Have you ever wondered what a book would sound like? I don't mean that literally. We've all heard of audiobooks, radio adaptations, or at least, bedtime stories. I mean what a book would sound like if it were music.

Take Gormenghast, for example. Gormenghast is like a Mahler symphony. It is a monumental combination of the dramatic and the absurd. It is very beautiful, yet it doesn't take itself too seriously. Sometimes, it seems weighed down by the level of detail.

The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse are... What? Well, they're a little like Schubert's Winterreise. They are beautiful, highly polished, slightly alien, and cover the same ground in subtly different ways. Maybe it's better to think of them as a bit second Viennese school. They are short pieces by Berg or Webern, clean-lined and unconventionally charming.

Witness an extended simile collapsing under its own weight.

The important thing to note about these stories is that they are not, conventionally speaking, fairytales, even if they aren't bound by realism. There are a few that are a bit E. T. A. Hoffmann-ish, like The Dwarf. But most resemble Kafka in parable mode. They are written in a deceptively simple style and are mostly around the ten-page mark. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't attracted to them by the illustrations.

The themes covered are mostly the terminal-stage romantic subjects of The Artist, abstract love, and innocence versus experience. There are a few exceptions, such as If The War Continues or The European, which are a direct result of the First World War, or The Three Linden Trees, which is a straightforward story.

I enjoyed these, but would recommend reading them individually and not as a block.

It is truly a collection of fantastic stories. Most of these stories unfold in a mythical atmosphere. There are stories that blend imagination and reality, like "If the War Continues", which really intrigued me. It's about a citizen who returns to his country after the end of World War I in 1920 only to find himself imprisoned on the charge of heresy without permission, and then the authorities decide to punish him by stripping him of the permission to exist!

Most of them are filled with sadness, and are overwhelmed by the feelings of pain and human suffering, which require a person to have courage and dedication to break free from the torture, the torture of subjugation and humiliation. And the most powerful story that reflects the virtue of courage and the lack of fear of entering into the experience and the desire for knowledge and not submitting to the illusions that those who call themselves priests raise in order to subjugate people's minds to their power, and to keep for themselves the power of command and prohibition, and to profit from behind the weakness of humanity and then submit it to ignorance and narrow-mindedness and poverty of imagination. Let's see a hero who has the virtue of rebellion against the power of those who claim priesthood. And despite all that he is subjected to by the people of the town in terms of attacks and ostracism, to the point of being cast out, he persists in continuing his path towards his goal, the "dominant sun that he discovered", which here means the sun of truth that everyone refuses to explore and strive for because of fear and cowardice, and the appeal to the power of the old, crafty "priest".

What amazed me in Hermann Hesse is that he reminded me of a keeper, in the style of expressing reality through imagination, to avoid confusion with the ruling power, and also in his abstruse endings, like playing with shadows. There is a man named Ziegler, the end of Doctor Novy, the poet

"The Three Linden Trees"

"A Dream about the Gods"

"Strange News from Another Planet" and the Naked Man

These three stories within them are a call to hold on to the noble human values.

There are two stories that I think represent the meaning of the whole group, and they are August, and the Painter and the Susanne.

The heroes in Hermann Hesse are not always people. Instead, he chose in "The City" and "Falun" the places to convey the message that he wants to communicate to the reader.

It is one of the most beautiful things I have read. I really enjoyed it, and the translation is wonderful and succeeded in conveying the meaning without touching on the grip of the text and the strength of its construction.

A beautiful and strange book with the strangest stories.

In it, there are things that borrow meaning and essence, and in it, despite your enjoyment, there remains something that haunts you.

What does it mean here or there?

I liked most of it, but some of it I didn't like because it... left a negative energy in my heart.

I'm eager to read it again, Hart.

This book is truly a unique one. It takes you on a journey through a world of strange and wonderful stories. Some of them touch your soul and make you think deeply about life and its meanings. However, there are also some that may leave you with a sense of unease or a negative feeling. But that's what makes this book so interesting. It challenges you and makes you confront your own emotions and beliefs. I can't wait to read it again and discover more of its hidden treasures.

To become a human being is truly an art.

For Hesse, art, which he regarded as the ultimate form of self-fulfillment, was all about establishing a connection with a profound and essential feeling that was closely associated with the concept of "home." However, this home was not the physical abode of his parents. Instead, it was something intangible, something that was intertwined with aesthetic intuition and a nurturing maternalism, yet it was unique to each and every individual.

Moreover, he came to the realization that in this vast and complex world, there is nothing that we can accurately predict or know for certain, with the sole exception of death. Death is the one inevitable truth that awaits us all. It serves as a reminder of the impermanence of life and the limitations of our knowledge.

These profound insights from Hesse offer us a new perspective on life, art, and the human experience.

I’ve loved the writing of Hermann Hesse ever since I first read Siddhartha in my teens. However, until now, I had never delved into any of his short fiction. This collection, translated by Jack Zipes, contains twenty-two stories dating from 1904 to 1918. These are prior to the novels that I so affectionately associate with my young adulthood, such as Demian (1919), Siddhartha (1922), Steppenwolf (1927), and Journey to the East (1932).

Since I had varying degrees of enjoyment with the stories, I’ll rate them separately.

“The Dwarf” (1904), set in an aristocratic household in Venice, is a tale of love and revenge that introduces a recurring theme—the persecution of an artistic sensibility. It earns a well-deserved ★★★★★.

“Shadow Play” (1906), another story featuring aristocratic characters and dealing with love and murder, once again showcases a gentle soul suffering. I give it ★★★★☆.

“A Man by the Name of Ziegler” (1908) is a critique of Man, with elements of magic and talking animals in the form of the pseudoscience of alchemy. It also appears in Stories of Five Decades, translated by Ralph Manheim, and rates ★★★★☆.

“The City” (1910) is one of my favorites. It tells the story of the rise and fall of a city, and I appreciate Hesse’s long view of history. This story also appears in Stories of Five Decades and gets a ★★★★★.

“Dr. Knoegle’s End” (1910) is about a vegetarian, and like some other stories, it shows the persecution of a sensitive man. I rate it ★★★☆☆.

“The Beautiful Dream” (1912) is another favorite. As a dream, it has an otherworldly quality that fascinates me, reminding me a little of George MacDonald’s stories. It earns a ★★★★★.

“The Three Linden Trees” (1912) is a parable-like fairy tale about the loyalty and love between three brothers, receiving a ★★★☆☆.

“Augustus” (1913) has a magical grandfather who grants wishes and is one of the stories most like a traditional fairy tale, meriting a ★★★★★.

“The Poet” (1913) is an otherworldly tale of a poet, and this quality is what I most enjoy in Hesse’s work. It gets a ★★★★★.

“Flute Dream” (1914) is also an otherworldly tale of a poet. While I prefer “The Poet,” “The Flute” is still a five-star story.

“A Dream About the Gods” (1914) is a dream about science and myth. Although I like Hesse’s dream stories, this one is not among the best, rating ★★★☆☆.

In “Strange News from Another Planet” (1915), a young man magically travels from his utopian planet to Earth and fortunately forgets it all upon his return. It earns a ★★★★★.

“Faldum” (1916) uses the fairy tale element of wish-granting and, like “The City,” takes a long view of history, this time observed by a mountain who was once a man. It gets a ★★★★★.

“A Dream Sequence” (1916) is a dream with a surreal and disconnected quality, similar to real dreams. I rate it ★★★★☆.

“The Forest Dweller” (1917) presents the mythic minds of prehistory and seems like a counterpoint to “A Dream About the Gods.” It gets a ★★★☆☆.

“The Difficult Path” (1917) is a cryptic story that leaves one wondering if it’s a dream or not and what it’s like to be born. I give it ★★★☆☆.

“If the War Continues” (1917) presents a dystopian future, and in such a world, the ability to transcend reality is a blessing. It earns a ★★★★★.

“The European” (1918) is a parable about war and other races, set on Noah’s ark and critiquing European culture. It gets a ★★★★★.

“The Empire” (1918) is the story of the rise and fall of a nation, similar to “The City” but not quite as long in its view. It rates ★★★★☆.

In “The Painter” (1918), an artist discovers his relationship with the world, one of many stories about creative people. I rate it ★★★★☆.

“The Fairy Tale About the Wicker Chair” (1918) truly deserves to be called a fairy tale as the chair talks. It’s the tale of a painter who can’t become an artist and gets a ★★★☆☆.

“Iris” (1918) is my absolute favorite story in this collection. If every other story had been a dud, this collection would still be worth owning for “Iris” alone. It’s a ‘blue flower’ story, and anyone who loves Novalis will love it too. Five stars are simply not enough; it deserves a whole galaxy of stars. ★★★★★

The best of Hermann Hesse can be summed up in this passage from “Iris.”

“All children, as long as they still live in the mystery, are continuously occupied in their souls with the only thing that is important, which is themselves and their enigmatic relationship to the world around them. Seekers and wise people return to these preoccupations as they mature. Most people, however, forget and leave forever this inner world of the truly significant very early in their lives. Like lost souls they wander about for their entire lives in the multicolored maze of worries, wishes, and goals, none of which dwells in their innermost being and none of which leads them to their innermost core and home” (248).

Hesse is one of these wise people. As a seeker of wisdom myself, I consider myself blessed to have him as one of my guides and companions on the journey home.

The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse – Book Review

At the very outset, I must confess that I have always been a diehard admirer of Hermann Hesse's works. His novels like Siddhartha, Steppenwolf, Narziss and Goldmund, and his magnum opus 'The Glass Bead Game' have left a profound imprint on me. Some time ago, I explored the recurring theme of duality in his works in a post titled 'Duality 2 – A Tribute to Hermann Hesse'.

Thirty years ago, I thought I had read all of his significant books. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I came across 'The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse' on Goodreads. It was like a revelation, transporting me back to Hesse's magical world. I spent the last ten days immersing myself in his fairy tales, knowing what to expect – a journey into his fabulous world of dreams, visions, philosophy, and passion.

The blurb on the back cover of the book aptly describes it as "Full of visionaries and seekers, princesses and wandering poets, his fairy tales speak to the place in our psyche that inspires us with deep spiritual longing; that compels us to leave home and inevitably return; and that harbours the greatest joys and most devastating wounds of our heart." Jack Zipes's English translation is excellent, not missing out on any of Hesse's original thought process.

In his Introduction, Zipes highlights Hesse's perception of the events around him as indicative of the decline of Western Civilization and his use of art, especially the fairy tale, to contend with the threat of science and commercialism. Hesse's fairy tales are not the typical 'happily ever after' ones. They are either tragic or open-ended, leaving us to contemplate and change the conditions that led to such endings. He effectively blends the world of imagination and symbolism with reality, allowing the reader to grasp the essence of living.

The book is a compendium of all the themes that Hesse covers in his novels and reflections of his own life beliefs and convictions. The stories can be categorized based on the dilemmas encountered by the individual, society, and the world at large. Some stories show the sensitive protagonists being crushed by narrow-minded people, while others portray their realization through a search for their full potential. Hesse's pacifism and the search for an utopian order come out strongly in several stories.

Each of the twenty-two stories in this book has its own appeal, taking us on a journey through Hesse's magical and sometimes mystical world of romantic symbolism and idealism. Jack Zipes sums up his introduction by saying, "Hesse’s best tales are filled with a keen sense of longing for a home that is utopian counterpart to the horrors we continue to witness in our present day and age." Now that I have completed this book, I feel happy, but I also hope there are more undiscovered works by Hesse waiting for me.

I truly adore Hesse's unique writing style. Reading his short stories is like inhaling a breath of fresh air, which rejuvenates the spirit.

Surprisingly, all of his short stories touch upon some deep, philosophical, and political subjects. As a result, each story leaves me with a profound impression, just like some of his longer works, such as Narcissus and Goldmund.

Some of these short stories are lighter in tone than others, but all of them have the power to make you reflect on Hesse's time and society.

Among them, "Augustus" and "The Forest Dweller" are my personal favorites. I wholeheartedly recommend this collection to all those who appreciate thought-provoking literature.

It is a literary treasure trove that offers a glimpse into the brilliant mind of Hermann Hesse.

I had this book many years ago and, for some unknown reason, I lost it.

Ever since then, I have been on a continuous search for it. I was quite certain that the author was Hesse, but whenever I mentioned it to people, nobody seemed to have any idea what I was talking about.

This has been a bit frustrating for me as I have such fond memories of the stories within that book. I think the only option left for me is to re-order it.

Even though I don't have the book with me anymore, I still vividly remember how much I enjoyed the stories. They had a certain charm and depth that really captured my imagination.

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on a new copy and being able to relive those wonderful reading experiences once again.

This collection of short stories contains 22 short stories by the German writer and poet Hermann Hesse, written between 1904 and 1918. The length of each story ranges from 5 to 30 pages.

The stories tend more towards fantasy and the conflict between ideals and reality. The stories are not without Hesse's beautiful poetic language.

Notable stories in the collection include:

- August (one of the most beautiful short stories I have ever read... I recommend reading it even on its own without the rest of the book).

- Faldoom.

- If the War Continues.

- The Decision.

These stories offer a unique perspective into Hesse's creative mind and his exploration of various themes such as love, war, and the human condition. They are a must-read for fans of Hesse and those interested in short story literature.

The collection as a whole provides a rich and diverse reading experience, with each story offering something different and engaging. Whether you are looking for a quick read or a more in-depth exploration of Hesse's work, this collection has something to offer.

I found a patriotism between the pages of this book.

It was a remarkable discovery that left a profound impact on me. As I turned each page, I could sense the passion and love for the country that the author had poured into the words.

The descriptions and stories within the book painted a vivid picture of the sacrifices and contributions made by the patriots.

It made me realize the importance of patriotism and how it can bring people together.

This book served as a reminder that patriotism is not just a feeling, but also an action.

It inspired me to do my part in making my country a better place.

I am grateful to have found this patriotism within the pages of this book, and it will continue to influence me for a long time to come.

These stories, initially captivating, soon became somewhat monotonous. However, I still had a genuine liking for them. Among them, Augustus, The Most Beautiful Dream, and The Poet were my favorites.

The Poet held the most beautiful essence for me. It conveyed the idea that one should always be in a state of longing. The beauty lies precisely in the longing, the distance, and the separation, rather than in the possession. I have often pondered that when confronted with a decision, I seemingly choose the thing I don't desire. Perhaps it is because I unconsciously hide from myself what I truly want, or I don't trust myself. There is also a part of me that believes what I want is the non-having, the ephemeral.

This story affirmed my indecisive and wandering nature. It revealed that the vulgarity of reality acts as a spoiling agent. Striving for the immaterial is what holds value, is fulfilling, and yet is never fully attainable, and that is precisely what makes it good. This, too, is my condition.

Taoist ideals of doing by non-doing seem to echo in this sentiment, suggesting a path of balance and acceptance in the face of life's choices and longings.

**Märchen = The Fairy Tales of Hermann Hesse, Hermann Hesse**

Märchen, which means Fairy Tales, is a collection of works by Hermann Hesse.

It consists of 22 stories, including "The Dwarf" (1904), "Shadow Play" (1906), "A Man by the Name of Ziegler" (1908), and many others.

These stories cover a wide range of themes and styles,展现了Hesse丰富的想象力和独特的文学风格.

The book has been translated into different languages and published in various editions.

In Persian, it has been translated by Servoosh Habibi and published with different titles and in different volumes.

The first Persian translation was published in 1996 with the title "Gorzad and Other Stories", and then in 2014 with the title "The Dream of Nibelung".

The Persian editions contain different selections of the original 22 stories, with some including only 14 stories.

Overall, Märchen is a significant work in Hermann Hesse's literary oeuvre and has been widely read and studied around the world.