The Dark Side of Fairy Tales: What You Never Knew

I still remember the night my kid asked me why fairy tales are always so scary. It's not just the wolf eating up Granny from Red Riding Hood or the ogre trying to swallow up Little Red Riding Hood at every turn.

I explained to him back then that fairy tales are actually a way to warn kids about the dangers of the world and the consequences of their actions. They're a way to teach them about things like not talking to strangers or wandering off on their own without permission.

That's when I stumbled upon Vladimir Propp and his book 'The Historical Roots of the Fairy Tale'. I won't pretend to be some kind of expert, but I was intrigued by the title of one of the articles I read, which claimed to reveal the shocking truth about Baba Yaga.

As it turns out, that's actually the conclusion of Vladimir Propp, a renowned Russian philologist and literary critic. When his book first came out, it was considered too radical for its time and he was even attacked so badly that he had a heart attack. But now it's a must-read for anyone who wants to dig deeper and understand the real meaning behind fairy tales.

Check out the photo above - I've got two copies of the book: one for taking notes and the other for decoration. This is the collector's edition with unique photos and illustrations.

I've got to say, I'm using the last one for my review, and I just can't help but share how stunning it looks.

So, what's the book about?

It seems like the author noticed that fairy tale plots are repeated across different cultures and time periods, so they decided to dig deeper, systematize their findings, and track down the earliest versions of 'Cinderella', 'Snow White', and other classics. That's a massive undertaking, and I can only imagine how many years it took Propp to complete. They even went as far as to compare texts from ancient Egyptian 'The Book of the Dead' and found some really interesting stuff.

So, when you read about Russian folk tales, you'll also get a glimpse into ancient Greek myths, learn about some pretty wild customs from around the world, and discover versions of familiar stories in other languages.

I couldn't possibly summarize this book – it's just too big and complex. You really need to read it for yourself.

I can only try to pique your interest by sharing what impressed me.

✔️ ENGAGINGNESS & READING TIME

The book has over 500 pages of dense text.

The first chapter was interesting, but it was a tough read at first. I needed some time to get used to the author's writing style, to understand what they were researching, and to grasp what they meant by certain terms. I managed to get through only 30 pages in one day, not the whole day, but just a couple of hours of free time. Since I have roughly the same amount of free time every day, I calculated how long it would take me to finish the book and was shocked. I'd have to read it almost half a month. But, in reality, it took me much longer.

This isn't a light, entertaining science book; every sentence has meaning.

There were times when the author would mention something in just one sentence and then move on, without explaining it further, leaving me curious and having to look it up elsewhere (like with Cinderella, which I'll get to later).

But not once did I regret the time spent reading. On the contrary, after finishing the book, I went back and re-read it, finding things I had missed the first time, and I'm sure I'll do the same on the third read.

Now, let me try to hook you in.

✔️ GRANNY IS DEAD AND HAS BEEN BURIED FOR A WHILE

The fact that Granny is a corpse and her cottage is a coffin, as Propp states right from the beginning, is shocking. It's a revelation that often hooks readers.

I have to admit, I've always wondered why Baba Yaga has a wooden leg, why she's always lying in her hut, and why the hut is so cramped that her nose is practically touching the ceiling.

Well, this book will tell you all about it in the most gruesome details.

And also what Baba Yaga really feeds her guests in her little coffin, I mean, hut.

✔️ ZOLUSHKA GOT HER SLIPPERS BACK AS A SACRIFICE AT HER MOTHER'S GRAVE

This isn't about the Disney-fied version where Zolushka's relatives are all fairies, but rather the original version, like the one by the Brothers Grimm.

Remember how Zolushka's slippers ended up with her? She planted an ash tree branch on her mother's grave and watered it with her tears every day. Eventually, the tree grew and dropped a set of clothes on the ball for her.

And it turns out that this is one of the forms of sacrifice.

Propp did mention this in passing, but I was so intrigued by the idea that I had to dig deeper. If you're interested, you can read about bloodless sacrifices under the keyword 'Libation'. Unfortunately, this isn't in the book, but it sheds some light on many fairy tales.

By analogy, you can find dead gift-givers in many fairy tales. For example, in Sivka-Burka. All the dead ancestors don't just give their kids things for free; they need something in return.

I have to say, the cat in boots also has a connection to this, but in a slightly modified form.

✔️ ALL ANIMAL SIDEKICKS ARE, IN FACT, DEAD SOULS

It's pretty straightforward: with a few powerful and convincing arguments, Propp proves that all these birds, fish, and other faithful (and not-so-faithful) helpers are creatures from the realm of the dead, often the souls of deceased ancestors of heroes. And their main function is to act as intermediaries between the world of the living and the dead.

After learning this, you start looking at fairy tales and even animated movies based on them in a different light – with a bit of suspicion, that is. For instance, Idris the parrot from Aladdin (my favorite character, so it immediately came to mind)..

✔️THE DRAGON AND THE COCKEY – A DEATHLY OBSESSION

It's clear, even without my explanations, that Propp considered almost all heroes in the fairy tale to be dead souls, except for the main ones.

The dragon (and one of its variants – the immortal cockey) is no exception. However, they're a bit too eager. According to Propp, dead souls experience two types of hunger: regular and sexual. That's why, in many fairy tales, the dragon devours all the princesses in the kingdom, and then, in a fit of passion, falls in love with the last one remaining. In this case, he spares her life, so he can satisfy his base desires with her. These princesses never die, becoming 'wives' of death, and the Ivanushkas have a chance to rescue them from the dragon's clutches.

What's with all the damsels in distress in fairy tales? I know the answer, but I'm not spilling the beans just yet.

This is seriously fascinating, and what's even creepier is that this was based on real events, resulting in the tragic loss of hundreds of innocent lives. Their families thought they were doing the right thing, though.

One of the most captivating chapters in the book I read non-stop. It's got hope that maybe the kids don't actually die, and the whole 'chosen ones' thing - definitely worth checking out.

✔️ THREE-DECADE KINGDOM - HEAVEN ON EARTH

I'm genuinely surprised that Propp keeps calling it the kingdom of the dead or even hell, while describing it as a land of golden palaces, abundance, and all that jazz, where only the righteous get in - it's pretty obvious, but he never actually says it.

I'm not saying another word, although I really want to.

✔️ THE TALE OF THE DEAD PRINCESS AND THE SEVEN BACHELORS

She's no 'Sister'!

This also applies to all the heroines who ended up in the 'men's houses': Snow White (and the 7 dwarfs), Sleeping Beauty...

I have to admit, the things those so-called brothers and sisters got up to in those forest houses was pretty wild. I mean, who needs to remember all that when you're trying to get married? It's like, let's just forget about it and move on, right?

Let's just say this: whatever happened in the forest house, stays in the forest house. That's why the heroines in these fairy tales always 'die' and wake up after a romantic kiss, forgetting all about their past. It was a pretty common practice, if you ask me. And you'll see exactly what I mean when you read on.

✔️ WHAT I TAKED AWAY

After reading this book, I realized I'll never be able to look at fairy tales the same way again.

Not only that, but I've got a strong urge to re-read all my favorite fairy tales with a new perspective. I mean, Russian fairy tales are classics, just like the rest of them.

Secondly, I learned that there's more to fairy tales than just the 'real' Grimm brothers' stories. You know, the ones that haven't been adapted and are still pretty dark. Russians can give them a run for their money, if you ask me. For example, the stories in Onchukov's collection are a blast to read!

I've learned so many synonyms for 'dead body' while reading this book - corpse, coffin, deceased, deceased, the deceased, the unburied... it's crazy how much content is dedicated to the theme of death, including Disney movies. As I mentioned earlier, if you see an animal sidekick in a Disney movie, it's often a dead one.

What else you'll learn from the book:

Why the hero searches for a bride in a far-off land instead of in his own kingdom?

Why girls in fairy tales would bury the bones of animals killed by evil people in their gardens, and what real-life custom existed with bones.

Which ancient customs still exist today, and why it's a red flag if someone tries to cut or style your hair in a strange way.

Why royal children were kept in dungeons, and why they were fed in secret (P.S. this was also a real thing).

How the hero sewing himself into a cow's skin relates to the ancient custom of sewing the deceased into animal hides.

Why Rapunzel is locked up at exactly 12 years old.

I could go on and on - there's just so much fascinating information in this book! Each strange tale is a treasure trove of knowledge.

So, I highly recommend the book.

Thanks for reading!

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