from the book commentary
Author: James B. Haggart
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The symbolism found in Grimm's Fairy Tales preserves racial heritage which reaches back to the times of Abraham Isaac and Jacob/Israel. Will cause you to take another look at those bedtime stories mother used to read aloud.
With this book, Reverend James B. Haggart has accomplished an important service as he takes each of the stories presented, and reveals its hidden message to the reader. In his introduction he explains in detail the careful work done by the Grimm brothers to preserve these fairy tales for future generations so that they might not be lost, as the identity of the Israel people has been lost, through the passage of time. He explains:
Children for many generations will forever be grateful to the Grimm brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm, for preserving the Fairy Stories for them to enjoy. But not only the children are grateful. Men and women of every clime and country are grateful. Except for the efforts of these two men more than 200 stories might have been lost forever to posterity. The Brothers Grimm have assured for these simple stories an important niche in our cultural and our spiritual heritage. Yes, there is a spiritual content which cannot be ignored. For many of the stories tie in very closely with the stories in the Bible. They are particularly valuable to us for their preservation of the racial heritage which reaches back to the times of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob the Patriarchs of the Old Testament. They give evidence of the highly Christian character of the Saxon people, as these stories are saturated with Bible truths. The symbology of these tales can be compared with the highest symbols of the Bible. Indeed, many of the symbols of Revelation and Daniel are interchangeable. So immersed were the Saxon people with the Bible content that every fairy tale is flavored with the message that the Holy Word holds.
Many suppose that the Grimm Brothers were the authors of the Fairy stories, termed The Household stories of the Brothers Grimm. They did not create or originate the stories. They merely wrote down for posterity the old folk tales that were passed on from house to house and generation to generation at family gatherings around the open hearth . . .
The brothers were quite aware of the tale's magic attraction for children, but they suspicioned something in them of a far deeper value. To Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm they were a strong and vital narrative of the Anglo-Saxon half-forgotten past. They wanted to rescue this, their racial heritage. To recover these precious gems and restore them for posterity became their sacred task . . .
To add even more to the book's appeal he has included sketches in pen-and-ink of several famous landmarks of the area as he made forays into the Land of Once Upon a Time and visited the places in Hesse associated with the stories, beginning in 1956. His sketches illustrate, effectively, the quaintness and beauty of the old Post-and-Beam structures along what is now called The Fairy Tale Street, that have undergone a splendid program of preservation to the great delight of the areas visitors.
The author has combined Scripture, Church history, and secular history to unveil the hidden message so cleverly concealed within each of the stories he has chosen for this presentation, which are:
SNOW WHITE
SLEEPING BEAUTY
CINDERELLA
HANSEL & GRETHEL
JACK & THE BEANSTALK
LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
SNOW WHITE & ROSE RED
THE TWELVE BROTHERS
THE ENCHANTED STAG
THE FROG KING
THE SEVEN RAVENS
This book will give you a whole new concept of the fairy tales of your childhood.
当我翻开《失落的以色列民间故事》这本书时,我以为自己会看到一些古老的神话传说,或者关于古代以色列民族起源的叙事。但这本书带给我的,远比这要丰富和深刻得多。它就像是一扇窗户,让我得以窥见一个早已消逝却又在民间传说中顽强存在的以色列。作者并非简单地罗列故事,而是将这些故事置于更广阔的历史和文化背景下进行解读。我被那些关于先知、国王、甚至是普通人的故事深深吸引,它们不仅仅是简单的叙事,更是承载着民族的记忆、信仰和价值观的载体。书中对一些传说背后象征意义的挖掘,也让我耳目一新,例如,某个关于流浪的隐喻,在不同的故事中以不同的形式出现,却都指向了同一个核心的失落与追寻。我尤其喜欢书中对那些常常被忽略的边缘人物和细节的关注,那些在宏大叙事中被淹没的声音,在作者的笔下重新焕发了生机。这些故事,有些让人心生敬畏,有些则让人会心一笑,它们共同构建了一个鲜活而立体的以色列民间图景,让我感受到一种跨越时空的连接。这本书让我明白,即使一个民族的疆土已经改变,它的精神和文化依然可以通过口耳相传的故事,在人们的心中延续下去。
评分在翻阅《失落的以色列民间故事》这本书时,我被其中所描绘的那个充满想象力与智慧的世界深深吸引。我原本以为,这本书更多的是关于历史的陈述,或是对宗教文献的解读。但它却以一种更加生动活泼的方式,将我带入了一个由古老传说编织而成的锦绣画卷。书中的故事,有些充满了奇幻的色彩,有些则蕴含着深刻的人生哲理,它们共同构成了我对那个失落的以色列的想象。我尤其喜欢书中对那些具有象征意义的意象的解读,例如,某个关于“树”的传说,在不同的故事中扮演着不同的角色,却都指向了生命、生长与连接的寓意。作者在讲述这些故事时,并没有流露出一种高高在上的姿态,而是以一种平易近人的方式,将这些古老的智慧娓娓道来,让我仿佛置身于一个古老的篝火旁,倾听着先辈的讲述。这本书让我意识到,民间故事不仅仅是娱乐,更是文化传承的载体,是连接过去与现在,连接个体与集体的桥梁。它让我看到了,即使一个民族的疆土已经改变,它的精神和文化依然可以通过这些鲜活的故事,在人们的心中,在世代的口耳相传中,永不失落。
评分在阅读《失落的以色列民间故事》的过程中,我时常会陷入一种沉思。我原本以为,这本书会以一种较为严肃和学术的口吻,来呈现一些关于古代以色列的民间传说。然而,它却以一种更加亲切和引人入胜的方式,将我带入了一个充满神秘与智慧的世界。书中的故事,有些听起来像是童话,有些则带着寓言的色彩,但它们都蕴含着深刻的哲理和对人生的洞察。我尤其着迷于那些关于智慧、勇气和命运的故事,它们让我对人性有了更深的理解。例如,书中讲述的一个关于如何辨别真伪的传说,其精妙的构思和出人意料的结局,让我拍案叫绝。作者并没有简单地复述故事,而是深入挖掘了每个故事背后的文化根源和社会背景,让我看到了这些故事是如何在漫长的岁月中被人们口耳相传,并不断演变的。这本书也让我意识到,民间故事的力量在于它的普适性,无论是在哪个时代,哪个文化背景下,人们都能从中找到共鸣。那些关于爱、失去、希望与绝望的故事,是人类共同的情感体验,它们通过这些古老的传说,得以跨越时空,触动我们的心灵。
评分《失落的以色列民间故事》这本书,让我对“失落”这个概念有了全新的认识。我原以为,所谓的“失落”,就是彻底的遗忘和消失。但这本书却证明了,即使是那些看似被历史尘埃掩埋的文化,也依然能在民间故事的流传中,找到生命力。书中讲述的那些关于古代以色列的民间传说,让我感受到了一种跨越千年的回响。我被那些关于勇士、圣人、甚至是普通人的故事所打动,它们不仅仅是简单的叙事,更是承载着一个民族的集体记忆、信仰和价值观的载体。我尤其欣赏作者在挖掘这些故事时所展现出的深度和广度。她并没有局限于某个特定的时期或某个群体,而是将目光投向了广阔的民间,寻找那些被忽略却又闪耀着智慧之光的故事。书中对一些传说中象征意义的解读,也让我茅塞顿开,例如,某个关于“水”的隐喻,在不同的故事中有着截然不同的表现,却都指向了生命、净化和希望的主题。这本书让我明白,文化并非静止的,它是在不断的流传和演变中,以最顽强的生命力延续下去的。
评分《失落的以色列民间故事》这本书,与其说是一本故事集,不如说是一次穿越时空的文化之旅。我一直对那些在历史长河中逐渐模糊的身影感到好奇,而这本书恰恰满足了我这份求知欲。书中讲述的那些关于古代以色列的民间故事,并没有我预想中的那种干燥的学术考证,反而充满了人情味和生命力。我仿佛看到了那些生活在几千年前的普通人,他们的喜怒哀乐,他们的信仰挣扎,他们的对未来的期盼。书中对一些故事的解读,也让我看到了民间传说与宗教、历史之间的微妙联系。我特别欣赏作者在处理这些古老故事时所展现出的耐心和细致,她并没有急于给出一个定论,而是留给读者足够的空间去思考和感受。比如,其中一个关于“应许之地”的传说,在不同的版本中有着微妙的差异,而作者通过对比分析,展现了这些差异背后所折射出的不同时代、不同人群的期望与困惑。这本书让我体会到,民间故事不仅仅是娱乐,更是民族集体记忆的储存库,是理解一个民族文化基因的重要窗口。它让我对“失落”这个词有了更深的理解,那些“失落”的,并非全然消失,而是在以另一种形式存在着,等待着被重新发现和讲述。
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