National Fairy Tale Day

February 26th is National Fairy Tale Day. Many of these stories were once myths and legends told and retold for entertainment. They became part of folk history and oral traditions. Traveling bards or storytellers often spread them from place to place. Over time, they were written down and eventually became considered children's stories.

What is your favorite fairytale? There's a large selection to choose from. Some of the more common ones are "Cinderella," "Beauty and the Beast," Hansel and Gretel," "The Elves and the Shoemaker," "Little Red Riding Hood," "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," "The Princess and the Pea," "Thumbelina," "Rapunzel," "Rumplestiltskin," "Sleeping Beauty," and the list goes on and on. What others do you remember well?

I grew up listening to these stories, but they've gone out of vogue over the years. My grandchildren hardly know any of them. My favorite has always been "Beauty and the Beast." It highlights that true beauty is really about what's on the inside, and love is magical.  My most recent novel, It All Started at the Masquerade, was influenced by this fairytale. A few modern writers could take a lesson from these tales because most of them end "and they lived happily ever after." (sigh)

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On February 26, have a happily ever after kind of day. It’s National Fairy Tale Day!

What were once oral histories, myths and legends retold around the fire or by traveling storytellers, have been written down and become known the world over as fairy tales.