Les Poissonchats

Ah, the gingerbread house – who wouldn’t fall for it? Hansel and Gretel isn’t in my top ten fairytales, but when I think about it, the story is full of intriguing elements: the sweets, the woods, the black cat, and a witch in the stove. I’m sure she rose out of that one like a… Read more

Snow White couldn’t resist the apple – who could, when it looked that perfect? As for me, I have a tiny apple-related childhood trauma: whenever chocolate appeared, an apple had to be eaten first. For My Health, apparently. Which is why apples feel vaguely medicinal to me to this day – and therefore best avoided:… Read more

My all time favourite – likely a variant of the French Lusignan cycle (see no 3) – goes like this: A herdsman/cowboy leaves a bowl of cream on the doorstep of his mountain cabin each night for the dragon-fairy who dwells nearby, as was the custom of the old days. One day, quite by accident,… Read more

Do you know the tale of Seven-at-One-Stroke? It begins with a meek little tailor who, one day, cut himself a splendid slice of bread, buttered it generously, and heaped it with jam. Just as he opened his mouth to take a bite, the seven pesky flies that had pestered him all afternoon and wouldn’t let… Read more

Mother used to say we reminded her of Little Red Riding Hood whenever we went to visit Grandfather, for we always carried a basket full of good things to eat for him – thankfully, with no wolf involved.  Not long ago I asked her what his favourite cake had been, the one he’d ask Grandmother… Read more

There’s the tale of Goldmarie, who tumbled down a well into Lady Holle’s land. There she helped around the house, shook the pillows out the window so snow would fall upon the world, tickled the apple tree until it dropped its ripe fruit into her basket, and rescued the loaves that screamed to be taken… Read more