This is pretty grimm.
I live a fairy tale life, unfortunately the author is german.
The reason for the dark storied in the original fairy tales is to teach a lesson, to stand as a warning for children intimidated by them. There is so much educational content in them which Disney cut out, stripping the tales from their original purpose. That’s (one of the reasons) why I hate Disney.
That but it was also just a depiction closer to reality: for instance famine and starvation were a common theme in Grimm’s collection of tales (Hänsel & Gretel, the star money, etc). But in the modern world [industrialized west] we know longer have a direct cultural experience of it.
Similarly gone down have:
- corporal punishment, mutilation (the girl without hands, Cinderella)
- indentured servitude, slavery (Rumpelstilzchen)
- cannibalism (Hänsel & Gretel); note that this in the context of a famine
- austerity at old age (the Bremen town musicians)
- despots abusing their power (Snow White)
- maternal death, parental absence (Cinderella, Snow White)
- child labor (Cinderella, Mother Hulda)
Sleeping Beauty was such a lovely cartoon.
Looks up original story
Oh no…
