Collectors

The origins of writing are a fascinating subject. They reveal how people throughout the world sought to record their thoughts and communicate with one another. Written communication is one of the most important tools that has enabled us to document history and preserve cultural heritage.

In our case, this concerns the recording of stories, fairy tales, and legends that might otherwise have been lost had they not received attention and care. Collectors and recorders of folk tales play a crucial role in preserving these historical and cultural narratives for future generations.

Their passion for documenting the history, culture, and heritage embodied in fairy tales was often driven by political and social needs. The greatest flourishing of such activities occurred during the nineteenth century, when national identities were being actively formed and strengthened.

Their work involved collecting, documenting, studying, and sharing stories with others. Among the pioneers of systematic fairy-tale collecting in Slovakia was the ethnographer, historian, and Lutheran minister Samuel Reuss.

The result of his efforts—as well as those of his sons, collaborators, and followers—were collections recorded in notebooks known today as the Revúca Codices, Tisovec Codices, and Popular Entertainment Collections (Prostonárodné zábavníky). These manuscripts later served as the basis and source material for the publication of the first printed collections of Slovak fairy tales.