Writer Wednesday: Fairytale Fruit

 

Everyone knows the role the apple plays in Snow White, but fruit plays an even larger role in fairytales than you might know. The apple has a role to play in the Grimm fairytale the Griffin about a king looking for a way to cure his ill daughter. Other fruits have had important roles such as in The Love for Three Oranges which has been switched out in other countries with pomegranates, apples, and lemons. 

Trivia:

When people think about apples and fairy tales, they think about Snow White and the poisoned apple that put her to sleep in the glass coffin. Put your own twist on the fairy tale. Try exploring genres even if this goes as wild as a princess in outer space. 

The Griffin is a Brothers Grimm fairy tale about a king looking for an apple to cure his daughter. The Love for Three Oranges is an Italian fairy tale that has been rewritten in various cultures. For this prompt, mash up the two fairy tales to create a new one. Any genre goes. 

Quote:

Our quote for today is: “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.”

― Neil Gaiman, Coraline

Use this quote as inspiration for a short story. Aim for 1,000 to 5,000 words in length. 

Exercise:

What If Fairytale:

Write a fairy tale that asks the question "what if." What if Cinderella's happily ever after wasn't so happy? What if the little mermaid regretted leaving the ocean? What if Beauty and the Beast happened in space? Pick a fairy tale and ask yourself what if. Your questions can be anything from what happened after the happy ending to absurd ones that could switch genres. 

Write a Fairytale:

The exercise for today is to create your own fairy tale. Familiarize yourself with the classic structure and be sure to read all that you can.

Elements you'll need:

Hero/Heroine - look at the familiar heroes you know from the little mermaid to the dashing thief that discovers a cave of wonders. 

Villian - this can be a wicked witch or a giant monster 

Magic - from trolls to talking animals to the practice of magic. Wishes are often included.

Prince/princess - a lot of fairy tales tend to have royalty with a king that wants to save his daughter or the handsome prince fighting a dragon 

Remember to include a problem for the hero/heroine to face. Examples include retrieving a piece of fruit, escaping captivity, or simply wanting to be on land. You need to address the problem your protagonist will face such as Jack and the Beanstalk, the spell on the Beast, and Cinderella wanting to go to the ball. 

Good always wins. Though this doesn't mean the elements are grim or dark. Examples include Cinderella's stepsisters chopping off pieces of their feet.

Numbers tend to be important. Examples include twelve dancing princesses and the three bears.