Splitting Hairs and Cutting Cords

Someone said to me recently that there needs to be a fairy tale about abortion, to which I replied that there already is.

They asked me how nobody knew about this.

I told them that (1) it’s pretty popular to disparage fairy tales as being “kids’ stuff” that don’t deal with real issues; and, (2) because the Brothers Grimm happened to make popular their sterilized version of the story.

They asked me what story.

I told them “Rapunzel,” and that they even had to change her name to make the story work.

You should have seen their jaw hit the floor.

I’m working on a retelling of the story from the witch’s/healer’s perspective as she works to help four would-not-be-mothers.

Do you think anyone will ever read it?


Also published on Medium.