How much has Disney changed the original stories?

As a lot of Disney animations are actually adapted stories from books, I wondered if the themes and issues represented could really be called signatures of Disney if they originally came from someone else. So I decided to read the original stories and find out how much Disney made it's own.

SNOW WHITE

The 1812 folk tale first published in Germany, "Sneewitchen", or "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" was written by the Brothers Grimm. The main differences between the original story and the Disney version are as follows :

• Snow White's mother wishes for her in the beginning of the original story after seeing her blood drip onto the snow outside, as she was stood at an ebony window frame. Her mother then dies when Snow White is born, and her father re-marries a year later.
• In the original tale, Snow White's step mother develops a hatred for her from the time she is seven, and the mirror states that she is more beautiful than the Queen. This festers for years before she does anything sinister.
• Snow White doesn't have a bond with animals in the Brothers Grimm version, and the dwarfs are not dirty or untidy at all. Although they let her live in their house on the condition she sews, knits, cleans and cooks for them.
• In the original story, the Queen eats the boars heart that the huntsman gives her after he lets Snow White escape.
• The Queen has three attempts of killing Snow White in the original story, first by offering to fit her bodice with new laces, and pulling them so tight that she passes out, (the seven dwarfs cut her free), second by poisoning a comb, and pushing it into her hair, (the seven dwarfs pull it out and the effect wears off), and third, by poisoning one half of an apple, and tricking her into trusting her by eating one half of the apple. - The seven dwarfs cannot save her and create a crystal coffin for her, like in the Disney film.
• In the original story, Snow White doesn't meet the Prince until she wakes up. He sees her in her coffin, falls in love with her and asks the seven dwarfs if they will let him take her home where he will gaze upon her and look after her. They agree after taking pity on him, but when his servants pick up her coffin and start taking her away, one trips, and the poisoned apple fell out of Snow White's throat, awakening her.
• It is not true loves kiss that wakes Snow White in the original story, although when she awakens, the Prince proposes, and she agrees.
• The evil Queen is invited to the wedding in the original tale, and she is given red hot shoes that make her dance for the rest of her life.

CINDERELLA

Cinderella is a story originally written by a french poet named Charles Perrault in 1729. It is not far different from the Disney animated version, however there are a few differences:

• The original Cinderella doesn't speak to the animals, they are only brought into the story when they are being turned into coachmen and footmen for her, and that is the only role they play (no friendship involved)
• Cinderella is invited back to a second ball after meeting the Prince at the first one, where as in Disney's version there is just one ball to attend.
• In the Disney animation, Cinderella leaves her life behind to live with the Prince in the palace, where-as in Perrault's version, Cinderella gives both her step-sisters a Lord to court with, a lodging at the palace each, and tells them she forgives them with all her heart after they beg her.
• When the slipper is brought to Cinderella's house, her sisters try it on and cannot fit, and then Cinderella is allowed to try it on after she requests to - she isn't locked up or prevented at all in the original story. She also slides her foot into the slipper, and then brings out the other one and puts that on too - then her fairy Godmother comes out and turns her back into the Princess she was at the ball. In Disney's version, the slipper smashes to bits on the floor, and then she brings out the second shoe to prove herself.
• There is not a lot of mention of Cinderella's mother, step-mother, or father in the original tale after the introduction. However it is said that her father is alive throughout the tale.
• In 1812, the Brothers Grimm also wrote an adaptation of Cinderella, far less family-friendly, the two sisters (beautiful with black hearts, in this case), cut off parts of their feet to try and fit into Cinderella's gold shoe. There is also an explanation of Cinderella's mother dying, and her mourning her, planting a hazel branch at her grave which turns into a magic tree which grants her wishes- in the place of the fairy Godmother.

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (LA BELLE ET LA BETE)

The original tale of Beauty and the Beast was published in 1740 by Madame Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Gallon de Villeneuv. This was a long story of 362 pages, based directly around fairies. A french Aristocrat, Madame Jeanne-Marie Le Prince de Beaumont then shortened it in 1756, and it was translated to english. This tale has many differences to Disney's adaptation.

• In the original story, Beauty is the youngest of six children. Her sisters are both very selfish and spoilt, and in the end of the story they are turned into statues until they can learn the error of their ways. Beauty's brothers care for her, and go off to the army as they grow older.
• Beauty's family (her siblings and father, no mention of mother), lived in a grand house in riches, until her father lost all their money and they moved into the country. In the Disney film, the story starts with Belle and her father living in the small country house.
• When Beauty's father is on a trip to try and get some of his money back, he gets lost on his way home and ends up at the Beasts house - like Maurice does in the Disney story, when he is taking a short cut to the fayre.
• The Beast anonymously gives Beauty's father dinner, a bed, fresh clothes, and breakfast, but then shows himself and becomes angry when Beauty's father tries to cut a rose to take home for Beauty. Then the Beast says that unless one of his daughters will willingly take his place, he will have to come back in three months to be killed. - This is as opposed to in the Disney animation, where the Beastis angry that Maurice has even entered the castle, then throws him in the dungeon, and Belle offers to take his place of her own will when she later finds him there.
• Beauty tells her father that she will give herself up to the Beast, although he won't hear of it. Her brothers offer to fight him, but her sisters are so selfish they just complain. - Beauty then goes to the castle with her father, and gives herself up to the Beast.
• The Beast and Beauty have dinner every night together while she lives there, and she enjoys his company as they are good friends. In the Disney film, it takes longer for Belle to start to like the Beast, as he is harsh towards her to begin with.
• The Beast asks Beauty to marry him everynight, but she declines as she only loves him as a friend.
• Like in the Disney film, the Beast lets Belle go back to see her father, although in the original story she promises to come back in one week. When at home, she sees that her sisters husbands, though good looking, are much more monstrous than the Beast could ever be, and she appreciates the Beast much more. But her sisters are horrid and purposefully keep Beauty longer than the week she promised, so that when Beauty goes back 10 days later, she finds the Beast dying of starvation outside. As he decided he couldn't live without Beauty.
• It is only here that she realises how much she loves him, and accepts his proposal of marriage, then his curse is broken and he turns into a handsome prince. - This is similar to how Disney portrays her telling the Beast she loves him, and her love causing his curse to be lifted.
• Gaston's character is only present in the Disney version, as are the enchanted objects in the castle.
• In the original story, Beauty has dreams of a fairy, who it then turns out is the fairy who originally cursed the Beast, and blesses their happiness at the end of the tale.

THE LION KING

The Lion King was the first Disney animation to be based on an original story, however it was influenced by Shakespeare's Hamlet. The tale was mainly however drawn together by Disney's pre-production team, who then noticed Hamlet similarities as the writing went on. Such as:

• A young Prince protagonist.
• An evil Uncle character, envious of the throne holder, and craving power.
• The murder of the King, who has been killed by the Uncle, with the blame falling on the Prince.
• The Prince avenging his father's death by killing his Uncle.