Sanguine Tenacious Tidings

Boo

Many fairy tales are often based in truth. Research the true story behind your favorite fairy tale and share it with your readers. What lesson or warning was the tale trying to impart?

I really do not have a favorite fairy tale. I don't even like them although, as a child, I remember reading a book with fairy tales in it. Also, the short rhymes like pumpkin eater, Jack Sprat, or Little Jack Horner.

One fairy tale that comes to mind I use to see on the TV every afternoon. I looked it up. It came from a Brothers Grimm story.
Originally it was called Bears. The TV version I saw was about a man who made a deal with the devil. For seven years he had to not wash, trim his hair, or nails, and in the end he would be a wealthy man, get a beautiful wife, and own land. The part they never showed was the ending of the story. It was never on TV. Then I did see it once. I think it played on PBS in the 1990's. The man got a beautiful wife with two sisters, a farm and land and Money? At the end, he murdered the wife's sisters. The house burned and the devil came to collect the man's soul?

I have placed question marks because it was a long time ago this was showing on TV. Late 1950"s or 1960"s and I don't remember all the facts of the story. The original story says he also had to wear a bear skin. The thing I always am disgusted with is the fact that for years they never showed the ending of the story. And, there have been more than one man in this area walking around refusing cleanliness trying to gain wealth from a deal he made with the devil.

It seemed to me the worst evil was done by programmers who left the story hanging, to deliberately entice people into this kind of evil for the sake of monetary gain. At the time this played a lot of families were recovering from WWII type of financial ruin.

Fairy tales have changed a lot over the years just like the society we live in. For the better, I hope. Evil comes from the actions of humans. That is why they are called fairy tales.