We’ve been reading our children fairy tales for hundreds of years, and you can probably name a couple of dozen. Cinderella. Snow White. Hansel and Gretel. Sleeping Beauty. Little Red Riding Hood.
There are literally thousands out there, so it’s a bit disappointing when the same few get all the attention. These are seven of my favorite underrated fairy tales… that you’ve probably never heard of.
This is a sweet, simple tale of sisterly love and the wonderful things that can happen when you offer help to someone in need.
01.
Credit: Jessie Willcox Smith
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This story serves as a sort of precursor to The Little Mermaid, following the marriage between a human man and a selkie.
Credit: Paramount Vantage
03.
A spooky, traditional Korean folktale about the legendary kumiho — a beautiful, evil spirit that takes the form of a nine-tailed fox and eats human hearts.
04.
This is a Cinderella-esque tale of three sisters. The elder two marry princes, while the youngest ends marrying a peasant. This causes the girl’s sisters to refuse to associate with her, leaving her alone.
05.
This story is extremely light-hearted and lacks the gory and, well, grim atmosphere the Brothers are famous for. I especially love how, for once, the ugly, older women aren’t wicked witches tormenting the beautiful maiden.
Painting by Vasnetsov