From the selfishness of weak fathers and malevolent stepmothers to the false promises of hyper-solicitous care, Peterson explores how the abandonment of children into the unknown mirrors moral failure at home—and how faith, courage, and sibling love can redeem it. With echoes of biblical stories and and all too modern warning about overprotective parenting, this fairy tale becomes a rich allegory for navigating betrayal, scarcity, and emerging maturity.