Fairy tales have been a beloved part of childhood for generations. These stories, passed down through oral tradition, have been retold and adapted in countless forms throughout the years, serving as a reflection of the cultural and societal values of the time in which they were created. As such, they continue to hold a special place in our hearts even as we grow older.

From classic tales like Cinderella and Snow White to more modern retellings like Shrek and Frozen, fairy tales have had a lasting impact on our childhoods. They have provided us with memorable characters, important life lessons, and a sense of wonder and magic. In this article, we will take a look at our picks for the Top 19 Beloved Fairy Tale Characters who defined our childhood.

fairy tale characters — Fairy Tale Characters who defined our childhood. Photo credit: Unsplash.

Affiliate Disclaimer

Disclaimer: This article uses affiliate links, meaning: at no additional cost to you, we earn a small commission if you click-through and make a purchase. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. We only feature products that we believe in and use ourselves. Your support means the world to us and allows us to host this website. Thank you!

Cinderella

Cinderella is a fairy tale character from the story of "Cinderella" or "The Little Glass Slipper." The tale follows the life of a young girl, who is left orphaned after the unfortunate deaths of her parents, and is left to be raised by her stepmother and stepsisters, who, instead of adopting her, decide to treat her as a servant. Despite her mistreatment, the girl remains kind and optimistic, never giving up hope that a better life waits for her someday. Her fortunes change when the kingdom holds a ball for the prince to find a bride, and with the help of her fairy godmother, Cinderella is able to attend the ball and win the heart of the prince. The story concludes with the prince finding Cinderella by fitting the glass slipper to her foot, and they live happily ever after.

Cinderella's story has been retold in many different languages and has become a cultural icon. It is a classic tale of rags to riches, where the protagonist rises above their circumstances to live a better life. The story also deals with themes of inner beauty, resilience, and the importance of being true to oneself. The fairy godmother symbolizes the power of kindness and the importance of having people who will support and help you when you need it.

Cinderella is one of the most popular fairy tale characters and has defined our childhood. Her story has been adapted in various forms such as movies, TV shows, and literature, making it easily accessible to generations of children. It's a story that teaches the importance of perseverance and hope, even in the face of adversity.

Snow White

Snow White is a fairy tale character from the story "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs." This classic tale follows a young girl who is forced to flee from her wicked stepmother, the Queen, after learning that the Queen wants to kill her because Snow White is fairer than her. The heroine takes refuge in the forest where she finds a small house belonging to seven dwarfs. She helps them with their household chores in exchange for a place to live. The Queen discovers Snow White's whereabouts and disguises herself as an old woman to poison Snow White, but she is saved by the dwarfs and ultimately the evil Queen is punished.

Snow White's story is one of the most popular fairy tales and has been adapted in various forms throughout the years, most notably the Disney animated film. The story deals with themes of jealousy, love, and the importance of inner beauty. Snow White is often portrayed as a kind, caring and innocent woman, who despite the hardships she faced, remains pure-hearted. The dwarfs who take care of her also serve as a reminder of the importance of kindness and the power of friendship.

Little Red Riding Hood

"Little Red Riding Hood" tells the story of a young girl named Little Red Riding Hood (named for the characteristic red hood she always wears) who is sent to visit her grandmother, who lives in a wooded area, and bring her some supplies. On her way, she meets a wolf who asks her where she's going and what she's carrying. The little girl, clueless about the dangers of the forest, tells the wolf her destination and the wolf goes ahead to her grandmother's house, eating the old lady. He then decides to lay in wait for Little Red Riding Hood and when she does, the wolf, disguised as her grandmother, eats her too. In some versions, a woodsman saves both the girl and her grandmother.

Little Red Riding Hood's story has been adapted in various forms throughout the years and is considered one of the most popular fairy tales. The story has been interpreted in different ways, but it's commonly associated with themes of danger, innocence and the importance of being aware of the dangers that exist in the world. The heroine is often portrayed as an innocent and naïve girl, who despite her innocence, falls prey to the wolf's cunning.

Rapunzel

Rapunzel is a fairy tale character from the story "Rapunzel". The tale follows the life of a young girl named, who is locked in a tower by an evil witch, who found her as a baby and raised her as her own child. The only way to reach the tower where Rapunzel is locked is by climbing her long golden hair, which she lets down from the tower window. One day, a prince hears her singing and is instantly captivated by her voice. He visits her in the tower and they fall in love. But the witch finds out and the couple is separated. Eventually, after many trials, the couple is reunited and they live happily ever after.

Rapunzel's story is yet another classic that has been adapted in various forms throughout the years. The story deals with themes of captivity, true love, and the importance of being true to oneself. Rapunzel is often portrayed as a kind and brave girl, who despite her captivity, remains hopeful and optimistic. The prince who visits her in the tower serves as a reminder of the power of love, and the importance of not giving up on the things that matter most.

Jack (of Jack and the Beanstalk)

Jack is a fairy tale character from the story "Jack and the Beanstalk". A young boy who lives with his mother in poverty, one day Jack trades his family's cow for five magic beans. His mother is furious and throws the beans out the window. But overnight, the beans grow into a giant beanstalk that reaches the sky. Jack climbs the beanstalk and finds a castle in the clouds, inhabited by a giant. The giant possesses a magical harp, a hen that lays golden eggs, and a bag of gold. The unlikely hero steals the harp, the hen, and the bag of gold, and escapes back down the beanstalk, cutting it down, causing the giant to fall to his death. Jack and his mother live happily ever after with their newfound wealth.

Jack's story deals with themes of poverty, greed, and the importance of being resourceful. He is often portrayed as a clever and resourceful young boy, who despite his poor circumstances, finds a way to change his fate. The Giant serves as a reminder of the dangers of greed and the importance of being content with what you have.

Sleeping Beauty

"Sleeping Beauty" or "The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood", follows the life of a young princess named Aurora, who is cursed by an evil fairy to prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel and die before the age of sixteen. However, a good fairy manages to change the curse, so that instead of dying, the princess will fall into a deep sleep for 100 years and can only be awakened by true love's kiss. The king and queen lock the spinning wheels away and invite fairies to the christening of the princess, but they forget to invite one fairy, who is angry and curses the princess. A prince who has heard of Aurora, goes to the castle and awakens her with true love's kiss and they live happily ever after.

Sleeping Beauty's story deals with themes of love, fate, and the terrible powers a curse can have on one’s life. Aurora is often portrayed as a kind and beautiful princess, while the Prince who awakens her serves as a reminder of the power of love and the importance of perseverance.

The Little Mermaid

The Little Mermaid is a fairy tale character from the story "The Little Mermaid" written by Hans Christian Andersen. The story follows the life of a young mermaid princess named Ariel, who is fascinated by the human world and falls in love with a human prince. In order to be able to live on land and be with the prince, she makes a deal with the sea-witch, trading her beautiful voice and fishtail for legs. Ariel is able to be with the prince, but the price of this is that every step she takes feels as if she is walking on knives. In the end, the prince marries another and Ariel's heart breaks, causing her to turn into sea foam. In some versions, Ariel is saved by a kind and loving God who grants her an immortal soul.

The Little Mermaid's story deals with themes of envy, sacrifice, and the importance of being true to oneself, and is one of the strongest reminders of the power of love.

Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel are fairy tale characters created by the Brothers Grimm. As the tale goes, the two children are left in the woods by their parents, due to a severe famine in the area. They decide to leave a trail of breadcrumbs, so they can find their way back home, but unfortunately for them, birds and other forest inhabitants eat the breadcrumbs, causing Hansel and Gretel to get hopelessly lost. As they stumble through the woods, they eventually come across a candy house, which - unbeknown to them - belongs to a wicked witch that has developed a taste for young children. After getting captured, the duo eventually outsmart the witch and escape, but not before Hansel manages to steal some of her treasure. Eventually, they find their way back home and are reunited with their parents.

Hansel and Gretel's story deals with themes of poverty, the bonds of family, and the importance of resourcefulness and cleverness. They children are often portrayed as clever and resourceful individuals, who despite their difficult circumstances, find a way to survive and overcome the challenges they face.

The Witch (from Hansel and Gretel)

We just took a look Hansel and Gretel, two of our favorite fairy tale characters who were instrumental in defining our values as children. Yet, what about their antagonist? The Witch, who owns the candy house in the woods, is often portrayed as a powerful and cunning figure, who despite her evil intentions, is ultimately outsmarted by the resourceful and clever children. She serves as a reminder of the dangers that exist in the world, and the importance of being aware of potential threats. The story is a cautionary tale about the dangers of strangers and that when something seems too good to be true, you might want to look deeper.

The witch's character has become a cultural icon, and her story continues to be a favorite among children and adults alike, making it a must-read for fairy tale fans.

Rumpelstiltskin

You might be surprised to see that we’ve switched from the traditional heroes of our favorite fairy tales to their classical villains. Yet don’t they also deserve a spot on this list? Without a worthy villain, who embodies the worst human qualities, our heroes (and our children) would never learn to overcome the dangers of the world, and thus learn and grow from the experience.

That being said, we will now take a look at one of our favorite fairy tale villains - Rumpelstiltskin. Created by the Brothers Grimm, the story follows a miller's daughter who is locked in a tower by a king and is told that she must spin straw into gold in order to be released. A mysterious man named Rumpelstiltskin appears, offering to do the task for her. But there is a catch, as the mysterious stranger demands her first-born child in return. The miller's daughter, thinking that she can outsmart him, agrees. The gold is spun, the king is ecstatic and the young girl suddenly finds herself a queen of the kingdom. A queen that will produce an heir to the throne. Only one slight problem with that - that heir has already been promised to Rumpelstiltskin as payment for his help. Eventually, the queen is able to trick the trickster, by guessing his real name and freeing herself of her promise, living happily ever after.

Rumpelstiltskin's story deals with themes of greed, sacrifice, and the importance of being true to oneself. Rumpelstiltskin is often portrayed as a cunning and powerful figure, who despite his seemingly unlimited power and wit, is ultimately outsmarted by the miller's daughter. He serves as a reminder of the dangers of greed and the dangers of making deals with the devil.

The Big Bad Wolf (from Little Red Riding Hood)

One of the first fairy tale characters we discussed in this post was The Little Red Riding Hood. Now let’s take a look at her nemesis.

The Big Bad Wolf, created by Charles Perrault and later adapted by the Brothers Grimm, is often portrayed as a powerful and cunning figure, possessing a cunning mind and enormous physical strength. He is a constant reminder of the dangers that exist in the world, teaching kids young and old that stranger-danger is real thing that they should learn to be aware of.

The cultural significance of The Big Bad Wolf (from Little Red Riding Hood) makes him one of the most instantly recognizable fairy tale characters (especially when donning the disguise of Little Red’s grandmother). And while he will live on in various adaptations and forms to teach his lessons on the potential dangers of the world, he will also - unwittingly - teach the most important lesson of all: that no matter how powerful, evil (and evil intentions) will always lose in the end.

The Evil Queen (from Snow White)

Next on our list of fairy tale characters (and more specifically villains) who defined our childhood, we have The Evil Queen from Snow White - a character so iconic that it has inspired numerous adaptations, as well as other villains in both literature, TV and cinema (Lana Parrilla’s performance in the Once Upon a Time TV series is our absolute favorite depiction of the character, period!)

Fun fact: few people know this, but her name is actually Queen Grimhilde, but since it’s such a mouthful, we’ll stick to her more famous nickname.

The Evil Queen is often portrayed as a powerful and jealous figure, who is ultimately outsmarted by Snow White and the dwarfs. She serves as a reminder of the dangers of jealousy and vanity, and the importance of accepting one’s inner beauty.

The Fairy Godmother (from Cinderella)

That’s enough villains for now - let’s get back to the good guys! And more specifically, let’s show some love to those secondary characters, which are so iconic that they manage to occasionally steal the spotlight from the heroes themselves. Starting off with the one and only, Fairy Godmother.

The Fairy Godmother is a fairy tale character from the story "Cinderella" written by Charles Perrault and later adapted by the Brothers Grimm. Taking pity on Cinderella, she transforms the heroine, granting her a beautiful dress, glass slippers, and carriage to attend the ball. But not before warning the girl that she must leave the ball before the clock strikes 12, or she will lose the enchantments, placed upon her, and will revert to her previous state. Cinderella is able to attend the ball and wins the heart of the prince, but she loses one of her glass slippers while running away from the palace. The prince uses the glass slipper to find her and they live happily ever after. Great job, Fairy Godmother!

Often portrayed as a kind and loving figure, who helps Cinderella to overcome her difficult circumstances and find happiness, The Fairy Godmother serves as a reminder of the importance of kindness and the massive effect it can have on another’s life.

The Seven Dwarfs (from Snow White)

The Seven Dwarfs (from Snow White) are a group of fairy tale characters from the story "Snow White" written by the Brothers Grimm. As mentioned earlier, the story follows the life of Snow White, a young princess whose beauty enrages her stepmother, the Evil Queen, who orders a huntsman to take the girl into the forest and kill her. Snow White is discovered by seven dwarfs, each with their own distinct characteristics and names: Doc, Grumpy, Bashful, Sleepy, Happy, Sneezy, and Dopey. They take her in and protect her from the Evil Queen. Each dwarf has their own personality, Doc being the leader, Grumpy being grumpy, Bashful being shy, Sleepy being sleepy, Happy being happy, Sneezy being sneezy, and Dopey being dopey. The Evil Queen, who is still jealous of her stepdaughter, disguises herself and visits Snow White, offering her a poisoned apple. The heroine eats the apple and falls into a deep sleep. The dwarfs place her in a glass coffin and keep her safe until a prince comes and gives her true love's kiss. Snow White awakens and lives happily ever after.

The Seven Dwarfs are often portrayed as a group of kind and loving figures, who help Snow White to overcome her difficult circumstances and find happiness. They serve as a reminder of the importance of friendship and the power of a loving community.

The Beast (from Beauty and the Beast)

The Beast (from Beauty and the Beast) is a fairy tale character created by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and later adapted by the Brothers Grimm. In the story, a young girl is forced to live with a Beast in his remote castle, as punishment for her father's mistake of picking a rose from his garden (taking petty to a whole new level there). The Beast is initially terrifying and cruel, but as time goes on, Beauty begins to see his kind and gentle nature and falls in love with him. The Beast, in turn, falls in love with her. Eventually, he is transformed back into a handsome prince by a magical spell, after the girl confesses her love for him. Naturally, they live happily ever after.

Beast is often portrayed as a powerful and terrifying figure, who is initially cruel and scary, but is eventually revealed to have a kind and gentle nature. He serves as a reminder of the importance of inner beauty and the power of love to change people and overcome any obstacle.

Pinocchio

Pinocchio, the titular character of "The Adventures of Pinocchio", written by Carlo Collodi in 1883, is another beloved fairy tale character that has defined our childhood. In the story, a wooden marionette, which is created by a woodcarver named Geppetto, comes to life and is granted the ability to walk, talk, and think for himself. However, he soon becomes plagued by his own lies and mischievousness, but through his adventures, he learns valuable lessons about honesty, responsibility, and the importance of being a good person. As a reward for turning his life around, Pinocchio eventually earns his humanity and becomes a real boy.

Pinocchio is often portrayed as a mischievous and curious character, who through his adventures learns the importance of being honest, acting responsibly, and being a good person. He serves as a reminder of that it’s never too late to change and turn your life around for the better - and once you start doing good things, good things will start happening to you too.

The Gingerbread Man

“Do you know the Muffin Man? - The Muffin Man? - THE MUFFIN MAN!” (we apologize, but Shrek and TikTok have corrupted us…)

The Gingerbread Man is a fairy tale character that appears in multiple variations of popular folktale. His story usually starts with a clever gingerbread man who jumps out of the oven, runs away from the people who made him, and outwits a series of animals and people who try to catch him. Eventually, though, he is caught and eaten by a clever fox.

The cultural significance of The Gingerbread Man makes it a timeless classic that continues to be enjoyed by people of all ages. It has defined childhood for many generations, with his story being passed down through the years, acting as a reminder that even the smallest person should not be underestimated, and the wit, resourcefulness and courage are not limited by size. It is, however, also a cautionary tale about underestimating the intelligence of others, as you might literally end up as their snack.

The Three Little Pigs

The Three Little Pigs are fairy tale characters from the eponymous popular fairy tale, which features three anthropomorphic pigs, who build houses of different materials. A big bad wolf blows down the first two houses, made of straw and sticks, but is unable to destroy the third house, made of bricks. The story is often used as a fable to teach children the importance of hard work, determination and planning for the future.

The Three Little Pigs are often portrayed as hardworking and determined characters, who manage to outwit the wolf by careful planning and, most importantly, teach children the power of perseverance and not giving up just because they failed a couple of times. We wonder if that’s where “third time’s the charm” comes from?

Aladdin

Aladdin is a fairy tale character from the story "Aladdin and the Magic Lamp" which is in turn a folk tale from "One Thousand and One Nights" (also known as "Arabian Nights"). The story tells the tale of a poor street urchin named Aladdin who is tricked by an evil sorcerer into retrieving a magical oil lamp from a dangerous cave. Once Aladdin rubs the lamp, a genie appears and grants him three wishes. Aladdin uses his wishes to become rich and powerful, win the hand of a beautiful princess, and (after several mishaps and adventures) defeat the sorcerer.

Aladdin is often portrayed as a poor, but clever and resourceful character, who through his wit and determination manages to outsmart the sorcerer and gain wealth, power and (last but definitely not least) true love. A classic tale of “rags to riches", the street urchin’s story teaches children the importance of staying true to one’s nature, and that a heart of gold is more precious than the actual commodity.

Fairy tales have played a significant role in defining our childhoods. These stories, with their larger-than-life characters and fantastical worlds, have taught us valuable lessons, sparked our imaginations and helped us understand the world around us. Even as we grow older, fairy tales continue to hold a special place in our hearts.

If the child in you is aching for that nostalgic feel of watching a fairy tale character win against all odds, we’ve got just the thing for you. In 2023, two books with fairy tale motifs are coming out: "The Lost Fairytales" by Emma Donoghue and "The Enchanted Garden" by R.J. Palacio. These books will remind you that no matter how old you get, the magic of fairy tales will always stay with you.

And on that note, if you are looking for some awesome information on all things “parenting”, check out the great work that the folks at Limonino are doing!

Top 19 Beloved Fairy Tale characters who defined our childhood!

Top 10 Surprising Facts About Your Favorite Authors - Jane Austen!

17 beautiful Jane Austen quotes that prove she was ahead of her time!