Most fairy tales come from oral traditions and rewritten by writers such as Hans Christian Andersen and the Grimm Brothers.
The characters in fairy tales often represent human qualities or creatures that exist in everyday life.
Some fairy tales have the same roots, like Cinderella and Ye Xian from China.
Female characters in fairy tales are often described as weak figures and need the help of men, but some stories such as Rapunzel and Snow White display strong and independent women.
Little Red Riding Hood was originally written as a more terrible and unsuitable story for children.
Pinocchio was originally written as a darker and more violent story, but was adapted into a more suitable story for children.
Some fairy tales have hidden moral meanings, such as The Tortoise and the Hare which teaches about hard work and perseverance.
Jack and the Beanstalk originated from ancient British legend about men who found wealth in a bean tree.
The Ugly Duckling teaches about true beauty and the importance of accepting yourself.
The Three Little Pigs shows how important hard work and preparation to protect themselves from danger.
