The thin child is aware that in fairy tales, rules are often meant to be disregarded, as illustrated by the story of the first humans who were destined to consume the forbidden apple. This suggests a sense of inevitability, where the characters seem trapped by fate, while the grandfather feels self-satisfied in this scenario. The child expresses a lack of connection with the other characters, finding them unsympathetic in their roles within the tale.
Interestingly, the only character the thin child can relate to is the snake, which represents an innocent desire to simply exist in its surroundings without being manipulated. The snake's longing to coil around branches symbolizes a longing for freedom and detachment from the narrative's moral complexities. This perspective highlights the tension between innocence and the burden of expectation imposed by the story's structure.