Timeless list of fairy tales that still enchant readers today
Fairy tales have long shaped human storytelling, passing down morals and imagination through generations. Classics like Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and The Little Mermaid remain timeless favourites. This list of fairy tales highlights enduring stories that continue to captivate readers today.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Many fairy tales have ancient roots, some stretching back thousands of years. They appear in diverse cultures in distinct versions.
- They frequently impart moral lessons or provide direction on how to behave in specific situations.
- Fairy tales mostly discuss themes like love, overcoming obstacles, and good vs. evil. They frequently include a troubled protagonist, a villain, and a mystical helper.
- Many of them conclude with the characters living happily ever after; however, other earlier versions have darker or more complicated endings.
List of fairy tales
To compile this list of fairy tale stories, we analysed factors such as the tale's cultural pervasiveness and enduring popularity across generations. While the concept of timeless is subjective, this list is not exhaustive and reflects a shared sense of timeless fairy tale classics.
| Fairy tale | Originally published |
| Beauty and the Beast | 1756 |
| Snow White | 1812 |
| Sleeping Beauty | 1528 |
| Goldilocks and the Three Bears | 1837 |
| The Little Mermaid | 1837 |
| Cinderella | 1697 |
| Little Red Riding Hood | 1697 |
| Hansel and Gretel | 1812 |
| Jack and the Beanstalk | 1734 |
| Rapunzel | 1812 |
| The Golden Goose | 1812 |
| The Tortoise and the Hare | 1547 |
| The Frog Prince | 1812 |
| The Ugly Duckling | 1843 |
| The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats | 1812 |
List of famous fairy tales
Fairy tales have fascinated audiences for ages, crossing cultural barriers while providing timeless lessons and imaginative retreats. While there are numerous tales, certain have proven to be timeless, enthralling readers of all ages. Here is a list of the most famous fairy tales that amaze readers today.
1. Beauty and the Beast
Source: Twitter
- Originally published: 1756
- Genres: Fairy tale, fiction
- Authors: Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve
Beauty and the Beast is a fairy tale penned by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and released in 1740. The original plot follows a widowed merchant who lives in a city mansion with his 12 kids: six sons and six daughters. All of his daughters are attractive, but Beauty, the youngest, is the most gorgeous. She is also kind and pure in heart.
2. Snow White
Source: Instagram
- Originally published: 20 December 1812
- Genre: Fairy tale
- Authors: Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm
Snow White is a German fairy tale composed in the early nineteenth century. At the start of the story, a queen is sewing at an open window during a winter snowstorm when she pierces her finger with her needle, prompting three drops of blood to flow onto the newly fallen snow on the black window ledge. Then she says:
How I wish that I had a daughter who had skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood and hair as black as ebony
A while later, the queen dies while giving birth to a baby girl whom she named Snow White.
3. Sleeping Beauty
Source: Instagram
- Originally published: 1528
- Genre: Fairy tale
- Author: Charles Perrault
The story starts with a princess whose parents are informed by an evil fairy that their daughter will die if she pierces her finger on a specific item. The parents purge the kingdom of these objects in the hopes of saving their daughter, but the prophecy comes true. Instead of dying, as predicted, the princess slips into a deep sleep. After a while, she is discovered by a prince and wakes up.
4. Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Source: Getty Images
- Originally published: 1837
- Genres: Fairy tale, Children's literature
- Authors: Robert Southey, 1959- Rascal
Goldilocks and the Three Bears is a nineteenth-century English folk tale with three variants. The original version of the story talks of an arrogant old woman who sets foot in the forest house of three humanoid bachelor bears when they are elsewhere. She consumes some of their porridge, rests in one of their chairs, breaks it, and then naps in one of their beds.
5. The Little Mermaid
Source: Instagram
- Originally published: 7 April 1837
- Genres: Fairy tale, fiction
- Author: Hans Christian Andersen
The Little Sea Maid is a fairy tale created by Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen. The story, which first came out in 1837 as part of a collection of fairy tales for kids, chronicles the journey of a young mermaid princess who is determined to give up her mermaid life to earn a human soul.
List of fairy tales for kids
Fairy tales have enthralled generations of youngsters with their timeless lessons, magical worlds, and brave heroes. Here is a list of popular fairy tales that are generally appropriate and captivating for youngsters.
1. Cinderella
Source: Facebook
- Originally published: 1697
- Genres: Fairy tale, children's literature
- Author: Charles Perrault
Cinderella is a folk story with many variations around the world. The main character is a young girl living in desolate circumstances who is unexpectedly endowed with extraordinary fortune, resulting in her marriage and rise to the throne. The tale of Rhodopis, told by the Greek geographer Strabo, is widely regarded as the original version of the Cinderella story.
2. Little Red Riding Hood
Source: Getty Images
- Originally published: 1697
- Genres: Fairy tale, tale, children's literature
- Authors: Charles Perrault, Brothers Grimm
The European fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood tells the story of a little girl and a wolf. The story revolves around a young girl named Little Red Riding Hood, who gets her name from the red hooded cape she wears. The girl wanders through the woods to bring food to her ill granny. A lurking wolf wishes to consume the girl and the food in the basket.
3. Hansel and Gretel
Source: Getty Images
- Originally published: 20 December 1812
- Genres: Fairy tale, children's literature
- Authors: Wilhelm Grimm, Jacob Grimm
Hansel and Gretel are two little children of a humble woodcutter. When a famine strikes the area, the woodcutter's second wife instructs him to take the kids into the woods and abandon them to care for themselves. The woodcutter opposes the plan, but his wife insists until he unwillingly agrees. However, they had no idea that Hansel and Gretel had overheard them.
4. Jack and the Beanstalk
Source: Instagram
- Originally published: 1734
- Genres: Fairy tale, thriller, crime fiction
- Author: Joseph Jacobs
Jack and the Beanstalk is a British fairy tale. According to the narrative, Jack, a poor rural child, sold the family cow for a few grammes of magic beans, much to his widowed mother's chagrin. However, that same night, the beans sprouted into a gigantic, towering beanstalk that reached into the clouds. Jack climbed the beanstalk and ended up at the castle of a hostile giant.
5. Rapunzel
Source: Facebook
- Originally published: 20 December 1812
- Genres: Fairy tale, children's literature
- Authors: Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm
According to the plot, a couple is expecting their first child after years of hoping for one. The couple lives adjacent to a vast, expansive, high-walled, beautiful flower and herb yard owned by a witch. The wife longs for the rapunzel that she sees blooming in the garden. She declines to eat anything else and starts wasting away.
List of fairy tales and fables
Fairy tales and fables are two different yet frequently connected genres of classic storytelling that have enthralled audiences for generations. They are not simply sources of amusement, but also effective vehicles for conveying cultural values, moral teachings, and insights into how humans live.
1. The Golden Goose
Source: Twitter
- Originally published: 1812
- Genres: Fairy tales, folklore, folktales
- Authors: Wilhelm Grimm, Jacob Grimm
According to the narrative, a man and his wife have three boys, the youngest of whom is known as Dummling since he is not as gorgeous or strong as his older siblings. The eldest brother is dispatched into the forest to cut wood, armed with a rich cake and a bottle of wine. He meets a small grey man who requests food and drink but is harshly rebuffed.
2. The Tortoise and the Hare
Source: Facebook
- Originally published: 1547
- Genres: Fable, Children's literature
- Author: Aesop
The narrative follows a Hare who mocks a slow-moving Tortoise. Tired of the Hare's arrogance, the Tortoise dares him to a race. The hare quickly passes the tortoise and, sure of victory, takes a nap halfway through the race. When the Hare awakens, he discovers that his competitor has already arrived, plodding slowly but steadily.
3. The Frog Prince
Source: Twitter
- Originally published: 20 December 1812
- Genre: Fairy tale
- Authors: Jacob Grimm, Wilhelm Grimm
The Frog Prince tells the story of a greedy princess who mistakenly drops her golden ball into a well. A frog agrees to recover it in exchange for her companionship. She accepts, but after retrieving the ball, she breaks her promise and escapes to her castle. The following day, she is eating with her dad when the frog knocks on the door and asks to be let in.
4. The Ugly Duckling
Source: Instagram
- Originally published: 11 November 1843
- Genres: Fairy tale, children's literature, picture book
- Author: Hans Christian Andersen
According to the plot, one of a mother duck's eggs hatches, and the other animals see it as an unattractive, tiny thing, subjecting it to verbal and physical abuse. He walks out from the barnyard and lives among wild ducks and geese until hunters butcher the flocks. He gets a home with an elderly woman, but her cat and hen brutally mock and humiliate him.
5. The Wolf and the Seven Young Goats
Source: Youtube
- Originally published: 1812
- Genres: Fairy tale, fable, fiction
- Authors: Wilhelm Grimm, Jacob Grimm
The plot revolves around a mother goat who abandons her seven youngsters at home to seek sustenance in the forest. Before she goes, she informs her offspring about the wolf that would try to sneak into the house and eat them. He will impersonate their mother and persuade the children to unlock the door.
What is the most popular fairy tale ever?
Cinderella is often regarded as the most popular fairy tale of all time. The story's themes of resilience, generosity, and overcoming adversity appeal to individuals of all ages and cultures.
What is the oldest fairy tale?
The story of The Smith and the Devil has been considered to be one of the oldest, possibly reaching back over 6,000 years to the Bronze Age.
Which fairy tale character has a lifespan of 300 years?
The Little Mermaid from Hans Christian Andersen's original narrative is the fairy tale character most commonly linked with a 300-year lifespan.
The timeless list of fairy tales provides more than simply fantasy escape; they give moral direction, explore core human desires, and act as cultural fundamentals. Whether experienced in their original form or several later adaptations, these classic narratives demonstrate that the charm of a good story, with its iconic characters and deep themes, never fades.
Yen.com.gh published an article featuring Colleen Hoover's book series in order. Colleen Hoover's novels are well-known for their emotional depth. Her writings explore themes of love, perseverance, and personal growth.
Reading Hoover's books in order helps you comprehend and appreciate the story's evolution and character development. In which order must I read Colleen Hoover's books? Read the article for a step-by-step guide.
Source: YEN.com.gh
