The Twelve Wild Ducks

Title: Various Titles
Author: Peter Asbjornsen
Publisher: D Nutt, London, 1845
Reading Level: 4th and up
Pages: 3-10 per tale
Genre: Fairy Tale
Other Read: Tatterhood, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Aunts











Summary:

A King and a Queen had twelve sons, but the Queen wanted a daughter and she said she would give up her twelve sons to have one. As soon as she said it, then a witch came and granted her wish. So the young princess was born and christened who was a white as snow and red as blood as the witch had said. The twelve brothers turned into wild ducks and flew away never to be seen again. Now Snow White grew up, but she was sad because she had no siblings to play with. It was then that her mother told her she had twelve brothers that she had given up so she could have her. Snow White went off in search of her brothers, and after three years she came to a little wooden hut, and inside were twelve beds and the twelve silver spoons that her Mother had made for each of her children. She hid, and when they discover their sister hiding under the bed one wanted to kill her. Instead they said she had to break the spell. To break the spell she had to pick thistles and card it and weave it and make twelve coats, shirts, and handkerchiefs all while never talking, laughing, nor weeping. And so she set about it. And one day a King saw her and fell madly in love with her and they were married. Her step mother hated her because she was beautiful so each time Snow White had a child the Step Mother would take it and throw it into a snake pit and make it look like Snow White had eaten her child. Snow White could not speak for herself to prove the stepmother wrong. So the day comes that Snow White was to be burned, but she finishes her clothes for her twelve brothers and the spell is broken. They come riding in on their twelve horses, and Snow White can finally speak for herself. At this point the Step Mother chooses her own punishment and is bound between twelve steed and the rest live happily ever after, including Snow White and the King and their three children whom were thrown into the snakes pit.

My Reaction:

I didn't mind these fairy tales. I like how this was kind of related to Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. It made it more interesting to make comparisons.

Potential Problems:

There aren't super big problems in this story. Children might not like all the confict, but that isn't that bad.

Recommendations:

I would recommend these to anyone who wanted to read a fairy tale. They are different, but still fun to read.