Fairy
tales, then, are not responsible for producing in
children fear, or any of the shapes of fear; Fairy
tales do not give the child the idea of the evil or the
ugly; that is in the child already, because it is in the
world already. Fairy tales do not give the child his first
idea of bogey. What Fairy tales
give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat
of bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since
he had an imagination. What the Fairy tale provides for him
is a St. George to kill the dragon. Exactly what the FaIry
tale does is this: it accustoms him for a series of clear
pictures to the idea that these limitless terrors had a
limit, that these shapeless enemies have enemies in the
knights of God, that there is something in the universe more
mystical than darkenss,
and stronger Nthan strong
fear.
—
GK CHESTERTON