« Le Roi-grenouille ou Henri-de-fer» et l'histoire éditoriale des "KHM"

Abstract

Considered by the Grimms as one of the oldest and most beautiful tales, “Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich” nevertheless underwent significant changes between the first edition of the KHM in 1812, and the last in 1857. This article shows that in publishing their compilation, the authors developed a number of elements linked to their project, which was in itself in evolution. By emphasising the moral dimension of the tale and its childish character, and by removing sexual allusions, the Grimms endeavoured to bring the text closer to the model of tales described in the preface of their collection. While “Der Froschkönig oder der eiserne Heinrich”, strategically positioned at the beginning of the KHM, may seem emblematic of the Grimms’ work, it has also become so thanks to the authors repeated rewritings.
Key words: Tales, Grimm, The Frog Prince, textual genetics, editorial history, comparison