Most Disney movies come from another story that is far older than the film. But their popularity and their timeless nature are what make Disney films what they are. From The Little Mermaid to Cinderella, Walt Disney has based their very popular princess films on fairytales and stories that range in age. These tales as old as time captured our hearts with their music, but when you think about the background of the characters and finally hear them sing in the native language, it takes it to a whole new level.
YouTube channel Movie Munchies has done just that, releasing two videos comparing how the Disney princesses sound in English then in the language of the country their stories come from. The result is a chance to hear a part of your favorite Disney princess song in English, then hear how the next few lines sound when they are sung in French, Norwegian, Danish or even Arabic in the case of Jasmine from Aladdin.
Part 1 of the two-part videos features Ariel, Mulan, Elsa and Rapunzel. Each of these stories has history and we learn a little bit of that history by hearing the native language of the character. It also gives context to the setting of the story. There are the obvious ones like Mulan, who is Chinese and that’s made very apparent in the film as she goes off to fight for China. Her story is one of the oldest (except Megara’s) as it dates back to the 400s. Then there’s the less obvious Rapunzel, whose story is German in origin and hearing “I See the Light” in German is an experience. Same with The Little Mermaid, whose story takes place in Denmark.
Then the second video of the two-part set features Belle, Snow White, Megara, Aurora and Anna. These are a little more obvious in origins, as Belle and Aurora are French and Snow White is another German story. Then there’s Anna, whose story (along with her sister Elsa) is Norwegian and finally Megara, who is Greek.
You and your kids are sure to enjoy these videos and have fun learning more about the origins of some of their favorite Disney princesses.
Which of these princesses is your favorite? Share with us in the comments below!
Photo Credit: Walt Disney Animation
