Who thinks the story of Hansel and Gretel is a very strange story for little children?

Question

The step mother hates them and makes the inept father take them out in the woods to lose them. The kids find the old witch's house where she makes the girl a slave and puts the boy in a cage to fatten him up. The little girl persuades the witch to look into the furnace and then she pushes the witch in to burn to death.
Or do you think it's a fun story and kids love it? (I liked it when I was a kid)

Answer 1

In our current culture, it does seem strange. But these stories were from a different time and culture where they didn't shelter children so much. I find the stories fascinating. As someone else suggested, you may be interested in reading other stories by the Grimm brothers (I would suggest reading them privately before deciding whether or not to read them to children). My favorite book on the subject is:
"The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm" translated by Jack Zipes
http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Fairy-Tales-Brothers-All-New/dp/0553382160/sr=1-4/qid=1161087495/ref=sr_1_4/102-4917533-3530515?ie=UTF8&s=books

Answer 2

Yah, when I come to think of it, it it kind of gory and very scary for 2 little kids like Hansel and Gretel. If that happens in real life, I don't know if they would really survive because these are kids and they have nowhere else to go. But since it is a fairy tale, most kids would certainly just take the whole story without questioning the idea of it. It was kind of interesting also having a house made of candy to lure the kids and out came a very ugly witch and how the kids manage to leave a trail in order to find their way home, and having made an escape from being cooked for dinner. If we picture it in our society, there are a lot of kids out there who are victims of abuse and are being abandoned by their own parents because of poverty, which is supposedly not an excuse. I do hope the kids can learn from Hansel and Gretel, to be brave in times of distress and help each other, rather than think of the story as strange or gory.

Answer 3

Put in a nutshell as you did, the story does seem pretty gruesome!
What I remember as a kid, however, were parts you left out. I remember the path of bread crumbs they left to find their way back, I remember the angels that watched over them as they slept (from the oparatic version by Englebert Humpledink the first) and I remember the witch's house was made from candy. Burning the witch was a good thing, but yes, morbid overall.

Answer 4

I agree that it's not a good story for kids. I have written and ask about some nursery rhymes, some of them are not good for kids to hear just b 4 bed or ever.

Like Goldilocks and The 3 Bears, Little Red Riding Hood, The 3 Little Pigs, Jack & The Beanstalk Just anything that has witches or wolves scaring or eating kids.

Some Nursery Rhymes makes stepmothers look bad too

Answer 5

Many fairy tales may seem strange to us when we have become adults but they have passed the test of time without harming anyone. They were and remain delightful stories for both parents and children to enjoy realizing that they are only make-believe. Also, those stories were not nearly as terrible as some of the movies and stories that children are exposed to today. I enjoyed Hansel and Gretel as a child and I still think it is a good tale for children.

Answer 6

Try reading the original stories by the Brothers Grimm. Their name itself implies the theme. Far from the very toned down Disney versions. If you think Hansel and Gretal is strange check out the original Sleeping Beauty. In the Grimm's days it wasn't unheard of for parents to abandon their children due to starvation.
What excuses are used today?

Answer 7

Fairy tales were a way for people to express themselves in disguise. Freedom of speech and social workers were rare as sliced bread in the old days. And many morbid acts were carried out with out thought too.
Many common fairy tales can be tied to a historical morbid event. The majority of people could not read, so they used the story telling method to keep there history alive. If you know your history you have a better chance of not repeating it.
Adding fun things such as the golden crumbs and the edible houses, grabs the children's attention and teaches many hysterical lessons.

Answer 8

Most folk tales are weird--that's why they last and get told and retold.

Weirder than Hansel and Gretel (to me) is the story of Abraham hearing voices and attempting to murder his son Isaac, or of the Virgin Birth and Immaculate Conception. These stories are weirder than anything, especially the Jesus-related ones, because they are weird for weirdness' sake only. Not one hair is changed on anyone's head over these stories, yet people get all worked up about it.

Go figure.

Answer 9

As a toddler, I freaking enjoyed Amelia Bedelia and Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle memories. I examine the Berenstein Bears books. I examine a great sort of the Little Golden Books like "The Poky Little doggy" and "the rustic Mouse and the city Mouse." I enjoyed this little e book talked approximately as "everywhere in the community" the place this little lady and her mom ran errands all day. As a pre-teen, I enjoyed Judy Blume. Are You There God? that's Me Margaret became one among my popular books, alongside with Deenie, in basic terms as long as we are jointly and Tiger Eyes. And who ought to ignore the Peter Hatcher books - memories of a Fourth Grade not something and Superfudge, etc. i became additionally a extensive toddler-Sitters club and incredible 5 reader. I enjoyed Roald Dahl. I examine a great sort of Ellen Conford. My different favorites have been A Wrinkle in Time, The Westing game, something by using Beverly Cleary, Patricia Reilly Giff and the Alice sequence by using Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. I additionally enjoyed the "shoes" sequence by using Noel Streatfield. those have been large. And Mrs. Frisby and The Rats of NIMH. that's extremely taking me back. The Boxcar babies. The Pinballs by using Betsy Byars.

Answer 10

If you think about it all the kids nursery rhymes are kind of creepy. All the Disney films but one at least one parent dies....what's up with that? Yeah I liked all those when I was a kid, but kids are just accepting of what adults tell them.Now that i'm older it 's kind of wierd to hear the stories and songs we tell little ones.