What is a fairy tale?
One thing we know for certain— there doesn’t have to be a fairy in it.
Of course, there often is a fairy— like the godmother in “Cinderella,” and the wicked and good fairies who come to Sleeping Beauty’s christening.
But it is not compulsory.
What makes a story a fairy tale is a little bit of magic that stirs the imagination, and it doesn’t matter where it comes from.
It can be a pumpkin that is turned into a beautiful coach, a talking animal that can make a wish come true, or a spell that turns a handsome prince into a beast. Anything can happen in the world of fairy tales.
But a fairy tale is more than just a fantasy. There is often a strong moral lesson—kindness is rewarded, and greed and selfishness are punished.
A long time ago, long before people could read or write, storytelling already played an important part in their lives. Along with music-making and dancing, stories were the main form of entertainment.
And, although fairy tales are now treated as stories for children, originally they were listened to and known by everyone in the community.
All around the world, tales were handed down from generation to generation. Many fairy tales shared the same themes—good always triumphed over evil, and the central characters lived happily ever after.
When ordinary people started to read and write, the traditional stories might have been lost. But with the help of collectors who listened to them and wrote them down, fairy tales were preserved and continued to entertain children.
Some of these fairy tales, such as “Cinderella” and “Sleeping Beauty,” have remained as popular today as when they were first told hundreds of years ago.
I have chosen some of the best-loved and well-known fairy tales from the European tradition and added a sprinkling of the less familiar.
I seem to have known them all my life, and I hope you will enjoy them as much as I do.
