His concepts do seem a bit far fetched, but are still worth exploring. Not just any fairy tale will do, however. For storytelling to be meaningful for children follow these guidelines:
• Fairy tales must be the original version, no “sugarcoating.” These stories have been passed from generation to generation, acquiring implicit and explicit meanings for all levels of our personality. It may be tricky to find this version, so go with fairy tales just like you heard them as a child.
• Fairy tales should start by presenting an existential problem, which tends to be pretty realistic: the need for a house, a new stepmother, lack of food for the children… The plot then becomes fantastic, in sync with the child’s own thought process, and must conclude with a happy ending, back in reality.
• Characters in fairy tales should be simple, either good or evil, with no ambivalence. This makes it easier for children to identify with them.
