The Grimm Reader

by Maria Tatar

  The prince thought: “He’s really a strange old fellow with all kinds of bizarre ideas. Who in the world would think of buying gallows meat! And I’ve never really longed to sit on the edge of a well.”

  The prince rode on with the beautiful maiden, and the path took him through the village in which his two brothers had decided to live. There was a great clamor and uproar in the town, and when he asked what was going on, he was told that two fellows were going to be strung up. When he got closer, he realized that the two men were his brothers, who had been up to all kinds of mischief and had squandered everything they owned. He asked if there was any chance they could be released. “Well, if you’re willing to buy their freedom,” he was told. “But why in the world would you want to waste your money on setting those scoundrels free?”

  He didn’t think twice about it, but just paid up, and once they were released, all four of them went on the road together.

  After some time had passed, they arrived in the forest where the prince had first met the fox, and since it was cool and pleasant there and the sun had been beating down on them, both brothers said: “Let’s stop here at this well and rest for a while. We can have something to eat and drink.”

  The prince agreed, and while they were talking he forgot himself, and suspecting nothing, he sat down at the edge of the well. The two brothers saw their chance and pushed him backward into the well, captured the princess, and took the horse and the bird back home to their father.

  “Not only are we bringing him the golden bird,” they said. “We also have the golden horse, and we’ve kidnapped the princess from the golden castle.” There was much rejoicing when they returned home, but the horse refused to eat, the bird would not sing, and the princess just sat around and wept.

  It turned out that the youngest brother had not perished. The well happened to be dry, and when he fell, he landed on soft moss without injuring himself. But he couldn’t figure out how to get out of the well. The fox got there and stood by him in his misery even now. He jumped down into the well and scolded the boy for ignoring his advice.

  “I can’t help myself,” he said. “I’m still going to help you get out of here.”

  The fox told the prince to grab onto his tail and hold tight until they got back up to the top. “You’re still not completely out of danger,” the fox said. “Your brothers weren’t sure that you were dead, so they stationed sentries all around the woods, and they’ve been ordered to shoot you on sight.”

  On the way, the prince saw a poor man, and he decided to exchange clothes with him before going to the king’s court. No one recognized him, but all of a sudden the bird began to sing, the horse started eating again, and the beautiful princess stopped crying. The king was mystified and asked: “What is going on?”

  The princess said, “I’m not sure, but I was so sad before and now I’m happy. I feel as if my true betrothed were around here somewhere.”

  The princess told the king everything that had happened, even though the brothers had threatened to kill her if she revealed anything. The king ordered everyone in the castle to appear before him. The young prince also came, dressed as a man wearing rags. The princess recognized him at once and fell into his arms. The wicked brothers were seized and executed, and the prince married the beautiful princess and was appointed heir to the throne.

  But what happened to the poor fox? Many years later, the prince was walking in the forest and he met the fox, who said to him: “Now you have everything that you could ever want. As for me, I have no end of bad luck, and yet it is in your power to liberate me.” A second time he pleaded with the prince to shoot him dead and to chop off his head and paws. This time he did it, and as soon as the deed was done, the fox turned into none other than the brother of the beautiful princess, who was finally released from the spell that had been cast on him. And now nothing more was wanting, and for the rest of their lives, the happiness of all three was complete.

  THE THREE FEATHERS

  nce upon a time there lived a king who had three sons. Two of them were sharp and clever, but the third didn’t have much to say, and he was considered dimwitted. Everyone called him Dummy. When the king became old and weak, he started worrying about which of his sons should inherit the kingdom. He summoned all three of them one day and said: “I want you to go out into the world. Whoever brings back the most splendid carpet will become king after my death.” Just to make sure that his sons wouldn’t start quarreling with each other, he took them to a place in front of the castle, blew three feathers into the air, and said: “Choose a feather and follow its flight.” One feather flew to the east, the other to the west, and the third flew straight ahead, but it didn’t go very far before landing on the ground. One brother went to the right, the other to the left, and both brothers made fun of Dummy, who was going to have to stay right where the third feather had fallen.

  Dummy sat down and was feeling miserable. But suddenly he noticed that there was a trapdoor right next to his feather. He lifted it up, discovered a staircase, and climbed down the stairs. There he found another door, knocked on it, and heard a voice crying out from inside:

  “Little maiden, green and tiny,

  Hop toad, hop up, greenback shiny,

  Hop right here, land on the floor,

  Quick, hop home, who’s at the door?”

  The door opened up, and he saw a big, fat toad sitting there, surrounded by many, many little toads. The large toad asked what he desired, and the boy replied: “I am looking for the world’s most beautiful and splendid carpet.” The toad cried out to one of the young ones and said:

  “Little maiden, green and tiny,

  Hop toad, hop up, greenback shiny,

  Hop right here, land on the floor,

  Bring me the box for the boy at the door.”

  The young frog fetched the box, and the big frog opened it up and handed Dummy the carpet that was in it. It was more beautiful and fine than anything that could have been woven by human hands. Dummy thanked the frog and climbed back up the stairs.

  The two other brothers were sure that their younger brother was way too stupid to ever find anything and bring it back. “Why should we even bother going to the trouble of searching around?” they thought. And they snatched some coarse fabric from the first shepherd’s wife they ran into and took it home to the king. Around the same time, Dummy arrived home, carrying the beautiful carpet he had received. When the king saw it, he was astonished and said: “If we play by the rules, then my youngest son is entitled to the kingdom.”

  The two older brothers were fuming, and they told their father that he could not possibly let Dummy, who was clueless about absolutely everything, become king. They pleaded with him to set a new test. Finally, the father said: “Whoever brings me the most beautiful ring will inherit my kingdom.” And he went outside with his sons and blew three feathers into the air, and once more, the boys were to follow their flight. The two oldest boys, as usual, went east and west, but the feather of the youngest flew straight ahead and fell down right at the trapdoor in the ground. Dummy walked back down the stairs to the big fat toad and said that he needed to have the most beautiful ring in the world. The toad asked to have the same large box brought in and gave the boy a ring with diamonds that sparkled. It was so beautiful that no goldsmith on earth could possibly have fashioned it. The two older brothers thought it was hilarious that Dummy was going off to look for a ring, and they decided that they didn’t need to make any effort at all. They pulled the nails out of an old carriage ring and brought it to the king. When Dummy showed him the golden ring, the father said once again: “The kingdom belongs to him!”

  But the two brothers tortured the king until he finally established a third test, announcing that whoever brought home the most beautiful woman would inherit the kingdom. The king blew the three feathers into the air, and they flew in the same directions as bef
ore.

  Dummy went at once to the big fat toad and said: “Now I’m supposed to bring home the most beautiful woman.”

  “Aha!” the toad replied. “The most beautiful woman in the world! She doesn’t happen to be here right now, but you’ll still be able to find her.” And with that the toad gave him a yellow turnip that had been hollowed out and that had six little mice harnessed up to it.

  Dummy got worried and asked: “What am I supposed to do with that?”

  The toad replied: “Just put one of my little toads into the turnip.”

  Dummy chose one of the little toads from the group at random and seated her in the yellow turnip. As soon as she sat down, she turned into a fabulously beautiful young woman, and the turnip was transformed into a coach drawn by the horses that had once been mice. He gave the woman a kiss, drove off at a fast clip with the horses, and returned to see the king.

  Not much later, the two brothers arrived home. They had not taken the trouble to search for beautiful women but had just picked out the first decent peasant women they encountered. When the king saw them, he said: “After I die, the kingdom will belong to my youngest son.” But the two older sons made such a racket that the king almost lost his hearing: “We are not going to allow Dummy to become king.” They demanded a new test that would favor the one whose wife could jump through a ring that had been placed in the middle of the hall. They thought: “That will come easily to these peasant women, for they’re strong, but that delicate young lady will leap to her death.” The king agreed to that test as well. The two peasant women jumped, and they made it through the ring, but they were so clumsy that they fell and broke their stout arms and legs. Then the beautiful woman that Dummy had brought home jumped, and she soared through the ring as gracefully as a fawn. From then on it was useless to try for another challenge. Dummy received the crown, and he ruled with great wisdom for many, many years.

  THE GOLDEN GOOSE

  nce there lived a man who had three sons, and the youngest, who was called Dummy, was forever belittled, mocked, and disdained. One day, the oldest of the three decided to go into the forest to chop some wood. Before he left, his mother gave him a tasty pancake and a bottle of wine to make sure he would not get hungry or thirsty. When he reached the forest, he met a little old gray man, who wished him good day and said:

  “I’m really hungry and thirsty. Would you mind giving me a piece of that pancake in your knapsack and a sip of that wine?” The clever son said: “If I give you some of my pancake and wine, then there won’t be anything left for me. Be off with you.” And he left the little man standing there while he went on his way. Later, when he started cutting down a tree, he missed his aim and the ax cut right into his arm. And so he had to go home and have it bandaged. That was all the little gray man’s doing.

  Next the second son went into the woods, and his mother gave him, as she had given the eldest, a pancake and a bottle of wine. He too met the little old gray man, who asked for a little piece of the pancake and a sip of the wine. The second son too replied with great logic: “Whatever I give you, I won’t have for myself. Be off with you.” He left the little man standing there and went on his way. His punishment was not long in coming. He whacked a tree a few times, and then struck himself in the leg so that he had to be carried home.

  At last Dummy said: “Father, let me go out into the forest to chop some wood.” The father replied: “Your brothers tried it and got injured. Better leave it alone, especially since you don’t know the first thing about chopping wood.” But Dummy pleaded with him until finally he said: “Go ahead, we all learn from our injuries.”

  Dummy’s mother gave him a pancake that had been made of water and baked in the ashes, and she added a bottle of sour beer. When he got to the forest, he met the little old gray man too, who greeted him and said: “Will you give me a piece of your pancake and a drink out of your bottle? I’m so hungry and thirsty.”

  Dummy replied: “All I have is an ashcake and sour beer. But if you don’t mind, let’s sit down together and eat it.” They sat down, and when Dummy took out his ashcake, it had turned into a tasty pancake, and the sour beer had become good wine. They ate and they drank, and then the little man said: “Since you have a kind heart and are willing to share what you have, I am going to grant you good fortune. See that old tree over there? If you chop it down, you’ll find something in the roots.” And the little man left.

  Dummy went over and chopped the tree down, and when it fell, he found in its roots a goose with feathers of pure gold. He picked the goose up and took it with him to an inn, where he was planning to spend the night. The innkeeper happened to have three daughters. They saw the goose and were curious to know more about the wondrous bird. They were all hoping to pluck one of its golden feathers, and the eldest thought: “I’ll find one way or another to get one of those feathers.”

  When Dummy left the inn for a while, she grabbed the goose by its wings, but her finger and hand stuck fast. Not much later the second sister came, and all she could think of was how to get a golden feather. But as soon as she touched her sister, she stuck fast to her. Finally the third sister came with the same plan. The two others screamed: “Stay away, for heaven’s sake, stay away.” But since she had no idea why she was supposed to stay away, all she thought was: “If they can touch the goose, so can I,” and she ran over to them, but as soon as she touched her sister, she too got stuck fast. And so they had to spend the night with the goose.

  The next morning Dummy picked the goose up in his arms and left, without worrying at all about the three girls who were stuck to it. They had to run behind him, to the left or to the right, whichever way he happened to be going. While crossing a meadow they met the parson, who, when he saw the procession, said: “You should be ashamed of yourselves, you horrid girls. Running after that young fellow through the meadows! Is that proper behavior?” And he grabbed the youngest to pull her away, but when he touched her, he too got stuck and had to run with them. Before long the sexton came by and saw the parson, who looked like he was pursuing three girls. He was shocked and cried out: “Hey there, Reverend, where are you going so fast? Don’t forget about the christening we have today,” and he ran after him, grabbed his sleeve, and also got stuck. As the five of them trotted along, they met two farmers leaving the fields with their hoes. The pastor called out to them, hoping that they could release him and the sexton. But as soon as they touched the sexton, they got stuck, and now seven of them were running after Dummy and his goose.

  Later that day, they came to a city where there was a king with a daughter so solemn that no one could get her to laugh. And so the king had decreed that whoever could make her laugh could also marry her. When Dummy heard that, he went with his goose and his retinue to the princess, and when she saw those seven people running along in a chain, she couldn’t contain herself and burst out laughing. Dummy claimed her as his wife, but the king didn’t particularly want him as a son-in-law, and he began raising all kinds of objections. First of all, he decided that Dummy would have to find a man who could drink an entire cellar full of wine. Dummy had a feeling that the little gray man might be able to help him, and he went out into the forest to the place where he had chopped down the tree. There was a man sitting there who looked completely downcast. Dummy asked him why he was so depressed. He answered: “I’ve got such a huge thirst that it’s impossible to quench. Cold water just doesn’t agree with me, and I’ve emptied a whole barrel of wine, but that’s just a drop in the bucket.”

  “I can help you there,” Dummy said. “Come along with me, and you can drink your fill.”

  He took him to the king’s cellar, and the man started drinking eagerly from the great hogsheads. He drank and he drank until his sides ached, and before the day was over he had managed to drink an entire cellar full of wine.

  Once again Dummy claimed his bride, but the king was annoyed at the idea that his daught
er would be hitched to a dolt like that, whom everyone called Dummy, and he set another condition. Dummy would have to find a man who could eat a mountain of bread. Dummy didn’t hesitate for long and went right back into the woods. He found a man sitting in the exact same place who was tightening a belt around his belly, making a long face, and saying: “I just ate a whole oven full of bread, but what good is that when you’re as hungry as I am. My belly just won’t fill up, and I have to strap it up tight, or else I’ll starve to death.” Dummy was happy to hear that and said: “Get up and come with me. You’ll finally get to eat your fill.” He took him to the king’s court, to a place where all the flour in the kingdom had been transported so that a huge mountain of bread could be made. The man who had been out in the woods sat down before it, started to eat, and before the day was over, the mountain had vanished.

  For the third time, Dummy wanted to claim his bride, but the king set another condition and demanded a ship that could sail on land and on water. “As soon as you come sailing along in it,” he said, “I will give you my daughter as your wife.” Dummy went straight back to the forest, and there was the little old gray man to whom he had given his cake. He said: “I drank for you, and I ate for you, and now I’m also going to give you the ship. I’m doing all this because you were kind to me and showed compassion.” He gave him a ship that could sail on land and on water, and when the king saw it, he could no longer deny him his daughter. The marriage was celebrated, and after the king died, Dummy inherited the kingdom and lived in great happiness with his wife for many days.

  FURRYPELTS

  nce upon a time there lived a king whose wife had golden hair, and she was so beautiful that it was impossible to find her equal anywhere on earth. It so happened that she fell ill, and when she realized that she was going to die, she called the king to her bedside and said: “If you decide to wed after my death, you must promise that you will only marry a woman as beautiful as I am, with golden hair like mine.” When the king had agreed, she closed her eyes and died.