Traditional fairy tales are of course are filled with magic, with witches, wizards, spell books and magical objects often featuring in the stories associated with the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and others. Its no coincidence that the most well known and best loved stories for children, often classic tales of the eternal battle between the forces of good and evil, are fantasy based and involve magic.
These range from the myths and legends prevalent in ancient cultures around the globe through classic tales like Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and Cinderella, through Alice in Wonderland, The Secret Garden, and Peter Pan, to The Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and many more.
Many such stories that have become more familiar with children, often mostly from Disney movies in recent decades, are filled with strong magical themes and easily recognizable characters. Cinderella of course has her wicked stepmother and step sisters, along with her fairy godmother, a warm hearted grandmotherly figure, plus the handsome prince.
Disney's The Sword in the Stone features a bumbling old man as the version of Merlin tutoring the young Arthur, but Merlin is also a well known as a powerful wizard who is dangerous to his enemies, and also offers counsel and acts as a loyal friend to the future king. In Beauty and the Beast, the prince has been cursed by a witch and the enchantment can only be lifted by the appearance of true love, a frequent theme of sacrifice in tales involving magic.
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