“The Tales of Beedle the Bard” J. K. Rowling

“The Tales of Beedle the Bard” – a small collection of children’s stories from the cycle of the author of the Harry Potter series. The collection includes five short stories, each of which included personal commentary of the notorious wizard Albus Dumbledore and illustrations made by the author himself (Rowling, of course, not a bard Biddle). A distinctive feature of these stories is that they have circulated it among magicians – parents’ magicians tell them before going to bed their babies.

According to legend, the collection was re-released in its current form under the new version of Hermione Granger shortly after the events of Harry Potter book series. Comments Dumbledore, whose existence during the life of the director of Hogwarts, no one knew, were found among the papers belonging to him after his death. Well, in our Muggle world, the book also has an interesting fate – all proceeds from its sale were enrolled in the Foundation for Children, founded by Rowling itself. collection itself is really tiny (for example, I read it in an hour), and I would not have to devote to it a separate review, but too great a temptation after a review of all books “Potter’s” cycle to express your opinion about the artistic application to them, such way closing the circle.

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Beedle the Bard, according to the book – a sort of Hans Christian Andersen, the wizarding world. He lived a long time ago, but has left behind a legacy in the form of short stories that subtly instill in the younger generation of magical faith in the eternal values. His creation is hardly good and fluffy – sometimes Beedle tales are gloomy shade, and in some aspects (for example, in the “sorcerer shaggy heart” finale) remind bloody phantasmagoria by Brothers Grimm. Author readily mocks vain attempts caring parents convert these stories in “relevant child’s psyche,” adding sweet syrup – this is easily recognizable reference to the very cycle of Harry Potter, around which at one time also blazed serious passions: a series of accused in propaganda of occultism children and instilling a “wrong” of attitudes. In addition, Rowling mouth Dumbledore quite clearly expressed their attitude to these “fighters for the children’s souls.”

On the content of The Tales of Beedle the Bard are different from the good old “muggle” fairy tales only a very little – except that the main characters do not belong to her and someone else to wield magic as something extraordinary. The rest is well-known to us from childhood fairy stories with a moral – not refuse to help those in need (“Wizard and jumpy pot”), in any situation to be noble and disinterested (“Fountain Fairies of Fortune”), not to exchange love for luxury and power (“Hairy heart sorcerer”)… Dumbledore sees this as baseless claims of some wizards on their own uniqueness and advantage over the Muggles. He very cleverly screws in the comments mention of his confrontation with Lucius Malfoy, when he was still in school board trustees, and it looks most amusing.

Special attention is, of course, deserves the “Tale of the Three Brothers”, which played an important role in the final book, “Harry Potter.” The content of it, I think, all already know (especially now after the release of the seventh book, movie), and it is curious to recall Dumbledore the story with a hidden meaning. With a truly Machiavellian skill, he obscures the fact that he was aware of the Deathly Hallows, and takes the story in the direction of his research concerning the fate of “mythical” Elder Wand (by the way, fans of the universe “Harry Potter”, I think, will be pleased with the additional information about the past of a powerful artifact) . Nevertheless, the director remains consistent and fair in its conclusions about the essence of fairy tale: Death does not cheat, but that is no reason to rush to extremes and become like the first two brothers, who suffered a sad fate.

The edition leaves mixed feelings. On the one hand, it is unquestionable value for cycle fans and the quality of the stories themselves do not doubt the talent Rowling (as if I once doubted it). Only one gesture to the transfer of funds to children’s fund clearly justifies the existence of “The Tales of Beedle the Bard. “However, it is obvious that it is, as they say, is not necessarily “fanfic”, loses outside the context of the universe, built in the books of the main loop. Thus, I recommend “The Tales of Beedle the Bard” to those who successfully overcame all seven books and want a little tastier” additive”. The rest – as desired. After all, when have been the last time reading children’s stories?