Grimm's Fairy Tales (1812)

More repetitive and not as dark as I expected - perhaps I had the bowdlerised version? ( )

I read The Ungrateful Son from this book. It is a fable about a son who hides his dinner when he's his father coming to visit so that he will not have to share with him. When his father leaves without getting any of the dinner, he finds that the dinner has turned into a mean frog who wants to eat his face. (To be completed) ( )

I myself always appreciated Grimm's Fairy Tales when I was younger, that being said it is definitely a collection one should really be wary of when suggesting to students. The language is not always as clear as some students may need, and despite the allure of fairy tales, some students may not appreciate the darker and more graphic representations. This book is something I would suggest more for older readers, perhaps 6th and on, as the material within the stories may again put some younger readers off. However, for students who are interested in folklore and the like, this is a collection they would likely be interested in ,and enjoy seeing some of the the original versions of widely known tales.

Reading Level: 4.8 ( )

Summary:
A miller lies to the king and says that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king believes him, takes his daughter and locks her in a room with straw and tells her that if it’s not gold by the morning she will be killed. She becomes distraught until a funny, little man appears and says that he can turn the straw into gold for her, but she must give him her jewelry. He did this two nights in a row and by the third night the exchange changed. Instead of her jewelry the little man wanted her first born child. She agreed and after the third day the kind proposed to the miller’s daughter.
When they had their first son, the little man reappeared and demanded the baby. The queen refused and a new bargain was struck. If she could guess his name within 3 days, she could keep her baby. The queen guess the little man’s name, he became upset and left without the baby.

Personal Reaction:
I grew up on Grimm’s fairytales and they have always been my favorite stories. The illustrations in this version are incredibly detailed and beautiful. I also like one of the morals of the story is that you shouldn’t lie about something that you can’t come through on.

Classroom Extension:
1) Have the students discuss any lies they may have told and why they back fired.
2) Have the students draw their version of Rumpelstilkskin. ( )

i usually do a half star if i want you to know it was rated and don't want you to think that i just didn't rate it. i understand this is classic but i have to say disney is who made these stories great. i also say that because he basically re-wrote them. i look at these storiies and they are so unfullfilling or so un-entertaining that it must have a charm on to get people to even want to read this crap. the stories are pointless, unimaginative, gory (which i don't mind) and repetative. don't waste your time. its not even worth reading to see the differences in them and what is told to day not to mention completely un-entertaining while doing so. ( )