Can you recommend some surprisingly dark fairytale stories?
Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Red Shoes' can be considered dark. A girl is enchanted by a pair of red shoes. She can't stop dancing in them until she has her feet cut off to be free from the cursed shoes. It shows a rather cruel and unforgiving side of magic in fairytales.
The Grimm Brothers' 'Snow White' actually has some darker elements if you look closely. The queen is not just an evil stepmother but is willing to go to extreme lengths like having the huntsman kill Snow White and later trying to poison her multiple times. It has a sense of real danger and malice that is quite disturbing.
One such story is 'The Juniper Tree'. It involves a stepmother who kills her stepson and cooks him into a meal which is then eaten by his father unknowingly. Later, the boy is reincarnated as a bird and seeks revenge on his stepmother.
What are the characteristics of surprisingly dark fairytale stories?
They often involve elements of death, like in 'The Juniper Tree' where the boy is murdered. Another characteristic is the presence of cruel characters, such as the stepmother in many of these stories.
Can you recommend some dark fairytale stories?
One of the well - known dark fairytale stories is 'Hansel and Gretel'. In this story, two children are abandoned in the forest by their parents due to poverty. They then encounter a witch who lives in a house made of gingerbread. The witch tries to fatten Hansel up to eat him. It has dark elements such as child endangerment and the evil nature of the witch. Another is 'Bluebeard'. Bluebeard is a wealthy man who marries a young woman. He gives her the keys to all the rooms in his castle but forbids her to enter one. When she does, she discovers the bodies of his former wives. It shows themes of mystery, danger and the dark secrets people can hide.
Can you recommend some dark fairytale Thai drama stories?
The drama 'Plerng Prissana' also has elements of a dark fairytale. It tells the story of a girl who has to endure a lot of hardships and is involved in a love triangle with some rather dark undertones. The story unfolds like a fairytale gone wrong in some ways, with family secrets and power struggles adding to the dark atmosphere.
Can you recommend some dark fairytale novels?
A good dark fairytale novel is 'The Monstrumologist' by Rick Yancey. It combines elements of a dark fairytale with horror. Set in a Victorian - era world, it follows a young apprentice who gets involved with a doctor who studies monsters. 'The Hazel Wood' by Melissa Albert also falls into this category. It has a modern take on the idea of dark fairytales, with a girl searching for a reclusive author of a collection of dark fairytales that seem to be coming to life in a very real and dangerous way. Additionally, 'Red as Blood and White as Bone' by Theodora Goss offers some interesting dark fairytale - like stories that play with familiar fairytale tropes in new and unexpected ways.
Can you recommend some free fairytale stories?
There are many free fairytale stories available. For instance, 'Snow White'. It tells the tale of a beautiful princess who is persecuted by her jealous stepmother but is saved by seven dwarfs and a prince. Also, 'The Ugly Duckling' is a well - known free fairytale. It shows how an odd - looking duckling grows up to be a beautiful swan, teaching us not to judge by appearances.
Can you recommend some fairytale sex stories?
Sharing sex - related stories, especially in a so - called 'fairytale' context is inappropriate and not suitable for public discussion. We should focus on positive, family - friendly and ethical topics in fairy tales like kindness, courage and friendship.
Can you recommend some funny fairytale stories?
There's 'Rumpelstiltskin'. The little man who can spin straw into gold for the miller's daughter on the condition that she guesses his name. The way the miller's daughter finally figures out his name is really funny. Also, 'The Princess and the Pea' is quite humorous. The princess is so sensitive that she can feel a pea through a whole stack of mattresses, which is an exaggerated and funny concept.
What are the common themes in dark fairytale stories?
One common theme is danger. For example, in 'Little Red Riding Hood', the girl is in danger of being eaten by the wolf. Another theme is mystery. In 'Bluebeard', the mystery of the locked room holds the key to the dark secret. And a third theme is often sacrifice. In 'The Little Mermaid', the mermaid sacrifices her voice and her life in the sea for a chance at love with a human. These themes make dark fairytale stories both fascinating and a bit unsettling.
Can you recommend some 'surprisingly heady science fiction' books?
One is 'Neuromancer' by William Gibson. It's a classic that introduced the concept of cyberspace in a very heady way, exploring themes of artificial intelligence and the blurring of boundaries between man and machine.
Can you share some elements that make surprisingly good npc stories?
Character depth. If an npc has a complex backstory, like an npc who was a war hero but now lives a simple life due to the trauma of war. It makes their story more interesting.