episode_0065

A few days after the chaotic book club, Isolet received a book as a gift.

It was a children’s book titled ‘Stories for Children’.

In that fairy tale book, there were several fairy tales – The Little Mermaid, The Snow Queen, The Naked King, The Match Girl – all tied together in one volume.

“… Really, it’s a great talent. My cousin is.”

The many fairy tales filled with beautiful imagination were works of literary value in themselves.

Isolet once again realized his cousin’s talent.

Even when I heard that my cousin was actually ‘Herodotus’, I didn’t really realize it, but when I read something like this, I can’t help but realize it.

That his cousin was a great writer.

“Puh, but isn’t this too sad for children to read?”

Isolette, who was slowly reading a book, stopped at one sentence.

The finale of the fairy tale ‘The Little Match Girl’.

It was a scene depicting the death of a girl.

[At dawn, the poor, cold girl was leaning against the wall and smiling. The girl froze to death on the last evening of the year.]

The existence of a girl who burned all the matches and became cold.

As expected, it just felt infinitely sad.

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“Ed. I read the children’s book you gave me as a gift, but didn’t you think the ending was too sad to be read to a child?”

The dining room of the Count Frieden family. At my last meal with my brother, who will now live in a mansion in the capital with his wife.

My brother grumbled.

I, too, sympathized with this sentiment, so I nodded in agreement.

“Well, it’s a fairy tale. Couldn’t it also be called a tradition? It’s also depicted that way in the final scene of The Little Prince. It will look like he died after being bitten on the ankle by a snake… .”

“But, um, I don’t know if it’s okay to read this to your child.”

“It’s not such a sad ending, is it? There are scenes that can be seen as happy endings. For example, yes. Like the little match girl.”

“I thought that was the saddest… .”

The match girl. The story of the poor girl who was unable to sell matches, shivering in the cold and seeing visions of flames, was certainly filled with a sad and heart-wrenching atmosphere.

Even in this world, matches have long since become a product that does not sell well.

It was because of the existence of the lighter, a magic tool that anyone could easily light using flint. There weren’t many people who bothered to use things like matches.

Matches were still used to light candles at formal events in noble families, but that was quite rare.

“The Little Match Girl went to heaven in her grandmother’s arms. There, I reunited with my family and enjoyed tender happiness.”

“But, um, you’re dead! It’s freezing cold. In the neglect of people.”

“With a smile.”

“Ugh, I don’t know.”

Actually, I don’t know either. Should we view this as a happy ending for Andersen’s unique ‘immortality of the soul’, or as a sad ending in a harsh world?

There are so many interpretations of Andersen’s fairy tales.

However, there was one thing I knew about fairy tales.

“It’ll be okay. Because that fairy tale will definitely be loved by children.”

Andersen’s fairy tales will forever be loved by children.

Like old Disney movies, it could be divided into a dichotomous structure of good and evil and re-created as an animation movie, or it could be reinterpreted as a game by some subcultural sensibility that reveres the fairy tale, and after the censorship of crooked adults, it can be just a happy story. It could have changed to .

Thus, fairy tales have vitality.

If Don Quixote remains forever as a symbol of old chivalry and retains its value, fairy tales are constantly recreated and reinterpreted, reflecting the values and parenting views of the times and changing forever. Since there is no eternity, it lives and breathes forever.

and.

Andersen’s book, which I gave as a gift to my nephew who will one day be born, was also going to be like that.

One day, my nephew will grow up and have another child, and I will tell the fairy tale to that child again. I might change it to a simple happy ending because I thought the ending was too sad, or the story might get mixed up in my memories and become something fundamentally different.

In the end, he too would be colored by the name of love.

There’s no way that the fairy tales parents tell their children before going to bed aren’t full of love.

“Is that so… ?”

“Uh.”

“Um, yes. That’s what my brother, Homer and Herodotus, says, so I guess so.”

After saying that, my brother thought about something for a while and continued eating quietly.

He opened his mouth again as if he suddenly remembered something.

“But you don’t plan on publishing this collection of fairy tales?”

“Um, well… .”

Thinking back to the dozens of ‘junk’ rolling around in my bag.

I nodded.

“For now, I’m just going to give it as a gift to people I’ve known for a while.”

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Christmas with white snow falling. A day when children looked forward to gifts and adults raised their eyebrows in religious excitement and the joy of a feast.

Gifts arrived from all over the empire.

It was a collection of fairy tales in a luxurious hardcover book with the words ‘Stories for Children’ written on them. There were many fairy tales written there that people had never heard of and whose origins were unknown.

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“Prince─.”

“Oh my, father. A prince?”

“… Is.”

“Hehe, yes. Idris. What’s going on?”

“A gift for the prince has arrived, but I brought it because I thought it was sent to you, not me.”

“Is this a Christmas gift?”

“Yes. It’s a children’s book… The sender’s name was not written.”

“Hehe, it looks like this is a book sent by the author Homer. Thanks for bringing it to me, Idris.”

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“Wow! The illustration is not finished… . Drawing was just a hobby… Why am I drawing so hard… ? Will the illustrations hit me? .”

“I’m sick of spending Christmas alone while working… .”

“Huh? gift? Who sent it… ? It’s a children’s book… .”

“Oh, that’s right. Phew, the little prince and Alice… I had a lot of fun illustrating fairy tales. It’s amazing that my drawings appear in the book of an author I respect… .”

“… Yes, let’s cheer up.”

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“By mail!”

“Woo, postal, postal? Who sent it? Well, I don’t have anything coming to anyone… .”

“Yes? I’m not sure who sent it. The contents… I think it’s a book?”

“Chae, a book… ? iced coffee! Did the author Homer send it to you? ?”

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“I received a fairy tale book as a gift this Christmas… . Actually, this fairy tale is very interesting… ?”

“Chief Mage, I have to go immediately because the Mage Tower Lord told me to do something… .”

“Ah, I’m close with the Magic Tower owner again… ? In fact, when I first entered this magic tower, the first person to help me was the magic tower lord… .”

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“The most beautiful fairy tale in this collection of fairy tales is the Snow Queen! Don’t you understand the friendship and love involved in this journey?!”

“Ha! The tragedy of the Little Mermaid is truly the ultimate beauty! You who say that, do you really know what love is?!”

“Hey! It’s a duel!”

“Good! This time, we will compete with fairy tales!”

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“Your Majesty!”

“Kwaaa! What is it again this time? It’s Christmas and you can’t even rest?!”

“A Christmas gift has arrived for Her Majesty! Seeing the seal of the Haren Seal, it appears that it was sent by the ‘Great Teacher’ that His Majesty spoke of.”

“Hmm? A gift from the author?”

“Yes. It’s a children’s book.”

“I don’t have any children, so what kind of children’s book… .”

“Your Majesty, isn’t the ‘Great Teacher’ also urging you to have an heir as soon as possible? You need to find a partner quickly─.”

“Please stop nagging! Tsk, bring that storybook. Let’s read it.”

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“Cardinal Garnier. A mail has arrived from the Empire.”

“Hmm? Was it sent by the bishop of the empire?”

“Well, the sender’s name is not written down. It says it was sent from the capital of the empire… , The postal inspector confirmed that there was no problem, but would it be a good idea to throw it away?”

“No. Well, maybe your brother sent you a Christmas present. We cannot ignore sincerity. What kind of mail is it?”

“The postal inspector said it was a children’s book.”

“… Phew. A storybook for a priest… Is this your brother’s playful advice to always treat God with a childlike heart? great. Please bring it.”

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“Grey, were you praying?”

“I live every day under the blessings of God, and there has never been a single moment when I haven’t prayed in gratitude. okay… I am just grateful to you who come and work for me even on Christmas. What’s going on?”

“A package has arrived for Gray.”

“Well, I guess I would feel sad if I saw a bad gift on Christmas. This time, was it sent from what appears to be the ‘savior for people’ organization?”

“No. The sender’s name is not written… It is written that it came from the capital of the empire.”

“Hmm?”

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“Director Priest! Take a look here!”

“Hehe, sister. The children are still sleeping, so please lower your voice a little.”

“Someone sent me dozens of children’s books like this!”

“It looks like the foundation sent you a book again. I am grateful.”

“Huh… . I’m so happy I’m crying… . Until a few years ago, I was crying because I couldn’t even give my children a good piece of bread… . now… The orphanage building was also donated, so all the children can use their own rooms… Many teachers also teach children how to study… . Hehe… .”

“Hehe, why are you crying on a good day? Today is Christmas, so a crying child cannot receive a gift.”

“I’m an adult, so it’s okay to cry… .”

“Hmm? But there’s something stuck between the storybooks, right? That shiny thing… platinum… ?”

“Isn’t it like a bookmark?”

“A bookmark made of platinum. It seems that a very wealthy person sent it to me. Oh, there’s a letter here. It is said that if you show this platinum card to the ‘Upper Union’, they will solve any problem that can be solved with money. Even if you ask for an island, they say they will give it to you, including the title deed, in perfect order.”

“… Yes?”

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[The girl hurriedly lit the entire bundle of matches. The girl wanted her grandmother to stay there. Then the match shone brighter than daylight, and the girl’s grandmother also glowed big and beautiful.]

[At dawn, the poor, cold girl was leaning against the wall and smiling.]

[People mourned the girl’s death and regretted ignoring her and not buying matches last night.]

[No one could have imagined how beautiful the girl saw on the New Year and what glory she enjoyed with her grandmother.]