Let’s talk fairy tales. (Or faerie tales, but I think those might actually differ.) 

The draft I just finished was a retelling of a fairy tale and I’m scratching my head over one thing: does a fairy tale need a happy ending?  Grimm’s tales were not all happy. But when you say “fairy tale”, people seem to want the happily ever after. On this story, the down ending came naturally. I had to do some research to find a happy version.  I suspect I can work off of it.

I think I’ll leave it to the editor to make the call on this one, offering a happy ending rewrite if he prefers (more leeway for that with an invitation than say a cold slush sub). But I still want your opinion: does a fairy tale need a happy ending?