Fiction

The Brothers Grimm, Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859), were

born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, in the German state of Hesse.

Throughout their lives they remained close friends, and both studied

law at Marburg University. Jacob was a pioneer in the study of German

philology, and although Wilhelm's work was hampered by poor health the

brothers collaborated in the creation of a German dictionary, not

completed until a century after their deaths. But they were best (and

universally) known for the collection of over two hundred folk tales

they made from oral sources and published in two volumes of 'Nursery

and Household Tales' in 1812 and 1814. Although their intention was to

preserve such material as part of German cultural and literary

history, and their collection was first published with scholarly notes

and no illustration, the tales soon came into the possession of young

readers. This was in part due to Edgar Taylor, who made the first

English translation in 1823, selecting about fifty stories 'with the

amusement of some young friends principally in view.' They have been

an essential ingredient of children's reading ever since.
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