The Orchid Journal

I grew up reading fairy tales like a drowining person inhales air when they finally reach solid ground. The adventures, magic, good vs. evil, the emphaisis on quality of character and beauty in the stories thrilled my already overactive imagination and my naturally romantic heart. Unlike most girls though, I did not read the watered down Disney versions of fairy tales. I read the original, hard core Brothers Grimm or other old fashioned fairy tale stories. While I highly enjoy Disney stories too, there is a vast difference in style and sheer number of Borthers Grimm stories. They fill volumes and volumes of books. I remember taking out thick books from the school library. They looked older, more worn and drab than the books that my schoolmates were borrowing. Each volume was a different color-dark maroon, navy blue, emerald green- and all of the pages were yellowed and the spines of the book were slightly worn. The outside of the book may have been uninviting and the thickness ...