The Brothers Grimm: Jacob (1785 - 1863) and Wilhelm (1786 - 1859) are famous German philologists and researchers of German folklore. They gained worldwide fame as the authors of the collection of fairy tales "Children's and Family Tales", currently the collection is known as "Tales of the Brothers Grimm".
The German folklorists, the Brothers Grimm, are known throughout the world for their collections of fairy tales. The magical stories of the peoples of Germany captivated readers different countries unusual plots and a wide variety of characters. Resourceful and courageous heroes became favorites of kids who found role models in their faces. Thanks to Grimm's tales, children will gain personal experiences that can help them later in life.
Jacob and Wilhelm have done a great job traveling the country for the amazing stories created by the people. The indefatigable brothers managed to collect unique samples of folklore, the plots of which are not found anywhere else. The most best fairy tales reflect the surrounding reality, helping the child to correctly perceive the actions of other people. You can get acquainted with these works on the site - it is better to read them online with adults, since a number of works have too harsh moments along the way. Parents will make sure that sensitive children avoid overly dramatic episodes.
Read the Brothers Grimm fairy tales online
Collection of unique works of German folk art collected from all over Germany. Authors-storytellers gave a literary look folk works, added magic and mystics, thanks to which they won universal love and respect.
The main characters of the collection are not only people, but also talking animals. An important moral is hidden in each work, which a person of any age will understand. Going through trials with Snow White, Rapunzel or Cinderella, children will understand that the main thing in life is never to give up or lose heart. You can read the amazing fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm both alone and in a friendly company, while getting additional pleasure. The world of fairy tales will awaken the imagination of the child, contributing to the creative development of the baby and expanding his horizons.
Almost seventy percent of all adults on Earth love to read fairy tales. Reading fairy tales, you, as if plunging into another magical world, moving away from real realities. Each storyteller had his own way of writing fairy tales: Charles Perrault wrote in a romantic style, Andersen wrote about the life of ordinary people in life, and the Brothers Grimm had a slight mysticism in their fairy tales, and some of their fairy tales can be confidently called frightening. Let's talk today about the Brothers Grimm: folklorists, linguists, researchers of the German folk culture, and then the storytellers from Germany Jacob and Wilhelme.
So, before you the most famous fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm according to the website:
Briefly about the life and career choice of the Brothers Grimm
Brothers Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) Grimm were born eight years apart into an ordinary family in the German city of Hanau. The storytellers' brothers showed their love for folklore even in childhood, when their mother told them old legends and tales, and in adolescence their interest grew first into a hobby, and then into the meaning of their life. Strange brothers traveled across the country in search of surviving witnesses of ancient folklore, collecting eyewitnesses, writing down information valuable to them from their words. Throughout their life and creative activity, Jacob and Wilhelm created and published several collections called "Tales of the Brothers Grimm", which very quickly became popular and reached our ears. And now let's remember the most famous, most interesting and scary tales of the Brothers Grimm.
"The Tale of the Frog King, or Iron Henry"
This tale is the very first story in the first volume of their collection of fairy tales and legends. The story of an ungrateful princess and a kind frog, who took pity on a crying girl and believed her promises of eternal friendship, took her golden ball from the bottom of a deep well. But as soon as the princess got her ball back, she immediately forgot her promise. The frog turned out to be a real enchanted prince, but this will be revealed much later.
"White and Rosette"
I wanted to put this fairy tale at the very beginning of our list, since it is my favorite. The tale of two sisters Belyanochka and Rosochka with kind hearts who fell in love with a bear and a falcon, not knowing that they are the prince and his friend bewitched by a formidable forest sorcerer-bearded man.
Thrushbeard King
One of the Brothers Grimm's most instructive tales is that pride and arrogance are bad allies and friends. The proud princess could not choose her betrothed in any way and only ridiculed all the applicants. And once a real king came to the palace to ask her hand in marriage, and in response he heard offensive speeches. And then the wise king decided to teach the cruel princess a lesson by pretending to be a poor musician.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
The most famous and popular fairy tale of brothers storytellers who knew how to tell life stories in a fabulous manner. The beautiful princess, nicknamed Snow White for her snow-white skin, was born too beautiful, which crossed the path of an evil stepmother and a sorceress, who wants to be the most beautiful in the whole kingdom. The father, the king, could not destroy his daughter, but also leave her in the palace, too, so he left her in the forest, but here the kind heart of Snow White found refuge and comfort among the little gnomes - the inhabitants of this wonderful forest.
The Bremen Town Musicians
This fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm can be called the most beloved and popular not only in the post-Soviet space, but throughout the world. Wandering animal musicians, heading to the city of Bremen, roam the world, singing songs and performing in the open air for curious spectators and onlookers. But one day a donkey, a rooster, a cat and a dog stumble upon the hut of the bandits and, with their singing, make them leave their home and go wherever they look, and the cunning friends, the musicians, have forever remained masters in their house.
And about the best, read the site on our website by clicking on the link.
A fairy tale about a king and his curious servant, who poked his nose into everything. After a long meal, the king always ordered another meal to be brought. No one could know what this dish was, not even the servant. But one day curiosity overcame the guy so much that he could not resist and opened the lid of the dish. From what he saw, he was very surprised, a white snake was lying on a platter. The servant could not resist trying such a tidbit. As soon as he put it in his mouth, he heard not ordinary singing outside the window, but thin voices like a ray of sunshine. He realized that the meat of the snake was magical and now he can hear the voices of beasts. From that day on, the servant no longer wanted to serve the king, he decided to wander the world in search of better life... And as happens in fairy tales, after many dangerous (and not so) adventures, he found his princess, married her and became a king.
Very instructive tale about the wanderings and dangerous adventures of a brother and sisters who were betrayed by their parents, leaving to die in the forest. What helped two small children survive in terrible impassable places, where there are many wild animals and evil robbers? This, of course, is friendship, trust. And also the fearlessness of Hansel's older brother, whose goal and great desire was to protect his sister Gretel from the terrible hands of an evil sorceress. The fairy tale was created for children, but we, parents, should read it and rethink a lot and learn a lot from these persistent and not childishly sensible children, and most importantly, to understand that there is no greater happiness and wealth than our own children in the world. And no sorrows and misfortunes should force us to abandon them in trouble.
By the way, on our website there is an interesting article about which should be on the shelf of every child.
From the first lines of the tale, we learn about the difficult fate of the little stepdaughter, about the evil stepmother and the lazy daughter, whom we cherished and pitied when the stepdaughter got all the dirty and hard work. Once the stepdaughter dropped a spindle into the well, confessing this to her stepmother, she heard an angry answer: "I dropped it myself and get it out." The poor girl had no choice but to jump into the well. When she touched the bottom with her feet, a magical land appeared to her eyes. Passing the windows of a beautiful house, the stepdaughter saw Madame Blizzard. She liked the girl so much, and she invited her to serve with her.
The stepdaughter remained, she was hardworking and did her job conscientiously. When the time came to return home, Mrs. Metelitsa generously presented the girl with gifts. Seeing this, the stepmother burst into anger, envy overcame her heart. She sent her daughter to the well and ordered to bring even more gifts. But the lazy and clumsy daughter deserved only a cauldron of resin, which overturned on her. So the stepmother could not wash her from her daughter. Laziness and envy are bad fellow travelers, it is better to be kind and hardworking - this is the moral of this tale.
Goose maker
The tale of a beautiful princess who, by the will of fate, had to graze geese. By deceit and slander by the evil servant who took her place, the princess was left in the castle out of pity and allowed to help the goopas. Over time, they began to call her - Gusyatnitsa. But the girl was so beautiful, sophisticated and aristocratic that everyone who saw her did not believe that she was a commoner. The princess had a talking horse named Falada. The maid, who was pretending to be the queen, was very afraid that Falada would expose her and ordered to kill the horse.
The princess was very upset, but there was nowhere to go, she asked the flayer to nail the horse's head under the gate leading from the castle. So he did, and every morning the princess spoke to the head of a horse as she drove the geese to the pasture. Time passed, and for a long time the princess would have tended the geese, but the old king found out about it, and everything became clear to him. He took a real princess by the hand and led her to the prince, and ordered the maid to be executed. Good always triumphs over evil, even if not in life, but at least in a fairy tale.
The worst fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm
Once Lucifer himself came to the miller and demanded for all the wealth that he once gave him, now give him what he had behind the mill, and at that time the miller's daughter was sitting there and spinning yarn. When the miller's daughter refused to go with Satan, he ordered her father to cut off her hands and drive her out of the house. So, the poor girl wandered through the forest for a long time until the king met her and fell in love despite her injuries.
The most short tale brothers grimm
"Three Spinners"
The plot of this tale is really quite laconic and short. One day, driving past a village, the queen heard a girl crying and stopped to ask about the reasons. The girl's mother could not tell the queen that her daughter did not know how to spin and lied that she could not tear her daughter away from the spinning wheel so much she spins, and since she cannot do what she loves, she cries bitterly. Then the queen wished to take the girl with her, because she has enough yarn for the whole kingdom and if she spins all the flax in a short time, then the queen will marry her off to her son. Three spinners came to the aid of the girl who did not know how to spin ...
Finally
Each storyteller has his own style and manner of writing fairy tales. For Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm from old Germany, all their legends and retellings for some reason turned out to be rather gloomy, mystical, and sometimes even scary, but no less intriguing and interesting. Today we recalled the most beloved and famous fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, each of their fairy tales, as you have already noticed, has its own morality and science. TopCafe editors are waiting for your answer, what are your favorite Brothers Grimm fairy tales for a long time in your memory?
1 - About the baby bus who was afraid of the dark
Donald Bisset 
A fairy tale about how a mother-bus taught her baby-bus not to be afraid of the dark ... About a baby-bus who was afraid of the dark to read Once upon a time there was a baby-bus. He was bright red and lived with his dad and mom in the garage. Every morning …
2 - Three kittens
V.G. Suteev 
A small fairy tale for the little ones about three fidgeting kittens and their funny adventures. Young children love short stories with pictures, which is why Suteev's fairy tales are so popular and loved! Three kittens read Three kittens - black, gray and ...
3 - Hedgehog in the fog
Kozlov S.G. 
The tale of the Hedgehog, how he walked at night and got lost in the fog. He fell into the river, but someone carried him to the bank. It was a magical night! Hedgehog in the fog to read Thirty mosquitoes ran into the clearing and began to play ...
4 - Apple
V.G. Suteev 
A tale about a hedgehog, a hare and a crow, who could not share the last apple among themselves. Everyone wanted to take it for themselves. But the fair bear judged their dispute, and each got a piece of delicacy ... Read the apple It was late ...
5 - About the little mouse from the book
Gianni Rodari 
A small tale about a mouse who lived in a book and decided to jump out of it into the big world. Only he did not know how to speak the language of mice, and only knew a strange bookish language ... Read about a mouse from a book ...
6 - Black whirlpool
Kozlov S.G. 
A tale about a cowardly Hare who was afraid of everyone in the forest. And he was so tired of his fear that he came to the Black Whirlpool. But he taught the Hare to live and not be afraid! Black maelstrom read Once upon a time there was a Hare in ...
7 - About the Hedgehog and the Rabbit A piece of winter
Stuart P. and Riddell K.
The story is about how the Hedgehog, before hibernation, ask the Rabbit to save him a piece of winter until spring. The rabbit rolled up a large lump of snow, wrapped it in leaves and hid it in its hole. About the Hedgehog and the Rabbit Piece ...
8 - About the Hippo, who was afraid of vaccinations
V.G. Suteev 
The tale of a cowardly hippopotamus who escaped from the clinic because he was afraid of vaccinations. And he fell ill with jaundice. Fortunately, he was taken to the hospital and cured. And the hippopotamus became very ashamed of its behavior ... About the hippopotamus, who was afraid ...
Information sheet:
The gripping fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm stand apart in the fairytale world of creativity. Their content is so exciting that it will not leave indifferent any child.
Where did your favorite fairy tales come from?
They came from German lands. Folk tales, collected and processed by connoisseurs of language and folklore - brothers. For several years, writing down the best oral legends, the authors were able to improve them so interestingly and beautifully that today we perceive these tales as written directly by them.
The heroes of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales are kinder and better than they were in oral folk art, and this is the wonderful meaning of the work that linguists have done. In each work, they put the idea of the unconditional victory of good over evil, the superiority of courage and love for life, which is what all the stories teach.
How they were published
A man, whom the brothers considered a friend, tried to steal the fairy tales, but did not have time. In 1812, collectors were able to carry out their first edition. The works were not immediately recognized as children's. But after professional editing, they spread across the country in large print runs. For 20 years they were reprinted 7 times. The list of works increased. Fairy tales from the category of simple folk art have turned into a new literary genre.
The Brothers Grimm made a real breakthrough that was appreciated all over the world. Today their work is included in the international list of the great heritage of the past, created by UNESCO.
What is the modernity of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales?
Adults remember the names of many fairy tales from childhood. Because the works of the Brothers Grimm, with their magical style of storytelling, variety of plots, preaching love of life and resilience in any life situations, delight and attract extraordinarily.
And today we read them with pleasure with the children, remembering which fairy tales we liked more, comparing with interest with those that are popular today.
Surely everyone knows the tales of the Brothers Grimm. Perhaps, in childhood, parents told many fascinating stories about the beautiful Snow White, the good-natured and cheerful Cinderella, the capricious princess and others. The grown-up children then read the fascinating tales of these authors themselves. And those who did not particularly like to spend time reading a book, be sure to watch cartoons based on the works of the legendary creators.
Who are the Brothers Grimm?
Brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are famous German linguists. Throughout their lives, they worked on the creation of German. Unfortunately, they did not have time to finish it. However, this is not why they became so popular. They glorified them precisely folk tales... The Brothers Grimm became famous during their lifetime. "Children's and Household Tales" were translated into different languages with extreme speed. The Russian version was released in the 60s of the 19th century. Today, their tales are read in almost 100 languages. Many children from different countries have been brought up on the works of the Brothers Grimm. In our country, they gained wide popularity in the 30s of the last century thanks to the retellings and adaptations of Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak, and
What is the secret of the popularity of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales?
All fairy tales have a unique and interesting plot, a happy ending, the victory of good over evil. The entertaining stories that came out from under their pen are very instructive, and most of them are devoted to kindness, courage, resourcefulness, courage, honor. In the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, the main characters are people. But there are also stories in which birds, animals or insects become the characters. Usually such stories make fun of negative traits person: greed, laziness, cowardice, envy, etc.
In the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm, there are also elements of cruelty. So, for example, the murder of robbers by a brave tailor, the demand of the stepmother to bring her internal organs (liver and lungs) of Snow White, the harsh re-education of his wife by King Drozdobeard. But do not confuse the elements of cruelty with the pronounced violence, which is not here. But the frightening and scary moments present in the fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm help children to realize their fears and subsequently overcome them, which serves as a kind of psychotherapy for the child.
The Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales: List
- An extraordinary musician.
- Brave little tailor.
- About the fisherman and his wife.
- Madam Blizzard.
- Golden bird.
- The poor man and the rich man.
- An ungrateful son.
- Belyanochka and Rosochka.
- Hare and Hedgehog.
- Golden Key.
- The queen of the bees.
- Friendship of a cat and a mouse.
- Successful trade.
- Bell.
- Straw, ember and bean.
- White Snake.
- About a mouse, a bird and fried sausage.
- Singing bone.
- Louse and flea.
- An outlandish bird.
- Six swans.
- Knapsack, hat and horn.
- Golden goose.
- Wolf and fox.
- The goose girl.
- Kinglet and bear
The best tales of the Brothers Grimm
These include:
- A wolf and seven little kids.
- Twelve brothers.
- Brother and sister.
- Hansel and Gretel.
- Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
- Bremen street musicians.
- Clever Elsa.
- Thumb boy.
- King Thrushbeard.
- Hans is my hedgehog.
- One-eyed, two-eyed and three-eyed.
- Mermaid.
In fairness, it should be noted that this list is far from the ultimate truth, since preferences different people can be radically different from each other.
Annotations to some fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm
- "Hans is my hedgehog." The tale was written in 1815. Tells about an extraordinary boy and his difficult fate. Outwardly, he looked like a hedgehog, but only with soft needles. Even his own father did not like him.
- "Rumpelstichtsen". It tells about a dwarf who has the ability to spin gold from straw.
- Rapunzel. The tale of a beautiful girl with gorgeous long hair. She was imprisoned in a high tower by an evil sorceress.
- "A table - yourself - cover yourself, a golden donkey and a club from a sack." The tale of the breathtaking adventures of three brothers, each of whom possessed a magical object.
- "The Tale of the Frog King or the Iron Heinrich". The story of an ungrateful queen who did not appreciate the act of a frog who pulled out her favorite golden ball. The frog has turned into a beautiful prince.
Description of Jacob and Wilhelm
- "Brother and Sister". After the appearance of the stepmother in the house, the children have a hard time. So they decide to leave. On their way, there are a lot of obstacles that they need to overcome. The stepmother witch, who bewitches the springs, complicates everything. Drinking water from them, you can turn into wild animals.
- "The Brave Tailor". The hero of the tale is a brave tailor. Satisfied with a calm and boring life, he sets out to perform feats. On the way, he encounters giants and a vile king.
- "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs". It tells about the delightful daughter of the king, who was gladly accepted by the seven dwarfs, saving and protecting her in the future from the evil stepmother who owns a magic mirror.
- "King Thrushbeard". A tale about a city and a beautiful princess who did not want to get married. She rejected all her potential suitors, mocking their real and imaginary flaws. As a result, the father passes her off as the first comer.
- "Mrs. Blizzard". Can be classified as "New Year's tales by the Brothers Grimm." It tells about a widow who had a daughter and an adopted one. The stepdaughter had a hard time with her stepmother. But a sudden accident, in which the unfortunate girl dropped a spool of thread into the well, put everything in its place.
- Tales of beautiful girls who are constantly spoiled by evil witches, witches and stepmothers. Many of the brothers' works are permeated with a similar storyline.
- Fairy tales in which people turn into animals, and vice versa.
- Fairy tales in which various objects are animated.
- which people and their actions become.
- Fairy tales featuring animals, birds or insects. They ridicule negative character traits and praise positive traits and inherent virtues.
Categories of fairy tales
Conventionally, the tales of the Brothers Grimm can be divided into the following categories.
The events of all fairy tales take place at different times of the year without focusing on it. Therefore, it is impossible to single out, for example, the spring tales of the Brothers Grimm. As, for example, in A. N. Ostrovsky's "Snow Maiden", which is accompanied by the name "spring tale in four acts."
"Witch Hunters" or "Hansel and Gretel"?
The last motion picture, based on the fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, is Witch Hunters. The film premiered on January 17, 2013.
The tale "Hansel and Gretel" is presented in a succinct form at the beginning of the film. The father, for some unknown reason, leaves his son and daughter at night in the forest. In despair, children go wherever they look and come across a bright and delicious house of sweets. The witch who lured them into this house wants to eat them, but the savvy Hansel and Gretel send her to the oven.
Further events unfold according to the director's own plan. Many years later, Hansel and Gretel begin to conduct a witch hunt, which becomes the meaning of their lives and a way of making good money. By the will of fate, they end up in a small town teeming with witches who steal children to perform their rituals. Heroically they save the whole city.
As you can see, director Tommy Virkola filmed the fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm in a laconic form, adding his own continuation to it in a new way.
Conclusion
Fairy tales are essential for all children, without exception. They are able to broaden their horizons, develop imagination and creative imagination, and foster certain character traits. Be sure to read fairy tales by different authors to your children, including the Brothers Grimm.
Just when choosing works, do not forget to pay attention to their publication. After all, there are publications in which episodes are missing or added. This is often overlooked in the notes. And this is not a small nuance, but a significant drawback that can distort the meaning of a fairy tale.
It will also be great if you take the time to talk about the Brothers Grimm fairy tales or play some of your favorites at your leisure.
