fairy tale
Magic bedtime story
A fairy tale is a story featuring magical elements—enchantments, talking animals, witches, giants—typically set in a vague "once upon a time" past.
The genre includes both folk tales passed down orally and literary compositions in that style.
Figuratively, a fairy tale is something too good to be true or an outright fabrication: His alibi was a fairy tale.
A fairy-tale ending is improbably happy.
Legendary fire-breathing reptile
- unicornMythical one-horned horse
- witchPractitioner of dark arts
- wizardPractitioner of sorcery
- goblinMalicious folklore creature
elf · troll · ogre · dwarf · mermaid · giant · pixie · gnome
Traditional narrative opening
- happily ever afterTraditional story's final promise
- moralConcerning right conduct
- lessonUnit of teaching
- questSeeking journey for something
hero · villain · damsel · good versus evil · triumph · reward · punishment · prophecy
Arrange letters correctly
- curseInvoked harm through words
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- potionEnchanted liquid mixture
- wandThin ceremonial stick
transformation · wish · charm · bewitched · incantation · sorcery · witchcraft · shapeshifting
Inherited cultural narratives
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
- fableMoral tale with animals
- loreTraditional knowledge transmitted orally
- mythologyBody of traditional tales
Brothers Grimm · Hans Christian Andersen · Aesop · bedtime story · storytelling · retelling · adaptation · archetype
Fortified medieval residence
- forestTree-dense ecosystem
- kingdomMonarch's ruled territory
- towerTall slender edifice
- cottageSmall rural home
palace · dungeon · enchanted woods · village · thatched roof · drawbridge · moat · cobblestone
dragon
Legendary fire-breathing reptile
goblin · elf · troll · ogre · dwarf · mermaid · giant · pixie · gnome · sorcerer
once upon a time
Traditional narrative opening
- happily ever afterTraditional story's final promise
- moralConcerning right conduct
- lessonUnit of teaching
quest · hero · villain · damsel · good versus evil · triumph · reward · punishment · prophecy · disguise
spell
Arrange letters correctly
- curseInvoked harm through words
- enchantmentMagical influence over someone
- potionEnchanted liquid mixture
wand · transformation · wish · charm · bewitched · incantation · sorcery · witchcraft · shapeshifting · true love's kiss
folklore
Inherited cultural narratives
- oral traditionCulture passed by speech
- fableMoral tale with animals
- loreTraditional knowledge transmitted orally
mythology · Brothers Grimm · Hans Christian Andersen · Aesop · bedtime story · storytelling · retelling · adaptation · archetype · motif
castle
Fortified medieval residence
cottage · palace · dungeon · enchanted woods · village · thatched roof · drawbridge · moat · cobblestone · wilderness
- childhoodchildhood, baby, child, kid, toys
- fantasy elementsdragon, wizard, witch, spell, wand
- storiesstory, myth, legend, fable, folktales
- Disney moviesprincess, happy ending, enchanted forest, talking animals, musical number
- talesfunny stories, short story, yarns, folktale, ghost story
- fantasy fictionepic fantasy, high fantasy, low fantasy, dark fantasy, urban fantasy
fairy taletrue story
Narrative of actual events
fact · reality · nonfiction · documentary · historical account
fairy talerealistic fiction
Invented yet plausible storytelling
social realism · naturalism · gritty realism · literary realism · documentary film
fairy taletragedy
Disastrous or sorrowful event
nightmare · horror story · dystopia · grimdark · harsh reality
tale, fairy, tales, fairyland, fairies, faerie, fairy tales, fay, faery