If you be aje, you woud have read the story of Cinderella
For the kpakos, you can find the story here: http://www2.njnu.edu.cn/wy2/Cinderella.htm

.......................................
I put my sweet little girl to sleep, and read her a bed time story
this was not the first time i was reading her Cinderella,
but I had recently began to reason that like African stories, these oyibo fairy tales needed to start passing a lesson to kids

And so, at the end of my reading, I asked Zainab what she tought was the moral of the story
Zainab's reply sent the chill down my spine
"girls should always be beautiful and not ugly so that they are not wicked" she said, half between sleep and conciousness

So why didn't u post the link b4?
Hmmmmmm
Ok Ooº°˚ ˚°ºoo

aadetoyin: Moderators... Where are u cos I don't understand this thread at all.

lol just chill. he never disappoints

For those that know nothing about the story of Cinderella,

.....she was an oyibo orphan girl who was maltreated by her step sisters and step mum
(much like events in our own african folklore)

All the wicked people that maltreated her (step mum and sisters) where all ugly
After an encounter with an oyinbo good winch, who rearranged her (Cinderella's) wardrobe,
Cinderela managed to make her way to a party hosted by the Prince of the land

At 12 midnight (when the oyinbo winch would be going to bed),
Cinderelaa needed to run back home from the party
otherwise, all the pretty clothes she was wearing would turn back to rags

She managed to run back home just in time
but forgot her glass slipper
(interestingly, every other thing changed back to rags excepth the slipper)

The prince picked up the glass slipper,
and went around the town seeking the girl whose feet will fit into the slipper
he finally found Cinderella whose feet fit just fine
He therefater married her

....and lived happily ever after

For the first time in my life after Zainab's reply
I was forced to rethink the story of Cinderella, and other fairytales
and assess the impact such stories have had on my life growing up,

..and continues to have on the lifes of growing kids world over

Some of the fairy tale stories have beautiful lessons,
but in my opinion, the Cinderella story like nollywood is one that is great for entertainment
but could be seriously damaging to a child's values (psychological building block)

The Cinderella tale relates looks to character =>
So an ugly person is bad, while a beautiful person is good
The step sisters are ugly while cinderella is beautiful

The tale elevates vainess as the spark for love =>
Cinderella had to dress good for the prince to fall sick and madly inlove with her
Her character was barely expored by the prince in the few minutes they spent together at the ball/party
He couldn't even recognise and appreciate her until her her feet fit into the glass slipper

O ga o.

I cringed when I realised that for a long time as a kid
i actually thought that not-so-good looking people were wicked


Such stories are sown deep inside the minds of growing kids

I wondered if such fairy tales that elevated the princes
wasnt one of the reasons why we (especially young ladies) are star struck
(Fairy tales make princes fall inlove with beautiful girls, and make princesses fall in love with strong men who fight for them)

And finally, as I let my head rest on my pillow
I wondered if my girlfriend would not abscond with Prince Williams or Harry if they give her a wink
*I turned to look at my babes lovely bakassi*

....umh....God will indeed have to save the king from me if that ever happened

Cinderella's step sisters are not ugly, they're just mean.

Good people are beautiful inside and out.

Mean people are just plain Ugly.

pls don't crucify me yet..^^ those are my daughters words

On a lighter note , there's 20th century fairytale world called 'Ever After High'( campus / dorm ) ... Where all old fairy tale kids mingle and make the right choice contrary to how their mean parents lived. => Her words again.
everafterhigh.com

Hmm.
So the moral of this story is. . . More Shrek stories!

if movies are anything to go by, fine kids in oyibo high schools are even nastier than the stepsisters

queen bee stratification head cheerleaders, jocks who feel they have a license to fk anything that moves and bully anyone who is not cool enough to roll with them

esere826: I cringed when I realised that for a long time as a kid
i actually thought that not-so-good looking people were wicked


Such stories are sown deep inside the minds of growing kids

I wondered if such fairy tales that elevated the princes
wasnt one of the reasons why we (especially young ladies) are star struck
(Fairy tales make princes fall inlove with beautiful girls, and make princesses fall in love with strong men who fight for them)

And finally, as I let my head rest on my pillow
I wondered if my girlfriend would not abscond with Prince Williams or Harry if they give her a wink
*I turned to look at my babes lovely bakassi*

....umh....God will indeed have to save the king from me if that ever happened

Lmao!!

People should stop being mean to ugly people. Don't we deserve love too??

Here is my picture. I might look 'unique' on the outside, but I'm beautiful on the inside

Buzz me, I'm waiting

Good point OP

As aj said the point for the shrek stories

In Popular stories, ugliness and wickedness are synonymous

Even the devil is potrayed as ugly meanwhile he is an agent of light


Lol

@esere,Its kinda true,many kids were brought up to think
Ugly/old people are wicked,and beautiful people are good. nice article
@ishilove,if na person talk say look at ishi's pic,u go vex o.
Na Ūя̲̅ hand u take say look at ♍Ɣ pic now.
Okay,♍Ɣ comment is you look "witchy"/mean
:p

I love Disney channel Cinderella movie, the one with Drew Barrymore.
I think it is not suitable too.

Numero uuuno: @esere,Its kinda true,many kids were brought up to think
Ugly/old people are wicked,and beautiful people are good. nice article
@ishilove,if na person talk say look at ishi's pic,u go vex o.
Na Ūя̲̅ hand u take say look at ♍Ɣ pic now.
Okay,♍Ɣ comment is you look "witchy"/mean
:p

No I don't. I look very unique. I am fearfully made

ugly is as ugly does, the best beauty is one of character [ie what's inside, not outside].

meaning outward beauty can still be ugly overall and ugliness depends on character, not always appearance.

beautiful face with ugly mind = ugliness in general and vice versa.

@ OP

Not all fairy tale stories gave that impression. Snow White's step mum was very beautiful. The fairest in the land, I.e before Snow white came along and became the fairest!

PS: why don't you give the source of your Zainab's story instead of pretending it actually happened to you

@uju.. When snowhite mum wanted to give her the apple, she disguised as an ugly witch

Rapunsel mum needed the hair to keep her youth

Ujujoan: @ OP

....................editted...................
PS: why don't you give the source of your Zainab's story instead of pretending it actually happened to you

Source ko, sauce ni
not everything has an external source my dear
I dont need to call Zainab's real name nor disclose my relationship with Zainab either

I even actually have the right to narrate the cinderella story witout a source
because the story is not owned by anyone


...............uhmmmmmm make i no yab u
if not, i for tell u say make you go back go read research methodologies et al ..........

AjanleKoko: Hmm.
So the moral of this story is. . . More Shrek stories!

Yep
at least with such stories where the ugly are made to have beautiful minds being sown into our kids
the next generation of Zenith bank managers will begin to hire ugly people too
not the fine fine babes that they have decorating their offices

Ujujoan: @ OP

Not all fairy tale stories gave that impression. Snow White's step mum was very beautiful. The fairest in the land, I.e before Snow white came along and became the fairest!
.....................

agreed
but the primary essence of my argument is an inquiry into what these stories teach our kids

I think snow white teaches our kids that their beauty can get them killed if they dont avoid taking gifts from ugly looking people

Ishilove: People should stop being mean to ugly people. Don't we deserve love too??

Here is my picture. I might look 'unique' on the outside, but I'm beautiful on the inside

Buzz me, I'm waiting

Looking at the pix again
i think i might need to crawl back into my stereotyping

........you look extremely wicked

esere826:

Source ko, sauce ni
not everything has an external source my dear
I dont need to call Zainab's real name nor disclose my relationship with Zainab either

I even actually have the right to narrate the cinderella story witout a source
because the story is not owned by anyone


...............uhmmmmmm make i no yab u
if not, i for tell u say make you go back go read research methodologies et al ..........

Puh leeeeeeeez!

Your so-called Zainab's story has been in circulation on BBM for month now.

Ujujoan:

Puh leeeeeeeez!

Your so-called Zainab's story has been in circulation on BBM for month now.

Seriously!!
[i have never activated my BBM, so i wont know]

Well, if what you've said is true
then it only emphasises that kids and adults are thinking about this at the same time
...and its serious

Such similar thinking patterns is nothing new my dear
read you history books on inventions where people from different parts of the world invented same things without knowing each other


..there are billions of people in this world madam
there is a huge probability that more that one person is doing exactly what you are doing at the moment.
hope you are able to process that^^

Its not imposisible that someone in this big wide world as not previously tought and written about this topic
or other other topics written on NairaLand

you really need to go back and study about plagiarism to find yourself approved
Puh leeeeeeeez!

esere826:

Looking at the pix again
i think i might need to crawl back into my stereotyping

........you look extremely wicked

Huh??

I don't know about the rest of the world, but maybe your daughter needs to understand her bedtime stories better. Every fairytale I've watched as a child always taught something vital, the most important being that good always prevails.

Cinderella was obedient even when her step mom n sisters maltreated her. Her fairy godmother looked out for her, and she landed her prince charming in the end. I remember the theme song for Disney's cartoon version....something about knowing in your mind n believing in your heart, and your dreams will come true.

Rapunzel separated from her family and the witch used her for selfish purposes(if u follow Tangled version)---selfishness and evil will always lose in the enbd.

Snow white, Sleeping Beauty, Beauty and the Beast ALL teach similar lessons: good prevails over evil, true love knows no bound blah blah blah.

I probably didn't even think this as a child, but maybe you need to help you lil girl dissect the stories better

uj_sizzle: I don't know about the rest of the world, but maybe your daughter needs to understand her bedtime stories better. Every fairytale I've watched as a child always taught something vital, the most important being that good always prevails.

.editted....

I agree with most of your arguments
altough my arguments is light entertainment ,
it however does not remove the nevertheless important point that there just might be some subtle autosuggestions that we are not aware of


For example,
how does your kid define good and evil?
what is the frame of reference for these things?
Do you know some kids think that black is evil? and that good (white) will always triumph over evil?
(hope u get the point)


.......Remember its a light argument, and not one to bring out the big guns for

I probably didn't even think this as a child, but maybe you need to help you lil girl dissect the stories better

OR

The Adult readers should teach morals at the end of every bedtime story ?

They're just kids and only cram and supervene what we embed into them.

LOL @ misleading light entertainment.

esere826:

I agree with most of your arguments
altough my arguments is light entertainment ,
it however does not remove the nevertheless important point that there just might be some subtle autosuggestions that we are not aware of


For example,
how does your kid define good and evil?
what is the frame of reference for these things?
Do you know some kids think that black is evil? and that good (white) will always triumph over evil?
(hope u get the point)


.......Remember its a light argument, and not one to bring out the big guns for

I get your point. As regards autosuggestions you mentioned, I think it has a lot more to do with how our kids interpret what they see. Cartoons have been made in the past with the bad guys looking ugly and the good ones beautiful, or the bad dressed in black and the good in white or bright colors: these imo are supposed to reflect the 'souls' of the characters, but of course children don't always get that, but they will just like I did. At some point, they'll sit and put the pieces of everything they've been taught and everything they've watched together and they'll figure it out. Which is exactly why parents need to start teaching their kids a lil deductive reasoning.

My point is: beauty is in the soul, and so is evil. Cartoon characters make this visual for children since their little mind can't comprehend what adults can yet.

Maybe parents are overreacting with the fairytales. Allow the children grow up with them and teach them what they need to know...they'll fill in the pieces later

esere826:

Yep
at least with such stories where the ugly are made to have beautiful minds being sown into our kids
the next generation of Zenith bank managers will begin to hire ugly people too
not the fine fine babes that they have decorating their offices

Er...em.... you mean those beautiful ladies/bankers are simply 'decorations' and useless for other banking-related purposes? Wow! That's so illuminating. Thank you for this astounding disclosure.