An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Märchen
Märchen, n., ‘fairy story, tale,’ dimin. of Märe, f., from MidHG. mœre, n. and f., ‘tale, fiction, report, information,’ whence in MidHG. the dimin. mœrelîn, n., ‘short story, fairy story.’ Comp. OHG. mârî, f., mâri, n., ‘rumour, information’; an abstract from OHG. mâri (MidHG. mœre), Goth. mêrs, ‘known, famed,’ which is recorded by old historians in many OTeut. proper names in the form mêrus, mêris; akin to SIav. mĕrŭ in Vladimĕrŭ, ‘Vladimir, Waldemar,’ Gr. -μωρος in εγχεσίμωρος, ‘famed for wielding the spear,’ OIr. már, mór, ‘great, of repute’; for the compar. of this primitive adject. stem mê-ro-, see under mehr.