Fairy Tale

A fairy tale is a fantastical and usually folkloric story involving magic. Fairy tales originated as an oral tradition, which accounts for the many versions of common fairy tales. While fairy tales are currently oriented towards children, they were originally told for adults, and some versions of certain fairy tales may be too dark or frightening for children.

Characteristics of fairy tales

 * A short story
 * Centers around a young person
 * Involves magic of some type, such as talking animals or objects, witches, or a fairy
 * Incorporates a moral

Modern fairy tales
Many modern writers use the fairy tale structure for stories very different from the typical tale. Animal Farm could be considered a fairy tale despite its political commentary. Many authors have also taken up the task of rewriting common fairy tales in a new way. Some of these stories are parodies, often called "fractured" fairy tales, while others are deeper explorations of the short story or a typical tale brought into a modern setting.