Fri Jun 02 2000 at 20:21:42
Jacob Ludwig Carl Grimm (1785-1863) and his brother Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786-1859) are best known as the editors of Grimm's Fairy Tales, a massive collection of of over 200 legends, myths, and fairy tales.
Their father, a prosperous lawyer, died suddenly in 1796, bringing the brother's idyllic childhood to an abrupt end. They were brought up by an aunt, in reduced circumstances, and intended to study law. They both found themselves drawn to German medievalliterature instead, and entered the University of Marburg. Jacob left before completing his degree, and went to Paris to assist his mentor with research. It was on his return home that Jacob and Willhelm began their search for traditional fairy tales. The first few are preserved in a series of letters from early 1808.