Frame Story in "Once Upon a Time"

"Once Upon a Time" begins with a story about the author herself and her unwillingness to write stories for children. This eventually leads her into telling another story about a family afraid of intruders. I was very confused at first what the point of the first story was and how both stories were tied in with one another. However, I believe the second story serves to prove Gordimer's stance on children's books. She refuses to write them because of the possible implications they could have on a child's actions. The boy in the second story "pretended to be the Prince who braves the terrible thicket of thorns to enter the palace and kiss the Sleeping Beauty back to life," (236), which caused him to get tangled in the wire fence. If it were not for this children's story, the boy would not have climbed the fence and become trapped in it. It's possible Gordimer refuses to write a children's book so as to not cause kids to do something dangerous.