Today’s prompt is going to be fun!
DO YOU HAVE A FAVORITE FAIRY TALE? WHY DOES THAT PARTICULAR STORY SPEAK TO YOU?
My choose may surprise you because most people, when they think of fairy tales, think of princes and princesses and falling in love. I love a good romance as much as the next guy but when I put some thought into this question I came up with
The Hunchback of Notre Dame
I love the story of Quasimodo’s life from “adoption” into being locked in the Notre Dame bell tower and then falling in love with the gypsy Esmerelda and trying to save her life and then standing up to his evil, prejudiced, adoptive father, the judge Frollo.
Y’all know I have a heart for adoption even though this story of adoption is kinda disturbing. Frollo chases a gypsy woman through the town until she falls, hits her head and dies. She is holding a small baby. When Frollo sees that the baby has a deformity, he wants to throw the baby down the well. The priest comes out of the church and stops him. The priest tells Frollo to raise the boy so he locks him in the Notre Dame bell tower where Quasimodo grows up as the bell ringer.
Quasimodo meets the beautiful gypsy Esmerelda and falls in love when she defends him to the town when the townspeople see his deformity and begin to throw things at him and laugh at him. Frollo also is obsessed with Esmerelda and goes about trying to kill her to end his obsession. Quasimodo then saves her from his evil “father.”
Frollo tries to kill all the gypsies he can find trying to find Esmerelda. His head soldier Captain Phoebus also defends Esmerelda and falls in love with her along with everyone else in the movie!!
It ends with Frollo falling to his death fighting Quasimodo, Phoebus and Esmerelda are a couple and the townspeople love Quasimodo.
I absolutely love the story of good winning over evil. Who doesn’t? I also love when someone strong (Esmerelda) stands up for someone weak (Quasimodo). Sadly, in our society, outward appearance is more important than inward. Quasimodo is frightening to look at to the town but after he saves everyone, they are able to see his heart which all through the movie is so tender. He is so sweet and kind and helpful. And he can sing! And the way he gets around on the rooftops of the cathedral is pretty impressive!
What’s your favorite fairy tale? Let me know in the comments. Thanks!
Love y’all,
Linda
