The Interpretation of Fairy Tales

"We must begin by asking why in Jungian psychology we are interested in myths and fairy tales.  Dr. Jung once said that it is in fairy tales that one can best study the comparative anatomy of the psyche.  In myths or legends, we get at the basic patterns of the human psyche through a lot of cultural material.  But in fairy tales there is much less specific cultural consciousness material, and therefore they mirror the basic patterns of the psyche more clearly."

---Marie-Louise von Franz, The Interpretation of Fairy Tales.