The Moon Ribbon And Other Tales

An early collection of fantasty short stories from the prolific children's author and editor Jane Yolen. The six original fairy tales in this collection touch upon the nature of belief, its ability to shape reality, and the passage of time and the changing perspectives it brings. Included are:

The Moon Ribbon, in which young Silva, who like Cinderella is at the mercy of a cruel stepmother and two stepsisters, finds the courage to defend herself with the help of the ribbon of hair her true mother left for her. Transforming first into a river, then a road, the ribbon leads her to the moon lady, who teaches her that the heart can only be given, not taken, and that at times one must refuse to give it.

The Honey-Stick Boy, in which a lonely show more old couple who have always longed for a child have their wish granted when the old woman fashions them a boy made of sticks and honey. Mellis, willed to life by their desire, is lost by their ingratitude, when they forget to give thanks to the spirit of the hive which sustains them. A fascinating take on the classic "Thumbelina/Tom Thumb" folktale type.

Rosechild, in which a lonely old woman finds a tiny infant on a rose, and after many unsuccessful attempts, finally learns that only love will cause it to grow.

Sans Soleil, in which the beautiful young Viga, daughter of a duke, learns the bitter lesson that "What we believe is stronger than what is true"(39), when she insists that the sun cannot harm her husband and love, the prince Sans Soleil, only to watch him die as a result.

Somewhen, in which Tom learns over the course of his long life what an old man’s comment in his youth had meant, that "In the seeking was the finding".

And finally, The Moonchild, in which Mona, a child of the moon in a land devoted to the sun, is driven away into the forest by her people’s fear and anger, made into an eternal mystery by their intolerance.

All in all, I found that although I enjoyed this collection, I was not strongly moved by it (hence the three stars, as opposed to four). David Palladini, who also illustrated Yolen's The Girl Who Cried Flowers, here provides black & white drawings that are quite lovely. show less

I met Jane Yolen and asked her to sign this book --- I got so choked up and all I could say was, "I love this book." There's just something so cool about meeting an author whose books you've been reading since you were a child. Unusual and thought-provoking, this set of stories is a real treasure.