With the past few decades, a vast global audience has been rediscovering ancient fairy tales

through the lens of the animated films pioneered by Disney.

They've simplified and popularized some of the bigger stories such as Cinderella and Aladdin

and brought needed attention to lesser known tales like the Snow Queen or Little Mermaid.

But growing up and watching the classics, what struck me the most wasn't the animation

or the music, but the common appearance of that one key figure in so many tales, the

evil woman of power.

We can see versions of her in sleeping beauty and snow white, and she's there fresh and

modern as the wealthy socialite Corellidville.

It's a common thread in folklore, in some form or another, sometimes she's a cruel

stepmother while other times she's the witch in the far away castle.

Everywhere we look, the image of the woman who rules through violence and fear is right

there, waiting for us.

There are a few reasons why women, not men, have been featured as the most frightening

fairy tale villains throughout the ages.

Some experts say it's because mothers have tended to be the most powerful authority figure

in the lives of children through history.

Making their fictional counterparts evil was an easy way to make the dangers seem more

understandable to young minds.

Others point to a patriarchal system, built to teach everyone that power should only belong

to men, which might just be the biggest fairy tale of them all.

Throughout history, when women have taken on positions of power, they've shown themselves

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