Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Little Red Riding Hood… Oh sure, we all know the stories, but do we know their origins? What do they tell us about the “Germans” of the nineteenth century – and how do they compare with the fairy tales told in France or Italy, or the ones we tell today? In this episode, Jacke takes a look at Germanic linguists and folklorists Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and their most famous project, Grimm’s Fairy Tales, or as it was originally called, Kinder- und Hausmärchen (Children’s and Household Tales). PLUS we have a sneak preview of our conversation with Jeremy Tiang, translator of the Chinese contemporary classic The Wedding Party, by Liu Xinwu.

Additional listening ideas:

• Like Children’s Literature? Try our episodes on Roald Dahl or Beatrix Potter.
• Gaga for Germans? Try our episode on Thomas Mann’s Magic Mountain.
• In the mood for something different? Check out The Forbidden Stories of North Korea.

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