Books and stories were not only some of my best friends, they were my teachers and at times, my family and my parents too.
This morning posting and reading and I was thinking about Hans Christian Anderson's The Little Mirmaid. At this moment, it was my favorite childhood story. I was particularly happy about the suprise ending:
On the ship, the Little Mermaid realizes that this is her last night on earth and remembers with sorrow all that she had given up for the Prince. Her sisters then appear and they tell her that they have sold their hair to the Sea Witch in exchange for a magic knife. If she kills the Prince with it, she will become a mermaid again. The Little Mermaid cannot bring herself to do so, and throws herself over the deck, prepared to die. However, because of her self sacrifice, she does not die and instead she becomes a "Daughter of the Air." Another Daughter of the Air tells her that she will gain an eternal soul through 300 years worth of good deeds. When a child is bad, the Daughters of the Air shed tears, for each tear a day is added to their time on earth, but when a child is good, a Daughter of the Air smiles, and a year is taken off from her time on earth, and will eventually go to heaven.
I think that in my children's version of the book, the 'Daughters of the Air' didn't have to pay for other's bad behavior or earn their souls, they just flew around,seeing people, doing good deeds, working as a team and enjoying each other's company. That sounded more fun to me than either being the youngest sister forever or life with the Prince.
I loved how the ending wasn't foreshadowed at all - it just appeared out of nowhere just when it was needed - like the Davidson Young Scholars or this Forum came to my rescue so many years ago.And like this forum, flying all over and seeing in to everyone's families and helping and enjoying the company of you 'Daughters and Sons of Cyber-Air' has been more fun than I ever expected.
So my question is: What was your favorite childhood story, and in what ways has it come true, or do you hope it will come true, for you.
Love and More Love,
Grinity
