"Snow-White and Rose-Red" () is a German fairy tale. The best-known version is the one collected by the Brothers Grimm in 1837 in the third edition of their collection Grimm's Fairy Tales (KHM 161). It was first published by Wilhelm Grimm in 1827 in Wilhelm Hauff's Märchen-Almanach. An older, somewhat shorter version, "The Ungrateful Dwarf", was written by Caroline Stahl (1776–1837). Indeed, that appears to be the oldest variant; no previous oral version is known, although several have been collected since its publication in 1818. Oral versions are very limited regionally. The tale is of Aarne–Thompson type 426 ("The Two Girls, the Bear, and the Dwarf").

According to scholars Johannes Bolte, Jiří Polívka, Stith Thompson, and Hans-Jörg Uther, the tale, in the Grimm's compilation, originated from a story written by author Karoline Stahl and published in 1818.

Germanic languages

German folklorist Hans-Jörg Uther, in the Folktale Catalogue of the German-speaking Area, classifies the tale as type ATU 426, Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot ("Snow-White and Rose-Red"), which is sparsely attested in Germanophone areas. In addition, Kurt Ranke argued that the Grimm's tale influenced variants collected later, such as Wittrösken und Rautrösken.

According to Frisian scholar Jurjen van der Kooi, in the Catalogue of Frisian Folktales, the tale type is also attested in Friesland, but the heroines are named Blauwoogje ("Blue-Eyes") and Bruin-oogje ("Brown-Eyes"). In addition, Dutch scholar Theo Meder published a Dutch tale titled Rozerood en Lelieblank ("Rose-Red and Lily-White"), from a storyteller from Driebergen, Utrecht, who sent it in 1892 to linguist .

Johannes Bolte and Jiří Polívka cited a tale titled Rozenroodje, collected by J. F. Vincx from Hageland (Flanders).

Slavic languages

The tale type is also attested in the East Slavic Folktale Classification (), indexed as type SUS 426, "Две девушки, медведь (волк) и карлик" ("Two Girls, the Bear/Wolf and the Dwarf"), but only in Russia and Ukraine.

Philologist and folklorist Julian Krzyżanowski, establisher of the Polish Folktale Catalogue according to the international index, located a single Polish variant of type 426, Narzeczony niedźwiedź ("The Bear Groom"). However, Krzyżanowski indicated that the tale was a literary reworking that excised the dwarf and introduced other characters.

Other areas

According to the Latvian Folktale Catalogue, a similar story is found in Latvia, indexed as tale type 426, Lācis — princis ("Bear Prince"): two girls shelter a bear and rescue a dwarf; the bear defeats the dwarf and regains human form.

French scholars Paul Delarue and Marie-Louise Thèneze, establishers of the French folktale catalogue, reported only two variants in France of tale type ATU 426, Les deux fillettes, l'ours et le nain ("The Two Little Girls, the Bear and the Dwarf"), which they considered to be retellings of the Grimm's story.

Other versions

Stories

  • "Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot" by the Brothers Grimm (German language)
  • "Snow-White and Rose-Red"; May Sellar, transl., Andrew Lang, ed., The Blue Fairy Book, 1889
  • Snow-White and Rose-Red and the Big Black Bear, by Clifton Johnson (1913)
  • "Snow-White and Rose-Red"; Margaret Hunt, transl., Grimm's Household Tales, Vol. 2, No. 161
  • "Snow-White and Rose-Red" by Edith Wyatt – short story
  • Forsyth, Kate, and Lorena Carrington. Snow-White & Rose-Red & Other Tales of Kind Young Women. Serenity Press, 2020.

Novels

  • Snow White and Rose Red by Patricia C. Wrede, in the Fairy Tale Series created by Terri Windling – 1989 fantasy novel based on the tale and set in medieval England
  • The Shadow of the Bear by Regina Doman – 1997 novel based on the tale and set in contemporary New York City.
  • Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan – 2008 fantasy novel based on the tale
  • Snow & Rose by Emily Winfield Martin, Random House, October 10, 2017
  • Rose Crown by Nina Clare - 2025 fantasy novel based on the tale, in the Fairy Tale Series All that Glitters

Children's theatre

RashDash.&nbsp; ‘Snow White & Rose Red.’ <nowiki>https://www.rashdash.co.uk/snowwhiterosered</nowiki>

Poetry

Graphic novella

Willingham, Bill.&nbsp; Fables. Vertigo (DC Comics). American comic book series.

Films

  • Schneeweisschen und Rosenrot (1955) West German film directed by Erich Kobler.
  • Beni Bara, Shiro Bara (1975) Japanese animated film directed by Kazuo Nomura and Yoshiyuki Tomino.
  • Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot (1979) East German film directed by Siegfried Hartmann.
  • Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot (1984) West German film directed by Rita-Maria Nowotny.

Television

  • Snow White and Rose Red (1954), silhouette animation made by Lotte Reiniger for the BBC.
  • Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics (1987-1989), episode 7.
  • Simsala Grimm (1999-2010), season 3, episode 44.
  • Schneeweißchen und Rosenrot (2012) TV movie directed by Sebastian Grobler, part of the series Sechs auf einen Streich.

Music

  • Snow White and Rose Red (2019), Single inspired by the tale, from symphonic-metal music group Blackbriar featuring Ulli Perhonen.

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Image:Schneeweisschen und Rosenrot2.jpg|Snow-white and Rose-red, by Alexander Zick

Image:Schneeweisschen und Rosenrot3.jpg|Illustration by Alexander Zick

Image:Schneeweisschen und Rosenrot.jpg|Illustration by Alexander Zick

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See also

  • Cupid and Psyche
  • Beauty and the Beast
  • Graciosa and Percinet
  • East of the Sun and West of the Moon

References

Bibliography

Further reading