AWFairyTale - My Five Favorite Fairy Tales ~ Bookish Whimsy

For the Friday funtimes discussion, I'm going to rank my top five favorite fairy tales. This was so not easy! Because I love all these fairy tales so much! But I did it, and I'll start with number 5 -

My favorite Disney film? Yes. But the fairy tale itself, I have some issues with (namely the ending!!) which means this has to be in the number 5 spot. I still love the poetic beauty of the story though - the mermaid who longs to be a part of something she was not born into (or born with), and of the tragic nature of falling for someone who does not return her love. Her self-sacrifice is very touching as well, which even if I don't know if the Prince deserved it, I appreciate that she didn't want to do something so horrible to save her own life. And in the end, she got something of what she wanted and so a measure of happiness.

The Robber Bridegroom is a Grimm fairy tale that is appropriately dark. The heroine finds out that her future husband is a criminal and a murderer and what does she do about it? Traps him and incriminates him at the right moment which results in his death. The justice of it is a pretty great ending to such a dark fairy tale, and I feel like this would make a great dark YA retelling - it has mystery, suspense and danger. And I'm sure a little romance can be worked in.

The Youth Who Could Not Shiver and Shake is a fairy tale that is not very well known, but one that really impressed me because it made me laugh. The 'youth' in question is impervious to fear, and so his every reaction to things that would normally frighten or dismay someone is absolute practicality which is so fun to read about. The younger son gets by just because he sees things a different way and in the end, he learns to shiver and shake - but not from fear. It's a neat little ending to a delightful fairy tale. And in a way this story celebrates being a little weird or unusual and that makes me happy.

Bluebeard has that Gothic atmosphere which appeals to me with the ominous secret Blue Beard keeps in his house and the way his wife finds out about it. Unfortunately the wife isn't as strong of a character in the story, but since this is all about Blue Beard, it's really intriguing to read about a character who is charming, urbane and attractive in a non-physical way, but who turns out to be a dangerous and a monster. And this is a story with a good lesson for women - go ahead and look into that locked room (or attic)!

I feel like this is an obvious favorite for me - it has so much of what I love in a story. Not the least of which is the romance and I think this fairy tale has the best kind - the one that goes beyond the physical and is founded on mutual respect and friendship with the beauty of a love that redeems and changes the other for the better. The story has a lovely message and it's a story that is inspiring and heartwarming. It's the happiest fairy tale on my list!

What are some of your favorite fairy tales?