Mother Goose Day 2024 (US): Explore its Exciting Activities and History

Mother Goose Day 2024 commemorates the timeless beauty of fairy tales, a genre first recognized by Charles Perrault in 1695. Disney has made these tales more suitable for children.

Source: Muppet.wikia

Mother Goose Day 2024 (US): The observance of Mother Goose Day on May 1 evokes in us sentiments reminiscent of our youth. Away from Pinocchio’s elongated nose to Humpty Dumpty’s clumsy fall and the Three Little Pigs’ scurry for houses, fairy tales and nursery rhymes incessantly engrossed us during our childhood while imparting valuable life lessons. Many scholars credit French author Charles Perrault with being the first to categorize fairy tales as a unique genre in 1695.

After a long period, the Grimm fairy tales, first published in the 19th century, have gained significant global recognition. Despite their initially dark themes, the Grimm fairy tales have become more suitable for children with the help of Disney. In the original version of “Snow White,” for example, her stepmother met her demise by being sentenced to dance in glass heels for eternity.

History of Mother Goose Day

The renowned fairy tale author Gloria T. Delamar established Mother Goose Day in 1987. In the same year, Delamar released her book titled “Mother Goose: From Nursery to Literature.” However, fairy tales and succeeding nursery rhymes have a much older historical lineage. Many people widely regard Charles Perrault, a seventeenth-century French author, as the progenitor of the fairy-tale genre. He initially integrated life teachings and fantastical elements into his works. In the year 1729, Robert Samber published an English translation of Perrault’s work, titled “Histories, or Tales of Past Times, Told by Mother Goose.”

The themes of a number of the original renditions of nursery chants and fairy tales were considerably darker than they are today. As opposed to having a happy conclusion, Ariel returns to the sea and perishes after transforming into sea foam in The Little Mermaid. The nursery rhyme “Ring a Ring of Roses,” which also refers to the bubonic plague, is another instance. Historically, similar to poetry, fairy tales and nursery chants parodied the political climate of a nation. On occasion, the writer’s satire would elicit such strong hostility that it resulted in his or her execution.

A considerable number of contemporary authors, including C. S. Lewis and J. R. R. Tolkien, attribute inspiration for their works to fairy tales and nursery chants. Many people develop an interest in reading because of Delamar and other nursery rhyme authors’ efforts to urge children to read. Reading fiction early on develops empathy, which makes people better leaders, research shows. Empathy is an essential attribute in every aspect of existence.

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FAQs for Mother Goose Day

What is the origin of the name Mother Goose?

It says, “Local legend has it that Elizabeth Foster Goose, the second wife of the widowed Isaac Goose, entertained her numerous grandchildren and other children with rhymes and songs allegedly published by her son-in-law in 1719.”

Does Mother Goose exist as a person?

She is an entirely fictitious character. There are numerous variations on the true nature of Mother Goose’s persona. Others portray her as an older gander tending to children, whereas some portray her as an older grandmother.

Exciting Activities of Mother Goose Day

Reread your previous tales.

Embark on a nostalgic journey by recalling those cherished nursery rhymes and old fairy tales from your youth. After grabbing a couple of snacks for the reading session, unwind for a while.

Coordinate activities for the children.

Commemorate the occasion by reading with your children. After taking turns reading with the children, you and they can discuss their favorite aspect of the activity.

Consume some of the delights featured in the stories.

We were tempted, if not compelled, to try those hot cross buns that were being sold for one or two pennies each. You have the option of placing an order for food delivery or preparing it yourself at home. Regardless, the day is certain to be enjoyable.

Five Fascinating Facts about the Grimm Brothers

The Grimm brothers wrote their fairy tales with an adult audience in mind rather than children; this is another reason why the originals were considerably gorier than the “clean and safe” adaptations that are available today.
The Grimm brothers were collectors of German oral traditions’ tales that had been transmitted for generations; they were not the stories’ actual authors. Their primary objective was to safeguard these traditions.
The Grimm brothers’ narratives achieved such phenomenal success that it is speculated that they sold more copies than both Shakespeare and the Bible.
In England in 1823, Edgar Taylor translated and published the Grimm brothers’ tales.
With numerous editions, The Grimm Fairy Tales are among the most widely published books in the world.