Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm Read online

  FAIRY TALES OF THE

  BROTHERS GRIMM

  ABRIDGED

  An imprint of Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

  276 Fifth Avenue, Suite 206

  New York, New York 10001

  RACE POINT PUBLISHING and the distinctive Race Point Publishing logo are trademarks of the Quarto Publishing Group USA Inc.

  © 2014 by Race Point Publishing

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission from the publisher.

  EDITOR Milton Creek Editorial Services

  COVER DESIGN Anthony Morais

  ISBN-13: 978-1-631060-67-0

  eISBN: 978-1-627886-72-7

  Cover illustration by Arthur Rackham

  www.quartoknows.com

  CONTENTS

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  1. THE FROG-KING, OR IRON HENRY

  2. CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP

  3. THE STORY OF THE YOUTH WHO WENT FORTH TO LEARN WHAT FEAR WAS

  4. THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN LITTLE KIDS

  5. THE PACK OF RAGAMUFFINS

  6. RAPUNZEL

  7. HÄNSEL AND GRETHEL

  8. THE WHITE SNAKE

  9. THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN

  10. THE FISHERMAN AND HIS WIFE

  11. THE VALIANT LITTLE TAILOR

  12. CINDERELLA

  13. THE MOUSE, THE BIRD, AND THE SAUSAGE

  14. MOTHER HOLLE

  15. THE SEVEN RAVENS

  16. LITTLE RED-CAP (LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD)

  17. THE BREMEN TOWN-MUSICIANS

  18. CLEVER HANS

  19. THE THREE LANGUAGES

  20. CLEVER ELSIE

  21. THUMBLING (TOM THUMB)

  22. THE WEDDING OF MRS.FOX

  23. THE ELVES (AND THE SHOEMAKER)

  24. THE ROBBER BRIDEGROOM

  25. OLD SULTAN

  26. LITTLE BRIAR-ROSE

  27. FUNDEVOGEL

  28. KING THRUSHBEARD

  29. LITTLE SNOW-WHITE

  30. RUMPELSTILTSKIN

  31. SWEETHEART ROLAND

  32. THE GOLDEN BIRD

  33. THE DOG AND THE SPARROW

  34. FREDERICK AND CATHERINE

  35. THE LITTLE PEASANT

  36. THE QUEEN BEE

  37. THE GOLDEN GOOSE

  38. JORINDA AND JORINGEL

  39. THE FOX AND THE CAT

  40. THE PINK

  41. CLEVER GRETHEL

  42. THE OLD MAN AND HIS GRANDSON

  43. THE DEATH OF THE LITTLE HEN (CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET)

  44. HANS IN LUCK

  45. THE SINGING, SOARING LARK (THE LADY AND THE LION)

  46. THE GOOSE-GIRL

  47. THE KING OF THE GOLDEN MOUNTAIN

  48. THE RAVEN

  49. THE WATER OF LIFE

  50. DOCTOR KNOWALL

  51. THE WILLOW-WREN AND THE BEAR

  52. OUR LADY’S CHILD

  53. THE BLUE LIGHT

  54. DONKEY CABBAGES

  55. THE FOUR SKILFUL BROTHERS

  56. THE FOX AND THE HORSE

  57. THE SHOES THAT WERE DANCED TO PIECES (THE TWELVE DANCING PRINCESSES)

  58. IRON JOHN

  59. THE TURNIP

  INDEX

  THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE BROTHERS GRIMM

  FURTHER READING AND SOURCES

  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

  THE FROG-KING

  SHE TOOK HOLD OF THE FROG WITH TWO FINGERS, CARRIED HIM UPSTAIRS, AND PUT HIM IN A CORNER

  THE CAT CREPT BEHIND THE TOWN WALLS TO THE CHURCH

  CAT AND MOUSE IN PARTNERSHIP

  OUT FROM EVERY HOLE AND CORNER CAME BLACK CATS AND BLACK DOGS

  THE YOUTH SEIZED THE AXE, SPLIT THE ANVIL WITH ONE BLOW, AND STRUCK THE OLD MAN’S BEARD IN WITH IT

  AND DANCED FOR JOY ROUND ABOUT THE WELL WITH THEIR MOTHER

  “LET US GO TO THE HILL TOGETHER AND FOR ONCE EAT OUR FILL BEFORE THE SQUIRREL TAKES THEM ALL AWAY”

  HE WAS TERRIBLY AFRAID, FOR HE SAW THE ENCHANTRESS STANDING BEFORE HIM

  THE ENCHANTRESS CLIMBED UP BY IT

  HÄNSEL STOOPED AND PUT AS MANY OF THEM IN THE LITTLE POCKET OF HIS COAT AS HE COULD POSSIBLY GET IN

  SUDDENLY THE DOOR OPENED, AND A VERY, VERY OLD WOMAN, WHO SUPPORTED HERSELF ON CRUTCHES, CAME CREEPING OUT

  “SILLY GOOSE,” SAID THE OLD WOMAN, “THE DOOR IS BIG ENOUGH; JUST LOOK, I CAN GET IN MYSELF!”

  HÄNSEL, HOWEVER, STRETCHED OUT A LITTLE BONE TO HER, AND THE OLD WOMAN, WHO HAD DIM EYES, COULD NOT SEE IT, AND THOUGHT IT WAS HÄNSEL’S FINGER, AND WAS ASTONISHED THAT THERE WAS NO WAY OF FATTENING HIM

  THEY QUIVERED WITH DELIGHT, PUT OUT THEIR HEADS, AND CRIED TO HIM, “WE WILL REMEMBER YOU AND REPAY YOU FOR SAVING US!”

  IN A VILLAGE DWELT A POOR OLD WOMAN

  THERE WAS ONCE ON A TIME A FISHERMAN WHO LIVED WITH HIS WIFE IN A MISERABLE HOVEL CLOSE BY THE SEA

  “FLOUNDER, FLOUNDER IN THE SEA, COME, I PRAY THEE, HERE TO ME; FOR MY WIFE, GOOD ILSABIL, WILLS NOT AS I’D HAVE HER WILL”

  “WAIT, AND I WILL GIVE IT TO YOU”

  AND PUT HIS HAND INTO HIS POCKET, BROUGHT OUT THE SOFT CHEESE, AND PRESSED IT UNTIL THE LIQUID RAN OUT OF IT

  THEY GOT INTO SUCH A RAGE THAT THEY TORE UP TREES

  SHE PUT ON THE DRESS WITH ALL SPEED, AND WENT TO THE FESTIVAL

  THE MOUSE HAD TO CARRY WATER, LIGHT THE FIRE, AND LAY THE TABLE, BUT THE SAUSAGE HAD TO COOK

  THE BIRD SADLY TOOK UP THE WOOD, FLEW HOME, AND RELATED WHAT HE HAD SEEN AND HEARD

  AT LAST SHE CAME TO A LITTLE HOUSE, OUT OF WHICH AN OLD WOMAN PEEPED

  BUT THE PITCH STUCK FAST TO HER, AND COULD NOT BE GOT OFF AS LONG AS SHE LIVED

  A LITTLE DWARF CAME TO MEET HER

  THE GOOD SISTER TOOK A KNIFE, CUT OFF ONE OF HER LITTLE FINGERS, PUT IT IN THE DOOR, AND SUCCEEDED IN OPENING IT

  “WHO HAS EATEN SOMETHING FROM MY PLATE? WHO HAS DRUNK OUT OF MY LITTLE GLASS? IT WAS A HUMAN MOUTH”

  SUDDENLY SHE HEARD A WHIRRING OF WINGS AND A RUSHING THROUGH THE AIR

  JUST AS LITTLE RED-CAP ENTERED THE WOOD, A WOLF MET HER

  “OH! GRANDMOTHER,” SHE SAID, “WHAT BIG EARS YOU HAVE!”

  BEFORE LONG THEY CAME TO A CAT, SITTING ON THE PATH, WITH A FACE LIKE THREE RAINY DAYS!

  THE DONKEY BRAYED, THE HOUND BARKED, THE CAT MEWED, AND THE COCK CROWED

  WHEN HE GETS HOME, HE HAS THE ROPE IN HIS HAND, AND THERE IS NO LONGER ANYTHING HANGING TO IT

  ON THE WAY HE PASSED BY A MARSH, IN WHICH A NUMBER OF FROGS WERE SITTING CROAKING

  SHE WOULD NOT LET HER EYES BE IDLE, BUT LOOKED UP AT THE WALL, AND AFTER MUCH PEERING HERE AND THERE, SAW A PICK-AXE EXACTLY ABOVE HER, WHICH THE MASONS HAD ACCIDENTALLY LEFT THERE

  THUMBLING

  WHEN THUMBLING HAD TAKEN LEAVE OF HIS FATHER, THEY WENT AWAY WITH HIM

  “HAS THE GENTLEMAN RED STOCKINGS ON, AND HAS HE A POINTED MOUTH?”

  SHE CAME TO THE CELLAR, AND THERE SAT AN EXTREMELY AGED WOMAN, WHOSE HEAD SHOOK CONSTANTLY

  THEY WALKED THE WHOLE NIGHT

  OLD SULTAN

  THE KING COULD NOT CONTAIN HIMSELF FOR JOY

  SUDDENLY THE THIRTEENTH CAME IN

  ROUND ABOUT THE CASTLE THERE BEGAN TO GROW A HEDGE OF THORNS, WHICH EVERY YEAR BECAME HIGHER

  “I AM NOT AFRAID, I WILL GO AND SEE THE BEAUTIFUL BRIAR-ROSE”

  THE FORESTER, HOWEVER, HAD AN OLD COOK, WHO ONE EVENING TOOK TWO PAILS AND BEGAN TO FETCH WATER

  THE BEGGAR-MAN LED HER OUT BY THE HAND

  “LOOKING-GLASS, LOOKING-GLASS, ON THE WALL, WHO IN THIS LAND IS
THE FAIREST OF ALL?”

  WHEN IT WAS QUITE DARK THE OWNERS OF THE COTTAGE CAME BACK

  THE DWARFS, WHEN THEY CAME HOME IN THE EVENING, FOUND SNOW-WHITE LYING UPON THE GROUND

  BUT ALL AT ONCE THE DOOR OPENED, AND IN CAME A LITTLE MAN

  ROUND ABOUT THE FIRE QUITE A RIDICULOUS LITTLE MAN WAS JUMPING: HE HOPPED UPON ONE LEG, AND SHOUTED

  THE MAIDEN FETCHED THE MAGIC WAND, AND SHE TOOK THE DEAD GIRL’S HEAD AND DROPPED THREE DROPS OF BLOOD ON THE GROUND

  THE QUICKER HE PLAYED, THE MORE VIOLENT SPRINGS WAS SHE FORCED TO MAKE

  THE GOLDEN BIRD

  AWAY HE WENT OVER STOCK AND STONE TILL HIS HAIR WHISTLED IN THE WIND

  THE KING’S SON CARRIED OFF THE BEAUTIFUL PRINCESS ON THE GOLDEN HORSE

  ON THE ROAD HE MET A SPARROW

  CATHERINE, WHO WAS NOT IDLE, SET OUT AFTER IT, AND CHASED IT A LONG WAY INTO THE FIELD

  THE LITTLE PEASANT

  AMONGST THE THREE SLEEPING DAUGHTERS OF THE KING WAS THE YOUNGEST AND DEAREST TO BE SOUGHT OUT

  THE DUCKS WHICH HE HAD SAVED, SWAM UP TO HIM, DIVED DOWN, AND BROUGHT THE KEY OUT OF THE WATER

  THE GOLDEN GOOSE

  THERE STANDS AN OLD TREE, CUT IT DOWN, AND YOU WILL FIND SOMETHING AT THE ROOTS

  AND NOW THERE WERE SEVEN OF THEM RUNNING BEHIND DUMMLING AND THE GOOSE

  AS SOON AS SHE SAW THE SEVEN PEOPLE RUNNING ON AND ON, ONE BEHIND THE OTHER, SHE BEGAN TO LAUGH QUITE LOUDLY

  THEREUPON DUMMLING ASKED TO HAVE HER FOR HIS WIFE

  IN THE DAYTIME SHE CHANGED HERSELF INTO A CAT

  THE OWL FLEW INTO THE THICKET

  AT LAST THE WOMAN CAME BACK, AND SAID IN A HOLLOW VOICE, “GREET THEE, ZACHIEL”

  THE CAT SPRANG NIMBLY UP A TREE, AND SAT DOWN AT THE TOP OF IT

  THE COOKS WERE ORDERED TO BRING UP SOME LIVE COALS, AND THESE HE ATE, UNTIL THE FLAMES BROKE FORTH FROM HIS THROAT

  HE RAN AFTER HIM WITH THE KNIFE STILL IN HIS HAND, CRYING, “JUST ONE, JUST ONE”

  THE OLD MAN AND HIS GRANDSON

  THE OLD GRANDFATHER AT LAST HAD TO SIT IN THE CORNER BEHIND THE STOVE, AND THEY GAVE HIM HIS FOOD IN AN EARTHENWARE BOWL

  THE DEATH OF THE LITTLE HEN

  BY GOOD FORTUNE A BUTCHER JUST THEN CAME ALONG THE ROAD WITH A WHEEL-BARROW, IN WHICH LAY A YOUNG PIG

  AND WENT THITHER, ACCOMPANIED BY THE LIONS

  “ALAS, FALADA, HANGING THERE!”

  “BLOW, BLOW, THOU GENTLE WIND, I SAY, BLOW CONRAD’S LITTLE HAT AWAY”

  AND THE SON MADE A CIRCLE AND PLACED HIMSELF INSIDE IT WITH HIS FATHER

  THE GOLDEN CASTLE OF STROMBERG

  THEN ONE DAY HE SAW FROM HIS HUT THREE ROBBERS WHO WERE BEATING EACH OTHER

  “DEAR DWARF, CANST THOU NOT TELL ME WHERE MY TWO BROTHERS ARE?”

  THERE WAS ONCE ON A TIME A POOR PEASANT CALLED CRABB, WHO DROVE WITH TWO OXEN A LOAD OF WOOD TO THE TOWN, AND SOLD IT TO A DOCTOR FOR TWO THALERS

  AT THE THIRD, HE COULD HOLD OUT NO LONGER, AND SCREAMED OUT AND PUT HIS TAIL BETWEEN HIS LEGS

  SHE, WITH FRIGHTFUL CRIES, CAME RIDING BY, AS SWIFT AS THE WIND ON A WILD TOM-CAT

  THE OLD WOMAN, HOWEVER, WAS A WITCH

  AND BOUND THEM TOGETHER, ALL THREE WITH ONE ROPE, AND DROVE THEM ALONG UNTIL HE CAME TO A MILL

  SO THE FOUR BROTHERS TOOK THEIR STICKS, BADE THEIR FATHER FAREWELL, AND WENT THROUGH THE TOWN-GATE TOGETHER

  THE KING’S DAUGHTER WAS CARRIED OFF BY A DRAGON

  THERE THE KING’S DAUGHTER WAS SITTING, AND THE DRAGON WAS LYING ASLEEP ON HER LAP

  THE FOX AND THE HORSE

  THEN UP SPRANG THE HORSE AT ONCE, AND DREW THE LION AWAY WITH HIM

  ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE LAKE STOOD A SPLENDID, BRIGHTLY LIT CASTLE

  THE SHOES THAT WERE DANCED TO PIECES

  SHE, HOWEVER, CAUGHT AT HIS CAP AND PULLED IT OFF

  HE CALLED “IRON JOHN” THREE TIMES SO LOUDLY THAT IT ECHOED THROUGH THE TREES

  THE RICH MAN WAS OBLIGED TO PUT HIS BROTHER’S TURNIP IN A CART AND HAVE IT TAKEN TO HIS HOME

  CHAPTER ONE

  THE FROG-KING, OR IRON HENRY

  In old times when wishing still helped one, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful, but the youngest was so beautiful that the sun itself, which has seen so much, was astonished whenever it shone in her face. Close by the King’s castle lay a great dark forest, and under an old lime-tree in the forest was a well, and when the day was very warm, the King’s child went out into the forest and sat down by the side of the cool fountain, and when she was dull she took a golden ball, and threw it up on high and caught it, and this ball was her favourite plaything.

  Now it so happened that on one occasion the princess’s golden ball did not fall into the little hand which she was holding up for it, but on to the ground beyond, and rolled straight into the water. The King’s daughter followed it with her eyes, but it vanished, and the well was deep, so deep that the bottom could not be seen. On this she began to cry, and cried louder and louder, and could not be comforted. And as she thus lamented, some one said to her, “What ails thee, King’s daughter? Thou weepest so that even a stone would show pity.” She looked round to the side from whence the voice came, and saw a frog stretching forth its thick, ugly head from the water. “Ah! old water-splasher, is it thou?” said she; “I am weeping for my golden ball, which has fallen into the well.”

  “Be quiet, and do not weep,” answered the frog, “I can help thee, but what wilt thou give me if I bring thy plaything up again?” “Whatever thou wilt have, dear frog,” said she—“my clothes, my pearls and jewels, and even the golden crown which I am wearing.”

  The frog answered, “I do not care for thy clothes, thy pearls and jewels, or thy golden crown, but if thou wilt love me and let me be thy companion and play-fellow, and sit by thee at thy little table, and eat off thy little golden plate, and drink out of thy little cup, and sleep in thy little bed—if thou wilt promise me this I will go down below, and bring thee thy golden ball up again.”

  “Oh, yes,” said she, “I promise thee all thou wishest, if thou wilt but bring me my ball back again.” She, however, thought, “How the silly frog does talk! He lives in the water with the other frogs and croaks, and can be no companion to any human being!”

  But the frog when he had received this promise, put his head into the water and sank down, and in a short time came swimming up again with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the grass. The King’s daughter was delighted to see her pretty plaything once more, and picked it up, and ran away with it. “Wait, wait,” said the frog, “Take me with thee. I can’t run as thou canst.” But what did it avail him to scream his croak, croak, after her, as loudly as he could? She did not listen to it, but ran home and soon forgot the poor frog, who was forced to go back into his well again.

  The next day when she had seated herself at table with the King and all the courtiers, and was eating from her little golden plate, something came creeping splish splash, splish splash, up the marble staircase, and when it had got to the top, it knocked at the door and cried, “Princess, youngest princess, open the door for me.” She ran to see who was outside, but when she opened the door, there sat the frog in front of it. Then she slammed the door to, in great haste, sat down to dinner again, and was quite frightened. The King saw plainly that her heart was beating violently, and said, “My child, what art thou so afraid of? Is there perchance a giant outside who wants to carry thee away?” “Ah, no,” replied she, “it is no giant, but a disgusting frog.”

  “What does the frog want with thee?” “Ah, dear father, yesterday when I was in the forest sitting by the well, playing, my golden ball fell into the water. And because I cried so the frog brought it out again for me, and because he insisted so on it, I promised him he should be my companion, but I never thought he would be able to come out of his water! And now he is outside there, and wants to come in to me.”

  In the meantime it knocked a second time, and cried,

  “Princess! youngest princess!

/>   Open the door for me!

  Dost thou not know what thou saidst to me

  Yesterday by the cool waters of the fountain?

  Princess, youngest princess!

  Open the door for me!”

  Then said the King, “That which thou hast promised must thou perform. Go and let him in.” She went and opened the door, and the frog hopped in and followed her, step by step, to her chair. There he sat still and cried, “Lift me up beside thee.” She delayed, until at last the King commanded her to do it. When the frog was once on the chair he wanted to be on the table, and when he was on the table he said, “Now, push thy little golden plate nearer to me that we may eat together.” She did this, but it was easy to see that she did not do it willingly. The frog enjoyed what he ate, but almost every mouthful she took choked her. At length he said, “I have eaten and am satisfied; now I am tired, carry me into thy little room and make thy little silken bed ready, and we will both lie down and go to sleep.”

  The King’s daughter began to cry, for she was afraid of the cold frog which she did not like to touch, and which was now to sleep in her pretty, clean little bed. But the King grew angry and said, “He who helped thee when thou wert in trouble ought not afterwards to be despised by thee.” So she took hold of the frog with two fingers, carried him upstairs, and put him in a corner. But when she was in bed he crept to her and said, “I am tired, I want to sleep as well as thou, lift me up or I will tell thy father.” Then she was terribly angry, and took him up and threw him with all her might against the wall. “Now, thou wilt be quiet, odious frog,” said she. But when he fell down he was no frog but a king’s son with beautiful kind eyes. He by her father’s will was now her dear companion and husband. Then he told her how he had been bewitched by a wicked witch, and how no one could have delivered him from the well but herself, and that tomorrow they would go together into his kingdom. Then they went to sleep, and next morning when the sun awoke them, a carriage came driving up with eight white horses, which had white ostrich feathers on their heads, and were harnessed with golden chains, and behind stood the young King’s servant, faithful Henry. Faithful Henry had been so unhappy when his master was changed into a frog, that he had caused three iron bands to be laid round his heart, lest it should burst with grief and sadness. The carriage was to conduct the young King into his kingdom. Faithful Henry helped them both in, and placed himself behind again, and was full of joy because of this deliverance. And when they had driven a part of the way, the King’s son heard a cracking behind him as if something had broken. So he turned round and cried, “Henry, the carriage is breaking.”