Bedtime Stories - German Fairy Tales in English

Bedtime Stories - German Fairy Tales in English and Germany is a country with a long and rich tradition in folklore, with stories many know and love. It is the home of beloved German fairy tales with characters such as Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood, and others. Germany is also the birthplace of the Brothers Grimm, storytellers who collected fairy tales and folklore from around the country. German fairy tales are perhaps some of the most beloved stories for children and adults.

German folklore is similar to the folklore of Scandinavian and English cultures because all three have origins in a Germanic mythology. The country’s folklore tradition is characterized with peasants who become heroes, woodcutters who have children, and royalty that has fallen under an enchantment. Many German fairy tales or folk tales feature a female protagonist, and often the character ends up marrying royalty, thereby elevating their social stature as a reward for being “good.” Most German folklore stories feature a romanticism of natural spaces, in particular forests, and in nearly every story, the villain gets his or her retribution, thereby teaching a moral tale, with values important to the culture. The message is clear- goodness and kindness are rewarded, while cruelty and selfishness are punished in German folklore.