Quarantine Short Reads

LIKE MANY READERS during this time of pandemia, my attention comes and goes with the needs of my household. All the classics I want to read or reread are simply standing dusty on the bookshelves. But I do find myself drawn most to fables and fairytales, well because, short reads do count.

Short reads are more approachable because of their length but that doesn’t mean they lack depth, beauty, or truth. And many of these are suitable for family reads and discussions:

1. The Light Princess by George MacDonald (1864) or an edition of the Complete Fairy Tales of George MacDonald. There was once a King and Queen to whom a daughter was born. Invitations were sent for the baby's christening, but the King forgot to invite his sister, Princess Makemnoit. This sister, an evil witch, attended the christening anyway, angry at being forgotten. During the ceremony she curses the child to be weightless. The princess's tale becomes a story of folly, love, and great sacrifice with layers of meaning.
2. Yes, Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury (1957) is a full novel, but I have always found it a quick read and a wonderful coming-of-age story. It is the summer of 1928 in Green Town, Illinois. From the first moments when we meet Douglas Spaulding, we know his life is one of imagination and adventure. Young Doug is tantalized by the summer season, and his full-bodied experiences entice the most reticent reader to enter again into a season of discovery. One of the most notable elements of Bradbury’s fiction is this ability to depict the wonder and the dark times of childhood.
3. “The Spectre Bridegroom”  by Washington Irving (1819). Some Irving stories simply make you smile, but here, Irving’s wit and humor is in such fine form within a classic fairytale setting that it makes me laugh aloud. Before the story starts, Irving introduces the story with a footnote explaining that a wise reader “well-versed in good-for-nothing lore” would know his German tale was both Swiss and French as well. That understatement is classic Irving. Other fun reads include "Kidd the Pirate," "The Boar’s Head Tavern, Eastcheap" or the caricature "John Bull." These are all available online for free.
4. Leaf by Niggle  by J. R. R. Tolkien (1945). Niggle is a humble artist who lives alone in a world that doesn’t value his work. As he works on his masterpiece leaf by leaf, he is often interrupted by his neighbor Parish who needs his help. Before long, Niggle is permanently interrupted and taken away to work in an institution. With the feel of an allegory, Tolkien explores the idea of the creative life juxtaposed with the basic needs of life among other things. It’s brief and deep at the same time. 
5. The Book of the Dun Cow by Walter Wangerin, Jr. (1978). A blend of parable, fable, and allegory, this animal tale deepens Chaucer’s character of Chauntecleer the rooster to a firmly human status. At first, Chauntecleer reigns with bluster and fuss over his coop and the animals of his kingdom. His hens live in fear of him yet care deeply. He rages at Mundo Cani Dog yet values him. He is the most emotional rooster you could ever meet. But that can be a strength because Chauntecleer exemplifies virtue in his weakness. He is the perfect imperfect leader to face the coming evil in his land.

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