Germany, fairy tales in
The roots of the German literary fairy tale can be traced to the ancient Egyptian and Graeco-Roman period of myths and oral storytelling as well as to the pagan Nordic and Slavic traditions of folklore. Though it is customary to credit Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm with fostering the study of folk and fairy tales in Germany and for providing the basis for the flowering of the fairy tale, this approach is somewhat misleading. The rise of the literary fairy tale in Germany can only be understood if we grasp the interaction between ancient European oral and literary traditions. The fairy tale in Germany is a hybrid genre closely associated with similar genres in other European countries. Therefore, it is necessary to grasp its cross-cultural history before discussing the unique development in Germany.... ...
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