Grimm Fairy Tales (Free PDF Collection)

Once upon a time in the faraway land lived two brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. The Brothers Grimm came from very humble beginnings in Germany. But while the Grimm brothers had a tough start in life, they would later go on to become household names with just about every person knowing at least one of the Brothers Grimm fairy tales!

Some of their most famous fairy tales include Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin, and Rapunzel, just to name a few. All in all, they wrote over 150 stories.

Now while the Brothers Grimm fairy tales are attributed to them, it must be noted that many of the stories are in fact old folk tales that were passed down from generation to generation. The Brothers Grimm collected these folk stories and fairy tales, made changes to them, and then published them.

History Of The Brothers Grimm And Their Famous Fairy Tales

The Grimm brothers lost their father to pneumonia when Jacob was just 11 years old, and little Wilhelm was just 10. Because they were the eldest of six children, the family struggled financially when their father died. Without their father’s support, they relied on their grandfather and their aunt for help.

The Grimm brothers worked incredibly hard and they were determined to become the very best students they could be, hoping to make their father proud. They both graduated at the top of their respective classes.

Both of the Brothers Grimm studied law at the University of Marburg and eventually worked as professors in Hanover and later returned to Kassel where their love of German folklore and fairy tales would come to be.

When Jacob was 23 years old, his mother also passed away and he took on the responsibility of providing for his five younger siblings.

Photo of the Brothers Grimm — Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm
^{Hermann Biow, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons}

Over the next years, the Brothers Grimm spent time collecting folktales and stories from friends, family, and local people around them. In 1812, they eventually published their first collection of fairy tales in a book called Children’s and Household Tales which contained 86 Grimm fairy tales and folk stories.

Over time the Brothers Grimm fairy tales would grow to over 150 stories which would be known simply as Grimm’s Fairy Tales. The fairy tales have become so popular that they have been translated into 160 languages and are, to this day, some of the most popular bedtime stories for kids.

Grimms’ Fairy Tales PDF Downloads

Here you will find a collection of the most famous Grimm fairy tales in PDF format. Each story is easy to download and print. We will be adding to the collection so please don’t forget to check back often! If there is a particular Grimms fairy tale you would like, let us know and we’ll add it to the collection.