The stories the Brothers Grimm first collected are brusque, blunt, absurd, comical, and tragic, and are not, strictly speaking, “fairy tales.” In fact, the Grimms never intended the tales to be read by children. The tales are about children and families and how they reacted to the difficult conditions under which they lived. The Grimms thought the stories and their morals emanated naturally from the German people in an oral tradition, and they wanted to preserve them before the tales were lost forever. In gathering the tales, the Grimms made a unique contribution to folklore, and their Kinder- und Hausmärchen (Children and Household Tales) is even listed by UNESCO in its Memory of the World Registry. It was in large part their first edition, published in two volumes in 1812 and 1815, that inspired folklorists in Europe and Great Britain to gather tales from their oral traditions to preserve as part of their cultural heritage.

Question

–“How the Grimm Brothers Saved
the Fairy Tale,”
Jack Zipes

Which details best support the idea that the Grimms’ tales are important folklore? Check all that apply.

The tales are brusque and comical.
The tales come from the German oral tradition.
The tales were never intended to be read by children.
Folklorists in other countries were inspired by the Grimms’ tales.
The UNESCO Memory of the World Registry lists an edition of the tales.

Answer 1

The details that best support the idea that the Grimms’ tales are important folklore are:

1. The tales come from the German oral tradition.
2. Folklorists in other countries were inspired by the Grimms’ tales.
3. The UNESCO Memory of the World Registry lists an edition of the tales.

These details highlight the cultural significance and influence of the Grimms’ tales within the realm of folklore.