As time has gone by, I have found a few ways in which I can interact with my unborn daughter. The most common of these is the nightly bedtime story. Interestingly enough, she actually responds (or at least becomes active) when I read each night. Now, whether that means..."I like this" or "Shut up dad!" is yet to be determined.
A couple of things take place. First of all, she is hopefully getting used to my voice. Secondly, it starts a habit for myself of reading to her each night which will continue until she is...well...sick of it. Thirdly, it is a way for me to bond with her in a more "tangible" way I guess. Fourthly, Melissa and I get to revisit some stories that we grew up with...for instance...Jack & the Beanstalk.
Upon reading this book the other night...I was shocked! I guess I forgot what the story was like. Allow me, if you will, to recite the final page of our "Jack" text.
He (Jack) swung the axe at the beanstalk and it came crashing down. The giant also fell to the ground and died at once. Now Jack and his mother were safe and were never poor again.
Are you kidding me? I beg you...what is the moral of this story? That is what children's stories do isn't it...give some sort of moral teaching? Not in this one. Jack sells his cow for magic beans. Mom gets mad and throws them out the window where they grow up into the sky. Jack climbs the beanstalk and steals the gold coins. They ran out of money, so Jack climbed up again and stole a hen that laid golden eggs. "But Jack became greedy and he decided to climb the beanstalk again" (Those are actual words from the story). This time he stole a golden harp and the harp ratted him out.
It is here that you begin to think...
Jack got greedy and tried to steal more...but this time the giant chases him. So, logic would tell you that Jack will soon learn a lesson from this unfortunate incident. A lesson that I can teach my children. But...soon we read the final page. Jack cuts down the beanstalk...the giant falls...the giant dies...and they were never poor again.
Based on the recurring phrase of the giant ("Fee-fi-fo-fum, I smell the blood of an Englishman. Be he alive, or be he dead, I'll grind his bones to make my bread."), I always thought that he was the bad guy. Now, however, I think that Jack is the bad guy. And what kind of mother is this who would condone such a thing?
The overriding theme that I can see here is this: If you are poor, go steal from someone who has more. And if you get caught, kill him...it is okay because you will not be poor anymore.
Obviously I am being a bit facetious here. But still...what do our children learn from this story?
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