. I related this memory to my kids and we cozied up on my bed, closed the blinds, and read the story by lamplight from the same pages Grandma did.
Note: We had a lovely time in Solvang! We did see the fountain and monument in the park. Unfortunately the HCA museum was closed due to COVID-19 restrictions. Next time! Ooh, as a bonus we spotted several (fake) storks in wagon wheel nests on the rooftops!
