The characters and motifs of fairy tales are simple : princesses and girls taking care of geese ; youngest sons and brave princes ; ogres , giants , dragons , and trolls ; wicked stepmothers and false heroes ; fairy godmothers and other magic helpers , often talking horses , or foxes , or birds ; rules , and people breaking rules . The characters and motifs of fairy tales are simple and archetypal : princesses and goose-girls ; youngest sons and gallant princes ; ogres , giants , dragons , and trolls ; wicked stepmothers and false heroes ; fairy godmothers and other magical helpers , often talking horses , or foxes , or birds ; glass mountains ; and prohibitions and breaking of prohibitions .