They are essential, timeless and mark our childhood. Perrault’s tales cross generations and shape the imagination of the little ones. Donkey skin, little thumb, little red riding hood, fairies … Find these stories to tell your children.
Essentials, Tales by Charles Perrault are essential in the library of our children. The little red riding hood, the little thumb, the sleeping beauty, cinderella or the small glass slipper, donkey skin, fairies, blue beard, kicked cat.. These stories undoubtedly mark the imagination of toddlers, by making them travel through very specific, but sometimes cruel universes. These tales are nevertheless engraved in memory, so much so that parents tell them to their children, from generation to generation. Review of the tales of Perrault, to read absolutely to your toddlers, starting of course with “Once upon a time…”.
The history of Red ride is one of Charles Perrault’s most popular tales. He stages a little girl who crosses the forest to visit his sick grandmother, bringing her a pancake and a small pot of butter, delightfully prepared by his mother. On her way, she meets a wolf, who dares not make her meal because of the loggers present in the woods. He then inquired about the address of his grandmother, and pretended to be the little girl arriving in front of her door. After making a bite, the wolf takes the place of the old lady, to wait for the little red riding hood, and devour her in turn! A story certainly cruel, but which allows children to teach to be wary of strangers. Note, that there is a more recent version, that of the Grimm brothers, which ends on a “happy ending”: the little red riding hood and its grandmother are delivered by a providential hunter.
From 3 to 7 years old.
A couple of loggers not having enough resources to feed their seven children decides to abandon them in the forest. But that was without counting on the latest, nicknamed The little thumb. After surprising the conversation, he provided with small pebbles which he sows behind him, to better spot his path with his brothers. Once back at home, parents are finally happy to find them because, in the meantime, their financial situation has evolved. But this happiness only lasts a time. This time, the father decides to close the door to prevent the little thumb from taking stones. Instead, the boy tries to drop small pieces of bread .. eaten by birds. Lost in the forest, the brothers decide to enter a cottage in which a ogre lives, which devours children … A story full of twists and turns, through which the main character continues to be malicious to save his brothers from the dangers they encounter.
Through this tale, Charles Perrault addresses incestuous relationships. Donkey skin is the story of a king whose woman is dying. After making him the promise he would take as a woman a woman more beautiful than the queen, he asks for the hand of his own daughter. The young woman’s godmother advises her to escape this union. After sacrificing her donkey, the princess fled from the castle by putting on the skin of the animal. She then became a servant in another kingdom, in which a prince lives she will eventually marry. Through this tale, donkey skin is courageous to escape from a destiny that she did not choose. His efforts rewarded with a true love invite little readers to listen to their hearts and not to be done.
Published in 1697, this tale highlighted a commoner to The blue beardwhich makes it particularly ugly and nasty. His women being discreet, he offers his neighbors to marry him, but none is seduced. One of them, attracted by its riches, ends up accepting. When he goes on a trip, Beard Bleue entrusts the keys of the castle to his new wife, forbidden him to enter a certain room. But this one, far too curious, cannot help but take a look at it. She then discovers there all the previous wives hanging on a wall. On his return, Bluebeard is furious to see that his wife betrayed him, and tries to slaughter him. But the story ends well: saved by her brothers who came to visit him, the young woman ultimately inherits the fortune of a blue beard. She can now help her brothers and sisters in their respective lives, and ends up marrying an honest man who makes her happy.
The master cat or the booted cat tells the story of a cunning cat who does not hesitate to lie and cheat to allow his master, a miller devoid of money, to obtain the hand of a princess. He passes his master for the “Marquis de Carabas” with the king and all the people he meets. The malice of the Botté cat goes further, when he manages to convince an ogre (capable of transforming himself into creatures) to change in mouse, to devour it afterwards. He thus recovers his castle to make the king believe that it is the home of his master. By reading this story to the toddlers, let us remember that the lying of the Botté cat is not an example to follow. Nevertheless, his cunning and his intelligence can sometimes be used to get out of certain situations, provided of course to remain honest.
The seven godmothers are invited by the king and the queen on the occasion of the baptism of their little daughter. The latter each offer a donation to the princess such as goodness or grace, while a fairy who has not received an invitation takes revenge by throwing a evil spell on her. She will prick her finger by touching the spindle of a wheel and will die. But fortunately, a last fairy makes sure that the sleeping beauty plunges into a deep sleep that will last 100 years. A beautiful story worthy of fairy tales.
