Charles Perrault was a French writer from Paris, and an early member of the Académie Française (French Academy). He was a pioneer in the then-new literary genre of the fairy tale, publishing "Stories or Tales from Past Times" (Histoires ou contes du temps passé, 1697). He combined elements from older folk tales with fantasy depictions of contemporary French society. His most popular fairy tales were "Bluebeard" (Barbe Bleue), "Cinderella" (Cendrillon), "Little Red Riding Hood" (Le Petit Chaperon Rouge), "Puss in Boots" (Le Maître chat ou le Chat botté), and "Sleeping Beauty" (La Belle au bois dormant). Perrault was a main influence on the Brothers Grimm, who published German variations of some of his tales. Several of his tales have received multiple adaptations in film, television, and theatre.
