
Reading Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales
When you hear or read the words “library book sale,” what is your reaction? If it’s one of awe and excitement mixed with jumping, grabbing all of the totes you own before grabbing your keys and getting in your car without having to ask where? – welcome. If it’s a more calm reaction – that’s acceptable. If it’s indifference – get in my car; your life is about to take a turn for the best.
When the library book sale is at your library, the library in your hometown or the one closest to you heart, do you almost cry at the thought of picking up a book you read as a ten year old now when you’re twenty-four whatever age you are? Do you actually cry? Do you defy the odds of speed and time to get there early or right when the sale starts? Do you get out of a speeding ticket because the police officer becomes flustered when you won’t stop blubbering about the library book sale and can’t get a word in and just walks back to his or her cruiser and drives away? Or does the police officer offer to escort you to the library book sale, understanding completely? You are in good company, my friend.
When my hometown library held a book sale this past October, I joined forces with my mom and hit the books. Bundles of romance novels, bestsellers, classics, outdated computer manuals (I’m oddly obsessed with these), dictionaries, movies, and a plethora of young adult and children’s books filled the second floor space, on long tables, makeshift bookshelves, and in boxes. I believe I touched every single binding, and had a wonderfully nostalgic time looking through the titles I read as a child and teenager; the Arthur books, the Gossip Girl series, Judy Blume, The City of Ember, and oh-so-many more. I would have taken every single one of the books home with me, but a little self-control kicked in and I ended up with one and half tote bags full (my mom claimed the other half) of novels I’ve read, admired, and have wanted to read. One of these well-loved books sits with me now: Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales.
I chose this book because while familiar with the Grimm brothers’ stories, I’ve never read anywhere near a complete collection of them. While this is an unmarked copy, my research has led me to believe that it’s a 1954 edition* that has lost its jacket – surely along the way in its life on a library shelf and in patrons’ hands (the earliest due date on the library slip attached to the back page reads June 15th, 1992). All 211 of Jacob and Wilhelm’s fairy tales are inside, and I intend to read every one.
More specifically, I will be reading one every week, each with a subsequent blog post. Many I am familiar with, but with many more I am not. I am hoping to learn more about the Grimm brothers along the way, as well as controversies, histories, and other drama surrounding their tales. That is what will really take up the most time, as these fairy tales are not at all long, and create the most pleasant distraction from life outside their pages.
If you would like to revisit or explore these Fairy Tales along with me, you can find most if not all among the scourge of the internet, or go pick up a collection for yourself (do this one). I will link up to my posts as they are written below:
- The Frog Prince
- The Gallant Tailor
- The Giant and the Tailor
- The Little Farmer
- The Golden Key
- Sharing Joy and Sorrow
- The Nail
- Tom Thumb
- Tom Thumb’s Travels
- The Young Giant
- Sweet Porridge
- The Elves
- Fair Katrinelje and Pif-Paf-Poltrie
- The Old Beggar-Woman
- The Jew Among Thorns
- King Thrushbeard
- Clever Gretel
- Fitcher’s Bird
- The Robber Bridegroom
- Old Hildebrand
- The Singing Bone
- Maid Maleen
- The Goose-Girl
- The Skilful Huntsman
- The Princess in Disguise
- Cinderella
- Simeli Mountain
- The Glass Coffin
- Rapunzel
- The Sleeping Beauty
- Old Rinkrank
- Hansel and Gretel
- The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean
- The Death of the Hen
- The Rabbit’s Bride
- The Hare and the Hedgehog
- The Dog and the Sparrow
- Old Sultan
- Mr. Korbes
- The Vagabonds
- The Owl
- The Bremen Town Musicians
- The Wonderful Musician
- The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage
- The Crumbs on the Table
- The Cat and the Mouse in Partnership
- The Spider and the Flea
- The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids
- The Wolf and the Fox
- The Wolf and the Man
- Gossip Wolf and the Fox
- Little Red Riding Hood
- How Mrs. Fox Married Again
- The Fox and the Geese
- The Fox and the Horse
- The Fox and the Cat
- The Sole
- The Willow-Wren
- The Willow-Wren and the Bear
Happy reading, happy dreaming, happy library book sale-ing, and never stop believing in 398.2.
*Published by Nelson Doubleday, Inc. in Garden City, New York.
Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales on Goodreads
Grimm’s Complete Fairy Tales

73 Comments
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josypheen
I love this!
My husband has a whole set of old library books. We read them all before passing them onto charity so other people could enjoy them too..but Grimms looks like it could easily fit onto a bookshelf, so you won’t need to give it away!
kmac14
That sounds wonderful! And I plan to hold on to it forever 😉
actualconversationswithmyhusband
This is a brilliant theme and I’m kind of jealous of your find.
kmac14
Thank you! I cherish it greatly.
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ellenbest24
My kids were nurtured on The Brothers Grimm and I would love to have gotten my mitts on the beauty you have. I share on g+ i found you on suzies friday free for all.
kmac14
It’s a book I will never let go [willingly]. 🙂 Thanks for reading!
kmac14
Thank you!!
Jennifer
I would also have touched every single spine. Perhaps held a few in my hands and smelled them before going on. I loved reading the original Grimm Brother tales. Boy, was I surprised. Recently, though, my husband and I went through a downsizing purge and most of my physical books have found new homes. I buy Kindle and Audible versions now….unless I find an absolute, must hold in my hand and keep forever title.
kmac14
I’m finding many of them to be surprising, too! I’m going to attempt to read all of the books I own throughout 2018 for the sake of downsizing, which I’ve never done. I’ve been reading The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up and have been feeling incredibly inspired and motivated by it, so that’s really fueling my desire to downsize. We’ll see how it goes. 🙂
suzyhomemakeruk
My memory is rusty, I need to do some recollecting on Grimm’s Fairy Tales, I have a feeling they may provide me with much inspiration! Sx
Kelsey
There are a few that I remember immediately, and then others I remember scant details of – it has definitely been fun revisiting and reading them! 🙂
Shailaja V
What a lovely concept! I look forward to reading them. Grimm’s fairy tales were among my favourites, growing up 🙂
Kelsey
Thank you! My childhood nostalgia definitely surged when I saw this book – I knew I had to have it!
lydiaschoch
What a cool idea for a blogging series. I’m looking forward to reading all of them. Have you finished the whole book yet?
Kelsey
Thank you! And goodness no, I write a post after I read each story, so the ones listed here are all I’ve read so far (there are 211 total). 🙂
LadyPamelaRose
I have long wanted to read this book and the original tales, so I hope you’ll do some follow up reviews of the stories it contains. You have a real treasure!
Kelsey
It’s definitely one of my most cherished books. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
joannereedauthor
Enjoy the reading; are these the edited versions or the originals? Was surprised to find out that the uncut versions have a lot more blood and horror than the versions we are familiar, this may prompt we to go find a set.
Kelsey @ There's Something About KM
The originals. If you are able to find an original bound copy of the collection or a few of the tales I do recommend reading them – be prepared for a lot of surprises. 😬
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