Fairy Tale Church: Hans Christian Andersen: The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Morals and messages are passed down from generation to generation through myths in the forms of fairy tales, legends, tall tales, folklore and fables. This monthly series uses fairy tales on Sunday morning to enable St. John’s alumni to discuss the moral lessons contained within short stories that we tell our children. We call it “Church” because it’s a time for us to reflect on our values together. We used fairy tales because they are generally accepted as fantasy, thus allowing us to speak of magic we all call magic. And they’re awfully short and easy to read in the 15 minutes before seminar.
Currently, the program is focused on classics like Aesop’s Fables, the Brothers’ Grimm, Uncle Remus, Hans Christian Andersen and stories that are in the public domain. We hope you’ll join us for one week or the whole series!
March 29 – Hans Christian Andersen: The Steadfast Tin Soldier
There were once five-and-twenty tin soldiers. They were all brothers, born of the same old tin spoon. They shouldered their muskets and looked straight ahead of them, splendid in their uniforms, all red and blue.
The very first thing in the world that they heard was, “Tin soldiers!” A small boy shouted it and clapped his hands as the lid was lifted off their box on his birthday. He immediately set them up on the table.
All the soldiers looked exactly alike except one. He looked a little different as he had been cast last of all. The tin was short, so he had only one leg. But there he stood, as steady on one leg as any of the other soldiers on their two. But just you see, he’ll be the remarkable one.
April 26 – Classic: The Three Little Pigs
Once upon a time there was an old mother pig who had three little pigs and not enough food to feed them. So when they were old enough, she sent them out into the world to seek their fortunes.
May 31 – Charles Perrault: The Master Cat; or, Puss in Boots or in French
Un meunier ne laissa pour tous biens, à trois enfants qu’il avait, que son moulin, son âne et son chat. Les partages furent bientôt faits; ni le notaire ni le procureur n’y furent point appelés. Ils auraient eu bientôt mangé tout le pauvre patrimoine. L’aîné eut le moulin, le second eut l’âne, et le plus jeune n’eut que le chat.
There was a miller whose only inheritance to his three sons was his mill, his donkey, and his cat. The division was soon made. They hired neither a clerk nor an attorney, for they would have eaten up all the poor patrimony. The eldest took the mill, the second the donkey, and the youngest nothing but the cat.