evil stepmothers
Cinderella's cruel guardian
Evil stepmothers are a stock figure in folklore and fairy tales—women who marry widowers and mistreat their stepchildren, especially daughters.
Cinderella, Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel all feature the type.
The phrase now describes any cruel or jealous stepmother, or extends metaphorically to institutions or systems that treat people as unwanted: The foster care system became an evil stepmother to thousands of children.
- once upon a timeTraditional narrative opening
- wickedEvil or slang-excellent
- jealousResentful of others' advantages
- vainExcessively proud or futile
- cruelWillfully causing suffering
witch · Cinderella · fairy tale · poison · apple · mirror · curse · jealousy · beauty · princess · stepchild · castle · spindle · vanity · magic mirror · scheming · malice · Snow White
- folklorefairy tales, fairytales, folktales, folk tales, folk tale
- Slavic folkloreBaba Yaga, vampire, Ivan, mora, Firebird
- folktalesfolktales, animal fables, folktale, moral fables, fairy tales
- Andersen TalesThe Ugly Duckling, The Snow Queen, Thumbelina, The Wild Swans, The Nightingale
- Norwegian Folktalestrolls, north wind, rune magic, butterball, troll hunter
evil stepmothersfairy godmothers
Supernatural benefactors granting wishes
guardian angels · adoptive mothers · Prince Charming · noble heroes · chosen family
evil, evilly, evilness, evils, stepmother, stepmothers, step, mother, mothers