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Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde #3
Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde: The Birthday of the Infanta
"The Birthday of the Infanta" is a historical fiction for children by the Irish author Oscar Wilde. The action of "The Birthday of the Infanta" takes place in Spain at an unspecified point in the past. It is the twelfth birthday of the Infanta, the only daughter, and only child, of the King of Spain. For her entertainment, an ugly young dwarf dancer is brought to the court. The Dwarf is completely unaware of how hideous he looks and does not realize that the reason that others laugh in his presence is because they are mocking his appearance. When the Dwarf sees his own reflection for the first time in his life, the consequences are severe.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1891
2 people are currently reading
218 people want to read
About the author
P. Craig Russell
512 books262 followersPhilip Craig Russell was the first mainstream comic book creator to come out as openly gay. Since 1972 his work has won multiple Kirby, Harvey, and Eisner Awards, and Cartoon Crossroads Columbus presented him the Master Cartoonist Award in 2019.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
January 24, 2018
Review in English and Spanish
This story is about the birthday of the Infanta of Spain, a poorly raised and young princess who does not have a mother. For this reason he lives a somewhat lonely life except on the day of his birthday, but this one is so different... In this story, it is possible to see that this was one of the author's first writings because he plated many ideas that ultimately end to not be concreted. There were characters and flat plots that should not have developed, it is also full of stereotypes about the country where the story originates, which really bothered me when reading it, and the description of a 14-year-old boy slaughtering a bull did not fascinated me. However, the end was what rescued this story definitively, is one of the best finals, its’ really quite good. The truth is that for me is one of the lessons that I’ll keep in mind form now on.
Este cuento trata de el cumpleaños de la infanta de España, una princesita mal criada y joven la cual no cuenta con una madre. Por esta razón vive una vida algo solitaria excepto en el día de su cumpleaños, pero este es diferente… En este relato, es posible evidenciar que este fue uno de los primeros escritos del autor debido a que plateaba muchas ideas que al final pero al final no concreto muchas de ellas. Hubo personajes y tramas planas que no debieron desarrollarse, también esta llena de estereotipos sobre todo del país en donde se origina la historia lo que realmente me incomodó a la hora de leerlo, y la descripción de un niño de 14 años degollando un toro tampoco me fascinó. Sin embargo el final fue lo que rescato este relato definitivamente de los mejores finales y es bastante bueno. La verdad es una de las enseñanzas que mas rescato y con la que mas me quedo de Oscar Wilde.
This story is about the birthday of the Infanta of Spain, a poorly raised and young princess who does not have a mother. For this reason he lives a somewhat lonely life except on the day of his birthday, but this one is so different... In this story, it is possible to see that this was one of the author's first writings because he plated many ideas that ultimately end to not be concreted. There were characters and flat plots that should not have developed, it is also full of stereotypes about the country where the story originates, which really bothered me when reading it, and the description of a 14-year-old boy slaughtering a bull did not fascinated me. However, the end was what rescued this story definitively, is one of the best finals, its’ really quite good. The truth is that for me is one of the lessons that I’ll keep in mind form now on.
Este cuento trata de el cumpleaños de la infanta de España, una princesita mal criada y joven la cual no cuenta con una madre. Por esta razón vive una vida algo solitaria excepto en el día de su cumpleaños, pero este es diferente… En este relato, es posible evidenciar que este fue uno de los primeros escritos del autor debido a que plateaba muchas ideas que al final pero al final no concreto muchas de ellas. Hubo personajes y tramas planas que no debieron desarrollarse, también esta llena de estereotipos sobre todo del país en donde se origina la historia lo que realmente me incomodó a la hora de leerlo, y la descripción de un niño de 14 años degollando un toro tampoco me fascinó. Sin embargo el final fue lo que rescato este relato definitivamente de los mejores finales y es bastante bueno. La verdad es una de las enseñanzas que mas rescato y con la que mas me quedo de Oscar Wilde.
August 28, 2019
A tragic fairy tale for older children, about the lavish birthday celebrations of the Spanish Infanta (Princess) and a hideous misshapen dwarf who is brought to perform for her birthday celebrations. He dreams of being the companion of the beautiful Infanta, but then in the palace he sees how ugly he is in a mirror, and dies of a broken heart.
Exquisitely written, in the poetic prose of Oscar Wilde:
'The Lizards also took an immense fancy to him, and when he grew tired of running about and flung himself down on the grass to rest, they played and romped all over him, and tried to amuse him in the best way they could. "Every one cannot be as beautiful as a lizard," "That would be too much to expect. And, though it sounds absurd to say so, he is not really so ugly after all, provided, of course, that one shuts one's and does not look at him." The Lizards where extremely philosophical by nature, and often sat thinking for hours and hours together, when there was nothing else to do, or when the weather was too rainy for them to go out."
Exquisitely written, in the poetic prose of Oscar Wilde:
'The Lizards also took an immense fancy to him, and when he grew tired of running about and flung himself down on the grass to rest, they played and romped all over him, and tried to amuse him in the best way they could. "Every one cannot be as beautiful as a lizard," "That would be too much to expect. And, though it sounds absurd to say so, he is not really so ugly after all, provided, of course, that one shuts one's and does not look at him." The Lizards where extremely philosophical by nature, and often sat thinking for hours and hours together, when there was nothing else to do, or when the weather was too rainy for them to go out."
December 7, 2015
A beautiful and moving adaptation of a powerful and poignant story. One of those fairy tales that just might break your heart. Another P. Craig Russell masterpiece in his series adapting the Fairy Tales of Oscar Wilde.
June 15, 2013
Armed with a sharp sword of irony, this story by Wilde will probably slice into even the most insensitive of hearts. The end brought to mind not a similar, but somehow stirring a verisimilitude of emotion , another story "The Postmaster" by Rabindranath Tagore. Though " The Postmaster" does not share the theme or the sudden end of the above story, the irony, the unfairness and the tragic brutality of emotion rend the heart alike. Though I do concede that Wilde was more intellectual and much more witty than Tagore( having gone past the bias I usually find myself according Tagore, since being an Indian, I identify more with his dreamscapes ).
Coming back to the story, the Infanta is a pampered, vain little princess who on her birthday, is presented a show of dance and assorted acts by a boy, so ugly, misshapen and grotesque , that he is sold by his poor father for good riddance. Not realizing that the princess and her mates are mocking and laughing at him for his outward monstrosity of appearance, he strives to confess his love to the princess herself. But he catches his reflection in the palace mirrors, and the rest of the story just left me with the proverbial lump in my throat. Wilde explores themes of childhood cruelty, the lure of physical beauty, the insufferable pain of self-loathing and the bitter,sordid irony that is unfortunately, but very accurately a core part of life.
Coming back to the story, the Infanta is a pampered, vain little princess who on her birthday, is presented a show of dance and assorted acts by a boy, so ugly, misshapen and grotesque , that he is sold by his poor father for good riddance. Not realizing that the princess and her mates are mocking and laughing at him for his outward monstrosity of appearance, he strives to confess his love to the princess herself. But he catches his reflection in the palace mirrors, and the rest of the story just left me with the proverbial lump in my throat. Wilde explores themes of childhood cruelty, the lure of physical beauty, the insufferable pain of self-loathing and the bitter,sordid irony that is unfortunately, but very accurately a core part of life.
January 7, 2019
I have arranged my takeaway thoughts into a haiku:
"Kept isolated,
One neither learns empathy
Nor grows a thick skin."
"Kept isolated,
One neither learns empathy
Nor grows a thick skin."
January 2, 2025
A tragic fairy tale💔
February 12, 2018
Not the best of Wilde but indeed a kind of Wilde's thing
The writing was fine, the concept was normal, the story was acceptable, the characters were nicely done, but the ending was really touching
The writing was fine, the concept was normal, the story was acceptable, the characters were nicely done, but the ending was really touching
June 15, 2010
This is the only volume of the series that is entirely occupied with just one tale (the others are two apiece), and frankly I don't think it's justified. A great deal of time is spent on the festivities of the infanta's birthday party, as well as the dwarf's lounging and being mocked by wildlife, but of course this is merely a fault of the original material...and who am I to criticise Wilde? The story otherwise is slightly less cynical than, say, Nightingale... or Devoted Friend, but still a VERY harsh ending. Am I ruining my toddler by letting her enjoy these stories?
The art, as ever, is stunning, and ranges from utterly cartoony to his classic-baroque masterpiece style. All of it is wonderful to look at, and helps me ignore the too-frequent typos.
Right now, this is one of two of the kid's favourites from the series. We've read it twice today, and two or three times yesterday. She seems to really enjoy that there's a princess, and that the dwarf looks like the Disney hunchback. Were it up to me, she would not be reading these before she was, say, ten. But since she asks, I can scarcely justify saying 'no.' I mean, it's not Clockwork Orange, after all.
The art, as ever, is stunning, and ranges from utterly cartoony to his classic-baroque masterpiece style. All of it is wonderful to look at, and helps me ignore the too-frequent typos.
Right now, this is one of two of the kid's favourites from the series. We've read it twice today, and two or three times yesterday. She seems to really enjoy that there's a princess, and that the dwarf looks like the Disney hunchback. Were it up to me, she would not be reading these before she was, say, ten. But since she asks, I can scarcely justify saying 'no.' I mean, it's not Clockwork Orange, after all.
January 10, 2024
Whoa.
Very harsh princessa, but also in a weird, morbid way I was waiting for it to be worse. It’s mentioned that the dead queen was embalmed and was in a chapel, so I was waiting for her to be brought up again in the story. Additionally, a sinister, likely a murderer, uncle was present as was the Inquisition.
I love the way Wilde wrote about, and Russell illustrated, the idyllic beauty of nature (forest, flowers, animals, the seasons) and artisanal objects (clothing, churches, the royal estate).
There are scenes of wondrous things. Wilde has the children stage a bullfight with Infanta calling for the coup de grace. There’s exotic music and dancing as well as performing animals. Although, Wilde uses terminology for groups of people that have since changed. He includes a reference to his other work (Salome, there’s a beheading) through a puppet show. Before nap time they have who can only be described as ‘the dwarf’ as he is given no other (or at least no kinder) name dance for them. He amuses them so much they demand he dance again.
Wilde builds up the dwarf, whom I’m doing to call Jay, as this innocent being. I tell the part of myself that fears being ableist: no, it’s okay because it’s not infantilism due to him just being disabled, he’s literally a child who has only experienced the forrest. I again have mixed feeling when Jay encounters a mirror for the first time. It’s fascinating to think about, but I wince at possible dark messages. Is it human nature to so despise that which is deemed ‘ugly’? Why couldn’t Jay have realized it was his reflection and show himself compassion? Was it because of society; Jay recalled the children of nobility laugh and figures out they were laughing at him and decided that this group of cruel preteens are right?
Very harsh princessa, but also in a weird, morbid way I was waiting for it to be worse. It’s mentioned that the dead queen was embalmed and was in a chapel, so I was waiting for her to be brought up again in the story. Additionally, a sinister, likely a murderer, uncle was present as was the Inquisition.
I love the way Wilde wrote about, and Russell illustrated, the idyllic beauty of nature (forest, flowers, animals, the seasons) and artisanal objects (clothing, churches, the royal estate).
There are scenes of wondrous things. Wilde has the children stage a bullfight with Infanta calling for the coup de grace. There’s exotic music and dancing as well as performing animals. Although, Wilde uses terminology for groups of people that have since changed. He includes a reference to his other work (Salome, there’s a beheading) through a puppet show. Before nap time they have who can only be described as ‘the dwarf’ as he is given no other (or at least no kinder) name dance for them. He amuses them so much they demand he dance again.
Wilde builds up the dwarf, whom I’m doing to call Jay, as this innocent being. I tell the part of myself that fears being ableist: no, it’s okay because it’s not infantilism due to him just being disabled, he’s literally a child who has only experienced the forrest. I again have mixed feeling when Jay encounters a mirror for the first time. It’s fascinating to think about, but I wince at possible dark messages. Is it human nature to so despise that which is deemed ‘ugly’? Why couldn’t Jay have realized it was his reflection and show himself compassion? Was it because of society; Jay recalled the children of nobility laugh and figures out they were laughing at him and decided that this group of cruel preteens are right?
August 28, 2018
Sveučilišna naklada Liber
Zagreb, 1986.
S engleskoga preveo Iso Velikanović
Ilustrirao Ljubo Babić (i to dobro)
Radi se o novokompanovoj bajci , novkompanovana u vidu furke rane moderne. U našoj književnosti Fran Galović je kompanovao tu usmenu formu.
Jezična situacija je duboko povezana sa žanrovskom klasifikacijom s time da mogu ustvrditi da je, iako se radi o žanrovskom djelu (istina-bajka je žanr visoke književnosti), jezik izrazito siromašan. Možda je u pitanju loš prijevod? Eh, ako je tako, moj Iso okreni se sad u grobu. No, ipak ne bih rekao da je u vezi siromaštva i neaktualizacije jezika problem prijevod. Fran Galović je pisao bajke baš poput Wildea, no s daleko raskošnijim jezikom, esteticizam fin de sieclea je kod Galovića daleko više esencijalniji. Matoš je pisao dosta slično poput Galovića ili Wildea (nisu bajke, ali to je ta gotovo istovjetna furka rane moderne u vezi kratke proze) te je ostvario jezik koji je bolji od hrane. Bez imalo ironije ili hiperboliziranja kada čitam Matoševe novele (ove larpurlartističko-esteticističke provenijencije) meni se javlja slina u ustima. Matoš je jednako dobar kao breskvica (onaj božanski kolačić) ili Raffaelo. Oscar Wilde piše jadno i provincijalno u usporedbi s Matošem ili Galovićem. Opet ću spomenuti moguću problematiku prijevoda, odnos baroknosti jezika i potencijalnog materinjstva u samom jeziku.
Sadržajno ova bajka ostaje na razini nekog srednjostrujaškog dječjeg Disney filma.
Hasta luego!
Zagreb, 1986.
S engleskoga preveo Iso Velikanović
Ilustrirao Ljubo Babić (i to dobro)
Radi se o novokompanovoj bajci , novkompanovana u vidu furke rane moderne. U našoj književnosti Fran Galović je kompanovao tu usmenu formu.
Jezična situacija je duboko povezana sa žanrovskom klasifikacijom s time da mogu ustvrditi da je, iako se radi o žanrovskom djelu (istina-bajka je žanr visoke književnosti), jezik izrazito siromašan. Možda je u pitanju loš prijevod? Eh, ako je tako, moj Iso okreni se sad u grobu. No, ipak ne bih rekao da je u vezi siromaštva i neaktualizacije jezika problem prijevod. Fran Galović je pisao bajke baš poput Wildea, no s daleko raskošnijim jezikom, esteticizam fin de sieclea je kod Galovića daleko više esencijalniji. Matoš je pisao dosta slično poput Galovića ili Wildea (nisu bajke, ali to je ta gotovo istovjetna furka rane moderne u vezi kratke proze) te je ostvario jezik koji je bolji od hrane. Bez imalo ironije ili hiperboliziranja kada čitam Matoševe novele (ove larpurlartističko-esteticističke provenijencije) meni se javlja slina u ustima. Matoš je jednako dobar kao breskvica (onaj božanski kolačić) ili Raffaelo. Oscar Wilde piše jadno i provincijalno u usporedbi s Matošem ili Galovićem. Opet ću spomenuti moguću problematiku prijevoda, odnos baroknosti jezika i potencijalnog materinjstva u samom jeziku.
Sadržajno ova bajka ostaje na razini nekog srednjostrujaškog dječjeg Disney filma.
Hasta luego!
August 11, 2018
My first introduction to Oscar Wilde's fairy tales which I have been meaning to read for a while. This is a short comic adapted from his story 'The Birthday of the Infanta'. It's probably not something I would read to small children unless I had a discussion with them about torture and bullying. It's not a nice 'happily-ever-after' story but it's creative. I enjoyed it and heard Wilde's voice in it.
November 25, 2019
can't say as the graphic novel treatment has added... well... anything at all to this story, in which we learn that Oscar Wilde thinks that only rich people notice whether people around them are pretty or not.
September 10, 2017
Wonderful, sweet, very sad ending
October 8, 2017
It was
interesting
Not what I expected from
Oscar Wilde
interesting
Not what I expected from
Oscar Wilde
November 25, 2018
What a lovely way to get into Oscar Wilde's fairy tales.
September 2, 2019
heartbreaking.
April 28, 2020
Tragic story about a hunchback and how one can be happy when one doesn't focus on what might be "wrong" with them.
July 23, 2022
it's about having a broke heart, I guess. I waited for a grand moral lesson but none came so 1 star for me.
February 28, 2023
Tough to deceive yourself when you are looking at yourself in the mirror.
November 3, 2014
A tragic fairy tale for older children, about the lavish birthday celebrations of the Princess Infanta and a hideous misshapen dwarf who is brought to perform for her birthday celebrations. He dreams of being the companion of the beautiful Infanta, but then in the palace he sees how ugly he is in a mirror, and dies of a broken heart.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 14, 2008
Wow, I really love Russell's art style.
And I love Wilde's fairy tales. This isn't my favorite (actually, I'd never heard it before and probably for a good reason)...but the art really captured Wilde's intent.
And I love Wilde's fairy tales. This isn't my favorite (actually, I'd never heard it before and probably for a good reason)...but the art really captured Wilde's intent.
September 1, 2015
From the master of Satires comes another tale about human vanity, and its infatuation with physical beauty. It might be a fairytale for kids, but there's so much allegory in the background, so many metaphors, it can make any poetry lover's day
July 31, 2011
read it
April 18, 2014
What a fairy tale without a happy ending. Fantastic yet believable. Well done.
September 4, 2014
Russell turned one of Wilde's short stories into a graphic novel. Nicely done; I think students will check it out. I'll put it on the shelf and see...
November 5, 2017
I remember how as a child this was my least favorite story because the cruelty of those spoiled kids was just too much.
November 20, 2016
How sad :( A classic fairy tale.
October 11, 2020
It touched my heart and soul too deep. Beautiful, bittersweet and sadly, real. My only complain is that I want it to be longer.
June 19, 2018
Interesting fairytale, very wise, but very sad and kind of adult-like in same time!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews