Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786-1859) were born in Hanau, Hesse-Kassel, Holy Roman Empire (present-day Germany). After completing school, they joined the University of Marburg where they studied law. They also grew interested in folk poetry, philology, history and began studying medieval German literature.
In 1812, they published the first volume of their classic collection, with 86 folk tales, titled Kinder – und Hausmarchen (known as Children’s and Household Tales in English). Unlike the romantic, poetical fairy tales, these tales were as beautiful as they were violent and frightening, presenting life as it was. This volume was criticized as it was considered unsuitable for children.
The second edition of Children’s and Household Tales, commonly known as Grimm’s Fairy Tales, had a total of 170 tales published in three volumes. In every successive edition, which was elaborately illustrated, stories were revised, added and subtracted. The seventh edition published in 1850 had a total of 211 tales.
The Brothers Grimm are probably the best-known children short story writers. Perhaps no other stories possess as much power to enchant, delight, and surprise as those penned by the immortal Brothers Grimm.
Grimm’s Fairy Tales
- Cat and Mouse in Partnership by Brothers Grimm
- Cinderella by Brothers Grimm
- Clever Elsie by Brothers Grimm
- Clever Hans by Brothers Grimm
- Faithful John by Brothers Grimm
- Frau Trude by Brothers Grimm
- Hansel and Gretel by Brothers Grimm
- Herr Korbes by Brothers Grimm
- Little Brother and Little Sister by Brothers Grimm
- Little Red-Cap by Brothers Grimm
- Mary’s Child by Brothers Grimm
- Mother Holle by Brothers Grimm
- One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes by Brothers Grimm
- Our Lady’s Child by Brothers Grimm
- Rapunzel by Brothers Grimm
- Rumpelstiltskin by Brothers Grimm
- Seven at One Blow by Brothers Grimm
- Straw, Coal, and Bean by Brothers Grimm
- The Bremen Town-Musicians by Brothers Grimm
- The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs by Brothers Grimm
- The Elves and the Shoemaker by Brothers Grimm
- The Elves by Brothers Grimm
- The Enchanted Stag by Brothers Grimm
- The Fisherman and His Wife by Brothers Grimm
- The Frog King, or Iron Henry by Brothers Grimm
- The Girl Without Hands by Brothers Grimm
- The Godfather by Brothers Grimm
- The Golden Bird by Brothers Grimm
- The Golden Goose by Brothers Grimm
- The Good Bargain by Brothers Grimm
- The Louse and the Flea by Brothers Grimm
- The Magic Mirror by Brothers Grimm
- The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage by Brothers Grimm
- The Pack of Ragamuffins by Brothers Grimm
- The Riddle by Brothers Grimm
- The Robber Bridegroom by Brothers Grimm
- The Seven Ravens by Brothers Grimm
- The Singing Bone by Brothers Grimm
- The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was by Brothers Grimm
- The Tailor in Heaven by Brothers Grimm
- The Three Languages by Brothers Grimm
- The Three Little Men in the Wood by Brothers Grimm
- The Three Snake-Leaves by Brothers Grimm
- The Three Spinners by Brothers Grimm
- The Town Musicians of Bremen by Brothers Grimm
- The Twelve Brothers by Brothers Grimm
- The Twelve Brothers by Brothers Grimm
- The Valiant Little Tailor by Brothers Grimm
- The Wedding of Mrs. Fox by Brothers Grimm
- The White Snake by Brothers Grimm
- The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack by Brothers Grimm
- The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids by Brothers Grimm
- The Wonderful Musician by Brothers Grimm
- Thumbling by Brothers Grimm