Top 5 Most Vile Villains in Fairy Tales

The basic structure of any fairy tale consists of the hero, the baddie, the supporting characters, an obstacle to overcome, magic, and a resolution. A good story will have a protagonist that is worth rooting for and an antagonist that you'll love to hate. Sometimes the antagonists are the more interesting characters and the force that drives a story along. Usually a backstory is given to these characters to better understand their motives for being so wicked. There are countless evil-doers in classic fairy tales but these are our picks for the most vile.

5. The Fox and the Cat in Pinocchio

A pair of swindlers with fake disabilities. These two convinced Pinocchio to ditch school and come to the Land of Fools and Field of Miracles. Knowing that the puppet has got gold coins in his pocket, they scheme to steal them. They invite Pinocchio to an inn whereby they eat a large meal and further elaborating on their stories to elude payment. After their dine and dash, they disguise themselves and attempt to kill Pinocchio and steal the rest of his money. They catch him and hang him from a tree. Pinocchio encounters them four times during his adventures and through their lies, Pinocchio is lead towards the wrong paths each time. For a life filled with crime, karma does catch up with these tricksters and they do eventually become disabled for real. The cat becomes blind and the fox had to sell his tail for food. In the end having learned his life lessons, Pinocchio finally sees them for who they truly are: a pair of con artists with no remorse.

4. The Stepmother in Cinderella

A haughty woman and her two daughters torment Cinderella in her own home. The motives for this character's wickedness is envy. The stepmother reduces Cinderella to less than a maid and makes her life a living hell. In Charles Perrault's and Grimms' version of this story, Cinderella's father doesn't die but dead or alive, it made no difference; he was more of an accessory to the abuse. Poor Cinderella had to rely on her godmother or the spirit of her dead mother for help. The stepmother does everything she can to keep Cinderella from going to the royal festival and meeting the prince but her plans were always thwarted. For her hatred and cruelty towards her stepdaughter, she can wallow in knowing that Cinderella has become a princess; a future that she wanted for her own daughters. In this kinder version by Perrault, Cinderella forgives her stepfamily and all live happily afterwards. In Grimm's version though, the two stepsisters get punished by having their eyes pecked out by pigeons!

3. The Witch in Hansel and Gretel

What can be more terrifying than being a captive of a cannibalistic witch who is only delaying your demise because she wants to plump you up. This witch lures her victims to her by way of a candy house. She has the means to buy food but prefers human meat, or human veal called children. She's evil and looks the part; ugly on the outside and inside. Often in disguise as a helpless old lady just living alone in the forest, inside a delicious house. Out of starvation, Hansel and Gretel do get tricked and trapped in her lair but clever Gretel outwits her and pushes her into the flaming oven whereupon she is burned alive. It's only fitting that she receive the same fate as her many victims. The brother and sister escape and make off with the riches they find in her home. This witch is similar to Baba Yaga from Russian fairy tales however, the latter is more powerful and can be good.

2. Bluebeard

Within the walls of a beautiful mansion, there lies a secret chamber. A chamber filled with the dead bodies of Bluebeard's previous seven wives. All the bodies were hung up by the hair with throats slashed. This tale could very well be a haunted house story. Even with Bluebeard's frightening appearance and knowledge of his previous wives mysterious disappearances, it still wasn't enough to dissuade Fatima from marrying him. Bluebeard is a serial killer that enjoys toying with his victims before he slaughters them. Knowing all too well that his new wife, Fatima's curiosity will get the best of her, he forbids her to open the mysterious chamber all the while giving her the keys for it. He sets her up to disobey him so he'll have reason to kill her. Luckily for Fatima, her brothers save her in time. Bluebeard's wives were killed because of their disobedience and only psychopaths will agree that that was just cause for their deaths.

1. Shahryār in One Thousand and One Nights

This powerful ruler of Persia once had an unfaithful wife and after discovering her infidelity, he has her killed. In his rage, he decides that all women are unfaithful and marries a new virgin each day only to execute them the following morning before they would have a chance to betray him. After years of killing these innocent women, there were no virgins left and Scheherazade, the vizier's daughter offers herself as his next bride in hopes that she can stop the senseless slaughter. After one thousand and one nights, Shahryār falls in love with Scheherazade and spares her life. Shahryār is a changed man in the end but is not held accountable for the mass murder and instead is rewarded by having such a clever and brave wife. Scheherazade also bore him three sons. Shahryār was a fearful dictator so it might have taken a supernatural force like a jinni to defeat him but unfortunately, those characters were reserved for the stories within.

The Poisoned Apple: A Fractured Fairy Tale Written and Illustrated by Anne Lambelet

A sweet princess, an evil witch, a poisoned apple and a dastardly plan. Familiar fairy tale ingredients mixed in with a new sauce. Anne Lambelet's brew of suspense, humour, and stylized art bring this classic to modern times. Quick paced and straight to the action, readers will anticipate the witches moves as the story develops. The princess is given the poisoned apple and the witch watches from afar as her scheme spirals out of control and she gets a taste of her own medicine.

Short descriptions are provided for the nameless characters to draw more attention to their actions and the consequences thereof. This story assumes that readers already know the classic tale of 'Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs' by the brothers Grimm but it's not a prerequisite. The illustrations are wonderfully detailed and playful especially when showing the witch collecting her rare ingredients. This new fairy tale ends with an old-fashioned moral. Recommended for ages 3+. 

Amazon

Page Street Kids 2020
Hardcover 32p

10.11" x 9.49"

Once Upon a Wild Wood by Chris Riddell

Follow along with Little Green Rain Cape as she journeys through the wild wood in this delightful fairy tale mash-up. While on her way to Rapunzel's party, Green meets a slew of enchanting characters like a wolf, a troll and a kind old lady who offers her an apple. Unlike her counterpart Red Riding Hood, Green is much more prepared and aware but that's not enough to prevent her from getting into some sticky situations.

Multiple award-winning illustrator, author and cartoonist Chris Riddell adds fresh charm to classic characters. Lively, upbeat and wonderfully illustrated with humourous details filled with fairy tale references and an inviting die-cut cover makes this picture book a visual treat. With an open ending, readers are encouraged to continue the story and create their own adventures through the wild wood. Recommended for ages 4+.

Amazon
Macmillan Children's Books 2018
Hardcover 32p
12.1" x 9.4"

Hansel & Gretel by Holly Hobbie

Hansel and Gretel is a German tale first published in 1812 by the Brothers Grimm and remains very popular to this day. The story involves two young children who are deserted by their father and stepmother deep in the woods. Lost and hungry, they are lured into a house made of cake and candy. The homeowner is an old, evil witch who poses as a kind and gracious host but by next morning she reveals her true self and captures the siblings with the intent of eating them. In the beginning of the story, Hansel appears to be more of the thinker and active in the siblings escape from peril but it is Gretel who outwits the witch in the end.

This version of Hansel and Gretel by Holly Hobbie is adapted from Grimms' Tales for Young and Old translated by Ralph Manheim (1977). The text has been shortened with the focus being the wonderful illustrations. Ms. Hobbie uses watercolours, pen and ink and gouache for her twenty-two paintings in this book. The mood is subdued with effective use of shadow and light. The darker aspect of this story may have been written to warn children about trusting strangers. Recommended for ages 5+.

Amazon
Little, Brown and Company 2015
Hardcover 32p
10.4" x 10.2"

The Original Tale of The Little Mermaid by Hans Christian Andersen with Illustrations by Edmund Dulac 1911

Far out at sea the water is as blue as the bluest cornflower, and as clear as the clearest crystal; but it is very deep, too deep for any cable to fathom, and if many steeples were piled on top of one another, they would not reach from the bed of the sea to the surface of the water. It is down there that the Merfolk live. We must not imagine that there is nothing at the bottom of the sea but bare yellow sand. No, indeed, the most singular flowers and plants grow there; the leaves and stems of which are so pliant that the slightest agitation of the water causes them to stir as if they had life. Fishes, both large and small, glide between the branches as birds fly among the trees here upon land. In the deepest spot of all, stands the castle of the Sea King. Its walls are built of coral, and the long, gothic windows are of the clearest amber. The roof is formed of shells, that open and close as the water flows over them. Their appearance is very beautiful, for in each lies a glittering pearl, which would be fit for the diadem of a queen.

The Sea King had been a widower for many years, and his aged mother kept house for him. She was a very wise woman, and exceedingly proud of her high birth; on that account she wore twelve oysters on her tail; while others, also of high rank, were only allowed to wear six. She was, however, deserving of very great praise, especially for her care of the little sea-princesses, her grand-daughters. They were six beautiful children; but the youngest was the prettiest of them all; her skin was as clear and delicate as a rose-leaf, and her eyes as blue as the deepest sea; but, like all the others, she had no feet, and her body ended in a fish's tail. All day long they played in the great halls of the castle, or among the living flowers that grew out of the walls. The large amber windows were open, and the fish swam in, just as the swallows fly into our houses when we open the windows, excepting that the fishes swam up to the princesses, ate out of their hands, and allowed themselves to be stroked. Outside the castle there was a beautiful garden, in which grew bright red and dark blue flowers, and blossoms like flames of fire; the fruit glittered like gold, and the leaves and stems waved to and fro continually. The earth itself was the finest sand, but blue as the flame of burning sulphur. Over everything lay a peculiar blue radiance, as if it were surrounded by the air from above, through which the blue sky shone, instead of the dark depths of the sea. In calm weather the sun could be seen, looking like a purple flower, with the light streaming from the calyx. Each of the young princesses had a little plot of ground in the garden, where she might dig and plant as she pleased. One arranged her flower-bed into the form of a whale; another thought it better to make hers like the figure of a little mermaid; but that of the youngest was round like the sun, and contained flowers as red as his rays at sunset. She was a strange child, quiet and thoughtful; and while her sisters would be delighted with the wonderful things which they obtained from the wrecks of vessels, she cared for nothing but her pretty red flowers, like the sun, excepting a beautiful marble statue. It was the representation of a handsome boy, carved out of pure white stone, which had fallen to the bottom of the sea from a wreck. She planted by the statue a rose-colored weeping willow. It grew splendidly, and very soon hung its fresh branches over the statue, almost down to the blue sands. The shadow had a violet tint, and waved to and fro like the branches; it seemed as if the crown of the tree and the root were at play, and trying to kiss each other. Nothing gave her so much pleasure as to hear about the world above the sea. She made her old grandmother tell her all she knew of the ships and of the towns, the people and the animals. To her it seemed most wonderful and beautiful to hear that the flowers of the land should have fragrance, and not those below the sea; that the trees of the forest should be green; and that the fishes among the trees could sing so sweetly, that it was quite a pleasure to hear them. Her grandmother called the little birds fish, or she would not have understood her; for she had never seen birds.