Windycon

Throughout history, children have been told stories. Sometimes the stories were for pure entertainment, to help pass the long winter nights. Sometimes the stories were intended to teach life lessons, about the dangers in the woods, or to help explain the world around them. These stories were passed on from one generation to the next, by word of mouth. In the early 1800’s the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm decided to collect up these folktales, and write them down. In 1812 they published Kinder- und Hausmärchen, or Children’s and Household Tales. What we refer to today as Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The original tales, as the Grimm brothers wrote them down, were nothing like the sparkly, sanitized versions we see today. The Little Mermaid never got her prince, and eventually committed suicide. The wicked step-sisters in Cinderella mutilated their own feet to try to fit into the glass slipper. The wolf didn’t swallow the grandmother whole, he made stew out of her, and then fed the stew to Little Red Riding Hood. For Windycon 41, we will take a look at the darker side of fables and folklore. Put on your red cloak, bring your big bad wolf, and join us for some Grimm Tales.