8 Children’s Tales That Many People Thought Were Sweet And Naive—But They Didn’t Know How Wrong They Were

In childhood, children’s tales are the door to the magical world of ideas, which is why almost no one thinks about the original meanings of their beloved stories. In fact, even children’s stories can talk about how people lived in ancient times or touch on deep topics like human psychology.

We, from awesome.club, we read studies by philologists and psychologists, which allowed us to look at popular children’s tales with different eyes and a little deeper. That’s why we decided to share these ideas with you. Follow!

In the Rapunzel tale, it is possible that the heroine was locked in the high tower because she was menstruating. In the old days, there was a rather curious custom: menstruating women were forbidden to see other people, so they were taken to the forest. And Rapunzel was just 12 years old at the time, when she was hidden from public view by being imprisoned in a tower. So everything that happens to Rapunzel is related to the classic story of puberty.

Some historians saw in the Bluebeard tale an ancient rite of passage for teenagers — in which they emerged from youth into adulthood. What happens is that, in primitive times, young people did not live with their parents during puberty. Until their marriage, they lived in so-called “men’s houses”, where they learned the basics of adult life: ritual dances, hunting, among other skills. Women were strictly prohibited from entering these places, and if anyone violated the rule, they would be severely punished.

Folklorist Jack Zipes argues that the tale’s plot refers to a real problem that existed in medieval Europe. Due to the lack of birth control and the constant lack of food, unwanted children were often dumped near churches or in the woods, then left to fend for themselves in order to survive.

What do the wooden boy and the Greek mythological hero Odysseus have in common? According to some literary people, Pinocchio is a true epic hero. Like Odysseus, he descends into the underworld and, after going through a metamorphosis, is reborn.

Other scholars have pointed out that the plot structure of Pinocchio is reflected in Italian folktales about peasants who venture beyond their “little world” but are totally unprepared to accept the new, so they get into trouble.

Ever wonder why, across the entire kingdom, the glass slipper only fits Cinderella? Psychologists have found an explanation. When the heroine receives a new social status, she changes her old wooden shoes for beautiful and beautiful glass slippers. Consequently, these shoes represent the path taken and the changes the protagonist went through. And since the experience gained cannot be lost, the slipper fits perfectly just on Cinderella’s feet.

In the story of the cunning dwarf, the poor miller and their beautiful daughter, there is an interesting detail – the ability to turn straw into gold. The straw itself has no value: it cannot be eaten. Gold, on the other hand, can be used to buy food. Therefore, according to one researcher, the conclusion is that Rumpelstichen refers to people who offered sacrifices to the “higher power” in the hope of having a good harvest.

But why is the queen able to disentangle herself from this supernatural creature at the end of the story? Well, it’s simple: in this way, it is indicated that, at some stage of development, these people managed to overcome their dependence on spirits.

Beauty and the Beast is a tale aimed at girls, whose parents were about to send them away from home because of extreme family poverty. The writer wanted to encourage those who had an arranged marriage ahead of them. The protagonist, in this case, would serve as a model to inspire other girls to do the same. Beauty sacrifices herself to save her family and her behavior would show readers that such self-sacrifice is a very noble gesture.

According to researcher Maria Tatar, the story shows what many girls go through when they think about marriage: the fear of leaving home forever and losing themselves, as well as fear of their own partner.

The Little Red Riding Hood tale is not meant to teach us to stay away from strangers. Folklorists and anthropologists see in the famous children’s story a mention of the cycle of nature. The heroine in the red hood represents the bright sun, which is absorbed by the terrible night, that is, the wolf. And the release of the girl from the villain’s womb symbolizes the long-awaited dawn.

Psychotherapist Yulia Pirumova believes that almost every woman experiences the plot of this children’s tale in real life — when she gradually transforms from a young woman into a mature woman: “We are all born into a family, and each of us has a legacy that our parents gave us. lead to adulthood. We left the parents’ house. We find our ‘wolves’, whoever they are: men, bosses, unwanted work. And we are saved, like Little Red Riding Hood, by escaping from the womb of the wolf”.

And did you imagine that such folk tales could hold deeper meanings? Do you agree with the opinions of the anthropologists and psychologists above? Comment!