imPOSSIBLE?

»In old times when wishing still helped, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, …«

(Children‘s and Household Tales No.1, 1857)

»In the days when wishing still helped, a king’s son was placed under a curse by an old witch, …«

(Children‘s and Household Tales No.127, 1857)

There is a wide spectrum of wishes in the Brothers Grimm‘s collection of fairy tales. But they are also to be found in many different forms in everyday life. Maybe it is only a vague hope for the future, or otherwise a definite goal; sometimes it’s about everyday wants, sometimes about utopias which seem beyond reach; it could be an illusion or a daydream.

A tree of red balloons hangs from the ceiling in the middle of the room. Do magical creatures live here? And in which fairy tales does the tree play an important role?

What does it actually take for wishes to come true? In many fairy tales, wishes come true with the help of magical objects or everyday lucky charms that help strengthen the belief that our wish will be fulfilled.

As promising as it may seem when wishes come true in fairy tales, this does not automatically mean a happy ending for all involved. Individual wishes can be closely linked to collective needs and lead to solidarity with others. A collective wish for change can result in political debates, public criticism, and political movements aimed at social change. Wishes and utopias that have developed in common can disrupt structures of social power and persist across generations. What is worth striving for, what is impossible, what is feasible?

Happy End? Wishes for a person’s life depend on their views and values, which in turn are shaped by socialisation and experiences, and may be subject to change.