Like all good fairytales, the Grimm staple contains some rather dark detail.
The tale of Snow White features one of the most fabulous baddies of all time in the form of the Wicked Queen, vainly peering into her mirror and asking - Who is the fairest of us all? Her motivations of vanity and envy are so very human, and that is what gives the tale its power.
Disney followed the Brothers Grimm quite closely in his beautiful 1937 film. The Seven Dwarfs were not the invention of Walt (though their names were). It is a wintry tale, with a chilly beauty, but still it manages to warm the heart until the final lines where the Wicked Queen meets her just desserts. A word of warning: grown-ups may find her punishment rather horrid.
Author: Brothers Grimm
Content type: Stories
Age Range: 5-8, 8-12
