Connect with us

Entertainment

The Darker Versions of Fairytales You Will Not Believe

the original version
https://unsplash.com/photos/21DP3hytVHw

If you grew up reading and watching fairytales like Cinderella and Pinocchio, you may be in for a surprise. The unrevised versions of these seemingly innocent tales are much darker and would not be deemed suitable for a child today. This is mainly because these fairy tales were shared among adults once the children had been put to bed.

Why Do These Darker Versions of Fairytales Exist?

In 1812 and 1815, when the Grimms’ first published two volumes of ‘Nursery and Household Tales’, they were aimed at adults, but when they could not sell enough copies, they toned down the content to make it suitable for kids. Let’s take a look at what the darker versions of fairytales looked like.

1. Cinderella

We know the story for this one by heart. In the sanitized version, when the slipper does not fit onto the stepsisters’ feet, the prince is naturally able to identify his dream girl in Cinderella. However, Grimms’ 1812 version goes a little bit further. The stepmother orders her elder daughter to cut her toe off to fit into the shoe. The prince actually buys it until pigeons point out the blood-soaked shoe.

The mother then orders the younger daughter to cut her heel off. The pigeons again help the prince out, eventually picking up Cinderella. Later, unlike in the Disney version, Cinderella does not easily forgive her sisters. Instead, pigeons pluck their eyes out, blinding them forever.

2. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

This fairytale gave rise to the adoption of the original versions into kid-friendly movies that had happy endings. Walt Disney’s 1938 movie features a lovely Snow White that bests the Evil Queen and wins Prince Charming’s heart. While some details like the Queen asking the huntsman to bring Snow White’s heart in a box as proof of his accomplished mission Disney kept in the film, other more disturbing details they (thankfully) omitted.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

In the Grimms’ original version, the Evil Queen receives an invitation to Snow White’s wedding. Here they force her to wear a pair of iron shoes that have been heated over burning coals. She is then made to dance in the red-hot footwear until she falls down dead.

3. Pinocchio

We all must remember the fellow who taught us why lying could get us into trouble. The Disney adopted 1940s version of the fairytale features a cute wooden puppet Pinocchio and his dear friend Jiminy Cricket whom you may remember from the sweet song “When You Wish Upon a Star”.

There is no denying that even the revised version has some dark undertones. For example, the kidnapper telling Pinocchio, “When you grow too old, you will make good firewood”. However, the 1883 original version by Carlo Collodi is even darker. When teased about his wooden head by his sweet friend, Jiminy Cricket, Pinocchio gets infuriated and throws a hammer at him that kills his friend.

The Darker Versions of Fairytales in a Nutshell

We do not know about you, but we feel grateful that the original versions of these fairytales were revised to the happy movies we saw in our childhood. Were you shocked by the twists and turns these unrevised versions of our three most favorite fairytales took? Share with us!

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.
Lisa Lee
Written By

Lisa Lee is a proud mother of three living in sunny San Diego county. With three children under 10 years old and a pet pug named Daisy, Lisa sure has her hands full. Before starting her career as a family lifestyle writer, Lisa worked as a third grade elementary school teacher. Through her time teaching and parenting, Lisa has become quite the expert at dealing with children and wishes to share her vast knowledge and experiences with other fellow parents.

Advertisement

You May Also Like

Entertainment

When you think about the biggest action stars in Hollywood, your mind might go to some great male actors. But we’re here to remind...

Entertainment

Acting, for some people, is simply just “playing” a character. That may be a perspective, sure, but acting is a lot more than that....

Entertainment

Many of the most successful movies have been based on books, including Harry Potter, Little Women, and The Wizard of Oz. Here we’re going...

Entertainment

Celebrity break-ups happen all the time. You always hear of some celeb falling out of love and falling back in over and over again....

Entertainment

Korean celebrities, or ‘idols’ as they are popularly called, don’t just know how to act or dance. But they can do it all- sing,...

Entertainment

All of us have our share of favorite actors and actresses. We celebrate their work by watching their performances, rooting for them during award...

Entertainment

If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably been dreaming about getting married since you were little and have come up with a million ideas...

Business

Have you ever seen one of your favorite actresses on TV or in a movie and found yourself wondering how much money they make?...