FAIRYTALE THEMES

1. Don't be greedy (those who are never come off well in a fairytale).
   
2. Justice will out even if it does take a fairy godmother turning up to use magic to achieve this.
   
3. The downtrodden will end up being elevated (very much the last shall be first theme.  See Cinderella, Snow White etc).
   
4. Poverty is rightly portrayed as a huge evil.  See Oscar Wilde's wonderful The Happy Prince.
   
5. Hypocrisy is exposed.  See The Little Match Girl.  Nobody helped the poor kid.
   
6. Loyalty and faithfulness win out in the end.  See The Snow Queen.
   
7. Pride is despised, humility honoured (the humble characters are generally those who end up being the heroes/heroines).
   
8. Vanity is usually punished.  See The Red Shoes.
   
9. Being true to yourself is important.  While The Little Mermaid does not have a traditional happy ending, she is true to herself throughout the story.
   
10. Don't judge character by appearance alone.  Beauty and the Beast is the classic example.