For thousands of years metaphors have been used as a teaching device to help people grow, to understand, to develop ego strength, resilience and a quality of life. Each system of therapy has a set of metaphors in the form of a vocabulary. Fairy tales have messages on different levels and leave the metaphors open for interpretations. The power of the multiple meanings given to a story has an impact on the child or adult and has a therapeutic quality for the client. Therapists have used, consciously or unconsciously, parables and tales to help a client reframe and rebuild his life's misery, and the example of one young client illustrates a therapeutic technique. The fairy tale is therapeutic because the patient finds his own solution, through contemplating what the story seems to imply about himself and his inner conflicts at this moment in his life. The content of the chosen tale usually has nothing to do with the patient's external life, but much to do with his inner problems, which seem incomprehensible and hence unsolvable. Children learn value systems and develop a sense of well-being by listening to stories. Life-values, such as honesty, loyalty, self-control, politeness, patience, and caring, are implanted in the personality of the child through fairy tales. They become a motivator for good or bad behavior, promote a sense of well-being and provide resources for coping with upsets in future life. (One table of fairy tale titles and meanings is included, and 15 references are attached.) (RAE)