12 Horrifyingly Dark Tales Behind Your Favourite Disney Movies

In Disney's version, even though Quasimodo never got the girl, he still found a place for himself in the world. A sort of happy ending. Victor Hugo's tale of the Hunchback of Notre Dame is so much darker.

Esmeralda is sentenced to death after being falsely accused of attempting to murder Pheobus. After Esmeralda seeks sanctuary in Notre Dame, Frollo tries to get her to fall in love with him. When his plan fails, he hands her over to the guards.

In an odd turn of events, Frollo's death in molten copper is actually MORE brutal in the cartoon. In Hugo's version Frollo watches on as Esmeralda is hanged, laughing at her fate. Quasimodo who has fallen in love with Esmeralda proceeds to push him from the top of the cathedral. Still not a pleasant way to go, but perhaps better than being burnt to death in liquid metal.

In the book, following Esmeralda's death, Quasimodo goes to the mass graveyard where her body has been left. He stays with her until he starves to death. One year later when they are found, the bodies are attempted to be separated and they turn to dust.

Wow, Victor Hugo knew how to write a sad ending.