[[quoteright:320:[[Literature/VasilissaTheBeautiful https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/BabaYagaHut.JPG]]]]
[[caption-width-right:320:[-Outside Literature/BabaYaga's Hut, in a Russian Fairy Tale.-] ]]

->''"Fairy tales do not give the child the idea of the evil or the ugly; that is in the child already because it is in the world already. What fairy tales give the child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of evil.\\
The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St George to kill the dragon."''
-->-- '''Creator/GKChesterton'''

%% One quote is sufficient. Please place additional entries on the quotes tab.

"Fairy tale" is the English name for a specific type of fantastic folktale. The term "fairy" in this case is not a reference to the creatures now called fairies, but to the word's original meaning, the "faery"; the "place of the fae" (c.f. "nunnery", "rookery"). Originally meant to refer to the otherworlds where fairy beings like the elves and the sidhe live, it eventually took on a more generic meaning as "land of magic". Very few fairy tales actually feature [[OurFairiesAreDifferent fairies]]; even those European countries with a developed [[TheFairFolk fairy folklore]] preferred to use {{Talking Animal}}s instead. The name of the genre can be traced to Madame d'Aulnoy's ''Les Contes de Fées'', which appeared only after literary fairy tales became all the rage.

Folklorists prefer to describe these stories using the German word ''märchen'', which is usually translated to English as "fairy tale" or "fairy story", but a better translation might be "wonder story." Several extremely popular tales such as [[Creator/CharlesPerrault Perrault]]'s "Cinderella" and "Sleeping Beauty" did feature fairies, helping give weight to the name, while others like "Literature/{{Rumpelstiltskin}}" and "Literature/KateCrackernuts" alluded to [[OurFairiesAreDifferent a more sinister kind]] of [[TheFairFolk folkloric fairies]]. On the other hand, Perrault's "Cinderella" is an odd-ball; normally the Cinderella figure is helped by [[OurGhostsAreDifferent her dead mother]], and "Sleeping Beauty" is as likely to be a victim of prophecy as a {{curse}}). Many, such as "Literature/{{Rapunzel}}", "Literature/PussInBoots", "Literature/HanselAndGretel", and "Literature/SnowWhite", contain no such figures. Fairy tales ''may'' include creatures from folklore such as [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent goblins]], [[WickedWitch witches]], and [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]], but they don't have to. Likewise, they ''may'' include magic, but they don't have to. Some, like "Literature/{{Bluebeard}}", contain no supernatural elements at all.

What fairy tales ''do'' share is a distinct and consistent set of narrative conventions. They usually take place "{{once upon a time}}", with few (if any) references to real people, places or events. They are typically told in an extremely spare and laconic style, using archetypical characters and locations that require the audience to fill in the details with their own imagination. Even the [[PimpedOutDress fancy dresses]] the heroine [[SheCleansUpNicely wears to a ball]] are discussed briefly; "[[RuleOfThree three dresses]], one as golden as the sun, one as silvery as the moon, and one as bright as the stars" and the story goes on. Likewise, characters are defined by their actions. When motives are provided (which is only for human characters), they are short and simple: the heroine is out to find her fortune; the hero wants to marry the princess; the WickedStepmother is {{greed}}y and doesn't want her stepchild to have an inheritance, or [[GreenEyedMonster envious]] of her beauty, or if she has a stepson, destroy his wife; the [[FakeUltimateHero false hero]] wants to marry the princess; the king falls in love with the strange woman he meets in the woods because of her beauty. And motives may not be provided at all; in [[Creator/TheBrothersGrimm the Grimms']] "Literature/TheTwelveDancingPrincesses", we never find out why the princesses are going to the nightly dances, and indeed never discover whether they are doing so voluntarily or not. The limits between a fairy tale and {{Legend}}s, {{Fable}}s or epic poetry are blurred, but overall, it is considered that fairy tales can be distinguished from legends and epics for usually not exploring any specific real events, beliefs, locations and/or people, being more timeless and able to happen in several places. Furthermore, fables, differently from fairy tales, mainly focus on delivering and illustrating moral lessons and often feature anthropomorphic animals, inanimate objects, plants and forces of nature as characters.

"Fairy tale" is often used in modern times to depict an idealized romance or ending, but this is largely a result of {{Disneyfication}}. Many classic fairy tales are quite dark in their original form, and a few are outright horrific. Heroes may be the victims of [[FamilyUnfriendlyViolence such violence]] as having hands chopped off or eyes gouged out; at the end of the story, villains may be [[FamilyUnfriendlyDeath disposed of]] by such methods as having them [[Literature/SnowWhite wear red-hot shoes and dance until they die]] or [[Literature/TheGooseGirl putting them in a barrel lined with nails and having a horse drag it until they die]]. The spare style helps minimize the impact, as it can deal with the violence briefly and without gory detail, but even so many fairy tales have produced NightmareFuel. In some cases, this is intentional, to ScareEmStraight. In many others, however, the reason why they were so much darker and more adult than later versions is simply because some of such folktales were never intended for children in the first place, but for adults, only being associated with ChildrensLiterature after being removed from their folkloric roots and portrayed as children's stories by the end of the 18th century.

Fairy tales are found in cultures all over the world. Many tale types have wide-spread variants. However, [[SmallReferencePools only a tiny handful of them are widely known]] in modern culture. Consequently, when a writer goes to rewrite a fairy tale into FracturedFairyTale, with parody or subversion, it generally invokes one of that handful. For instance, the FairyGodmother is a relatively rare figure in fairy tales, but having featured in "Literature/{{Cinderella}}" and "Literature/SleepingBeauty", is epidemic in the FracturedFairyTale. Even [[TwiceToldTale retellings]] that do not parody the fairy tales generally stick to the best known.

We know that fairy tales are OlderThanDirt because clearly recognizable fairy tales turn up, occasionally, in written form as far back as there has been writing. A 2016 Linguistic study suggested that two ("the Boy steals the Ogre's Treasure' (''Literature/JackAndTheBeanstalk'' in English) and various FaustianBargain stories) date back to the very beginnings of civilization (3500-4500 B.C.E.). The story of Jason and Medea is a form of "The girl helps the hero flee" like ''Literature/TheWhiteDove''; a whole cycle of ChivalricRomance are tales of "The girl without hands" like ''Literature/TheOneHandedGirl''. However, many of these are also clearly written in literary form, and the others may also be far removed from the orally told tales of their time. Nor were they distinguished from other types of story. Giambattista Basile's ''The Pentamerone'' in 1634 (or so) was the first collection to contain only what we would recognize as fairy tales, but heavily rewritten into a literary style. Creator/TheBrothersGrimm were the first to even try to save the folk version, and all tales collected from the oral tradition post-date theirs.

Fairy tales were originally intended for all ages, but for a long period of time, they were only written or presented as children's stories. Disney is rather famous for adapting fairy tales into [[TheMovie movie]] [[TheMusical musicals]], [[{{Disneyfication}} often with changes to make them more light-hearted]]. Writers who seek to restore fairy tales to their original intensity may intensify it to the point of {{Grimmification}}.

See also FairyTaleTropes for a list of tropes common to fairy tales, [[ProppsFunctionsOfFolktales Propp's Functions of Folktales]], and FairytaleMotifs. If they're {{parodied}}, you get a FracturedFairyTale. JustForFun/NotToBeConfusedWith the similarly-named manga ''Manga/FairyTail''.

For works about fairies, see FairyFiction.
----
[[index]]
[[header:Collectors and compilers:]]
* Gianfrancesco Straparola -- author of the first notable collection of European (specifically, Italian) fairy tales, ''The Facetious Nights of Straparola'' (1550/53)
* Giambattista Basile -- ''The Pentamerone'' (1634/36); the first collection solely of fairy tales
* Creator/CharlesPerrault -- ''Tales of Mother Goose'' (1697)
* Creator/MadameDAulnoy -- coined the term "fairy tale" with her ''Les Contes des Fées'' (1697/98)
* Creator/TheBrothersGrimm -- ''Children's and Household Tales'' (1812)
* Creator/AsbjornsenAndMoe -- ''Norwegian Folktales'' (1842/43)
* Ludwig Bechstein -- ''Deutsches Märchenbuch'' (1845) and ''Neues Deutsches Märchenbuch'' (1857)
* Johann Wilhelm Wolf -- ''Deutsche Märchen und Sagen'' (1845) and ''Deutsche Hausmärchen'' (1851)
* Božena Němcová -- ''National Tales and Legends'' (1845/48) and ''Slovak Fairy Tale and Legends'' (1856/57)
* Svend Grundtvig -- ''Gamle Danske Minder i Folkemunde'' (1854/61) and ''Danske Folkæventyr'' (1876/78)
* Creator/AlexanderAfanasyev -- ''Russian Fairy Tales'', 8 volumes (1855/67)
* Manuel Fernández y González -- La Alhambra: Leyendas Árabes (1856)
* Creator/FranzXaverVonSchonwerth - ''Aus der Oberpfalz'' (1857-1859).
* Laura Gonzenbach -- ''Sicilianische Märchen'' (1870)
* Francesc Maspons i Labrós -- ''Lo Rondallayre: Quentos Populars Catalans'' (1871/75) and ''Cuentos Populars Catalans'' (1885)
* Jean-François Bladé -- Contes populaires de la Gascogne (1886)
* Petre Ispirescu -- ''Legende sau basmele românilor'' (1872)
* Giuseppe Pitrè -- ''Fiabe, novelle e racconti popolari siciliane'' (1875)
* Paul Sébillot -- ''Contes Populaires de la Haute-Bretagne'' (1880/82)
* Pavol Dobšinský -- ''National Slovak Tales'' (1880/83)
* Evald Tang Kristensen -- ''&[=AElig=];ventyr fra Jylland'' (1881/97)
* Zófimo Consiglieri Pedroso -- ''Portuguese Folk-Tales'' (1882)
* Teófilo Braga -- ''Contos Tradicionaes do Povo Portuguez'' (1883)
* Emmanuel Cosquin -- ''Contes Populaires de Lorraine'' (1886)
* Heinrich Von Wlislocki -- ''Märchen und Sagen der transsilvanischen Zigeuner'' (''Fairy Tales and Legends of the Transylvanian Gypsies'') (1886)
* François-Marie Luzel -- ''Contes Populaires de Basse-Bretagne'' (1887)
* Elek Benedek -- ''Magyar mese- és mondavilág'' (1894/96)
* Charles Polydore de Mont and Alfons de Cock -- ''Dit zijn Vlaamsche wondersprookjes, het volk naverteld'' (1896) and ''Dit zijn Vlaamse vertelsels uit den volksmond opgeschreven'' (1898)
* Jonas Basanavičius -- ''Lietuviškos pasakos'' (1898-1926)
* Creator/AndrewLang -- ''Colored Fairy Books'', 12 volumes (1889-1910)
* Creator/JosephJacobs -- ''Fairy Tales'', 5 volumes (1890-1916)
** ''Literature/EuropeanFolkAndFairyTales''
* Carmen Lyra -- ''Cuentos de mi tía Pachita'' (1920)
* Aurelio Macedonio Espinosa -- ''Cuentos Populares Españoles'' (1923/26)
* Aurelio de Llano Roza de Ampudia -- ''Cuentos Asturianos Recogidos de la Tradición Oral'' (1925)
* John Sampson -- ''Welsh Gypsy Folk Tales'' (1933)
* Henri Pourrat -- ''Le Trésor des contes'' (1948/61)
* Creator/ItaloCalvino -- ''Italian Folktales'' (1956)
* Geneviève Massignon -- ''Contes de l'Ouest'' (1954), ''Contes Corses'' (1963) and ''Folktales of France'' (1966)
* Marie Voříšková -- ''Cikánské pohádky'' (''Gypsy Fairy Tales'') (1959)
* Jerzy Ficowski -- ''Sister of the Birds and Other Gypsy Tales'' (1961)
* William Camus -- ''Les Oiseaux de feu et autres contes peaux-rouges'' (1978)
* William Camus -- ''Légendes de la Vieille-Amérique'' (1979)
* William Camus -- ''Légendes peaux-rouges'' (1980)
* Creator/AngelaCarter -- ''The Old Wives' Fairy Tale Book'' (1990/92)
* William Camus -- '' Mille ans de contes : Indiens d'Amérique du Nord'' (1996)
* Ana Cristina Herreros -- Libro de Monstruos Españoles (2008)
* Hedina Sijercic -- ''Rromane Paramicha: Stories and Legends of the Gurbeti Roma'' (2009)
[[/index]]

[[header:Authors:]]
* Creator/ETAHoffmann
* Wilhelm Hauff -- ''The Caravan'' (1825) and ''The Spessart Inn'' (1827)
* Creator/HansChristianAndersen -- the maybe most famous author of literary fairy tales (''Fairy Tales Told for Children'' and ''New Fairy Tales'', 1835-44)
* Zacharias Topelius -- ''Läsning för Barn'' (1865/96)
* Creator/GeorgeMacDonald -- ''Phantastes'' (1858), ''The Princess and the Goblin'' (1872) and many more.
* Frank R. Stockton -- ''The Floating Prince and Other Fairy Tales'' (1881) and ''The Bee-man of Orn and Other Fanciful Tales'' (1887)
* Luigi Capuana -- ''C'era una volta'' (1882), ''Il raccontafiabe'' (1894) and ''Chi vuol fiabe, chi vuole?'' (1903)
* Creator/OscarWilde -- ''The Happy Prince and Other Tales'' (1888) and ''A House of Pomegranate'' (1891)
* Helena Nyblom -- Debuted in 1897, and since then published several fairy tales, some of the most well-known included in the anthology ''Among Gnomes and Trolls''
* Ivana Brlić-Mažuranić -- ''Croatian Tales of Long Ago'' (1916)
* Mimei Ogawa -- Deemed in Japan as the Japanese Hans Christian Andersen
* Godfried Bomans -- ''Sprookjes'' (1946)
* Jan Drda -- ''České pohádky'' (1959)
* Jan Werich -- ''Fimfárum'' (1960)
* Pierre Gripari -- ''Contes de la Rue Broca'' (1967)

[[header:Analysis:]]
* Joseph Campbell -- Literature/TheHeroWithAThousandFaces
* Christopher Vogler -- [[TheHerosJourney The Writer's Journey]]
* Creator/JRRTolkien -- Literature/OnFairyStories
* Vladimir Propp -- [[ProppsFunctionsOfFolktales The Morphology of the Folktale]]
* The Aarne-Thompson-Uther folktale classification system, an attempt to catalog every folktale plot there is.

[[index]]
[[header:Traditional fairy tales or fairy tale characters:]]
* Literature/ArabianNights
** Literature/{{Aladdin}}
** Literature/AliBabaAndTheFortyThieves
** Literature/TheCityOfBrass
** Literature/TheEbonyHorse
** Literature/HassanOfBasra
** Literature/TheKingsSonAndTheSheGhoul
** Literature/SinbadTheSailor
** Literature/TheStoryOfSidiNouman
* Literature/AnsigeKarambaTheGlutton
* Literature/AraTheHandsome
* The Literature/BabaYaga fairy tales
* Literature/TheBakersDaughter
* Literature/{{Bearskin}}
* Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast
** Literature/LittleBroomstick
* Literature/TheBeeAndTheOrangeTree
* Literature/BiancabellaAndTheSnake
* Literature/TheBigFancyHouse
* Literature/TheBlackSpider
* Literature/TheBlackThiefAndTheKnightOfTheGlen
* Literature/{{Bluebeard}}
* Literature/TheBlueberry
* Literature/TheBlueBird
* Literature/TheBlueMountains
* Literature/BootsWhoMadeThePrincessSayThatsAStory
* Literature/TheBraveLittleTailor
* Literature/TheBremenTownMusicians
* Literature/BrotherAndSister
* Literature/TheBrownBearOfTheGreenGlen
* Literature/TheBuriedMoon
* Literature/TheCanaryPrince
* Literature/CapORushes
* Literature/CatherineAndHerFate
* Literature/TheCatOnTheDovrefell
* Literature/{{Catskin}}
* Literature/ChickenLittle
* Literature/ChildeRowland
* Literature/{{Cinderella}}
** Literature/YehShen
** Literature/TamCam
** Literature/BawangMerahBawangPutih
* Literature/TheCrabPrince
* Myth/CupidAndPsyche
* Literature/TheDancingWaterTheSingingAppleAndTheSpeakingBird
* Literature/TheDaughterOfBukEttemsuch
* Literature/TheDeathOfKoscheiTheDeathless
* Literature/TheDevilWithTheThreeGoldenHairs
* Literature/DickWhittingtonAndHisCat
* Literature/TheDiscreetPrincess
* Literature/{{Donkeyskin}}
** Literature/{{Allerleirauh}}
** Literature/DonaLabismina
** Literature/{{Mossycoat}}
** Literature/ThePrincessInTheSuitOfLeather
** Literature/ThePrincessWithTheGoldStarOnHerBrow
* Literature/{{Drakestail}}
* Literature/EastOfTheSunAndWestOfTheMoon
* FairyTale/EgleTheQueenOfSerpents
* Literature/TheEnchantedQuill
* Literature/TheElfMaiden
* Literature/TheElvesAndTheCobbler
* Literature/TheEnchantedPig
* Literature/FairBrow
* Literature/TheFairOneWithGoldenLocks
* Literature/FairerThanAFairy
* Literature/TheFamousFlowerOfServingMen
* Literature/FarmerWeathersky
* Literature/TheFeatherOfFinistTheFalcon
* Literature/TheFireBirdTheHorseOfPowerAndThePrincessVasilissa
* Literature/TheFisherGirlAndTheCrab
* Literature/TheFishermanAndHisWife
* Literature/{{Florinda}}
* Literature/FollowMeJodel
* Literature/TheFoolOfTheWorldAndTheFlyingShip
* Literature/FoundlingBird
* Literature/TheFourSkillfulBrothers
* Literature/TheFourTravelers
* Literature/FrauTrude
* Literature/TheFrogPrince
* Literature/TheFrostTheSunAndTheWind
* Literature/GamblingHansel
* Literature/TheGiantWhoHadNoHeartInHisBody
* Literature/TheGingerbreadMan
* Literature/TheGirlAndTheDeadMan
* Literature/TheGirlWithoutHands
* Literature/GoodDayFellowAxeHandle
* Literature/TheGratefulPrince
* Literature/TheGraveMound
* Literature/GodfatherDeath
* Literature/TheGoldenBird
* Literature/TheGoldenGoose
* Literature/TheGoldenPhoenix
* Literature/TheGoldenRoebuck
* Literature/TheGoldMountain
* Literature/{{Goldilocks}}
* Literature/TheGooseGirl
* Literature/TheGooseGirlAtTheWell
* Literature/GraciosaAndPercinet
* Literature/TheGratefulBeasts
* Literature/GullibleMenAndMeanWives
* Literature/HansTheHedgehog
* Literature/HanselAndGretel
* Literature/HeartOfIceAndrewLang
* Literature/TheHomunculusOfMaimonides
* Literature/HopOMyThumb
* Literature/HowJackSoughtTheGoldenApples
* Literature/HowTheSixMadeTheirWayInTheWorld
* Literature/IronHans
* Literature/TheIronStove
* Literature/IvanTurbinca
* Literature/JackAndTheBeanstalk
* Literature/JackTheGiantKiller
* Literature/JesperWhoHerdedTheHares
* Literature/TheJezinkas
* Literature/JorindeAndJoringel
* Literature/TheJuniperTree
* Literature/KateCrackernuts
* Literature/KingGoldenlocks
* Literature/KingThrushbeard
* Literature/TheKingWhoWouldBeStrongerThanFate
* Literature/{{Kintaro}}
* Literature/{{Kolobok}}
* Literature/TheLaidlyWormOfSpindlestonHeugh
* Literature/TheLambtonWorm
* Literature/TheLazySpinner
* Literature/TheLiarFolktale
* Literature/LittleMasterMisery
* Literature/TheLittleOldWomanWithFiveCows
* Literature/LittleOtik
* Literature/LittleRedRidingHood
* Literature/TheLordOfLornAndTheFalseSteward
* Literature/TheLordOfTheWinds
* Literature/TheLoveOfThreeOranges
* Literature/TheLudicrousWishes
* Literature/TheMagicMirror
* Literature/MaidMaleen
* Literature/MalinKundang
* Literature/MollyWhuppie
* Literature/{{Momotaro}}
* Literature/{{Morozko}}
* Literature/MotherHolle
* Literature/MyOwnSelf
* Literature/TheNecklaceOfPrincessFiorimonde
* Literature/TheNettleSpinner
* Literature/NineBagsOfGold
* Literature/TheNinePeahensAndTheGoldenApples
* Literature/TheNixInTheMillPond
* Literature/NourieHadig
* Literature/TheOldDameAndHerHen
* Literature/OneEyeTwoEyesThreeEyes
* Literature/TheOneHandedGirl
* Literature/ThePiedPiperOfHamelin
* Literature/ThePigKing
* Literature/{{Pintosmalto}}
* Literature/PrinceIvanTheWitchBabyAndTheLittleSisterOfTheSun
* Literature/PrinceLindworm
* Literature/PrinceWolf
* Literature/PrincessBelleEtoile
* Literature/ThePrincessOnTheGlassHill
* Literature/{{Prunella}}
* Literature/{{Puddocky}}
* Literature/PussInBoots
* Literature/TheQueenBee
* Literature/{{Rapunzel}}
* Literature/{{Reygoch}}
* Literature/TheRoseTree
* Literature/{{Rumpelstiltskin}}
* Literature/{{Schippeitaro}}
* Literature/TheSeaTsarAndVasilissaTheWise
* Literature/TheSevenFoals
* Literature/TheSevenRavens
* Literature/TheSingingMermaid
* Literature/TheSingingSpringingLark
* Literature/SirAldingar
* Literature/TheSixServants
* Literature/TheSixSwans
* Literature/SivkaBurka
* Literature/SleepingBeauty
** Literature/SunMoonAndTalia
* Literature/SnowWhite
** Literature/{{Giricoccola}}
** Literature/GoldTreeAndSilverTree
** Literature/TheMagicNeedle
** Literature/MarigoOfTheFortyDragons
** Literature/{{Richilda}}
** Literature/TheUnnaturalMotherAndTheGirlWithAStarOnHerForehead
* Literature/SnowWhiteAndRoseRed
* Literature/SnowWhiteFireRed
* Literature/TheSoldierAndDeath
* Literature/SoriaMoriaCastle
* Literature/TheStarMoney
* Literature/StJosephInTheForest
* Literature/TheStoryOfKingOdd
* Literature/TheStoryOfTheYara
* Literature/TheStoryOfTheYouthWhoWentForthToLearnWhatFearWas
* Literature/TheSwanMaiden
* Literature/SweetPorridge
* Literature/SweetheartRoland
* Literature/TheTableTheDonkeyAndTheStick
* Literature/TheTaleOfTheBambooCutter
* Literature/TamLin
* Literature/{{Tattercoats}}
* Literature/{{Tatterhood}}
* Literature/TheThreeAunts
* Literature/ThreeBillyGoatsGruff
* Literature/TheThreeEnchantedPrinces
* Literature/TheThreeFlowers
* Literature/TheThreeLittleMenInTheWood
* Literature/TheThreeLittlePigs
* Literature/TheThreeMayPeaches
* Literature/TheThreePrincesAndTheirBeasts
* Literature/TheThreeSnakeLeaves
* Literature/TimunMas
* The Literature/TomThumb tales
* Literature/TheTrollsDaughter
* Literature/TrueAndUntrue
* Literature/TheTrueBride
* Literature/TsarevitchIvanTheFireBirdAndTheGrayWolf
* Literature/TsarevichPetrAndTheWizard
* Literature/TheTurnipPrincess
* Literature/TheTwelveDancingPrincesses
* Literature/TheTwelveHuntsmen
* Literature/TheTwelveMonths
* Literature/TheTwelveWildGeese
* Literature/TheTwoBrothers
* Literature/UdeaAndHerSevenBrothers
* Literature/UrikohimeAndTheAmanojaku
* Literature/VasilissaTheBeautiful
* Literature/TheWaterOfLife
* Literature/TheWhiteCat
* Literature/TheWhiteDove
* Literature/TheWhiteDuck
* Literature/TheWhiteSnake
* Literature/TheWhiteWolf
* Literature/WhuppityStoorie
* Literature/WilliesLady
* Literature/TheWiseLittleGirl
* Literature/TheWolfAndTheSevenYoungKids
* Literature/TheWoodcuttersWealthySister
* Literature/TheWoundedLion
* Literature/TheYellowDwarf
* Literature/YoungBeichan
[[/index]]

[[index]]
[[header:Modern works in the style of fairy tales, adaptations of fairy tales, or works that in other ways draw on fairy tales:]]

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder: Literary Fairy Tales ]]

* Literature/AdalminasPearl
* ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfStrongVanya''
* Literature/AgnetaAndTheSeaKing
* Literature/TheBigSisterAndLittleSister
* Literature/TheCleverPrincess
* Literature/DwarfNose
* Literature/TheEgyptianCinderella
* Literature/TheElfOfTheRose
* Literature/TheEmperorsNewClothes
* Literature/{{Feathertop}}
* Literature/TheFishermanAndHisSoul
* Literature/TheFlyingTrunk
* Literature/GirlsToTheRescue
* Literature/TheGirlWhoTrodOnTheLoaf
* Literature/TheGirlWithTheVelvetRibbon (and variants)
* 'Literature/TheGirlWhoCircumnavigatedFairylandInAShipOfHerOwnMaking'
* Literature/GorgoTheOgre
* Literature/TheGriffinAndTheMinorCanon
* Literature/TheHappyPrince
* Literature/HowDroofusTheDragonLostHisHead
* Literature/JohnTheValiant
* Literature/TheKingOfTheGoldenRiver
* Literature/TheLadyOfTheLake
* Literature/LittleIdasFlowers
* Literature/TheLittleMatchGirl
* Literature/TheLittleMermaid
* Literature/LoskutikAndTheCloud
* Literature/MaraboeAndMorsegat
* Literature/TheMarshKingsDaughter
* Literature/NickolaiOfTheNorth
* Literature/TheNightingale
* Literature/TheNutcrackerAndTheMouseKing -- A literary fairy tale known mostly for providing the basis for the ballet by Music/PyotrIlyichTchaikovsky.
* Literature/{{Petronella}}
* Music/PeterAndTheWolf
* Literature/ThePrincessAndThePea
* Literature/TheRaspberryWorm
* Literature/TheRedCandlesAndTheMermaid
* Literature/TheRedShoes
* Literature/RulerOfTheMagicalKeys
* Literature/RWBYFairyTalesOfRemnant
* Literature/SaintGeorgeAndTheDragon
* Literature/TheSelfishGiant
* Literature/{{The Shadow|Fairy Tale}}
* Literature/SleepingBeautyAndTheGoodFairies
* Literature/TheSnowQueen
* Literature/TheSteadfastTinSoldier
* Literature/TheStoryOfTheFireSwan
* Literature/StregaNona
* Literature/TheTaleOfNornaGest
* Literature/TheTaleOfTsarSaltan
* Literature/TheTalesOfBeedleTheBard
* Literature/{{Thumbelina}}
* Literature/TheTinderBox
* Theatre/TheTwelveMonths
* Literature/TheUglyDuckling
* Literature/{{Undine}}
* Literature/WhileTheClockChimes

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Fantasy ]]

* ''Literature/The13Clocks''
* ''Literature/TheAdventuresOfPinocchio''
* ''Literature/AlicesAdventuresInWonderland'' -- Notable for being a fairy tale of nonsense instead of magic.
* ''Literature/AtTheBackOfTheNorthWind''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheMagicOfPegasus''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheDiamondCastle''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAndTheSecretDoor''
* ''Literature/BerenAndLuthien''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheBookOfLife''. A story set in 1920 Mexico that involves {{God}} and magical items.
* ''Literature/TheBlackSwan''
* ''Literature/CastleInTheAir''
* ''Literature/CharlieAndTheChocolateFactory'' is built on [[MadScientist mad science]] instead of magic, but fits many fairy tale tropes otherwise. Many other Creator/RoaldDahl works aimed at children qualify as fairy tales as well, and his Revolting Rhymes is a collection of tongue-in-cheek retellings of "Cinderella", "Snow White", etc.
* ''Literature/TheChildrenOfHurin''
* ''Literature/{{Coraline}}'', a book by Creator/NeilGaiman.
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Coraline}}'', a film adaptation of the same name.
** ''[[VideoGame/{{Coraline}} Coraline: The Game]]'', a game adaptation of the film.
* ''WesternAnimation/CorpseBride''
* ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' is a space western mixed with fairy tale tropes
* ''Literature/TheCursebreakerSeries''
* ''Anime/DarlingInTheFranxx''
* ''Film/TheDevilsBackbone''
* ''VideoGame/EatMe'' -- based on ''Theatre/TheNutcracker''
* ''Film/EdwardScissorhands''
* ''WesternAnimation/EraseUnaVez''
* ''VisualNovel/EverAfterAcademy''
* ''Toys/EverAfterHigh''
* ''Anime/FairyMusketeers''
* ''Literature/FairyTalesOfMourania''
* ''Literature/TheFallOfGondolin''
* ''Literature/TheFallOfNumenor''
* ''Series/{{Fantaghiro}}''
* ''Literature/FarmerGilesOfHam''
* ''Literature/TheFarthestAwayMountain''
* ''Literature/TheGardensOfDorr''
* ''Film/TheGoldenHorns''
* ''Literature/HalfUponATime''
* ''Literature/TheHazelWood''
* ''Literature/HisDarkMaterials''
* ''Literature/HowlsMovingCastle'' -- A novel [[ContinuityNod in which a witch bewitched the hatter's daughter]], as well as the loose [[Anime/HowlsMovingCastle anime adaptation]] of the same name.
* ''Literature/IntoTheBloodredWoods''
* ''Literature/IntoTheHeartlessWood''
* ''WesternAnimation/IrishFolkloreTrilogy'':
** ''WesternAnimation/SongOfTheSea''
** ''WesternAnimation/{{Wolfwalkers}}''
* ''Film/{{Labyrinth}}''
* ''Literature/LandOfOz''
** ''Literature/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz'' is the novel that started it all.
** ''Literature/TheMarvelousLandOfOz'' is its first sequel.
** ''Literature/OzmaOfOz'' is book number 3.
** ''Literature/GlindaOfOz'' is the 14th book and the last one written by its original writer.
** Literature/TalesOfTheMagicLand is the Soviet version of Oz.
** ''Literature/TheWickedYears'' is a revisionist novel series about the Wicked Witch of the West and her descendants, later adapted into a much more famous musical.
** ''Theatre/{{Wicked}}'' -- The musical adaptation of the novel.
** ''Theatre/TheWiz'' is the original novel given a RaceLift; the movie adaptation also gives it a SettingUpdate.
* ''VideoGame/TheLiarPrincessAndTheBlindPrince''
* Literature/TheLifeAndAdventuresOfSantaClaus
* ''Literature/TheLightPrincess''
* ''Film/LittleOtik''
* ''Literature/TheLostPrincess''
* ''Series/Merlin2008'', specifically the episodes [[Recap/MerlinS01E11TheLabyrinthOfGedref "The Labyrinth of Gedref"]] and [[Recap/MerlinS04E11TheHuntersHeart "The Hunter's Heart"]].
* ''Literature/{{Momo|1973}}''
* ''Literature/{{Moonflowers}}'', an UrbanFantasy on [=hitRECord=]. It's written in the style of fairy tales, draws heavily on Myth/CelticMythology, and TheWildHunt are the main antagonists.
* ''Webcomic/{{Namesake}}''
* ''Literature/OnceUponATime''
* ''Literature/TheOrdinaryPrincess''
* ''Literature/TheOrphansTales''
* ''Film/PansLabyrinth''
* ''Literature/ThePaperBagPrincess''
* ''Film/Penelope2006''
* ''Literature/PeterPan''
* ''Literature/{{Phantastes}}''
* ''Literature/ThePlucker'' -- An illustrated novel by Brom
* ''Literature/{{Poison}}''
* ''Literature/ThePrincessAndTheGoblin''
** ''Literature/ThePrincessAndCurdie''
* ''Literature/ThePrincessBride''
* ''Anime/PrincessTutu''
* ''Anime/PuellaMagiMadokaMagica''
* ''Manga/RankingOfKings''
* ''Anime/RevolutionaryGirlUtena''
** ''Anime/AdolescenceOfUtena''
* ''Literature/{{Roverandom}}''
* ''WebAnimation/RWBYFairyTales''
* Literature/{{Satyrday}}
* ''Literature/TheSchoolForGoodAndEvil''
** ''Film/TheSchoolForGoodAndEvil2022'' (Film adaptation)
* ''Literature/SmithOfWoottonMajor''
* ''Animation/SonOfTheWhiteHorse'' - adaptation of a Hungarian folktale.
* ''Literature/{{Stardust}}'', the novel by Neil Gaiman
** ''Film/{{Stardust}}'', the film adaptation of the above
* ''Literature/SylvieAndBruno''
* ''Literature/TalesoftheBigBadWolf'' is a fantasy web novel that is a loosely based retelling of a Red Riding Hood romantic polygon that incorporates other myths, fairy tales, and nursery rhymes.
* ''Literature/TheTaleOfDespereaux''
* ''Literature/TalesOfTheFrogPrincess''
** The first book [[InspiredBy inspired the film]] WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndTheFrog
* ''WesternAnimation/TheThiefAndTheCobbler''
* ''Theatre/TheThousandYearRose''
* ''VideoGame/{{Undertale}}''
* ''Film/ValerieAndHerWeekOfWonders''
* ''Literature/TheVelveteenRabbit''
* ''Literature/LesVoyageursSansSouci''
* ''Literature/TheWideAwakePrincess''
* ''Literature/TheWishingMaiden''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Adaptations and retellings: ]]

* ''WesternAnimation/{{Aladdin}}''
* ''Film/AliceInWonderland1949''
* ''Film/AliceInWonderland1985''
* ''Film/AliceInWonderland1999''
* ''Film/AliceInWonderland2010''
** ''Film/AliceThroughTheLookingGlass''
* ''Anime/AlicesAdventuresInWonderlandJP''
* ''Anime/AndersenMonogatari''
* ''WesternAnimation/AnimatedTalesOfTheWorld''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieAsRapunzel''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieInTheTwelveDancingPrincesses''
* ''WesternAnimation/BarbieOfSwanLake''
* ''Film/BarbaraTheFairWithTheSilkenHair'' -- film adaptation of a Russian fairy tale
* ''Literature/{{Bearhead}}''
* ''Literature/BeastsAndBeautyDangerousTales''
* Literature/BeautyARetellingOfBeautyAndTheBeast
** Literature/RoseDaughter, another retelling of that fairy tale by the same author
* ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast''
* ''Film/BeautyAndTheBeast1946''
* ''Film/BeautyAndTheBeast2014''
* ''Film/BeautyAndTheBeast2017''
* ''Literature/TheBloodyChamber'' -- Creator/AngelaCarter's collection of popular fairy tales such as "Literature/{{Bluebeard}}," "Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast," and "Literature/{{Cinderella}}" rewritten with a feminist slant.
* ''WesternAnimation/BritannicasTalesAroundTheWorld'' -- animated series that teaches kids a familiar tale from around the world, followed by two lesser-known stories that share similar themes or [[OmnipresentTropes tropes]].
* ''Literature/BryonyAndRoses'': A retelling of Beauty and the Beast.
* Carlo Gozzi's ''fiabe'':
** ''L'amore delle tre melarance'' - based on ''The Love for Three Oranges''.
** ''Il corvo'' - based on ''The Raven'' (similar to German/Grimms tale ''Faithful Johannes''), a tale from ''Pentamerone''.
** ''L'Augellino Bel Verde'' (or ''The Green Bird'') - sequel to his work ''L'amore delle tre melarance''.
* ''Film/{{Cenerentola}}'' -- A retelling of Cinderella set in post-war Rome.
* The Korean Movie ''Film/{{Chunhyang}}'' is a more accurate version of the folk tale.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Cinderella}}''
* ''Film/Cinderella2015''
* ''WesternAnimation/Cinderella3D'': Has nothing to do with Disney. It's a bizarre twist on the Cinderella story, taking place in the west.
* ''WesternAnimation/CinderellaTheCat''
* ''Film/TheCompanyOfWolves''
* ''Literature/ConfessionsOfAnUglyStepsister''
* ''Animation/CreationOfTheWorld''
* ''Literature/{{Deerskin}}''
* ''Series/DelightfulGirlChoonHyang'': A modern retelling of a South Korean Tale of a rich man's son and a courtesan's daughter.
* ''Literature/DragonsOfEther''
* ''WesternAnimation/EmilyAndTheBabaYaga''
* ''Webcomic/{{Erstwhile}}''
* ''Film/EverAfter''
* ''Series/FaerieTaleTheatre'': Live-action adaptations by way of British pantomime shows.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFoolAndTheFlyingShip'': Creator/RabbitEarsProductions adaptation of the Russian Folktale narrated by Creator/RobinWilliams.
* ''Animation/TheFrogPrincess'' - Soviet adaptation of Russian fairy tale ''The Frog Princess''.
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Frozen|2013}}''
* ''Literature/TheGirlInTheTower''
* ''Anime/GrimmsFairyTaleClassics''
* ''Webcomic/GrimTales''
* ''Animation/GypsyTales''
* ''Film/HanselAndGretelWitchHunters''
* ''WesternAnimation/HappilyEverAfterFairyTalesForEveryChild''
* ''Webcomic/TheHaresBride''
* ''Literature/Heartless2016''
* ''Literature/{{Hagenheim}}''
* ''Animation/TheHumpbackedHorse'' - Soviet adaptation of the homonymous verse fairy tale.
* ''Animation/HungarianFolkTales'' (Magyar népmesék) - Hungarian animated series that adapts Hungarian folktales
* ''Webcomic/ImmortalKoriandr'' - a Fantasy webcomic heavily inspired by Slavic Myth and Russian fairy tales
* ''Anime/JackAndTheBeanstalk1974''
* ''Film/JackTheGiantSlayer''
* ''Animation/JohnnyCorncob''
* ''Anime/TheLegendOfSnowWhite''
* ''Radio/LetsPretend'' -- A Radio Series
* ''Theatre/TheLightPrincess'' -- Music/ToriAmos and Samuel Adamson's musical adaptation for the National Theater in London
* ''Animation/TheLittleMermaid1968'' -- Soviet adaptation of Creator/HansChristianAndersen's literary fairy tale.
* ''WesternAnimation/TheLittleMermaid1989'' -- Disney's adaptation of Andersen's literary fairy tale.
* ''Literature/TheLostCountry'', by Luminiţa Mihai Cioabă
* ''Theatre/TheLoveForThreeOranges'' - 1919 satirical opera by Sergei Prokofiev
* ''Literature/TheLunarChronicles'' -- a sci-fi dystopian novel series featuring Cinderella as a snarky cyborg WrenchWench, Little Red Riding Hood as a [[spoiler: [[HalfHumanHybrid part alien]]]] gunslinging farm girl, Rapunzel as a brilliant but naive {{Hackette}} and Snow White as a CloudCuckoolander space princess.
* ''ComicBook/MarvelFairyTales''
* ''Webcomic/MaryaMorevna''
* [[Music/SoundHorizon Märchen]] -- a SymphonicMetal RockOpera that bases itself on seven of the Grimm's fairy tales.
* ''Animation/MavkaTheForestSong''
* ''Animation/MireBalaKaleHin''
* ''Film/MirrorMirror2012''
* ''Anime/MokkuOfTheOakTree''
* ''Film/{{Morozko}}'' -- based on the Russian Fairy Tale "Morozko"/"Father Frost"
* ''VideoGame/MysteryLegends: Beauty and the Beast'' - a Main/HiddenObjectGame that acts as a sort of sequel to the fairy tale.
* ''Film/PannaANetvor''
* ''VideoGame/ThePath'' -- based on Little Red Riding Hood
* ''Anime/PiccolinoNoBoken''
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Pinocchio}}''
* ''ComicBook/PinocchioVampireSlayer''
* "Literature/PrinceCharming": A short story drawing on Literature/{{Cinderella}}.
* ''Theatre/PrinceKaguya'': A musical based on ''Literature/TheTaleOfTheBambooCutter''.
* ''Anime/PrincessArete'': Animated film based on ''Literature/TheCleverPrincess''.
* ''WesternAnimation/ThePrincessAndThePea'': Animated film based on the eponymous tale.
* ''Film/PrincessFromTheMoon'': A film based on ''Literature/TheTaleOfTheBambooCutter''.
* ''Literature/{{Pulchritude}}''
* ''VideoGame/QueensTales: The Beast and the Nightingale''
* ''Film/RedRidingHood''
* ''Animation/RedShoesAndTheSevenDwarfs''
* ''WesternAnimation/SabansAdventuresOfTheLittleMermaid''
* ''WesternAnimation/SandraTheFairyTaleDetective'': A Spanish cartoon
* ''Literature/TheSeventhBride'': A retelling of Literature/{{Bluebeard}}.
* ''Literature/TheSevenwatersTrilogy'': The first volume draws on an old fairy tale for its plot.
* ''Literature/ShadowsOnTheMoon'': Japanesesque version of Literature/{{Cinderella}}
* ''WesternAnimation/SimsalaGrimm''
* ''Literature/SixGunSnowWhite''
* ''WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty''
* ''Film/TheSlipperAndTheRose''
* ''WesternAnimation/SnowWhiteAndTheSevenDwarfs'', the ground-breaking Disney animated film from 1937.
* ''Film/SnowWhiteATaleOfTerror''
* ''Film/SnowWhiteAndTheHuntsman''
** ''Film/TheHuntsmanWintersWar''
* ''Anime/TheStoryOfCinderella''
* ''Series/TheStoryteller'', TV series by Creator/JimHenson
* ''Theatre/SwanLake''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheSwanPrincess''
* ''Anime/TheTaleOfThePrincessKaguya'': : An animated film based on ''Literature/TheTaleOfTheBambooCutter''.
* ''Film/TaleOfTales''
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Tangled}}''
* ''Anime/{{Thumbelina}}''
* ''WesternAnimation/Thumbelina1994''
* ''Anime/ThumbelinaAMagicalStory''
* ''Film/TheWizardOfOz''
* ''Literature/WhiteAsSnow''
* ''WesternAnimation/WolvesWitchesAndGiants''
* ''Anime/TheWonderfulWizardOfOz''
* ''Anime/TheWonderfulWorldOfPussNBoots''

[[/folder]]

[[folder: Parodies, pastiches, and deconstructions: ]]

->(See also: FracturedFairyTale)
* ''Series/The10thKingdom''
* ''Film/SiebenZwerge''
* ''VideoGame/{{Alabaster}}'' -- for "Literature/SnowWhite"
* ''Webcomic/BeautyAndTheBeast'' -- A Webcomic
* ''VideoGame/{{Bronze}}'' -- for "Literature/BeautyAndTheBeast"
* ''Film/TheBrothersGrimm'' -- The Creator/TerryGilliam movie.
* ''ComicBook/CastleWaiting'' -- A comic series about what happens to various fairy tale characters after their well-known stories end.
* ''VisualNovel/CinderellaPhenomenon'' -- a VisualNovel RomanceGame where there is a "Fairytale Curse" which forces the inflicted to deal with a warped version of the tale it is based on. The lead is a princess who is cursed with "Cinderella", turning her into a FallenPrincess and forcing her to find a way to break the curse.
* The ''VideoGame/DarkParables'' -- a series of puzzle games for the PC in which various fairy tales are intertwined with each other and the player must set right the things which have gone wrong.
* Literature/TheDevilAndDanielWebster
* Literature/DragonInDistress
* Literature/DustCity
* Literature/{{Everland}}
* ''ComicBook/{{Fables}}'' -- A comic-book series that deals with the lives of classic fairy tale characters stuck in UsefulNotes/NewYorkCity.
** ''ComicBook/EverafterFromThePagesOfFables''
* ''WesternAnimation/TheFairlyOddParents'' -- Based loosely on Cinderella, but with a dose of other parodies in it.
* ''Webcomic/ForeverAfter''
* ''VideoGame/{{Glass|2006}}'' -- for "Literature/{{Cinderella}}"
* ''ComicBook/GrimmFairyTales''
* ''Literature/HalfUponATime''
* ''Animation/{{Hofeher}}''
* ''WesternAnimation/{{Hoodwinked}}''
** ''WesternAnimation/HoodwinkedTooHoodVersusEvil''
* ''Theatre/IntoTheWoods''
** ''Film/IntoTheWoods'', the film adaptation of the above.
* ''Series/JackAndTheBeanstalkTheRealStory''
* ''Webcomic/KnightsOfBuenaVista'' (in that it features a [[ShowWithinAShow fictional roleplaying game]] that is based on fairy tales instead of the typical HighFantasy of similar games)
* ''VideoGame/LivingLegends''
* ''Webcomic/TheLittleCrookedTale'' - a Horror Webcomic featuring a dark reinterpretation of the canonical Disney Princesses after their happy endings, crossing over with several other fairy tales.
* ''Film/{{Maleficent}}'': A TwiceToldTale / PerspectiveFlip by Disney that takes elements from their [[WesternAnimation/SleepingBeauty earlier]] adaptation of "Sleeping Beauty, set in an AlternateContinuity. Noteworthy in that it plays with and deconstructs various tropes related to the original tale, a major one being TrueLovesKiss.
** ''Film/MaleficentMistressOfEvil''
* ''VideoGame/MarySkelter'' -- A video game series about an alien force transforming Tokyo into a twisted landscape modeled after numerous fairy tales from around the world, the central cast struggling not only to escape but to balance their own personal existence with their enforced character traits from the stories that helped create them.
* Literature/{{Melisande}}
* ''Webcomic/NoRestForTheWicked''
* ''Literature/OfGiantsAndIce''
* ''Film/OnceUponABrothersGrimm''
* Literature/OnceUponAFairyTale -- A book-on-tape featuring [[Literature/LittleRedRidingHood four]] [[Literature/{{Rumpelstiltskin}} different]] [[Literature/TheFrogPrince fairy]] [[{{Literature/Goldilocks}} tales]], [[PerspectiveFlip told from the perspectives of each character]].
* ''Series/OnceUponATime''
** ''Series/OnceUponATimeInWonderland''
* ''Literature/PoliticallyCorrectBedtimeStories'' by James Garner
* ''Literature/PrinceCinders''
* ''Literature/ThePrincessSeries'' -- by Jim C. Hines. It's basically the Disney princesses meets Charlie's Angels
* ''WesternAnimation/RegalAcademy''
* ''VideoGame/RuleOfRose''
* ''{{Franchise/Shrek}}'' franchise
** ''WesternAnimation/Shrek1''
** ''WesternAnimation/Shrek2''
** ''WesternAnimation/ShrekTheThird''
** ''WesternAnimation/ShrekForeverAfter''
** ''WesternAnimation/PussInBoots'' (spin-off)
** ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'' (sequel to the spin-off)
* ''WebAnimation/{{RWBY}}'' - an animesque series in which every character is a subtle reference to literature, folklore, mythology, and even the occasional history
* Literature/TheSecretOfTheCrystalCastle – deconstructing the EngagementChallenge plot
* ''Literature/TheSistersGrimm''
* ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire'' and the TV series adaptation ''Series/GameOfThrones'' -- takes a lot of characters and story conventions from fairy tales with the aim of applying SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome and deconstruction elements.
* ''Literature/TheStinkyCheeseMan''
* ''WesternAnimation/SuperWhy''
* ''Literature/TalesOfTheFiveHundredKingdoms'' -- a world in which the FairyTaleTropes are the laws of nature.
* ''Literature/TheThreeLittleWolvesAndTheBigBadPig''
* ''Literature/TimeLordFairyTales'' -- TwiceToldTale retellings of fairy tales set in the ''Franchise/{{Whoniverse}}''.
* ''Literature/TheTrueStoryOfTheThreeLittlePigs ''
* ''VideoGame/Revolve8EpisodicDueling'' — A strategy/tower defense game featuring bizarre reimaginings of fairy tale and literary characters.
* ''Franchise/TheWitcher'': Many of the earliest stories were deconstructions of classic fairy tales, with the addition of a certain monster hunter to the story.
[[/index]]
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