What Makes a Fairy Tale a "Fairy Tale"?
Warwick Goble's Beauty & the Beast, courtesy of Wikimedia Commons Do you wonder what classifies a story as a fairy tale? I 've been wondering that lately, as I read a wider variety of Beauty and the Beast tales. Plus, h ow can I discern if a retelling is a true fairy tale or a fun rendition using the BATB premise of girl falls for beastly guy? So I did a bit of light research (resources at the end), and here's what I found about the general make-up of a fairy tale: There's a moral lesson to be learned There's a heroine or hero There's an obstacle, task that needs to be accomplished or ordeal to be endured There's magic involved There are friends or other characters supporting the protagonist There's a happily ever after - the ordeal is overcome! and... I'm not sure of the reliability of this source , but it sure sounds legit and rings true with what I know of the original Beauty and the Beast tale: A fairy ...