Jason Hellerman writing on No Film School invites us to Explore 100+ Public Domain Fairy Tales for Crafting Your Screenplay.

He says:

“Thanks to the public domain, we have access to over 100+ fairy tales that have stood the test of time and are free for anyone to use, adapt, and enjoy.”

Jason feels that public domain fairy tales have many things going for them, such as: familiarity, their established storylines, their endless source material, clear themes and messages, plus multigenerational and universal appeal.

The Numbers concurs that there’s money to be made with fairy tales.

Here’s the list he provides:

• Cinderella
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
• Beauty and the Beast
• Sleeping Beauty
• Rapunzel
• Hansel and Gretel
• Little Red Riding Hood
• The Frog Prince
• The Little Mermaid
• The Emperor’s New Clothes
• The Ugly Duckling
• The Tortoise and the Hare
• The Boy Who Cried Wolf
• The Three Little Pigs
• Jack and the Beanstalk
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears
• The Pied Piper of Hamelin
• The Gingerbread Man
• The Musicians of Bremen
• The Goose Girl
• The Princess and the Pea
• The Emperor and the Nightingale
• The Snow Queen
• The Three Billy Goats Gruff
• The Lion and the Mouse
• The Fisherman and his Wife
• Thumbelina
• The Brave Little Tailor
• The Little Match Girl
• The Magic Fish
• The Golden Goose
• The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
• The Red Shoes
• The Steadfast Tin Soldier
• The Wild Swans
• The Elves and the Shoemaker
• The Princess on the Glass Hill
• The Twelve Dancing Princesses
• The Bremen Town Musicians
• The Three Feathers
• The Valiant Little Tailor
• The Snow-White Dove
• The Little Red Hen
• The Girl Without Hands
• The Magic Porridge Pot
• The Frog Princess
• The Dragon and the Princess
• The Master Cat; or, Puss in Boots
• The Story of Bluebeard
• The Story of Tom Thumb
• The Queen Bee
• The Singing Bone
• The Water of Life
• The Wolf and the Crane
• The Wolf and the Sheep
• The Young Giant
• The Golden Bird
• The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean
• The Swineherd
• The Three Princesses of Whiteland
• The White Cat
• The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack
• The White Snake
• The Boy Who Wanted More Cheese
• The Drummer
• The Golden Crab
• The Golden Key
• The Little Glass Slipper
• The Old Woman and Her Pig
• The Story of the Three Bears
• The Travelling Musicians
• The Two Brothers
• The Witch in the Stone Boat
• The Witch’s Daughter
• The Woodcutter’s Daughter
• The Young Slave
• The Seven Ravens
• The Blue Light
• The Brave Little Parrot
• The Glass Mountain
• The Golden Goose of the Wonderful Garden
• The Golden Lion
• The Lazy Spinner
• The Little Good Mouse
• The Little Nut-Tree
• The Old Woman in the Wood
• The Seven Foals
• The Sun, the Moon, and Talia
• The Thief and His Master
• The Two Brothers and the White Bearded Old Man
• The White Bird
• The White Duck
• The Wise Little Girl
• The Witch and Her Servants
• The Magic Mirror
• The Wild Man
• The Fairy Gifts
• The Fire-Bird, the Horse of Power, and the Princess Vasilissa
• The Juniper-Tree
• The King of the Golden Mountain
• The Little Mermaid and the Prince
• The Master Thief
• The Nightingale
• The Six Swans
• The Twelve Huntsmen
• The Golden Bird and the Good Hare
• The Iron Stove
• The Milk-White Doo
• The Nettle Spinner
• The Princess and the Goblin
• The Princess Mayblossom
• The Rose Tree
• The Sea-Maiden
• The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood

My take: as the Bible says, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”