Essay by Sofia Lukina

The fairy tale "Riquet with the Tuft" is included in the collection "Tales of Mother Goose". The fairy tale is based on a plot that the author came up with without borrowing motifs from folklore, as when creating his other works. The fairy tale has become very popular in many countries, however, it seems to me that it has not gained such great popularity in Russia. This work belongs to the group of fairy tales. The work traces the spirit of the seventeenth century through the description of clothes, customs, etiquette at the court of the king.

The fairy tale tells us about the story of  Riquet with the tuft who was born unattractive, however smart and reasonable as well as about the birth of an incredibly beautiful princess but to the same extent silly. However, internal personality traits are valued much more than a beautiful appearance. This idea is represented in the fairy tale not only through the main characters but also through the princess's older sister. The beauty of the princess attracted attention only for a short time and all the suitors went to the unattractive sister because she was a great conversationalist and could maintain a dialogue. Already here we see one of the main thoughts of the fairy tale. The author shows that you should not worry about the opinions of other people. There is something in every person that someone else will definitely like. Everyone is not perfect, but it is important to be yourself. After all beauty is a rather controversial concept - and what to understand by an ideal everyone decides for himself.

The meeting of the girl and the prince in the forest is a turning point in the fairy tale. Riquet being a kind and bright nature gives the princess a brilliant mind hoping that she will marry him in a year. However, the girl in turn does not give him the beauty that the prophecy promised. And this makes the story even more interesting. The second thought that the author wanted to convey is tolerance and purposefulness. Of course, you can discuss the fact that the prince could have waited so long in vain and been refused but do not forget that we see the fairy tale through the prism of experience and children will understand it differently.

At the end of the work the characters meet again. The girl still doubts, but she brought him beauty as a gift. I liked the idea that the princess after reflecting on the constancy of her admirer, his modesty and all the wonderful properties of his mind and soul ceases to notice his external features.

Love can significantly affect a person's appearance: at such moments he blooms like a flower and becomes the most beautiful in your eyes.

I like this fairy tale the most. It intertwines ideas about self-acceptance, living in harmony with oneself, spiritual beauty and the power of love. Charles Perrault masterfully put so many important topics into a small work. The most important thing is that reading “Riquet with the Tuft” in different periods of life, it will be perceived differently and in some way, even if quite imperceptibly, affect your life.