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Fairy Tales with Their Background

Pin board about fairy tales, especially about articles dealing with their background, different themes, surprising characteristics, symbolism, etc. Each pin, of course, is a copy of an interesting vintage illustration by one of the old masters - all of them are in public domain.
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Fairies Who Changed Places is one of the fairy tales in Fairies I Have Met, a book written by Maud Margaret Key Stawell and published in 1910. It features 10 illustrations by Edmund Dulac.
Cloud That Had No Lining is one of the fairy stories from the book Fairies I Have Met, written by Maud Margaret Key Stawell, who signed herself as Rodolph Stawell. Dulac did a tremendous job with illustrations, which are the main reason this book became a collectible item.
The White Cat is a fairy tale by Madame d'Aulnoy. It belongs to the 'animal bride' group and was quite popular at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. Warwick Goble illustrated it in his recognizable style.

Fairies

14 Pins
Snow White and Rose Red is a fairy tale about two nice girls (sisters), an enchanted bear, and a wicked dwarf. The dwarf is by far the most interesting character in the story, which is from the famous collection by the Grimm Brothers.
Snow White is in danger. Her stepmother wants her dead. The dwarfs give her a shelter. But we all know this can't work in the long term, don't we? The eternal themes and rich symbolism of this classic by the Grimm Brothers make Snow White (the dwarfs only later became entitled to be part of the title - pun intended) one of the most popular fairy tales on the planet.
The miller's daughter is in a dilemma. To die in the morning or to promise her nonexistent firstborn to the little man who can spin straw into gold? She gives her word and hopes she won't have to keep it. But the little man demands his rights. Luckily, the girl, who, in the meantime, became a princess, gets another chance...

Dwarfs

27 Pins
Dead Princess and Seven Knights is a Russian version of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs with rich illustrations by Boris Zvorykin. It's exciting to note the differences from the popular version by the Grimm Brothers. The whole story with all illustrations is available through the link below.
Count Franz Graf von Pocci was a writer and illustrator who became famous for his work on fairy tales. The witch from Hansel and Gretel is a typical stereotype, with an extremely large nose, a walking stick, and a black cat. Check out a complete set of his illustrations from Hansel and Gretel.
Baby Yaga is a fairy creature from Russian folklore. She is much more complex than most witches from Western fairy tradition. A hero of the story often has to face her (in most cases in her strange looking hut presented in the photo) and prove he (she) is worthy of her help. Otherwise...

Witches

39 Pins
Tom Thumb is actually a French predecessor of Hansel and Gretel, but we can also find it in several editions of the Grimm Brothers' collection. Here, we can see how the youngest of seven kids tries to steal seven-league boots, a symbol of power and adulthood. Check out the article about vintage German illustrators!
Jack and the Beanstalk is a classic British fairy tale about a fatherless boy who steals precious stuff from a giant. W. W. Denslow rewrote and illustrated the story in his signature style. His version of the story is not outstanding, but his illustrations are.
Brave Little Tailor (Seven at One Blow) is a story about a tailor's climbing up the social ladder. He is not just brave but smart and resourceful as well. One of the bonus lessons of the story is disclosed at the end. It's not enough to achieve your goal. You have to be prepared to defend it, too.

Giants

26 Pins
Catherine d'Aulnoy was an interesting woman with an intriguing biography. Her CV included espionage, conspiracy, illegitimate children, etc. Still, history remembers her as the person who coined the phrase 'fairy tale.' She also wrote many fairy tales, but they are mostly forgotten. (illustration by Walter Crane)
The Devil and his Granmother is a dark fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers. The story deal with important life questions about life and death. Three soldiers start with two bad options and are soon forced to chose from two even worse options. Unknowingly, they have made a deal with a devil. What are their chances to defeat a mighty opponent? If you are looking for something dark, but with an optimistic ending, this one may be the one.
Andromeda has to be sacrificed to a sea monster to Save Aethiopia from destruction. But Perseus has other plans. An epic fight is inevitable. The motif of the lady in distress and a the hero, who has to slay the dragon is present in art for several thousand years!

Dragons

4 Pins
Little Mermaid is probably the most famous fairy tale by H. C. Andersen. Only a few people know that the story is largely based on the author's real experiences. It's a tale about obsession with a tragic ending, in this case, with splendid Art Nouveau illustrations by Ivan Bilibin.
According to several legends, Rhine hides large amounts of gold. But his gold is guarded by three water spirits. We can call them mermaids if we want. Wagner gave them an important place in his works, and many other artists, including Arthur Rackham, were fascinated with them, as well. Do you know any other famous mermaids?
Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen is one of the best fairy tales ever written. Still, it has a few flaws: the ending by Andersen, who was obviously too influenced by the autobiographical elements in the story, and, of course, Disney's remake with several crucial changes, which otherwise great story changed into - just a story. Bilibin, however, did a tremendous job illustrating Little Mermaid in his version of Art Nouveau style.

Mermaids

12 Pins
Fairies Who Changed Places is one of the fairy tales in Fairies I Have Met, a book written by Maud Margaret Key Stawell and published in 1910. It features 10 illustrations by Edmund Dulac.
Fairies Who Changed Places - Edmund Dulac (1882-1953)
Fairies Who Changed Places is one of the fairy tales in Fairies I Have Met, a book written by Maud Margaret Key Stawell and published in 1910. It features 10 illustrations by Edmund Dulac.
W. W. Denslow, the original illustrator of Wizard of Oz, adapted and illustrated numerous classic fairy tales in his signature style. Jack and the Beanstalk, a story about growing up, risk management, and taking responsibility, is humorously pictured and the plot has an interesting twist.
Jack and the Beanstalk - William Wallace Denslow (1856-1915)
W. W. Denslow, the original illustrator of Wizard of Oz, adapted and illustrated numerous classic fairy tales in his signature style. Jack and the Beanstalk, a story about growing up, risk management, and taking responsibility, is humorously pictured and the plot has an interesting twist.
Bremen Town Musicians is a fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers, which differs from other titles in the collection by its theme about aging. Four animals, all too old to be still of use to their masters, join forces to find an alternative to their future.
Town Musicians of Bremen - Jan Rinke (1863-1922)
Bremen Town Musicians is a fairy tale by the Grimm Brothers, which differs from other titles in the collection by its theme about aging. Four animals, all too old to be still of use to their masters, join forces to find an alternative to their future.
Devoted Friend is one of the titles from Oscar Wilde's collection Happy Prince and Other Fairy Tales. He wrote two collections of stories for children because he wasn't satisfied with the existing titles and wanted the best for his two sons. Charles Robinson illustrated this book in the Art Nouveau style.
Devoted Friend - Happy Prince - Charles Robinson (1870-1937)
Devoted Friend is one of the titles from Oscar Wilde's collection Happy Prince and Other Fairy Tales. He wrote two collections of stories for children because he wasn't satisfied with the existing titles and wanted the best for his two sons. Charles Robinson illustrated this book in the Art Nouveau style.
Pied Piper of Hamelin is a scary story about abducted kids. Pied Piper in Pudding Lane is a rewritten version with an interesting twist. Another exciting fact is the presence of Santa Claus, who is presented as a kid.
Pied Piper in Pudding Lane - Gertrude Alice Kay (1884-1939)
Pied Piper of Hamelin is a scary story about abducted kids. Pied Piper in Pudding Lane is a rewritten version with an interesting twist. Another exciting fact is the presence of Santa Claus, who is presented as a kid.
Cinderella, illustrated by Le Fanu, belongs to the Books for the Bairns series. This version is written as a musical play and decorated with line drawings. There are more than 20 illustrations in the book altogether.
Cinderella - Brinsley Le Fanu (1854-1929)
Cinderella, illustrated by Le Fanu, belongs to the Books for the Bairns series. This version is written as a musical play and decorated with line drawings. There are more than 20 illustrations in the book altogether.
an old children's book cover with a boy and his dog on the road
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Puss in Boots - Sarah Noble Ives (1864-1944)
Sarah Noble Ives was a versatile and very productive artist. This old book cover belongs to a picture book with a classic fairy tale, Puss in Boots. Sarah Noble Ives worked with pencil, crayon, oil, watercolor, and pen and ink. She illustrated books and magazines, painted landscapes, and was also the chronicler of her hometown in California.
Dead Princess and Seven Knights is a Russian version of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs with rich illustrations by Boris Zvorykin. It's exciting to note the differences from the popular version by the Grimm Brothers. The whole story with all illustrations is available through the link below.
The Tale of the Dead Princess and the Seven Knights - Boris Zvorykin (1872-1942)
Dead Princess and Seven Knights is a Russian version of Snow White and Seven Dwarfs with rich illustrations by Boris Zvorykin. It's exciting to note the differences from the popular version by the Grimm Brothers. The whole story with all illustrations is available through the link below.
an illustration of a man in uniform with two birds flying over him
Baron Munchhausen Flies - Oskar Herrfurth (1862-1934)
Baron Munchhausen is obviously a very resourceful guy. He can fly with a rope and a flock of hungry ducks, as Oskar Herrfurth portrayed in one of a dozen vintage postcards about the world champion of lies. But did you know that the character of Baron Munchhausen is based on the real man?
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Goose Girl - Leaving Home - Otto Kubel (1868-1951)
Goose Girl (Goose Maid) by the Grimm Brothers starts as many other fairy tales from their collection - with a reflexion of their life experience. Father dies, and the kid has to leave home. Many challenges and dangers are out there.
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Cinderella (Aschenputtel) - Max Teschemacher (1910-1950)
Aschenputtel is the German version of Cinderella. It's basically the same as the most popular version by Charles Perrault. The main difference is a bloody revenge at the end of the story and the absence of a good fairy. The intro is the same - when the mother dies, her daughter has to face many challenges.
a woman standing next to a child in front of a window looking at something on the wall
Juniper Tree - Utto Ubbelohde (1867-1922)
Juniper Tree is one of the most gruesome fairy tales in the collection of the Grimm Brothers. The portrayed scene by Ubbelohde illustrates the stepmother's intention to take off the her stepson's head. Still, the story continues in way darker notes!
George Baxter was an artist, printer, and inventor. He could achieve much more if he wasn't so obsessed with perfection, which caused him to be too slow on too many occasions. The painting of Little Red Riding Hood is one of his best-known works, but it's actually a creation of his imitator.
Little Red Riding Hood - George Baxter (1804-1867)
George Baxter was an artist, printer, and inventor. He could achieve much more if he wasn't so obsessed with perfection, which caused him to be too slow on too many occasions. The painting of Little Red Riding Hood is one of his best-known works, but it's actually a creation of his imitator.
two children are playing in the water near rocks
Cloud That Had No Lining - Edmund Dulac (1882-1953)
Cloud That Had No Lining is one of the fairy stories from the book Fairies I Have Met, written by Maud Margaret Key Stawell, who signed herself as Rodolph Stawell. Dulac did a tremendous job with illustrations, which are the main reason this book became a collectible item.