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FAIRY TALES TEACH US A LOT
For hundreds of years, and perhaps even thousands of years, adults have told traditional fairy tales to their children. The stories have been handed down from one generation to another. (Истории передавались из поколения в поколение) They have become a fundamental part of your culture. (неотъемлемой частью культуры) In early versions of fairy tales there is much more cruetly and violence than in the stories published for children today. The case of Cinderella is a good example. In this variant, Cinderella's step-sisters are very pretty rather (скорее) than ugly, as they are in the modern version. But they are much more cruel. Cinderella works like a slave and has no bed to sleep in. Her step-sisters throw her food into the fire. Cinderella has to pick it out of the fire-place so that she can eat. When news comes that there is going to be a big party so that the prince can choose a future wife, naturally Cinderella is told that she can't go. Cinderella visits her real mother's grave and creis (совершает обряд крещения). Her tears fall on the ground and a tree grows. From the branches of the tree, beautiful clothes fall down. (С ветвей дерева падают прекрасные наряды) So when Cinderella finally goes to the party, she looks beautiful and the prince falls in love with her. The prince comes looking for Cinderella bringing with him the golden shoe that Cinderella was wearing. Cinderella's sisters try on the shoe but it doesn't fit. To make if fit, one sister cuts off her toes; the other cuts off her heel (пятка). Their mother says: "You won't need to walk when you become queen!" Eventually, the prince finds Cinderella and the story ends happily. Even if there is violence and cruelty (насилие и жестокость) in fairy stories, they all have elements that make them forever popular. They are simple stories which usually involve some form of cruelty or injustice. Good people become victims (становятся жертвами) and must work impossibly hard to try to solve their problems and find happiness. Children who identify themselves with the hero or heroine may sometimes be encouraged (быть воодушевленным) to try to find solutions to their own problems. In any case, the stories have a happy ending and give children great pleasure.
cruetly and violence - жестокость и насилие