In Greek mythology, Pandora’s box was a gift from the gods to Pandora, the first woman on earth. Before leaving her on earth, Zeus handed Pandora a beautiful box with instructions never to open it. But Pandora’s curiosity got the better of her and she opened the box releasing all the troubles and woes – […]
I am sure most of you know this classic fairytale where two weavers promise the Emperor a new set of clothes that they maintain are invisible to only those who are incompetent or stupid. In reality they are weaving no clothes at all, making everyone, including the Emperor, believe (or say they believe) the clothes […]
Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. ~ Helen Keller We have all no doubt heard the maxim: “Don’t fly too close to the sun”. This comes from the Greek myth of Icarus. As the myth goes, Icarus and his father, Daedalus, were trying to escape a violent fate on the island […]
Robin Hood, the legendary outlaw who rebelled against tyranny, famously stealing from the rich to give to the poor: thief or hero? Like all things in life, it depends on one’s perspective. Whilst I am not advocating stealing from anyone, I think of Robin Hood as a symbol of justice, equality; standing up for what […]
Published in 1971, the classic children’s tale, The Lorax, is a call to protect and preserve our natural resources. Spanning more than four decades, this story has never felt more real than it does right now in terms of environmental and climate crises. The Lorax explores the interconnectedness of nature and the very real consequences […]
The story of the Princess and the Pea is one that has long since fascinated me. One stormy night, a, mysterious rain-soaked young woman knocks on the castle doors seeking shelter from the rain. Although she claims to be a princess, the queen is not convinced and decides to test her authenticity by placing a […]
The obvious themes from this story are ones of greed and bullying, and indeed these are great lessons to take away. The story is also about prudence and doing what it take to overcome obstacles in your path. But for now, I want to focus on the troll and the Big Billy Goat Gruff. In […]
We are probably all aware of the expression “to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders”. This originates from the Greek myth where Atlas was punished by Zeus to bear the weight of the heavens on his shoulders. Irrespective of whether Atlas carried the heavens or the earth on his shoulders, the effect […]
There are so many lessons that can be learnt from the Ugly Duckling. From accepting people for their qualities, values, friendship and humility, not how they look. That appearances can be misleading. The importance of self-acceptance, resilience and the beauty of transformation. That some of us are late bloomers. That words can really hurt. This […]
The story of Rumpelstiltskin is a well-known fairy tale. For many, the themes of this story are about power and greed (the miller, the King and Rumpelstiltskin) or about telling the truth and taking responsibility for your actions (the miller’s daughter). My take away from this story is the power in naming someone or something. […]