LESSONS FROM FAIRYTALES

1. Never buy fruit from an old apple woman, especially one who turned up in your area suddenly.
   
2. Check with your fairy godmother she does know her spells.  Glass slippers are hell on the feet (and there is a limit to what you can do with pumpkins).
   
3. Never put your trust in inferior building materials.  Ask yourself if what you've chosen can withstand a big, bad wolf.
   
4. The ugliest one in the story usually ends up being the hero/heroine so watch how you treat them.  Justice can be retrospective.
   
5. Talking animals don't necessarily know how and when to shut up.
   
6. If the weather suddenly turns icy with no sign of it letting up again, you are either in Narnia prior to Aslan turning up or you're in the realm of the Snow Queen.  In the first case, find Aslan.  In the second case, just get out of there.
   
7. You will achieve success on the third attempt.  Your first will be failure, you will get closer to success on the second go and finally get through on the third.  The Rule of Three applies to all.
   
8. It might pay to tell your daughter she can have a spinning wheel and keep on at her about the idea until she is sick of it.  You can then guarantee she won't go near the things again.
   
9. If someone tells you that you can go anywhere and look into anything except this room, this cupboard or what have you, get out of there fast.  Whatever it is they're hiding will not be pleasant.  It never is.
   
10. If you have a special magical object, even if it looks old and battered, keep it safe.  Don't entrust it to anyone else.  At best they'll sell it.  At worst they'll hand the item over to some plausible visitor who will then use that object against you.