I'm writing this journal from the mattress on the floor of my friend listening to "Beauty and the Beast" play on the TV a few feet above my head. When she put the movie on, the mandatory previews were advertising the Jungle Book. My friends and I went into the usual talk about how the real Jungle Book in nothing like the book and that most of us had at least read Riki Tiki Tavi (one of the stories from the Kipling version) in lit class. I remember reading that story and liking it, and meaning to read the rest but being scared off by the "being seen with a child's book" problem. I think other people get stuck in this same issue - it's hard to just pick up certain things without an excuse. Thus, I choose to create one!

Disney movies are a big piece of the childhood culture where I'm from. We all know the classic princesses and adventures, but almost nobody (myself included) knows the original tales these plots are derived from. I'd like to remedy this. I'm going to look up the major Disney movies from my childhood and dig up their roots. Here's the list I've decided to go with:

1. The Jungle Book
2. Peter Pan
3. Cinderella
4. Alice in Wonderland
5. The Little Mermaid
6. Beauty and the Beast
7. Aladdin
8. The Hunchback of Notre Dame

I choose these eight because I know they're all based rather directly off other stories that I have not read in the original. (For example, I'm leaving out The Lion King because I know it doesn't have a direct analog. I also know the real stories behind Hercules and Mulan already.) Here's what I have so far (i.e. of the top of my head):

1. "The Jungle Book" by Kipling
2. "Peter Pan" by Barrie
3.
4. "Alice in Wonderland" by Carole
5.
6.
7. "One Thousand Nights and a Night"; I'm looking for a good translation, suggestions would be most appreciated.
8. "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" by Hugo; also looking for a good translation

If anyone would like to do this with me or help find books, leave a comment ^^.