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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In "The Three Little Men in the Woods," what does the stepmother send the maiden out in search of and in what season?

2. What is the lesson in "The Old Man and His Grandson"?

3. How does the witch in Hansel and Gretel die?

4. What real life reality does "The Three Little Birds" touch upon?

5. What power do the snake leaves have in the story "The Three Snake-Leaves"?

Short Essay Questions

1. How might The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean compare to a fable?

2. What is the irony in The Water-Nixie?

3. How is the story of Clever Elsie misleading?

4. What is the similarity between The Singing, Soaring Lark, and The King of the Golden Mountain?

5. What lessons are taught in Old Sultan?

6. What is the lesson in The Raven?

7. How does King Thrushbeard trick the princess? Why?

8. Discuss Gretel's character in Clever Gretel.

9. What theme is expressed in Wise Folks?

10. What is the moral of The Poor Man and the Rich Man?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The bad people in fairy tales range from evil stepmothers to wicked witches and more. List each type of evil character and give a brief description of each. What behavioral codes do these bad people follow? What are the similarities between them? What are the differences? Why are these characters always evil? Are there any instances in which the stepmother is not evil? Use specific examples to support your claims.

Essay Topic 2

Princesses in fairy tales are abundant. Discuss what a typical fairy tale princess is like. What are the social norms that a princess must follow? What are her physical attributes? What behavioral codes do these princesses follow? Compare and contrast the different princesses in the Grimm brother's tales. Analyze the different princesses and then compare the fairy tale idea of a princess to what a princess means in today's society. Use specific examples to support your claims.

Essay Topic 3

Even today, the number three has a mystical connotation and many consider it a lucky number. The use of the number three is consistently seen throughout the many fairy tales. In the essay, first discuss the idea of the number three and what it means. Then use specific examples from different tales and explain what the use of the number three signifies in each.

(see the answer keys)

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