NEW VERSIONS OF FOLKLORE

 

Multiple versions of a story is actually one of the signs that you are dealing with real folklore! Variation over time and space feeds folklore. Fairytales in their oral source materials are not produced by single individuals. Rather, they are orally passed between many people over long periods of time, centuries even.

The term folklore encompasses the traditional beliefs, stories, customs, and legends, transmitted orally, from generation to generation. The most common folklore genres are fairy tales, legends, myths, tall tales, and fables.

The word folklore, a compound of folk and lore, was coined in 1846 by the Englishman William Thoms, who contrived the term as a replacement for the contemporary terminology of "popular antiquities" or "popular literature". The second half of the word, lore, comes from Old English lār 'instruction'.

Folktales were often employed to share a common history, to reinforce cultural values, or highlight important traditions. When people belonged to a tribe or lived in a small village, by necessity they needed to be able to get along well under a variety of circumstances and minimize conflict.

With Little Red Riding Hood the two best known versions were written by Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm. The story has been changed considerably in various retellings and subjected to numerous modern adaptations and readings.

Google states that There Are 58 Versions of Little Red Riding Hood, Some 1,000 Years Older Than the Brothers Grimm's. In 1812, the Brothers Grimm published “Rotkäppchen,” the tale that many know today as “Little Red Riding Hood.” But the story has much deeper and broader roots than 19th century Germany.

 Moral reasoning in the story focuses on self concern, concern for relationships, and concern for law and order. The theme of the story is Obey your parents.

I prefer to rewrite LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD with twins in the place of a little red riding hood and a fox instead of wolf .

What do you say ? Would love to read it ? Do share your views on this idea in the comments below.

(This blogpost is a part of Blogchatter's BLOGHOP prompt : If you had to rewrite the a Red RidingHood how would you do it)