Children's stories are scary as hell.

[whuppitystoorie]

So for my final project in English, I'm researching fairy tales and folklore.

My thesis is that while myths rationalize natural phenomena and define the relationship between god(s) and man, "wonder tales" enforce social structure and common morals for the layman, while also providing a vehicle for the discussion of taboos.

How creepy is it that

Comments

[bitemetechie]

I will not indulge in my theories about fairy tales, I will not indulge in my theories about fairy tales, I will not--

...

Okay, the Prince in Snow White? So totally a necrophile. I'm just saying; for all intents and purposes, as far as he knows, this chick is dead.

He wants to make out with her anyway?

Cinderella's prince obviously had a foot fetish, since he couldn't recognize 'the most beautiful girl at the ball' by looking at her face. What, was she wearing a paper bag over her head? Did he drop his glasses in the punch? Was her dress just so low cut that he didn't bother to look at her face? Or is playing find-the-foot-that-fits-this some kind of royal game nobody told me about?

And...I know I have more, but I'm tired and those two are disturbing enough to contemplate.

[whuppitystoorie]

Actually, you've hit Snow White right on the head. Today's Handsome Prince is a watered-down version of a necrophile.

Little known fact: in the tale's oldest form, the Handsome Prince/King rapes her (because that's apparently a pretty common thing for the nobility to do when they see a sleeping/dead teenager.)
Same deal with Sleeping Beauty: in the original, she wakes up with two children, for godssake!

The Cinderella thing...in some versions, the Prince SENDS someone to find her, who doesn't necessarily know what she looks like. Which is still an idiotic way to go about these things.

I'm dying to write a series of re-worked fairy tales. Example: "Instead of marrying the king who imprisoned her and threatened to kill her if she didn't spin straw into gold, the Miller's Daughter ran off with Rumpilstiltskin, who looked funny but had a lovely personality."