Tracing the Origins of Disney’s Stories:
From Folklore to Animated Classics
Disney’s animated classics have become a cherished part of global pop culture, but many of these beloved stories have origins that stretch back far beyond the studio’s creation.
Disney’s adaptation of folklore, fairy tales, and classic literature into animated films is a testament to the enduring appeal of these narratives.
This article explores the origins of some of Disney’s most iconic stories and how they evolved from traditional tales to modern cinematic masterpieces.
01. “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”
Origin:
The tale of Snow White has its roots in German folklore. The Brothers Grimm first published it in their 1812 collection, “Children’s and Household Tales.” The Grimms’ version was based on older European folk tales and was darker, with themes of jealousy and death.
the plot is set into motion when a vain, wicked queen consults her magical mirror and learns that her beautiful stepdaughter, Snow White, is now the “fairest in the land.” Instantly resentful, the queen enlists a woodsman to murder Snow White, but he cannot commit the act and exhorts the young girl to escape. In the forest Snow White discovers a cottage inhabited by seven eccentric dwarfs, who warmly welcome her into their home after she offers to cook and clean for them. The queen eventually learns of Snow White’s whereabouts and, disguising herself as an old hag, fatally poisons her stepdaughter with a tainted apple. The heartbroken dwarfs stand guard over the girl’s body until a handsome prince restores her to life with a kiss.
Disney Adaptation:
Released in 1937, Disney’s “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” was the studio’s first full-length animated feature. Disney softened some of the grim elements, adding musical numbers and a more family-friendly narrative, making it a beloved classic.
02. “Cinderella”
Origin:
The story of Cinderella, also known as “Cendrillon,” has various origins, including the ancient Greek myth of Rhodopis and the 17th-century French version by Charles Perrault. Perrault’s tale, published in 1697, popularized many of the elements seen in Disney’s adaptation, such as the glass slipper and the pumpkin carriage.
Cinderella is a folk tale that is present in many forms with thousands of stories that feature a young person who is in tragic circumstances and living off the charity of others. Her fortune changes as she attracts the attention of a nobleman, who must search in some way to find out her identity. When found, Cinderella becomes the spouse of royalty, while her family member get their reward for cruelty. Often there is a presence of magical items or beings to help Cinderella gain her fortune.
The Grimm Brothers, from Germany, took many common tales that were only known in the oral tradition and published them in 1812 in their book Grimm’s Fairy Tales. Cinderella was one of these stories, but known in the German language as Ashenputtel.
In this version, Ashenputtel plants a Hazel twig and it grows with the water of her tears. A white bird roosts in the tree, which she believes is her deceased mother. The bird then is the bearer of the white gown and silk shoes to go to the ball. She eludes the prince as he chases her home but drops one of her golden slippers.
The Prince searches the kingdom for the owner, but her stepsisters try on the shoe first. Each sister cuts off a part of their foot to fit into the slipper. The shoe still does not fit and the Prince notices the blood pouring from the shoe. Once the Prince places the shoe on Cinderella, he recognizes her and takes her away from her evil stepmother and stepsisters.
Disney Adaptation:
Disney’s “Cinderella,” released in 1950, brought Perrault’s version to life with vibrant animation and memorable songs, cementing it as one of Disney’s quintessential fairy tales.
03. “Sleeping Beauty”
Origin:
The story of “Sleeping Beauty” has roots in European folklore, with the most well-known versions coming from Charles Perrault’s “La Belle au bois dormant” (1697) and the Brothers Grimm’s “Little Briar Rose” (1857). Both stories are based on older oral traditions about a princess cursed to sleep until awakened by a prince’s kiss.
A king and queen, childless for many years, finally succeed in giving birth to a little girl, and invite all the fairies they can think of to celebrate. Unfortunately, they forget or otherwise ignore one, who shows up at the christening anyway and curses the girl to one day prick her finger on a spindle and die. None of the fairies can dispel the curse, but the youngest one succeeds in softening it from death to a death-like sleep.
The king and queen order all the spindles in their kingdom to be burnt, but the young princess finds one they happened to miss. She finds an old woman sitting there spinning: in some versions an innocent civilian; in others the Wicked Fairy in disguise. The princess is fascinated and asks if she can try spinning. Predictably, the moment she picks it up, the curse comes into effect, and she, accompanied by the rest of the castle, falls into a deep sleep.
Disney Adaptation:
Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty,” released in 1959, is notable for its distinctive art style, inspired by medieval illustrations. The film’s use of Technicolor and its dramatic retelling helped define the Disney princess archetype.
04. “Beauty and the Beast”
Origin:
“Beauty and the Beast” originated from a French fairy tale by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in 1740, and was later adapted by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont in 1756. The story explores themes of love and transformation, with a focus on inner beauty.
In this original novella length tale, the back-story of both Belle and the Beast is given. The Beast was a young prince who lost his father, and whose mother had to wage war to defend his kingdom. The queen left him in care of an evil fairy, who tried to seduce him when he became an adult; when he refused, she transformed him into a beast.
Belle’s story reveals that she is not really a merchant’s daughter but the offspring of a king and a good fairy. The wicked fairy had tried to murder Belle, so she could marry her father the king, and Belle was put in the place of a merchant’s dead daughter to protect her.
Disney Adaptation:
Released in 1991, Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is renowned for its elaborate animation and musical score. The film stayed true to the core themes of the original tale while introducing new elements that resonated with contemporary audiences.
05. “The Little Mermaid”
Origin:
Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” first published in 1837, tells the story of a mermaid who sacrifices her voice for a chance to win the love of a human prince. The tale is known for its melancholy and moral lessons.
In Andersen’s story, Ariel learns that humans don’t live as long as mermaids — who live for 300 years — but that their souls live forever, whereas mermaids dissolve into sea foam and become one with the ocean. So while Ariel wants to be on land because she falls in love with Eric, she also likes the idea of having an eternal soul, which is what propels her to go to Ursula (who is only known as the Sea Witch in the original tale).
After making a deal with the Sea Witch, the Little Mermaid is told that she can never return to the sea alive, and the only way to gain an eternal soul is to earn Prince Eric’s love. Ariel loses her voice by way of losing her tongue, but she gains the ability to dance really well. But while Ariel becomes Eric’s companion, he never actually falls in love with her. Rather, Prince Eric ends up marrying the princess he believes saved his life.
Disney Adaptation:
Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” released in 1989, revitalized the studio’s animation department with its vibrant colors and catchy songs. It introduced a more optimistic take on Andersen’s story, appealing to a new generation of viewers.
06. “Aladdin”
Origin:
Aladdin first appeared in “One Thousand and One Nights“, a famous collection of Middle Eastern folk tales from the Islamic Golden Age (between the 8th and 13th Century) which was first translated into English, and renamed the Arabian Nights, over 400 years later. The stories are not just Arabic tales, but also have roots in Persian, Mesopotamian, Indian, Jewish and Egyptian folklore and literature. The story of “Aladdin’s Wonderful Lamp” didn’t even appear in the collection until French translator Antoine Galland added it in 1710. According to Galland’s diaries, he had heard the story from a Syrian scholar in Aleppo – but no one has actually been able to find an original Arabic source for it.
Disney Adaptation:
Disney’s “Aladdin,” released in 1992, featured a magical adaptation of the story, complete with memorable characters and music. The film’s colorful depiction of Agrabah and its vibrant animation became iconic.
07. “Mulan”
Origin:
The legend of Mulan is based on the Chinese folk tale “The Ballad of Mulan,” which dates back to the Northern Wei period (386–534 AD). The story tells of a young woman who disguises herself as a man to take her ailing father’s place in the army.
The first written record of Mulan is the Ballad of Mulan, a folk song believed to have been composed during the Northern Wei Dynasty (386-535 AD) and compiled in an anthology of books and songs in the Southern Chen Dynasty (557-589 AD). The historical setting of the Ballad of Mulan is usually the Northern Wei’s military campaigns against the nomadic Rouran. A later adaptation has Mulan active around the founding of the Tang Dynasty (circa 620 AD). The story of Hua Mulan was taken up in a number of later works, including the 16th-century historical fiction Romance of Sui and Tang, and many screen and stage adaptations. The Hua Mulan crater on Venus is named after her.
Disney Adaptation:
Disney’s “Mulan,” released in 1998, reimagines the tale with a blend of action, humor, and music. The film introduces a fictionalized version of Mulan’s story, emphasizing themes of honor and self-discovery while incorporating elements of Chinese culture.
08. “Pocahontas”
Origin:
The story of Pocahontas is based on the historical figure Pocahontas, a Native American woman from the Powhatan tribe who had interactions with English settlers in the early 17th century. The true story is a mix of history and myth.
Disney’s version of Pocahontas centers John Smith, the man Pocahontas supposedly fell in love with. In reality, John Smith came to her town when she was only 9 or 10 years old, while he was 27 years old. Despite Disney’s narrative, the two were never romantically involved. In fact, John Smith was feared by many Indigenous children in the area he was in, and was known to enter villages and hold various chiefs of tribes at gunpoint, demanding food and supplies.
Disney Adaptation:
Disney’s “Pocahontas,” released in 1995, takes creative liberties with the historical account to create a musical and romanticized version of Pocahontas’s story, focusing on themes of love and environmental harmony.
09. “Tarzan”
Origin:
The character of Tarzan was created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and first appeared in the 1912 novel “Tarzan of the Apes.” The story follows a man raised by apes in the African jungle, exploring themes of civilization versus nature.
John Clayton was stranded with his parents, the Lord and Lady Greystoke, on the West coast of Africa. Being forced to fend for themselves, his parents soon died while John was only an infant. He was then taken in and raised by a group of great apes. One in particular took on the parental role, she was known as Kala. John was named Tarzan which means “White Skin”.
Disney Adaptation:
Disney’s “Tarzan,” released in 1999, adapts Burroughs’s character with a focus on the jungle environment and Tarzan’s struggle to reconcile his dual identity. The film features a distinctive soundtrack by Phil Collins and vivid animation.
10. “Robin Hood”
Origin:
The legend of Robin Hood is rooted in English folklore. Robin Hood is an outlaw hero known for “robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.” The tales of Robin Hood have evolved over centuries, with influences from various ballads and stories.
The subject of ballads, books and films, Robin Hood has proven to be one of popular culture’s most enduring folk heroes. Over the course of 700 years, the outlaw from Nottinghamshire who robs from the rich to give to the poor has emerged as one of the most enduring folk heroes in popular culture–and one of the most versatile.
Disney Adaptation:
Disney’s “Robin Hood,” released in 1973, presents a whimsical version of the legend with anthropomorphic animals. The film’s adaptation emphasizes humor and adventure while retaining the essence of Robin Hood’s noble quest.
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