Fun fact: The Little Mermaid wasn’t trying to kiss the prince, she was trying to kill the prince. Fairy tales pre-Disneyfication were a little darker than the innocent bedtime story versions that come to mind, and this week’s episode of Good Job, Brain! sheds some light on ’em. Give it a listen, and don’t forget to share it with friends!
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Good Job, Brain! — Episode 2: Once Upon a Gruesome Time (2012-03-12)
We dish about classic fairytales along with their more scandalous and gruesome folklore origins. Find out what “Rapunzel” actually means, and learn why Charles Dickens hates Hans Christian Andersen’s face. ALSO: Pop Quiz, how to memorize pi, “First in Line.” Starring Karen Chu, Colin Felton, Chris Kohler, and Dana Nelson.
Running Time: 48m 44s
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Been meaning to post this..
While I can’t claim a direct line, I seem to recall that the Poetic Eddas (or was it the Prose..) had a section that may have been a direct inspiration, of sorts, for Snow White.
You see, I recall this bit about Frejya, and how she, ah, received a pearl necklace from a group of dwarves, in circumstances not unlike the Snow White core story. Save that there wasn’t any jewelry involved.
That’s my bit, hope it’s interesting.
Aww… no music quiz this week. I hoped it would be a recurring bit :/