Did you know that the Little Mermaid loses the prince to a human princess?
Did you know that Snow White doesn't get woken up with a kiss?
Did you know that Sleeping Beauty's prince keeps their marriage a secret from his parents for two years?
Disney has made pretty little stories out of folk tales just as the 19th century made up folk costumes for it's peasants, adding embroideries and frills and ribbons where there weren't any. Even making up entire plot lines! Look at what they did to Rapunzel*! Don't get me wrong, I love Tangled, but little girls all over the world are losing one more True Fairy Tale without even knowing what they are missing!
What they are missing is cold and hard. It isn't always fair. Love doesn't solve problems. Problems sometimes don't even get solved. People aren't perfect, and princes don't save the day (they just seem to show up at just the right time to get all the credit). But that is just why I love them. They are kind of like life.
Whenever I hear a fairytale being discussed, a princess story being praised, I will raise my voice and tell the Real Stories, complete with blood, pain, and suicide (all kinds of "icide's", in fact!). I will do my part to make the world a better place!
Are you familiar with the musical, "Into the Woods"? I personally favor a few songs, and dislike the whole work, because I like my fairy tales light and airy with dream-like substance, not weighted down with bits of reality. But all in all the morals are there, and you may like it...
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