Once upon a time fairy tales were passed from generation to generation through oral storytelling. About three hundred years ago that changed.

Charles Perrault thought it was important to write down the fairy tales he heard. He published his first book of fairy tales in 1697.

The Grimm Brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm, collected fairy tales from all over Germany and published their first book in 1812.

Hans Christian Andersen was the first to actually create his own fairy tales and published them in 1835.

Tour through the pages to learn more about these men, the places they lived, and the fairy tales they told.

To find fairy tales in the library go to 398.2 in the nonfiction section. To read Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales check 'FIC AND' and 'E FIC'. Why are Andersen's tales placed in fiction? He is the author of his tales, while the others retold stories someone else created.

Charles Perrault was born in Paris on January 12, 1628. He created a new literary genre when he published his collection of fairy tales in 1697. This was the first time fairy tales were written down for all to share. The title was The Tales of Mother Goose but it does not refer to the same rhymes we associate with Mother Goose today. He is best known for telling the tales of Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Puss in Boots. Perrault died in Paris on May 16, 1703.

You can find out more about Perrault at Wikipedia.

Tour the sites below to read Perrault's tales online.

Project Gutenberg: Tales of Mother Goose

SurLaLune Fairy Tales: Tales of Charles Perrault

Jacob Grimm (January 4, 1785) and Wilhelm Grimm (February 24, 1786) were born in Hanau, Germany, a town near Frankfurt. They were angered when Napoleon took over Germany in 1806 and forced Germans to use the French language. They decided they wanted to preserve the folktales they had heard spoken in German as children. They went about Germany writing down the stories people told them. They published their first collection in 1812, Children's and Household Tales. They are best known for telling the tales of Rapunzel, Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, and Hansel and Gretel. Wilhelm died December 16, 1859 surrounded by his family in Berlin. Jacob died in his home in Berlin on September 20, 1863.

You can find out more about the Grimm Brothers at Wikipedia or at National Geographic. Tour the sites below to read Grimms' tales online.

Hans Christian Andersen was born in Odense, Denmark on April 2, 1805. He was the first author to successfully create his own fairy tales. While Andersen published his first fairy tales in 1835 it took ten years for him to gain fame for them. His best known tales are The Little Mermaid, The Ugly Duckling, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Snow Queen, and The Little Match Girl. Andersen died in Copenhagen, Denmark on August 4, 1875.

You can see a chronology of Andersen's life by year or day or read a short biography.

Tour the sites below to read Andersen's tales online.

• Project Gutenberg: Andersen's Fairy Tales

• SurLaLune Fairy Tales: Tales of Hans Christian Andersen

• EnTechneVision: Andersen Fairy Tales (animated tales)

• Gilead Organization: Chronological List of Andersen's Tales

 

Visit the Hans Christian Andersen Storytelling Center at Central Park. Every Saturday, June through September, from 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM fairy tales from around the world are told.