EN
Inspired by A. Macurová’s analysis of various editions of fairy tales by Božena Němcová, the contribution compares six different editions of the fairy tale Otesánek by Karel Jaromír Erben. It shows that some editions (especially those published after the year 2000) contain textual changes that may seem subtle (such as the change in verbal aspect or in the degree of directness that the death of Otesánek is described with) may change the overall meaning of the text, the picture of the main characters, their possible “guilt” and the “moral message” of the story. Illustrations accompanying the texts and the question of how children of pre-school age understand the fairy tale are discussed as well.