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Author
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Comment
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Hedy
Unregistered User
(2/3/05 2:11 am)
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Joseph Jacob's "Kate Crackernut"
Hi! I come from Taiwan. I have some questions and I don't know how to solve them,because I think those questions may concern with the cultures about England. I hope that you can help me.
In "Kate Crackernuts", why Kate keeps plucking nuts from trees when she goes along with the sick prince to a mountain? Is nut a talisman in English culture?
I read this tale from " The Annotation Classic Fairy Tales" by Maria Tatar,its a book that collects lots of fairy tales.
THANK YOU!
Hedy :)
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Black Sheep
Registered User
(2/4/05 4:01 pm)
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Re: Joseph Jacob's "Kate Crackernut"
Hi Hedy,
This is only my opinion but I think that the theme of the whole story is similar to the proverb "waste not, want not" meaning that if we don't waste our opportunities then we are more likely not to be in need. Anne was protected from harmful magic by eating a leftover crust of bread instead of wasting it and then she was protected by eating peas which she collected as she walked. She takes every opportunity which is offered to her until her stepmother stops her.
Kate then goes in search of new opportunities, she takes the opportunity to sit with the sick prince, and the opportunity to follow the prince, and the opportunity to collect food, and the opportunity to eat her food, and the opportunity to exchange her food for a magic wand, and the opportunity to exchange her food for a magic bird. The prince only recovers when he takes his opportunity to eat the bird which cures him.
Waste not, want not.
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hedy
Unregistered User
(2/5/05 1:04 am)
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Joseph Jacob's "Kate Crackernut"
Thank you for your opinions. Now I feel better after reading your opinions.
I am so glad to discover this place. I find that there are very few essays or books about this fairy tale, which trouble me.
Thanks !
Hedy
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