"If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales, if you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairytales".

-Albert Einstein

This week in Karri Kindergarten the children have been listening to the Brothers Grimm fairy-tale, "Little Red Cap" (colloquially known as "Little Red Riding Hood").  In the kindergarten our main story each day is told by heart, rather than read, which provides a more direct experience of the story, which must "live" in the story-teller, and is repeated daily for a number of days.  The repetition enables the story to resound more deeply, as it is healing to the soul of the child and provides a seed for mental health for the rest of their life.  These stories originate in the childhood of humanity, which has its roots in a dreamy state of consciousness.  Young children are passing through this dream-like state which continues up until about the age of nine years.

In modern times we are moving towards a greater spiritual awareness which brings up fears; fairy-tales help to prevent fear.

Sometimes parents express concerns about the gruesome content of many fairytales, and modern versions may be altered to make them more acceptable.  In doing so though, the deeper meaning may be obscured and the therapeutic value diluted.  The obstacles are important because fairytales portray the reality of universal human nature and experience, and threats and fears must be experienced and overcome.  Fairytales are in the soul realm, rather then the physical, which means that children can cope with the grisly aspects.  In the kindergarten, they are told in a neutral tone of voice without dramatisation which also makes them more palatable and not scary for the young child.  Thus, being in a dreamy state of consciousness the kindergarten child is able to experience the deeper meaning of the story without explanations.

In the tale of "Little Red Cap", little red cap represents the ego-conscious soul, and grandmother represents old forces, ancient wisdom fading.  The wolf represents the dark forces of materialism.  The innocent soul (little red cap) is aware of the attractions of the sense world and loses herself when she leaves the path to pick flowers.  The dark forces try to destroy wisdom and replace it (when the wolf devours Grandma and gets into her bed).  Red cap at first doesn't recognise evil, but is then engulfed by it.  The huntsman represents the wise power of destiny and his scissors, with which he cuts open the wolf are a sign of his awakened consciousness.

Red cap is saved, Grandma is revived by cake and wine.  Evil forces are destroyed.  The soul has realised the distractions of the material world and in future will know which path to tread.

A copy of the complete Brothers Grimm fairytales will be loved and enjoyed by the whole family.  Different stories are suited to different ages and lists can be provided for anyone interested.

Warm wishes and wonderful tales,

Denise