There's a little known educational opportunity in Midland every third Wednesday at the Midland Public Library called the Brown Bag Lunch speaker series.
This past Wednesday the speaker was the Library Volunteer Coordinator, Ann Parish, and her topic was fairy tales. Now hold on, don't click away because of the title. It really was a good program. Here's the speaker's book list (pdf)
She told about some variations of the three little pigs story including a feminist version and one from the wolf's point of view -- he had a cold, he sneezed the little houses down, and there was dinner all laid out. Is that so wrong?
And did you know that there are thousands of variations of the Cinderella story? There was the original Brothers Grim fable in which the step sisters mutilated their feet to get them into that golden slipper. Read the original here. That must have been a bit too gory for Walt Disney, so his movie was much more kid friendly.
The speaker saved the best for last, "Bubba the Cowboy Prince." From the author's website:
Bubba is bossed around the family ranch by his wicked step daddy and his nasty stepbrothers, Dwayne and Milton. Bubba never complains, though. He's a real cowboy - tough as leather and cute as a cow's ear! When Miz Lurleen, the purtiest rancher in Texas, decides to throw a ball to find herself a feller, Bubba has to stay at home. "You smell more like the cattle than the cattle do," taunt Dwayne and Milton. But with the help of Bubba's FAIRY GODCOW, and a little Texas magic, Miz Lurleen finds the cowboy Prince she's always dreamed of. With it's western language and humor, the Texas retelling of Cinderella will really rope in the readers.
Check the library calendar for upcoming library events.
Added later -- Here's a librarian with a much different tale.
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