This first edition is wholly unlike the so-called definitive edition of 1857. In the process of publishing seven different editions over forty years, the Grimms made vast changes in the contents and style. The stories in the first edition are closer to the oral tradition than the tales of the final, which can be regarded more as a literary collection, because Wilhelm, the younger brother, continually honed the tales so that they would resonate with a growing literary public. Their books would become second in popularity only to the Bible in German-speaking lands. By the twentieth century, they would become the most famous collection of folk and fairy tales in the western world.


What is the author's purpose in writing this paragraph?

to entertain the reader with tales from the Grimms' youth
to convince the reader that the Grimms' books are popular
to inform the reader of the reasons for the differences between editions
to explain the roles of famous folk and fairy tales in the Western world