Snow White

I have just finished reading The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales and was surprised to find that Snow White is also known as Snowdrop. Who knew?

This is one of the books Joseph Campbell put on his reading list when he taught Comparative Mythology as an Introduction to Cross-Cultural Studies at Sarah Lawrence College.  It must have been incredible to attend his class each week.  Alas, that option is not available but I have decided to work my way through the list without his guidance and imagine I am his pupil.

A short tale by the Grimm Brothers left an impression on me as I sat on the train commuting to work one morning.  It is entitled...

The Old Man and His Grandson

There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears dull of hearing, his knees trembled, and when he sat at table he

could hardly hold the spoon, and spilt the broth upon the table-cloth

or let it run out of his mouth.

His son and his son's wife were disgusted at this, so the old grandfather at last had to sit in the corner behind the stove, and they gave him his food in an earthenware bowl, and not even enough of it. And he used to look towards the table with his eyes full of tears.

Once, too, his trembling hands could not hold the bowl, and it fell

to the ground and broke. The young wife scolded him, but he said

nothing and only sighed. Then they bought him a wooden bowl for a

few half-pence, out of which he had to eat.

They were once sitting thus when the little grandson of four years

old began to gather together some bits of wood upon the ground. What

are you doing there, asked the father. I am making a little trough,

answered the child, for father and mother to eat out of when I am

big.

The man and his wife looked at each other for a while, and presently

began to cry. Then they took the old grandfather to the table, and

henceforth always let him eat with them, and likewise said nothing if

he did spill a little of anything.