Fairy-tale imagery, castles, forests, storybook scenes, brings a fairy tales quiz to Bing, and it drew strong interest. The questions split between the famous collectors of these stories and how surprisingly dark the originals were.
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The collectors and authors
The Brothers Grimm (Jacob and Wilhelm) collected German folk tales like Cinderella, Snow White, Hansel and Gretel and Rapunzel in the early 1800s. Hans Christian Andersen, a Danish author, wrote original tales including The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling and The Emperor's New Clothes, the collector-versus-author distinction is a common question.
Darker than Disney
A favourite quiz angle: the original tales were far grimmer than their movie versions. Andersen's original Little Mermaid does not get a happy ending, and several Grimm stories feature harsh fates the cartoons soften. 'Which version is the original' questions play on this.
Tales and their signatures
Match the tale to its object or line: the glass slipper (Cinderella), the poisoned apple (Snow White), the trail of breadcrumbs (Hansel and Gretel), the long hair (Rapunzel), the spinning wheel (Sleeping Beauty). These pairings answer a lot of questions.
Answering approach
Grimm = German collectors of folk tales; Andersen = Danish author of original tales. Then match each story to its signature object, and the dark-original angle covers the trick questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who were the Brothers Grimm?
Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German brothers who collected folk tales like Cinderella, Snow White and Hansel and Gretel in the 1800s.
Who wrote The Little Mermaid?
Hans Christian Andersen, the Danish author, whose original tale, unlike the movie, does not have a happy ending.
Were original fairy tales darker?
Yes, the original Grimm and Andersen tales were far grimmer than their modern movie versions, a favourite quiz angle.