Abstract
Statement of Problem
Known internationally through the Aarne-Thompson Tale Type Index as AT-480, and also known in the fairy tale world of the Grimm Brothers as Frau Holle, the fairy tale Frau Holle is arguably one of the most well known tales in all of Germany. How is the figure Frau Holle in the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale the same as the figure Frau Holle in Germanic mythology and what is the relationship between the two.
Sources of Data
Sources of data used to examine this relationship include literature from areas such as folklore studies and German studies. This study addresses points of interest in each of those areas and attempts to showcase important aspects of the genre of fairy tales and how they relate to Germanic mythology through the analysis of the figure Frau Holle.
Conclusions Reached
Initially seen as two figures, the Frau Holle that appears in the fairy tale is interconnected with the figure in Germanic mythology, which appeared first and ultimately became absorbed into her counterpart in the fairy tale.