Shadowing Practice: A Short History of Fairy Tales - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Once upon a time, there was a fearsome beast, a wicked stepmother, animals that talked,
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a young girl that married a prince.
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There were fairies and magic, brave knights and child-eating witches.
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You don't know what story I'm about to tell, but by beginning with those four words, I have already set your expectations.
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This is the beginning of a fairy tale.
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They have lived as a part of popular culture within our society for hundreds of years.
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And though many of us already know how they're going to end, we seem to have a fascination with telling them over and over again.
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But where did fairy tales come from?
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Why do these stories appeal to us in the way that they do?
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And why is it that most people can recall the story of Cinderella or Hansel and Gretel, but far fewer know The Wishing Table,
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The Golden Donkey, and The Cudgel in the Sack.
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Today we're going to be looking at a history of fairy tales, learn their ancient origins, explore how they've been adapted over different cultures and times,
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and hopefully answer the question as to why we seem to be so fascinated by them.
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So join me, dear viewers, as today we learn all about the history of fairy tales.
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So we're going to start off by defining what a fairy tale is, because they can be quite similar to other types of stories.
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In general, a fairy tale is a short story that's old enough to be passed down through multiple generations.
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They overlap with the genre of folklore, but are also distinct from myths, since they're not usually based in religion and don't technically qualify as fables either,
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since fables are designed to tell a moral, while fairy tales don't really need to have a lesson.
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also usually involve some kind of fantasy elements like talking animals, magic, fairies, trolls, and other fantasy creatures.
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They also display clear distinctions between good and evil, and include recurring themes like transformation or coming of age,
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as well as common stock characters like a brave knight or wicked stepmother.
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Now, aside from these basic parameters, fairy tales fall into one of two categories.
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There are oral fairy tales and literary ones.
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Oral fairy tales are the oldest kind, and usually can't be traced back to where they originated from, since those details are lost to time.
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These stories were shared from one speaker to another instead of being written down, and were only officially recorded hundreds of years after they first started being told.
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For example, Cinderella is an oral fairy tale.
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Literary fairy tales, on the other hand, are original short stories that are recorded, which started appearing around the end of the 17th century.
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They're written by an identifiable author, and were largely popularized by Charles Perrault and Hans Christian Andersen.
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An example of a literary fairy tale is Beauty and the Beast.
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Using these definitions, we're also able to better understand what is not a fairy tale.
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Although there are a lot of stories that may contain similar elements, or even take inspiration from them, it's important to make a distinction.
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For example, Alice in Wonderland and The Little Mermaid are both stories that contain magic and fairy tale creatures, and were written within 30 years of each other.
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Yet, The Little Mermaid gets to be a part of the fairy tale club, while Alice in Wonderland doesn't, since one is a short story and the other is a novel.
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As we've already established, there's no known origin of fairy tales.
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Asking who invented them is like asking who invented baking bread.
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These details trace far beyond recorded history.
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Some scholars believe that certain oral fairy tales even date back as far as the Bronze Age, while others suspect that they may pre-date writing altogether.
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Many of the fairy tales we're familiar with can also be found across many different cultures, making it difficult to pinpoint where they came from.
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Though these details are murky, some scholars associate the origin of fairy tales with women's in the household,
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being used as a way to pass the time when engaging in repetitive tasks like spinning.
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Fairy tales being stories for children is also a recent development.
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These were originally tales told by adults for adults, changing from speaker to speaker across different contexts.
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Cinderella, for example, is believed to have thousands of different versions.
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While some signs point to it originating in either China or Egypt, it has been told in countries all across Europe,
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Asia, and Africa, all of which change the details of the story a lot
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or a little depending on who was telling it.
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A few of the basic plot beats usually stay the same, like Cinderella being forced to work for her family,
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the slipper test, or her eventual marriage to a person of wealth and status.
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The details in between, however, evolve and change across iterations.
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Sometimes the slipper is just an ordinary shoe, other times it's gold, silver,
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or glass, with that last one actually being a newer invention by Charles Perrault.
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Sometimes Cinderella is helped by the spirit of her dead mother.
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Other times it's a fairy.
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Or, as in the Chinese version, Ye Shen, it's a guardian spirit that takes the form of a goldfish.
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In order to explain the way that fairy tales evolve over time, the author Jack Zipes compares them to a meme.
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No, not that kind of meme.
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This kind.
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An idea, behavior, style, or usage that spreads from person to person within a culture.
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Zipes argues that fairy tales have managed to stay relevant because they're able to adapt to the context in which they're told.
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Stories are going to be recounted differently depending on if you're at a royal court or in the local tavern, laboring in a farmer's field or working on a ship.
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In fact, this adaptability might be the reason why we tell them to begin with.
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Fairy tales all share one common question.
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What are the characters going to do to adapt to this new situation.
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Two children are abandoned in the woods by their parents.
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A royal baby is cursed to fall asleep for a hundred years.
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A young woman is forced to spin straw into gold or else she'll die.
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At their core, fairy tales are about adaptability.
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We tell them because they help us think of ways
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that we can adapt to our own environment and figure out how to cope when new unexpected situations arise.
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But as fairy tales continued to evolve, transitioning largely from oral tales to literary ones,
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their purpose also began to shift in the broader cultural context.
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So, for the majority of their history, fairy tales were primarily passed on through oral storytelling.
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However, around the late 16th century, they started being shared in new ways.
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The invention of the printing press in the century prior meant
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that literacy rates as as well as the amount of literature available were on the rise.
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Presumably, people began looking at these stories that we'd been sharing amongst ourselves for generations and said, hey, maybe we should write some of those down.
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Fairy tales were now primed to evolve into new mediums.
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Aside from finally being recorded on paper, they were also being adapted into new methods of storytelling, like ballets, operas, and masks.
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They were also gaining more interest amongst the upper classes, being transformed into dramatic recitations for court rather than just stories to be shared casually.
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The biggest shift, however, would come with the rise of fairy tale collections.
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One of the most notable early publications is Tales and Stories of the Past with Morals, first released in 1697 by French author Charles Perrault.
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In this collection, Perrault would popularize many iconic aspects of the fairy tale genre that we know today, such as the phrase, once upon a time,
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or as we already discussed, Cinderella's glass slipper.
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However, Perrault would also make significant changes to some of the stories in order to appeal to the upper classes.
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For example, characters of nobility would often be written as morally superior to the foolish and sinful peasants.
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Female characters in particular were also frequently portrayed more negatively in Perrault's collection than in the oral fairy tales they originated from.
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This would be a recurring theme in fairy collections going forward.
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Since authors were only recording one version of a story, they had to make choices of which details to include, which version to base their telling off of,
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and whether or not to make changes that appeal to the intended audience for their book.
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In doing so, some fairy tales lost that adaptability of context that made the oral version so popular to begin with.
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Perhaps the most well-known collection of fairy tales is Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm's Nursery and Household Tales,
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published over two volumes in 1812 and 1815.
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Today we just know them as Grimm's fairy tales, and these versions are largely the ones that have stuck around in popular culture, usually assumed to be the originals.
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But like Charles Perrault, the Grimm brothers would make several changes to the stories they were recording.
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Their versions would be more detailed, with some stories actually doubling in length, and many were also altered to be more supportive of Christian themes and ideals.
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A good way to understand how fairy tales changed during the
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transition from oral storytelling to recorded collections is by looking at the example of Little Red Riding Hood.
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When it was an oral tale, it was altered depending on who was telling it.
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For example, a Chinese version includes a tiger rather than a wolf.
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Focusing on the European telling, however, we have a tale called The Story of a Grandmother.
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Now this version follows most of the story beats that we're familiar with.
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a young girl is delivering food to her grandmother.
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She meets a wolf in the woods.
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The wolf eats her grandmother, and by the time she arrives at the house, the wolf is in bed dressed as an old woman.
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However, there are two distinct differences.
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Firstly, the wolf is a werewolf, and has a very creepy and perverted undertone, and he tricks the little girl into eating part of her grandmother.
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And secondly, when they're doing the whole, my, what big eyes you have bit, the young girl sees right through the wolf's disguise.
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Realizing she's in danger, she immediately makes an excuse to leave the cottage, saying she has to relieve herself.
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The wolf doesn't fully buy it, so he ties a rope to her ankle to prevent her from escaping.
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Once she's outside, however, the girl unties her foot and then ties the rope to a tree and runs home unharmed.
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Unlike the modern version of this tale, the story is not about avoiding strangers and doing what your parents tell you.
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This version is about thinking on your feet and being clever in a dangerous situation.
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The version told by Charles Perrault, however, adds extra details and plot points that completely change the meaning of the oral tale.
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Some of the details added include giving the little girl her iconic red cape, as well as making her beautiful, but spoiled and naive.
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When she meets the wolf, he asks her a whole bunch of questions about what she was doing and where her grandmother lives, and she foolishly answers them.
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The story then plays out as usual, except this time, instead of outsmarting the wolf and escaping, the little girl is eaten.
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Perrault's version changes this from a tale about being clever to a story that essentially blames the little girl for her fate.
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Because she was not wise enough to avoid strangers in the woods, she is punished.
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The version that the Grimm brothers adapt in their collection pushes this theme even further.
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They add the detail of the little girl's mother warning her not to stray from the path, so her eventual encounter with the wolf becomes a lesson about obeying your parents.
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This version also includes an additional scene at the end, where the woodsman cuts the wolf open and saves the little girl and her grandmother.
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As we can see from these three different versions of the story, the fairy tale changes and adapts depending on the teller.
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Each one includes ideas from the social context in which they're being told, becoming a story about cleverness,
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or one that upholds values on morality and obedience that were prevalent at the time.
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As fairy tale collections became more popular, however, the versions that were recorded by Perrault and the Brothers Grimm would become solidified in popular culture.
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And, before long, it wasn't just the content of these tales that was being changed, but rather, our perception of the entire fairy tale genre.
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After the first edition of Grimm's fairy tale collection was released to the public, the sales numbers were found to be disappointing.
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However, they also noticed that similar publications were more successful when they were targeted towards children rather than adults.
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And so, the second edition of Grimm's fairy tales was made with children in mind, having many of the tales altered so that they could be more appropriate for this new audience.
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Now today the Brothers Grimm are still known for having much more violent versions of fairy tales than we're usually familiar with.
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But even in the 1800s there were things that were were considered inappropriate for children, one of them being references to intimacy.
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The story of Rapunzel, for example, was altered to remove details about her having relations with the prince and then becoming pregnant out of wedlock.
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Later collections by other authors would also follow this trend, with the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen releasing increasingly sanitized versions.
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Throughout the late 19th and early 20th century, fairy tales would begin to take the shape we know today.
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Gone were the days of evolving stories told by adults to alleviate boredom.
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Fairy tales were now seen as children's stories, ones that had a fixed version thanks to the popularity of children's collections,
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while many of the oral tales were being forgotten entirely.
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The hold
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that these child-friendly versions had on popular culture would only be solidified as they were increasingly adopted into other forms of media.
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Fairy tales were told on radio shows, in film, illustrated in children's books, comics, and cartoons.
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After World War II, there was also a push for more wholesome children's entertainment in North America, which helped spread the popularity of fairy tales,
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while also finishing their transformation into the squeaky clean versions that most media tells today.
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And of course, we can't really talk about the spread of modern fairy tales without talking about Disney.
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These animated films have become iconic, but they've also solidified a very specific image of these stories in popular culture, one that is very Americanized.
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Now, that's not to say that there's anything wrong with these stories, but modern fairy tales, particularly the Disney versions, have faced quite a bit of criticism over the years,
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especially within the 21st century, but that's a whole other topic on its own.
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However, in more recent years, there's actually been an interesting shift in the fairy tale genre.
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With popular stories like Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty becoming increasingly generic, there has been a rise in stories that reimagine these tales,
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changing details or telling them from a different perspective to provide a fresh take on the classic story.
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Now, I know these are not everybody's cup of tea, but I really like them.
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And I think it's interesting that, in a way, we've come full circle.
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Fairy tales started out as ever-evolving stories, then became a fixed version.
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And now we're finally seeing new imaginings that replicate the style of the oral tales they originated from.
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So to finish off this video, I want to recommend some fairy tale retellings.
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First off, there's The Fairy's Return and Other Princess Tales by Gail Carson Levine.
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Now, this is a middle grade novel, but I really enjoyed it growing up, and it has some interesting takes on classic fairy tales, as well as ones that not many people know.
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Also, the same author wrote Ella Enchanted, which, if you didn't know, is actually a retelling of Cinderella.
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For something more geared towards adult readers, I would recommend The Book of Gothel, which is technically based on Rapunzel but very loosely.
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Or The Book of Lost Things, which is a more mature take on one of those fantasy stories where a kid finds a secret fairy tale world.
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And of course, I can't talk about fairy tale retellings without bringing up my favorite musical of all time, Into the Woods.
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It's a play that reimagines a bunch of fairytale characters all being within the same universe and interacting with each other, leading to disastrous consequences.
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But do not watch the movie adaptation, okay?
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It completely ruins the point of the original play and removes all the comedy from something that's supposed to be a comedy.
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If Into the Woods does not feel like Shrek, you're not watching a good version.
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See if you can find the 1991 Pro Shot.
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I believe it's still on YouTube.
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If you guys have any other recommendations, feel free to drop them in the comments.
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And, as always, thank you for watching!
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If you enjoyed the video, please consider leaving a like or a comment down below.
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If you want to see more content like this, you can also subscribe to my channel, and keep up to date on all the fun history videos of the future.
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But for now, I bid you farewell.
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Vocabulario y notas de pronunciación para esta lección
Esta lección de conversación de nivel B2 se basa en el vídeo “A Short History of Fairy Tales”. Las palabras que más se repiten: tale, fairy, version, stories, oral. Este vídeo tiene 171 frases y 2965 palabras para practicar shadowing. La parte hablada dura 17:09. El hablante habla a un ritmo natural de unas 173 palabras por minuto, cercano a una conversación cotidiana. Solo el 78 % de las palabras está entre las 3.000 más comunes del inglés, por lo que el vocabulario es exigente.
Vocabulario clave de este vídeo
Las 15 palabras más avanzadas del vídeo, con su pronunciación y significado:
| Palabra | Pronunciación | Significado |
|---|---|---|
| evolve verbo | /ɪˈvɑlv/ | desarrollar |
| adapt verbo | /əˈdæpt/ | adaptar, ajustar |
| grandmother sustantivo | /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðɚ/ | abuela |
| alter verbo | /ˈɔl.təɹ/ | alterar, cambiar |
| genre sustantivo | /ˈ(d)ʒɑnɹə/ | género |
| adaptability sustantivo | /ədæptəˈbɪlɪti/ | adaptabilidad, flexibilidad |
| originate verbo | /əˈɹɪd͡ʒɪneɪt/ | originarse |
| slipper sustantivo | /ˈslɪpə(ɹ)/ | zapatilla, pantufla |
| solidify verbo | /səˈlɪdɪˌfaɪ/ | solidificar |
| storytelling sustantivo | narración, narrativa | |
| fable sustantivo | /ˈfeɪbəl/ | fábula |
| recur verbo | /ɹɪˈkɜː/ | repetirse, volver a acontecer |
| stepmother sustantivo | /ˈstɛpmʌðə/ | madrastra |
| wick sustantivo | /ˈwɪk/ | matula, mecha |
| invent verbo | /ɪnˈvɛnt/ | inventar |
Phrasal verbs que vas a escuchar
| Palabra | Significado |
|---|---|
| bring up verbo | levantar, alzar |
| figure out verbo | averiguar, captar |
| finish off verbo | cabalear, rematar |
| grow up verbo | crecer |
| pass down verbo | heredar, pasar |
| play out verbo | discurrir |
| write down verbo | apuntar, anotar |
Gramática en este vídeo
Las estructuras que más usa el hablante, con las palabras exactas del vídeo:
| Estructura | En el vídeo |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + participio pasado — una acción pasada que sigue importando ahora | have already set · have lived · they've been adapted |
| Voz pasiva be + participio pasado — importa lo que ocurre, no quién lo hace | they've been adapted · be passed · are designed |
| Oraciones de relativo who / which + oración — información extra sobre una persona o cosa | Gothel, which is · Things, which is |
Pronunciación a tener en cuenta
El hablante usa 33 contracciones y formas reducidas, como they're, we're, can't. Dilas en su forma corta, tal como las oyes.
- Los sonidos de “th”: grandmother /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðɚ/, stepmother /ˈstɛpmʌðə/, altogether /ɔl.tuˈɡɛð.ɚ/, myth /mɪθ/
- Los sonidos de “sh” y “zh”: genre /ˈ(d)ʒɑnɹə/, invention /ɪnˈvɛnʃən/, casually /ˈkæʒuəli/, foolish /ˈfuː.lɪʃ/, punish /ˈpʌnɪʃ/
- Palabras largas — cuida el acento: adaptability /ədæptəˈbɪlɪti/, originate /əˈɹɪd͡ʒɪneɪt/, solidify /səˈlɪdɪˌfaɪ/, eventual /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃu.əl/, technically /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/
Sonidos difíciles para hispanohablantes:
- s + consonante al inicio — sin añadir una “e” delante: slipper /ˈslɪpə(ɹ)/, stepmother /ˈstɛpmʌðə/, scholar /ˈskɑlɚ/, stray /stɹeɪ/, spoil /spɔɪl/
- /v/ — no es /b/: los dientes tocan el labio inferior: evolve /ɪˈvɑlv/, invent /ɪnˈvɛnt/, eventual /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃu.əl/, invention /ɪnˈvɛnʃən/, alleviate /əˈli.vi.eɪt/
- /z/ — sonora, no /s/: disastrous /dɪˈzæs.tɹəs/, disguise /dɪsˈɡaɪz/, arise /əˈɹaɪz/, presumably /pɹɪˈzuːməbli/
Cómo practicar con este vídeo
- Escucha el vídeo entero una vez sin hablar y anota las palabras que no conoces.
- Empieza a velocidad 0,75×, haz shadowing frase por frase y vuelve a la velocidad normal cuando te resulte fácil.
- Grábate y compara con el original, prestando atención a palabras como evolve, adapt, grandmother.
¿Qué es la Técnica de Shadowing?
Shadowing es una técnica de aprendizaje de idiomas respaldada por la ciencia, desarrollada originalmente para la formación de intérpretes profesionales y popularizada por el políglota Dr. Alexander Arguelles. El método es simple pero poderoso: escuchas audio en inglés nativo y lo repites en voz alta de inmediato, como una sombra que sigue al hablante con solo 1-2 segundos de retraso. A diferencia de la escucha pasiva o los ejercicios de gramática, el shadowing obliga a tu cerebro y músculos de la boca a procesar y reproducir simultáneamente patrones de habla reales. Las investigaciones muestran que mejora significativamente la precisión de la pronunciación, la entonación, el ritmo, el habla conectada, la comprensión auditiva y la fluidez al hablar, convirtiéndola en una de las metodologías más efectivas para la preparación del IELTS Speaking y la comunicación en inglés en el mundo real.