Where We Try to Brush the Dog with the Broom

Have I mentioned we love to read?  Only a time or two right?

Lately we have been on this fairy tale kick.  I've discovered a part of our library devoted to stories from around the world and I'm sure we've read every one.  The coolest part is all the different versions of Cinderella and other famous tales.  Today we finished reading The Gift Of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Story , Sukey and the Mermaid  and Cinderella Skeleton All are "Cinderella" tales, but told from different perspectives.  A. James was excited because Alligators/Crocodiles and Mermaids are her two new favorite things in the whole world.

For the moment anyway.

Reading so many fairy tales made me remember my own passion for folklore and fairy tales.  I decided to request a book I've had on my to read list for some time now.  Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan is a re-telling of the classic Snow White and Red Rose.  Neil Gaiman gave it a thumbs up, so I decided to read it. 

Verdict?
Loved this book.  So beautifully written.  Very dark and tragic, but I tend to like my books that way.  As with most books I read (and enjoy), I kept thinking about the characters and their words for the next few weeks  Also, found one of my new favorite quotes:

"You may never be entirely happy; few people are. You may never achieve your heart's desire in the world, for few people seldom do. Sit by enough deathbeds, Branza, and you will hear your fill of stories of missed chances, and wrong turning, and spurned opportunities for love. It is required of you only to be here, not to be happy." Miss Dance, Tender Morsels 

As luck would have it, I happened upon the original Grimm's Brother's Red Rose and Snow White illustrated by Ruth Sanderson at our Public Library.  To be honest, I picked it out more for myself than for her.  I wanted to re-read the original and see how it compared with "Tender Morsels."

We both enjoying it, immensely.  A. James kept talking about how the Bear came inside and the girls brushed him off with the broom by the fire.  We kept the book out much longer than the others because she loved reading it so much.  I'm sure between my husband and myself we read the book 100 times.  

Then came our first big snow of the season.  I let our dog Abby outside and started cleaning up around the house.  A few minutes later Abby started to bark and bark wanting back inside.  I let her in and she came running into the house completely covered in snow. 

The first thing A. James says is, "Mama, get the broom.  We have to brush her off by the fire like a Bear!"  

Ha.  Well....first of all.  No fire.  Second of all.  As excited as A. James was to brush off dear Abby with a broom, Abby was just as unexcited about being brushed off by a broom.

We settled with using a towel instead.  I think Abby was much happier with this decision.