Ani's Summer Friday Faves: Favourite Fairytales

My Favourite Fairytales:

Hans Christian Anderson's The Wild Swans begins like many: widowed King marries wicked woman. The Queen turns his sons into swans but his daughter is too good and pure to be changed into a swan. She ends up having to spin stinging nettle sweaters for her brothers to save them. I love love love it.

It is also how I came upon Juliet Marillier's Daughter of the Forest which is based on this fairytale. I like the fairytale quality of her writing and have read most of her books (if not all).

Snow White and Red Rose. I am unsure who was the first to write this tale. Online it says Brothers Grimm is the most famous version. I have a copy of the story on cloth paper from the twenties that had been my Great Aunt's. It's in my hope chest to stay safe and in mint condition but as a child I read it hundreds of times.

The story again starts like most fairytales: DEAD MOM. Two beautiful sisters live in the forest with their father. One is blond and the other has dark hair. The father plants a rose bush for each child (white for Snow White and Red for Red Rose). As they are in the forest they come across a grumpy mischievous dwarf over and over and they need to continually help him. Also one cold day there is a bear who comes and stays with them for refuge in their cabin. I won't ruin the story for you but I adore it.

*Above are pics of two newer versions of The Wild Swans and Snow White and Red Rose. This Wild Swan set has gorgeous illustrations and I have it up as art.