Tuesday, January 17, 2017

Fairy Tales, Fables, and Legends Challenge


By Janie Reinart


Fairy tales, fables, and legends. Oh, my. Have you ever tried to put a different spin on a well known story? I've found three different story versions based on the classic The Gingerbread Man.



The earliest known version of The Gingerbread Man in print is found in St. Nicholas Magazine in May 1875.

"I've run away from a little old woman,
A little old man, And I can run away 
from you, I can!"
I love Keila Dawson's take on the gingerbread story in The King Cake Baby.

 "No, "mon ami"!" You can't catch me! I'm
the King Cake Baby!"



In Julia Donaldson's charming story The Paper Dolls, the refrain is:

 " You can't get us. Oh no, no, no! We're holding hands and we won't let go. We're Ticky and Tacky and Jackie the Backie, and Jim with two noses, and Jo with the bow!" 



In The Horrible, Hungry Gingerbread Boy, Elisa Kleven turns the tables:

 "I'm not your little ginger treat, 
and soon I'll be too big to eat!
I'm off to find more lunch, you see.
Run, run, run, but you can't catch me!"

 Try your hand at writing fractured fairy tales. Here is a little exercise. 

 Tara Lazar has a wonderful "how to" post. Take the challenge and spin a new tale. Post the title of your favorite fractured fairy tale.



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27 comments:

  1. Kirsti CallJanuary 17, 2017 at 8:42 AM

    Thanks for a fun post and challenge, Janie! I adore fractured fairy tales and hopefully one day I'll write one that sings!

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    Replies
    1. JanieJanuary 17, 2017 at 9:03 AM

      Kirsti me too! It's so much fun to twist a classic.

      Delete
  2. Susie SawyerJanuary 17, 2017 at 8:56 AM

    Fun! This is a format I have not yet tried. It's a great exercise, especially when you're struggling to come up with new ideas. I will definitely be giving this challenge a try.

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    1. JanieJanuary 17, 2017 at 9:05 AM

      Susie let us know how it goes. Metaphors be with you.

      Delete
  3. Virginia RinkelJanuary 17, 2017 at 9:35 AM

    Sounds like a great idea! Thanks for posting this.

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  4. JanieJanuary 17, 2017 at 9:40 AM

    Hi Virginia, Thanks for stopping by. Have fun.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Maria GianferrariJanuary 17, 2017 at 10:02 AM

    Little Red Writing is one of my all-time favorite fractured fairy tales. They're so fun to read, but I haven't yet tried writing one.

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  6. Cathy Ballou MealeyJanuary 17, 2017 at 10:53 AM

    One of my favorites is Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella by Tony Johnston. Someday I will tackle writing and fracturing a fairy tale! Love them!

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    Replies
    1. JanieJanuary 17, 2017 at 1:18 PM

      Cathy, don't know that one. Will check it out.

      Delete
  7. Jilanne HoffmannJanuary 17, 2017 at 1:19 PM

    Great examples! I love so many fractured fairy tales. One I hold dear is the mash-up created in "Interrupting Chicken" by David Ezra Stein.

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    1. JanieJanuary 17, 2017 at 9:32 PM

      Jilanne,thank you. Will check that title too.

      Delete
  8. Charlotte DixonJanuary 17, 2017 at 1:29 PM

    Thank you, Janie :) I've been trying my hand at writing a fractured fairy tale, but not making it-LOL

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  9. JanieJanuary 17, 2017 at 2:16 PM

    Charlotte the hardest part is getting it down the first time. The fun starts with the rewriting.

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  10. monaJanuary 17, 2017 at 6:57 PM

    Thanks, Janie. I agree that the first line or two are the hardest. Not only fairy tales, but seems like everything I write is fractured!!!

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  11. Tina ChoJanuary 18, 2017 at 5:44 AM

    Thanks for the reminder to try fractured fairy tales!

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    1. JanieJanuary 19, 2017 at 5:42 PM

      Tina do you have a favorite title? The King Cake Baby is mine❤

      Delete
  12. Vivian KirkfieldJanuary 18, 2017 at 11:07 AM

    This is great, Janie! Love the challenge...I hope this will result in several ideas for Storystorm. :)

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  13. Julie A. LaCombeJanuary 18, 2017 at 11:17 AM

    I love fractured fairy tales! I have a few ideas cooking for Storystorm!

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  14. Keila V. DawsonJanuary 18, 2017 at 12:40 PM

    Fun post Janie, thanks for the mention ma chérie! You gave me two more titles to read. One of my favorite fractured fairy tales is Godilicks and the Three Dinosaurs by Mo Willems.

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  15. Lisa V KarmelFebruary 16, 2017 at 1:16 AM

    Lisa Venditelli Karmel

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lexi DonahueFebruary 16, 2017 at 7:28 AM

    Alexandra Donahue

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    1. JanieFebruary 16, 2017 at 10:49 AM

      Alexandra
      I saw you put your name in the comments from the fractured fairy tales. You need to put your name in the comments of this registration post 😊

      http://www.reforemo.com/2017/02/reforemo-2017-registration-is-open.html

      Delete

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