Sprawled out on the grass, eye-level with the flowers, early morning tea or just before bedtime, I am lapping up this new translation of fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen. It's kind of taking the Danny Kaye out of the whole affair for me but reminding me of all the great stories I loved as a wee lass: The Ugly Duckling, The Princess on the Pea and The Emperor's New Clothes...lost to imagine other very far away lands, and what might happen next and how funny the princess could still feel the pea with all those mattresses! I'm all fueled up to tell some stories to Sophie and as it turns out Emily, who might too old to believe in fairytales but made me tell her the story of Thumbelina anyway...
But look at Hans' paper cuts. Imagine him with his sharp scissors in his pocket, turning the paper round and round while the children waited to see what happened! These little fantastic fantasies, little visual synopses of his stories, little stories themselves, unfolding as little bits of paper drifted to the floor! I am lost in his world right now, cutting little stories and floating them out into the world to see...
thanks Ada for recommending this book...
