The Brothers Grimm, Jakob and Wilhelm, have generally been credited with the collection and preservation of fairy and folk tales that were part of the oral traditions of their native Germany. The history is more complicated than that, but the fact remains that the largest body of tales accessed on a daily basis for fairy or folk tales, is generally considered to be the 'Grimms Fairy Stories'. There are however many other tellers of these folk tales, most notably Charles Perrault, and as many of the stories are common to both sources, they have become confused and adulterated by modern retellers.
Jakob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859) were born in Hanau in Hesse, one of the German states. Both brothers studied law and became attracted to the study of German folk poetry. They began collecting popular tales in 1806 following a plea published with a collection of folk songs collected by friends. The Grimm brothers continued their collecting of tales, having in mind a history of German literature. They were however urged by their friends to publish the tales they had, and in 1812 the first volume of Kinder-und Hausmarchen was published. While not written for children the collection was nevertheless dedicated to Johannes Freimund, the son of Frau Elisabeth von Arnim. The second volume was published in 1814, and a second edition in 1819. Some additional material was published in 1822, but after that date the brothers added little, moving increasingly into the field of philology and beginning work on the compilation of a German Dictionary based on historical principles. This became their life's work. By the time of their deaths they had only progressed as far as 'F'.
The collecting of folk tales at the time the Grimms began, was not unusual, but their publication of the tales cemented the versions they had collected as the authentic versions. They collected from family and close friends and visited villages. One of their most notable sources was Katharina Viehmann who contributed some 20 tales. However many of the tales do not have strong German roots. They had reached Germany through the tales of Charles Perrault, published in 1697 in Paris, and from other sources throughout Europe. From here they entered the oral tradition of fireside stories.
Many of the tales told are grim indeed. For instance a wolf's stomach is slit open and filled with rocks so that the animal then stumbles into a well or river and drowns. There are are other endings equally grim, controversial elements which still prompts the call from the modern generation that the tales are too gruesome. The stories however have stood the test of time and are in many cases deeply embedded in our literature.
The work of the Grimms inspired the collection and telling of folk tales throughout Europe and around the world so that by the late 19th century there were collected tales from Ireland, England, Scandinavia, Russia and India. Hans Christian Andersen wrote his original and inspired collection of tales which began to appear in English during the 1840s. From around the world came a new wealth of stories which became the genesis for imaginative writing for children.
Kinder-und Hausmarchen was translated into English and published in 1823 with illustrations by the noted English caricaturist, George Cruikshank. The second volume was published in 1826. The title page of the first volume is distinguished by the typographical error of the missing umlaut over the second 'a' in Hausmarchen (the correct German spelling being Hausm rchen). This English translation was the first of many for Grimms' tales. It also brought about a great change in the prevailing English attitude to fairy tales so that fantasy and wonder became increasingly acceptable as reading material for children. Cruikshank's illustrations are inspired and he is highly regarded as a book illustrator. He subsequently illustrated editions of Dickens and later issued his own versions of fairy stories, with his own inimitable illustrations.
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