For a few times, I tried telling Athalia some stories during bedtime. And being the fairy tale sucker that I am, only stories like Snow White, Beauty and the Beast, Little Red Riding Hood come to mind when it’s story-telling time.
But I always find myself revising the stories midway. I’d realize all too late that I need to make up the main body of the tale. Either that or I’d suddenly stop and say I’d tell her a different story.
For instance, three nights ago, Athalia asked me to tell her a story. I asked whose story she wanted to hear. She said Cinderella’s.
“Once upon a time, there was a nobleman and his wife. They had a beautiful little girl, named…uhm…Ella.”
Thought bubble: Okay, now, how would I explain later why she became Cinderella when her name’s Ella? Would she understand the word ‘cinder’?
“While Ella was a little girl, her mama died.”
Thought bubble: Wait a minute, my kid doesn’t understand the concept of death. How do I explain it?
And because she’s still two years old, she doens’t ask too many questions just yet. So on with the story I go.
“When Ella’s mama died, her papa married another woman. Her stepmother was so wicked… wicked… you know, like a moomoo.”
Thought bubble: Do 2-year-olds understand the concept of a parent remarrying another? She doesn’t even understand marriage at all. Does she know what a stepmother means? Much more a WICKED step
mother? Oh, crap, just tell her another tale.
“You know what, babe, let’s do Snow White. Snow White is actually more interesting. She’s your favorite, right? Here goes… Once upon a time, there was a king and a queen. They lived in a big and beautiful castle. They had a beautiful baby, whose skin was as white as snow. You know snow right? They named her Snow White. But when Snow White was little, her mama… erm… uh… her mama died. And her papa… uh…er… her papa married again. But her… uhm… stepmother… was… wicked… You know wicked, bad… like a moomoo…”
“You know what, Athalia? Let’s go to sleep. I’ll tell you another story next time. I’ll tell you the story of the Little Mermaid, okay?”
Thought bubble: Little Mermaid’s mama had died, too, you know. And so had Belle’s. Waa!
Tags: athalia, fairy tales, storytelling
