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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
I liked this collection of stories more often than not, but I did find it somewhat difficult to read them successively. I probably would have enjoyed them more if I read them one at a time without trying to look for any moralities or themes. I know that the Grimm's wrote these all down in hopes of perpetuating their German nationalism, and hey, job well done. Perhaps reading them to children as is (or in this translation) might confuse them a bit, but who knows? I, being childless, wouldn't.
adventurous
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
I just finished reading The Complete Grimm's Fairy Tales (all 210 of them!). And what I found most surprising is that these stories weren't authored by the Brothers Grimm, they were just recorded (meticulously) by Jacob and Wilhelm. The Brothers Grimm acted as a sort of lingusitic researching team, seeking out the stories in the villages, beer halls, farms, etc. in late 1700's to early 1800's Bavaria and then recording them, word for word as they were told.
I had to read this over a period of a few weeks. It's a hefty volume and many of the stories share similarities and could easily be jumbled. I loved the original versions of the fairy tales that I grew up with (Snow White, Cindrella, Little Red Cap, etc.). Of course they're dark, and a few border on horror, but they're fun as well.
At the end there's a section (Folklorist Commentary) that further explains some of the origins of the tales, the different types of tales (legend, myth, etc.) and even a bit of biographical information on the Brothers Grimm.
It's an exceptional collection and one that's great for picking up for reading here and there. I think the illustrations by Josef Scharl add to the magic.
I had to read this over a period of a few weeks. It's a hefty volume and many of the stories share similarities and could easily be jumbled. I loved the original versions of the fairy tales that I grew up with (Snow White, Cindrella, Little Red Cap, etc.). Of course they're dark, and a few border on horror, but they're fun as well.
Some tips I picked up from the tales in this book:
1. A beautiful gown can be encased in a nut (walnut, acorn, etc.). 2. The youngest brother, most often a dunce, usually ends up with the largest fortune. 3. Beware of old women who live far in the woods alone - they more often than not are witches. 4. The devil's grandmother can help you get out of your contract with the devil. 5. Stepmothers are inherently wicked. 6. If you are starving and spare the lives of animals who could be your meals, you will be repaid ten-fold. 7. Always be kind to dirty, monstrous-looking men, talking stoves and mannikins. 8. Kings can't always be trusted - they'll tell you that you may wed their daughter after you have cured her or brought her back from death, but it will always lead to them demanding you complete impossible tasks (typically 3) and 9. usually a sprite, princess, bewitched animal, or servants of unusual talents will come to your aid and help you complete your tasks. And 10. Above all else, be kind and honest and give freely to those in need.
At the end there's a section (Folklorist Commentary) that further explains some of the origins of the tales, the different types of tales (legend, myth, etc.) and even a bit of biographical information on the Brothers Grimm.
It's an exceptional collection and one that's great for picking up for reading here and there. I think the illustrations by Josef Scharl add to the magic.
Absolutamente amo este libro, mi cuento favorito es The Juniper Tree
adventurous
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
dark
funny
fast-paced
dark
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am so, so glad that I'm done with this book. Technically, it took me 10 days, but I felt every single one of them tenfold. Some of these tales stood out, but the majority of them were repetitive and, more importantly, boring. A few of them, especially the last ones unfortunately, were infuriating. Anyway, now that's ticked off, I can forget about it and pretend that it never happened.
2.70
2.70
Cat and Mouse in Partnership - 2/5 - RIP the mouse, that will teach you to trust a cat
Our Lady's Child - 4/5 - Bluebeard+christianity
The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was - 4/5 - "A certain father had two sons, the elder of whom was smart and sensible, and could do everything, but the younger was stupid and could neither learn nor understand anything" RUDE AF
The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids - 3/5 - "The miller thought to himself, "The wolf wants to deceive someone," and refused; but the wolf said, "If thou wilt not do it, I will devour thee." Then the miller was afraid, and made his paws white for him. Truly men are like that." Basically Little Red Riding Hood with goats
Faithful John - 4/5 - That tale is absolutely goddamn wild. Loved it.
The Good Bargain - 2/5 - Meh
The Wonderful Musician - 2/5 - That wonderful musician is kind of an asshole eh
The Twelve Brothers - 3/5 - Imagine bearing and delivering 12 whole sons only for your jerk husband to be like "if baby nĀ°13 is a girl all the boys die".
The Pack of Ragamuffins - 1/5 - This is not much.
Little Brother and Little Sister - 3/5 - "Her own daughter, who was as ugly as night, and had only one eye" Good god what happened to that poor child
Rapunzel - 4/5 - That peasant truly sold his child for some salad š could not be me, at least pick a cool vegetable. Also, shoutout to Rapunzel for being one of the few named women in these tales
The Three Little Men in the Wood - 3.5/5 - I wonder how many of these tales led young girls to go off with strange men in hopes of governing their own kingdoms.
The Three Spinsters - 4.5/5 - The lazy girlies win once more
Hansel and Gretel - 4/5 - Me as a mother
The Three Snake-Leaves - 4/5 - Me as a wife
The White Snake - 3/5 - That tale ended so far from where it began...
The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean - 1/5 - This is not much.
The Fisherman and His Wife - 5/5 - This tale is my entire childhood, I love it very dearly
The Valiant Little Tailor - 4/5 - This kind of audacity is why men are so successful and meanwhile I apologize when someone steps on my foot
Cinderella - 5/5 - ""Have you no other daughter?" "No," said the man, "There is still a little stunted kitchen-wench which my late wife left behind her, but she cannot possibly be the bride."" You mean your DAUGHTER????????? Anyway that tale? That tale. Yes.
The Riddle - 1/5 - This is not much.
The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage - 4/5 - "The bird charged the dog with an act of barefaced robbery, but it was in vain to speak, for the dog said he had found forged letters on the sausage, on which account its life was forfeited to him." Of course, sounds legit
Mother Holle - 2/5 - I feel like I've read 10 other versions of this story already
The Seven Ravens - 2/5 - I'm going to repeat myself, but I've already read this very tale.
Little Red Cap - 4/5 - That second story/conclusion was unnecessary, but weirdly the rest of the tale was more familiar to me than Perrault's
The Bremen Town-Musicians - 3/5 - That boy band is more interesting to me than One Direction ever was
The Singing Bone - 2/5 - I'm sorry, the good guy is just DEAD???
The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs - 4/5 - That kid sounds a bit annoying tbh
The Louse and the Flea - 1/5 - Oooh I hated this one!
The Girl Without Hands - 4/5 - Finally a good mother-in-law
Clever Hans - 1/5 - First off, I hated this, but secondly, why does the mother constantly asks Hans where he has been when before she asked him where he was going and he told her he was going to Grethel and ALSO thirdly what kind of a swine goes to his friend's house six times in a row and brings nothing with him but demands a present? This sucks.
The Three Languages - 2/5 - Ok.
Clever Elsie - 4/5 - This is what happened when we used to build houses with lead and asbestos within the walls
The Tailor in Heaven - 2/5 - Boring
The Wishing Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel - 4/5 - That father has some nerve, to force his sons out of the house and then when they return demand to see what they brought back from their travels, aka the destitution he sent them into. SMH
Thumbling - 4/5 - Do people really just go around trying to buy children and young girls from their peasant parents???
The Wedding of Mrs. Fox - 2/5 - The audacity of that old Mr. Fox
The Elves - 4.5/5 - The first story was fine but the second and third I really enjoyed
The Robber Bridegroom - 3/5 - 19th century Germany was apparently filled with cannibals and child-traffickers
Herr Korbes - 1/5 - This was not much.
The Godfather - 1/5 - This was not much.
Frau Trude - 1/5 - This was not much.
Godfather Death - 3.5/5 - Cold. I respect this.
Thumbling as Journeyman - 3/5 - "Mr. Potato-King" is iconiqueTM. But other than that that Thumbling fellow is a little knave.
Fitcher's Bird - 2/5 - Dollar store Bluebeard
The Juniper Tree - 3/5 - Cool mom, commits a murder and makes her daughter take the fall
Old Sultan - 3/5 - Trickery wins again
The Six Swans - 2/5 - I have read this exact tale before
Little Briar-Rose - 5/5 - Sleeping Beauty my beloved
Fundevogel (Bird-Foundling) - 1.5/5 - This is so stupid. Did the forester just steal the child for no reason????
King Thrushbeard - 4/5 - Local woman doesn't recognize her gaslighting husband despite him having a very recognizable trait which she mocked
Little Snow-White - 5/5 - Snow-White my beloved
The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn - 2/5 - I can't believe that rascal had a happy ending. What a jerk
Rumpelstiltskin - 4/5 - Classic
Sweetheart Roland - 3/5 - This didn't quite go the way I thought it would...
The Golden Bird - 3/5 - STOP KIDNAPPING PRINCESSES FFS
The Dog and the Sparrow - 3/5 - I get it, if someone killed my dog I would also ruin all of his property and have him killed
Frederick and Catherine - 1.5/5 - Dumbest woman alive
The Two Brothers - 1/5 - This was so long and boring
The Little Peasant - 4/5 - That crafty motherfucker
The Queen Bee - 2/5 - I've read this tale before.
The Three Feathers - 3/5 - Not that the tasks given were going to prove that someone would make a good king, but that king had no authority whatsoever
The Golden Goose - 3/5 - And this is how the Conga line dance was invented.
Allerleirauh - 4/5 - Peau-d'Ane my... almost beloved? Perrault's version was better.
The Hare's Bride - 1/5 - This was not much.
The Twelve Huntsmen - 2/5 - God, girl, once a prince announces his engagement to another woman maybe it's time to move on.
The Thief and His Master - 1/5 - This is not much.
Jorinda and Joringel - 2.5/5 - Cute
The Three Sons of Fortune - 2/5 - Fine I guess
How Six Men got on in the World - 2/5 - I've read this exact tale before
The Wolf and the Man - 1/5 - This was not much.
The Wolf and the Fox - 3/5 - That crafty fox
The Fox and His Cousin - 3/5 - LMAO I love that asshole fox
The Fox and the Cat - 3/5 - He had it coming.
The Pink - 3/5 - When in doubt, turn the girl you like into a flower and take her where she doesn't want to go.
Clever Gretel - 5/5 - Gretel should be president.
The Old Man and his Grandson - 3/5 - If this story was better-known, I'm sure grandparents would love to read this to their grandkids.
The Water-Nixie - 1/5 - This was not much.
The Death of the Little Hen - 1/5 - This was not much.
Brother Lustig - 5/5 - Brother Lustig is so chaotic, I love this little fellow
Gambling Hansel - 4/5 - So St. Peter is the strict parent and God is the permissive parent eh.
Hans in Luck - 3/5 - Stupidest man alive.
Hans Married - 1/5 - This was not much.
The Gold-Children - 3/5 - This tale did not go at all as I thought it would.
The Fox and the Geese - 1/5 - This was not much.
The Poor Man and the Rich Man - 4/5 - Well done God
The Singing, Springing Lark - 3.5/5 - Lovely, but the magic system was too complicated
The Goose-Girl - 5/5 - I love this story, it inspired one of my favorite YA novels and one of the only retellings that I love, Thorn, and so it is very dear to me.
The Young Giant - 2/5 - I didn't get this one I'm afraid.
The Gnome - 2/5 - The ending was a little weird.
The King of the Golden Mountain - 2/5 - That guy's a douchebag
The Raven - 3/5 - These helpful giants were the MVP of this tale
The Peasant's Wise Daughter - 4/5 - That was super sweet
Old Hildebrand - 2/5 - Boring.
The Three Little Birds - 2/5 - Sorry the daughter married what prince again?
The Water of Life - 2/5 - I've read this tale before.
Doctor Knowall - 3/5 - Funny
The Spirit in the Bottle - 3/5 - I wish this tale had been more about the spirit
The Devil's Sooty Brother - 4/5 - The ending was weird and I'm wondering what the Aesop is, but I liked it
Bearskin - 4/5 - The sisters truly committed suicide for a man... Could not be me.
The Willow-Wren and the Bear - 4/5 - Wars in the animal kingdom are fought for as stupid reasons as wars in the human world I see.
Sweet Porridge - 1/5 - This is very little.
Wise Folks - 3/5 - That peasant's wife may be a fool but he is a scoundrel and that is worse.
Stories about Snakes - 3.5/5 - The first and second stories made me really sad. The third one was nothing.
The Poor Miller's Boy and the Cat - 2/5 - This is literally every other tale in this book.
The Two Travellers - 4/5 - That shoemaker was a real jerk and he had it Coming.
Hans the Hedgehog - 4/5 - It's crazy how often kings get lost in forests in these tales. Also, that father was an ass and didn't deserve forgiveness, and lastly that little poem at the end was extremely random.
The Shroud - 3/5 - That's really sad???
The Jew Among Thorns - 1/5 - I hated this one
The Skillful Huntsman - 4/5 - The huntsman is a metaphor for millenial indecision
The Flail from Heaven - 1/5 - This was not much.
The Two Kings' Children - 4/5 - I feel like I've read this exact story before, but whatever, it was cute.
The Cunning Little Tailor - 3/5 - Cute.
The Bright Sun Brings it to Light - 2/5 - The one time a Jew isn't maligned, he dies, and the woman turns out to be a gossip. Great.
The Blue Light - 2/5 - "Next day the soldier was tried, and though he had done nothing wicked, the judge condemned him to death" bro kidnapped a woman and enslaved her, but sure. The ending was disgusting.
The Willful Child - 1/5 - Horrible.
The Three Army-Surgeons - 2.5/5 - Gross
The Seven Swabians - 2/5 - This feels wrong.
The Three Apprentices - 2.5/5 - I mean it's a cool deal but kind of pointless i guess...
The King's Son Who Feared Nothing - 2/5 - I've read this tale before.
Donkey Cabbages - 4/5 - My least favorite part of Pinocchio š imagine salivating over salad leaves
The Old Woman in the Wood - 2.5/5 - Cute, but I've read this seven hundred times now.
The Three Brothers - 4/5 - Damn, that's the first time one of these ended well.
The Devil and his Grandmother - 2/5 - No but I am certain I've read this one already.
Ferdinand the Faithful - 3/5 - That queen had some nerve, she flat-out murdered the king and crowned her lover in his place, I love it.
The Iron Stove - 3/5 - A mouse did run, this story is done, and I swear to god I've read this one before.
The Lazy Spinner - 4/5 - "But you yourself must own she was an odious woman!" I must own nothing of the sort, thank you, she's quite crafty and she doesn't pull half the shit that men do in these tales.
The Four Skillful Brothers - 3/5 - They truly up and said "fuck the princess, give me 1/4 of a kingdom" huh
One-eye, Two-eyes, and Three-eyes - 3/5 - This was fine, but it kind of gives Heather reboot vibes
Fair Katrinelje and Pif-Paf-Poltrie - 1/5 - This was very little.
The Fox and the Horse - 4/5 - Nice.
The Shoes that were Danced to Pieces - 5/5 - Having read this I can finally watch the Barbie in Twelve Dancing Princesses movie.
The Six Servants - 3/5 - LMAO "I've had to suffer for thee" did you though? Because it seemed to me that the servants did all the work and then you forced a girl to marry you
The White Bride and the Black One - 2/5 - This feels wrong
Iron John - 4/5 - I'm not saying that the king was right for keeping someone in a cage but are you going to tell me that the prince had only one ball and that his parents couldn't have purchased another??? ALSO the second king's reward to the prince for saving his kingdom is that "if he runs away, pursue and strike him down" like. way to show gratefulness smh. Oh and I would love to know how tf the prince broke Iron John's curse exactly?
The Three Black Princesses - 1/5 - This was not much.
Knoist and his Three Sons - 1/5 - This was less than not much.
The Maid of Brakel - 1/5 - Again, this was not much.
Domestic Servants - 1/5 - This was nothing.
The Lambkin and the Little Fish - 3/5 - Where the fuck did the foster mother come from
Simeli Mountain - 4/5 - This is german Aladdin
Going A-Traveling - 2/5 - *Red Forman voice* dumbass.
The Donkey - 3/5 - I wonder what the point of wearing a donkey skin was but sure.
The Ungrateful Son - 1/5 - This was very little.
The Turnip - 3/5 - Couldn't he have just asked the student to let him out?
The Old Man Made Young Again - 2/5 - This didn't feel right.
The Lord's Animals and the Devil's - 3/5 - I mean why was god such an ass though
The Beam - 3/5 - I get it.
The Old Beggar-Woman - 1/5 - This is nothing.
The Three Sluggards - 2/5 - That is the worst qualification for kingship I've ever seen
The Twelve Idle Servants - 2/5 - Of all things to brag about...
The Shepherd Boy - 2.5/5 - We have different definitions of wisdom lol
The Star-Money - 3/5 - Is this a metaphor for dying
The Stolen Farthings - 2/5 - This isn't much...
Brides on Their Trials - 2/5 - The perils of dating before Tinder
Odds and Ends - 2/5 - This is very little
The Sparrow and His Four Children - 2/5 - I'm kind of done with the hyper moralizing tales, give me the weird shit back please
The Story of Schlauraffen Land - 1/5 - This is nothing.
The Ditmarsch Tale of Wonders - 1/5 - This is nothing. Again.
A Riddling Tale - 2/5 - Ok? And...?
Snow-White and Rose-Red - 4/5 - That Dwarf is the rudest person I've ever seen.
The Wise Servant - 3/5 - They cut the part where Faithful John was fired.
The Glass Coffin - 3/5 - That whole story was a little lazy.
Lazy Harry - 2/5 - Little boring.
The Griffin - 2/5 - Shoutout to the three sons for having first names. Otherwise it is an amalgam of every other story in this book.
Strong Hans - 2/5 - This was so long and for what?
The Peasant in Heaven - 5/5 - This one was perfect.
Lean Lisa - 1/5 - This is not much.
The Hut in the Forest - 3/5 - I love how the father is very concerned with his lunch but not worried that two of his daughter have gone missing. Ducks.
Sharing Joy and Sorrow - 2/5 - Awful.
The Willow-Wren - 2/5 - Boring
The Sole - 2/5 - Boring (II)
The Bittern and the Hoopoe - 1/5 - 'Tis naught.
The Owl - 2/5 - Poor owl.
The Moon - 2/5 - Boring (III)
The Duration of Life - 3/5 - I would rather my dog keep all these years tbh
Death's Messengers - 3/5 - That was a bummer
Master Pfreim (Master Cobbler's Awl) - 4/5 - Master Pfreim is a frenchman if I've ever seen one.
The Goose-Girl at the Well - 4/5 - The very last paragraph of this story is buckwild, but otherwise it's cute, except when the king tries to pull a Lear.
Eve's Various Children - 2/5 - The idea that God came to "inspect" Adam and Eve's house is frankly hilarious, but more importantly, the aesop of this tale is extremely fucked.
The Nixie of the Mill-Pond - 4/5 - The face blindness in these stories should be studied.
The Little Folks' Presents - 2/5 - Boring
The Giant and the Tailor - 2/5 - I've read this before, I'm sure of it.
The Nail - 2/5 - I'm this close to pressing charges against the Grimms for subjecting me to these stories which are not fairy tales and barely count as stories at all.
The Poor Boy in the Grave - 3/5 - That was horrible.
The True Sweethearts - 4/5 - There is an appalling number of princes going off to ask for their parents's permission to be married and then completely forgetting their betrothed. We need to do something about these guys.
The Hare and the Hedgehog - 4/5 - ""Hold thy tongue, woman," said the hedgehog, "that is my affair. Don't begin to discuss things which are matters for men."" This is so unserious. "The moral of this story, however, is, firstly, that no one, however great he may be, should permit himself to jest at any one beneath him, even if he be only a hedgehog. And, secondly, it teaches, that when a man marries, he should take a wife in his own position, who looks just as he himself looks." Be off. Go murder another hare I guess.
The Spindle, the Shuttle, and the Needle - 3/5 - I want that needle.
The Peasant and the Devil - 3/5 - That silly devil.
The Crumbs on the Table - 2/5 - That man is an asshole. Most evil character in the entire collection.
The Sea-Hare - 4/5 - I feel like the one who should have gotten the praise was the fox, but whatever.
The Master-Thief - /5 - That was really fun, but the king is unfair in his judgment, as the thief has only done what he asked to prove himself.
The Drummer - 4/5 - I've read this tale many times by now but I liked the addition that the jilted woman took the dresses in compensation and was satisfied by them.
The Ear of Corn - 1/5 - This is nothing.
The Grave-Mound - 4/5 - "Stupid Devil!" LOL
Old Rinkrank - 3/5 - Fine.
The Crystal Ball - 4/5 - Why do they always rob giants in these stories
Maid Maleen - 4/5 - I really liked this one, it's alike a lot of other tales but maybe it's the fact that Maleen has a name, but I got attached.
The Boots of Buffalo-Leather - 3/5 - A bit random
The Golden Key - 1/5 - This is nothing.
St. Joseph in the Forest - 3/5 - I feel bad for the eldest child, because was she a brat? Yes. But did she deserve to DIE? Eh.
The Twelve Apostles - 2/5 - I can't wait to be done with all the christian crap
The Rose - 2/5 - Mid.
Poverty and Humility Lead to Heaven - 2/5 - What a bummer.
God's Food - 2/5 - I mean why would you wait until you and your kids were near starvation before going to ask your sister, and also once your brother-in-law offered you and your two remaining children food, why would you decline.
The Three Green Twigs - 2/5 - This is OCD: a story. For the last time, a thought is not a sin
Our Lady's Little Glass - 1/5 - This is very little.
The Aged Mother - 1/5 - This sucks so bad! What in the name of Minority Report is this shit?????
The Heavenly Wedding - 1/5 - This is horrible.
The Hazel-Branch - 2.5/5 - Honestly after the last few stories this had at least the advantage of not being the absolute pits.
dark
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Terribly racist, anti-semitic, woman hating, pointless bedtime stories. Very enjoyable for Clare and I.
Merged review:
Terribly racist, anti-semitic, woman hating, pointless bedtime stories. Very enjoyable for Clare and I.
Merged review:
Terribly racist, anti-semitic, woman hating, pointless bedtime stories. Very enjoyable for Clare and I.