The Brothers Grimm - Jacob and Wilhelm - originally collected the fairy tales contained in this volume (and many more) in order to preserve them for future generations (and not necessarily to entertain young readers), but the stories proved to be so universally loved and cherished by the children who read them that they were re-published in 1823 with illustrations. This volume swiftly became among the most popular short story collections of all time. Collected here are some of the best of the best of these tales, including such household names as Snow White, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Puss in Boots, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Rumpelstiltskin. This collection also includes a number of original illustrations that helped make these books so immensely popular.