I'm reading this fine collection of classical folklore, and I've found some of it suprisingly complex, some of them much darker than their contemporary counterparts(i.e. Cinderella), one disturbingly racist(The Jew Among Thorns), and some a superlative joy, a paragon of magic, if you will, such as "The Valiant Little Tailor", "Faithful John", "The Three Golden Hairs", and "The Golden Key"(In fact, I find myself enjoying the half-page tales quite a bit).
However, I just read one that shocked the hell out of me, one that I know I'll not forget, called "The Robber Bridegroom". It's about a young girl who ends up engaged to a man who, with his buddies, kills, dismembers, and eats nubile young women. It gets pretty graphic too. In any case, all I have to say is "The fuck?" My ability to convey my emotions fails me. I know that the original tales weren't meant exclusively for children, but damn.