Supplement to The Fairest of Them All: Snow White and 21 Tales of Mothers and Daughters

by Maria Tatar

This web-only supplement comprises a free downloadable excerpt (“mini ebook”) from Maria Tatar’s The Fairest of Them All: Snow White and 21 Tales of Mothers and Daughters as well as a themed embroidery pattern. Both items are intended for personal use.

Fairy tales, up close and personal, always give us something to talk about. Taking us into the safe space of “once upon a time,” the story of Snow White allows our imaginations to run wild with perils and possibilities, hypotheticals and counterfactuals, fantasies and fears. At a time like this, when we are all also sheltering in place in our own cozy or all-too-snug cottages, it’s time to travel around the world, looking at stories about beautiful girls and their jealous mothers, stepmothers, aunts, and mothers-in-law. Mother’s Day, a time when we acknowledge all the wonders of the women who raised us, is also a good time to explore the dark side of family conflicts and consider how to find happily-ever-afters for us all.

I hope you enjoy these two tales that I translated for The Fairest of Them All, first “Little Snow White” from the Brothers Grimm and then a French tale called “The Enchanted Stockings.” Stay safe and healthy wherever you are sheltering.

—Maria Tatar, May 2020

Thumbnail image: Cover of PDF excerpt from The Fairest of Them All: Snow White and 21 Tales of Mothers and Daughters, by Maria Tatar, from Harvard University Press (jacket of book with additional text “Exclusive Mother’s Day mini ebook” inside an apple shape)

Thumbnail image: Themed embroidery pattern for The Fairest of Them All: Snow White and 21 Tales of Mothers and Daughters, by Maria Tatar, from Harvard University Press (“Magic Mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?” text in a circle shape; in the foreground is a long-haired figure facing away from the viewer, towards an oval mirror)

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