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248. What Are Fairy-Tale Retellings? | with Kendra E. Ardnek

248. What Are Fairy-Tale Retellings? | with Kendra E. Ardnek

Fantastical Truth

February 4, 20251h 0m

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Show Notes

After her fairy godmother’s magic act, Cinderella carefully slips her feet into—a set of fine glass seven-league boots.[1. Photo by Tim Rebkavets on Unsplash.] She clicks her heels three times and is whisked away to the land of Oz. Meanwhile, a beautiful princess flees from the prophecy of a deadly spindle. She discovers the house of seven dwarves, where she must hide from a wicked witch along with the witch’s evil sidekick, Rumplestiltskin. What are fairy tale retellings? How do they reenchant us?

Episode sponsors

  1. Enclave Publishing: The Unraveling of Emlyn DuLaine by Lindsay Franklin
  2. Sunrise Publishing: Squire of Truth by Jill Williamson
  3. Kickstarter for A Study in Shattered Spells by Josiah DeGraaf

Mission update

Backstory: Kendra E. Ardnek

Kendra E. Ardnek is the self-proclaimed Arista of Fairy Tales. She makes her home in the hills of central Texas with her fellow author husband, who she found at a writer’s conference. When not writing, you can usually find her crocheting her own cloaks, valiantly attempting to read every retelling ever written, and pretending that owning toy dragons makes her a dragon trainer.

1. Why do all kinds of readers love classic fairy tales?

  • Kids re-read classic fairy tales because they’re simple, fun, memorable
  • Older kids/teens/YA enjoy these too, especially the “retelling” versions
  • Adults like to research them for their deeper and often biblical truth

2. And why do readers also love retelling fairy tales?

  • Any adaptation (even Disney ones) helps bring out new/old meanings
  • Retellings can freshen an old story with new plot twists, settings, finales.
  • Sometimes a retelling can blend other stories, like in this show’s intro.

3. How long may this fairy-tale retelling trend last?

  • One way or another, we shall always enjoy new versions of old stories.
  • That’s because most fairy tales reflect the simple virtues of God’s law.
  • And fairy tales offer not just “tropes” but reflections of eternal heroes.

Com station

Which are your favorite fairy tales to re-read, retell, or research?