As children we are told stories about knight's in shining armor saving the princess to evil step-mother's (even the actual mother) seeking to kill her child out of hatred. However, we are told tales that have been heard by children ages ago. Folk stories served to present an underlying moral or lesson to not only children, but to anyone who heard them. For me, five different folklores have driven me to be the person I am and have taught me how to see people around me.
The Ballad of Mulan is about a girl who goes to war disguised as a man in place of her father. She fights nobly to the point that by the end of her service the emperor of China offers her a position as one of his minister's but she refuses and returns home to her family. The importance of this story to me was that this is a legend that portrays a woman who risked her identity being revealed in order to keep her home and family safe from the enemy. Not only is Mulan presented as this strong, female character but for me she was my idol. I can't remember how many times I would watch the Disney film adaptation of ballad; she was one of the few Disney female protagonists who didn't need saving because she was the one who was doing all the fighting.
In Little Red Riding Hood by the Brothers Grimm, Little Red Riding Hood is sent out by her mother to deliver some food to her grandmother who lives on the other side of the forest. On her way she runs into the Big Bad Wolf, who asks her where he is heading. Without thinking Red tells him where she's going. He tells her to pick some flowers, and as he is doing so he slips away to her grandmother's house. When Red arrives, the wolf is disguised as the grandmother (the real one is in a closet) and just as the wolf is about to pounce on Red, a lumber jack rushed into the house and kills the wolf. This story serves to remind us that we should never trust strangers, especially when we are all alone. For me, the tale taught me to be cautious of whom I meet in public, say, if an adult came up to me while my mom was in the store and asked me if I wanted candy. I, like most children, have been brought up to say no. Sadly, in the world we live in, we do not know anymore who is true and we have to expect the worst in people before the better.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Aseop is tale about a shepherd boy is responsible for a big flock of sheep for a small village. It is also his responsibility to look out for wolves and shout for help from the villagers. The boy for fun would cry wolf just to get a laugh at the worried and flustered villagers who would go up the hill to help. This taught me that little white lies have not so little consequences if one keeps up with them. It also taught me to be careful of what I say because how would people know if what I am saying is the truth or another lie.
The Little Mermaid is that focuses on a rebellious young mermaid who wants to become human in order to be with a human prince she saw and to have an eternal soul (instead to turning into sea foam, which is what happens in mer-people die). To fulfill this dream, the little mermaid consults a sea witch who is willing to turn her into a human only if the mermaid gives up her voice. Also, in her human form, the little mermaid has only three days to get the prince to marry her. If not, then she will die of a broken heart and become sea foam. Sadly, the prince married a princess, not her, and she can only go back to the sea and be a mermaid against if she kills the prince and let his blood drip. She refuses, throwing herself off the wedding barge, dissolving into sea foam as the sun rises on the third day, but instead of dying, she becomes an air spirit. The other spirits who welcome her tell her that her selflessness is what earned her this path. To me, this story has taught me you cannot let your heart blind you from what your mind is telling you is right.
These five folk tales, all drawn from different time periods and different parts of the world, have taught me many things. The Ballad of Mulan has taught me that when you set out to do something, never forget the reason why you were doing it, like Mulan, she did not let fame keep her from returning home to her family. Little Red Riding Hood taught me to be cautious of strangers and what you say to strangers. It also taught me that wearing contrasting colors in a contrasting setting will definitely draw attention. The Boy Who Cried Wolf taught me to be careful of what I saw and that little white lies are dangerous; when the boy truly shouted for help, no one believe him because they thought he was trying to joke around again. The Little Prince taught me that you have to allow children to dream and be passionate about whatever they want to be passionate about. The tale has also taught me that parents are to care and love their children, not dictate their future career when they are only five years old. Then, the Little Mermaid taught me two things: one, know that whatever you get yourself into always has a cost and two, my mind is wiser and usually always right in comparison to my heart because the heart can blind your decisions.
The Ballad of Mulan is about a girl who goes to war disguised as a man in place of her father. She fights nobly to the point that by the end of her service the emperor of China offers her a position as one of his minister's but she refuses and returns home to her family. The importance of this story to me was that this is a legend that portrays a woman who risked her identity being revealed in order to keep her home and family safe from the enemy. Not only is Mulan presented as this strong, female character but for me she was my idol. I can't remember how many times I would watch the Disney film adaptation of ballad; she was one of the few Disney female protagonists who didn't need saving because she was the one who was doing all the fighting.
In Little Red Riding Hood by the Brothers Grimm, Little Red Riding Hood is sent out by her mother to deliver some food to her grandmother who lives on the other side of the forest. On her way she runs into the Big Bad Wolf, who asks her where he is heading. Without thinking Red tells him where she's going. He tells her to pick some flowers, and as he is doing so he slips away to her grandmother's house. When Red arrives, the wolf is disguised as the grandmother (the real one is in a closet) and just as the wolf is about to pounce on Red, a lumber jack rushed into the house and kills the wolf. This story serves to remind us that we should never trust strangers, especially when we are all alone. For me, the tale taught me to be cautious of whom I meet in public, say, if an adult came up to me while my mom was in the store and asked me if I wanted candy. I, like most children, have been brought up to say no. Sadly, in the world we live in, we do not know anymore who is true and we have to expect the worst in people before the better.
The Boy Who Cried Wolf by Aseop is tale about a shepherd boy is responsible for a big flock of sheep for a small village. It is also his responsibility to look out for wolves and shout for help from the villagers. The boy for fun would cry wolf just to get a laugh at the worried and flustered villagers who would go up the hill to help. This taught me that little white lies have not so little consequences if one keeps up with them. It also taught me to be careful of what I say because how would people know if what I am saying is the truth or another lie.
The Little Mermaid is that focuses on a rebellious young mermaid who wants to become human in order to be with a human prince she saw and to have an eternal soul (instead to turning into sea foam, which is what happens in mer-people die). To fulfill this dream, the little mermaid consults a sea witch who is willing to turn her into a human only if the mermaid gives up her voice. Also, in her human form, the little mermaid has only three days to get the prince to marry her. If not, then she will die of a broken heart and become sea foam. Sadly, the prince married a princess, not her, and she can only go back to the sea and be a mermaid against if she kills the prince and let his blood drip. She refuses, throwing herself off the wedding barge, dissolving into sea foam as the sun rises on the third day, but instead of dying, she becomes an air spirit. The other spirits who welcome her tell her that her selflessness is what earned her this path. To me, this story has taught me you cannot let your heart blind you from what your mind is telling you is right.
These five folk tales, all drawn from different time periods and different parts of the world, have taught me many things. The Ballad of Mulan has taught me that when you set out to do something, never forget the reason why you were doing it, like Mulan, she did not let fame keep her from returning home to her family. Little Red Riding Hood taught me to be cautious of strangers and what you say to strangers. It also taught me that wearing contrasting colors in a contrasting setting will definitely draw attention. The Boy Who Cried Wolf taught me to be careful of what I saw and that little white lies are dangerous; when the boy truly shouted for help, no one believe him because they thought he was trying to joke around again. The Little Prince taught me that you have to allow children to dream and be passionate about whatever they want to be passionate about. The tale has also taught me that parents are to care and love their children, not dictate their future career when they are only five years old. Then, the Little Mermaid taught me two things: one, know that whatever you get yourself into always has a cost and two, my mind is wiser and usually always right in comparison to my heart because the heart can blind your decisions.