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December 20th: Grimms' Fairy Tales
Anniversary of the first publication of the Grimms' Fairy Tales
On December 20, 1812, the brothers Grimm published the first edition of "Children's and Household Tales," now commonly known as "Grimms' Fairy Tales." They are among the most well-known storytellers of European folk tales, and their work popularized such stories as Cinderella, Frog Prince, Rapunzel and Snow White.
The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1786–1859), were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who together collected folklore. They gathered the best stories, passed down through generations, involving princes and princesses, forests, castles and magic. Not only were the Grimms pioneers in the scientific documentation of folklore, they also continue to provide an endless source of inspiration for writers and filmmakers. Young or old, rich or poor -- people all seem to love a good fairy tale!
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(Also published by Charles Perault (French) in 1695 -- keep in mind that folktales like this had been passed down verbally for generations before being written down) |
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Interesting note: With the exception of the Lutheran Bible, Grimms' Fairy Tales is the considered to be the most widely distributed literary work of German origin, with translations in more than 160 languages.