degrimm1-5, Exercise 2: "Once darker, then cleaned up"

Model answer (one possible evaluation):

The claim has some support: certain sexual references and some family relationships seem to have been changed in later editions to suit family readers, and the 1825 Small Edition was aimed at a wider readership.

It is too simple, though. Punishments at the end of some tales were kept or made harsher, and many changes were stylistic or added detail and length, not content cuts. The first edition was already an edited collection, so there was no pure "original" to compare with. The first edition was also meant for adults and scholars, so the direction of change cannot be put down to children alone.

A fairer statement: the text changed in several directions at once, towards a smoother style and a more consistent book, with some matters softened and some sharpened (check specific tales against a scholarly edition).