Not so happy originally

The tragic ending of Cinderella's stepsisters that Disney changed

Disney movies have adapted several beloved fairy tales and stories, which means that, for those who experienced these stories as movies for the first time, coming across the original tales can be shocking, as they are quite different, and sometimes even scary and gory.

Most of Disney's movies are intended for children, so these stories had to be adapted and often softened for the audience. Let’s see how Disney changed famous stories when making them into movies.

This 1837 story by Hans Christian Andersen is, at first sight, similar to its movie adaptation. Yes, in the original, the Little Mermaid feels sharp pains each time she walks, but other elements remain. However, the main difference is in the ending: before the prince’s wedding, the sea witch tasks the Little Mermaid with killing the prince in order to live, but she prefers to die herself and turn into sea foam.

The 1950 version of Cinderella also follows most of the original story. Most of the differences with the Brothers Grimm’s version come from elements added by Disney, such as the Fairy Godmother and the singing mice. But there is one gory element that needed to be changed before making a children’s movie: in the tale, Cinderella’s stepsisters, trying to fit into the crystal slipper, resort to cutting parts of their feet.

The first full-length Disney animated movie, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves was a resounding success. However, the story has some differences when compared to the original story by the Brothers Grimm. When the Queen gives Snow white the poisoned apple, it is not a true love’s kiss that wakes her. The prince sees her lying in her crystal coffin and wants to take her with him. When he moves the coffin, the piece of apple that’s still in her throat moves, and she wakes up. As punishment, the Queen is made to dance in shoes made from hot iron until she falls dead.

When watching this lovely musical, it is difficult to imagine that it comes from a lengthy novel filled with tales of vengeance, obsession, social disparities, and a tragic ending. In Notre-Dame de Paris by Victor Hugo, Quasimodo is deaf and nearly mute, and he is isolated from the world. Frollo, an archdeacon inamoured by the young Esmeralda, accuses her of witchcraft and ultimately succeeds in killing her, while Frollo, instead of the chivalrous young man portrayed by Disney, takes advantage of Esmeralda but abandons her in her time of need.

A reimagination of the 19th-century Rapunzel by the Brothers Grimm, the Disney version adds many elements to the story, such as the magical properties of the hair or Rapunzel being a stolen princess. In the original, Rapunzel’s parents give her away as payment for a stolen lettuce. When a prince comes across her tower, they fall in love, but they are tricked by the witch, with the prince falling into a thorny bush and hurting his eyes. Luckily, there is a happy ending where they are reunited, and Rapunzel’s tears restore the prince’s sight.

This 2009 version, set in New Orleans, is only loosely based on several classic tales featuring a prince-turned-frog. While in the Disney version, the kiss turns Tiana into a frog, in the classic fairy tale, the princess, disgusted by the idea of kissing the frog prince, throws him violently against the wall. Luckily for him, it works just as well as a kiss, and he returns to his original form.

The main fairytale behind this Disney classic is of French origin. In it, the reason for Belle’s arrival at the castle is quite different: her father steals a rose from the Beast’s garden and is imprisoned. Belle’s sisters blame her for their father’s misfortunes and demand that she stay in his place. She goes to the castle, filled with invisible servants, where the Beast tries to make her fall in love with him. After being allowed to visit her family, she returns to find the Beast dying. After professing her love, the Beast turns into a prince, and they live happily ever after.

Loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, Disney’s Frozen turns a dark story featuring a villainous Queen into a tale of sisterly love. In the original story, Gerda (the inspiration behind the character of Anna) goes on a quest to rescue her friend Kai from the clutches of the evil Snow Queen. Ultimately, her tears are able to melt the ice shards in Kai’s heart and save him.

Inspired by the 1883 Italian novel The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi, the Disney movie gives us a much more tame version of the story. In the original, Pinocchio is rude and cruel. Often chastised by Jiminy Cricket, he ends up killing him and is punished in consequence. A moral tale about disobedience and laziness, the original Pinocchio is only able to turn into a human boy after working hard and learning to care for others.

As with most mythological stories, the original tale of Hercules is quite tragic, and not the happy ending story presented by Disney. A product of the affair of Zeus with a mortal woman, Hercules is hated by Hera, Zeus’ wife, who drives him mad. While out of his mind, he murders his wife, Megara, and their children. To atone for this crime, he performs 12 seemingly impossible labours. In the end, Hercules dies after being poisoned, but he is eventually turned into a god by Zeus.

WHERE DID THAT COME FROM?

11 Words And Their Interesting Origins

Image: Robert Anasch

Etymology is the study of a word’s origin and meaning. Some words are quite straightforward, like "football," a sport that involves a ball and a foot.

But other words have more obscure origins, like "nightmare," which combines the term "night" with the German word "mare," which is an evil spirit that sits on top of a sleeper’s chest. Pretty grim, right?

Take a look at these words with interesting origins and find out if you already knew any of them!

Image: Thought Catalog

The centerpiece of seemingly every modern brunch, "avocado" is a word that exudes exotic flavor. The term itself comes from the ancient Aztec language Nahuatl, where it is referred to as āhuacatl.

As the fruit made its way through history, the name transformed into aguacate. Eventually, as avocados gained popularity in English-speaking regions, the term settled into its current form.

Image: Taylor Franz

A word so Italian that pronouncing it out loud almost makes it seem like you are talking in the language of Dante, "cappuccino" was named after the Capuchin friars and their distinctive brown robes. The drink's moniker was inspired by the color resemblance between their attire and the frothy, tan espresso concoction.

The cappuccino, as we know it today, emerged in the espresso bars of post-World War II Italy, where it gained popularity for its blend of espresso, steamed milk, and a layer of foam. Evolving from a simple coffee tradition tied to a religious order to a globally cherished beverage, the cappuccino has become a symbol of Italian coffee culture.

Image: Elisa Ventur

Keeping in line with the Italian words, "disaster" finds its linguistic roots in disastro, which emerged during the 16th century to describe an unfavorable aspect of a star or celestial event.

Composed of dis-, meaning away or without, and astro, referring to celestial bodies, the term reflected a belief in the influence of cosmic forces on earthly events. Eventually, its meaning shifted to describe any catastrophic event, natural or human-made, leading to significant damage or distress.

Image: Wolfgang Hasselmann

Another word with an Italian birth certificate, "malaria," originated in mala aria, which translates to "bad air". This term was coined during the Renaissance, reflecting the earlier belief that the disease, which was characterized by fever and chills, was caused by inhaling poisonous fumes from swamp areas.

Later, scientists discovered the actual culprit: parasites transmitted through infected mosquitoes. Despite its historical roots, the word "malaria" persists in capturing the essence of the disease's connection to unhealthy air.

Image: Erik Mclean

Let us close the suite of Italian words with this term. It came into existence in Venice during the bubonic plague. To prevent the spread of infectious diseases, arriving ships were required to anchor in isolation for 40 days, a period called quarantena in Italian. Derived from quaranta meaning forty, this practice aimed to safeguard public health. Over time, the term was used to describe the isolation of individuals, animals, or goods to prevent disease transmission.

Image: Nick Fewing

The word "trivial" comes from the Latin term trivium, which represented the three subjects taught in medieval education: grammar, rhetoric, and logic. These subjects were considered elementary and suitable for beginners.

Over time, the meaning of "trivial" was used to describe things of little significance or importance, reflecting the perception that the trivium subjects were commonplace and known by everybody.

Image: Troy Bridges

The term "hazard" comes from the Arabic word al zahr which means dice. In medieval Europe, games involving dice were associated with risk and chance. Eventually, the term evolved to signify any source of danger or peril. Today, "hazard" is used to illustrate a broad spectrum of risks, including dangerous phenomena, situations, and places that might pose a threat.

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One of those words whose origin is not given away easily, "clue" comes from the Middle English word clew, which means a ball of thread or yarn, of all things. In Greek mythology, Ariadne provided Theseus with a ball of thread to find his way through the labyrinth and defeat the Minotaur.

Over time, "clew" evolved to reference any kind of hint or key to solving a mystery. Today, when we seek a "clue," we are acknowledging the connection between solving a mystery and following the thread that leads us to the end of the quest.

Image: Dennis Klein

A word so strange to describe something so familiar, "ketchup" has a flavorful history rooted in Southeast Asia. Supposedly, the term came from the Malay word kecap or kicap, referring to a fermented soy sauce.

By the 18th century, "ketchup" in England referred to a sauce made from mushrooms, anchovies, and walnuts. But when tomatoes gained popularity in the 19th century, tomato ketchup emerged.

Image: Thomas Park

Much like cappuccino, "whiskey" is a drink with strong links to its land of origin. The term has deep Celtic roots, coming from the Gaelic language. Derived from uisce beatha, which means "water of life," this spirit emerged in Ireland and Scotland as a distilled beverage, celebrated for both its intoxicating qualities and medicinal virtues.

Over time, uisce beatha evolved into usquebaugh in Scotland and Ireland, and eventually into "whiskey" in English. The term traveled across the Atlantic with Irish and Scottish immigrants, becoming synonymous with the distilled grain spirit enjoyed globally today.

Image: Jason Tuinstra

Imagine being paid in salt, rather than money. Well, turns out, that was a real thing in ancient Rome, where soldiers were paid in salt, known as salarium argentum.

Salt held great value, vital for preserving food and symbolizing wealth. Over time, the word evolved into salarium, meaning the payment given for services. Today, "salary" is, quite simply, the payment received for work.