The Goose-Girl

Unlike the prose itself this illustration for the story The Goose-Girl is clear of gore. The wisdom of the artist aside there are hints that there is plenty of mess to be found by the activities of the hungry gander nibbling away at whatever might be dripping onto the ground below the severed head of the gossipy horse. It is no longer kill-or-be-killed in most societies and there are other ways to educate children and poke at the aristocracy so I understand the sanitizing of the old myths and tales for the children of today. But I sure miss the ultra-violent kiddie stories of years past. It is much more satisfying when the Big Bad Wolf is boiled alive and eaten by his intended victims instead of today's outcome to the tale of the wolf having an intervention about his pork addiction.

Art by Fritz Kredel from The World's Best Fairy Tales, Vol. 2 (1967).