Fractured Fairytales: Hansel, Gretel & Red

Hansel and Gretel venture out through the woods after everything goes to hell in a hand basket at home. Red Riding Hood also hits the forest footpath prompted by granny's need for a visit. Both journeys lead to near catastrophe. The candy-coated oven and the wolfie jaws. Whatever paths they took, they ended up faced with being consumed - baked or chomped - they're on the menu.

Wait a second. Surely there was a choice of paths H&G, Inc. could have taken that might have gotten them to a convenience store out by the main drag and a phone. Might Riding Hood's altruism falter long enough - shall we say she stopped for a chat with voluble squirrels who offered refreshments - to make the wolf weary of waiting and depart?

Perhaps the witch decided to go on a diet and kiddie kookies weren't part of the food plan. Maybe the wolf got such heartburn after he scarfed up granny that he swore off human snacks.

The decisions! How will we know for sure how things will go down? When the dust settles from our choices, what will be left? Do our stomachs knot up as we dither at the crossroads, as we try to figure out which is the best road through the woods?

Hansel and Gretel and Red ALMOST got bagged and tagged. And as one of my readers observed, the dark places have to be in the tale. Evil witches, hungry wolves, sly tricksters, cold-hearted step-mothers. They all play a role, and maybe only much later will we know how important their part in the play was.

I don't know where my decisions will take me, but I know there are no easy ones. And each choice will hold both regret and possible rebirth, both sadness and renascence. H&G and Red knew this. Fairytale or fact, it's called life.