Oh no why did they have to remind me about this story.

This reminds me of how a lot of the idioms that we know well are often shortened and their meaning completely changes. "Curiosity killed the cat" / "but satisfaction brought it back"; "Great minds think alike" / "but fools seldom differ"; "The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb" vs "blood is thicker than water". Both saying have their own merit, but it does make you wonder why the shortened ones/altered idioms seem to be used more than their original counterparts and what's being discouraged when they're said. It also reminds me of how the Bible was used to teach me and my peers when I was growing up, and how I've since learned the double meaning or context behind certain passages that changes so much of what I was taught. Why do we teach children what we teach them, and will they one day grow up to see beasts where we taught them to find beauty?

I grew up in a deeply Southern Baptist household and I was not allowed to watch The Little Mermaid, Hercules, or Aladdin for these very reasons. I go back and forth on whether or not I think tales with morally-grey or lying and cheating protagonists are appropriate for very young children as we often get our role models from the media we consume. On one hand, I think most children know enough to understand that there is nuance to Aladdin's thievery and Megara's deception. On the other hand, I also remember almost breaking my arm while I was obsessed with Jane from Tarzan because I wanted to prove to my friends that I could swing from vines just like her (I could not).

In the end, you'll get your happily ever after Disclaimer: this does not apply if you are a wicked stepmother or mean stepsister. Frankly, if you're a "step-" anything, you're on thin ice.

I noticed this is the introduction to the Beauty and the Beast anthology as well as the tale by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont: some of these fairy tales, especially those written by women, have a surprisingly clear-stated message to young men and women about the mistreatment women face and fear in courtship and marriage. When compared to the story Tatar described in the introduction about the husband who freed his beast-wife from the curse placed on her by throwing her against a wall, the story of Beauty and Beast in the collection is pure fluff. I suppose I'm trying to say--given the time period--I didn't expect to see a story that addressed the fears of young women when it comes to marriage.

The lack of pictures in modern literature is actually kind of sad. I personally love fantasy novels because of the visual guides that often come with them (maps and other extras). One of my favorite books growing up was an illustrate copy of Lord of the Rings for this exact reason; the brain can visual many settings, but there's something exciting about seeing someone's rendition of a character, scene, or setting on the page right next to the words. I don't need a book with pictures on every page, but it would be nice to see more novels broken up by something visually exciting. Pictures aren't just for kids.