Grimm Re-Writes

I just saw the movie 'Mirror Mirror,' which of course is a re-telling of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (Dwarves?) I don't usually do re-tellings, and when I did them it was for storytelling on a t.v. show, not for publication in print. But I enjoy off beat or twisted and turned around versions of familiar folk and fairy tales. Maybe I'll give re-telling another shot one of these days. 'Mirror Mirror' pays homage to a number of different tales, and adds a few new twists (even a touch of Bollywood). Paying homage isn't the same as plagiarism, and the reminders of Red Riding Hood, Cinderella and even Alice in Wonderland, are subtle. Seeing the film reminded me that there are old stories out there which could be dusted off and re-arranged and seen from a different perspective. If you want to try a new exercise, take a favourite fairy tale and turn it around a little. See what happens.