Pentamerone facts for kids
The Pentamerone is a very old collection of fairy tales written in the 1600s by an Italian author named Giambattista Basile. Its full title in Italian means The Tale of Tales, or Entertainment for Little Ones. This book is special because it's one of the first big collections of fairy tales ever published. It has a main story that holds all the other tales together, and inside it, 49 different fairy tales are told by ten old women over five days. Many famous stories we know today, like "Cinderella" and "Puss in Boots", have versions in The Pentamerone.
Contents
What is The Pentamerone?
The Pentamerone is a book filled with magical stories, much like the fairy tales you might read today. It was written a long time ago, between 1634 and 1636, by Giambattista Basile. The book is important because it helped shape many of the fairy tales that later became famous around the world. It was originally written in the Neapolitan language, which is a dialect spoken in Naples, Italy.
A Story Within a Story
The book uses a special way of telling stories called a "frame story." Imagine a picture frame around a painting; the frame story is like that. It's a main story that sets the scene for all the other tales. In The Pentamerone, the frame story is about a princess who is cursed and can only be saved by a prince. To keep her entertained, ten old women tell her stories for five days. Each day, they tell a new set of tales, making up the 49 stories in the collection.
Famous Fairy Tales Inside
Many of the tales in The Pentamerone might sound familiar to you. Basile's collection includes some of the earliest known versions of stories like:
- Cinderella: In Basile's version, the main character is named Zezolla, and she has a wicked stepmother and stepsisters.
- Puss in Boots: This clever cat helps his master become rich and powerful.
- Sleeping Beauty: A princess falls into a deep sleep and is woken up by a prince.
- Hansel and Gretel: Two children get lost in the woods and find a house made of sweets.
- Rapunzel: A girl with very long hair is trapped in a tower.
These stories show how old and widespread these fairy tale ideas are. Later authors, like the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault, were inspired by Basile's work and wrote their own versions of these tales.
Who Was Giambattista Basile?
Giambattista Basile was an Italian poet and courtier who lived from about 1566 to 1632. He worked for different princes and nobles in Italy. He was a very creative writer, and The Pentamerone is his most famous work. Sadly, he died before the book was fully published. His sister, Adriana Basile, who was a famous singer, helped make sure his book was printed after his death.
Why is The Pentamerone Important?
The Pentamerone is important for several reasons:
- First Collection: It's considered one of the very first collections of fairy tales written down in Europe. Before this, many stories were just told by word of mouth.
- Influence on Other Writers: It greatly influenced later famous fairy tale collectors like the Brothers Grimm in Germany and Charles Perrault in France. They read Basile's stories and used them as inspiration for their own popular collections.
- Cultural Snapshot: The stories give us a peek into what life and beliefs were like in Italy during the 17th century. They include details about customs, traditions, and even the way people spoke at the time.
- Literary Value: Basile's writing style is very rich and imaginative. He used a lot of colorful language and descriptions, making the stories fun to read.
This book shows how fairy tales have been a part of human culture for a very long time, passing down lessons and entertainment through generations.
See also
In Spanish: Pentamerón para niños
