The Brothers Grimm were Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, German professors who were best known for publishing collections of folk tales and fairy tales, and for their work in linguistics, relating to how the sounds in words shift over time (Grimm's Law). They are probably the best known story tellers of novellas from Europecitation needed], allowing the widespread knowledge of such tales as Snow White, Rumpelstiltskin, Cinderella and Hansel and Gretel.