In this story by Vivien Alcock, eleven-year-old Meg and eight-year old William are horrified when their kindly Aunt Janet gets married and is replaced by wicked, cruel Aunt Gertrude. William’s greatest fear is that Gertrude will find out about the short cut to town that runs past the haunted pond in Teppit’s Wood. Everyone knows the story of the ghost but, of course, most adults don’t believe it. His fear is realized when late one evening Gertrude forces the two children to accompany her home through the woods. It turns out to be the last mean thing she ever did! More…
Toads and Diamonds (The Fairies)
This story from Charles Perrault is about a bad-tempered, greedy widow and her two daughters. One girl is selfish, rude and ugly but loved by her mother. The other girl is kind, polite and beautiful but treated badly. With the help of a fairy (who else?), the kind daughter marries a prince and the selfish daughter dies alone. The story leaves readers wondering about the fairy’s gift. Life would be miserable (and maybe impossible) if something fell from your mouth every time you opened it? Also, did the prince really marry her out of love, or was it for diamonds? More…
Christmas Storms and Sunshine
This tale by Elizabeth Gaskell uses Christmas as a backdrop to deliver a touching message about rivalry, jealousy, forgiveness and being a good neighbor. Two men living in the same rooming house work for rival newspapers. The papers support opposing political views, and are openly critical of each other. Loyalty to their employers has resulted in a rift between the two men; loyalty to their husbands, coupled with petty jealousies, has resulted in hatred between their wives. A hungry cat, seriously ill child, Christmas carolers, and a plate of homemade sausages bring everybody together. More…
Unnecessary Things
The message of this story by Tatyana Tolstaya is the need to let go of things that are no longer important to your life. The protagonist, who is moving alone into a new apartment, finds the remains of her childhood teddy bear while rummaging through a cupboard in her parents’ house. The find brings back long-suppressed memories and results in a feeling of overwhelming nostalgia. Sleeping next to the bear that night, she decides it has to go. Themes include hoarding, the relationship between objects, memories and feelings, sentimentality, moving on. More…
The Country of the Blind
In this story by H. G. Wells, a climber falls thousands of feet off a mountain into soft snow. He survives, to find himself in a hidden valley inhabited by a community who were born blind. Initially, he sees this as an opportunity to assume power in line with the proverb: In the Country of the Blind the One-eyed Man is King. However, things don’t go as planned. He soon finds that rather than being disabling, blindness gives the inhabitants additional capabilities. Themes include isolation, disability, lust for power, delusion/entrenched attitudes (metaphorical blindness), unfulfilled love, sacrifice, liberation. More…