Sprites in Jeans

By B. K. De Fabris

"Sprites in Jeans" combines timeless fairy tale magic with today's world.

"Sprites in Jeans" are contemporary fairy tales that aim to be clear and understandable to children of the twenty-first century. At the same time they proudly acknowledge the source of their inspiration and the tradition from which they emerge.

"Sprites in Jeans" aim to provide our children the freedom to explore the miraculous and fantastical world against the backdrop of their everyday lives and to acquaint them with timeless moral and ethical principles in the context of the social, moral and economic relationships that surround them in reality.

• Language: English
• Publisher: B. K. De Fabris
• Release date: Oct 11, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223646396

Book preview

SPRITES IN JEANS

PREFACE

The classic fairy tales by authors like the Grimm Brothers, Charles Perrault, and H. C. Andersen are part of the collective consciousness of modern humanity. Their significance and influence on the culture, art and even life of the Western world can only be compared by the influence of the Bible or Greek mythology.

Like any work of art, they are deeply rooted in the place and time of their creation. Through these tales, one can trace the intricate connections to the social and economic realities of Europe up until the early 19th century. Amid this harsh world rises wonder and fantasy as a fascinating protest of the human spirit over all injustices and limitations imposed by reality.

And what about fairy tales today? Are there miracles today that can comfort us? Do we have the imagination to paint our ideals?

Sprites in Jeans do not want to compete with classic fairy tales, nor do they intend to join their often justified criticism. They even don't want to flirt with ubiquitous disneyfication, and they are neither a modern adaptation of traditional fairy tales. Sprites in Jeans are self-contained narratives that want to be clear and understandable to the children of the twenty-first century. At the same time they want to point out with pride the source of their inspiration and the tradition from which they arise.

Sprites in Jeans want to give our children the right to discover the miraculous and fantastic world on the basis of their everyday life and to get them acquainted with eternal moral and ethical principles in the context of social and economic relations that surround them in reality.

THE HANDY CAP

It was a cold autumn afternoon in a small town in the heart of Europe. Night was about to fall, and the streets of this old town were already so empty and quiet that you could clearly hear the mischievous breeze kicking a small yellow leaf on the gray pavement – Whisk! Whisk!

The playful wind twirled the dry leaf in circles, then pushed it under a parked car, lifted it onto the sidewalk, and ruthlessly scraped it down the weathered walls until it reached the sturdy bars of a magnificent courtyard. There, the leaf got trapped. It remained stuck between the gravel path and the thick black bars of the open gate. It shivered once more and then settled completely. The street was quiet again.

But if you were to lift your gaze from that unfortunate leaf – Wow! – you would see the elegant building of the High Music School with a festive and lively atmosphere inside. A poor piano student had just finished his first school concert. With great virtuosity, he played a famous waltz before strict and silent professors. But don't worry, he received the highest grades.

At the reception after the concert, professors and students, acquaintances and strangers, all congratulated him, Bravo! Excellent! Congratulations!

The mayor himself put a large banknote in his pocket, pinched his cheek, and said, Masterful, young man, masterful!

Thank... thank you, sir! Ex... excuse me... the bewildered student replied with a mouth full of shrimps and caviar because he hadn't eaten anything since yesterday morning.

As the reception came to a close, acquaintances and strangers, professors and students, they all dispersed, and the student, as usual, was left alone. He put his hands in his pockets and started going home.

He went through gloomy and dark parts of the city. The narrow streets were eerily quiet, filled with fog and odd shadows, but the young man was in a good mood and cheerfully whistled his waltz, Phweeee... phweeee... phweeee...

Suddenly, a voice startled him, Good evening, young man! Hee, hee, hee!

The student turned around.

In the dim light of the street lamp stood an old blind woman. She was begging. I can hear you're merry and pleased, but I am suffering from hunger and thirst. Do give me some alms, she said.

The young man felt sorry for the poor old granny. He reached into his pocket but found nothing except for that large banknote. He paused for a moment, then took out the valuable piece of paper and said, Here you are! That's all I have. He placed the money into the bony hand of the old woman and wanted to continue on his way.

But, as soon as he turned around, the old woman swiftly grabbed his coat and said, Wait a moment, young man! Hee, hee, hee! She chuckled strangely and continued, I see that you are noble and have a good heart, so I will give you something in return.

The old woman carefully folded the large banknote and tucked it deep into the pocket of her excessively long coat. Then she pulled a stone from the same pocket and placed it in the young man's palm – Thump! – Take this, she said sternly, and listen well to what I'm about to tell you! She leaned closer to him and whispered as if revealing an important secret. In the next street, you will come upon a pack of dogs. They are quaffing and fighting over a cap with their sharp fangs. Throw this stone at them, and the dogs will drop the cap and scamper away. Hee, hee, hee!... But... listen carefully to what I'm telling you! Take that cap with you. It is very... um... handy. Some might even say it's magical!... Every time you take it off your head, you will find a gold coin in your hair. Hee, hee, hee!... Good luck, my boy! The old woman said the last words in a singing voice, pinched the young man's cheek, and left, giggling, Hee, hee, hee!

The young man tucked the stone into his pocket, shouted after the old woman, Thank you, ma'am! Goodbye! and continued on his way. He was laughing to himself, Ah! Poor woman, she's completely nuts! However, he had only taken a few steps when he heard barking and growling, Woof! Woof! Ruff! Ruff!

He paused, looked around the corner, and... – Wow! Look! – There, underneath a lighted window, a pack of dogs was tugging at and tearing a cap.

Woof! Woof! Ruff! Ruff! Grrr! Grrr! the dogs growled, yanked, and nipped at each other, as if each one of them wanted that cap just for himself.

Strange, the young man thought. It's exactly as the old lady said. He took the stone out of his pocket, aimed, and threw it – Swish!... – The stone landed right in the middle of those dogs – Clank!

Woof! Woof! Yap! Yap! Yap! the dogs scampered away barking and yelping, "Ai! Ai! Ai! – Thump! Thump! Thump!...

Silence fell, and the dusty cap remained lying on the empty street. The young man picked up the cap, shook it off, placed it on his head, and continued his way, whistling Phweeee... phweeee... phweeee...

At midnight, he arrived at his small rented room in the attic of an old house. As always, he struggled to close the creaky door and finally leaned tiredly against it. Only now did he remember the old woman and her promise. Carefully, he took off the cap from his head to check if it was true, and there it was. – Truly! – A gold coin shone in his hair – Bling!

Unbelievable! the young man exclaimed. Trembling with excitement, he took off the cap from his head several times, and each time he would find a gold coin in his hair – Bling! Bling! Bling! Bling!

Wow! What a big bunch of gold! he exclaimed. Then, overjoyed, he jumped onto the bed and began singing his old cheerful waltz, Tra, la, la, la, la!... – Bling! Bling! Bling! Bling! Bling!...

The next morning, the young man filled his pockets with gold coins and mused, "What good is all