tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post7659704947347055478..comments2024-03-26T02:27:06.176-05:00Comments on Tales of Faerie: Very Tiny ChildrenKristinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-86354022750482987952015-08-26T08:54:24.239-05:002015-08-26T08:54:24.239-05:00I read The Borrowers when I was a kid and I rememb...I read The Borrowers when I was a kid and I remember loving it!! That book, however, felt more "secure," because it was a family of tiny people who had all adapted and though there were dangers, they were in it together, whereas Thumbelina is out all on her own and doesn't even know there's other people like her until the very end.<br /><br />You know what else I loved as a child..."Honey I Shrunk the Kids"! I loved seeing the simple world of a suburban backyard through the eyes of newly shrunken children! I'm sure there are more stories of very tiny people I can't think of at the moment...but maybe I was more drawn to this theme than I realized!<br /><br />But yes, even as an adult I can definitely relate to feeling helpless and/or powerless sometimes. But there is always Hope!Kristinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-35342799466317673002015-08-25T17:33:03.243-05:002015-08-25T17:33:03.243-05:00Have you read the book the Borrowers or seen the m...Have you read the book the Borrowers or seen the movie the Secret World of Arrietty? It's about tiny people and is a darling story.<br />I've always loved the story of Thumbelina because I relate to feeling so small and helpless in such a big world.Emilyn J Cloverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00892659942186331664noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-54766153234157795082015-08-15T09:50:15.127-05:002015-08-15T09:50:15.127-05:00For sure the difficulty aspect sets Thumbelina apa...For sure the difficulty aspect sets Thumbelina apart...in fact, most fairy tales are about the underdog overcoming challenges and rising to the top; the youngest son assumed to be the simpleton, the persecuted stepdaughter, the lost children in the woods. I've heard it said before that the reason most fairy tales have children as protagonists is not because they're exclusively for children, but because we connect with children in terms of feeling powerless against other authorities/circumstances. I'm sure there are times when we all feel "small" and intimidated by the evils and unknown in the world, so fairy tales like this give us courage.<br /><br />Also...I love your blog! Especially your "Good News of the Day" feature. As someone who tends to get really depressed when I listen to the news, I love that you take the time to find positive things going on in the world, it's so encouraging! I read lots of style blogs and this is the first time there's been a crossover from the style blog world into the fairy tale blog world!Kristinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-88574984568395978962015-08-14T11:45:38.114-05:002015-08-14T11:45:38.114-05:00It's so funny that you write this, because I h...It's so funny that you write this, because I have always loved fairy tales with tiny protagonists (Thumbelina by far being one of my favorites). Maybe because it adds an element of difficulty in the struggle? We perceive them to have to work harder, to be disadvantaged. I'm not sure, there's also the magical and fantastical angle you could argue for. It's definitely something I've never really thought about..<br /><br /><a href="http://www.buttonsandbirdcages.com" rel="nofollow">Miche from Buttons and Birdcages</a>MIchehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03410827801656477881noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-41884439592322961672015-08-14T11:00:31.593-05:002015-08-14T11:00:31.593-05:00That's a very good interpretation of Thumbelin...That's a very good interpretation of Thumbelina. Even though we're much better now about providing equal upbringings for children of both genders, the fact is, girls are still physically weaker and more delicate than boys; they tend to be shorter and smaller, and sadly they're still more likely to be physically overpowered and/or taken advantage of sexually. Watching your daughter mature is probably a lot like letting this beautiful, innocent being out into a dangerous world (and to most parents, their daughter will always be a little girl in their eyes, to some extent). Letting go is always hard, especially knowing you can't protect them forever...<br /><br />I will have to look more into illustrations for Thumbelina! It's a tale I haven't spent as much time with as others so there's lots to explore still!Kristinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-63420529031194480832015-08-14T10:49:55.370-05:002015-08-14T10:49:55.370-05:00You know what, you're right, I just assumed fr...You know what, you're right, I just assumed from the title that Hop-o-my-Thumb was also literally thumb sized. Wikipedia says: "The beginning mentions that "le petit Poucet" was no bigger than a man's thumb when he was born. However, it seems that for the remainder of the story, the protagonist is just a small child, and the tale bears no resemblance to Tom Thumb. As is the nature of traditional stories, passed on orally, the beginning passage might be a remnant from an older tale, ancestral to both Hop-o'-My-Thumb and Tom Thumb."<br /><br />However, being as small as a thumb even as a newborn is extremely tiny. Even if he isn't quite as exaggerated in his smallness as other fairy tale characters the theme of being able to outsmart a villain in spite of his disadvantages is there, so there's definitely similarities.<br /><br />Thanks for bringing that to my attention!Kristinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01097525403940409218noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-86198125502290623372015-08-13T16:10:39.679-05:002015-08-13T16:10:39.679-05:00I had no idea Hop-o-my-Thumb was supposed to be ti...I had no idea Hop-o-my-Thumb was supposed to be tiny. I knew he was smaller than his siblings, but I didn't think he was "Tom Thumb" tiny.Adam Hoffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16129844426168129584noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6968132365438511409.post-25579023325812225322015-08-12T19:40:33.615-05:002015-08-12T19:40:33.615-05:00Gosh, it's been a while since I read anyone co...Gosh, it's been a while since I read anyone commenting on Thumbelina - thank you!<br />Have you ever considered that Thumbelina's story might actually be a mother recounting her perspective of her daughter being born and maturing/becoming independent? That's how I tend to look at the tale since having my own kid. Though a daughter's journey is still very different from a son's (despite our supposedly enlightened and equality-prevailing time), the feelings of a precious and fragile being overcoming obstacles above and below,inner world and outer, is usually the same from a mother's perspective, as is the heartbreak of watching your child trying to find their place when they are different to those around them for whatever reason.<br />In FT illustrations for Thumbelina, I love that there are so many variations of the complete and enraptured delight of the mother as she looks upon her daughter in the flower for the first time. I have to wonder if some of the reference models and photos weren't of mothers looking at their newborns...<br />Thanks for this post! <3Gypsy Thorntonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05376146830985305127noreply@blogger.com