Grimm Debate: "Iron John" vs. "Hansel and Gretel"

The Grimm Brothers gathered many stories that most of us know today.

We have such tales as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White that Disney has made popular.

Of the many Grimm tales, Iron John and Hansel and Gretel had possibilities to shed light indirectly on child abuse in the home. The only time to bring up the abuse was at the beginning of each of the stories.

This seems like a strange way to begin the whole "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" program.

Where was the humor?

While at the Utah Storytelling Guild Olympus Chapter Christmas party, I brought some of my books on Iron John so people could get a taste as to what direction I was heading. Luckily, everyone there knew the story of Hansel and Gretel.

Strengths for Iron John:

• Interesting relationship between the boy-prince and the Wild Man, as the Wild Man is really like a second father
• Heavily a "guy" story while the ending story, The Gardener's Wife, is heavily a "girl" story so it balances out the program
• Boy-prince is an eight-year-old while the boy in the center story, Forsaken Brother, is one which I already planned for the boy to also be an eight-year-old
  

Strengths for Hansel and Gretel:

• Familiar story with a "Rachel twist" could be welcomed by the audience
• Chance for children to be heroes and show how siblings can help each other
• Mother character is intriguing for she (and not a stepmother as shared in other versions) was the one who took the children to the woods to get lost

One of my friends, Julie Barnson, predicted that I may not choose either one of these stories to be the opening piece for "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" premiere.

We shall see.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Oh Where, Oh Where is that Opening Story?

My center and final stories for the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" came in such miraculous ways that I expected another miracle to shine light on a story and say "Here is your opening story!"

So far no light.

I dedicated today to the libraries to find that opening story. There is a certain mood that an opening story needs that, at times, can make it so difficult.

Humor is powerful. Yet, I had always imagined one of my stories to address child abuse, at least in an indirect way. My center story is on abandonment while the final story is on adoption.

I have tossed around the idea of a version of "Hansel and Gretel", but nothing so far has struck me as "I must tell this one!"

In "emergencies" such as finding the opening story with the premiere a little over two months away, I settled on the floor at the Central Branch of the Davis County Library system. It seems more inspiration has come from sitting on the floor rather than sitting in a chair.

At times I worried if I blocked the way for other library patrons, so I was quick to move my feet aside to allow people through. Some people could tell I was on a serious mission and so avoided my area.

Normally I would check out about 20-30 books and take them home to peruse. This time I sat for hours reading. I scanned titles and the first paragraphs as most likely the focus would be revealed through those means. If the story did not connect with some level of family relationship or even with food or famine, then I skipped to the next story.

Finally, I ignored the collections of folktales and moved on to the picture books. Sometimes these books reveal the ethnic background and bibliographies to further research. I did not want to do a literary piece. I wanted to create the story based on the folktale's structure and culture.

When a few hours passed and still I seemed no closer than when I first arrived at the library, the story "Iron John" jumped out at me. Many years ago I considered telling this story. To this day, I do not know many storytellers who tell it despite it being part of the Brothers Grimm collection.

In all the versions I have read for "Iron John", not once have I read that the boy-prince's father was abusive. Yet, the boy feels a need to have a second father in the form of a wild man. My imagination fills in the blanks by thinking perhaps the king was not all that he seemed.

The story may be too heavy for an opening piece.

So the search continues for that elusive opening story.

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller

Adventures for my Student: Denae Palm

I had a request for Denae Palm, undergraduate student from Weber State University, who will dedicate her 30-hour+ senior project to the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" premiere.

I told her I would like a list of her strengths and interests. Today I received her list.

This guided me in the types of projects/adventures in connection with her senior project and the "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" premiere.

These were the adventures and details I gave her:

1. Gather information of family associations on local, national, and international levels and compose in Excel spreadsheet

• Create column for each of the following: Name of Organization, Contact Name(s), Title/Position of Contact, Address, City, State, Zip Code, Telephone, Website, Email, One-Sentence Description of Focus
• Family Associations relating to Education are preferred though groups could connect with child abuse, abandonment, adoption, parenting, etc.
• Goal: At least 100 groups discovered by December 17th

2. Schedule practice performances for each of the three stories in the premiere

• Opening Story TBA--Either "Iron John", German tale also shared by Brother Grimm, or version of "Hansel and Gretel"

-- Approximate time of story: 25 minutes
-- Requires no coordination with other guest artists
-- Aim one for 4th and/or 5th grade, one for junior high, and one for high school
-- Focus: Child Abuse and Gaining a 2nd Father--"Iron John"
-- Focus: Child Abuse and Sibling Strength--"Hansel and Gretel"

• Middle Story "Forsaken Brother", Ojibwa tale

-- Approximate time of story: 25 minutes
-- Requires coordination with Joshua Payne, accompanist/guitarist
-- Aim one for 4th and/or 5th grade, one for junior high, and one for high school
-- Focus: Child Abandonment and Broken Promises
-- Due to sad mood to story, a 5-6 minute story is needed at beginning and end

• Final Story "The Gardener's Wife", Colombian tale

-- Approximate time of story: 40 minutes
-- Requires coordination with Holly Robison, singer
-- Aim one for 4th and/or 5th grade, one for junior high, and one for high school
-- Focus: Desire for Children and Adoption

• Donations of $50 or more suggested though lack of funds will not dissuade performing at the school (they need to be aware that normally Rachel Hedman is paid $200/hour)
• Three practices for each of the stories for a total of nine times

-- Stories will be as polished as possible
-- Rachel desires 10-15 minutes for feedback from students and teachers
-- Classroom size as well as Assembly size is acceptable
-- Encourage pdf file of "Save the Date" postcard to be emailed to teachers
-- Request 3 dates/times to see if will work with Rachel's schedule

• Goal: At least 9 practice performances scheduled from the 2nd week of January to the end of January to be completed by December 23rd

3. Determine which Utah curriculum standards for 4th grade on through high school relate to storytelling in general as well as specifically to the themes and stories from "Family Famine: Hunger for Love"

• Consider social, political, geographical, religious, or economic details highlighted through the cultural tales
• Delve into the language arts and how to structure a story
• Explore emphasis on oral, verbal, and nonverbal communication skills
• Goal: List the standards with a paragraph under each using terminology known and respected by educators on how storytelling and/or "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" fulfills them by January 3rd

4. Create lesson plans that could be applied for residencies for 4th grade on through high school

• Brainstorm discussion questions
• Test activities with children in neighborhood or nearby schools and receive feedback
• With permission from the parents, take pictures of the activities in action with the kids so that they can be shared through publications, websites, or other items
• Goal: Develop at least three activities each for an elementary grade, at least three activities for a junior high grade, and at least three activities for a high school grade that connect with themes and/or stories found in "Family Famine: Hunger for Love" by January 3rd
  

Until we tell again,

Rachel Hedman

Professional Storyteller

Former Co-Chair of Youth, Educators, and Storytellers Alliance (2005-2008)

Tel: (801) 870-5799
Email: info@rachelhedman.com

URL: http://www.rachelhedman.com

How-To Blog: http://storytellingadventures.blogspot.com

Performance Blog: http://familyfamine.blogspot.com
Other places to find me: Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Professional Storyteller