Worksheet 2: Good Guys Bad Guys - a comparative chart of good and evil characters in fairy tales

Australian Fairy Tales as such do not exist. There are fanciful characters in our Australian history such as the gumnut babies, Snugglepot and Cuddlepie, Tiddylick a Dreamtime frog, the Bunyip mythical beast of unknown shape, size or proportion.

Fanciful tales such as Blinky Bill, Dot the Kangaroo and the unforgettable tales of "The Magic Pudding" by Norman Lindsay are truly Australian in character but do not fit in with the traditional European fairy tales.

Original Blinky Bill illustrations by Dorothy Wall - Blinky, Splodge, Nutsy

Original Blinky Bill illustrations by Dorothy Wall - Mrs Goanna, Mrs Magpie, Mr Tree-Kangaroo

A more modern Blinky Bill from the animated film: The Adventures of Blinky Bill

In the 1920's Pixie Harris, in conjunction with Lynette Yardley, Gwen Cock and Eva Lawton wrote and illustrated a series of fairy tales and verse with an Australian flavour utilising Australian fauna and flora. Some of the titles: Fairies Washing Day, The Kookaburra and Little Lady Wattle, Flossytop and Gum blossom are good indicators of the uniquely Australian flavour of these tales.

More information on Pixie Harris can be found at the Collecting Children's Books website.

May Gibbs , creator and author of the gumnut babies was a sunnaturalist, psychologist and artist explorer. 'Tales of Snugglepot and Cuddlepie' captures the the imagination of generations of Australian children.

The gumnut babies stories reveal a fantasy world peopled with small creatures, the real mixed tantalisingly with the imaginary world so unmistakably Australian. The magic exists in the land as close as the bush is to their own back doorstep.

Read some of the aforementioned stories to the Class.

Ask the students to do a comparison between a traditional fairy tale with those in Australian children's literature.

1. Are there good guy stereotypes in the Australian tales?
2. Are there bad guy stereotypes in the Australian tales?
3. Does the Australian environment play an important role in the story?
4. Is there an Australian sense of humour in these tales?
5. Are there more female bad guys than male bad guys?
6. Do the tales that you know have a happy ending?
7. Do the tales have a moral to the story? Are there a typical moral to the story
8. Do the tales tell you about a specific time in history? If so explain.
9. Do the tales tell you about a Australia as a country and reflects its culture? If so explain.
10. What do you think are the purpose of tales?
11. What have you learnt about the flora and fauna of Australia?
12. What is your favourite Australian tale? Why?



13. Do the illustrations in these books reflect the Australian environment and culture?
14. Look at least two illustrations and describe the Australian characteristics.

References:

P. Harris, L Yardley, G. Cock, E. Lawton: The Pixie O. Harris Fairy Book, Rigby Ltd Imperial Place, Adelaide, 1924

M Gibbs: Snugglepot and Cuddlepie

D. Wall: The Complete Adventures of Blinky Bill, Cornstalk publishing,1939

N. Lindsay: The Magic Pudding

Fairytale Index | Fairy Lesson Idea 1 | Fairy Lesson Idea 2 | Worksheet 1 | Worksheet 2 | Activity Sheet 1 | Activity Sheet2 | Associated Web Links