The darker side of fairytales

[emmatodd2003]

I am doing some research on fairytales and folklore, and the original tales...I found out that cinderella originally murdered her stepmother!!!

Anyway a friend of mine says that Rumpelstiltskin is meant to be quite explicit but did not explain why. Does anyone know what she might mean by this?

[shaneystar2]

Have a look at Wiki
Scroll down a bit to The Science of Discworld II.

[Quizmonkey]

You need to read Bruno Bettelheim (search him on Google) - he has explored the dark origins of fairytales more than anyone else.

[mycats]

Oh I love the early versions of fairy tales, they really were bloodthirsty.
The science of the discworld does state it well.
Even the three little pigs story had the pigs burning the wolf to death originally

[jessiedog]

Try Troublesome Things by Diane Purkiss. This is a history of Fairies and Fairy Stories.

[sophie_1003]

discworlds versions just weird!!