Happily Ever After
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Happily Ever After
“Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, “Cinderella” and “The Little Mermaid” are stories we all know and love. They are ‘fairy tales’: stories that were written a long time ago, the stories parents read to their children at night, the ones about magic, adventure and possibility, of enchanted forests and talking animals, fairy godmothers and glass slippers, evil queens and poisoned apples…
Fairy tales are stories that we never forget. But it’s fair to say that many of us only know our fairy tales because we have seen the films by Walt Disney – films I admit I used to watch all the time. However, the truth is that the Disney films (and the stories we read as children) are very different from the original tales written a long time ago – tales that were not actually written for children.
For example, did you know that in “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, the Queen goes to Snow White’s wedding and is forced to wear a pair of burning shoes and dance until she dies? Or that in “Cinderella”, the stepmother gets one of her daughters to cut off her own heel and her other daughter to cut off a toe, so they can fit their feet into Cinderella’s lost slipper? And did you know that in “The Little Mermaid”, the mermaid actually dies, after the boy she loves marries someone else?
No true love’s kiss, no fairy godmother, no happily ever after – the original fairy tales are dark and depressing.
Today, fairy tale retellings are very popular and have become a new trend in our literature and culture. For example, author Jackson Pearce has a series of retellings: her book ‘Sisters Red’ (2010) is based on “Little Red Riding Hood” and ‘Sweetly’ (2011) is based on “Hansel and Gretel”. The third book of the series, ‘Fathomless’, is based on the story of “The Little Mermaid” and comes out later this year. Pearce’s books are set in our world and add an interesting twist to the classic tales.
With this trend, fairy tales are on the television too. For example, in the new programme ‘Once Upon a Time’, all our favourite characters are trapped in our world after the Queen from “Snow White” casts an evil spell over the fairy-tale kingdom. The programme combines the magic and fun elements of the Disney films with the darkness of the original stories. ‘Once Upon a Time’ has been so popular that it will continue for a second series.
Fairy tale retellings also come in film versions. In fact, two adaptations of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” have come out this year: ‘Mirror Mirror’ and ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’. But the two films are very different from each other. ‘Mirror Mirror’ is a comedy that everyone can enjoy, while ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ is “no fairy tale” but a dark film full of violence and suspense.
It seems that today’s adaptations are getting darker and darker; therefore, unlike the Disney films, modern fairy tale stories are returning to the themes and styles of the original versions – the true stories.
Fairy tales are timeless. And even after all these years, we’re still seeing new versions of the classic stories. For children, fairy tales offer an escape from the modern world to a place of magic and adventure. For adults, fairy tales are the stories they grew up with, the stories they remember as children. So, it’s interesting for them to see again the characters they know and love, but with new twists and new worlds – and new stories.
In general, the fairy tale trend is very popular. Therefore, the retellings and adaptations in books and films give us all a chance to relive the favourite stories of our childhood. Happily ever after.
Comments
Cinderela...
a good story cinderela
^_^
The original versions of fairy tales and modern fairy tale stories are good but I don't think it's suitable for children. Kids should be told about fairy tales which have Disney's style.
They're really quite different. I was surprised when I found out about the originals.
Cinderela
My favourite fairy tale was the little mermaid but with the Disney adaptation of course!
The original story is very different! Thanks for posting :)
My favourite fairy tale Disney's style.
It's good to hear old but real story.
Do you have a favourite?
In my country, children read original version of the stories.
I've never heard about the original version of well -known fairytales before. And I was surprised, when I read this. I think, the films by Walt Disney is better and interesting than true stories. When I was chiild, I enjoy " The Little Mermaid" and watched this cartoon very often.
Disney's "The Little Mermaid" seems to be a favourite! Thanks for sharing :)
my favorite was the littel mermaid
My favourite fairytale was Cinderella but in Disney version of course . . . It's really wierd to find out that films which you adored when you were little weren't with a happy ending but actually they had a sad ending in their offical version . . . I'm really confuse . . . How could the stepmother get one of her daughters to cut off her own heel and her other daughter to cut off a toe, so they can fit their feet into Cinderella’s lost slipper? Or,how could the Queen go to Snow White’s wedding and is forced to wear a pair of burning shoes and dance until she dies? Wow !!!! Fairytales weren't as Fairy Tales as we expected at all . . . O.o
You're right! The original stories are very unexpected :)
I have always loved "Snow White and Seven Dwarfs". I think that children should watch or read fairy-tales with happy endings and then, after they're older, read the...the real versions of those tales. But we have to consider that when kids read books with happy endings it makes them happy!
I agree. I think some of the original versions are too dark and scary for children!
I have liked cinderela and i still like her
I have liked cinderela and i still like her
Cinderela and Snow White
I love fairy tales, but in my country, children read original version of the stories! I don't like Disney's style.
That's really interesting! Where are you from?
I love fairy tales.
It's very interesting and magistral, but fairy tales in our time are terrible and crazy somewhere.
I don't want to read to my little brother "modern" interpritation of such fairy tales as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”, “Cinderella”, because they will damage his mind.
i love cinderela
i love rapunzel :)
Have you seen Disney's "Tangled"?
Cinderella and The Little Mermaid.........
and i can see it every time.......don't matter in what age.they are beautiful and relaxing
It was cinderela.:)
Aladdin (Disney's adaptation).Once upon a time series is amazing too.I was surprised when I read the part of the original versions....I will look for the original versions in the library.
The Once Upon a Time series is fun!
Yeah...I love the twists the series added to the fairy tales and how each character is connected to the other.
Rapunzel
Rapunzel and Snow White....i used to see them all the time.....and i loved them..there's really something magic about fairy tales ...
MAGIC♥♥♥....
my favorite fairy tale is rapunzel i like it very much i have the cd and i see it when i want...
Cindorela and Snow white . I have seen them thousnd times and also they new versions all of them for example a "cindorella story" or "another cindorella story "and there are even more .The snow white has more than 4-5 films .
Cinderela !!!!
Cinderela . . .
I love beauty and the best and i love this article thanks all.
I'm glad you enjoyed it - thanks for your comment :)
does anyone knows what´s happening in Once upon a time? I really like that serie
what was the last episode you saw?
when emma´s father went to rescue snow and emma. Did he managed to save them?
That was from the early episodes in season 2, I guess. Yeah...he saved them.
The show got really very intense later after that. You should watch it.
Cinderela and white snow
It was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. I used to watch it all day, without cease. Once my video-recorder was spoiled because I watched Snow White for five hours daily. A little bit odd, isn't it? But I loved that, esp the part when the evil step-mother was preparing a poisoned apple and when she asked the mirror who is the most beautiful. Her evilness was frightening, but amusing at the same time. Of course, I preferred the real fairy tale, but Walt Disney's adaptation was worth of watching it. My father used to read me at night, but I was so annoying that he used to make the fairy tale shorter, reading only the parts,but I was clever and realized that;). Snow white really reminds me of my lovely childhood and the days spent in the front of TV.
I remember that part! Thanks for commenting :)
i loved snow white...........and i still love her :)
cinderela and rapunzel
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