Who really writes fairy tales? The child as representation and co-authorin children’s literature: The case of the contemporary play The Snailand the Lion, or a Tale About…

<ns3:p>This article explores the problem of co-authorship between child and adult in literary creation,focusing on the play Ślimak i lew, czyli bajka o… („The Snail and the Lion, or a Tale About…”)written by fi ve-year-old Leonard Delimata and edited by his mother, Malina Prześluga. The analysiscontrasts this case with the classical model of children’s literature, in which the child serves merelyas a topic or source of inspiration – as exemplified by A.A. Milne’s works. The point of departureis a critical reflection on the status of the child in literature as a cultural construct deprived of agency(Rose, Nodelman). In the play under discussion, the child’s authorship is taken seriously: its language,narrative logic, and storytelling style form the foundation of a dramaturgical structure shapedby the principles of pretend play. The adult dramatist assumes the role of a mediator, facilitatingthe translation of the child’s imagination into theatrical language without editorial interference.A key contribution of the article is the identifi cation of the play’s structure as a reversed initiationdrama: rather than the child being introduced into the adult world, the adult – through a ritualisticprologue — is invited to return to a childlike mode of perception. The article argues that Ślimaki lew… is not merely a record of childlike expression but a deliberately crafted dramatic form thatredefines co-authorship and narrative agency in child-adult creative collaboration.</ns3:p>