Brothers Grimm

“Hansel and Grethel.” A Selection from Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Brothers Grimm, illustrated by Gilbert James, London: Siegle, Hill and Co., [c. 1900], pp. 43-63.

Anonymous — Fri, 09 Aug 2024 13:18:47 +0000

“Hansel and Grethel.” A Selection from Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Brothers Grimm, illustrated by Gilbert James, London: Siegle, Hill and Co., [c. 1900], pp. 43-63. Anonymous (not verified) Fri, 08/09/2024 - 07:18

Tale Summary

There was once a poor woodcutter, who had a wife and two children from a previous marriage, but not enough money to feed them well. When a great famine came, his wife convinced him that they should leave the brother and sister, named Hansel and Grethel, in the woods so as not to have more mouths to feed. The children overheard this, and Hansel snuck outside to gather up white pebbles which shone in the moonlight. The next morning the children were given bread and brought out into the woods, and all along the way he dropped these pebbles under the guise that he was saying goodbye to his cat. Deep into the forest, the woodcutter and his wife told the children to rest, and that they would wake them up when they had finished chopping wood. They thought that they were close by because they could hear an ax, but it was really a branch the woodcutter had tied with a string to make noise in the wind. That night the two followed the glow of the pebbles in the moonlight back to their parent’s house, and their father was very happy. Another famine soon came and the woman talked her husband into the same deed, and although Hansel overheard, he could not leave to gather pebbles because the door was locked. The next morning on their way through the woods, he let fall a trail of crumbs from his bread under the guise that he was saying goodbye to his dove. That night when the children tried to follow the trail back home, they found that birds had eaten all of the crumbs and became very lost. On the third morning after leaving their father’s house, they saw a beautiful white dove who sang a pretty song, and when they followed it they were led to a house made of sweets. They began eating it, and when a voice from inside asked who was there, they said it was the wind and continued eating. A little old woman invited them inside and they had a delicious dinner before going to sleep. The kind woman was, in reality, an evil witch who ate children, and in the early morning she grabbed Hansel and shut him up in a cage. Next she grabbed Grethel and made her cook for her brother until he got fat enough to eat, while she only got morsels. Every morning the witch felt Hansel’s fingers through the bars to see if he was ready, but he always held out a little bone which tricked the witch because she had poor eyesight. After four weeks of this the witch was so impatient that she decided to eat him and began making preparations. She told Grethel to crawl into the oven to see if it was hot enough, wanting to trick her into getting inside so she could bake her. Grethel perceived this and asked if the witch could show her how, and so when she stuck her head in the girl pushed her inside and killed her. She released her brother and the two of them gathered pearls and precious stones from the house before setting off. They walked until they came to a large piece of water with no bridge, but a little white duck carried them across one at a time. They found their house again and their father was overjoyed and told him that his wife had died. The children presented their riches and all of their troubles were gone.

Fairy Tale Title

Hansel and Grethel

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Gilbert James

Common Tale Type

Hansel and Gretel

Tale Classification

ATU 327A

Page Range of Tale

pp. 43-63

Full Citation of Tale

“Hansel and Grethel.” A Selection from Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Brothers Grimm, illustrated by Gilbert James, London: Siegle, Hill and Co., [c. 1900], pp. 43-63.

Original Source of the Tale

Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener 2024

Book Title

A Selection from Grimm’s Fairy Tales

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm

Illustrator(s)

Gilbert James

Publisher

Siegle Hill & Co; The H.B. Claflin Company

Date Published

1900

Decade Published

1900-1909

Publisher City

London
New York

Publisher Country

United Kingdom
United States

Language

English

Rights

Public Domain

Digital Copy

Available at the CU Digital Library

Book Notes

This book includes six tales, most of which are the Grimm Brothers' best-known tales including Sleeping Beauty, The Frog Prince, Rumplestilskin, Hansel and Grethel, The Rabbit’s Bride, and The Shreds. The illustrations are simple but beautiful and a few pages are decorated with floral motifs. It is a very small book that appears adapted for children.

Traditional

White

“The Shreds.” A Selection from Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Brothers Grimm, illustrated by Gilbert James, London: Siegle, Hill and Co., [c. 1900], pp. 29-30.

Anonymous — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 12:57:37 +0000

“The Shreds.” A Selection from Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Brothers Grimm, illustrated by Gilbert James, London: Siegle, Hill and Co., [c. 1900], pp. 29-30. Anonymous (not verified) Mon, 08/05/2024 - 06:57

Brothers Grimm

Tale Summary

There was once a maiden who was very pretty, but also very lazy. Whenever she tried to spin she would become inpatient, and whenever there was a knot she would rip it out and throw the thread on the ground. Whenever this happened, her servant-girl would gather up the scraps and was eventually able to weave a beautiful dress for herself out of them. A man fell in love with the lazy maiden, but on the evening before the wedding, the servant-girl was twirling in the pretty dress and the bride-to-be let it slip that she had woven it from her scraps. The bridegroom realized that he did not want to be with the lazy maiden, and married the industrious maid instead.

Fairy Tale Title

The Shreds

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Gilbert James

Common Tale Type

Tale Classification

Page Range of Tale

pp. 29-30

Full Citation of Tale

“The Shreds.” A Selection from Grimm’s Fairy Tales, Brothers Grimm, illustrated by Gilbert James, London: Siegle, Hill and Co., [c. 1900], pp. 29-30.

Original Source of the Tale

Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener 2024

Book Title

A Selection from Grimm’s Fairy Tales

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm

Illustrator(s)

Gilbert James

Publisher

Siegle Hill & Co; The H.B. Claflin Company

Date Published

1900

Decade Published

1900-1909

Publisher City

London
New York

Publisher Country

United Kingdom
United States

Language

English

Rights

Public Domain

Digital Copy

Available at the CU Digital Library

Book Notes

Traditional

White

"The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 27-30.

Anonymous — Wed, 27 Mar 2024 02:50:45 +0000

"The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 27-30. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/26/2024 - 20:50

Wanda Gág Brothers Grimm

Tale Summary

There was once a bird, a mouse, and a sausage who all lived together happily, as they all had their designated chores. Everyday the bird flew out into the woods to gather sticks for a fire, the mouse fetched water from the brook, lit the fire, and set the table, and the sausage lit the fire, set the table, and cooked the meals. One day, the bird got to chatting with another bird about her living arrangement, when her companion told her that her living-mates were taking advantage of her because she surely had the hardest job. The bird thought this over and announced to the mouse and the sausage that she would no longer tolerate her chores, and so they drew lots to settle who would do what. The sausage was tasked with gathering wood, and when he was on his way, a dog ate him. The mouse began cooking dinner, but fell in the soup and died. The bird went to set the table but the cook was missing, and when she went rummaging around for the mouse she accidentally caused a fire. She ran for some water, but fell in the well and drowned.

Fairy Tale Title

The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Common Tale Type

The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage

Tale Classification

ATU 85

Page Range of Tale

pp. 27-30

Full Citation of Tale

"The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 27-30.

Original Source of the Tale

The Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener, 2024

Book Title

More tales from Grimm

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Publisher

University of Minnesota Press

Date Published

2006

Decade Published

2000-2006

Publisher City

Minneapolis

Publisher Country

United States

Language

English

Rights

Digital Copy

Available at the Internet Archive

Book Notes

Written and illustrated by celebrated children's author/illustrator Wanda Gág and originally published in 1947.

Traditional

White

"The Water Nixie.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 23-25.

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 22:46:34 +0000

"The Water Nixie.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 23-25. Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 03/24/2024 - 16:46

Wanda Gág Brothers Grimm

Tale Summary

Once upon a time, a brother and sister fell down a well, where they met a Water Nixie who lived at the bottom. She put the two to work for her, and the work was very hard and the food was terrible. The brother was made to cut down a tree with a blunt ax, and the sister was forced to carry water in a bottomless bucket. One day when the Nixie had gone to church, the children ran away. When she realized what had happened she hurried after them, but the sister took a hairbrush and tossed it behind her and it turned into a brush-hill covered in bristles. Still the Nixe kept coming, and so the brother tossed a comb behind him until it became a mountain of combs. This did not stop the Nixie either, and so the sister tossed a looking-glass behind her, which grew into a slippery hill of mirrors. The water Nixie returned home to grab an ax to break the mirrors with, but by the time she returned, the children had escaped her.

Fairy Tale Title

The Water Nixie

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Common Tale Type

The Magic Flight

Tale Classification

ATU 313

Page Range of Tale

pp. 23-25

Full Citation of Tale

"The Water Nixie.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 23-25.

Original Source of the Tale

The Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener, 2024

Book Title

More tales from Grimm

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Publisher

University of Minnesota Press

Date Published

2006

Decade Published

2000-2006

Publisher City

Minneapolis

Publisher Country

United States

Language

English

Rights

Digital Copy

Available at the Internet Archive

Book Notes

Written and illustrated by celebrated children's author/illustrator Wanda Gág and originally published in 1947.

Traditional

White

"Mother Holle.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 15-22.

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 21:36:16 +0000

"Mother Holle.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 15-22. Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 03/24/2024 - 15:36

Wanda Gág Brothers Grimm

Tale Summary

Once there was a widow with two daughters, who were both named Marie. One of them was lazy, but because she was her own daughter she loved her more than the other girl, who was beautiful and industrious, and who was always forced to do all the chores. One day the stepdaughter was spinning beside the well when she dropped her shuttle into the water and dove after it because she did not want to be scolded. She fainted, and when she recovered she found herself in a beautiful meadow. While walking down a flowery path, she found an oven and heard the bread inside ask to be taken out, and so she did and kept walking. Next she came to a tree filled with apples, and heard the fruit asking to be picked, and so she obliged. At last she came to a little hut where a frightening-looking old woman peered out a window. She reassured the girl that there was nothing to be afraid of, and introduced herself as Mother Holle. The girl was invited to live with her as long as she kept the house neat and shook her featherbed thoroughly, as that was what made snow fall on earth. The girl agreed to all of this and was treated and fed well, but after a time she became sad and homesick for earth and spoke to Mother Holle about it. She gave the girl her blessing to return, and showered her in gold to thank her for her hard work, and did not forget to return her lost shuttle. The girl found herself on earth again, and when she reached her home she explained what had happened to her. The lazy girl was jealous, and so set out to get gold for herself. She dropped a shuttle into the well, dove after it, and found herself in a field of flowers. She declined to help the bread and the apples, and asked to be of service when she reached Mother Holle’s house. The first day of her stay, she worked very hard because she wanted the gold, but by the third day she would not get out of bed, and on the fourth day Mother Holle asked her to go home. The girl happily stood there waiting to be covered in gold, but instead got a showerful of sticky pitch which she could never get out of her clothes for the rest of her life.

Fairy Tale Title

Mother Holle

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Common Tale Type

The Kind and the Unkind Girls

Tale Classification

ATU 480

Page Range of Tale

pp. 15-22

Full Citation of Tale

" Mother Holle.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 15-22.

Original Source of the Tale

The Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener, 2024

Book Title

More tales from Grimm

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Publisher

University of Minnesota Press

Date Published

2006

Decade Published

2000-2006

Publisher City

Minneapolis

Publisher Country

United States

Language

English

Rights

Digital Copy

Available at the Internet Archive

Book Notes

Written and illustrated by celebrated children's author/illustrator Wanda Gág and originally published in 1947.

Traditional

White

"The Wolf and the Fox.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 9-13.

Anonymous — Sun, 24 Mar 2024 21:12:33 +0000

"The Wolf and the Fox.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 9-13. Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 03/24/2024 - 15:12

Brothers Grimm Wanda Gág

Tale Summary

There was once a greedy wolf who always made a fox do his bidding. One day, the wolf demanded that the fox find him something to eat or he would eat him up, and so he brought the wolf to a farmyard where there were two lambs. After eating one of them, the wolf wanted the other, and thought he could manage it himself, but he was so clumsy that he woke the peasants and got quite a beating from them. The next day, the wolf asked the same of the fox, who brought him to a farmhouse to steal pancakes. After eating, the wolf tried to take a few more but was so loud and clumsy that the farmwife and the menfolk gave him a terrible beating. It happened again the next day that the wolf demanded the fox find him some food, and so they went to a man’s cellar where there was freshly salted meat. After the two slipped in through a hole, they enjoyed the meal, but the fox was much more watchful and made sure he still fit through the hole. The man eventually came down after hearing the noise and the fox escaped through the hole but the wolf had eaten so much that he became stuck and was beaten to death by the man.

Fairy Tale Title

The Wolf and the Fox

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Common Tale Type

The Wolf Overeats in the Cellar

Tale Classification

ATU 41

Page Range of Tale

pp. 9-13

Full Citation of Tale

"The Wolf and the Fox.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 9-13.

Original Source of the Tale

The Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener, 2024

Book Title

More tales from Grimm

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Publisher

University of Minnesota Press

Date Published

2006

Decade Published

2000-2006

Publisher City

Minneapolis

Publisher Country

United States

Language

English

Rights

Digital Copy

Available at the Internet Archive

Book Notes

Written and illustrated by celebrated children's author/illustrator Wanda Gág and originally published in 1947.

Traditional

White

"The Sweet Porridge.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 43-46.

Anonymous — Fri, 22 Mar 2024 00:50:59 +0000

"The Sweet Porridge.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 43-46. Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/21/2024 - 18:50

Wanda Gág Brothers Grimm

Tale Summary

Once there was a poor girl who lived with her mother, and they had hardly enough to eat. After they completely ran out of food, the girl went searching in the woods for nuts and berries, but came across an old woman. She handed the girl a kettle and told her that if she said the words “Cook, little kettle, cook,” it would make sweet porridge for her and her mother, and when they were satisfied with the amount she should say “stop, little kettle, stop”. The two were never hungry from then on, but one day while her daughter was away for a few hours, the mother asked for the kettle to begin cooking, but could not remember the words to stop it. The kettle cooked and cooked and cooked and flooded the cottage before pouring out of the windows and into the village. People ran from their homes to escape the flood of porridge, which began to flood the countryside. The girl returned home and cried “stop, little kettle, stop!” and it obeyed. The village people had to eat their way through the porridge to return home.

Fairy Tale Title

The Sweet Porridge

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Common Tale Type

The Magic Mill

Tale Classification

ATU 565

Page Range of Tale

pp. 43-46

Full Citation of Tale

"The Sweet Porridge.” More tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2006, pp. 43-46.

Original Source of the Tale

The Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

This tale is the same type as the popular children's story "Strega nona"

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener, 2024

Book Title

More tales from Grimm

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Wanda Gág

Illustrator(s)

Wanda Gág

Publisher

University of Minnesota Press

Date Published

2006

Decade Published

2000-2006

Publisher City

Minneapolis

Publisher Country

United States

Language

English

Rights

Digital Copy

Available at the Internet Archive

Book Notes

Written and illustrated by celebrated children's author/illustrator Wanda Gág and originally published in 1947.

Traditional

White

"The Goblins.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 150-151.

Anonymous — Thu, 21 Mar 2024 17:04:27 +0000

"The Goblins.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 150-151. Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 03/21/2024 - 11:04

Brothers Grimm

Tale Summary

There once was a mother whose child had been stolen by goblins and replaced by a changeling. Her neighbor advised her to boil water in two eggshells while he was watching, because it would make him laugh, and laughter meant the end for a changeling. She did this and once it began to laugh, it was taken away by the goblins and replaced with the proper child.

Fairy Tale Title

The Goblins

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Lore Segal, and Randall Jarrell

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Maurice Sendak

Common Tale Type

Tale Classification

Page Range of Tale

pp. 150-151

Full Citation of Tale

"The Goblins.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 150-151.

Original Source of the Tale

The Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener, 2024

Book Title

The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal and Randall Jarrell

Illustrator(s)

Maurice Sendak

Publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Date Published

1973

Decade Published

1970-1979

Publisher City

New York

Publisher Country

United States

Language

English

Rights

Digital Copy

Available at the Internet Archive

Book Notes

Twenty-seven newly translated fairy tales from Grimm (translated from Kinder- und Hausmärchen) including many old favorites as well as such lesser-known tales as "The Juniper Tree," "Many-Fur," and "Brother Gaily." Illustrated by celebrated children's illustrator Maurice Sendak.

Traditional

White

"The Fisherman and his Wife.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 94-112.

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 01:27:55 +0000

"The Fisherman and his Wife.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 94-112. Anonymous (not verified) Tue, 03/19/2024 - 19:27

Brothers Grimm

Tale Summary

Once upon a time there was a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pot. While he was out fishing one day, he caught a big flounder who begged for his life, explaining that he was an enchanted prince, and the fisherman let him back into the water. When the man explained to his wife what had happened she was upset that he didn’t wish for anything, and demanded that he find the flounder again and ask that he transform their little pot into a cottage. When the man went back, the water was no longer clear and instead green and yellow. The fish granted him his wife’s wish, and when he returned home they had a very fine cottage. For a week or two they lived there, until his wife complained that the cottage was too small and that she would rather have a castle, and so the fisherman reluctantly returned to the water, which was violet, dark blue, and gray. The flounder granted this wish too, and when he returned home the cottage had been changed into a great castle, but the wife was only content for one night. The next morning she made him go back to the water, which had turned blackish and gray, to ask the flounder to make her King. This also came true, and she was living in an even larger, more splendid castle surrounded by people of the court, but immediately she decided that she was not satisfied and needed to be Emperor. When he reluctantly agreed and went back to the water, it was black and bubbling. The fish agreed to his request, and when he returned he found his wife living incredibly lavishly on a golden throne two miles high, but she said she was unhappy because she was not Pope, and that as his subject he must do as she demanded. The water was surging and roaring when he arrived, and the flounder again granted his request. The man came home to an even more incredible sight, and found his wife in a giant church surrounded by palaces, and had to push through throngs of people to get to her. That night, the fisherman slept soundly while his wife stayed up the entire night upset because she wanted to be more but could not think of what else she could ask for. When the morning came, she saw the sun come up, and wished that she could control that, too. She woke up her husband and demanded that the flounder make her the good Lord. He made his way to the water, but all around was a horrible storm that made the earth shake. The sky and the sea were black, and there were huge waves the size of mountains, which crashed so loudly that the man could not hear his own words when he told the flounder of his wife’s request. When he returned home, she was sitting in the pot again.

Fairy Tale Title

The Fisherman and his Wife

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Lore Segal, and Randall Jarrell

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Maurice Sendak

Common Tale Type

The Fisherman and his Wife

Tale Classification

ATU 555

Page Range of Tale

pp. 94-112

Full Citation of Tale

"The Fisherman and his Wife.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 94-112.

Original Source of the Tale

The Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener, 2024

Book Title

The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal and Randall Jarrell

Illustrator(s)

Maurice Sendak

Publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Date Published

1973

Decade Published

1970-1979

Publisher City

New York

Publisher Country

United States

Language

English

Rights

Digital Copy

Available at the Internet Archive

Book Notes

Traditional

White

"The Devil and his Three Golden Hairs.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 80-93.

Anonymous — Sun, 17 Mar 2024 21:10:19 +0000

"The Devil and his Three Golden Hairs.” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 80-93. Anonymous (not verified) Sun, 03/17/2024 - 15:10

Brothers Grimm

Tale Summary

Once upon a time, a woman gave birth to a son who was still wrapped in his caul, and because such a thing is good luck, it was prophesied that he would marry the daughter of the king when he was fourteen years old. The king heard of this child with good luck, and convinced his parents to let him raise him, only to put the boy in a box that he tossed in the river as to get rid of a potential suitor for his daughter. The box floated on to a mill, where he was found and brought to the miller and his wife to raise. One day, when the child was fourteen years old, there was a thunderstorm and the king happened by the mill and heard the story of how the millers came about having their son and knew exactly who he was. He requested that he have the boy send a letter to the queen for him and they consented, but on the paper he wrote instructions for his wife to kill the boy. The child set out and became lost in the forest, and was very tired when he found an old woman outside of a little hut. He told her about his quest and asked to spend the night, but she warned that it was a den of thieves and he would be murdered when they came home. The boy said he was too tired to care and fell asleep. Soon after, the robbers came by, and the old woman explained that he was an innocent child that was delivering a letter to the queen. They tore open the note and read it, and saw that the boy would be killed as soon as he arrived at the castle. They felt sorry for him and wrote a new letter, which said that as soon as the boy arrived he should be married to the princess, and so after he delivered the note, there was a splendid wedding celebration. When the king arrived home, he was furious, and told the boy that if he were able to pluck three golden hairs from the devil’s head he would be able to stay with his daughter, hoping to be rid of him. He set out on his journey and came to a big town, where a watchman asked if he knew why the well in the marketplace that used to flow with wine had dried up, and the boy replied that he would tell him on his way back. The child came to another town, where another watchman asked if he knew why the town’s golden apples no longer bore fruit, and the boy replied that he would tell him on his way back. He came to another town and had to cross a river, and the ferryman asked why he was stuck rowing to and fro with no help, and the child said he would tell him on his way back. On the other side of the river the boy went through the entrance to hell and found that the devil was not home, but his grandmother was The old woman took a liking to him when he explained his situation, and turned him into an ant to hide in the folds of her skirt, and instructed him to pay close attention to what the devil said to her. Later that night, the devil laid his head on his grandmother’s lap and asked her to scratch his head for lice, and then dozed off. The old woman plucked one hair from his head and told the devil, who woke up angry, that she did it because she had a nightmare. She said that she dreamed that a well that used to overflow with wine had dried up and wondered why, and the devil said it was because a toad sat under the well, and if the creature was killed the well would flow again. He went back to sleep and she plucked another hair and again explained that she had a nightmare, this time about the golden apple tree which no longer bore fruit. He told her that there was a mouse that chewed on the roots that would need to be killed, and fell back to sleep. The old woman plucked one last hair and said she did it because she had a nightmare about a ferryman who could only row to and fro with no relief, and he told her that the solution for him would be to give the next passenger a pole so that the other would be stuck rowing forever instead. The next morning the devil left and the grandmother gave the three hairs to the boy, who thanked him and went on his way. When he traveled back through the three towns he gave the answers he had heard from the devil, and was rewarded with donkeys pulling carts full of gold. When he arrived back at the castle, the king was delighted by the gold and agreed to let him stay as his son-in-law, and asked where the treasures came from. The boy told him that across the river he had traveled, gold lay on the shore instead of sand, and the greedy king immediately set out to take some. When he got to the boat, the ferryman freed himself by giving the king an oar so that he instead would be stuck rowing to and from forever as a punishment for his sins.

Fairy Tale Title

The Devil and his Three Golden Hairs

Fairy Tale Author(s)/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, Lore Segal, and Randall Jarrell

Fairy Tale Illustrator(s)

Maurice Sendak

Common Tale Type

The Prophecy; Poor Boy shall marry Rich Girl, Three Hairs of the Devil

Tale Classification

ATU 930, ATU 461

Page Range of Tale

pp. 80-93

Full Citation of Tale

"The Devil and his Three Golden Hairs .” The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm, Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal, Randall Jarrell, New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1973, pp. 80-93.

Original Source of the Tale

The Brothers Grimm

Tale Notes

AV��ʪ and Curation

Kaeli Waggener, 2024

Book Title

The Juniper Tree, and other Tales from Grimm

Book Author/Editor(s)

Brothers Grimm, translated by Lore Segal and Randall Jarrell

Illustrator(s)

Maurice Sendak

Publisher

Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Date Published

1973

Decade Published

1970-1979

Publisher City

New York

Publisher Country

United States

Language

English

Rights

Digital Copy

Available at the Internet Archive

Book Notes

Traditional

White