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Grimm's Fairy Stories (1901)

by Jacob Grimm(Favorite Author)

4.29 of 5 Votes: 1

languge

English

genre

Fantasy

publisher

Public Domain Books

review 1: Interesting to see the originals that Disney worked their magic on. There's a similarity across some of the stories where you can see that perhaps they are mutated versions of the same original that have morphed as they were told. Also there are a number of fairy stories that I hadn't heard before, them not having quite entered popular consciousness where I grew up. Possibly some of these would be the kernel of some good stories, Grimm's style is very much tell and no show. That suits the sort of morality tales these are, intended for someone to simply recount them at bedtime or round the fire or dinner table. They've come from an oral tradition, and anything taking longer to tell than 10 to 20 minutes would be too complex. Still, it is an interesting piece of folk history... more and I'm glad I read these stories.
review 2: Easily the #1 tale is Oh If I Could But Shiver aka The Boy Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was: Hmm, I like the concept and the execution is super clever; the only great story overall! Definitely not what I traditionally think of with fairytales. Also, dark + morbid = win. The rest of the stories I list mostly more or less in the order I read them; many tales I have no real opinion about:Hansel and Gretel: Well, this is one tale I’ve heard since I was a little kid. Either I forgot or didn’t read that the stepmom dies but the dad survives.Snow White: Disney’s made this iconic. I’m not a big fan, but it’s better than the original apparently, in which Snow White comes off as a bigger idiot.Cinderella: Cinder-elly, Cinder-elly. I do like novels based around this tale. The ‘source’ is on the bare side.Rapunzel: And Flynn?! Just kidding. Oh so originally Gothel’s deffo an enchantress, and the mother is an idiot who’s only sick cuz she’s greedy to eat some rapunzel. Eh. And the parents knowledgably give Rapunzel to Gothel. And the dude is a prince. And Rapunzel’s more of an idiot. More eh points. Frog Prince: Wait, but she’s awful. His manservant loves him way more, boo. Disney again wins.The Goose Girl: I recognized this tale because of...I wanna say Shannon Hale’s take on it? I think I mildly liked it. This tale only sparks up with the gory ending.6 Swans: Ohhhh...I didn’t know that Daughter of the Forest was based on an actual fairytale. I thought it was on GR’s Top Fairytales list just because the plot was so obviously fairytale-esque. But I see the premise is identical. Though the middle is a bit different: instead of her being burned as a witch while her husband’s away in an attempt to hide betrayal, she’s being burned with her husband’s consent cuz her stepmom-in-law frames her for doing away with her own kids. Mmm, I don’t know how I feel about the husband doing that. I will say that parts of that novel are quite rich, even if others are unnecessary and draggy.Faithful John: What a morbid ending. I know I’ve read a version of this or at least something very similar, but I have no idea where. Maybe in Greek mythology? Wikipedia gave me: Amis et Amiles, yes. Better version there.Rumpelstiltskin: Convenient ending. And the greedy king doesn’t get anything coming after his awfulness.Maid Maleen: Meh. I much prefer the novel treatment by...er, is it Shannon Hale again? Especially since the chambermaid is completely ignored, and we learn again that ugly people are evil. The Little Brother and Sister: I have to wonder if this is one of those child bride deals, given how she has to run away from her stepmom and now she’s a queen. Super-weak ending.Dummling and the 3 Feathers: The transformation makes me think a bit of Cinderella. I dunno what the point of the story is though.Catherine and Frederick; Turnip; Rejuvenated Little Old Man; Lean Lisa: Um...what.Bearskin: There’s a fairytale about an enlisted soldier? I don’t see what the devil gets out of this deal tbh.Water of Life: Weird story with too much summary. I also don’t see why the king isn’t punished.Mother Holle: The narrator seems to imply that beauty should=better/good. Total meh.3 Little Men in the Wood: Oh another evil stepmom. The ending is almost the same as The Goose Girl’s.Little One Eye: So the lesson is that ugly people are evil. Great. Cat and Mouse: I don’t particularly like it, but it certainly makes sense.Good Bargain: What an arsehole. And I think there’s underlying racism?12 Brothers: Erm, this is just the 6 Swans, except with a dumb pointless beginning and less exciting climax.3 Snake Leaves: What a wacko. No explanation for her personality, or its change. And the king’s willing to execute his daughter? Weird.White Snake: What he kills his horse wtf. Why is the princess so uppity? Shouldn’t the king be mad that his servant stole from him?Fisherman and his Wife: Oh women are greedy nags. What a great lesson. Very anticlimactic end. Why does the flounder have such magic anyway?The Riddle: That was stupid. I was hoping for an actually interesting riddle.Mouse Bird and Sausage: Okay a talking, walking sausage? Also, the lesson is to do what you’re supposed to or you’ll suffer a horrible death? How antidemocratic.7 Ravens: Wait didn’t the brothers turn into ravens in 12 Brothers? Okay then. The sun and the moon eat people? Why does she have to cut off a finger? Devil with the 3 Golden Hairs: Kinda good esp the ending, but it makes me wonder about the boy’s adoptive and birth parents. And the devil seems really stupid.Clever Else: Wtf is this. So...sleeping merits losing everything you have.Godfather: Wait, if he is the devil, why is he helping this dude and having him miraculously heal people? Weird.Godfather Death: Better, teaches a better lesson.Fitcher’s Bird: Kinda a happier Bluebeard, but more randomly plotted.Juniper Tree: Super grisly, and the ending while arguably fitting is...bizarrely nonchalant. Plus the father is completely oblivious.Old Sultan: What? Animals having duels with seconds? Okay then.Foundling: Wait but what about the mother? And if the woman’s a witch couldn’t she do something besides being a cook for a forester? Plus I’m unsure why she waits for so long to eat the boy, and why she has no desire to eat the girl (at least based on how she confesses her plan).Thrushbeard: Wtf. This is a lesson about how emotionally abusing your wife is the best way to make her pliant. Knapsack Hat and Horn: Wait. But. This is a lesson that brute force and tyranny is the way to make people obey you.Sweetheart Roland: More like asshole Roland. And the witch is killed way too easily.Golden Bird: Why 3 brothers? The king’s an asshat, except for he’s kinda right in that the protagonist is an idiot. I don’t see why the fox has to help him; can’t he get someone else to behead him? The way the ending’s worded, technically the fox could still be dead though I’m presuming he’s not.2 Brothers: Why can’t the chickens be saved too tho? How small is this country that there’s only one eligible maiden left? Or is it that ladies marry off asap to guarantee not being eaten? The lesson is: don’t sleep too much or people will come and behead you. If you save someone’s life he/she should be your servant. Don’t help old women cuz they could be witches. Don’t kill your brother even if you think he was with your wife. And it’s okay to lie to a witch and kill her cuz she has it coming. Wait what’s the point of having his head backwards initially? All Fur: Creepy initial premise; totally contrived plot afterwards.12 Huntsmen: A story centered around sexist ideas. And sometimes breaking the vow you make to your dad on his deathbed.Death of the Hen: The lesson is that everyone dies. Tough.Gambling Hans: Is that allowed, to smash a soul to pieces?Golden Children: Disjointed and stupid overall.Young Giant: What a psycho. Little Farmer; King of the Golden Mountain; Blue Light: Three more of those weird “yay for being an awful asshole” stories. There are more than I’d like in here.Clever People: The lesson is that it’s okay to be an asshole if you find people dumber than you to trick. And threatening to be a domestic abuser is okay.Jew in the Thornbush: Super racist. No thanks.The Expert Huntsman: Well the king’s an ass, but he’s not the hero so that’s okay-ish I guess.The 2 Kings’ Children: Super random and bad and inexplicable.St Joseph in the Forest: Greed gets you killed horribly, gotcha.God’s Food: How very depressing.Clever Little Tailor: Sorta a tale about the benefits of animal abuse.Stubborn Child: So the lesson is that if you don’t obey you die. And then if you resurrect (or if you’re buried alive I suppose), it’s okay for your mother to beat you to keep you in your grave.3 Journeymen: One of the better tales, but I dunno how to feel about “the devil” being the savior. Maybe if it was Death.Prince Who Feared Nothing: Pretty haphazardly plotted, and with some vaguely racist undertones.Drummer: Arbitrary, and the tail part of the story is pretty identical to a few others in the collection.Master Thief: I like his cleverness, but I see no reason why he presents himself to the count who’ll want him dead. Aside from plot contrivance. And his tricks largely depend on people being idiots.Little Hamster: Why would he be so obsessed with marrying such a crazy sociopath? And, I don’t see how the princess is able to see him when he’s inside a fish or inside an egg, but whatever.Old Woman in the Forest: He’s a tree and a prince? Bran Stark is that you?Devil and his Grandmother: Why would he give them an out - is that in his contract? Also isn’t there another tale with that exact climax?Faithful Ferdinand and Unfaithful Ferdinand: What a wacky story. Would you really want to marry a woman who’s willing to murder someone to avoid marrying him? Is the beggar the prince at the end? How did the horse get turned in the first place?Iron Stove: WHAT is with stories where a beautiful maiden has to sneak into her beloved’s room for multiple nights to convince him to marry her instead of his new fiancee, but he’s been roofied so can’t hear what she’s saying? I think this is the third one at least. Is this a common thing? I also don’t see wh she loves him anyway aside from his hawtness.4 Skillful Brothers: Why are there so many helpful people in the world with magical powers or objects? I know these are fairytales, but really. It gets repetitive. Especially if it’s rigidly structured thanks to there being 3-4 main characters each with a different magic thingie. Pretty Katrinelya: Is this supposed to be a story?Worn-Out Dancing Shoes: Wait but why is the king so mad about his daughters dancing? Why don’t the princes and princesses get married instead of having to sneak off every night? Why are the princes cursed for dancing? What a dumb tale.6 Servants: Dying from pining over a hawt girl he’s never seen before? Stupid. Wait but if these servants are totally willing to follow this stranger and do whatever he wants, I would think they’d want to stay with him after he gets what he wants. Guess not.White Bride and the Black Bride: Racist. And teaches you that sometimes you should behead animals in the hopes that they become princesses. No silly Princess and the Frog kisses here.Iron Hans: Erm, I don’t see what the boy did to release him from the spell. Or why the boy’s so obsessed with the golden ball. Or why the authors are obsessed with blondes. Also the story kinda implies that little boys kidnapped by strange men can live happily ever after cuz the strange men might be good people.Donkey: Erm, why does he wear the donkey skin at all? Why would a king let his daughter marry a donkey? Why is it so important that the main characters marrying are super-hawt?12 Lazy Servants: Super tedious and pointless.Griffin: Erm there’s a tale with pretty much the same plot elsewhere, complete with the king having a miserable fate for being an arse. I’m also not sure what to make of the adjective “simple” which is used a lot in the book but perhaps not entirely accurately.Strong Hans: At least one hero who picks up some random strangers and makes them his servants learns that that’s not the best way to go about hiring people.Sharing Joys and Sorrows: Hey here’s one anti-abuse tale. Doesn’t quite make up for the other tales that kinda have the opposite moral.Life Span: How incredibly depressing and ageist.Goose Girl at the Spring: Well the part about the 3rd daughter not being a good enough suckup sounds very very familiar…Eve’s Unequal Children: The lesson is that ugly people deserve worse lives because they’re ugly.Poor Boy in the Grave: Depressing tale but it has quite an interesting ending. I supose one lesson is that alcohol is bad. less

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