As a family, we're re-reading our way through the Narnia stories, and I am struck by how many wonderful new discoveries I am making - not just details I hadn't noticed before, but deeper realizations and assents, sometimes at profound levels. I think maybe I had stopped reading fairytales all too soon.
Some Christians (and non-Christians, for that matter) are embarrassed by fairy tales or feel they should be put away for more realistic tales by the time a child reaches the age of school. But, I like Lewis' response to the challenge that fantasy is mere escapism - causing children to retreat into a world of wish-fulfillment.
"The other longing, for fairy land, is very different. In a sense a child does not long for fairy land as a boy longs to be the her of the first eleven. Does anyone suppose that he really and prosaically longs for all the dangers and discomforts of a fairy tale?...It would be much truer to say that fairy land arouses a longing for he knows not what. It stirs and troubles him (to his life-long enrichment) with the dim sense of something beyond his reach and, far from dulling or emptying the actual world, gives it a new dimension of depth. He does not despise real woods because he has read of enchanted woods; the reading makes all real woods a little enchanted..."
Lewis also makes this additional worthy point: "And I think it possible that by confining your child to blameless stories of child life in which nothing at all alarming ever happens, you would fail to banish the terrors, and would succeed in banishing all that can ennoble them or make them endurable. For in fairy tales, side by side with the terrible figures, we find the immemorial comforters and protectors, the radiant ones; and the terrible figures are not merely terrible, but sublime. It would be nice if no little boy in bed, hearing, or thinking he hears, a sound, were ever at all frightened. But if he is going to be frightened, I think it better that he should think of giants and dragons than merely of burglars. And I think St. George, or any bright champion in armour , is a better comfort than the idea of the police."
C.S. Lewis: On Stories
Tolkien: On Fairy Stories
Monday, September 10, 2007
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Previous Latin Sayings of the Week
"Soli deo gloria." - For the glory of God alone.
Christus resurrexit! Vere resurrexit! - Christ is Risen! He is risen, indeed!
"Lex malla, lex nulla." - St. Thomas Aquinas
"Cantantes licet usque (minus via laedit) eamus. " - Let us go singing as far as we go: the road will be less tedious.
"Caelitus mihi vires." - My strength is from heaven.
"Magnificat anima mea Dominum, et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo Salvatore meo" - My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior (Luke 1:45)
In Omnibus Ipse Primatum Tenens “That in all things He (Christ) might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:16-18)
"Qui bene cantat bis orat." - He who sings well, prays twice - (St Augustine)
"Nos fecisti ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te." - Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee. (St Augustine)
"Caelitus mihi vires." - My strength is from heaven.
"Ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est." - Where there is charity and love, God is there.
"Nisi credideritis, non intelligetis ."
Unless you will have believed, you will not understand. - St Augustine
"Deo vindice" - With God as Protector
"Credite amori vera dicenti." - Believe love speaking the truth. (St. Jerome)
De vitiis nostris scalam nobis facimus, si vitia ipsa calcamus." - If we tread our vices under feet, we make them a ladder to rise to higher things. (St. Augustine)
Dei gratia - By the grace of God
Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum. - The Word of the Lord Endures Forever.
"Est autem fides credere quod nondum vides; cuius fidei merces est videre quod credis." - Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. (St. Augustine)
"Deo iuvante" - with God's help
"Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus." - That God may be glorified in all things
"Pax vobiscum." Peace be with you.
"Jubilate Deo." Be joyful in the Lord.
"Ille vir, haud magna cum re, sed plenus fidei." He is a man, not of ample means, but full of good faith.
"Facit enim mihi magna qui potens est." - For He that is mighty does to me great things.
"Oremus semper pro invicem." - Let us ever pray for each other.
"Distrahit animum librorum multitudo." - Seneca
A multitude of books distracts the mind.
"Nullam est nunc dictum, quod sit non dictum prius." - Terence
There is nothing said now, that has not been said before.
"Nosce te ipsum." - Plato
Know thyself.
"Non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis" - Not for you, not for me, but for us.
"Primum non nocere." - First, do no harm (Hippocrates)
"Est autem fides credere quod nondum vides; cuius fidei merces est videre quod credis." - Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. (St. Augustine)
"Deo iuvante" - with God's help
"Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus." - That God may be glorified in all things
"Pax vobiscum." Peace be with you.
"Jubilate Deo." Be joyful in the Lord.
"Ille vir, haud magna cum re, sed plenus fidei." He is a man, not of ample means, but full of good faith.
"Facit enim mihi magna qui potens est." - For He that is mighty does to me great things.
"Oremus semper pro invicem." - Let us ever pray for each other.
"Distrahit animum librorum multitudo." - Seneca
A multitude of books distracts the mind.
"Nullam est nunc dictum, quod sit non dictum prius." - Terence
There is nothing said now, that has not been said before.
"Nosce te ipsum." - Plato
Know thyself.
"Non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis" - Not for you, not for me, but for us.
"Primum non nocere." - First, do no harm (Hippocrates)
"Dei plena sunt omnia." - Cicero (All things are full of God.)
"Lex malla, lex nulla." - St. Thomas Aquinas
(A bad law is no law.)
"Cantantes licet usque (minus via laedit) eamus. " - Let us go singing as far as we go: the road will be less tedious.
"Caelitus mihi vires." - My strength is from heaven.
"Magnificat anima mea Dominum, et exsultavit spiritus meus in Deo Salvatore meo" - My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior (Luke 1:45)
In Omnibus Ipse Primatum Tenens “That in all things He (Christ) might have the preeminence.” (Colossians 1:16-18)
"Qui bene cantat bis orat." - He who sings well, prays twice - (St Augustine)
"Nos fecisti ad te et inquietum est cor nostrum donec requiescat in te." - Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee. (St Augustine)
"Caelitus mihi vires." - My strength is from heaven.
"Ubi caritas et amor Deus ibi est." - Where there is charity and love, God is there.
"Nisi credideritis, non intelligetis ."
Unless you will have believed, you will not understand. - St Augustine
"Deo vindice" - With God as Protector
"Credite amori vera dicenti." - Believe love speaking the truth. (St. Jerome)
De vitiis nostris scalam nobis facimus, si vitia ipsa calcamus." - If we tread our vices under feet, we make them a ladder to rise to higher things. (St. Augustine)
Dei gratia - By the grace of God
Verbum Domini Manet in Aeternum. - The Word of the Lord Endures Forever.
"Est autem fides credere quod nondum vides; cuius fidei merces est videre quod credis." - Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. (St. Augustine)
"Deo iuvante" - with God's help
"Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus." - That God may be glorified in all things
"Pax vobiscum." Peace be with you.
"Jubilate Deo." Be joyful in the Lord.
"Ille vir, haud magna cum re, sed plenus fidei." He is a man, not of ample means, but full of good faith.
"Facit enim mihi magna qui potens est." - For He that is mighty does to me great things.
"Oremus semper pro invicem." - Let us ever pray for each other.
"Distrahit animum librorum multitudo." - Seneca
A multitude of books distracts the mind.
"Nullam est nunc dictum, quod sit non dictum prius." - Terence
There is nothing said now, that has not been said before.
"Nosce te ipsum." - Plato
Know thyself.
"Non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis" - Not for you, not for me, but for us.
"Primum non nocere." - First, do no harm (Hippocrates)
"Est autem fides credere quod nondum vides; cuius fidei merces est videre quod credis." - Faith is to believe what you do not see; the reward of this faith is to see what you believe. (St. Augustine)
"Deo iuvante" - with God's help
"Ut In Omnibus Glorificetur Deus." - That God may be glorified in all things
"Pax vobiscum." Peace be with you.
"Jubilate Deo." Be joyful in the Lord.
"Ille vir, haud magna cum re, sed plenus fidei." He is a man, not of ample means, but full of good faith.
"Facit enim mihi magna qui potens est." - For He that is mighty does to me great things.
"Oremus semper pro invicem." - Let us ever pray for each other.
"Distrahit animum librorum multitudo." - Seneca
A multitude of books distracts the mind.
"Nullam est nunc dictum, quod sit non dictum prius." - Terence
There is nothing said now, that has not been said before.
"Nosce te ipsum." - Plato
Know thyself.
"Non mihi, non tibi, sed nobis" - Not for you, not for me, but for us.
"Primum non nocere." - First, do no harm (Hippocrates)
"Dei plena sunt omnia." - Cicero (All things are full of God.)
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