George MacDonald writes, "Were I asked, what is a fairytale? I should reply, Read Undine: that is a fairytale ... of all fairytales I know, I think Undine the most beautiful."
Find Undine here.
I ran across this quote from George MacDonald some time ago, and curious, I went looking for this story and happily our friends over at project gutenburg have made it available. It is a sad story, but fraught with beauty and charm, not to mention much food for thought. In the story, there are sorts of elemental creatures or spirits with all kinds of strange powers yet they lack a soul, therefore when death takes them, they simply cease to be, neither do they suffer sorrow or any lingering guilt or shame. Yet neither can they truly know joy. The only way for these creatures to gain a soul, is to marry a mortal, a creature far beneath them in power and strength yet envied for their possession of a soul. In the tale, one such maiden marries a man, gains a soul and discovers the meaning of sorrow, and that there can be beauty therein. I will not further spoil the story, but it can definitely inspire some interesting thoughts.
One such thought is that perhaps we should be grateful for our own possession of a soul, though the modern philosophers are doing their best to tell us otherwise. I do not think you could enjoy this story without one! This is also a great reminder that true beauty can help us deepen and strengthen our imagination and character. This short work is much more worth the read than any of the so called classics we were forced to endure in English classes in high school and college. Perhaps reading would not be a fast dying art if we were exposed to more good stories as children.
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