Fairy tales are the bones from which a savory broth is extracted. That is the comparison J.R.R. Tolkien made to this ancient form of story-telling.
Imagine those beloved tales bubbling away for centuries in a large cauldron. The bones give the tales substance, but each storyteller adds his or her own seasonings. These stories have been around for so long that it is impossible to find the definitive version, or credit the original author.
Take Cinderella, for example. The earliest known version of Cinderella dates back to ninth century China, but different versions of the tale appear all over the world. The essence of the story is the same – even if the slipper isn’t made of glass. The storyteller’s environment may change the flavor of the story, but in the end, it contains the basic elements of humanity that transcend time and place: failure and triumph, kindness and cruelty, fear and courage.
A master spinner of fantasy worlds, Tolkien’s own Lord of the Rings trilogy remains in the top 100 all-time favorite books 60 years after its first publication. His creatures and characters are an integral part of popular culture – familiar even to those who have not read his books.
Tolkien himself was a huge believer in fairy tales.
“The realm of fairy-story is wide and deep and high and filled with many things,” Tolkien wrote. “All manner of beasts and birds are found there; shoreless seas and stars uncounted; beauty that is an enchantment, and an ever-present peril; both joy and sorrow as sharp as swords.”
