Fairytales weren’t always the comforting bedtime stories we know today.

In this episode, we trace their journey from haunting survival lessons to magical retellings filled with nostalgia.

We explore three key themes:

- Early fairytales were dark, moralistic tales designed to teach survival

- Centuries of retellings reshaped them into whimsical, child-friendly stories

- Their lasting psychological power continues to influence culture and memory

From Rapunzel’s tower to Hansel and Gretel’s forest, from the Brothers Grimm to Disney’s happily-ever-afters, this podcast episode examines how fairytales have been rewritten and reimagined, while still holding onto deep symbolic power.

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