There's 'The Juniper Tree'. In this story, a stepmother kills her stepson and makes him into a stew. Her daughter then accidentally eats part of him. Later, the boy is reborn as a bird and gets revenge on his stepmother. It's filled with dark and disturbing elements that make it a very creepy children's story. Another one could be 'The Yellow Wallpaper'. While it can be seen as more for adults, it has elements that can be disturbing for children too. The woman's descent into madness as she is trapped in the room with the yellow wallpaper is quite eerie.
One example is 'The Little Match Girl' by Hans Christian Andersen. The poor girl is out in the cold on New Year's Eve, facing hunger and the harsh elements. It has a rather melancholy and somewhat creepy undertone as she hallucinates about warm and wonderful things while slowly freezing to death. Another is 'The Tell - Tale Heart' which can be considered in a children's context. The narrator's obsession with the old man's 'evil eye' and his slow descent into madness as he kills the old man and then is haunted by the sound of the still - beating heart is quite creepy.
A creepy children's story is 'Bluebeard'. It's about a man who marries multiple times and has a locked room that his wives are not allowed to enter. When his new wife finally enters, she discovers the bodies of his former wives. It's a very dark and spooky tale that has been passed down for generations. Also, 'The Babadook' has a very creepy children's book within the story. The strange pop - up book with the menacing Babadook character that starts to haunt the mother and son is truly terrifying.
Well, these drawings and stories might be the result of the child's attempt to understand the world around them. The 'creepy' elements could be things that they don't fully comprehend yet, like death or the concept of evil. For instance, a drawing of a graveyard with a story about people coming out of the graves could be their way of exploring the idea of what happens after we die. Also, children are often exposed to a lot of media, and sometimes they pick up on the scarier aspects of it and re - create it in their own way through drawings and stories.
Some children's stories are creepy because they often deal with basic human fears. For example, the fear of the unknown, like in 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland' where the strange world is full of unpredictable things. Also, they may contain elements of danger, such as in 'Hansel and Gretel' where the kids are in real peril. These elements are used to create tension and engage the reader or listener.
A story where a young girl adopts a stray cat. As the days pass, she starts to notice strange behavior from the cat. One night, she wakes up to find the cat sitting on her chest, staring at her with glowing eyes and a low growl. Then she realizes the cat has led all the other strays in the neighborhood to surround her bed, and she is trapped. This ending plays on the fear of the unknown and the idea that something seemingly innocent can turn into a threat.
Another is 'Bloody Mary'. Legend has it that if you go into a dark bathroom, light some candles, and say 'Bloody Mary' three times while looking into the mirror, a terrifying apparition of a woman might appear. The origin of this story is often associated with a vengeful spirit of a woman named Mary, and it has been passed down as a cautionary tale among children for generations.
One reason is that they often contain moral lessons in a more engaging way. Take 'Bluebeard' for instance. It teaches about the importance of not being too curious in a really memorable and somewhat scary way. Also, these stories can be a form of bonding. Kids like to share and talk about creepy stories with their friends, which makes them more popular.
Some creepy children's drawings with stories might be influenced by their wild imaginations. Maybe they watched a spooky movie or heard a scary tale and then expressed it in their drawings. For example, a drawing of a haunted house with a ghostly figure in the window could be from a story about an old, abandoned place.
Some European children's stories might be creepy due to their dark themes or mysterious elements. Maybe it's to teach kids about fear or make them think.
One example could be a story about a haunted doll that moves around at night. It might start with a little girl finding an old doll in an attic. Every night, she hears strange noises coming from the doll's corner, and when she wakes up, the doll is in a different position each time.
A super creepy bedtime story is 'The Dark Woods'. There is a forest near a small village that is said to be haunted. A young girl ventures into the woods one day and gets lost. As night falls, she hears strange howls and sees pairs of yellow eyes in the bushes. She tries to find her way out but it seems like the woods are constantly changing and she can't escape. Every time she thinks she's getting closer to the edge of the forest, she finds herself deeper inside. It's a story that plays on the fear of being lost in an unknown and spooky place.
One creepy original Disney story is 'Snow White'. The idea of an evil queen who wants to kill Snow White out of jealousy is quite dark. She uses a poisoned apple, which is a very sinister plot device. Another is 'Pinocchio', with the concept of boys turning into donkeys in Pleasure Island, which can be a bit disturbing for kids.