We all know the stories of the Grimm brothers, but the ones we know are hardly as gruesome as their first edition. Jack Zipes, professor emeritus of German and comparative literature at the University of Minnesota, decided to take it upon himself to translate the Grimm brother's first edition of tale to English.
Through the translation and study of the Grimm brother's first edition, Zipes has learn that many of the stories we know to day were altered to follow the society of Germany's middle class during that time. It makes sense that the brothers would want to appeal to a larger readership to increase profit and such, but the stories of their first edition seem so horrifying that they probably weren't even made for children. These stories include families butchering each other, and a mother threatening to eat her children out of starvation. It was even decided that these first stories were probably more for oral tradition and to be passed down by word of mouth.
All stories should be told, and it's good that this one is being translated; however, I think there is a reason that the brothers changed them in the first place. The stories of their first edition seem unsuitable for small children, but I am not going to stop anyone from reading. Whatever interested you is what you should read. To be honest I would like to read this translated collection of stories even though they are very grim.
Flood, Allison. "Grimm Brothers’ Fairytales Have Blood and Horror Restored in New Translation." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited, 12 Nov. 2014. Web. 15 Nov. 2014.
