Fairy Tales-A brief history: Part One
Once Upon a Time...
Long before books and movies, people shared stories around fires, in bustling marketplaces, and cosy homes. These tales were passed down from generation to generation, woven into the fabric of human history. It wasn’t until someone decided to gather them up that these magical tales became what we now know as fairy tales.
Over the coming weeks, I’ll dive into the enchanting world of fairy tales, exploring their origins, their relevance in our modern lives, and how they continue to teach, inspire, and spark imagination.
The Fairy Tales We Know and Love
Think of classics like The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, or Hansel and Gretel. Maybe you first heard these tales from a bedtime story, read them in school, or saw them brought to life on the big screen. But have you ever wondered...
- Where did these tales come from?
- Who dreamed them up?
- And why do they still hold a special place in our hearts?
A Journey Back in Time
Fairy tales have deep roots in oral storytelling; they’ve been a part of human culture for as long as we can remember, but it was an Italian author, Giambattista Basile, who first turned these tales into a literary treasure. In 1634, he published The Tale of Tales: a collection of stories that brought these magical adventures into print (for those who could read, of course).
However fairy tales were not just a European concept; these tales are global, stories of magic and whimsy can be found around the world, from Aladdin in China to Ivan the Fool in Russia, and The Hen and The Coyote in Guatemala, these tales have an origin in folk tales and stories told from one generation to the other, collected over the years by travellers and authors alike.
A Brief Timeline of Fairy Tales
Fairy tales have enchanted audiences for millennia, with some stories, such as The Smith and The Devil, tracing their origins back over 6,000 years. The first significant compilation of these tales came in 1634 when Giambattista Basile posthumously published The Tale of Tales. This work is often credited with sparking the widespread popularity of fairy tales.
In the late 17th century, Frenchman Charles Perrault adapted and translated many of Basile’s tales for an aristocratic French audience. His collection, Tales of Mother Goose, introduced enduring classics such as Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Snow White; stories that have become staples of childhood and remain some of the most familiar fairy tales today.
Fairy tales, however, are not limited to Western Europe. Syrian storyteller Hana Diyib played a pivotal role in bringing Middle Eastern folklore to 17th-century Europe. Diyib’s fascinating life; a journey from monk-in-training to translator for French merchants and eventually a successful merchant himself, reads like a fairy tale. His recounting of tales like Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves and Aladdin to Antoine Galland introduced the world to the stories of One Thousand and One Nights. Yet, Diyib received no credit for his contributions at the time.
The 18th century saw a surge of women writers creating their own fairy tales. In France, Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve, needing to support herself after her husband’s death, worked closely with the literary elite. She crafted the first version of La Belle et la Bête (Beauty and the Beast), a tale later refined by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont as a cautionary story for young girls.
In early 19th-century Germany, the Brothers Grimm began their work of collecting and publishing local folk tales, many of which were shared by women in their community. Dortchen Wild, who would later marry Wilhelm Grimm, provided stories like Rumpelstiltskin, The Elves and the Shoemaker, and Hansel and Gretel. Despite their reliance on oral storytellers, the Brothers Grimm are often credited as the sole creators of these beloved fairy tales.
Hans Christian Andersen, inspired by the Brothers Grimm, developed original tales that would also stand the test of time. His works, including The Little Mermaid and The Snow Queen, solidified his legacy as one of the greatest fairy tale authors.
Throughout the centuries, fairy tales have proven their enduring appeal. Whether they aim to educate, inspire, or entertain, these stories remain relevant in today’s fast-paced, internet-driven world.
It’s vital to acknowledge the contributions of lesser-known storytellers alongside the famous names. Without the countless anonymous narrators, women, and unsung heroes who first shared these tales, we would not have the rich legacy of fairy tales we treasure today.
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Resources:
https://fantasy.bnf.fr/en/understand/aristocracy-playground-short-history-fairy-tales Accessed December 2024
https://www.centreofexcellence.com/fairy-tales-their-origins Accessed December 2024
https://www.britannica.com/art/fairy-tale Accessed December 2024 https://www.pookpress.co.uk/project/fairy-tales-from-around-the-world/Accessed December 2024
https://www.historyhit.com/culture/the-disturbing-origins-of-fairy-tales/Accessed December 2024
https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/13666 - A Study of Fairy Tales by Laura Fry Kready (Kready, Laura F. A Study of Fairy Tales. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1916.)
The Fairy Tellers- Nicholas Jubber (John Murray Publishers, 2022) z (Chancellor Press, 1983)
https://www.surlalunefairytales.com/ Accessed December 2024
https://coolcalvary.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/on-fairy-stories1.pdf Accessed December 2024
https://www.pookpress.co.uk/project/history-original-aladdin-story/ - accessed December 2024
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https://reactormag.com/writing-fairy-tales-in-dialect-giambattista-basiles-il-pentameron/ accessed January 2025
https://archive.org/details/ilpentameroneort0000basi/page/n5/mode/2up accessed January 2025