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Question: Please share your interpretation of the following:!?
My mother passed on when I was 6 years old!. I have some memories of her, some happy, some sad, some reflective!. She would read bedtime stories to me when I was young, but the only one I remember, which she told me almost on weekly basis is this fairy tale:
"There lived a princess who lived with the king & queen and she could have anything she wanted!. But she had this peculiar habit: every night the most sumptuous food would be laid out for the royal family including her!. She would never ever touch the sumptuous food, would go up to her room, and after every one was asleep, she would sneak in the kitchen and eat a dry piece of bread instead!." This was the entire fairy tale!. I have my own opinion on this but really need all of you to send me your honest interpretation of the tale, and how do you think this affected the 6 year old who's now grown up (47 years old now') My therapist suggested I do this and see how others would interpret this!. Please take the time and tell me your honest interpretation!. It will help me a lot!. Thank you for your answers!.
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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
This is such a beautiful story, and I personally feel the reason why it is etched in your mind, is because your mum was able to teach you the underlying principle of what life really is about!.!. and that is!.!. To value the little things in life!.!.!.the princess was able to have all a rich person could afford, but she chose to content her soul with a piece of dry bread!.!.
I think we all cud learn a lesson from this!.!.!. we don`t need a whole lot to be happy in life!.!.!.
Thanks for sharing this!.!.!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
Perhaps I'll disappoint you, but in my interpretation the story has nothing to do with humility: it's like when you're a child and allowed to do anything, you are eager to find some thing which is not allowed to you and do exactly it!. The princess wasn't supposed to eat dry bread, therefore she did eat it!.
But it's most likely that the story was told to you to teach you humility!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I think your mother was very wise and was trying to teach you humility!.
The princess practiced self-denial, self-validating behavior!. She thought
it wrong to simply indulge while others did not have this opportunity, the servants are not mentioned!. I'll bet your mother mentioned them!. I hope you see the love she has for you in telling you this story!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
THE TALE IS BEAUTIFUL, THANX FOR SHARING SOMETHING FROM SO CLOSE TO YOUR HEART!.!.!. WHAT IS SUMPTUOUS FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD MAY NOT BE TO YOUR LIKING !.!.!.FOLLOW THE TRUE DESIRES OF YOUR HEART, MIND AND SOUL!.!.!.AND THAT IT TRUE HAPPINESS!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
the princess could feel guilty about taking any of what was provided for everyone, and even ashamed so she had to fulfill what little of her basic needs as she did in secret!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
To me it sounds like an emphasis on being humble - of not desiring the best of material wealth in this world, but accepting the least and being happy with it!. Www@QuestionHome@Com
That it's expensive doesn't mean that you will like it and sometimes it tastes better when you have to work for it!.
My kids have opinions that I'd like to add!.
The first one says, if you don't take what is served to you then you have to resort to stealing and being a thief to get what you need!.
The other says, she has a conscience and she feels that she's no better than the people that eat ordinary food!. Not eating the sumptuous food is a statement from her that she want things to be fair!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
There seems to be so much missing from this tale!. Does the princess think she is unworthy of such a meal!? Are the leftovers given to the poor!? Are the princess's desires that simple!? Is this a way for the princess to atone for her desires that are more fantastic!?
I'm not exactly sure how you interpreted it, but I would say that this could be seen as a story about a princess who didn't think she deserved a sumptuous meal and instead dined on bread!. Maybe she wanted to know what it was like for other people who were not as fortunate as she!? That could be another way of looking at this story!. There are plenty of interpretations!. One that was fleeting for me was some sort of weigh-loss regime!. My mother had an eating disorder (anorexia) from the time she was little and has always encouraged me to eat and to have seconds!. (I'm not obese, but I could lose ten to fifteen pounds!.) Anyway, I know I haven't given you a real interpretation - just a host of possibilities!. I hope this helped!.
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This tells us more about your mother than it does about you!.
When mothers turn what they want to say into a fairy tale it is because they are gentle and well-meaning!. They do not come straight out give advice, or warnings and scoldings - they couch it in sweetness and soft language!. They turn it into a parable!.
Was she trying to instil humilty in you - or was she trying to tell you that greed is not good!? Or was she trying to tell you that being different is being different!? Or perhaps you were a picky eater at that age and she was trying to tell you that even princesses have problems with rich food!.
The meaning of the fairy tale itself is not that important - it's the fact that you remember her telling it to you that is!. Well done - you have remembered your mother at her best!. Perhaps that is what she wanted!.
I hope this helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Sorry about your mum, she would be proud that you're trying to relate!.
This was probably your Mum's way of telling you to not always go for the most rich or classy things in life, and rather than taking advantage of others by taking what you don't know, show that you're humble and only take what you need!.
Hope this helps, could elaborate more, but I presume most people will be giving the same answers
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that is an interesting story; i don't think i've ever heard it before!. First question: are you sure your mother told you this story!? do you still have the book and remember her reading it to you!?
if you're wondering why you remember this story, it was probably because of the repetition!. if you're wondering why your mother chose to read it to you so much, i can only guess that your mother felt a connection between the princess and her own life!. i don't know anything about your parents' history!. is it possible that she grew up in a posh, but slightly cold family!? was she maybe an anorexic!? sorry, i'm just making wild stabs in the dark here, i'm really not trying to offend you or your family!. i think the tale was meant to show that even the people who are given the most highly valued things in life can feel alone and unwilling to take part, especially as a young, impressionable child!. Perhaps your mother was just trying to teach you humility, not to be supercilious or whatever!. she probably wanted you to grow up with a good sense of the world, as most mothers do!.Www@QuestionHome@Com