In this gripping episode of Tales of Bedlam, hosts Micah and Andrea dive into Sun, Moon, and Talia, a haunting 17th-century Italian version of Sleeping Beauty by Giambattista Basile. With dark themes including non-consensual acts, cannibalism, and revenge, this early fairy tale is far removed from the Disney classic. Listen as Micah and Andrea react in real-time to the shocking twists, unsettling humor, and complex morality embedded in this rarely told story.
As part of our Sleeping Beauty Origins series, this episode highlights how fairy tales were once cautionary and brutal—offering fascinating insights into historical storytelling. Trigger warnings are in place, but if you’re intrigued by the darker roots of childhood stories, this episode is a must-hear.
What did you think of the original Sleeping Beauty? Did Sun, Moon, and Talia surprise or disturb you?
Leave us a comment below with your thoughts, theories, or rants—because this one’s bound to spark a conversation.
We have updated the story using modern language and sentence structure. Our goal was to retain the essence of the original tale while making it easier for listeners to understand. Here is an example.
First, an excerpt from the late 1600’s “Sleeping Beauty In The Wood” by Charles Perrault:
The Prince was at a stand, not knowing what to believe, when a very good countryman spake to him thus:
“May it please your royal highness, it is now about fifty years since I heard from my father, who heard my grandfather say, that there was then in this castle a princess, the most beautiful was ever seen; that she must sleep there a hundred years, and should be waked by a king’s son, for whom she was reserved.”
Run-on sentences with words not used in hundreds of years can be confusing. Now, our updated version.
The Prince was at a loss, not knowing what to believe, when a countryman told him this story:
“May it please, my Prince, I heard from my father, who heard my grandfather say that there was in this castle a princess, the most beautiful that ever was seen; she must sleep there a hundred years and would be woken by a prince someday.”
That clears things up and makes the episode enjoyable.
