Abstract
Throughout the years fairy tales have been used as a means of transmitting moral values and behavior codes to children. This is why it is not surprising that between the 17th and 19th Centuries these tales underwent a rein-terpretation which allowed the removal of their traditional character and turn them into tales meant for children, emphasizing the lessons derived from them. It is interesting how anthologists during those times, such as the brothers Grimm, attempted to instigate in children the fear of the consequences of the loss of control of their body attitudes, and at the same time rewarded values such as hard work and honesty. It is also remarkable that capital sins are almost always present in children’s tales, showing the way in which these must be repressed and punished. In Hispanic-America, children’s tales appeared little by little during the second half of the 19th Century, first through children’s periodicals, and afterwards by means of editorial houses such as Editorial Saturnino Calleja, which not only translated and adapted the old versions, but also published story collections of its own, reducing the violence in those narratives and highlighting compassion and love for the fellow man.