Fairy tale facts for kids
A fairy tale is a type of short story that belongs to folklore. These stories often feature magic, special spells, and amazing creatures. Think of dragons, dwarfs, elves, fairies, giants, talking animals, witches, and wizards!
Fairy tales are different from legends. Legends are often believed to be true events. Fairy tales, however, usually start with "once upon a time" and take place in a make-believe world. They don't usually talk about real places, people, or religions.
The name "fairy tale" comes from the French "conte de fées," first used by Madame d'Aulnoy in the late 1600s. Many fairy tales we know today are very old. They have been told and changed over hundreds of years in different cultures worldwide. Some researchers even think these stories might be thousands of years old, going back to the Bronze Age. People still write new fairy tales and stories inspired by them today.
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What We Call Fairy Tales
Some experts who study folklore prefer to call these stories "wonder tales" or use the German word "Märchen." This is because not all fairy tales actually have fairies in them!
A famous folklorist, Stith Thompson, described them as:
"...a story of some length with many events. It happens in an unreal world with no specific place or creatures, and it's full of amazing things. In this magical land, humble heroes defeat bad guys, become kings, and marry princesses."
Fairy tales often have simple, classic characters. You'll find princesses, brave princes, scary ogres or dragons, and sometimes wicked stepmothers. There are also helpful characters like fairy godmothers or talking animals who give magic aid.
What Makes a Story a Fairy Tale?
It can be tricky to define exactly what a fairy tale is! The term "fairy tale" became popular after Madame D'Aulnoy used "Conte de fées" in 1697. Sometimes, people confuse them with beast fables, which are stories where animals act like humans to teach a lesson.
Many experts agree that magic is a key part of fairy tales. You'll often find talking animals, but these animals are usually truly magical, not just pretending to be human like in fables.
J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Hobbit, said that fairy tales are about human adventures in a magical land called Faërie. This land is full of fairies, princes, princesses, dwarves, and other amazing creatures. Another idea is that "transformation" – where things change in magical ways – is a main feature.
How Fairy Tales Got Their Name
Long ago, stories like these weren't called "fairy tales." The German word "Märchen" means "little story." This suggests that these tales were once short stories from a magical past.
The French writers who created the "conte de fées" (fairy tale) genre often included fairies. This is how the English name "fairy tale" became popular.
The earliest written fairy tales appeared during the Renaissance with authors like Giovanni Francesco Straparola and Giambattista Basile. Later, famous collectors like Charles Perrault and the Brothers Grimm helped make these stories well-known. Madame d'Aulnoy officially created the term "fairy tale" in the late 1600s.
Before the modern idea of fantasy stories, many books we now call fantasy were simply called "fairy tales." This includes The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum. Today, we usually see fantasy and fairy tales as different types of stories, even though they share many magical ideas.
Oral vs. Written Fairy Tales
Fairy tales can be told in two main ways:
- Oral fairy tales are stories passed down by word of mouth. People tell them from one generation to the next.
- Literary fairy tales are stories written down by authors.
Even famous collectors like the Brothers Grimm, who wanted to save oral tales, often changed them a bit to make them better for books.
Oral and literary fairy tales have always influenced each other. Writers got ideas from old folk tales, and storytellers sometimes learned new tales from books. This mix makes it hard to trace the exact origin of many fairy tales.
The Long History of Fairy Tales
Fairy tales were told aloud long before anyone wrote them down. This makes their exact history a bit mysterious. We know they are very old because similar stories appear in ancient writings. For example, Cupid and Psyche from Ancient Rome (around 100-200 AD) and stories in India's Panchatantra (3rd century BC) are like early fairy tales.
These ancient stories show that fairy tales have roots older than the famous Arabian Nights collection. In China, philosophers like Liezi and Zhuangzi included fairy tales in their works. In the West, Aesop's fables from ancient Greece (6th century BC) are also considered early examples.
The Salon Era in France
In the mid-1600s, a trend for magical stories grew popular in Paris. Wealthy women hosted gatherings called "salons." Here, they discussed art, books, and important social topics.
These women, who often couldn't get a formal education, used salons to share ideas and push for more independence. They especially wanted love and understanding in marriage, rather than arranged marriages.
A fun game in these salons was to retell old folk tales. Women would create new versions, showing off their cleverness and imagination. These stories often subtly commented on life for aristocratic women. For example, tales might feature smart young women whose lives were controlled by powerful men or magical fairies who helped set things right.
These original salon tales are preserved in a huge collection called Le Cabinet des Fées.
Later Fairy Tale Collections
The Brothers Grimm were among the first to try and save German fairy tales exactly as they were told. Their first books (1812 and 1815) are very important for folklorists. However, they later changed the tales to make them more popular and suitable for a wider audience.
The Grimms' work inspired other collectors around the world. People like Alexander Afanasyev in Russia and Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in Norway gathered their own country's folk tales. They believed these stories showed the unique spirit of their nations.
Andrew Lang created his famous "coloured" fairy books series. He collected tales from Europe, Asia, Africa, the Americas, and Australia. Writers like Hans Christian Andersen and George MacDonald also wrote new literary fairy tales. Andersen often used old fairy tale ideas in his own original stories.
How Fairy Tales Travelled
Fairy tales with similar plots and characters are found in many different cultures. There are two main ideas about why this happens:
- One idea is that a story started in one place and then spread over time as people traveled and shared tales.
- Another idea is that similar stories can appear in different places because people everywhere share common human experiences.
It's hard to trace the exact path of these stories because they were mostly told orally. However, experts have found that some fairy tales, like Jack and the Beanstalk, might be over 5,000 years old! Stories like Beauty and the Beast and Rumpelstiltskin could be around 4,000 years old.
Fairy tales often change to fit their new location. They pick up local details, styles, and characters. This makes them feel like they belong to that specific place.
Fairy Tales and Children
Originally, fairy tales were enjoyed by adults as much as by children. But in the 1800s and 1900s, they became mostly linked with children's literature.
The Brothers Grimm even changed their tales to be more suitable for children. For example, in an early version of Rapunzel, the princess accidentally revealed the prince's visits. In later versions, this detail was changed to be less grown-up.
Some people believe that older fairy tales, with their challenges and sometimes scary parts, help children learn to deal with difficult situations. As Rebecca Walters said, "Fairytales and folktales are part of the cultural conserve that can be used to address children's fears... and give them some role training." They help children understand social situations and find their place in the world.
Famous thinkers like Albert Einstein also believed in the power of fairy tales. He once said, "If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairytales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairytales."
Today, fairy tales are still adapted for children. Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was a huge success. Disney and other creators continue to make new versions of classic tales for young audiences.
How Mothers are Shown in Fairy Tales
Many fairy tales feature mothers who are not present or are shown in a challenging light. For example, in "Beauty and the Beast" or "Little Red Riding Hood," the mother might be gone or unable to help the main character. In popular versions of "Rapunzel" and "Cinderella," mothers are often absent or replaced by difficult stepmothers.
However, some lesser-known versions or modern retellings show mothers in a more positive way. For instance, in Angela Carter's The Bloody Chamber, a mother is shown as strong and brave, ready to protect her daughter.
Fairy Tales Today
Modern Stories
Many modern authors use fairy tale ideas in their writing. They might explore human feelings using the simple structure of a fairy tale. Some writers update old tales to talk about current issues. For example, Robin McKinley retold Donkeyskin in her novel Deerskin, focusing on the difficult relationship between a father and daughter.
Sometimes, fairy tales are retold in funny ways, like The Stinky Cheese Man. Or they might create a world where all fairy tale characters live together, like in the Shrek movies.
Some authors also rewrite fairy tales to offer new perspectives. For example, many feminist writers challenge the idea of a "damsel in distress" who always needs saving. The Paperbag Princess by Robert Munsch is a picture book where a princess rescues a prince!
Fairy Tales in Film
Fairy tales have been brought to life on screen for a long time. The invention of cinema made it possible to show these magical stories in new ways, using special effects and animation.
The Walt Disney Company has had a huge impact on fairy tale films. Early Disney shorts were based on fairy tales, and their first full-length movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (released in 1937), was a groundbreaking film. Disney has continued to adapt many classic tales, including Cinderella (1950) and The Little Mermaid (1989). Disney's films helped make fairy tales a popular genre for children.
Many fairy tale films are made for kids, but others use fairy tale ideas to create new stories for all ages. Examples include Labyrinth and My Neighbor Totoro. Some films even retell familiar fairy tales in a darker or more thoughtful way for older audiences, like The Company of Wolves.
In recent years, Disney has also been making live-action versions of their animated fairy tale films, such as Maleficent (2014) and Beauty and the Beast (2017).
Common Elements in Fairy Tales
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When you compare different fairy tales, you'll notice they often share similar features. Experts have created ways to classify these stories. Two important systems are the Aarne-Thompson classification system and Vladimir Propp's Morphology of the Folk Tale.
Aarne-Thompson System
This system groups fairy tales based on their main plot. It looks for common identifying features to decide which tales belong together.
For example, tales like Cinderella are classified as type 510, "the persecuted heroine." In these stories, a heroine who is treated badly gets help from a fairy godmother or other magical helper. She then attends an event, wins the love of a prince, and is identified as his true bride. Other tales in this group include The Wonderful Birch and Ye Xian.
This system helps us see how similar stories are found across different cultures.
Propp's Morphology
Vladimir Propp studied many Russian fairy tales. He looked at the function each character and action had in a story. He found that fairy tales often follow a pattern of 31 elements or "functions." These elements usually appear in the same order.
One common element is the donor. This is a character who gives the hero magical help, often after testing them. In The Golden Bird, a talking fox helps the hero. In Cinderella, the fairy godmother gives Cinderella her special dresses. These donors are key to helping the hero succeed in their quest.
Fairy Tales in Music
Fairy tales have inspired many musical works, especially operas and ballets.
- In opera, French Opéra féerie and German Märchenoper are types of operas based on fairy tales. Famous examples include Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) and Humperdinck's Hänsel und Gretel.
- Ballets also bring fairy tales to life. Igor Stravinsky's ballet, The Firebird, uses elements from classic Russian tales.
Even modern fairy tales are sometimes written to inspire new music or dance.
Famous Fairy Tale Collections
Many people have collected and written down fairy tales over the centuries. Here are some of the most well-known:
- From many countries:
- Andrew Lang's Color Fairy Books (1890–1913)
- Italy:
- Pentamerone (1634–1636) by Giambattista Basile
- Italian Folktales (1956) by Italo Calvino
- France:
- Charles Perrault (late 1600s)
- Madame d'Aulnoy (late 1600s)
- Germany:
- Grimms' Fairy Tales (1812–1857) by the Brothers Grimm
- Scandinavia:
- Hans Christian Andersen, Danish author of literary fairy tales (1805–1875)
- Norwegian Folktales (1845–1870) by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe
- Russia:
- Narodnye russkie skazki (1855–1863) by Alexander Afanasyev
- Indian Subcontinent:
- Panchatantra (3rd century BC)
- Kathasaritsagara, compiled by Somadeva in the 11th century CE
See also
In Spanish: Cuento de hadas para niños
