And He Became a Handsome Prince

Folktales, with their themes consistent across countless cultures and generations, are a quiet measure of human perspectives--conscious or not--on such topics as faith, community, family, love, and humanity itself. Folktales tell truths, or at the very least, what are perceived as truths by humanity as a whole, and the quest for humanity lies at the core of countless folktales, a reoccurring theme throughout most of history. These stories trace the development of personhood in the inhuman, raising questions on the nature of love, the nature of honor, the value of the community, and how one defines one's value within the community, emphasizing the power and importance of relationships. Folktales show that humanity is dependent on other humans--that one can only be really human through love, both given and received.