The Brothers Grimm
Jakob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1786–1859) Grimm were brothers who became famous for their collection of folk tales—or stories that are passed down from generation to generation. They were also famous for their work on language (they helped to explain how the sounds in languages change over time), and for helping to write a large German dictionary.
The brothers were born in what is now Germany, and their father was a lawyer who had six children. They had a happy childhood, spending a lot of time playing in the countryside.
The brothers began to collect tales around 1807, and kept collecting and changing the stories for the next fifty years. By the end they had collected over 200 stories. The Grimms asked people to tell them their favourite tales, often inviting them to their house.
Some of the most famous tales collected by the Grimm Brothers include The Frog Prince, Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Rumpelstiltskin and The Elves and the Shoemaker.
Works by the Grimm brothers
Currently available from Books for Learning is the Grimms' famous story The Elves and the Shoemaker, edited for children aged six and above.
Their other stories include:
- Allerleirauh [or All-Kinds-Of-Fur]
- Beam, The
- Bearskin
- Bittern and Hoopoe, The
- Blue Light, The
- Boot of Buffalo Leather, The
- Brave Little Tailor, The
- Bremen Town Musicians, The
- Brides on their Trial
- Bright Sun Brings It to Light, The
- Brother Lustig
- Cat and Mouse in Partnership
- Cinderella
- Clever Elsie, The
- Clever Grethel
- Clever Hans
- Crumbs on the Table, The
- Crystal Ball, The
- Cunning Little Tailor, The
- Death of the Little Hen, The
- Death's Messengers
- Devil and His Grandmother, The
- Devil's Sooty Brother, The
- Devil with the Three Golden Hairs, The
- Ditmarsh Tale of Wonders, The
- Dog and the Sparrow, The
- Domestic Servants
- Donkey, The
- Donkey Cabbages
- Dr Know-All
- Drummer, The
- Duration of Life, The
- Ear of Corn, The
- Elves, The [or The Elves and the Shoemaker]
- Eve's Various Children
- Fair Katrinelje and Pif Paf Poltrie
- Faithful John
- Ferdinand the Faithful
- Fisherman and His Wife, The
- Fitcher's Bird [or Fowler's Fowl]
- Flail from Heaven, The
- Foundling-Bird
- Four Skilful Brothers, The
- Fox and His Cousin, The
- Fox and the Cat, The
- Fox and the Geese, The
- Fox and the Horse, The
- Frau Trude
- Frog King, The [or Iron Henry; also The Frog Prince]
- Frau Holle
- Frederick and Catherine
- Gambling Hansel
- Giant and the Tailor, The
- Girl without Hands, The
- Glass Coffin, The
- Gnome, The
- Godfather, The
- Godfather Death
- Going A-Travelling
- Gold-Children, The
- Golden Bird, The
- Golden Goose, The
- Golden Key, The
- Good Bargain, The
- Goose-Girl, The
- Goose-Girl at the Well, The
- Grave Mound, The
- Griffin, The
- Hansel and Gretel
- Hans the Hedgehog
- Hans in Luck
- Hans Married
- Hare and the Hedgehog, The
- Hare's Bride, The
- Herr Korbes
- How Six Men Got On in the World
- Hut in the Forest, The
- Iron John
- Iron Stove, The
- Jew among Thorns, The
- Jorinde and Joringel
- Juniper-Tree, The
- King of the Golden Mountain, The
- King Thrushbeard
- King's Son Who Feared Nothing, The
- Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn, The
- Knoist and His Three Sons
- Lambkin and the Little Fish, The
- Lazy Harry
- Lazy Spinner, The
- Lean Lisa
- Little Briar-Rose
- Little Brother and Little Sister
- Little Folks' Presents, The
- Little Louse and Little Flea
- Little Peasant, The
- Little Red-Cap
- Little Snow-White
- Lord's Animals and the Devil's, The
- Maid Maleen
- Maid of Brakel, The
- Master Pfriem
- Master Thief, The
- Moon, The
- Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage, The
- Nail, The
- Nixie of the Mill-Pond, The
- Odds and Ends
- Old Beggar-Woman, The
- Old Hildebrand
- Old Man and His Grandson, The
- Old Man Made Young Again, The
- Old Rinkrank
- Old Sultan
- Old Woman in the Wood, The
- One-Eye, Two-Eyes, and Three-Eyes
- Our Lady's Child
- Owl, The
- Pack of Ragamuffins, The
- Peasant and the Devil, The
- Peasant in Heaven, The
- Peasant's Clever Daughter, The
- Pink, The
- Poor Boy in the Grave, The
- Poor Man and the Rich Man, The
- Poor Miller's Boy and the Cat, The
- Queen Bee, The
- Rapunzel
- Raven, The
- Riddle, The
- Riddling Tale, A
- Robber Bridegroom, The
- Rumpelstiltskin
- Sea-Hare, The
- Seven Ravens, The
- Seven Swabians, The
- Sharing Joy and Sorrow
- Shepherd Boy, The
- Shoes that Were Danced to Pieces, The
- Shroud, The
- Simeli Mountain
- Singing Bone, The
- Singing, Springing Lark, The
- Six Servants, The
- Six Swans, The
- Skilful Huntsman, The
- Snow-White and Rose-Red
- Sparrow and His Four Children, The
- Spindle, the Shuttle, and the Needle, The
- Spirit in the Bottle, The
- Star-Money, The
- Stolen Farthings, The
- Stories about Snakes
- Story of Schlauraffen Land, The [or The Tale of Cockaigne]
- Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was, The
- Strange Musician, The
- Straw, Coal, and Bean
- Strong Hans
- Sweetheart Roland
- Sweet Porridge
- Tailor in Heaven, The
- Thief and His Master, The
- Three Apprentices, The
- Three Army Surgeons, The
- Three Black Princesses, The
- Three Brothers, The
- Three Children of Fortune, The
- Three Feathers, The
- Three Languages, The
- Three Little Birds, The
- Three Little Men in the Forest, The
- Three Sluggards, The
- Three Snake-Leaves, The
- Three Spinning Women, The
- Thumbling
- Thumbling as Journeyman [or Thumbling's Travels]
- True Sweetheart, The [or The True Bride]
- Turnip, The [or The Enormous Turnip]
- Twelve Brothers, The
- Twelve Huntsmen, The
- Twelve Idle Servants, The
- Two Brothers, The
- Two Kings' Children, The
- Two Travellers, The
- Ungrateful Son, The
- Valiant Little Tailor
- Water-Nix, The
- Water of Life, The
- Wedding of Mrs. Fox, The
- White Bride and the Black One, The
- White Snake, The
- Wilful Child, The
- Willow-Wren, The
- Willow-Wren and the Bear, The
- Wise Folks
- Wise Servant, The
- Wishing-table, the Gold-ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack, The
- Wolf and the Fox, The
- Wolf and the Man, The
- Wolf and the Seven Young Kids, The
- Young Giant, The