Let's talk fairy tale endings
We all know that person. Either a friend or a family member that finally gets married has to tell anyone within ears reach that their relationship is perfect and they just know they will have their fairy tale ending because they spent the big dough having a fairy tale wedding, carriage and all. I can't tell you how many times I have heard a friend brag about their marriage (mostly to married couples having issues or to single friends. How crappy, right?) and how their prince charming is so wonderful and provides (by that of course I mean spoils) them with whatever their closed minds can imagine. When I hear things like this not only am I left holding in a laugh and a sarcastic remark but I am also left wondering if they have ever bothered to read a fairy tale. Fairy tales from every corner of the world are dark and exciting. They come with morals for how to live your life and the consequences that can occur when you ignore what's right and also, people die. It is impossible to have a fairy tale without a villain and if the villain is the real thing there will be a body count. Let's not forget that a lot of fairy tales are also about maidens or princes being tricked into marriage. So maybe a few people I know really did have a fairy tale ending.
Let's get one thing straight all you people who brag about your flawless (I don't have to hold in this laugh because I'm typing) marriage and perfect life and think it's okay to equate that with a fairy tale. The women in fairy tales suffer for their happiness. Period. Unless you are a near perfect, albeit naive and nosy, woman who is incapable of hurting another living soul or even speaking a bad word against someone else don't even think of comparing yourself to a fairy tale unless you want the role of the wicked stepmother or witch because the evil is the only character you could live up to. I won't name names or point fingers but every time I hear the "fairy tale ending" phrase it is coming from someone who has never suffered a day in their life. Now we all have had bad days, some of us bad years, but I'm not talking about bad luck or a bad haircut or being made fun of for living in Wonderland. I'm talking about honest to God suffering. Not Disney suffering either, though I do love Disney and think they brush the topic of evil fairly well for today's sheltered children.
I could talk about Cinderella or Snow White but why? Compared to other tales I find theirs boring and over told. I thought about writing on Psyche because Lord knows that girl suffered. Greek gods are the epitome of horrible people and I wouldn't want them as in-laws. I want to talk about a fairy tale ending that people think they know but don't. Well, a few of you might. I want to talk about Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid. If you believe Disney's version and never want to know the real story then close the window now because this ain't no happy ending, at least not in the way you're expecting.
So, what did Disney get right? The little mermaid did have older sisters, the little mermaid did indeed have the best singing voice and after a statue of the handsome prince fell into the sea did she watch him and fall in love with him and even save him from certain death. In the fable mermaids don't die and they don't have souls. In order to live as a human she would need her prince to marry her and forsake all others so that when their hands joined in marriage he could give her a soul while keeping his own intact. This little mermaid has more to lose than just love. If the prince doesn't love her she turns to sea foam like all mermaids do because they have no soul to get them into Heaven. She goes to the sea witch and instead of taking her voice the witch takes the little mermaids tongue making her dumb, and the potion she drinks to get legs makes her feel as though she has been run through with a sword. The little mermaid was also warned that walking would be horribly painful for as long as she lived. This is already too much suffering for someone you don't even know. So what does she do later on in the prince's court? Since she can't sing she dances to impress him. She really loves the prince. And she's an idiot. I digress.
Of course the prince finds her, naked on the beach, and brings her in. He says she looks familiar and wants to keep her near always so he allows her to sleep on a pillow outside of his bedroom door (how nice of him) and since she cannot talk he calls her his dumb foundling. Really sounds like prince charming huh? Needless to say he marries another royal, the wedding did take place on a ship, and here is where a real fairy tale ending comes in to play. The prince has married another so at sunrise the little mermaid will turn to sea foam but while the prince and his bride are sleeping in a tent on the ship the little mermaid's sisters show up. They sold their hair to the sea witch for something to bring their sister home. They give her a dagger. If she kills the prince before sunrise his blood will bring back her tail and she can live out her life under the sea. (Under da sea . . . under da sea) Sorry, couldn't help myself. Well she's a good girl and can't do it so at sunrise she throws the knife overboard and jumps in after where her body floats apart. But she doesn't turn to foam. She has been turned to air through her love and good deeds to the prince and now she can earn an immortal soul after three hundred years of service.
I guess Disney didn't like that ending. The little mermaid's tale is heartbreaking. The prince never loved her in that way and he had never planned to marry her and why would he when she would fawn over him and do for him without his reciprocating? She ignores those who truly love her and all she receives for her kindness is pain and suffering and then her reward is becoming air and having to work towards the chance for a soul for three hundred years. There's even something about if you run into good kids you get a year taken off of your sentence but if you run into bad kids who are crying you get a year added for every tear. I don't know how much worse her ending could get.
Her options in the end were kill the prince or die - now that's a fairy tale ending I can get behind. I personally would have killed the prince.
Remember the Little Mermaid when you think about calling your life and marriage a fairy tale because you know if you wish for something hard enough you just might get it.
Let's get one thing straight all you people who brag about your flawless (I don't have to hold in this laugh because I'm typing) marriage and perfect life and think it's okay to equate that with a fairy tale. The women in fairy tales suffer for their happiness. Period. Unless you are a near perfect, albeit naive and nosy, woman who is incapable of hurting another living soul or even speaking a bad word against someone else don't even think of comparing yourself to a fairy tale unless you want the role of the wicked stepmother or witch because the evil is the only character you could live up to. I won't name names or point fingers but every time I hear the "fairy tale ending" phrase it is coming from someone who has never suffered a day in their life. Now we all have had bad days, some of us bad years, but I'm not talking about bad luck or a bad haircut or being made fun of for living in Wonderland. I'm talking about honest to God suffering. Not Disney suffering either, though I do love Disney and think they brush the topic of evil fairly well for today's sheltered children.
I could talk about Cinderella or Snow White but why? Compared to other tales I find theirs boring and over told. I thought about writing on Psyche because Lord knows that girl suffered. Greek gods are the epitome of horrible people and I wouldn't want them as in-laws. I want to talk about a fairy tale ending that people think they know but don't. Well, a few of you might. I want to talk about Hans Christian Anderson's Little Mermaid. If you believe Disney's version and never want to know the real story then close the window now because this ain't no happy ending, at least not in the way you're expecting.
So, what did Disney get right? The little mermaid did have older sisters, the little mermaid did indeed have the best singing voice and after a statue of the handsome prince fell into the sea did she watch him and fall in love with him and even save him from certain death. In the fable mermaids don't die and they don't have souls. In order to live as a human she would need her prince to marry her and forsake all others so that when their hands joined in marriage he could give her a soul while keeping his own intact. This little mermaid has more to lose than just love. If the prince doesn't love her she turns to sea foam like all mermaids do because they have no soul to get them into Heaven. She goes to the sea witch and instead of taking her voice the witch takes the little mermaids tongue making her dumb, and the potion she drinks to get legs makes her feel as though she has been run through with a sword. The little mermaid was also warned that walking would be horribly painful for as long as she lived. This is already too much suffering for someone you don't even know. So what does she do later on in the prince's court? Since she can't sing she dances to impress him. She really loves the prince. And she's an idiot. I digress.
Of course the prince finds her, naked on the beach, and brings her in. He says she looks familiar and wants to keep her near always so he allows her to sleep on a pillow outside of his bedroom door (how nice of him) and since she cannot talk he calls her his dumb foundling. Really sounds like prince charming huh? Needless to say he marries another royal, the wedding did take place on a ship, and here is where a real fairy tale ending comes in to play. The prince has married another so at sunrise the little mermaid will turn to sea foam but while the prince and his bride are sleeping in a tent on the ship the little mermaid's sisters show up. They sold their hair to the sea witch for something to bring their sister home. They give her a dagger. If she kills the prince before sunrise his blood will bring back her tail and she can live out her life under the sea. (Under da sea . . . under da sea) Sorry, couldn't help myself. Well she's a good girl and can't do it so at sunrise she throws the knife overboard and jumps in after where her body floats apart. But she doesn't turn to foam. She has been turned to air through her love and good deeds to the prince and now she can earn an immortal soul after three hundred years of service.
I guess Disney didn't like that ending. The little mermaid's tale is heartbreaking. The prince never loved her in that way and he had never planned to marry her and why would he when she would fawn over him and do for him without his reciprocating? She ignores those who truly love her and all she receives for her kindness is pain and suffering and then her reward is becoming air and having to work towards the chance for a soul for three hundred years. There's even something about if you run into good kids you get a year taken off of your sentence but if you run into bad kids who are crying you get a year added for every tear. I don't know how much worse her ending could get.
Her options in the end were kill the prince or die - now that's a fairy tale ending I can get behind. I personally would have killed the prince.
Remember the Little Mermaid when you think about calling your life and marriage a fairy tale because you know if you wish for something hard enough you just might get it.
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