Tag Archives: Fairy Tale Facts

The Brains Behind The Beauty (and the Beast)

Fairy tales are a beautiful genre of literature, tracing cultural mindsets and priorities through time and across the globe. Their origin as oral tales makes them profoundly unique, as no two tellings were ever exactly the same. But at the same time, that can make it hard for anyone to trace their history. There haveContinue reading “The Brains Behind The Beauty (and the Beast)”

The Bold, The Brave, and The Bloodthirsty

Cinderella is, perhaps, one of the most well-known and well-loved fairy tale heroines. She’s certainly one of my favorites, with variations and versions of her featuring in cultures around the world, both ancient and modern. But Cinderella has faced her share of criticisms over the ages and different depictions. The one I see most oftenContinue reading “The Bold, The Brave, and The Bloodthirsty”

Fairy Tale Facts: Jack and the Beanstalk

There are some fairy tale images that just stick with you. A glass slipper alone on a staircase. An isolated tower with braided hair hanging out the window. A castle surrounded by thorny vines. A rose with falling petals. A magic mirror and a poisoned apple. A giant beanstalk stretching through the clouds.

Fairy Tale Facts: King Thrushbeard

In December 1812, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm published their first book: volume one of Kinder- und Hausmärchen ( or Children’s and Household Tales). The fifty-second story in their collection was called “King Thrushbeard,” and that story is the topic of today’s post. So let’s dive in!

Once Upon a Start

It’s been said (and sung) that the beginning is a very good place to start. And figuring out how to start is a problem writers and creators have faced since they began creating. A good opening has to catch the audience’s attention, draw them in, and set the tone for the whole story or piece.Continue reading “Once Upon a Start”

The Many Legends of Baba Yaga

One of the pillars of fairy tales is their recurring themes and character archetypes. It’s even common to see names used over and over again (Jack, Hans, even Snow-White is used in several unrelated stories). But it’s rare to see the same character appear in multiple fairy and folk tales, like we see in theContinue reading “The Many Legends of Baba Yaga”

Fairy Tale Facts: The Princess Who Never Smiled

For today’s installment of Fairy Tale Facts, we’re headed for a different part of the world. Specifically, Russia. Between 1855 and 1863, Russian writer Alexander Afanasyev collected and published over 600 Russian fairy tales and folk tales. This is tale number 297, and if you’re interested, you can read the whole thing here.

Fairy Tale Facts: The Nightingale

By 1843, Hans Christian Andersen was a well known writer. His 1837 publication of “The Little Mermaid” had thrust him into the international spotlight. His 1843 collection, the first volume of “New Fairy Tales”, included yet another popular tale, “The Nightingale.” Despite being less well known today, “The Nightingale” is actually a story I’ve knownContinue reading “Fairy Tale Facts: The Nightingale”

Fairy Tale Facts: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

Once upon a time, there was a old lady (or maybe it was a little girl) who found a house in the woods that belonged to three bachelor bears (or maybe it was a family of bears?). That’s right, today we’re taking about Goldilocks and the Three Bears!