The power of folk tales

DEBBIE JACOB

FOLKLORE IS in the news. Folk tales have always drawn polarised views about their benefit or harm in children’s development, but these days academics study them to explain Ukraine’s early success in fighting the Russian invasion.

In a March 23 internet article entitled How Fairy Tales Shape Fighting Spirit, Professors Mia Bloom and Sophia Moskalenko claim that children’s folk tales have shaped the cultural values we see in Ukrainian and Russian soldiers.

The article is most interesting for its general positive spin on the importance of folk tales or fairy tales on children's psychological development. This hasn’t always been the case.

In the 60s, the women’s liberation movement scorned fairy tales and claimed stories of girls being rescued by Prince Charming undermined girls’ confidence and independence.

Then, in 1976, child psychoanalyst and holocaust survivor Bruno Bettelheim wrote The Uses of Enchantment: the Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. Bettelheim argued that fairy tales played an important role in child development.

Stories about surviving evil stepmothers, witches or other disdainful characters teach children to overcome unspeakable fears like the loss of a mother or the presence of a mean stepmother. Fairytales reinforce children's beliefs that good can triumph over evil.

When the war in Ukraine broke out, nearly everyone predicted Russia would crush Ukraine in a short time because of its superior power. Surprisingly, that didn’t happen.

Bloom and Moskalenko attributed part of Ukraine’s military success to the cultural differences between Russians and Ukrainians.

“Those differences were cultivated in part through the fairy tales of their childhoods…Ukraine's children hear bedtime stories of underdog heroes, while Russian children hear tales of magical success.”

Moskalenko, an expert on the psychology of fairy tales and Bloom, who studies children’s mobilisation into violent extremism, say that folklore shapes world view and “ultimately, (shapes) the adults (children) grow up to be.”

In Ukrainian folklore, children hear of simple people, often underdogs, who find ways to triumph. The professors compare the heroic children in Ukrainian fairy tales to Harry Potter.

“They…often start out as unlikely heroes, but their courage, cleverness and grit help them succeed against the odds.”

On the other hand, Russian folk tales have the central character of Ivan the Stupid. He has two brothers, a smart one and an average one. Ivan is lazy and stupid. His motives and behaviour are always questionable.

The professors say, “He doesn’t win through his own virtues…but through the intervention of a magical being – a fish, a frog, a horse…”

These magical creatures create victory; Ivan steals the credit.

“Russian folk tales seem to suggest that the recipe for success is not to be too smart or work too hard, like the two older brothers, but to sit tight in hope that magic will take care of everything.”

Bloom and Moskalenko say folk tales have a huge impact on children in their developmental stages.

“…these early stories, experienced through the magnifying glass of childhood emotions, shape our understanding about the world. We get a big chunk of our notion of right and wrong from fairy tales.”

The difference in traditional Russian and Ukrainian folklore might in part explain the difference between the Russian and Ukrainian armies’ performances.

“When facing the greatest challenge of their lifetimes…the Russian army failed to perform well and demonstrated poor morale. By contrast, Ukrainians rose to the challenge in a spectacular way, transforming themselves through grit and determination from the underdog to the hero who just might succeed against all odds,” the two academics say.

All cultures use fairy tales to shape notions of heroes and villains. They shape our values, our concept of family, love, loyalty and the age-old question of good vs evil. Fairytales provide comfort and invaluable life lessons.

Every culture has a strong folklore tradition. In Trinidad and Tobago, Papa Bois and Mama Dlo send strong messages about protecting the environment; La Diablesse punishes men who abuse women.

Children who die before they are baptised end up as douens – faceless, mischievous children – because they didn’t listen to their parents calling their name at dusk. These are strong messages about religion and obedience.

The lagahoo and soucouyant join a cast of local shapeshifting folklore characters who warn us to be careful about first impressions. Folk tales enrich our children’s lives and provide a foundation for the values we wish to instil in them and in our culture. That's a lesson we should never forget.