“Once upon a time.…” \r\nHas there ever been a more magical phrase? With those four words, the listener knows he is about to hear a tale of excitement, of wonder, of adventure and far-off places. She knows she is about to enter a world of noble knights, humble woodcutters and beautiful princesses, wicked sorcerers and cruel stepmothers, dragons, mermaids and fairies. Fairytales. Many writers and collectors through time have brought these stories of magic from all over the world to share with readers everywhere. Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, Andrew Lang and Walt Disney are just a few of the names we link with fairytales, but perhaps two of the best known and loved are the Brothers Grimm.\r\nThe tales collected by the Brothers Grimm are well known to all. Some of the stories they made popular include Rapunzel, Hansel and Gretel, Cinderella, Snow White, The Elves and the Shoemaker, Little Red Riding Hood, Rumpelstiltskin, and Snow White and Rose Red. However, the full collection of fairy tales includes many, many more stories.\r\nBut who were the Brothers Grimm? Why did they spend so many years collecting folk tales?\r\n\r\nWell.\r\n\r\nOnce upon a time, there were two brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm. They were born in Hanau, Germany near the end of the eighteenth century, and spent their childhood in the country town of Steinau, where their father was a magistrate. When the older brother, Jacob, was eleven, their father fell ill of pneumonia and died, leaving the two brothers to work to care for their mother and younger siblings.\r\nThe brothers worked hard, and two years later were able, with the help of their aunt, to attend a respected school. They did so well in their studies that both brothers finished at the top of their classes.\r\n