Grimm's Fairy Tales: The Complete Collection

by Margaret Raine Hunt (Translator)

aka "Household Tales of the Brothers Grimm"

This text includes ALL Grimm's fairy tales and children's legends. Margaret Hunt's translation is very true to the German original.

Genres: Fantasy

643 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 4, 2009

About the author

Margaret Hunt (1831 - 1912), born Margaret Raine, was a British novelist and translator of the tales of the Brothers Grimm. She also wrote under the pseudonyms Averil Beaumont and Mrs. Alfred William Hunt. She was married to the artist Alfred William Hunt, and their daughter was the novelist Violet Hunt.

Reviews

[Ed · Rating 1 out of 5]

Snow White is a cautionary tale about how looks can deceive. This particular edition, despite its lovely outward appearance, is translated in a very hollow manner. If you're looking to read an authentic and engaging English interpretation of the Grimm's tales, I would personally recommend Jack Zipes' translation in the 2016 annotated edition.

However, if you're reading only to familarise yourself with the stories and don't care heavily for the quality of the translation (i.e., how much it retains of the tales as they were originally written), this edition will probably meet your expectations.

[Kyla E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is about original fairy tales like Cinderella, The Fox and The Cat, The Hare and the Hedgehog, Rapunzel, The Twelve Brothers, and all the other original stories. This book is good if you have a few minutes to spare because of how short, but simple, the stories are. The longest story in the book was about 4-5 pages.

I really like how each original story is short and simple, but each one is also different. This book kept me guessing at what really happened to disney characters such as Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and Snow White. I liked how they punished the evil guys in different creative ways. (even though it can be gruesome) I also liked how each of the stories ended. I also favor all the other original stories that I haven't heard about yet. (maybe disney can put their own twist on some of them)

I sometimes disliked some of the words because I didn't understand them. Because most the stories are so short, I sometimes had to re-read the longer, 3-4 pages stories. I was so used to reading through the 2 paged stories that I rushed through the 3-4 paged ones. I wasted a bit more time than expected, but when I had to stop in the middle of the story because I rushed through it, it made me wanna restart the story again.

Overall, if you have a few minutes in your day, this book is good to read. There are many good, original stories.

[Nerdish Mum · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are 1744 pages in this book. I have been slowly reading a few pages every day or so since September 2014, so this has been a labour of love reading through all the old stories. Though many story were just retellings of the same moral, it was good to see the different variations. I enjoyed my journey and I recommend anyone to do this at some point

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I can't really rate this book like any other books I've read. This one is a collection of one of the most classic tales of all time. It doesn't really have the same dialogue, the same writing style, the same syntax etc. I actually read this book in a physical copy, not a kindle. I liked these tales alot more than I thought I would. Of course, the Brothers Grimm actually wrote these original tales in German, but the translate is not bad. It didn't feel edited. It felt original (that doesn't seem to make sense, but whatever.) I knew some of the original stories vs the Disney version, but reading them is a whole different experience from just knowing or hearing about them on the internet. It felt alot more intricate and symbolic. Now, I never thought I would like any book with little dialogue, but the fast past, short chapters (literally 2-3 pages sometimes) made it enjoyable. It is also the fact that I know I'm reading classic fairy-tales. It's almost as if you're in the moment where you're flipping through an ancient spell book from Narnia The Voyage of the Dawn Treader , the same one Lucy Pevensie finds. There's some sort of charm there. It's refreshing from the usual Disney's fairy-tales. You get to hear a darker version, more raw material. Pretty much nothing is sugar-coated. I'm not saying Disney fairy-tales suck. They might be a different happier version, but that's not a bad thing. Not at all. It's simply interesting to hear a different version of the classics that in a way you grow up to. Anyways, despite not having elements that I would usually like in a book, I do think it is a good translation to read. I don't suggest to read it all in a day, but from time to time, picture the cliche rare perfect mornings and read one or a few more tales from the book. That shall do it.

[Connor Ashcraft · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cinderella:

A young girl by the name of Cinderella is forced to live with her evil step mom and step sisters due to her father’s passing, leaving her being treated like a servant. On the night of the ball she asks her step mother if she could attend and was told no because she had nothing to wear and was hideous. After being distraught about the answer her fairy god mother appears and grants her all she needs to go, so she does. There she catches the eye of the prince and they have a lovely time together. But the magic spell from the godmother wore off at midnight, which left Cinderella having to end her night before she could tell the prince anymore about her life. Only leaving a glass slipper in memory of that night for the prince. So in wanting to find her again he sets out for all the girls in the kingdom and has them try the slipper on to see if it fits, because only then will he find the maiden again. After a long journey he makes his way to Cinderella’s home where her sisters attempted to try on the slipper, only leaving there feet bloody from it not fitting. Once Cinderella tries and it fits the prince asks for her hand in marriage. At the wedding, Cinderella’s two sisters get their eyes plucked out in return for the cruel behavior she showed her their whole lives.

[Hannele · Rating 2 out of 5]

Part of the fascination of the Grimm's stories is the history behind them. They are at least partly German folk stories, it's hard to know how much the brothers have put their own in them. Still, while reading the stories now I felt like most of them are quite "old-fashioned". It's hard to see that they would be so timeless as they have been predicted to be. Anyhow the historical value still exists.

[Muhammad Usman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had a blast reading this. The stories are way darker than their Disney adaptations.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I enjoyed going back to reading fairy tales, their is a reason we read them as children .However that being said, I was intrigued with the original telling of these tales versus our Disney versions. I believe the originals taught us morals that were whitewashed inour updated versions.

[Jameelah L · Rating 3 out of 5]

an excellent mysteriose thing.

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quite different from what we know today as fairy tails

[Erica]

Excellent unable to put it down