Her Book Self

Snow White and Rose Red by The Brothers Grimm is the type of story that I think of when I think of fairy tales as bedtime stories.  There are lovable main characters, some mild peril, mythical creatures, magic, a happily ever after ending and some lessons learned along the way.  I vaguely remember this story from my childhood and I think if I had been more familiar with it, it would have been one of my favorites since it centers on a pair of sisters.  I'm from a family of four children and have always been close to my siblings.  I love the way this story opens with the relationship of the sisters,

...two children who were like the two rose-trees, and one was called Snow-white, and the other Rose- red. They were as good and happy, as busy and cheerful as ever two children in the world were, only Snow-white was more quiet and gentle than Rose-red. Rose-red liked better to run about in the meadows and fields seeking flowers and catching butterflies; but Snow-white sat at home with her mother, and helped her with her housework, or read to her when there was nothing to do.
The two children were so fond of one another that they always held each other by the hand when they went out together, and when Snow- white said: ’We will not leave each other,’ Rose-red answered: ’Never so long as we live,’ and their mother would add: ’What one has she must share with the other.’

Granted, my siblings and I were not so polarized, we each had a little Snow White and Rose-Red in us, but I love the friendship and unity between them and I like that right from the start, a moral about sharing is introduced.   As the story proceeds the two girls learn another lesson about fear and not judging things by appearances only.  Their adventure continues and the youngsters find themselves in a situation (a fairy-tale-appropriate three times) to come to the aid of a curmudgeonly dwarf.  Each time they rescue him, he curses their actions and grumbles at them.  This might be my favorite lesson of the tale because the children do good with no reward.  I think it is a poignant moral that helping others is always right, even when we are not thanked or appreciated for what we do.  Also, the ungrateful dwarf gets his own just reward and the generous girls are given a lovely version of happily ever after.

What are your thoughts on the tale of Snow White and Rose Red?  Do you have a favorite moral or theme from this story?  Share your thoughts here or link up with your own post to join the Fairy Tale Fridays Fun!

Fairy Tale Fridays is a weekly meme hosted by Tif of Tif Talks Books!  Check out Tif's post for the upcoming stories in December!  Join in with posts of your own and check out the other blogs involved!