Cinderella, Snow White, Once Upon a Time--let's be honest, we've all seen them. Whether an animation on T.V., or a beautifully illustrated picture book we consume all the fairy tales and insist that our addiction to them is why we can't grow up. However, fairy tales aren't just for children.
Grimm's Fairy Tales, contrary to popular belief, did not begin as children's stories. They were folktales collected by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm from different villages scattered throughout what we now consider Germany to promote their national agenda. Then, Germany was not a country, but a land of villages. The folklores from villages were often the same: warning against wandering away from the village, for fear of what lived beyond the tiny kingdoms.
Reading Grimm's Fairy Tales is not good reading for history. The stories are packed with gruesome details that powerfully warn the listeners. For instance, The Robber Bridegroom tells the story of a young woman betrothed to a man who she had never met before. She finds out that he is a cannibal along with his friends who she witnesses chop up and devour another woman. The story's fictional atmosphere allows for a true story that will remain ever green.
Writers will love the Grimm's Fairy Tale stories for their wordy, beautiful descriptions. My favorite story is "The Goose Girl" that takes the reader from several different worlds.
Grimm's Fairy Tales are beautiful cultural pieces packed full of history and wisdom. Before you disregard them as tales for children, take a glance at the first page.
