In literature, main characters are often seen as the indispensable pivot around which everything revolves. They take us on adventures, show courage in the face of adversity, and offer readers and listeners a window to see themselves in the story. But what if we take these protagonists away from their familiar fairy tales? Would the stories lose their meaning? Or would new light be shed on the often overlooked supporting roles? Here's a look at three beloved fairy tales without their title heroes.
The Story of the Wolf and the Woodman
Once upon a time there was a wolf who lived in a deep, dark forest. Despite being a carnivore, he was always looking for an easy meal and avoidance strategies to actually hunt.
One day he smelled a wonderful smell coming from a small house on the edge of the forest. This house was inhabited by an old grandmother. The wolf came up with a plan to get a meal without much effort.
He knocked at the door, and when no one answered, he slipped in and found the grandmother in bed. Quickly and stealthily, he swallowed her up and took her place, changing into her nightgown and pulling the covers over him.
Shortly afterwards a woodcutter knocked on the door. He had been alerted by villagers that the wolf had been seen nearby and came to check if the grandmother was safe. When he entered the house, he found the wolf in bed, dressed as the grandmother. The woodcutter was smart and immediately saw that something was wrong.
Without hesitation, he took his ax and freed the grandmother from the wolf's belly. Grateful and shocked, the grandmother thanked the woodcutter for saving her life.
From that day on, the woodcutter watched over the cottage and the grandmother, and the wolf decided that perhaps it would be better to return to traditional hunting instead of trying his luck with the villagers.
The Ball and the Mysterious Carriage
In a great kingdom there was great excitement when the royal palace announced a ball. All the young women of the kingdom were invited in the hope that the prince would choose a bride.
In a modest house lived a mean stepmother with her two daughters. They were obsessed with wealth and status. When the news of the ball reached them, they were delighted and immediately began preparations, dreaming of winning the prince's favors.
The night of the ball came, and the stepmother and her daughters put on their best dresses. Meanwhile, in a corner of the house, a fairy appeared and decided to spread some magic. She conjured up a beautiful carriage and turned the house animals – mice, birds and a faithful dog – into beautiful footmen and horses.
At the ball, the two sisters, despite their fine clothes, were rude and arrogant. They tried to get the prince's attention, but he was not interested. The prince, on the other hand, noticed a beautiful, mysterious carriage standing in front of the palace, with a group of remarkably elegant animals as attendants.
The evening wore on, and about midnight the prince noticed that the carriage was making haste. Intrigued by this mystery, he gave a glass shoe that he had found on the steps of the palace to his steward and ordered him to find the shoe's owner.
The steward visited every house in the kingdom, including the stepmother's house. The two sisters desperately tried to fit the shoe, but in vain.
Finally, after a lengthy search, the prince decided that the owner of the shoe could not be found. But he remembered the beautiful carriage and the magical animals, and decided to devote his life to protecting the kingdom and its mysterious wonders.
The Queen and the Seven Dwarves
In a great and vast kingdom lived a vain and evil queen. She owned a magic mirror that confirmed to her every day that she was the most beautiful in the entire realm.
One day, however, the mirror gave a mysterious answer: “O Queen, although your beauty is pure, hidden somewhere, there is a charm that can surpass even yours.” Furious and driven by jealousy, the queen searched for this hidden charm.
During her search, the queen came across a cottage in the heart of the forest, inhabited by seven dwarves. Working in the mines, the dwarves had discovered incredible gems and crystals, each with unique powers and sparkles. Convinced that the mirror referred to these gems, the queen tried to trick the dwarves in various ways to obtain them.
She visited the dwarves' cottage disguised as various traders and sellers, each time with a new trick. But the dwarves were clever and wary, and every attempt by the queen failed.
Finally, in her frustration, the queen begged the magic mirror for answers. The mirror replied: “True beauty is not in what you see, but in the goodness of the heart.”
Realizing that she would never be truly happy by pursuing superficial beauty, the queen left the kingdom in search of a deeper understanding of herself and true beauty.
The dwarves, freed from her wiles, continued to live in peace and prosperity, and the legend of their courage and the vain queen was passed down from generation to generation.
Epilogue:
As these stories unfolded without their famous protagonists, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and Snow White sat together at the edge of a crystal clear lake. They enjoyed the peace, quiet and the rare opportunity to step out of the spotlight.
“Isn't it nice not to be part of the drama for a while?” Cinderella remarked as she played with her feet in the water.
Snow White nodded. “Yes, it is a welcome change. A moment of peace.”
Little Red Riding Hood laughed. “For once I don't have to be afraid of the wolf. Even if it's just for a little while.”
And so, while their stories were told elsewhere, the three main characters enjoyed their well-deserved rest, happy with the knowledge that the world of fairy tales is multifaceted and surprising even without them.
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