Annie Pfeifer, Assistant Professor of Germanic Languages at Columbia University, dives into the dark and rich histories of Grimms' Fairy Tales. She highlights how these stories evolved from oral folklore to literature, preserving culture amid societal shifts. Pfeifer discusses the themes of precarity and abandonment that echo the brothers' own childhood struggles, reflecting the complexities of their era. The episode also showcases the tales' role in children's education and their adaptation into modern narratives, revealing their enduring relevance.