I’m always amazed by these children’s stories that do not have a good lesson or teach some important value. That is the case with The Tinder Box. This story comes from Denmark. It’s about a soldier on his way home from war. He meets a witch who gives him all the gold, silver and copper he could ever want in exchange for bring her a tinder box.

The solider double crosses the witch, kills her and keeps the money and the tinder box. He spends all his money and is reduced to poverty. No lesson about “A Penny Saved.”

DENMARK – CIRCA 1997: stamp printed by Denmark, shows Stories and Legends, Large dog on top of treasure chest, from “The Tinder Box.”,

Then he finds out the tinder box is magical and with it he can have some very odd looking dogs bring him anything he wants. So they bring him money and they even bring him a princess to gaze upon and steal kisses from. Not very nice.

When the king and queen find out, he is arrested and thrown in the dungeon. On the day of his trial and hanging, he bribes a little boy to go and fetch his tinder box. During the trial, he commands the odd dogs to kill the soldiers, king and queen. Then he becomes king and marries the princess. No consequences for all the terrible things he did. Just all good things come to those who lie, cheat and kill. NOT my favorite fairy tale. 🙁

Next week – Jack and The Bean Stalk. 🙂

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The Earl of Westbridge is dying, and without a male heir. His daughter Mary will lose her home if she does not marry before her father passes. She has already turned down two men while holding onto the hope of finding true love. In her desperation, she plays the wishing game, a childhood folly devised to chase away fear during thunderstorms.

Avery is the unwilling heir to the Westbridge earldom. He arrives a few days before the spring holiday in the middle of a horrific storm to offer his assistance to his distant cousin. Expecting a spinster who had been put on the shelf, he certainly never expected to develop feelings for the beautiful Mary Barrow.

Mistrust and doubt engulf them. It will take a miracle to bring them together. Or maybe just a wish come true.