Treasures of the Rare Books Room - Children's Fairy Tale Collection
Once Upon A Time…..terrible things happened.
That is what you might think if you were to flip through one of the numerous fairy tale books in the Richard E. and Lucile Krug Rare Books Room. The heroes of these stories (usually children) fight off unimaginable odds such as extreme poverty, wicked stepmothers, and cannibalistic fiancés yet somehow manage to live happily ever after…in some cases. If it seems strange that these stories were read to children it is because children were not the intended audience. Pioneers of the genre Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm gathered together old Germanic folktales and only softened them up when they realized that they would even sell better.
Fairy tales are rooted in oral traditions and were used to come up with solutions and to help people make sense of the world around them. They reflect the values and cultural ideas of the time and through sometimes drastic measures show that good can triumph over evil. In the tale Blue Beard, a woman is saved from murder at the hands of her aristocratic husband (who has a nasty habit of murdering all his wives) and uses his money to find respectable husbands for herself and her sister.
Fairy tales also came about as a response to events happening at the time. The story of Hansel and Gretel is thought to have originated during the time of the Great Famine (1315-1321) when desperate parents would abandon their children or even resort to cannibalism. Back when many women died in childbirth, their husbands would marry younger girls closer to their children’s age. This gave rise to the story of the evil stepmother and stepsisters which features in Grimm’s tale Little Brother, Little Sister. After the brother is turned into a deer, he and his sister are rescued by a king. The evil stepmother is then burned at the stake and the stepsister is eaten alive by wild animals.
Though the stories are intense, they all have beautiful illustrations. To see the books and learn more about the history of fairy tales, be sure to come to the Once Upon A Time program September 26th at 2 p.m. in the Rare Books Room. Retired children’s librarian Karen Radtke will speak on the art, culture, and influence of fairy tales. Space is limited. Please call 414-286-3071 to register.