Volksmärchen der Deutschen

Volksmärchen der Deutschen ("Folktales of the Germans") is an early collection of German folk stories retold in a satirical style by Johann Karl August Musäus, published in five volumes between 1782 and 1786.

Stories
Volume Original title English translation English publication date
1 Die Bücher der Chronika der drei Schwestern The Book of the Chronicles of the Three Sisters 1791
1 Richilde Richilda 1791
1 Rolands Knappen Roland's Squires 1845
2 Legenden von Rübezahl Legends of Rubezahl 1791
2 Die Nymphe des Brunnens The Nymph of the Fountain 1791
3 Libussa Libussa 1827
3 Der geraubte Schleier The Stolen Veil 1791
3 Liebestreue Love Loyalty
4 Stumme Liebe Mute Love 1813
4 Ulrich mit dem Bühel Ulrich with the Hump
4 Dämon Amor Demon Cupid
5 Melechsala Melechsala 1827
5 Der Schatzgräber The Treasureseeker 1845
5 Die Entführung The Abduction 1826

Publication and translation

The first English translation, containing just five stories, was published anonymously in 1791. The translation has traditionally been attributed to William Beckford, though this now seems unlikely according to David Blamires due to the very few German books in Beckford's extensive library, as noted by G. P. Butler.[1] However, Bartolomeu dos Santos says that author and poet Joseph Crabtree met Goethe in 1786, was asked by him to translate Musäus' Volksmärchen into English, and suggests that Beckford may have assisted him with this when they met in Lisbon.[2]

The Chronicles of the Three Sisters was later published independently in a compilation of fairy tales, without attribution of authorship.[3]

References
  1. Blamires, David (2009). "Musäus and the Beginnings of the Fairytale". Telling Tales: The Impact of Germany on English Children’s Books 1780–1918.
  2. "Joseph Crabtree and the Caliph of Fonthill". The Crabtree Orations 1954–1994 (PDF). The Crabtree Foundation. 1997. p. 212.
  3. Lemon, Mark. Fairy Tales. London: John Stark. [ca. 187x?] pp. 1-100.
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