1.07.2006

Geschichten Ihnen


Nothing is quite as creepy as German fairy-tales. They focus mostly on "good" manners and the things that happen to unruly children, and most offences end in disfigurement or death. Take, for example, Der Struwwelpeter written by (von) Heinrich Hoffman. Evidently (according to Wikipedia) Hoffmann was unimpressed by other children's stories at the time, and took it upon himself to write a satisfactory one. And Oh how satisfactory it was. It supposedly influenced Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (bad children getting theirs). Der Struwwelpeter himself is a child who is gross and unclean. His nails are long and twisted, his hair a mass of tangles. He's a creep.

My favorite story, Die gar traurige Geschichte mit dem Feuerzeug, "The Tragic Story with/of the Matches", or The Dreadful Story of Pauline and the Matches", is about a girl, Little Pauline, who plays with matches when she is home alone. Of course, the pussy-cats tell her not to , and self immolation ensues.

There are some other stories, like a child who sucks his thumbs against his mother's warning, causing a tailor to come in and cut off his thumbs with rather large scissors.

This grouping of stories is a great gift for a child, really.

Alen's Post Edit:

Speaking of European Fairy Tales, I've been obsessed with Babayaga lately. For those of you who don't remember, she's a russian hag who lives in the woods. Unlike more western witches, Babayaga rides a fucking flying mortar and pestal, and lives in a house with chicken legs. Seriously, I love how tattoo worthy she is, whether it's just a portrait of Babayaga flying across your chest or getting BABAYAGA tatooed on your knuckles. Anyone wanna help me dress up as her house for Halloween?

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