Meaning of 弄りたくなった


A guy and a girl was discussing books. The girl does not read many books
except for some picture books. She mentioned 桃太郎 and said there are many parts
she does not understand. After discussing this book, the guy thought:

> それにしても「桃太郎」を挙げるとは。あの芥川龍之介も弄りたくなった題材...彼女...やはり恐るべし。

I am not sure how to understand 弄りたくなった. あの芥川龍之介も弄りたくなった題材 means a story that
even Akutagawa wants to read.




[弄る](https://jisho.org/word/%E5%BC%84%E3%82%8B) is not "to read" but "to
tweak", "to make changes", "to play with". 桃太郎 is one of the best-known
Japanese fairy tales, but there is [Akutagawa's "reimagined" version of
桃太郎](https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000879/files/100_15253.html), whose story
is very different from the original.

> それにしても「桃太郎」を挙げる[とは](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/77982/5010)。  
>  So/Anyway, mentioning Momotarō!
>
> あの芥川龍之介も弄りたくなった題材...  
>  (Momotarō) is a theme even Ryunosuke Akutagawa wanted to play with...




[弄る](https://jisho.org/word/%E5%BC%84%E3%82%8B) is not "to read" but "to
tweak", "to make changes", "to play with". 桃太郎 is one of the best-known
Japanese fairy tales, but there is [Akutagawa's "reimagined" version of
桃太郎](https://www.aozora.gr.jp/cards/000879/files/100_15253.html), whose story
is very different from the original.

> それにしても「桃太郎」を挙げる[とは](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/77982/5010)。  
>  So/Anyway, mentioning Momotarō!
>
> あの芥川龍之介も弄りたくなった題材...  
>  (Momotarō) is a theme even Ryunosuke Akutagawa wanted to play with...

