Five hundred new fairytales discovered in Germany
Collection of fairytales gathered by historian Franz Xaver von Schönwerth had been locked away in an archive in Regensburg for over 150 years
Read one of the fairytales: The Turnip Princess
Spinning a yarn … King Golden Hair, one of the newly-discovered fairytales. Illustration: Barbara Stefan
A whole new world of magic animals, brave young princes and evil witches has come to light with the discovery of 500 new fairytales, which were locked away in an archive in Regensburg, Germany for over 150 years. The tales are part of a collection of myths, legends and fairytales, gathered by the local historian Franz Xaver von Schönwerth (1810–1886) in the Bavarian region of Oberpfalz at about the same time as the Grimm brothers were collecting the fairytales that have since charmed adults and children around the world.
![As the executioner seized her by the hand, to lift her out of the cart, she hastily threw the eleven coats of mail over the swans, and they immediately became eleven handsome princes; but the youngest had a swan’s wing, instead of an arm; for she had not been able to finish the last sleeve of the coat.
“Now I may speak,” she exclaimed. “I am innocent.”
[picture: Wild Swans, Kay Neilsen.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzl89zswY51ro5pdco1_500.jpg)
‘But remember, that from the moment you commence your task until it is finished, even should it occupy years of your life, you must not speak. The first word you utter will pierce through the hearts of your brothers like a deadly dagger. Their lives hang upon your tongue. Remember all I have told you.’
— The Wild Swans, Hans Christian Andersen
![‘“Yes, take me with you,” said Eliza. Then they spent the whole night in weaving a net with the pliant willow and rushes. It was very large and strong. Eliza laid herself down on the net, and when the sun rose, and her brothers again became wild swans, they took up the net with their beaks, and flew up to the clouds with their dear sister, who still slept. The sunbeams fell on her face, therefore one of the swans soared over her head, so that his broad wings might shade her.’
[Illustration from The Wild Swans, written by Amy Ehrlich and illustrated by Susan Jeffers.]](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lzl9c18ymp1ro5pdco1_250.jpg)
