How we cite our quotes: (Tale.Page)
Quote #4
My God!" exclaimed the old man. "You are indeed my son," and the love for his child aroused his heart. "But," he added, "how can you be my son? You're a grand gentleman and live in wealth and luxury. How did you come by all of this?" (The Master Thief.553)
Kids change when they grow up, sometimes so much that even their own parents don't recognize them. The son's physical appearance being different than his father remembers also reflects how he has changed. No longer their little darling, he's now a professional thief with a rather loose set of morals. So yeah, the parenting didn't go so well in this one.
Quote #5
[T]he second son set out to look for the golden bird. Like the oldest son, he too met the fox, who gave him good advice that he did not heed. He came to the two inns and saw his brother at the windows of the inn in which there were sounds of carousing. When he his brother called out to him, he could not resist; he went inside and began living only to satisfy his lust. (The Golden Bird.200)
Part of being an adult involves delaying pleasure and gratification. But we can start that tomorrow….
Quote #6
Now the maiden lived all alone in the cottage. She kept herself bust by spinning, weaving, and sewing. The blessings of the good old woman graced everything she did. It seemed as though the flax in the room increased by itself, and whenever she had woven a piece of clothing or a rug or had sewn a shirt, then a buyer immediately appeared and gave her plenty of money. (Spindle, Shuttle, and Needle.546)
Being industrious is a good way to attract a wealthy patron or mate. Double bonus points for girls who are awesome at domestic tasks. In this case, a prince chooses to marry this maiden because she embodies being simultaneously rich and poor (the implication being that external poverty is okay if you're industrious and humble). And if the goal of growing up is to get yourself hitched, well this is definitely one way to go about it.