Monday, October 4, 2004

Your assignment for tonight, gentle reader, involves making new fairy tale characters out of existing ones. To do this, you need only add or a change a single letter in your character’s name. That’s one letter, mind you, and no more than one. I’m also taking a broad definition of “fairy tale,” so you may cull your characters from bona fide tales, folklore, even nursery rhymes.

If you want to go the extra step, a step I promise to take tomorrow, feel free to invent a new storyline for your character reborn. Confused? Here are some examples.

Cinderella left her glass slipper at the ball. Sinderella, on the other hand, left her glass men at the ball.

Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Eater loved the fall bounty, probably more than he loved his wife. Peter, Peter, Pumpkin Beater hates the orange fruit with a passion. In fact, he only eats meat, boasts an unhealthy compulsion for raw lamb, and also dabbles in domestic violence on alternate Wednesdays.

Peter Pan could fly by thinking happy thoughts. Peter Pant only flies with Diesel jeans. He also subscribes to breathing like a dog.