Brothers Grimm

Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were German brothers who collected fairy tales. Jacob was born in 1785 and Wilhelm in 1786. They gathered stories that people had been telling for generations. Their collection includes some of the most famous fairy tales in the world.

Early Life

The Brothers Grimm grew up in a large family in Germany. They were very close and studied together at university. They became scholars of the German language and culture. They began collecting folk tales from friends, neighbors, and storytellers.

Big Achievements

The Brothers Grimm published their first book of fairy tales in 1812. It included stories like Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, and Hansel and Gretel. Their collection grew to over 200 stories. They also worked on a huge German dictionary.

Fun Facts

• The original Grimm fairy tales were much darker and scarier than the versions we know today.
• They softened the stories in later editions to make them better for children.
• They also started a German dictionary that took over 100 years to complete.

Did You Know?

The Brothers Grimm did not make up their fairy tales. They collected them from real people who told these stories at home. Many of the stories were passed down by women who told them to their children.