Why do we love fairytales?

Fairy tales are something we have all grown up with, but have you ever wondered how old they are and where they came from. It’s said fairy tales can be traced back to not only the middle ages but to biblical times, however they were not told as we now know from books they were shared verbally. This can make it rather difficult to pinpoint their initial origin due to them being passed down from generations with each iteration changing the story some, similar to Chinese whispers.

‘A fairytale is defined as the sum of its versions. From the coinciding events or episodes in text that apparently tell the same basic story, a plot outline for that tale is deduced.’ [The fairytale The magic mirror of imagination, page 4 line 8] This is true as many different cultures tell the same tale but change it to fit their own culture, for example ‘snow white’ a girl is a victim of jealousy in her home. So no matter what culture or era the tale is retold in the characteristics and events stay the same. We retell these fairytales because ‘it has been deemed worthy of repetition because it is loved, and it is loved because it tells us something about ourselves that we want and need to know’. [The fairytale The magic mirror of imagination, page 5 line 1] So it is human nature to respond to a story that speaks to our nature and heart, this is why they become so beloved and the reason we keep retelling them generation to generation. And due to the popularity that has lasted years people begin to write and re write tales so that they are metaphoric and they become over dramatized and try to convey the thoughts and feelings that the viewer may harbour about their own problems in life.

For all these reasons fairytales have lasted life times and have even been adapted into other media such as theatre, film and animation. One that has really become well known for their adaptations is Walt Disney; they made and continue to make animations of fairytales that have won children’s hearts for years.

While reading the book ‘The fairytale the magic mirror of the imagination’ I found this break down of folk narratives witch I think explains the difference between myths, legends and folktale with sometimes can blend.

1.    Myths – Etiological narratives employing immortal protagonists

2.    Legends – Historical narratives employing extra ordinary protagonists

3.    Folk law – Quotididian narratives employing ordinary protagonists

A.    Fables – Didactic or moralistic tales

B.    Jokes – Humorous tales

C.   Novellas – Romantic tales

D.   Fairy Tales – Magical tales [The fairytale The magic mirror of imagination, page 8 line 18]