Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, better known as the Brothers Grimm, were German academics who spent most of their lives collecting and publishing folklore stories. Thanks to them, generations of children have been enjoying the fairytales about Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, and Snow White. Scroll down to find out some interesting facts about the Brothers Grimm.
The Brothers Grimm Didn’t Write Fairytales Themselves
People often think that the Brothers Grimm wrote the fairytales published under their name. But the truth is that they simply collected folklore stories that were passed down through oral tradition and made subtle changes.
Early Versions of The Brothers Grimm’s Fairytales Were a Lot Darker
Original versions of the Brothers Grimm’s fairytales were a lot darker and primarily aimed toward adult audiences. In later versions, elements that were considered unsuitable for children were changed or omitted.
The Brothers Grimm Didn’t Travel Much to Collect Their Stories
In popular media, the Brothers Grimm are usually depicted as travelers who went to great lengths in order to collect stories. However, the truth is that they didn’t have to leave their home all that much. Most of the fairytales came from people inside their social circle or from old manuscripts.
The Brothers Grimm’s Biggest Project Was Something Else
The Brothers Grimm are best known for their fairytales, but this wasn’t their biggest project. In 1838, they decided to create a comprehensive dictionary of the German language. It was first published in 1854 in an unfinished version before being completed a century later by various scholars.