True and bizarre origins of Disney Movies

The millennials of today grew up watching Disney movies, confidently singing the songs of their favorite Disney character/princess, and even making their favorites as a role model as they grow up. But not all of us know the true origin/happenings of our favorite classics. Here are some of the bizarre events the really happened in their original story:

Cinderella

What we thought happened:

Cinderella was a hit at the ball. The prince fell in love with her and asked her name. Just then the clock struck midnight, and Cinderella ran away. She was in such a hurry; she lost one of her glass slippers. It was the only clue the prince had to find his true love. He went to every home in the kingdom and had every single young girl try on the slipper to see if it fit. The evil step-sisters couldn’t fit the slipper, but Cinderella did. The prince married her and they all lived happily ever after.

What really happened:

In the "Grimms' Fairy Tales" version of the story, one of them cut her toes off to fit in the golden slipper, while the other sliced off her heel. Here’s worse, during Aschenputtel (Cinderella) and her prince's wedding, doves flew down from Heaven and pecked the sisters' eyes out.

Sleeping Beauty

What we thought happened:

The Prince smote the evil witch that turned into a dragon, ran to Aurora, and kissed her to awake her from her deep sleep. Aurora woke up and fell in love with the Prince. They soon wanted to get married, so the King and Queen (Aurora’s parents) arranged their wedding and they all lived happily ever after.

What really happened:

According to Giambattista Basile's 17th century tale "Sun, Moon, and Talia," the prince didn't kiss Talia (Aurora) when he found her sleeping; he was a king, and he raped her. She woke up months later with twin babies, Sun and Moon, and then was reunited with the married king.

The Little Mermaid

What we thought happened:

Triton decides that he has to let Ariel be free to lead her own life and tells Sebastian that he is going to miss her. He then transforms her once more into a human - this time permanently. Ariel goes to Eric, they finally kiss, and the two are immediately wed shortly after. And at this ceremony after Ariel and Eric are married onboard the wedding ship, Ariel bids her friends and family, including her six older sisters, her father Triton, Sebastian, Flounder, and Scuttle, goodbye to live her new life in Eric's world.

What really happened:

In Hans Christian Andersen original story of “The Little Mermaid," Ariel didn't only wish for legs to get the boy, she wished for legs because Mermaids don't get to go to heaven like humans do. Also, in this version of the tale, she felt like she was walking on sharp knives every time she took a step.

She also failed in her mission to get the prince to love her -- if she succeeded, his kiss would breathe part of his soul into her body, allowing her to have an afterlife -- and on the day of his wedding, she flung herself into the sea and died.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

What we thought happened:

The Queen persuades Snow White to take a bite from the apple by telling her that it is a 'wishing apple'; after biting the fruit, the princess falls into the Sleeping Death, as the Witch cackles in triumph. The dwarfs arrive and chase the Witch, eventually cornering her on a cliff, where she attempts to crush them with a boulder, but is sent over the cliff by a bolt of lightning, crushed by the boulder, and eventually devoured (off-screen) by vultures.

The dwarfs and animals mourn a comatose Snow White, believing her to be dead. They place her in a glass coffin in a peaceful glade in the forest. The Prince arrives and, after singing a reprise of One Song, kisses Snow White and breaks the spell. Awakened, she bids farewell to the dwarfs and animals and rides into the sunset with the Prince to live happily ever after.

What really happened:

It ended just the same, but the Grimm brothers once again give the story's villain a much crueler fate. The Queen was invited to Snow and her prince's wedding, which was nice, but when she arrived she was given a pair of hot iron shoes and forced to dance to death in front of the wedding party.

Mulan

What we thought happened:

After saving the emperor from hostage, she was offered a position to be part of the emperor’s staff, but she declined. As she returned to her family, Mulan expected to be reprimanded but is instead embraced by her family.

What really happened:

The original story is actually an ancient Chinese ballad, “Hua Mulan.” In the ballad, Mulan does in fact return home safely. However, an addition to “Hua Mulan” finds Mulan returning to a broken family. Her only option is to become a concubine, but instead of falling into prostitution, she commits suicide.