Maybe you would care to post your favourite Nursery Rhyme or Fairytail with the "moral" of the story as it means to you discussed.

One of my favourites is the Hans Christian Anderson Story of the Emperors New Clothes which I have pasted as follows


Emperors New Clothes

Once upon a time there lived a vain Emperor whose only worry in life was to dress in elegant clothes. He changed clothes almost every hour and loved to show them off to his people.
Word of the Emperor's refined habits spread over his kingdom and beyond. Two scoundrels who had heard of the Emperor's vanity decided to take advantage of it. They introduced themselves at the gates of the palace with a scheme in mind.

"We are two very good tailors and after many years of research we have invented an extraordinary method to weave a cloth so light and fine that it looks invisible. As a matter of fact it is invisible to anyone who is too stupid and incompetent to appreciate its quality."

The chief of the guards heard the scoundrel's strange story and sent for the court chamberlain. The chamberlain notified the prime minister, who ran to the Emperor and disclosed the incredible news. The Emperor's curiosity got the better of him and he decided to see the two scoundrels.

"Besides being invisible, your Highness, this cloth will be woven in colors and patterns created especially for you." The emperor gave the two men a bag of gold coins in exchange for their promise to begin working on the fabric immediately.

"Just tell us what you need to get started and we'll give it to you." The two scoundrels asked for a loom, silk, gold thread and then pretended to begin working. The Emperor thought he had spent his money quite well: in addition to getting a new extraordinary suit, he would discover which of his subjects were ignorant and incompetent. A few days later, he called the old and wise prime minister, who was considered by everyone as a man with common sense.

"Go and see how the work is proceeding," the Emperor told him, "and come back to let me know."

The prime minister was welcomed by the two scoundrels.

"We're almost finished, but we need a lot more gold thread. Here, Excellency! Admire the colors, feel the softness!" The old man bent over the loom and tried to see the fabric that was not there. He felt cold sweat on his forehead.

"I can't see anything," he thought. "If I see nothing, that means I'm stupid! Or, worse, incompetent!" If the prime minister admitted that he didn't see anything, he would be discharged from his office.

"What a marvelous fabric, he said then. "I'll certainly tell the Emperor." The two scoundrels rubbed their hands gleefully. They had almost made it. More thread was requested to finish the work.

Finally, the Emperor received the announcement that the two tailors had come to take all the measurements needed to sew his new suit.

"Come in," the Emperor ordered. Even as they bowed, the two scoundrels pretended to be holding large roll of fabric.

"Here it is your Highness, the result of our labour," the scoundrels said. "We have worked night and day but, at last, the most beautiful fabric in the world is ready for you. Look at the colors and feel how fine it is." Of course the Emperor did not see any colors and could not feel any cloth between his fingers. He panicked and felt like fainting. But luckily the throne was right behind him and he sat down. But when he realized that no one could know that he did not see the fabric, he felt better. Nobody could find out he was stupid and incompetent. And the Emperor didn't know that everybody else around him thought and did the very same thing.

The farce continued as the two scoundrels had foreseen it. Once they had taken the measurements, the two began cutting the air with scissors while sewing with their needles an invisible cloth.

"Your Highness, you'll have to take off your clothes to try on your new ones." The two scoundrels draped the new clothes on him and then held up a mirror. The Emperor was embarrassed but since none of his bystanders were, he felt relieved.

"Yes, this is a beautiful suit and it looks very good on me," the Emperor said trying to look comfortable. "You've done a fine job."

"Your Majesty," the prime minister said, "we have a request for you. The people have found out about this extraordinary fabric and they are anxious to see you in your new suit." The Emperor was doubtful showing himself naked to the people, but then he abandoned his fears. After all, no one would know about it except the ignorant and the incompetent.

"All right," he said. "I will grant the people this privilege." He summoned his carriage and the ceremonial parade was formed. A group of dignitaries walked at the very front of the procession and anxiously scrutinized the faces of the people in the street. All the people had gathered in the main square, pushing and shoving to get a better look. An applause welcomed the regal procession. Everyone wanted to know how stupid or incompetent his or her neighbor was but, as the Emperor passed, a strange murmur rose from the crowd.

Everyone said, loud enough for the others to hear: "Look at the Emperor's new clothes. They're beautiful!"

"What a marvellous train!"

"And the colors! The colors of that beautiful fabric! I have never seen anything like it in my life!" They all tried to conceal their disappointment at not being able to see the clothes, and since nobody was willing to admit his own stupidity and incompetence, they all behaved as the two scoundrels had predicted.

A child, however, who had no important job and could only see things as his eyes showed them to him, went up to the carriage.

"The Emperor is naked," he said.

"Fool!" his father reprimanded, running after him. "Don't talk nonsense!" He grabbed his child and took him away. But the boy's remark, which had been heard by the bystanders, was repeated over and over again until everyone cried:

"The boy is right! The Emperor is naked! It's true!"

The Emperor realized that the people were right but could not admit to that. He though it better to continue the procession under the illusion that anyone who couldn't see his clothes was either stupid or incompetent. And he stood stiffly on his carriage, while behind him a page held his imaginary mantle.

To me this is an issue of low self esteem, a deluded sense of values and the distinct lacking of doubt. It shows how the weakness of one man in power has the potential to be used by his enemies or those wishing to gain from his weakness.

It also demonstrates in some way the nature of insanity adn how insanity sefl justifies it's existence within a persons mind.

Care to discuss this or any other nursery or fairy tale?

I think it's a comment on the follly that pride and vanity can lead to, and the virtue of common sense and honesty.

Many original versions of our modern fairy tales aren't that PC at all. I did a short course on fairy tales and mythology during my second year, and had to come to the conclusion that "the moral of the story" is a fairy tale itself. I'll have a look through my notes and post here if I find anything interesting.

the scoundrels picked up on two vanities of course, the vanity of image and the vanity of intellect ( stupid if you can't see the clothes) But basically worrying excessively about the opinion of others so much so that they were prepared to perpetrate a lie.

First of all, I find it odd that in English, they are called "nursery" tales, "nursery" rhymes. Implying 'something for the little kiddies'. Both in the sense of "early moral education" as well as in the sense of "not really true or real".

Which I find to be a really odd and dangerous dichotomy.

First of all, I find it odd that in English, they are called "nursery" tales, "nursery" rhymes. Implying 'something for the little kiddies'. Both in the sense of "early moral education" as well as in the sense of "not really true or real". Which I find to be a really odd and dangerous dichotomy.I think you're confusing two different things. Nursery rhymes are just that: simple little songs -- or even spoken poems -- that we sing or recite to our very young children. The purpose, whether we're conscious of it or not, is to help them learn the sounds and cadence of our language, as well as to strengthen the parent-child bond by sharing an experience that usually involves smiles and laughter.

Hickory dickory dock,
The mouse ran up the clock.
The clock struck one,
And down he run.
Hickory dickory dock.

There is no moral, no wisdom, and in fact very little intelligible English of any sort in that! Even the grammar is bad! That is a nursery rhyme.

The story of the emperor's new clothes is a fable, and fables are things that we tell our children at a much later age, probably about the same time that they start school. Fables make a point, a very basic point that children need to learn in order to become responsible and successful adults. It is not wise to believe what someone tells you when it contradicts the evidence of your own senses, without a lot of study by people you trust. And sometimes you find that the people you trust are not actually very trustworthy.

It is not wise to cry for help just because you're lonely and bored and want company, if you expect people to come to your aid when you genuinely need it. (Peter and the Wolf)

It is not wise for a child to walk alone through a deserted forest where wild animals dwell, or though an impersonal city that is home to a few people who don't respect childhood. (Little Red Riding Hood)

It is not wise to enter someone else's home when they are away and treat it like your own home. (Goldilocks and the Three Bears)

Any sufficently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic. (The Wizard of Oz)

You have to grow up. But that doesn't mean you can't occasionally dwell in your fond memories of the games you played with your teddy bear. (Winnie the Pooh)

The world is changing. The things we used to believe in are still out there, but they are now myths, which are neither true nor false, but help us understand the connection between the past and the future. (The Lord of the Rings)

Exploration is a lot of fun, but by definition you have no idea what you might encounter and it could be so bad that you wish you hadn't left home. (Star Trek: the Next Generation)

Fables are lessons. We teach them to our children when they're old enough to understand them.

Fables and nursery rhymes are quite different, even if there is inevitably a bit of overlap.