So now the Emperor walked under his high canopy in the middle of the procession right through the streets of his capital city. And all the people standing by and those at the window cried out, "Oh, how beautiful are our Emperor's new clothes! What a magnificent train. And how gracefully the scarf hangs!" In fact, no one would admit that he could not see these clothes which everyone seemed to think so beautiful for fear he would be called a simpleton or unfit for office.
Never before had any of the Emperor's clothes caused so much excitement as these.
"But the Emperor has nothing on at all!" said a little child.
"The child tells the truth," said the father.
And so it was that what the child said was whispered from one to another until all knew and they cried out altogether, "BUT HE HAS NOTHING ON AT ALL!"
The Emperor felt very silly, for he knew that the people were right, but he thought, "The procession has started and it must go on now!"

Hans Christian Andersen's famous fairytale, The Emperor's New Clothes, is as appealing and applicable today as it was in Denmark in the 1850's. Somehow, we mortals get a sense of satisfaction seeing an arrogant leader exposed as a result of his own vanity.

Andersen had a knack for seeing through people and getting to the heart of matters, and his talent is reflected in his children's stories, many of which teach valuable lessons that when learned early are able to stay as habits of the heart throughout life. For example, in the Emperor's tale, he unveils the human susceptibility to be easily deceived, and our predisposition to social conformity. If we learn to recognize our inclinations early in life, then we will be able to catch and correct them sooner.

Andersen delightfully presents the innocence of a child as being an essential human quality for telling the truth. If we can learn to always reserve part of "our child within" for those times when we need to be open and honest, then perhaps we'd have a bit more integrity.

Another lesson pertains to the Emperor's denial of being caught unattired, and proceeding on as if nothing had happened. We admire him for trying to maintain his dignity, but his facade is a reminder of some leaders today who refuse to face the truth out of fear, so they continue on with their own procession of myopic myths in order to maintain their positions of power and authority. From this we can learn to have periodic "reality checks" to see if we want to be part of a mythological problem, or be part of a different kind of solution.

What is it that attracts people of all ages to fables, fantasies, and fairytales? Feminist author Clarissa Estes believes, "Back in the recesses of our mind is a secret desire for life to arrange itself as a fairytale." That's probably why the movie, Sleepless in Seattle, became so popular. Stories with happy endings meet a human need--the need for hope, and the need to feel that the world can sometimes be a congenial place where everything works out well. Good stories also provide an indirect way to learn some of life's lessons, because when we identify with certain characters, we get to discover our own truths, which can lead to positive changes. Reading tales can also compensate for our particular feelings of inadequacy and make us feel whole. We tend to fill in our own gaps with the good qualities of story characters when we identify with them. Who couldn't identify with the charming spunk of Ann of Green Gables, or the unwavering integrity of Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird.

Reading tales with challenges and noble ideas can also have a curative effect on us.

"Stories are the simplest and most accessible ingredient for healing." (Estes) By vicariously stepping into a story character's role, there's a possibility of curing our own ailments, because we gain insight on how to change our own behavior. In a sense, reading can become "bibliotherapy." Whether its learning to be more assertive, to control one's temper, or to show respect for people's feelings, we can still change our behavior.

Joseph Campbell, renowned professor of mythology, believed stories offer people of all ages models for living a good life, but that the models must be meaningful to have any positive effect. He felt our present moral order had to catch up with the moral necessities of life in the here and now. "The old time religion belongs to another age, another people, another set of human values, another universe. We need myths that will identify the individual not with his local group, but with the planet." A good myth, or story, then, must not be provincial in nature, such as reflected in the belief of being "one of the chosen people," or belonging to the "one and only true church" but must speak to the unity of all people and the wellness of the earth. The tales can be old or new, just so the plots have unifying motives and/or a global message.

Without developing an active imagination and hopeful fantasies, people of all ages might not have the strength to meet the dragons of life. "Good tales give our anxieties form and show us the ways to overcome our monsters. If our fear of being devoured takes the tangible form of a witch, it can be gotten rid of by burning her in the oven," said child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim. In other words, a child can learn to deal with the mean-spirited people in life by symbolically shutting them away until he or she can learn, through experience, more and productive ways to deal with troublesome characters.

Fairytales and other stories bridge the gap between childhood and adulthood. "Before a child can come to grips with reality, he must have some frame of reference to evaluate it." (Bettelheim) Good books speak to a child's mind, and in such a way he or she can understand. Stories offer beneficial emotional lessons which can shape brain circuits in more productive ways. Research also verifies that "adult brain circuits can change just as well as children's." (Daniel Goleman, 1995)

Childhood is especially a time when fantasies need to be nurtured because that's when the creative venture begins. It's also a time when life can be overpowering for some little ones. Good stories can be a respite for tenuous circumstances because they help reassure a child about a just and happy outcome. For example, a selfish Emperor (who might represent father) is publicly humbled; the wicked witch (mother?) gets shoved into an oven; The Wizard of Oz (an authority figure) is exposed as a charlatan; the ugly duckling (an insecure child) turns out to be attractive; and the sky in Chicken Little's scary world really can't fall.

Good tales can help people of all ages become mentally healthier and happier human beings, but childhood is the ideal time to begin telling or reading stories because that's the time when children learn the most. Caregivers can facilitate the process early by creating an emotionally stable foundation which includes choosing good stories, and by asking the right questions about the stories. Bettelheim said, "Asking , 'Is it true?' is not as important as wondering with a child, 'Do you think the monster was good or was he wicked?" This type of questioning will promote self-discovery and self-confidence. Leisurely helping children to think for themselves will eventually guide them toward a sense of reality and a mature adulthood which just might help them to "live happily ever after" or at least reasonably so.

--Nancy Moore