ATU 312 is mainly comprised of the tale "Bluebeard" and its variations, taken from Charles Perrault's "La Barbe Bleue" first published in 1697. Although there are earlier examples of this tale, the form in which it survives today is derived from this work. The story involves a man who had killed many previous wives taking another woman as his bride, and her discovery of the bodies brings about the threat of death from him for her curiosity. The story typically ends with the lady being saved by her brothers (with the help of her sister) and inhereting all of Bluebeard's wealth after he is slain. The character of Bluebeard may be inspired by historical figures, such as Gilles de Rais, a convicted serial killer from 16th century Brittany, or the early Breton king Conomor the Accursed and his wife, Tryphine. The story persists in today's popular culture, with the entry "Bluebeard" in the Merriam-Webster dictionary meaning "a man who marries and kills one wife after another".

Mr. Fox

鈥淢r. Fox.鈥� Fairy Gold : A Book of Old English Fairy Tales Chosen by Ernest Rhys, Ernest Rhys, London: J.M. Dent & Co.; New York : E.P. Dutton & co., 1907, pp. 49-50.

Tale Summary Once upon a time there was a young woman named Lady Mary, who went with her two brothers to one of their country houses. A young man named Mr. Fox often visited with them, whom Lady Mary was quite taken with; he frequently invited her over to his...

Blue Beard

鈥淏lue Beard.鈥� The Arthur Rackham fairy book : a book of old favourites with new illustrations, Arthur Rackham, Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott., 1933, pp. 143-152.

Tale Summary There once was a rich man who lived outside Baghdad, who had many riches but also had a blue beard which frightened all the women away. His neighbor had two fine sons and daughters, and he desired one of the girls, named Anne and Fatima, he did not...

Blue Beard

鈥淏lue Beard.鈥� Histories or聽Tales of Past Times Written for Children Told By Mother Goose with Morals, Charles Perrault, edited by J. Saxon Childers,聽London: The Nonesuch Press., 1925, pp. 30-40.

Tale Summary There was once a rich man who unfortunately had a blue beard, which made him so ugly that women hated him (it did not help, also, that he had several wives before, and no one knew what had become of them). He had a neighbor with two beautiful...

Bluebeard

鈥淏lue Beard.鈥� The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales from the Old French, Quiller-Couch, A. T, New York: Hodder and Stoughton, 1910, pp. 27-46.

Tale Summary A rich gentleman called Blue Beard is unable to find a new wife due to his unusual beard and rumors about his missing wives. Through lavish entertainment, a maiden named Fatima decides to marry him. He gives his wife a set of keys to all the treasures in...

Blue Beard with a Knife

鈥淏lue Beard.鈥� Old French Fairy Tales, Charles Perrault, Boston: Little, Brown, and Company, 1899, pp. 126-137.

Tale Summary A rich gentleman called Blue Beard is unable to find a new wife due to his unusual beard and rumors about his missing wives. After lavishly entertaining a group of ladies, the youngest daughter of a noble lady decides to marry him. He gives his wife a set...

Bluebeard's wife

鈥淏luebeard.鈥� In Fairyland: Tales Told Again. Chisholm, Louey, illustrated by Katharine Cameron, New York: G. P. Putnam鈥檚 Sons, 1904, pp. 6-12.

Tale Summary There once was a man who was incredibly rich, far richer than any other. He had a downfall in his appearance: a blue beard that no women liked to look at. He wished to marry one of two daughters, and since they both did not want to marry...