Die sprokie: "Die kalfkoning"

Abstract

Fairy tales are special stories, developed from hundreds of years of storytelling. Through the years details added by individual storytellers disappear and concise stories, dealing with universal themes, remain. The images or metaphors portrayed in fairy tales are still relevant in 2003. Research has shown that fairy tales appeal to the child's concept of fantasy, and help the child to develop an understanding of life and of his/her emotions. Vom Kalderkönig (The Calf King) is an unknown fairy tale. The short introduction emphasizes that fairy tales are quality literature and an art form. This fairy tale is freely translated from the German into Afrikaans. As in the case with other art forms the meaning of the fairy tale depends on the imagination and age of the reader. Following the translation into Afrikaans of Vom Kalderkönig a general interpretation is given and annotations are made.