Thursday, June 18, 2015

Thursday's Tale: The Pen and the Inkwell by Hans Christian Anderson

So I wasn't sure what I was going to pick this week for Thursday's Tale. I wasn't prepared at all this week so I just randomly chose a Hans Christian Anderson tale. This is one I have never heard of before and it was a nice short one.

The Pen and Inkwell is basically a tale that starts with the inkwell boasting about what comes from him. That wonderful poems etc are written from the ink drawn from him. The pen then boasts that he is actually one that causes such wonderful things as he is the instrument that writes them. The inkwell points out that he has been there forever and that he has seen many a pen. Soon the writer comes home after attending a violin performance and decides to write because he is filled with inspiration. He writes not about the bow or the violin nor really the man who performed but about the higher power that inspired the man to perform.

So obviously this one is a religious tale. About praising and recognizing that God is the one that creates all things. Even as an agnostic I can understand where this was coming from. Though of course in my belief it is the man not the instruments nor a god who creates such beauty.

I did like the back and forth between the pen and the inkstand. I found it amusing how they boasted to each other and called each other names. The names of course were not bad but basically things like "ink pitcher" and "writing-stick". Which of course is the most simplest way of explaining what they are and thereby simplifies them. Did that make sense?


Thursday's Tales are hosted by CarolsNotebook. Stop by and see what she has read this week or better yet join in and read your own tale this week.


3 comments:

carol said...

Anderson does tend to be overly religious, but I do love his writing style.

carol said...

Actually, I think it's spelled Andersen. I always screw that up.

Unknown said...

I think you might be right about the spelling...Ah well. I'll leave it a testament to my horrible grammar and spelling skills LOL