Favorite fairy tales are today's subject. OK, this isn't easy for me. There are literally thousands of fairy tales & fables out there. Then for each one of those there are dozens of versions & retellings. How is a person supposed to pick a favorite. For most modern people forget Hans Christian Anderson & the Grimm Brothers, they probably know the Disney or the Golden Book versions.
I'll accept that most of the people out there are mostly familiar with the Disney versions of the stories & go with that premise to make my selection. Or maybe I won't. I am not that overly fond of most Disney Fairy Tales. They tend to take too much away from the protagonist, which BTW is usually a young girl. Even if she isn't the main character she is the focus of the male's motivation.
In most of these stories the girl winds up in the situation by no doing of her own. Snow White was the victim of a jealous step mother. Tia was caught magical hoodoo. Aurora was cursed. Due to the machinations of others is how these heroines wound up in these tales. There are also the ones that were aided by magical means like Ariel or Jasmine.
I prefer the ones like Belle, Mulan or even Disney's version of Esmeralda. Yes, I know there magical beings in the story, but these are fairy tales after all. Of the 3, Esmeralda is my least favorite. Then again, it's my least favorite of the 3 films. Belle & Mulan actively choose to be in the situation they wound up in after choosing to swap places with their fathers. Due to their own actions these two heroines save themselves.
I choose this archetype. It's rare in literature, especially Disney. These girls controlled there own destiny & never waited for some prince charming to come save them. If I had to choose another princess to go on this list, then I think I would choose Fiona from Shrek. Fairy tales are there to teach. Most are cautionary tales, but I don't think it's too much to have some of them be about independence & self reliance.
Those are my favorites, what are yours?
Cya
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