Brothers Grimm ‘Fairy Tales’ Warning Us All – Deception and Scams are Everywhere and Always Been

20 Brothers Grimm ‘Fairy Tales’ that Warned of Deception and Scams – Did We Listen?

Primary Category: Psychology / Mythology of Scams

Author:
•  Tim McGuinness, Ph.D., DFin, MCPO, MAnth – Anthropologist, Scientist, Polymath, Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.
•  Janina Morcinek – Certified and Licensed Educator, European Regional Director of the Society of Citizens Against Relationship Scams Inc.

Author Biographies Below

 

About This Article

We examine how the Brothers Grimm’s collected folk stories that served as early warnings about deception, manipulation, and misplaced trust. Their tales depicted predators who used impersonation, charm, and false promises to exploit the vulnerable, reflecting dangers that parallel modern scams. These narratives illustrated how individuals can be misled by appearances, drawn off safe paths, or persuaded by enticing illusions that mask harmful intent. This also explores how these stories can be used by parents to teach children about online risks such as impersonation, phishing, and predatory influence. Through twenty highlighted tales, the this shows recurring patterns of fraud, emotional vulnerability, and recovery, emphasizing the enduring relevance of these cautionary stories in understanding and preventing modern forms of exploitation.

Note: This article is intended for informational purposes and does not replace professional medical advice. If you are experiencing distress, please consult a qualified mental health professional.

Brothers Grimm’s Fairy Tales that Warned of Deception and Scams – Did We Listen?

When we think of the Brothers Grimm, we often picture a collection of charming, if occasionally dark, bedtime stories for children.

We imagine talking animals, enchanted forests, and princesses waiting for their prince. This perception, however, vastly underestimates the profound and often brutal nature of their work. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were not simply storytellers; they were pioneering folklorists and cultural anthropologists who sought to preserve the oral traditions of the German people. In doing so, they inadvertently created a timeless archive of human nature at its most vulnerable. Their tales are not whimsical fantasies but stark, cautionary documents that serve as a sophisticated warning about the enduring threats of deception, manipulation, and scams.

These stories were born from a world of real peril, where trust was a dangerous commodity and predators, both human and imagined, lurked at the edges of society. The villains in their narratives are not mythical dragons but wolves in grandmother’s clothing, cunning witches in gingerbread houses, and charming strangers with hidden agendas. They are master manipulators who prey on innocence, greed, loneliness, and fear, the very same weaknesses that modern scammers exploit with a click of a mouse. The Grimm brothers captured the essential mechanics of fraud long before the digital age, documenting the timeless strategies of the con artist with unnerving accuracy. Their collection is less a book of fairy tales and more a field guide to the dark arts of deception, a warning whispered across centuries that the monsters are real, and they are experts at appearing to be exactly what we desire most.

A Parent’s Guide to Teaching Children About Online Dangers Using Grimm’s Fairy Tales

Our digital world is filled with complex threats like phishing scams, online predators, sextortion, and cyberbullying.

Parents often struggle to find ways to make these dangers tangible for their children. Abstract warnings about “stranger danger” online can be difficult for a young mind to grasp. However, the Brothers Grimm, with their dark and cautionary tales, offer a surprisingly effective and timeless toolkit. These stories are not just entertainment; they are psychological blueprints for deception that can be translated into modern lessons about online safety.

Begin with the most direct parallel: “Little Red Riding Hood.” Read the story with your child and then draw the connection to the online world. The wolf is the online stranger who sends a friendly message. The path is the set of internet safety rules you have established. The flowers are the tempting distractions, a link to a cool game, a promise of a special prize, or a request to move the chat to a secret app, that lure children away from the safe path. The wolf’s disguise as the grandmother is the core of the lesson: people online are not always who they say they are. You can ask, “How did the wolf trick Little Red Riding Hood? How can someone online pretend to be someone they’re not?” This story provides a simple, memorable framework for discussing catfishing and the importance of never sharing personal information.

Next, use “Hansel and Gretel” to explain the dangers of “too-good-to-be-true” offers. The witch’s gingerbread house is the perfect metaphor for a malicious website or an online scam promising free iPhones or unlimited game currency. It looks wonderful and inviting, but it is a trap designed to harm. Discuss how the witch’s kindness was a trick to fatten Hansel up. Explain that scammers online use the same tactic, offering something amazing to get personal information or to trick a child into clicking a malicious link. This story helps children understand that not everything that looks good on the internet is good for them, and that it is okay to be suspicious of a stranger offering an unbelievable gift.

For older children, “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” can introduce the concept of social media influence and groupthink. The townspeople trusted the Piper with their money, and he led all their children away when the deal went sour. This opens a conversation about online trends and challenges. Most specifically, this is a parallel to sextortion scams, as well as AI chatbots. Who are the “Pied Pipers” of social media? Are they always trustworthy? This tale teaches a valuable lesson about critical thinking and the danger of blindly following a charismatic online figure, whether it’s a celebrity promoting a risky product, a fantasy girl or boyfriend, an AI chatbot, or a peer encouraging a dangerous viral challenge.

Finally, “The Frog Prince” is an excellent tool for discussing the pressure to be “nice” online. The princess didn’t want to keep her promise to the frog, but felt she had to. This can be used to talk about the pressure children feel to respond to messages, even from people who make them uncomfortable. Empower your child by saying, “You don’t have to be a princess who keeps promises to a frog. If someone online makes you feel weird, you do not owe them a response. You can tell a trusted adult.” Using these ancient stories, parents can transform abstract digital fears into concrete, memorable lessons, building a child’s intuition and resilience against the online wolves that still lurk in the digital woods.

20 Brothers Grimm Tales of Deception and Scams

The Brothers Grimm collection of ‘fairy tales’ is a dark, sprawling forest of cautionary tales, filled with deception, greed, and the brutal consequences of misplaced trust. While we often think of them as simple children’s stories, they are, in fact, sophisticated psychological dramas that explore the very same human vulnerabilities that modern scammers exploit today. The wolves have changed their clothing, from furry pelts to fake online profiles, but their predatory strategies remain hauntingly familiar. Several Grimm tales stand out as particularly powerful allegories for the scams of the 21st century.

1. Little Red Riding Hood

As explored previously, this is the quintessential scam story. It is a masterclass in impersonation, a tactic at the heart of romance and “pig butchering” scams. 

The Brothers Grimm story Little Red Riding Hood serves as a powerful view of modern scams because it captures how predators manipulate trust, isolate victims, and disguise their intentions. In the tale, Little Red Riding Hood enters the woods with innocence and goodwill, unaware that the wolf is studying her vulnerabilities. His friendly questions and calm demeanor mirror how scammers begin their approach today. They present themselves as safe, attentive, and sympathetic, gathering information that becomes the foundation for deeper deception.

The wolf’s impersonation of the grandmother reflects the digital masks scammers wear. They use stolen photos, fabricated identities, and emotional narratives to appear trustworthy, just as the wolf hides under the bedcovers. The famous dialogue about the wolf’s ears, eyes, and teeth represents the moment when victims sense something is wrong but struggle to reconcile intuition with the illusion they believe. Many modern victims override their doubts because they want the story to be true, and scammers are skilled at offering excuses that soothe suspicion.

The wolf ultimately “devours” Little Red Riding Hood, symbolizing the emotional, financial, and psychological harm inflicted by modern criminals. Her rescue by the huntsman underscores the importance of outside intervention, verification, and support. The story’s lasting message is clear: deception thrives when trust is unguarded, intuition is ignored, and predators are allowed to control the narrative.

Read our full article on the Little Red Riding Hood here.

The full story is below in the reference.

2. Hansel and Gretel

The Brothers Grimm story Hansel and Gretel serves as a clear analogy for modern scams by illustrating how vulnerable people are targeted, lured, and exploited through false promises. In the tale, the children are abandoned in a moment of desperation, which mirrors how scam victims are often reached during periods of loneliness, fear, or financial stress. The witch’s candy house represents the enticing illusion scammers create, offering comfort, security, or opportunity that feels irresistible to someone in crisis. Once Hansel and Gretel step inside, the trap closes, just as victims become ensnared when they trust a scammer’s persona or respond to their emotional grooming. The witch’s plan to consume the children symbolizes how predators drain victims of money, trust, and emotional stability. Gretel’s eventual escape reflects the moment a victim recognizes the deception and fights to reclaim safety. The story endures because it warns that danger often appears sweet, especially to those who feel abandoned or alone.

The full story is below in the reference.

3. The Frog Prince

The Brothers Grimm story The Frog King, or The Frog Prince, functions as a powerful tale of modern scams because it highlights how easily trust can be manipulated when someone projects what a victim wants to see. In the tale, the frog approaches the princess during a moment of distress. He offers help, comfort, and a solution she desperately needs. This mirrors how scammers identify emotional vulnerability, stepping in with support, affection, or opportunity that feels perfectly timed. The princess agrees to the frog’s conditions without questioning his identity or intentions. Many scam victims make similar commitments, trusting a persona crafted to match their desires, fears, or hopes.

The frog gains entry into the princess’s life through persistence and emotional pressure. He reminds her of her promise, pushes boundaries, and inserts himself into her private space. Scammers follow the same pattern, using guilt, flattery, or urgency to escalate intimacy and control. They normalize the intrusion until the victim feels obligated to comply. When the frog transforms into a prince, the dramatic shift reveals who he truly is. In scams, the transformation is far darker. The moment the illusion breaks, victims discover that the person they trusted never existed. This revelation often brings shame, confusion, and emotional injury, just as the princess faces a truth she never anticipated.

Yet the story also speaks to recovery. The princess confronts her discomfort, takes decisive action, and forces reality into the open. Scam victims often experience a similar moment of clarity when they reclaim their boundaries and begin rebuilding trust in themselves. The tale endures because it warns that charm without transparency is dangerous, and that genuine character is revealed through truth, not illusion.

Ironically, it is also an example of a cam victim who has been betrayed and is seeking support. Yet when support is provided, it is not to their liking, and they reject the support and the provider. In that analogy, it reminds scam victims to accept reality as it is and not reject the help offered by others if it does not match preconceptions.

The full story is below in the reference.

4. Rumpelstiltskin

The Brothers Grimm story Rumpelstiltskin offers a powerful analogy for modern scams because it exposes how desperation, secrecy, and unequal power create the perfect environment for exploitation. In the tale, the miller’s daughter is trapped by impossible demands and limited choices, much like individuals today who are pressured by financial stress, emotional need, or social isolation. Rumpelstiltskin appears at the exact moment she feels cornered, offering a solution that seems miraculous. This reflects how scammers enter a victim’s life with promises that feel lifesaving. They offer help, affection, investment opportunities, or emotional rescue when the victim feels they have nowhere else to turn.

The agreement the girl makes with Rumpelstiltskin mirrors the deals victims accept under emotional strain. Each exchange seems small at first, but the cost escalates quickly. Scammers follow this pattern by slowly increasing emotional demands, financial requests, or manipulative pressure until the victim is entangled. The spinning of straw into gold symbolizes the illusion of wealth or safety, a fantasy that keeps the victim cooperating even as the danger grows. Rumpelstiltskin’s insistence on secrecy echoes the isolation scammers cultivate when they urge victims not to tell friends or family.

The final demand for the child represents the ultimate violation, a metaphor for how scammers try to take what victims value most, whether it is their savings, identity, or sense of self. The girl’s eventual victory comes from uncovering Rumpelstiltskin’s true name, which symbolizes exposing the scammer’s deception. Recognition, truth, and visibility break the power of exploitation. The story endures because it reveals a timeless truth: predators thrive in secrecy and desperation, but their power collapses when victims reclaim clarity, support, and knowledge.

The full story is below in the reference.

5. The Valiant Little Tailor

The Brothers Grimm’s story The Valiant Little Tailor, offers a useful exploration of understanding scams in the modern world because it highlights how easily people can be persuaded by confidence, exaggeration, and manufactured reputation. In the tale, the tailor becomes famous after killing seven flies and boldly stitching “Seven at one blow” on his belt. Others assume the phrase refers to heroic feats, not insects, and they elevate him based on an illusion he never corrects. This mirrors how scammers build false personas today. They create profiles filled with impressive titles, fabricated achievements, and staged photographs, counting on people to accept appearances without verification.

Throughout the story, the tailor continues to bluff his way into positions of power. He relies on bravado, charm, and strategic storytelling to manipulate those around him. Scammers do the same when they use flattery, confidence, and emotional pressure to win trust. They present themselves as strong, capable, and trustworthy, which often leads victims to doubt their own instincts. The tailor’s success shows how belief in a crafted narrative can override critical thinking.

The story also illustrates the danger of misplaced trust. Those who admire the tailor never question his claims, even when they seem improbable. Modern scam victims experience a similar pattern when they rationalize inconsistencies because they want to believe the persona in front of them. The tale reminds today’s readers that confidence can be a disguise and that careful verification protects you from those who rely on illusion rather than truth.

The full story is below in the reference.

6. The Pied Piper of Hamelin

The Brothers Grimm story The Pied Piper of Hamelin offers an analogy for modern scams by illustrating how charisma, unmet needs, and broken trust create the perfect conditions for exploitation. In the tale, the Piper arrives in a desperate town plagued by rats. He presents himself as the solution to a problem the townspeople feel powerless to fix. His colorful clothing, confident demeanor, and magical music charm the community into believing he is exactly what he claims to be. This reflects how scammers today enter the lives of victims during vulnerable moments. They sense emotional, financial, or psychological need and position themselves as the perfect answer, using charm, flattery, or false expertise to create instant trust.

The town leaders agree to the Piper’s terms without proper caution, mirroring how victims can accept promises from someone who appears helpful or extraordinary. Once the Piper removes the rats, the townspeople break their promise and refuse to pay him. Their betrayal triggers the story’s darker turn: the Piper uses the same charm to lure away what the town loves most, their children. This shift parallels the moment when scammers reveal their true motives. They use the same emotional connection they created, but now as a weapon to extract money, personal information, or deeper psychological control.

Just like the Piper’s music, scams operate by creating emotional resonance. Victims follow because the narrative feels comforting, hopeful, or exciting. By the time the deception becomes clear, the damage is already done. The story also reflects how communities may ignore warning signs until consequences become severe. The townspeople doubt the Piper’s power, dismiss their responsibility, and fail to protect themselves or their children. Modern scams often thrive under similar conditions: disbelief that harm could happen, underestimating the manipulator, and overconfidence in one’s own safety.

Ultimately, the Pied Piper remains a cautionary tale about the cost of misplaced trust, unverified promises, and underestimating the power of persuasive strangers.

The full story is below in the reference.

7. The Twelve Dancing Princesses

The Brothers Grimm story The Twelve Dancing Princesses provides a meaningful analysis of modern scams because it illustrates secrecy, illusion, and the ways deception can thrive when people believe what they want to believe rather than what is true. In the tale, the king faces a baffling mystery: each night his daughters’ shoes are worn through, yet no one can explain where they go. Many try to uncover the truth, but they fail because they rely on assumptions or fall victim to the princesses’ distractions. This mirrors how scam victims often miss early warning signs because the story they are being told feels comforting, flattering, or magical. They see what they hope to see instead of what is real.

The enchanted underground world where the princesses dance represents the hidden, manipulated space that scammers construct. It is appealing, seductive, and carefully engineered so that no outsider can easily penetrate it. Modern scammers do the same when they build false digital identities, filtered photos, emotional narratives, or fraudulent investment platforms. The experience feels special and exclusive, creating a sense of privilege that discourages victims from questioning inconsistencies.

The soldier who ultimately solves the mystery succeeds not through brute force, but through patience, observation, and restraint. He avoids drinking the drugged wine, stays alert, and gathers evidence quietly. This parallels the mindset needed to stay safe online today. Verification, skepticism, and careful attention to details are tools that protect people from manipulation. His success also highlights the importance of boundaries. He does not confront the princesses aggressively; he reveals the truth with clarity and proof.

The story exposes how deception can continue indefinitely when left unchallenged and how easily charm or mystery can cloud judgment. For modern readers, it stands as a reminder that hidden worlds, secret lives, and too-perfect narratives deserve careful scrutiny, especially when someone else controls the path.

The full story is below in the reference.

8. The Goose Girl

The Brothers Grimm story The Goose Girl relates to modern scams because it centers on identity theft, manipulation, and the exploitation of trust. In the tale, a princess is deceived and overpowered by her maid, who forces her to exchange roles. The maid then impersonates the princess, claiming her status, privileges, and future, while the true princess is pushed into silence and servitude. This mirrors how scammers today steal identities, stories, photos, and credibility to create convincing false personas. They rely on a victim’s goodwill and vulnerability, just as the maid relies on the princess’s isolation and fear.

The princess’s struggle also reflects the emotional paralysis that many scam victims experience. She knows the truth, yet shame and confusion keep her quiet. Scam victims often feel similar pressure to stay silent because they fear judgment or blame. The talking horse Falada symbolizes the victim’s buried voice, the part of them that still knows what happened and longs to be heard. Only when the truth is finally revealed by a careful observer does justice occur.

The story underscores that deception thrives when victims are isolated, silenced, or afraid to assert their reality. It reminds modern readers that reclaiming identity and truth is possible, but it requires support, validation, and the courage to speak openly about what happened.

The full story is below in the reference.

9. The Six Swans

The Brothers Grimm story The Six Swans offers a strong analogy for modern scams because it shows how manipulation, isolation, and misplaced trust can tear families apart and force victims into painful silence. In the tale, a king is deceived by a malicious stepmother who uses trickery to turn his six sons into swans. The sister, who loves her brothers, is left to bear the burden of undoing the damage. She must live under extreme constraints, forbidden to speak or defend herself, even when she is falsely accused and nearly punished for crimes she did not commit. This dynamic mirrors how scams create emotional captivity. Victims often feel voiceless, overwhelmed by shame, and unable to explain their situation to people who do not understand the psychological traps they endured.

The sister’s silence represents the secrecy that scammers depend on. Victims stay quiet because they fear disbelief or ridicule, which allows the scam’s damage to grow. The stepmother’s deception echoes how modern criminals use lies, impersonation, and psychological manipulation to isolate their targets and disrupt their relationships. Loved ones may misinterpret the victim’s behavior, just as the king misreads his daughter’s silence, leading to painful misunderstandings.

The story also illustrates resilience. The sister works patiently and consistently to save her brothers, despite the emotional cost. Her efforts mirror the long, often invisible recovery process scam victims must undertake to rebuild trust, identity, and stability. When the truth is finally revealed, the family is restored, showing that healing is possible once deception is exposed and victims are heard.

The Six Swans ultimately warns that silence can be exploited, deception can fracture families, and recovery requires persistence, support, and the courage to face painful truths.

The full story is below in the reference.

10. The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids

The Brothers Grimm story The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids offers an insight into modern scams because it highlights how predators exploit trust, disguise themselves, and use targeted manipulation to gain access to victims. In the tale, the mother goat warns her children to stay alert because the wolf is deceptive and dangerous. Despite these warnings, the wolf succeeds by altering his voice and appearance to mimic the mother, which convinces the kids to open the door. This mirrors how scammers today impersonate trusted figures, from family members to officials, using stolen photos, fake credentials, and convincing language to lower defenses.

Each step of the wolf’s strategy reflects a modern tactic. He studies the kids’ vulnerabilities, adapts his approach, and uses emotional familiarity to bypass their caution. Scam victims experience the same emotional misdirection, often believing they are speaking to someone who cares about their safety or well-being. The children’s eventual entrapment shows how quickly a scam can escalate once access is granted.

The mother goat’s return and the rescue of her youngest child also reflect the importance of intervention. Many victims are saved when someone outside the situation spots the danger. The story emphasizes vigilance, education, and verification, reminding modern readers that deception often succeeds not through force, but through convincing impersonation that preys on trust.

The full story is below in the reference.

11. The Three Little Men in the Wood

The Brothers Grimm’s story The Three Little Men in the Wood offers a meaningful view of modern scams because it contrasts genuine kindness with manipulative intent, showing how character, not appearances, determines outcomes. In the tale, a mistreated stepdaughter is sent into the freezing woods as an act of cruelty, yet she responds to hardship with generosity. Her willingness to help the three little men, even when she has almost nothing, reflects the traits scammers often target today. Modern victims are frequently compassionate, selfless people who give easily and believe in reciprocity. These qualities make them vulnerable to predators who exploit empathy rather than honor it.

The stepsister, in contrast, represents the scammer archetype. She approaches the little men with entitlement, refusing to help because she expects rewards without effort. Her manipulative behavior mirrors how scammers present themselves as deserving, urgent, or helpless to provoke sympathy. Her eventual downfall reflects the consequences of deception, selfishness, and exploitation.

The rewards and punishments in the story illustrate an important truth: genuine character produces lasting outcomes, while manipulation eventually collapses under its own weight. Modern scams follow the same pattern. Scammers build short-lived illusions, while victims must rebuild their lives with integrity, support, and resilience. The tale reinforces that your empathy is not a flaw, but it requires boundaries to keep predators at bay.

The full story is below in the reference.

12. The Donkey

The Brothers Grimm tale The Donkey offers a striking and timely analogy for modern scams, particularly in how society often misjudges worth, identity, and intent based on superficial appearances. In the story, a king and queen hide their son’s true form, ashamed that he was born looking like a donkey, even though he possesses a noble, gifted, and fundamentally human spirit. Those who meet him judge him first by what they assume he is, not by who he is. This theme mirrors the core dynamics of modern deception, where scammers exploit appearance, image, and performance to manipulate victims’ assumptions.

Just as the prince’s donkey form conceals his true identity, scammers create polished personas that hide their malicious intent. They present themselves as successful professionals, romantic partners, or trusted authorities, using crafted images and carefully chosen words to convince victims of their legitimacy. Victims respond to what they believe they see, just as the king in the tale eventually sees value in the donkey who plays the lute beautifully. Scammers count on this human tendency to trust the outward performance rather than investigate what lies beneath it.

The moment of transformation in the story offers another modern parallel. At night, alone, the donkey prince removes his skin and reveals who he truly is. Similarly, the real scammer emerges only once the illusion breaks, leaving victims to confront the painful truth that the identity they trusted never existed. The revelation is shocking and disorienting, just as it is for the family who discovers the donkey prince’s hidden nature.

Ultimately, the story illustrates that appearances can both deceive and liberate. For the donkey prince, truth leads to freedom. For scam victims, truth leads to painful but necessary recovery. In both cases, recognizing the hidden reality is the only path toward reclaiming safety, clarity, and self-trust.

This is also a metaphor for scam victims who feel unworthy and who hide their true selves. As in the tale, they are worthy – Axios.

The full story is below in the reference.

13. Jorinda and Jorindel

The Brothers Grimm story Jorinda and Jorindel offers a strong analogy for modern scams because it portrays how isolation, enchantment, and psychological captivity can trap a person before they realize what has happened. In the tale, Jorinda is lured and imprisoned by a witch who preys on vulnerable travelers wandering too close to her domain. This mirrors how scammers target individuals who are emotionally isolated or going through life transitions that leave them more open to manipulation. The witch’s ability to transform Jorinda into a nightingale symbolizes how victims lose their voice and sense of agency once the scam takes hold.

Jorindel’s helplessness during the abduction reflects the emotional paralysis victims experience when they sense something is wrong but cannot break free. Scammers use affection, fear, urgency, or false hope to keep victims emotionally frozen, much like the spell that binds Jorinda. In both situations, the predator controls the environment, the narrative, and the victim’s options.

Jorindel’s long, painful search for a way to free Jorinda is comparable to the recovery process after a scam. He must resist despair, seek knowledge, and persist despite setbacks. His eventual success with the magical flower reflects the importance of external tools such as education, support groups, law enforcement guidance, and trauma-informed counseling. These resources allow victims to reclaim their identity and break the psychological bonds left by the scammer.

The story highlights a timeless pattern: predators isolate, deceive, and imprison, while victims need support, clarity, and persistence to escape. Jorinda and Jorindel ultimately reminds modern readers that manipulation can steal your sense of self, but recovery and liberation are possible when truth and support replace confusion and fear.

The full story is below in the reference.

14. The Water of Life

The Brothers Grimm story The Water of Life provides a striking look at modern scams because it illustrates how desperation, hope, and misplaced trust can be exploited by those who appear helpful but act out of self-interest. In the tale, a dying king sends his three sons to find the Water of Life, a miraculous cure that symbolizes every human desire for restoration, love, financial security, or emotional fulfillment. Scammers in the modern world exploit these same longings. They approach victims at vulnerable moments, offering what seems like the perfect solution, much like the deceptive dwarf who punishes arrogance and rewards humility. The story highlights how individuals who fail to recognize danger signs may walk eagerly into traps.

The jealousy and sabotage carried out by the two older brothers mirror how scammers undermine victims’ confidence, isolate them from supportive voices, and create confusion. These brothers do not openly attack; they quietly replace the Water of Life with seawater, just as scammers replace genuine affection with counterfeit emotions, legitimate investment opportunities with fraudulent schemes, and sincere promises with calculated lies. The victim often realizes the deception only when the damage is already done.

The youngest prince’s persistence reflects the resilience many scam victims must develop during recovery. He survives betrayal, navigates obstacles, and relies on his integrity to move forward. His eventual clearing of his name symbolizes the difficult but achievable process of reclaiming identity, dignity, and trust after being exploited. The final discovery of the truth parallels how education, evidence, and support from credible sources help victims understand what actually happened to them.

Ultimately, The Water of Life teaches that deception flourishes where longing and innocence meet manipulation. The story warns that not every helper is honest, not every promise brings healing, and not every path leads to safety. But it also reinforces that truth, perseverance, and wise guidance can restore what was harmed, allowing victims to rebuild with clarity and strength.

The full story is below in the reference.

15. The Nixie in the Pond

The Brothers Grimm tale of The Nixie in the Pond spotlights modern scams by showing how an unseen predator exploits vulnerability, entrapment, and emotional turmoil to maintain control. In the story, a miller makes a careless promise to a supernatural creature, giving away what he does not understand. This mirrors how scam victims unknowingly surrender personal information, trust, or emotional intimacy to someone who appears harmless. The miller does not intend harm; he simply fails to recognize danger until it is too late. In the digital world, scammers thrive on these same moments of ignorance or misplaced confidence, encouraging victims to reveal details that create long-term entanglement.

The nixie, who pulls the miller’s son into the water, represents the predatory force that uses deceit and emotional leverage to trap a victim in a hidden and hostile environment. Once the son is in her world, he is isolated from everyone who cares about him, much like how scammers isolate victims by encouraging secrecy, creating artificial intimacy, and positioning themselves as the victim’s sole source of validation. The victim becomes psychologically submerged, unable to think clearly, and often unable to escape without external intervention.

The wife’s long journey to rescue her husband reflects the difficult path of recovery from a scam. Her reliance on patience, ritual, and persistence symbolizes the emotional work required to reclaim one’s life after deep betrayal. She must navigate confusion, grief, and fear, just as victims must confront the cognitive dissonance of loving someone who never existed. The magical tools she receives—golden items that ultimately break the spell—represent insight, education, and support networks that empower victims to free themselves from the psychological grip of the scammer.

When the final embrace breaks the nixie’s power, the story illustrates how truth and reconnection restore what was taken. The Nixie in the Pond reminds modern readers that predators thrive in secrecy and confusion, but clarity, support, and emotional grounding can dissolve even the strongest manipulations, allowing victims to return to a life rooted in reality and safety.

The full story is below in the reference.

16. The Master Thief

The Brothers Grimm’s story The Master Thief serves to show how modern scams use skillful deception, confidence, and psychological manipulation to allow a criminal to exploit unsuspecting victims. In the tale, the Master Thief succeeds not through brute force, but through cleverness, charm, and the ability to read people’s weaknesses. Modern scammers use these same tactics. They present themselves as harmless or impressive, adjusting their personas to fit what a victim wants to see. Just as the thief studies his targets, scammers research their victims online, gathering personal details that allow them to craft convincing stories and emotional hooks.

Throughout the story, the thief repeatedly gains trust by appearing competent, bold, or humorous. This mirrors how scammers use confidence and charm to disarm their victims. Once trust is established, the thief uses increasingly sophisticated tricks to steal valuables, much like scammers escalate from simple messages to complex lies involving emergencies, investments, or emotional dependence. Victims often realize the truth only after the damage is done.

The tale also highlights society’s tendency to admire clever criminals, which parallels how some modern scam operations glamorize fraud as a form of skill. But the underlying message remains clear: those who deceive for personal gain leave harm behind. The Master Thief warns that intelligence without ethics becomes predation, a lesson that resonates strongly in today’s digital landscape, where manipulation is often invisible until the moment of loss.

The full story is below in the reference.

17. The Singing, Springing Lark

The Brothers Grimm’s story The Singing, Springing Lark offers a meaningful analogy for modern scams through its themes of longing, vulnerability, and deceptive bargains. In the tale, a father promises his daughter to a mysterious lion-like being in exchange for a beautiful bird she desires. His intention is not malicious, but he agrees to a deal without understanding the true cost. This mirrors how scam victims often enter emotional or financial agreements believing they are harmless, only to discover later that the terms were manipulated from the start. Scammers exploit personal desires, whether for love, security, or connection, just as the lion exploits the father’s wish to please his child.

The daughter’s journey reveals another parallel. She tries to adapt to a relationship built on an unstable foundation, similar to how victims try to rationalize inconsistencies or red flags. The lion’s transformation into a prince, hidden by enchantment, reflects how scammers hide behind attractive personas, using fabricated identities to gain affection and trust. When the prince is stolen away, and the heroine must wander to find him, her struggle symbolizes the emotional aftermath of a scam. Victims often feel as though they are chasing a ghost, trying to reconcile a love that felt real with the truth that it was constructed.

Ultimately, the heroine succeeds only through perseverance and clarity, showing that recovery requires recognizing manipulation, reclaiming agency, and choosing truth over illusion. The tale demonstrates that deceptive promises can entangle even the well-intentioned, but self-awareness and resilience can lead to emotional restoration.

The full story is below in the reference.

18. The Goose Girl at the Spring

The Brothers Grimm story The Goose Girl at the Spring offers another analogy for modern scams through its themes of hidden identity, vulnerability, and the slow journey toward reclaiming one’s truth after exploitation. In the story, the heroine lives in obscurity, tending geese and carrying a mysterious private sorrow that isolates her from others. Scam victims often experience a similar emotional exile. After being deceived, many withdraw into shame and silence, convinced that no one will understand their pain. Their true selves feel buried beneath fear, confusion, and self-blame, much like the Goose Girl who conceals her past.

When the young king notices the girl’s quiet suffering, he approaches her with patience rather than force. This mirrors the role of trauma-informed support systems in modern recovery. Scam victims cannot simply “snap out of it.” They need safe environments where they can speak without judgment. The king’s gentle insistence that she reveal her truth reflects how trusted professionals, support groups, and compassionate listeners help victims give voice to their experience. Speaking the truth becomes the turning point.

The Goose Girl’s private confession into the stove pipe serves as a striking parallel to the moment victims finally acknowledge what happened to them. She tells her story not to seek revenge, but to reclaim her identity. Modern recovery often works the same way. Healing begins when victims separate their worth from the scammer’s deception and name the violation for what it was.

Once the truth is revealed, justice follows, not through violence but through recognition and restoration. The story shows that hidden pain can be transformed into empowerment when victims are allowed to speak and be believed. The Goose Girl at the Spring reminds modern readers that recovery from deception is a journey from silence to self-recognition, and from isolation to renewed dignity.

The full story is below in the reference.

19. The Golden Bird

The Brothers Grimm’s story The Golden Bird offers a remarkably accurate look at modern scams, especially in its portrayal of temptation, misplaced trust, and the ease with which people are drawn into deceptive promises. The tale begins with a king’s garden being plundered by a mysterious golden bird. This mirrors the initial “loss event” that often brings victims into contact with scammers, whether through financial insecurity, loneliness, or a desire for opportunity. Each of the king’s sons attempts to retrieve the bird, but the two older brothers fail because they choose the easy path, lured by comfort and distraction. Scammers use this same strategy, enticing victims with promises of quick results, effortless profits, or instant emotional fulfillment.

The youngest son succeeds only when he resists temptation and follows wise guidance. His journey exposes a core theme: people often ignore good advice when they believe they have found a shortcut. Scammers exploit this vulnerability by posing as experts, mentors, or romantic partners who appear to offer a shortcut to happiness or wealth. The fox in the story serves as the voice of wisdom, similar to credible warnings from family, banks, or legitimate organizations that victims frequently overlook because the scammer’s illusion feels more compelling.

The tale also shows how a single misstep can lead deeper into danger. Each time the young prince disobeys the fox’s instructions, he falls into an elaborate trap. This reflects the escalation seen in modern scams, where victims are drawn deeper through increasing financial requests, emotional manipulation, or urgent crises manufactured by the scammer. The prince’s brothers, who later betray him, symbolize the secondary harms of scams such as social stigma, self-blame, and the feeling of being punished for trusting others.

Ultimately, the prince succeeds through perseverance, clarity, and the willingness to confront deception directly. His victory symbolizes how victims can reclaim their lives by understanding manipulation, seeking support, and rebuilding agency. The Golden Bird reminds modern readers that scammers succeed by exploiting desire and distraction, but truth and resilience can restore what was lost.

The full story is below in the reference.

20. The Crystal Ball

The Brothers Grimm story The Crystal Ball paints a vivid allegory of modern scams by illustrating how deception, emotional vulnerability, and distorted perception can trap people in situations they never intended to enter. At its core, the tale follows a young hero who must navigate enchantments, illusions, and hidden dangers to free a captive princess. These magical traps mirror the psychological traps scammers use today. The sorceress who turns the hero’s brother into an eagle and another into a whale represents the isolating and identity-altering effects of manipulation. Scam victims often feel as if parts of their lives or personalities have been taken from them, leaving them disoriented and cut off from support.

The castle surrounded by glass on a mountain of slippery stone symbolizes the psychological fortress scammers create. Victims see what appears to be a perfect future or relationship shining in the distance, yet no matter how hard they try, they cannot reach it. Each attempt to ascend leaves them more exhausted and confused. The magical bird that holds the crystal ball parallels the scammer’s ability to control victims by dangling hope just out of reach. They present answers, solutions, and emotional fulfillment that appear achievable if the victim will only do one more thing—send more money, keep the relationship private, or ignore warnings.

When the hero finally retrieves the crystal ball, illusions crumble and the brothers return to their true forms. This reflects the moment victims finally see the scam for what it is. Once clarity replaces fantasy, the spell breaks. The hero must confront danger with courage, much like victims must confront shame, grief, and anger to reclaim their identity. The story ends with liberation and restored relationships, reminding modern readers that recovery is possible. With support and truth, the emotional enchantment of a scam can be undone, allowing victims to return to solid ground with renewed strength and understanding.

The full story is below in the reference.

Conclusion

In the end, the enduring power of the Brothers Grimm lies not in their magic, but in their unflinching realism. These stories are more than relics of a pre-industrial past; they are a living, breathing warning system that has never been more relevant. The wolves have shed their fur for digital avatars, the gingerbread houses have become fraudulent investment websites, and the enchanting music of the Pied Piper is now the siren song of a too-good-to-be-true online offer. Yet, the core of the deception remains unchanged. The predators still hunt in the forest of human emotion, targeting our loneliness, our greed, and our deepest desire to believe in a happy ending.

These fairy tales teach us that the most dangerous threats are often the ones that wear a familiar face. They remind us to question the easy path, to be wary of strangers bearing gifts, and to listen to our intuition when something feels wrong. The tragic fates of the characters who ignored these warnings are not meant to be mere entertainment, but stark lessons. The Grimm brothers gave us a map of the predatory mind, a guide to recognizing the patterns of deceit that transcend time and technology. To read their stories today is to arm ourselves with a timeless wisdom, a reminder that while the world may change, the dark corners of human nature do not, and the best defense against the scammer of tomorrow is often the cautionary tale of yesterday.

Glossary

• AI chatbot manipulation – This term refers to situations where automated chat programs mimic caring humans to gain a person’s trust. Scammers may use chatbots to maintain constant contact, rehearse scripts, and steer an individual toward sharing money, images, or personal data while believing they are speaking with a real partner.
• Allegorical scam warning – This term describes a story that symbolically reflects how scams work in real life. Grimm tales serve as allegories by turning deception, greed, and betrayal into memorable images that help a reader recognize similar patterns in modern fraud.
• Bedtime story illusion – This term refers to the comforting belief that fairy tales are harmless children’s stories with little real-world value. That illusion can prevent adults from seeing that these tales actually contain sharp warnings about predators, lies, and misplaced trust.
• Brothers Grimm framework – This term describes the way the Grimm collection functions as a long-term map of human vulnerability and deception. Their stories provide a structured lens for understanding how manipulation, fraud, and exploitation repeat across generations.
• Catfishing dynamic – This term refers to the use of a fake identity to build emotional or romantic attachment online. The wolf pretending to be the grandmother parallels modern catfishing, where a scammer shapes a persona around a victim’s hopes, fears, and desires.
• Charismatic influencer risk – This term describes the danger that arises when a persuasive figure uses charm, status, or talent to gain influence over a group. The Pied Piper shows how a community can surrender judgment to a single leader whose goals are not aligned with their safety.
• Children’s online safety rules – This term refers to clear, simple guidelines that adults give to children about digital behavior. The “path” in Little Red Riding Hood mirrors these rules, which exist to keep young users away from private chats, secret apps, and unsafe links.
• Cautionary fairy tale – This term describes a story designed to warn rather than merely entertain. Grimm tales work as cautionary narratives that show what happens when characters ignore warnings, trust the wrong people, or accept tempting offers without questioning them.
• Digital avatar predator – This term refers to a scammer who hides behind a profile picture, username, or constructed persona. Just as the wolf uses disguise to reach Little Red Riding Hood, online predators use avatars to appear safe, attractive, or trustworthy while planning exploitation.
• Digital gingerbread house – This term describes an online trap that looks inviting but is built to harm. Fraudulent investment sites, fake prize pages, or scam game links function like the witch’s candy house, drawing people in with pleasure or reward before exploiting them.
• Emotional grooming script – This term refers to the structured way scammers build trust, dependency, and secrecy over time. The wolf’s gentle questions and the witch’s kindness mirror modern grooming, where predators slowly learn a victim’s needs and then weaponize that knowledge.
• Fairy-tale mirror to scams – This term describes the way old stories reflect present-day fraud patterns. By comparing wolves, witches, and tricksters to online scammers, readers can more easily recognize deception that hides inside modern technology.
• Grandparent scam pattern – This term refers to frauds in which criminals impersonate a grandchild or relative to gain money or information from an older adult. The wolf posing as a beloved grandmother echoes the way scammers exploit family bonds and urgency to push elders into quick decisions.
• Groupthink pressure – This term describes the tendency of people to follow the crowd rather than think independently. The children following the Pied Piper resemble online users who join risky trends, viral challenges, or investment frenzies without checking for danger.
• Impersonation fraud – This term refers to any scam where the criminal pretends to be someone else to gain access, money, or trust. Grimm villains who pose as relatives or helpers illustrate this technique, which now appears in romance scams, tech-support fraud, and fake authority calls.
• Internet “path” metaphor – This term describes the idea that safe online behavior is like staying on a marked trail. Leaving the path by visiting unknown sites, using secret apps, or hiding conversations mirrors Little Red Riding Hood stepping into the woods, where the predator has control.
• Loneliness as vulnerability – This term refers to the increased risk of being scammed when a person feels isolated or emotionally hungry. Many Grimm characters and modern victims accept suspicious kindness or attention because it fills a painful void, which scammers understand and exploit.
• Master manipulator profile – This term describes a predator who studies human behavior and uses it for personal gain. Wolves, witches, and tricksters in Grimm tales represent this profile, which is now seen in organized scam operations that test responses, refine scripts, and target specific traits.
• Online predator – This term refers to any individual who uses digital platforms to locate, groom, and exploit victims. Their behavior mirrors classic fairy-tale villains, but they now operate through messaging apps, social media, gaming platforms, and dating sites.
• Parental teaching tool – This term describes a story, example, or activity that helps adults explain complex dangers to children in age-appropriate ways. Grimm tales become teaching tools when parents link wolves, witches, and pied pipers to concrete online risks.
• Phishing scenario – This term refers to a situation where a scammer tricks someone into clicking a link or revealing sensitive data by using a fake but convincing message. The inviting gingerbread house and friendly wolf greeting both function as early story versions of phishing lures.
• Pig butchering romance scam – This term describes a long-term fraud in which a scammer builds a deep emotional or romantic relationship before introducing fake investments. Little Red Riding Hood’s gradual manipulation echoes this pattern, where grooming comes first, and financial exploitation comes later.
• Predatory storytelling – This term refers to the use of crafted narratives to control how a victim sees reality. Grimm villains and modern scammers both spin stories that explain away doubts, promise happy endings, and keep the target emotionally hooked.
• Psychological blueprint for deception – This term describes a detailed pattern of how manipulation unfolds inside the human mind. The article treats Grimm tales as such blueprints, showing step by step how predators pick targets, build trust, isolate them, and finally exploit them.
• Scam narrative control – This term refers to the scammer’s effort to direct what the victim sees, hears, and believes. Fairy-tale villains maintain control by steering conversations, hiding facts, and creating false crises in the same way that online scammers guide chats and demands.
• Sextortion setup – This term describes a scam in which a predator convinces a target to share intimate images or messages and then threatens exposure unless demands are met. The Pied Piper leading children away symbolizes the power imbalance and betrayal that often sits at the heart of sextortion.
• Social media “pied piper” – This term refers to influencers, fake experts, or seductive profiles that attract large followings and can lead them toward risky behavior. Just as the Piper’s music overrides parental authority, online “pipers” can drown out caution, rules, and real-world advice.
• Stranger danger online – This term describes the risk that comes from interacting with unknown people on digital platforms. The wolf in the woods, who greets Little Red Riding Hood politely, shows that strangers may appear friendly while hiding harmful motives.
• Too-good-to-be-true offer – This term refers to any promise of money, gifts, status, or opportunity that seems far better than normal reality. The gingerbread house and magical solutions in Grimm tales model these traps, which now appear as fake prizes, unrealistic returns, or sudden windfalls.
• Trusted adult safeguard – This term describes a parent, caregiver, teacher, or other responsible person who can help a child assess online contact. The huntsman, wise king, or protective parent in Grimm stories represents the modern need for adults who listen, verify, and intervene.
• Viral challenge hazard – This term refers to the danger that comes from online dares or trends that push risky or degrading behavior. The crowd that follows the Pied Piper mirrors groups of young users who copy what others do, even when it threatens safety or dignity.
• Wolf in grandmother’s clothing archetype – This term describes the classic pattern in which a predator hides behind a familiar, comforting role. It now appears with scammers who pose as relatives, romantic partners, helpers, or professionals to cross boundaries and reach a victim’s trust quickly.

Reference

1. “Little Red Riding Hood” by the Brothers Grimm

Once upon a time there was a sweet little girl who was loved by everyone who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else. So she was always called Little Red Riding Hood.

One day her mother said to her, “Come, Little Red Riding Hood, here is a piece of cake and a bottle of wine. Take them to your grandmother. She is ill and weak, and they will do her good. Set out before it gets hot, and when you are going, walk nicely and quietly and do not run off the path, or you may fall and break the bottle, and then your grandmother will get nothing. And when you go into her room, don’t forget to say good morning, and don’t peep into every corner before you do it.”

“I will take great care,” said Little Red Riding Hood to her mother, and gave her hand on it.

The grandmother lived out in the wood, half a league from the village, and just as Little Red Riding Hood entered the wood, a wolf met her. Little Red Riding Hood did not know what a wicked creature he was, and was not at all afraid of him.

“Good day, Little Red Riding Hood,” said he.

“Thank you kindly, wolf.”

“Whither away so early, Little Red Riding Hood?”

“To my grandmother’s.”

“What have you got in your basket?”

“Cake and wine. Yesterday was baking day, so poor sick grandmother is to have something good, to make her stronger.”

“Where does your grandmother live, Little Red Riding Hood?”

“A good quarter of a league farther on in the wood. Her house stands under the three large oak trees; the nut trees are just below. You surely must know it,” replied Little Red Riding Hood.

The wolf thought to himself, “What a tender young creature. What a nice plump mouthful. She will be better to eat than the old woman. I must act craftily that I may catch both.”

So he walked for a short time by the side of Little Red Riding Hood, and then he said, “See, Little Red Riding Hood, how pretty the flowers are about here. Why do you not look round? I believe too that you do not hear how sweetly the little birds are singing. You walk gravely along as if you were going to school, while everything else out here in the wood is merry.”

Little Red Riding Hood raised her eyes, and when she saw the sunbeams dancing here and there through the trees, and pretty flowers growing everywhere, she thought, “Suppose I take grandmother a fresh nosegay. That would please her too. It is so early in the day that I shall still get there in good time.” And so she ran from the path into the wood to look for flowers. And whenever she had picked one she saw others prettier farther on, and so she went farther and farther into the wood.

Meanwhile the wolf ran straight to the grandmother’s house and knocked at the door.

“Who is there?”

“Little Red Riding Hood,” replied the wolf. “She is bringing cake and wine. Open the door.”

“Lift the latch,” called out the grandmother, “I am too weak and cannot get up.”

The wolf lifted the latch, the door sprang open, and without saying a word he went straight to the grandmother’s bed and devoured her. Then he put on her clothes, dressed himself in her cap, laid himself in bed, and drew the curtains.

Little Red Riding Hood, however, had been running about picking flowers, and when she had gathered so many that she could carry no more, she remembered her grandmother and set out on the way to her.

She was surprised to find the cottage door standing open, and when she went into the room she felt something wrong, and said to herself, “Oh dear, how uneasy I feel today, and at other times I like being with grandmother so much.”

She called out, “Good morning,” but received no answer. So she went to the bed and drew back the curtains. There lay her grandmother with her cap pulled far over her face and looking very strange.

“Oh, grandmother,” she said, “what big ears you have!”

“The better to hear you with, my child.”

“Oh, grandmother, what big eyes you have!”

“The better to see you with, my child.”

“Oh, grandmother, what big hands you have!”

“The better to take hold of you with, my child.”

“But, grandmother, what a terrible big mouth you have!”

“The better to eat you with!”

And scarcely had the wolf said this than with one bound he was out of bed and swallowed up Little Red Riding Hood.

When the wolf had appeased his appetite, he lay down again in the bed, fell asleep, and began to snore very loudly.

A huntsman was just passing the house and thought, “How the old woman is snoring. I must see if she wants anything.”

So he went into the room and when he came to the bed he saw the wolf lying in it.

“Do I find you here, you old sinner,” said he. “I have long sought you.”

Then, just as he was going to fire at him, it occurred to him that the wolf might have devoured the grandmother and that she might still be saved. So he did not fire, but took a pair of scissors and began to cut open the stomach of the sleeping wolf.

When he had made two snips, he saw the little red cap shining, and then he made two snips more, and the little girl sprang out, crying, “Ah, how frightened I have been. How dark it was inside the wolf.”

After that the aged grandmother came out alive also, but scarcely able to breathe. Little Red Riding Hood fetched great stones with which they filled the wolf’s body, and when he awoke he wanted to run away, but the stones were so heavy that he collapsed at once and fell dead.

The huntsman took the wolf’s skin, the grandmother ate the cake and drank the wine, and Little Red Riding Hood thought to herself, “As long as I live, I will never leave the path again and run off into the wood when my mother has forbidden me to do so.”

See our article about Little Red Riding Hood here.

2. “Hansel and Gretel” by the Brothers Grimm

Near a great forest there lived a poor woodcutter and his wife, and he had two children by his former wife, a boy and a girl. The boy was called Hansel and the girl Gretel. He had little to bite and to break, and once, when great dearth fell on the land, he could no longer procure even daily bread.

One night he lay in bed worrying, and sighed and said to his wife, “What will become of us. How can we feed our poor children, when we have nothing for ourselves.”

“I’ll tell you what, husband,” answered the woman. “Early tomorrow we will take the children out into the forest where it is thickest. We will make them a fire and give each of them a little piece of bread. Then we will go to our work and leave them alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them.”

“No, wife,” said the man. “I will not do that. How can I bear to leave my children alone in the forest. The wild animals would soon come and tear them to pieces.”

“Oh, you fool,” she said. “Then all four of us must die of hunger. You may as well plane the boards for our coffins.” And she gave him no peace until he consented.

“But I feel sorry for the poor children,” said the man.

The two children had also not been able to sleep for hunger, and had heard what their stepmother had said to their father. Gretel wept bitter tears and said to Hansel, “Now all is over with us.”

“Be quiet, Gretel,” said Hansel. “Do not distress yourself. I will soon find a way to help us.”

And when the old people were asleep, he got up, put on his little coat, opened the door below, and crept outside. The moon was shining brightly, and the white pebbles which lay in front of the house glittered like real silver pennies. Hansel stooped and filled his pocket with them as many as would go.

Then he went back and said to Gretel, “Be comforted, dear little sister, and sleep in peace. God will not forsake us,” and he lay down again in his bed.

At daybreak, even before the sun had risen, the woman came and woke the two children. “Get up, you lazy things. We are going into the forest to fetch wood.” She gave them each a little piece of bread, and said, “There is something for your dinner, but do not eat it up before then, for you will get no more.”

Gretel took the bread under her apron, as Hansel had the stones in his pocket. Then they all set out together on the way to the forest. When they had walked a short time, Hansel stood still and peeped back at the house, and did so again and again. His father said, “Hansel, what are you looking at there and staying behind for. Pay attention and do not forget how to use your legs.”

“Oh, father,” said Hansel, “I am looking at my little white cat, which is sitting up on the roof and wanting to say goodbye to me.”

The mother said, “You fool, that is not your little cat. That is the morning sun shining on the chimney.” But Hansel had not been looking back at the cat, but had been constantly throwing one of the white pebble stones out of his pocket on the road.

When they reached the middle of the forest, the father told the children to gather wood and make a fire, and so they did. And when the fire was burning high, the woman said, “Now lie down by the fire and rest. We will go into the forest and cut wood. When we are done, we will come back and fetch you.”

Hansel and Gretel sat by the fire and when noon passed, each ate their little piece of bread. And because they heard the blows of an ax, they believed their father was nearby. It was not an ax, but a branch he had tied to a withered tree, which the wind blew to and fro.

They waited until evening, but their parents never came. And as it was getting dark, Gretel began to cry and said, “How will we get out of the forest.” But Hansel said, “Just wait a little while until the moon rises. Then we shall soon find the way.”

And when the moon rose, he took his little sister by the hand and followed the pebbles, which shone like newly-coined silver pieces, and showed them the way.

They walked the whole night long and by break of day came once more to their father’s house. They knocked at the door, and when the woman opened it and saw that it was Hansel and Gretel, she said, “You naughty children, why did you sleep so long in the forest. We thought you were never coming back again.”

Their father rejoiced, for he had been in great grief at having left the children alone in the forest.

Not long afterward there was once more great dearth throughout the land, and the children heard their stepmother saying at night to their father, “Everything is eaten again. We have only half a loaf left, and that is the end. The children must go. We will take them deeper into the wood so they will not find their way out again. There is no other means of escape for us.”

The man’s heart was heavy, and he thought, “It would be better to share the last mouthful with the children.” But the woman would not listen to him. She scolded him and reproached him. “He who says A must say B, and as you gave in the first time, you must do so a second time.”

The children were still awake and had heard the conversation. When the old people were asleep, Hansel got up again, intending to pick up pebbles as before. But the woman had locked the door, and Hansel could not get out. Nevertheless he comforted Gretel and said, “Do not cry. Sleep in quiet. The good God will help us.”

Early in the morning the woman came and made the children get up. They received their slice of bread, which was still smaller than the time before. On the way into the forest, Hansel crumbled his in his pocket, then stood still and scattered the crumbs on the ground.

“Hansel, why do you stop and look around,” said the father. “Go on.”

“I am looking at my pigeons on the roof,” said Hansel, “and they are saying goodbye to me.”

“You fool,” said the woman. “That is not your pigeons. That is the morning sun shining on the chimney.”

But Hansel kept scattering crumbs as he went along.

The woman led the children still deeper into the forest than before. They made a fire again, and the parents left them.

All day Hansel and Gretel sat waiting, but no one came. When they ate their bread, they found that Hansel’s had been scattered on the path and the birds had eaten it all.

Hansel said, “We will soon find the way,” but they did not find it.

They wandered the entire night and the next day too, from morning till evening, but they could not get out of the forest and were very hungry, for they had nothing to eat.

When it was midday, they saw a beautiful bird sitting on a branch, and it sang so sweetly that they stopped to listen. When it had finished, it spread its wings and flew before them, and they followed it until they reached a little house. The bird perched on the roof, and as they came closer they saw that the cottage was built of bread and roofed with cakes, while the windows were of clear sugar.

“Let us set to work,” said Hansel, “and have a good meal. I will eat a piece of the roof. You can eat from the window. It tastes nice.”

Hansel reached up and broke off a little bit of the roof to see how it tasted, and Gretel stood by the window and nibbled at the panes. Then a gentle voice called from the room:

“Nibble, nibble, little mouse,
Who is nibbling at my house?”

The children answered, “It is the wind, the wind,
The heaven-born wind,”

and they went on eating without disturbing themselves.

Hansel, who liked the taste of the roof, tore down a large bit. Gretel pushed out the whole of a round window pane and sat down to enjoy it.

Suddenly the door opened, and a woman as old as the hills, leaning on a crutch, came creeping out. Hansel and Gretel were so frightened that they let fall what they had in their hands.

The old woman nodded her head and said, “Oh, you dear children, who has brought you here. Do come in and stay with me. No harm shall happen to you.”

She took them both by the hand and led them into her little house. Then food was placed on the table, milk and pancakes with sugar, apples, and nuts. Afterward two pretty little beds were covered with clean white linen, and Hansel and Gretel lay down in them and thought they were in heaven.

The old woman had only pretended to be kind. She was a wicked witch who lay in wait for children and had built the little house of bread only to entice them. When a child fell into her power, she killed, cooked, and ate him. This was her feast day for witches.

Early in the morning, before the children were awake, she got up and looked at them both. Their cheeks were rosy and plump, and she murmured to herself, “That will be a dainty mouthful.”

She seized Hansel with her bony hand, carried him into a little stable, and locked him behind a barred door. Then he screamed loudly, but it was of no use.

Gretel had to get up and fetch water, and cook something good for Hansel to fatten him up. Gretel was very frightened, but she could do nothing.

Every morning the old woman crept out to the stable and cried, “Hansel, stretch out your finger that I may feel if you are getting fat.”

But Hansel held out a little bone. The old woman, who had dim eyes, could not see it and thought it was Hansel’s finger. She wondered why he grew no fatter.

After four weeks she lost patience and decided she would wait no longer. “Gretel,” she cried, “be quick and fetch water. Whether Hansel is fat or thin, tomorrow I will kill him and cook him.”

How the poor little sister wept, as she had to carry the water, and how the tears ran down her cheeks.

“Dear God, help us,” she cried. “If the wild beasts in the forest had devoured us, at least we would have died together.”

“Stop crying,” said the old woman. “It does you no good.”

Early in the morning Gretel had to go out and hang up the kettle with water and light the fire.

“First we will bake,” said the old woman. “I have already heated the oven and kneaded the dough.” She pushed poor Gretel toward the oven. Flames were rising from it.

“Creep in,” said the old woman, “and see if it is hot enough and if the bread is ready.”

But Gretel knew what she had in mind. She said, “I do not know how to do it. How do I get in?”

“You stupid goose,” said the woman. “The opening is big enough. Look, I can get in myself,” and she crept up and put her head in the oven.

Then Gretel gave her a push so she fell inside, shut the iron door, and fastened the bolt. The woman began to howl terribly, but Gretel ran away, and the wicked witch burned miserably to death.

Gretel ran straight to Hansel, unlocked the door, and cried, “Hansel, we are free. The old witch is dead.”

Hansel sprang out like a bird from its cage. They danced for joy and kissed each other.

As they had no longer anything to fear, they entered the witch’s house. In every corner were chests full of pearls and precious stones.

“These are better than pebbles,” said Hansel, and filled his pockets with as many as they could hold. Gretel said, “I too will take something home,” and filled her apron full.

“We must go now,” said Hansel, “and get out of this enchanted forest.”

They had walked for a few hours when they reached a great body of water.

“We cannot get over,” said Hansel. “I see no bridge.”

“There is no boat either,” answered Gretel, “but a white duck is swimming. If I ask it, it will help us over.”

Then she cried:

“Duckling, duckling,
Here stand Hansel and Gretel.
There is no plank or bridge.
Take us on your back.”

The duck came and Hansel seated himself on its back and told his sister to sit beside him.

“No,” said Gretel, “that will be too heavy for the duck. It must take us over one at a time.”

So the kind duck did this, and when they were safely on the other side, they walked on.

Soon they reached the forest’s edge and saw their father’s house in the distance. They began to run and rushed into the house.

There they found their father. He had not had a single happy hour since he left his children in the forest. The stepmother, however, had died.

Gretel emptied her apron, so that pearls and precious stones rolled about the room, and Hansel took out handful after handful from his pockets.

From then on they were all free from care and lived together in joy.

3. “The Frog King,” or “Iron Henry” (“The Frog Prince”) by the Brothers Grimm

In olden 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 had seen so much, was astonished whenever it shone upon her face. Near the castle there was a great dark forest, and in the forest, under an old lime tree, was a well. When the day was very warm, the king’s child went out into the forest and sat down at the edge of the cool fountain. When she was bored, she took a golden ball, threw it up high, and caught it. This was her favorite plaything.

Now it happened one day that the golden ball did not fall into the little hand which she was holding up, but onto the ground and rolled straight into the water. The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes, but it disappeared, and the well was so deep that she could not see the bottom. Then she began to cry, and cried louder and louder, and could not comfort herself.

As she was thus lamenting, someone called to her, “What ails you, king’s daughter? You weep so that even a stone would show pity.”

She looked round to see where the voice came from, and there she saw a frog stretching forth its big, ugly head from the water. “Ah, old water-splasher, is it you?” she said. “I am crying because my golden ball has fallen into the well.”

“Be quiet, and do not weep,” answered the frog. “I can help you. But what will you give me if I bring your plaything up again?”

“Whatever you like, dear frog,” said she. “My clothes, my pearls and jewels, and even the golden crown which I wear.”

The frog answered, “I do not care for your clothes, your pearls and jewels, or your golden crown. But if you will love me and let me be your companion and play-fellow, sit at your little table, eat from your little plate, drink from your little cup, sleep in your little bed. If you will promise me this, I will go down below and bring up your golden ball again.”

“Oh yes,” said she. “I promise you everything you want if you will only bring me my ball back again.” She thought, “What nonsense he talks. He sits in the water with the other frogs, and croaks. He cannot be anyone’s companion.”

But the frog, when he had received her promise, put his head under and sank down. In a short time he came up again with the ball in his mouth, and threw it on the grass. The king’s daughter was delighted to see her lovely plaything again. She picked it up and ran away with it.

“Wait, wait,” cried the frog. “Take me with you. I cannot run as you can.” But what did it help him that he croaked after her as loudly as he could. She did not listen, but ran home quickly, and soon forgot the poor frog, who had to go back again into his well.

The next day, when the king’s daughter was sitting at the 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. When it had reached the top, it knocked at the door and cried, “King’s daughter, youngest, open the door for me.”

She ran to see who was outside. When she opened the door, there sat the frog. She slammed the door in great haste, went back to the table, and was quite frightened.

The king saw plainly that her heart was beating violently and said, “My child, what are you so afraid of? Is there a giant outside who wants to carry you away?”

“Oh no,” answered she. “It is no giant but a disgusting frog.”

“What does the frog want with you?”

“Ah, dear father, yesterday when I was in the forest sitting by the well, playing with my golden ball, it fell into the water. And because I cried so much, the frog brought it up again. But he asked for a promise from me, and I promised him that he should be my companion. I never thought he could get out of the water. But now he is outside the door, and he wants to come in.”

Then said the king, “What you have promised, you must keep. Go and let him in.”

She went and opened the door, and the frog hopped in and followed at her heels to her chair. There he sat and cried, “Lift me up beside you.” 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, “Push your little golden plate nearer to me, that we may eat together.”

She did this, but it was easy to see she did not like it. The frog enjoyed what he ate, but every bite went down the girl’s throat with a struggle.

At last he said, “I have eaten and am satisfied. Carry me into your little room and make your little bed ready. We will lie down and go to sleep.”

The king’s daughter began to cry again, for she dreaded the cold frog, which she did not even like to touch, and which was now to sleep in her pretty clean little bed.

The king grew angry and said, “He who helped you when you were in trouble must not be despised now.”

So she took him up with two fingers, carried him upstairs, and put him in a corner. When she was in bed, he crept to her and said, “I am tired. I want to go to sleep as well as you. Lift me up or I will tell your father.”

Then she fell into a terrible rage and picked him up and threw him with all her might against the wall. “Now, you will be quiet, you horrid frog,” said she.

But when he fell down, he was no frog but a king’s son with beautiful kind eyes. He had been enchanted by a wicked witch, and no one could have broken the spell but the princess. She had done it by promising to take him as her companion and by letting her anger fall upon him.

He told her that he had been bewitched and that he had traveled far across the world to find her. Then the king gave him his daughter, and they became bride and bridegroom.

Now he told her servant, Iron Henry, to prepare for the journey. Iron Henry had been so unhappy when his master was changed into a frog that he had three iron bands laid round his heart to keep it from bursting with sorrow.

When they were about to set off in the prince’s carriage, the young king’s servant stood behind. The prince and princess got in, and Iron Henry stood behind as driver. They had not driven far when the prince heard a loud crack behind him, as if something had broken.

He turned round and cried, “Henry, the carriage is breaking.”

“No, master, not the carriage. It is the band round my heart which was put there in my great pain when you were a frog and imprisoned in the well. Now that you are human again and happy, my heart rejoices.”

And every time the prince heard another crack he thought the carriage was breaking, but it was only the bands springing from Henry’s heart because his master was set free and happy again.

4. “Rumpelstiltskin” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once a miller who was poor, but he had a beautiful daughter. Now it happened that he had to go and speak to the king, and in order to make himself appear important he told him that he had a daughter who could spin straw into gold.

The king said to the miller, “That is an art which pleases me well. If your daughter is as clever as you say, bring her tomorrow to my palace and I will put her to the test.”

And when the girl was brought to him, he led her into a room which was quite full of straw, gave her a spinning wheel and a reel, and said, “Set to work. If by tomorrow morning early you have not spun this straw to gold, you must die.”

Then he shut the door himself, and left her alone.

So the poor miller’s daughter sat there, and for her life could not tell what to do. She had no idea how straw could be spun into gold, and she grew more and more frightened until she began to weep.

But suddenly the door opened, and in came a little man. He said, “Good evening, mistress miller. Why are you crying so?”

“Alas,” answered the girl, “I have to spin straw to gold, and I do not know how.”

The little man said, “What will you give me if I do it for you?”

“My necklace,” said the girl.

The little man took the necklace, sat down before the wheel, and “whirr, whirr, whirr,” three times, and the reel was full of gold. Then he put on more straw, and “whirr, whirr, whirr,” three times, and the second reel was full. So it went on until morning, when all the straw was spun, and all the reels were full of gold.

At sunrise the king came, and when he saw the gold he was astonished and delighted. But his heart became only more greedy for gold. He had the miller’s daughter taken into another room full of straw, much bigger than the first, and ordered her to spin it in one night if she valued her life.

The girl did not know what to do, and began to weep. Then the door opened again, and the little man appeared, and said, “What will you give me if I spin the straw into gold for you?”

“The ring on my finger,” answered the girl.

The little man took the ring, began to whirr at the wheel again, and by morning had spun all the straw to shining gold.

The king rejoiced beyond measure at the sight, but still he had not enough gold. He had the miller’s daughter taken into a still larger room full of straw and said, “You must spin this too, in the course of this night. But if you succeed, you shall become my wife.” For he thought, “Even if she is only a miller’s daughter, I will not find a richer wife in the whole world.”

When the girl was alone the manikin came again, and said for the third time, “What will you give me if I spin the straw for you this time?”

“I have nothing left that I could give,” answered the girl.

“Then promise me, if you become queen, your first child.”

“Who knows how that will come to pass,” thought the miller’s daughter. But as she knew of no other way to get the task done, she promised him what he wanted, and for that he once more spun the straw into gold.

And when the king came in the morning, and found everything as he had wished, he married her, and she became a queen.

A year after, she brought a beautiful child into the world, and she never gave a thought to the little man. But suddenly he came into her room and said, “Now give me what you promised.”

The queen was terrified, and offered the man all the riches of the kingdom if he would let her keep the child. But the little man said, “No. Something living is dearer to me than all the treasures in the world.”

Then the queen began to weep and cry so that the little man pitied her. “I will give you three days’ time,” said he. “If by that time you find out my name, then you shall keep your child.”

So the queen thought the whole night of all the names she had ever heard, and sent a messenger over the country to inquire far and wide for any other names.

When the little man came the next day, she began with Caspar, Melchior, Balzer, and said all the names she knew, one after another. But at each one the manikin said, “That is not my name.”

The second day she had inquiries made in the neighborhood as to what names people used there, and repeated to the little man the most unusual and curious. “Perhaps your name is Shortribs, or Sheepshanks, or Laceband,” but he always answered, “That is not my name.”

On the third day the messenger came back again and said, “I have not been able to find any new names, but as I came to a high mountain at the end of the forest, where the fox and the hare bid each other good night, there I saw a little house, and before the house a fire was burning. And round about the fire a very little man was dancing on one leg and crying,

‘Today I bake, tomorrow brew,
The next day the queen’s child comes in.
Ha, glad am I that no one knew
That Rumpelstiltskin I am called.’”

You may imagine how glad the queen was when she heard the name.

And when the little man came in shortly afterward and asked, “Now, mistress queen, what is my name?” she said at first, “Is your name Kunz?”

“No.”

“Is your name Conrad?”

“No.”

“Is your name Rumpelstiltskin?”

“The devil has told you that. The devil has told you that,” cried the little man, and in his anger he stamped his right foot so deep into the ground that his whole leg went in. Then in a rage he seized his left foot with both hands and tore himself in two.

5. “The Valiant Little Tailor” by the Brothers Grimm

One summer morning a little tailor was sitting on his table by the window. He was in good spirits and sewed with all his might. Then came a peasant woman down the street crying, “Good jams, cheap!” This sounded sweetly in the tailor’s ears. He called out to her, “Come up here, dear woman. You will find a customer.”

The woman climbed the steps with her heavy basket to the tailor. He made her spread out all the pots before him. He looked at them all, held them up to his nose, and said at last, “The jam seems good. Weigh me out four ounces, dear woman, and if it is a quarter of a pound, that is all right.”

The woman, who had hoped to find a good sale, gave him what he wanted and went away grumbling. “Now this jam shall give me strength,” cried the little tailor. He brought the bread from the cupboard, cut himself a large slice, and spread the jam over it. “That will taste good,” he said, “but I will finish the jacket before I take a bite.”

He laid the bread aside, sewed on, and made the stitches bolder and bolder. Meanwhile the smell of the sweet jam rose up, and a swarm of flies came flying in, which settled down on the bread. “Who invited you?” said the tailor, and drove the unbidden guests away. The flies, however, would not be driven off, but came back in greater numbers.

The little tailor lost all patience. He seized a rag from the work table and cried, “Just wait, and I will give it to you!” And he struck it down on them mercilessly. When he lifted the cloth and counted, no fewer than seven lay dead before him.

The tailor looked at them and could not help admiring his own courage. “The whole town shall know of this,” he said. He quickly made himself a belt, stitched on it in large letters:

SEVEN AT ONE BLOW

“The town? No, the whole world shall hear of it!” His heart beat with joy as a lamb’s tail wags. The tailor buckled the belt around him, put a bit of cheese into his pocket as provision, took his bird in a cloth, and went off into the world because he thought his workshop was too small for his valor.

The road led him up a mountain. When he reached its highest point he found a powerful giant sitting there looking peacefully around. The little tailor went boldly up, spoke to him, and said, “Good day, comrade. You sit there looking over the wide world. I am on my way out into the world to try my luck. Do you want to go with me?”

The giant looked contemptuously at the tailor. “You miserable stick!” he said. “You wretch!”

“That may be,” answered the tailor, unfastening his coat and showing the giant the belt. “You can read what kind of man I am.”

The giant read: “Seven at one blow?” and thought it referred to men, not flies. He began to feel some respect. He wanted to test the tailor and took up a stone, squeezed it until water dropped out.

“Do that,” said the giant, “if you are a strong fellow.”

“Is that all?” said the tailor. “That is child’s play!” He reached into his pocket, took out the cheese, and pressed it until the whey ran out. “Well,” said he, “have I squeezed it out well?”

The giant did not know what to say and could not believe what he had seen.

The giant picked up another stone and threw it so high that the eye could scarcely follow it. “Now you little fellow, do likewise.”

“All right,” answered the tailor. “But your stone will fall back to earth again. I will throw you one that will never come back.” He took the bird from his pocket and threw it into the air. The bird flew away and never returned.

“How does that shot please you?” asked the tailor.

“You can throw well,” said the giant. “But now we will see if you can carry something.”

He led him to a huge oak tree lying on the ground and said, “If you are strong enough, help me carry the tree out of the forest.”

“Gladly,” said the little tailor. “Take the trunk on your shoulder and I will raise the crown and branches.” The giant lifted the trunk and the tailor climbed up the tree, sat himself among the branches, and the giant carried him off, burden and all.

The giant walked on with the great tree. It was a heavy load and he could hardly drag one foot after the other. The tailor, sitting among the branches, was merry and whistled a tune.

The giant, sweating with the load, could bear no more and cried, “Hear, I must let the tree fall.” The little tailor sprang nimbly down, seized the branches as if he had been carrying them the whole time, and said, “You are such a big fellow and yet cannot carry a tree!”

The giant was astonished and said, “If you are such a hero, come with me to our giant’s cave.”

They went on and reached the cave where several giants sat around the fire, each wanting to rest. The tailor was given a bed, but it was far too big for him. He did not lie down in it but crept into a corner.

At midnight the giant thought the tailor was asleep. He got up, took a great iron bar, and struck the bed with one blow, believing he had crushed the tailor.

In the morning the giants rejoiced. But when they entered the room, the tailor came out cheerfully. All the giants trembled. They feared he would kill them all. They fled from the cave and the little tailor marched on happily.

6. “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” by the Brothers Grimm

In the year 1284, the town of Hamelin was grievously troubled with rats. There were rats of every size and shape. They fought the dogs, killed the cats, bit the babies in the cradles, ate the cheeses in the storehouses, and made a great havoc in the town. At last, the citizens held a council to find a remedy for this plague, but nothing could be done.

While they were sitting together, a man came in wearing a coat of many colored, bright cloth. He said he was a rat-catcher and promised to rid the town of all the rats. “But,” said he, “I must be paid for my service. What will you give me if I succeed?”

The council answered, “We will give you ten thousand guilders.”

“Very well,” said the rat-catcher. He took out a pipe and began to play. Immediately all the rats came out of the houses and gathered around him. Then he walked through the streets and the rats followed him. He led them to the River Weser, went into the water, and all the rats followed him and were drowned.

The citizens were now freed of the pest. But when the rat-catcher came to demand his payment, they refused to give him the sum promised, and even offered only five hundred guilders. The rat-catcher became very angry and went away threatening revenge.

On the twenty-sixth of June, the rat-catcher returned. This time he was dressed like a hunter with a red hat. He again put the pipe to his lips and began to play. But now it was not rats that came out of the houses. It was the children. Boys and girls from their fourth year upward came running. Among them was the mayor’s daughter. The rat-catcher led them into a mountain, which opened and then closed behind them. They were never seen again.

Two children lagged behind and returned. One of them was blind and could not see where the others had gone. The other was mute and could not tell. A third child, who had gone out late, told how he had seen the rat-catcher leading the children into the mountain. A fourth had been too far away to see but heard the sound of the pipe.

The loss of the children saddened the whole town. Every year on the day of their disappearance, the story was told. Even many years later, the street through which the children had passed was never used for dancing or music. It was called the “Street of No Drums.”

So the town of Hamelin remained marked by this sorrowful event. To this day, it is said the children vanished on June 26, 1284.

7. “The Twelve Dancing Princesses” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once a king who had twelve daughters, each one more beautiful than the next. They slept together in one great chamber, and their beds stood side by side. Every night, when they went to bed, the king locked the door and bolted it. But every morning, when he unlocked the door, he saw that their shoes had been worn to pieces from dancing. Yet no one could tell how it happened or where they had been.

Then the king proclaimed that whoever could discover where the princesses went dancing at night could choose one of them for his wife and would become king after the king’s death. But if after three days and nights he could not discover the secret, he would forfeit his life.

A number of princes tried, but none succeeded. They watched at night, but as soon as the princesses were in bed, they all seemed to fall asleep, and by morning the shoes were again worn through.

After a time, a poor soldier, who had been wounded and could no longer serve, came to the city. He met an old woman who asked him where he was going. “I hardly know,” said the soldier, “but I would like to find where the princesses dance their shoes to pieces.”

“Well,” said the old woman, “that is not so hard. Take this cloak, and when you wear it you will become invisible. Then you can follow the princesses wherever they go. But do not drink the wine they offer you.”

The soldier thanked her and went to the king. He was received like the other princes and given fine clothes. In the evening he was taken to the princesses’ chamber. Before he lay down, the eldest princess brought him wine, but he secretly threw it away and lay down as though asleep. Soon he heard the princesses laughing softly. The eldest said, “He almost made it too easy for us this time.” Then she went to her bed and clapped her hands, and the bed sank into the floor.

The soldier sprang up, put on the cloak, and followed the princesses as they went down a stairway beneath the floor. Below was a passageway lined with trees whose leaves glittered with silver. The soldier broke off a branch as proof. They went on until they came to another wood with leaves of gold, from which he broke a branch. Then a third wood with leaves of diamond, from which he took another branch.

At last they came to a great lake. Twelve boats lay waiting, each with a handsome prince to take them across. The soldier sat beside the youngest princess, although she could not see him. She kept looking around uneasily, thinking something strange was happening.

Across the lake stood a magnificent castle filled with music. Here the princesses danced all night. The soldier danced along with them, though unseen. When morning approached, the princes rowed them back. The princesses climbed the stairway to their beds, thinking the soldier still asleep.

This happened the second and third nights. On the third night, the soldier also took a goblet from the castle as proof.

On the fourth morning, the king asked if the soldier had discovered where the princesses went. The soldier described everything. He showed the three branches and the goblet. The king summoned the princesses, and they could not deny it. The king asked the soldier which one he would choose for his wife. He chose the eldest, for he was not a young man. Their marriage was celebrated at once, and the secret stairway was closed forever.

The princes who had taken the princesses across the water were enchanted and were punished by a curse for as many days as they had danced with the princesses.

8. “The Goose Girl” by the Brothers Grimm

Once upon a time there lived an old queen whose husband had been dead for many years. She had a beautiful daughter. When the princess grew up, she was betrothed to a prince who lived far away. When the time came for her to marry, the queen packed up many costly things, jewels, gold and silver, cups and ornaments, and a complete trousseau. She gave these to her daughter. She also appointed a waiting-maid to travel with her and hand her over to the bridegroom. Each was given a horse for the journey. The princess’s horse was called Falada and could speak.

When the hour of departure came, the old queen went into her bedchamber, took a small knife, and cut her finger until it bled. She let three drops of blood fall into a little cloth and handed it to her daughter, saying, “Dear child, keep this carefully. It will help you on your journey.”

The princess placed the cloth in her bosom, mounted her horse, and set out for her bridegroom’s kingdom. After they had ridden a while, the maid began to quarrel and threaten her. At last, she forced the princess to exchange clothes with her, and made her swear she would never speak of it. Then the maid mounted Falada, and the true princess rode the maid’s inferior horse.

At length they came to the royal castle. The maid impersonated the princess. The bridegroom took her for his bride and led her upstairs, but the real princess was ordered to stay below and was given work as a goose girl.

The old queen at home had loved Falada and heard he would accompany her daughter, so when the false bride learned this, she ordered Falada killed so he could not speak and betray her.

When the true princess heard of this, she begged the knacker to nail Falada’s head under the dark gateway through which she passed with her geese every morning and evening. The knacker did this.

Next morning, as she drove her geese under the gateway, she said:

“Falada, Falada, there thou hangest.”
And the head replied,
“Princess, princess, there thou gangest.
If thy mother only knew,
Her heart would break in two.”

She went silently out into the field with her geese. There with her was a young boy named Conrad. He saw how beautiful she was. One day, he pulled out a lock of her hair. She cried out to heaven, and the geese drove him back. Conrad ran to the king and told him of the strange events.

The king ordered the next day to observe for himself. He followed them secretly and heard Falada’s head speak. He also saw how the princess caused the wind to blow Conrad’s hat away so she might braid her hair in peace. This astonished him. He returned to the castle unseen.

In the evening, he called her aside and asked why she behaved so strangely. She refused to tell, for she had sworn not to speak of the maid’s treachery. The king insisted, but she would not break her oath. So he commanded her to tell her sorrows to the iron stove in the empty chamber. She wept and poured out her heart to the stove. Outside, the king listened.

Then the king called them both. The false bride stood beside the true princess. The king told the maid that such treachery deserved punishment. “What punishment,” he asked, “should a person receive who has betrayed her mistress in this way?”

She answered, “She should be placed in a cask studded inside with nails and dragged through the streets by two horses until she is dead.”

“It is your own sentence,” said the king, “and you have spoken it.”
She was punished as she had said.

The prince married the true princess, whose gentle patience and loyalty were now known to all.
Their wedding was celebrated with great joy.
And they lived together in peace and happiness for the rest of their days.

9. “The Six Swans” by the Brothers Grimm

A king was once hunting in a great forest, and he followed a deer so eagerly that none of his attendants could follow him. When he came to a clearing in the wood, he lost sight of the deer, and looking round him, he found that he had wandered far from his followers and was quite alone.

He sought to find his way out, but instead he met an old woman with a hood over her head, who said to him, “If you will take my daughter to be your wife, I will show you the way out of the forest.”

The king agreed, for he was troubled and wanted very much to escape. The old woman led him to her little hut, where her daughter was sitting by the fire. She was beautiful, but the king did not like her manner. Still, he took her up behind him on his horse, and the old woman showed him the way.

He reached his palace, and the marriage was celebrated. The king had been married before and had by his first wife seven children, six boys and a girl, whom he loved with all his heart. Their new stepmother feared that they would take away her power, and she laid a wicked plan to get rid of them.

She made shirts of white silk and stitched them with a spell so that when each boy put one on he would be changed into a swan. Then she went to the children and gave them each a shirt to put on, and as soon as they had done so they were turned into swans and flew away.

But the sister was not with them, and so the spell did not touch her.

The king was grieved when he heard what had happened, but the queen pretended that the children had run away. The little sister, however, escaped by night and fled into the forest.

She walked on until morning and then went on until she came to a hut. Six little beds stood inside, and by each bed lay the shirt of a brother. Then she waited in the hut until the evening came and she heard a rushing sound. Six swans came flying in at the window. They blew at one another until all the feathers fell off and their swan skins came off like shirts.

Then she recognized her brothers and was overjoyed. They were equally glad to see their sister, but their joy was short, for they said:

“We cannot stay with you long, nor can you stay here. At night we must fly as swans, and during the day we are human again. But the spell will not be broken until you, dear sister, weave for each of us six shirts out of starflowers and sew them together. During that time, you must not speak or laugh. If you speak a single word, all your work will be lost.”

When the brothers had spoken this, the night came, and they flew out of the window as swans. The girl resolved to free her brothers even if it cost her life. She left the hut and went into the forest. There she climbed a tree and spent the night.

In the morning she went out and gathered starflowers and began to spin and weave. She uttered not a word, and she laughed at nothing. She lived alone, but once a huntsman came upon her and saw her, and he thought she was very beautiful. He asked her who she was, but she made no answer.

He asked again and again, but she stayed silent. The huntsman took her by the hand and led her to his castle, where everyone was astonished at her beauty. The king of that land saw her and loved her, and he married her.

She never spoke a word, but she loved her husband with all her heart.

The king’s mother, however, was a wicked woman, and she began to slander the young queen. “She who cannot speak must have an evil secret,” she said. And when the young queen had her first child, the wicked mother-in-law stole it away and smeared blood upon the queen’s mouth, so it seemed as though she had eaten her own child. The king was horrified, but he loved her so much that he would not believe she had done such a thing.

But the wicked mother-in-law did the same thing after the queen’s second child and again after the third. Each time she accused the queen, and although the king would not believe the charges, he could not silence the people. They murmured so much that he at last agreed that she must be burned at the stake.

The day of execution came. It was the last day of the six years in which she must not speak or laugh in order to save her brothers. She had nearly finished the six shirts. Only the left sleeve of the last was wanting.

As she was being led to the place of burning, she carried the shirts on her arm. The moment came when she could speak again. She cried out loudly, “I may speak.”

At that moment six swans came flying through the air. She threw the shirts over each of them, and they were instantly changed back into men. Only one had a swan’s wing instead of an arm, because the last shirt had not been finished.

Now that her voice was restored, she could tell her husband the truth about his mother. The wicked mother-in-law was punished, and the king and queen lived for many years in quiet happiness with her six brothers.

10. “The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once an old goat who had seven young kids, and she loved them all with the love of a mother for her children. One day she wanted to go into the forest to fetch some food. So she called all seven to her and said:

“Dear children, I must go into the forest. Be on your guard against the wolf. If he comes in, he will devour you all. The villain often disguises himself, but you will know him at once by his rough voice and his black feet.”

The kids said, “Dear mother, we will take good care of ourselves. You may go away without any anxiety.” Then the mother bleated and went her way with an easy mind.

It was not long before someone knocked at the door and cried, “Open the door, dear children. Your mother is here and has brought something back for each of you.”

But the kids knew it was the wolf from the rough voice. “We will not open the door,” they cried. “You are not our mother. She has a soft, gentle voice, but your voice is rough. You are the wolf.”

Then the wolf went away to a shopkeeper and bought himself a great lump of chalk, which he ate to soften his voice. He came back, knocked at the door, and cried, “Open the door, dear children. Your mother is here and has brought something back for each of you.”

But he had put his black paws on the windowsill, and when the kids saw them, they cried, “We will not open the door. Our mother has no black feet. You are the wolf.”

Then the wolf ran to a baker and said, “I have sprained my foot. Rub some dough over it for me.” And when the baker had covered his feet with dough, he ran to the miller and said, “Strew some white meal over my feet for me.”

The miller thought, “The wolf wants to deceive someone,” and refused. But the wolf said, “If you will not do it, I will devour you.” So the miller grew frightened and whitened his paws.

A third time the wolf came to the door, knocked, and said, “Open the door for your dear mother. She has come home and has brought something back for each of you out of the forest.”

The kids cried, “First show us your feet, so we may know if you are truly our mother.” He put his paws in the window, and when the kids saw they were white, they believed all he said and opened the door.

But who should come in but the wolf! They were terrified and tried to hide themselves. One ran under the table, the second into the bed, the third into the stove, the fourth into the kitchen, the fifth into the cupboard, the sixth under the wash bowl, and the seventh into the clock-case.

The wolf found them all and made no delay in swallowing them one after the other. Only the youngest in the clock-case escaped.

When the wolf had satisfied his appetite, he went out and lay down under a tree in the green meadow, and soon fell asleep.

Not long afterward, the old goat came home from the forest. What a sight she saw! The house-door stood open, table, chairs, and benches were thrown down, the wash bowl lay broken, and the blankets were pulled from the bed.

She looked for her children, but they were nowhere to be found. She called them one after another by name, but no one answered. As she came to the youngest, a soft voice cried, “Dear mother, I am hidden in the clock-case.”

She took him out, and he told her what the wolf had come and had eaten all the others. She wept over her poor children.

At last she went out with the youngest, and when they came to the meadow, they saw the wolf lying under a tree and snoring so loud that the branches shook.

She looked carefully at him from all sides and saw something moving and struggling in his full belly. “Good heavens,” she thought, “can my poor children still be alive, whom he swallowed for his supper?”

She sent her child home to fetch scissors, needle, and thread, and then she cut open the sleeping wolf’s belly. Hardly had she made one cut than one little kid pushed its head out, and when she cut further, all six sprang out one after another, alive and well. For in his greed the monster had swallowed them whole.

They were all overjoyed. The mother said, “Now go and look for some big stones, and we will fill the wicked beast’s stomach with them while he is still asleep.”

Then the seven kids fetched great stones and put them into the wolf’s body, and the mother sewed him up again in great haste so he did not wake up.

When the wolf at last awoke, he wanted to get up, but the stones in his belly were so heavy that he fell at once and dropped down dead.

The seven kids came running and cried aloud, “The wolf is dead! The wolf is dead!” And they danced with joy around their mother.

11. “The Three Little Men in the Wood” by the Brothers Grimm

A man’s wife died, and he married a second woman. The second wife had a daughter, and the man had a daughter also. The stepmother disliked the man’s daughter, and she treated her harshly every day. Whenever the girl went out, she had to do heavy work, and she was dressed in rags. She was beautiful and good, while the stepmother’s own daughter was ugly and lazy.

One winter day, when deep snow lay upon the ground, the stepmother made a cloak of paper and said to the girl, “Put this on and go into the forest. Fetch me a little basket of strawberries. I want some.”

“But how can I go out in this weather?” said the girl. “There are no strawberries growing in the snow.”

“You talk too much,” said the stepmother. “Go at once, and do not come back until you have the strawberries.”

She gave the girl a piece of bread and said, “This will do for your dinner.” She thought to herself, “The girl will freeze to death outside, and I shall never see her again.”

The girl was obedient. She put on the paper cloak and went into the forest. Everything was covered with snow, and she saw nothing but snow, far and near. Then she saw a little house. She knocked at the door, and three tiny men looked out. She said, “Good morning,” and knocked gently again. They said, “Come in,” and she entered the little house.

She sat down by the fire to warm herself and ate her bread. They said, “Give us some of your bread.” She gave them the whole piece, cutting it in half and sharing it with them.

They said, “Sweep the snow from our back door,” and she did so. When she had finished, the three little men said among themselves, “What shall we give her? She is good and has a kind heart.”

The first said, “I give her the gift that she shall grow more beautiful every day.”

The second said, “I give her the gift that a gold coin shall fall from her mouth every time she speaks.”

The third said, “I give her the gift that a king shall take her for his wife.”

The girl thanked them and went home.

As she stepped into the house and said, “Good evening,” a gold coin fell from her mouth. She told her father what had happened, and more gold coins fell as she spoke. The father was delighted, but the stepmother was enraged. She wanted her own daughter to have the same fortune.

The next morning she said to her daughter, “Put on my fur cloak and go into the forest. The weather is mild. Fetch me a little basket of strawberries.”

The girl said, “I will go,” and she went into the forest. She also came to the little house and knocked on the door.

The three little men appeared, and she sat down by the fire and ate her bread. They said, “Give us some of your bread,” but she answered, “I have not enough for myself,” and refused to share.

They said, “Sweeping the snow from our back door will not hurt you,” but she said, “Do it yourselves,” and stayed by the fire.

The three little men said among themselves, “She is selfish and unkind.”

The first said, “I give her the gift that she shall grow uglier every day.”

The second said, “I give her the gift that a toad shall jump from her mouth every time she speaks.”

The third said, “I give her the gift that she shall die a miserable death.”

The girl went home. As soon as she said, “Good evening,” a toad jumped from her mouth. The stepmother was furious and plotted again.

She took a kettle and boiled it, then placed it on the fire. When the good girl was about to go out and fetch some water, the stepmother pushed her so that she fell into the kettle. Then she ran out and shut the lid.

The stepmother then sent her own daughter to the well to fetch water. When she came back, she cried, “Mother, the girl has fallen into the kettle!” The stepmother pretended to be shocked.

The father soon came home and asked for his daughter. The stepmother said, “She has gone to visit her aunt. She will stay there a while.”

But the father suspected nothing.

Soon after, the king’s son came through the village. He asked for the most beautiful girl in the land, and he was brought to the stepmother’s daughter. But as soon as she spoke, a toad hopped from her mouth.

The king’s son said, “This is not the bride for me. The true bride is the one from whom gold coins fall when she speaks.”

At that moment a rooster on the roof cried, “Cock-a-doodle-doo! The true bride is dead, and she lies in the kettle!”

The king’s son ordered that the kettle be brought out and uncovered. The girl was still inside, and though she had been boiled, she was alive and even more beautiful than before.

He took her out, placed her on his horse, and rode away with her. The wedding was celebrated with great joy.

The wicked stepmother and her daughter were punished. As they passed by the forest, the three little men saw them and said, “Let them receive what they deserve.” A violent storm arose, and they were swept away and never seen again.

The young queen lived happily with her king, blessed by her goodness and kindness.

12. “The Donkey” by the Brothers Grimm

Once upon a time, there was a king and a queen who had no children, and that troubled them day and night. At last the queen gave birth to a child, but it was not a human child. It was a donkey.

The king was horrified, and the queen wept bitterly. But the king said, “We cannot say that it is not our child, so we must take care of him.” So they brought him up, and the little donkey grew bigger and bigger, and his long ears grew longer and longer. Still, he showed himself to be merry and good-natured. He jumped about and played, and he had a special liking for music.

One day he went to a famous musician and said, “Teach me how to play the lute.” The musician laughed and said, “What? A donkey wants to play the lute? That is hardly possible.” But the donkey said, “I will try it.” Then he pressed his hoof on the lute and played it so well that the musician was amazed and said, “You are more talented than I ever imagined. You must have been born for music.”

The donkey studied hard and became a skillful musician. He played beautifully and with great feeling.

One day the young donkey was sad and wandered about, thinking to himself, “People will always look at me as a donkey. I want to go out into the world and see if I can win my fortune.” So he took his lute, said farewell to his parents, and set out on his journey.

He came to a kingdom where the king had an only daughter, a beautiful princess. As he stood at the palace gate and played the lute, the princess heard him and loved the music so much that she asked her father to bring the musician inside. The king ordered that the donkey be brought in, and when he came into the hall he bowed to the king and queen and played his lute again. Everyone was charmed by the sweetness of his music, and the king said, “You have pleased me so much that I will give you my daughter for your wife.”

The princess was willing, because she loved his music. So the donkey married the princess, and the wedding was splendid.

That evening, when they went to bed, the donkey wanted to make himself comfortable. He pulled off his donkey skin, and underneath it was a handsome young prince. The princess was amazed and loved him even more. Each night he pulled off the donkey skin, but in the morning he put it on again so that no one discovered his secret.

One night the young prince fell asleep, and the princess saw his beautiful skin. She thought, “Why should I let him be a donkey any longer?” She quietly took the donkey skin and threw it into the fire. The skin burned up quickly.

In the morning, when the prince awoke, he wanted to put on the donkey skin, but it was gone. He was frightened and said, “Now I must flee, or they will not let me stay.” But the princess stopped him and said, “You are my husband, and I will not allow you to leave.”

The king came to see them, and when he saw a handsome young man instead of a donkey, he was astonished. The prince told him everything: how he had been born as a donkey, but each night could put off the skin. The king rejoiced and said, “Now you shall be my son-in-law in truth and in the light of day.”

They held another great wedding celebration, and the young prince was formally recognized. His father and mother were invited, and they came with great joy. When they saw him freed from the donkey form, they rejoiced with all their hearts.

From then on he lived happily with the princess, ruling wisely and well, and never again did he need the donkey skin.

13. “Jorinda and Jorindel” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once an old castle in the middle of a vast thick forest. In it there lived an old woman quite alone, who was a witch. By day she made herself into a cat or a night owl, but in the evening she became a human again. She could catch all the wild animals, birds included, and she killed and boiled and roasted them.

If anyone approached within one hundred paces of the castle he was forced to stand still and could not move from the spot until she chose to release him. But if an innocent maiden came within that circle, the witch changed her into a bird, put her into a wicker basket, and carried her into the castle. In her castle were already seven thousand such baskets of rare birds.

Now, there was once a maiden called Jorinda who was more beautiful than all other girls. She and a youth named Jorindel were pledged to one another with their whole hearts. Their greatest joy was being together. One day they went for a walk in the forest so that they might talk together in peace.

“Take care,” said Jorindel, “that you do not go too near the castle.”

It was a beautiful evening. The sun shone brightly between the trunks of the trees and the turtledoves sang mournfully in the old beech trees.

Jorinda sat down in the sun and lamented, and Jorindel lamented too. They felt as sad as if they had been condemned to die. They looked around them and found they had lost their way, without being able to find the path that should have taken them home.

The sun was still half above the mountain and half set. Jorindel looked through the trees and saw the old walls of the castle close at hand. He was frightened and thought of what Jorinda had been warned. Jorinda sang:

“My little bird, with the ring so red,
Sings sorrow, sorrow, sorrow.
He sings that the little dove will soon lie dead,
Sings sorrow, sorrow, sorrow.”

Jorindel looked toward Jorinda. She was changed into a nightingale and sang “jug, jug, jug.” A night owl with glowing eyes flew around her three times and screeched “to-whoo, to-whoo, to-whoo!”

Jorindel could not move from the spot. He stood there like a stone and could not weep nor speak nor stir hand or foot.

The sun had now quite disappeared. The owl flew into a thorn bush. Immediately an old, crooked woman came out of it. She muttered something, caught the nightingale, and carried her away in her hand. Jorindel could say nothing, could not move from where he stood, for he was rooted to the ground.

At last the witch returned and said in a hoarse voice, “Good evening, Zachiel. When the moon shines on the basket you will be released.”

Then Jorindel was free. He fell on his knees before the old woman and begged her to give him back Jorinda, but she said he should never have her again and walked away. He called after her, wept, and lamented, but all his cries were useless.

“What is to become of me?” he thought. “Jorinda, my Jorinda, what will become of you?”

He went away and at last came to a strange village, where he tended sheep for a long time. He often walked round and round the castle, but not too near it. At last he dreamed one night that he had found a blood-red flower with a beautiful large pearl in its center. He broke the flower off and went with it to the castle. Everything that he touched with the flower was released from the enchantment, and he also found Jorinda.

In the morning he began to search the mountains and valleys in the hope of finding such a flower. He searched until the ninth day when he found it early in the morning. In the center there was a large dewdrop like a beautiful pearl. He carried this flower day and night until he came to the castle.

When he reached the hundred-pace circle he felt no hindrance but walked straight through to the door. Jorindel was filled with joy. He touched the door with the flower and it sprang open.

He went in and through the courtyard and listened for the many birds. At last he heard the voices of the birds and went toward them. The witch was feeding them in their seven thousand baskets. When she saw Jorindel she was angry and screamed with rage. She scolded and spat poison and gall at him, but she could not come within two paces of him.

He took no notice of her. He went and looked among the baskets with the birds, but there were many nightingales and how could he find Jorinda again? While he was looking, he noticed that the witch quietly took away one of the baskets and made for the door.

Jorindel sprang after her, touched the basket with the flower, and Jorinda stood before him. She threw her arms round his neck, looking as beautiful as ever. Then Jorindel touched all the other birds with the flower. They all became maidens again.

He went home with Jorinda, and they lived happily together for a long time.

14. “The Water of Life” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once a king who had three sons. He fell into a grave illness, and no one believed he could be saved. He had sought help everywhere, but nothing had helped him. At last the king felt that he was approaching his end.

Then he heard of a certain water of life that could restore health to anyone who drank of it. So he called his three sons to him and said, “My dear children, I feel that I am very ill and do not know if I shall recover. But I wish to find the water of life. You must seek it for me.”

The two elder sons said, “We will certainly find it,” and they took leave of their father. The youngest, too, asked permission to go, but the king was unwilling and said, “You are too young. You might meet with some misfortune and be unable to help me.”

But the youngest son begged so earnestly that the king finally consented.

So the three brothers set out, and after they had ridden some distance they came to a deep ravine. They rode on for a long time without finding the end. They came to a great hollow where they made their camp at night. As they slept, a voice called out to them.

In the morning when they awoke, the eldest said, “I heard someone speak in the night.”

The second answered, “I heard it too.”

The youngest said, “I heard someone say, ‘Whoever seeks the water of life will meet with misfortune.’”

But the eldest laughed and said, “It was only the wind.”

They rode on, and after a while they came to a fairy castle. The gate was locked with iron bars. The two eldest rode past because they did not dare to open it, but the youngest dismounted and tried the gate. It opened easily at his touch.

He went in. A dwarf came up to him and demanded, “Where are you going, and what do you want?”

“I seek the water of life,” he replied.

The dwarf said, “The water of life is difficult to find. Many have already died on their way to it. If you wish to succeed, you must take this iron wand and strike three times on the iron door of the mountain. It will open. Inside you will find two lions. If you do not fear them they will do you no harm. Behind them is a spring where the water of life flows. Fill the vial you carry and hurry away.”

The dwarf also gave him a loaf of bread, saying, “If you are hungry, eat of this loaf, and you will always find bread.”

The prince took the wand and the bread, thanked the dwarf, and went on.

When he came to the mountain, he struck the door three times. It sprang open. He went in, and there stood the two lions. They roared so fiercely that he thought he would perish, but he trusted his courage and walked straight between them. They did not harm him.

He came to a beautiful, large hall and in it sat enchanted princes. He went further and came to a room with a splendid bed, and on the bed lay a maiden more beautiful than he had ever seen. She awoke when he entered and sat up. She was delighted to see him and said, “If you rescue me, I will be yours. Return in a year from now. The kingdom will then be yours.”

He left her and found the spring of the water of life. He filled his flask and prepared to go.

As he went back through the hall, the dwarfs came up to him and offered him splendid gifts—gold, silver, and precious stones. He would take none of them, but he did accept a small ring as a remembrance.

When he came out again, the lions were quiet. The dwarf was standing at the door and said, “You have done well. Here is a sword and here is a loaf of bread. With the sword you may conquer whole armies and with the bread you will never be in want.”

The youngest prince returned to his brothers. They had gone on ahead and had sought everywhere for the water of life, but had not found it. They were delighted to meet their brother again, and when he told them how he had found the water of life, they believed that he had succeeded.

But they were jealous of him, because he alone had been successful. So they joined together and plotted against him. They waited until he had fallen asleep. Then they took the water of life from him and replaced it with salt water.

They rode back to their father and gave him the salt water. When he drank of it he became sicker than before.

The youngest son returned too, bringing his vial. But the king did not trust him and would not drink.

The king’s court was filled with sorrow. But the youngest son went to the maiden he had freed, who had promised that she would remember him. She ordered that a road be built leading to her kingdom. It was paved with gold and pearl.

Before the year was up, the eldest son thought that the beautiful maiden had meant him. So he set out and came to the road. But when he came to the gold and pearl, he thought, “It would be a pity to ride over this,” and turned aside. He went around the road and came to the castle.

He announced himself as the rescuer.

The maiden, however, had a magic mirror and could see the truth in it. She saw that he was not the right one. She had him thrown out of the castle.

Then the second brother came. He also tried to avoid spoiling the golden road. He walked on its edges and went by another path to the castle. He too said he was the rescuer, and he too was not believed or received.

At last, the year passed and the youngest son set out. He thought only of seeing the maiden again. He rode straight along the road. When he came to the castle, the gates were opened to him. The maiden welcomed him with joy.

His father had grown sicker, but when he returned and gave him the real water of life, the king drank it and was healed.

The king wished to name his youngest son as heir to the kingdom. But the two elder sons accused him of bringing false water. The maiden from the enchanted castle arrived. She brought three gifts, including the magic mirror, which revealed the treachery of the elder brothers.

They were banished, and the youngest prince married the maiden. When the old king died, he became king and lived happily with her ever after.

15. “The Nixie in the Pond” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once a miller who lived with his wife in great poverty. All that he had was his mill and a great pond that lay close by. One day he sat by the pond, and in his grief he wrung his hands. As he sat there, a nixie suddenly rose up out of the water and said, “What troubles you?”

The miller answered, “I live in poverty and distress. I have nothing in the world but this old mill, and now I must give it up. I have nothing left.”

The nixie said, “If you will give me what has only just been born in your house, your poverty will end. I will make you rich and happy.”

The miller thought, “What can that be but a little dog or a kitten?” So he promised her what she asked for. The nixie went down again into the water.

When the miller went home, his wife met him at the door and said, “A child has been born to us.”

The miller was terrified. He realized that the nixie had known of the child. He could not withdraw from the promise he had made, and he did not want to give the child to the nixie. So he decided to keep quiet.

The child grew and became a beautiful boy. The miller and his wife kept careful watch over him and warned him not to go near the pond.

One day when the boy was grown into a young man, he was helping his father repair the mill wheel. He stood on the bank and held the wheel in place. Suddenly the nixie stretched out a long arm and seized him. She pulled him into the deep water before anyone could stop her.

The miller and his wife wept bitterly, but they could not free him.

The nixie took him with her down into her crystal palace and cared for him. The young man lived there for many years, though she held him fast and would not let him return to the upper world.

The miller’s wife mourned day and night. She prayed unceasingly for help.

At last the young man escaped from the nixie. She had fallen asleep, and he fled. The water opened before him, but once he was above ground he fled wildly, not knowing where to go.

The nixie woke and discovered that he had fled. In great fury she made the water overflow its banks. It rose in great, towering waves. Everything was threatened with destruction.

The young man prayed to Heaven for rescue. At that moment he turned into a frog and leaped away. But the nixie pursued him. Then he turned into a fish and darted through the water. But she followed him. Then he turned into a bird and flew high into the air. Still she followed him.

Finally he turned into a deer and leapt away into the forest, and she was forced to return to her pond.

The young man had escaped, but he did not know where he was. He wandered through woods, valleys, and mountains. Everything was strange to him.

His wife, who had never given up hope, continued to pray for him. She worked as a poor shepherdess and lived in solitude.

One day she was driving her sheep in the fields when she played her flute. The tune was so sweet and sad that the young man, who had wandered near, stopped and listened. He was filled with longing. He drew near and listened to the tune again.

She looked up and recognized him at once. But he had been so long under enchantment that he did not know her. She cried bitterly, but Heaven helped her again.

She played the melody a second time. A mist lifted from his eyes. He recognized her and threw his arms around her.

They went home together and lived in happiness until the end of their days.

16. “The Master Thief” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once a rich man who had a very smart and intelligent son. The boy wanted to be trained in some trade or craft. His father asked him what he would like to learn.

“Father,” said the boy, “I do not want to learn anything but to become a master thief.”

The father was displeased and said, “That is no proper trade. A thief is a rogue. The gallows is the end for thieves.”

But the son said, “Father, it is no use. I must and will be a thief.”

Seeing there was no help for it, the father said, “Well, I will try to arrange it.”

He went out, searched everywhere, and at last found a man who lived alone in the forest and was said to be a master thief. He told him his trouble and asked if he would take his son as an apprentice.

“Oh, yes,” said the master thief, “I will soon make him a clever fellow.”

So the boy went with him and became his apprentice.

He learned quickly and soon became so accomplished that he could outdo his master himself. After he had been with the master for some time, the father wanted to know how he was getting on. He entered the forest, found the master, and said, “How is my son doing?”

“Very well,” said the thief. “He will turn out to be a better thief than I am.”

The father was frightened and said, “I do not like that. I want to take him home.”

“If you want him,” said the thief, “go into the forest and see if he will follow you.”

The father went into the forest and looked for the boy. Suddenly someone called him, “Father, come here!” He looked around but saw no one. Again the voice called, “Father, come here!” Then he looked up. There sat a bird perched on a branch, twisting and turning as if it were speaking to him.

But it was his son. He had disguised himself so cleverly that his own father did not recognize him.

“Come home with me,” said the father.

“Gladly,” said the son, “if my master will let me.”

They went back to the master thief. The father asked him to release the boy.

“If he has completed his training, I will let him go,” said the thief. “But first he must prove himself.”

“What must he do?” asked the father.

The master thief said, “You see that horse which is tethered in front of your house? If your son can steal it from you in spite of your watching, he will have finished his training.”

The father was willing.

In the evening, the father drove the horse into the stable, locked the door, and kept watch. But the master thief’s apprentice did not waste time. He took the skin of a dead cat, stretched it over himself, and crept into a ditch by the stable.

When the father came past with a lantern, the disguised boy began to screech. The father came near and said, “What an ugly bird!” and tried to strike it.

The boy let the lantern fall and ran off in the darkness. The father followed, stumbling about. Meanwhile, the boy slipped into the stable, took the horse, and rode away.

When the father returned and found the horse gone, he said, “That was well done. He has learned his craft.”

The next day the father said, “I want to see another test.”

“All right,” said the master. “Tonight I will put a thief in your cupboard. If your son can steal the sheet from under your wife and you without your noticing, then he is a master thief indeed.”

The father went home and told his wife. They locked the bedroom door and barred the windows. Then they lay down.

When they were nearly asleep, the master thief’s apprentice climbed onto the roof, slid down the chimney, and entered the room. He had a long fishing rod with a hook. Gently he fished for the sheet and pulled it off the bed.

But the father had only been pretending to sleep. He seized the sheet and held it fast. Then the boy began to snore loudly from the cupboard.

“Ah,” said the father, “the thief is in the cupboard!”

He went to the cupboard and unlocked it. But at that moment the apprentice ran out of the bedroom with the sheet.

“Stop!” cried the father, chasing him.

But the boy was too quick. He escaped.

“That was well done,” said the father. “He has learned his craft.”

The third task was the hardest.

The master thief said, “Now your son must steal the roast from your table while you and your wife are eating, and he must also steal the two candles that stand on the table.”

“That is impossible!” said the father.

“Nothing is impossible for the master thief,” said the teacher.

That evening the father and mother sat down to supper. The roast stood on the table, and two candles burned brightly.

The son disguised himself as a beggar, knocked at the door, and asked for alms. The father pitied him and gave him a piece of bread.

The beggar said, “I have a magic staff. Touch whatever you wish with it, and it will stick fast. Try it.”

The father touched the table with it, and the table stuck fast to his hand. The beggar took the candles, but the father dragged the whole table after him. In the confusion the beggar seized the roast and ran.

The father cried out, “Stop! Let go of the table!”

But the table stuck to his hand. He raced after the beggar, shouting, “Help, thief! Help!”

But the apprentice had already escaped. He delivered the roast and candles to the master thief.

When the father arrived and told the master what had happened, the master said, “Your son is trained. He is a master thief.”

The father took his son home.

Soon afterward a wealthy count heard of the young man and said, “He shall prove his skill to me.”

He ordered the master thief to steal his favorite horse from the stable. The stable was locked and guarded day and night.

The master thief disguised himself as a harmless old woman. He limped along with a crutch and carried a bag of herbs.

“I want to give your horses some herbs,” he said.

The guards allowed him in. He fed the horses and pretended to help the groom. Soon everyone in the stable trusted the old woman.

One night he said, “I must sleep near the horses, for I fear a thief may come.”

They allowed it.

At midnight he rose, gagged the groom, saddled the horse, and rode away.

The next morning the count was astonished. “I want another test!”

He ordered the master thief to steal the ring from his finger while he slept. The count slept with his hand under his head. No one could get near him.

The master thief came disguised as a fly, landed on the count’s face, and tickled him. The count moved his hand away from his head to brush off the fly. In that moment the thief pulled off the ring and flew away.

The next morning the count said, “He must steal the bed from under my wife and me.”

The master thief made a boat and placed wheels beneath it. He rowed it up to the castle. Then he climbed into the bedroom and said:

“Your castle is on fire! Come into the boat!”

The count and his wife leaped into the boat. The thief pulled the ropes, and the boat rolled away. They were outside before they realized they had been tricked.

The count laughed and said, “He is truly a master thief. He has won.”

The master thief lived in honor from then on and never again stole except when someone challenged him to prove his skill.

17. “The Singing, Springing Lark” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once a man who was about to set out on a long journey. Before he left, he asked each of his three daughters what he should bring back for her.

The eldest wished for pearls.
The second wished for diamonds.
But the youngest said, “Dear father, bring me a singing, springing lark.”

The father said, “If I can get it, you shall have it.”

Then he kissed them all and set out.

He bought the pearls and diamonds for the two eldest, but he could not find the lark, though he searched everywhere. At last, on his way home, he came to a great wood. In the middle of it stood a castle, and near the castle was a tree, and on the tree sat a singing, springing lark. He said, “That is the thing I have been seeking,” and he told his servant to climb the tree and catch the bird.

But as he approached, a fierce lion leaped from under the tree, shook himself, and roared so that all the leaves on the tree trembled.

“Who dares to steal my singing, springing lark?” he cried. “Anyone who does so must die!”

The man said, “I did not know the bird belonged to you. I want it for my youngest daughter. I did not mean any harm.”

The lion said, “Nothing can save you unless you promise to give me the first living creature that meets you when you return home.”

The man was unwilling, and he thought, “It might be my youngest daughter, who loved me most and always runs to meet me.” He hesitated. But he also thought, “Perhaps it will be only a dog or a cat.”

So he promised and took the singing, springing lark.

When he reached home and entered his courtyard, the first creature who ran to meet him was indeed his youngest daughter. She was laughing with joy and flung her arms around his neck.

When he saw her, his heart ached. He told her what he had promised to the lion and said she must go to the lion’s castle. She comforted him and said, “Dear father, it will be for the best. I will go to the lion. Perhaps he will be kind.”

The next morning she set out, and the lion welcomed her kindly. He was not a real lion all the time, but a man who could change himself. By day he was a lion, but at night he became a man. They lived together in peace and happiness.

One evening, he said, “Your sisters are married, and your father wishes to see you again. Go visit them, but promise to return in seven days.”

She promised and went home. Her sisters were jealous when they saw how rich she had become. They asked how she had found her husband.

She said, “He is a lion by day and a man at night.”

The sisters were frightened and envied her, for she was more beautiful and fortunate than they were.

When the seven days were over, she wished to go back to the lion, but her sisters said, “Stay with us another week. You must rest before your journey.”

They pressed her until she agreed. But when the second week passed and she returned to the forest, the castle was gone. She searched everywhere for her husband, but she could not find him.

At last she came to a small hut. Inside sat an old woman with a spindle.

“What are you seeking, my child?” the old woman asked.

“I am seeking my husband,” she said. “He was a lion in the forest, but now I cannot find him.”

The old woman said, “He has been changed into a dove. He flies for seven years. Take these seven spindles and follow a trail of drops of blood. When the blood runs out, he will be near.”

The maiden thanked the woman and followed the trail. She walked and walked until the blood stopped. Then she saw a hut where another old woman sat.

“What are you seeking, my child?”

“I am seeking my husband,” she said. “He is a dove and flies for seven years.”

The old woman said, “He has gone past here. Give me your first spindle and take this gold spinning wheel. It will help you.”

The maiden took the wheel and walked on. After a long distance she came to a third hut where a third old woman sat.

“What are you seeking, my child?”

“I am seeking my husband,” she said.

“He has flown past here,” said the old woman. “He is a dove no longer but a lion once more. He has been forced into service for a dragon. The dragon has a daughter who wants to marry him. Give me your second spindle and take this gold reel.”

The maiden took it and went on until she reached a great castle. She entered and heard her husband inside, but she could not reach him.

That night she asked the servants, “What does the bride like best?”

They said, “She loves the gold spinning wheel.”

The maiden said, “I will give it to her if she lets me speak to the bridegroom for one night.”

The false bride agreed.

But when the maiden entered the room, the bridegroom lay in a deep sleep. She cried and lamented, “I have followed you for seven years. I have searched through forest and mountains. Will you not awake?”

But he slept so deeply that he heard nothing.

The next night she gave the gold reel in exchange for seeing him again. But again he slept so soundly that he heard nothing.

The servants, however, heard her cries and told the bridegroom the next morning.

“Tonight,” he said, “I will stay awake.”

When she came the third night, he was awake and heard everything. He fled with her from the castle.

The dragon’s daughter pursued them, but they escaped and returned to their own forest. There the enchantment ended. He was a man by day and night, and they lived together in joy and peace.

18. “The Goose Girl at the Spring” by the Brothers Grimm

There was once upon a time a poor woman who had a little daughter. As the child was so beautiful, she thought, “She will not remain poor long.” So she gave her to her grandmother, who lived deep in the forest, to bring up.

The old woman was a wise woman. She understood all kinds of magic and witchcraft, and the child was taught everything the grandmother knew. When she was fourteen years old and very beautiful, the wise woman said, “We must part. I am growing old. When you go, take this pot. You must not look into it, and you must take good care of it. It will bring you good fortune.”

The girl placed the pot among her clothes and left. She wandered on for a long time until she came to a great city. Before entering it, she sat down by a clear spring. She wanted to wash herself so she would look fresh and clean. While she bent over the water, she heard a rustling in the bushes. She jumped up quickly and saw three girls coming out. They were talking together and had not noticed her.

She saw they were maidens of high birth. She watched them as they undressed and stepped into the spring. They splashed and bathed and laughed merrily. When they were finished, they came out of the water again and sat down on the grass. The youngest said, “Where shall we put our clothes?” The eldest answered, “Someone is watching us from behind that tree.”

The girl behind the tree trembled with fear. She came forward and begged them to forgive her. She said she had not meant to frighten them. They said she should give them her clothes, and they would give her theirs. The girl did not want to, but they forced her and dressed themselves in her simple garments. They laughed loudly and ran away, leaving her alone.

The poor girl cried and did not know what to do. She said to herself, “I will go into the city the way I am.” When she stepped inside the gate, people laughed and pointed at her. They shouted, “Look at that strange girl!” She did not know why they mocked her.

The guard at the gate said, “Where are you from? Why do you look so strange?” She did not speak, but held her pot tightly. They led her before the king.

The king asked her where she came from, but she remained silent. He asked what she carried in the pot. She said she did not know. “Open it,” he said.

She refused and held it fast. But the king ordered his servant to take it from her. When the lid was opened, a cloud of smoke rose up and filled the room. And in the smoke appeared a beautiful palace. Its doors swung open and musicians came out, playing silver trumpets. Then beautiful maidens danced around the palace. The king, his court, and all who saw it were astonished. After a while the vision faded, and the pot closed again.

The king said, “This is no ordinary girl. She must have a strange fortune.” He ordered that she be treated with kindness, though she would not speak. She was given a small house near the spring outside the city.

One day the king’s son was hunting near the spring. He saw the girl sitting by the water, with her hair streaming over her shoulders, and he thought she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen. He went to her, but she would not speak. He returned every day and stood beside her, but she remained silent.

At last he said to his father, “I wish to marry the girl who lives by the spring.” His father was surprised and said, “How can you marry someone who will not speak?” But the prince insisted. The king said, “You have my blessing.”

The wedding was celebrated with great splendor. The silent bride was admired for her beauty, and the people said, “She must be a princess in disguise.”

The prince loved her dearly. But she remained silent.

One day, after the wedding, the prince was hunting again. He saw three maidens at the spring. He recognized the youngest and saw she wore a dress that looked familiar. He listened to them and heard them laughing about how they had tricked the strange girl who guarded the pot.

The prince stepped forward and said, “Give me the garments you took from her.” They screamed and ran away, but he caught the youngest and took the clothes from her.

He returned home and gave the garments to his bride. When she saw them, she wept for joy. Her voice returned, and she told the prince everything: the wise woman, the pot, the bath in the spring, and the cruel maidens who had stolen her clothes.

The prince ordered the three maidens to be found. They confessed their wickedness and were banished forever.

From that day on, the bride spoke freely. She became a wise and beloved queen. And the pot brought them good fortune as long as they lived.

19. “The Golden Bird” by the Brothers Grimm

A certain king had a garden in which stood a tree that bore golden apples. When the apples were ripe, they were counted; but the very next morning one was missing. This was reported to the king, and he ordered that watch should be kept every night beneath the tree.

The king had three sons, and he put the eldest under the tree for the first night. But about midnight he fell asleep. The next morning another apple was missing. On the following night the second son had to keep watch, but he fared no better. When midnight came, he fell asleep, and in the morning another apple was gone.

Then came the turn of the youngest son. He was ready to keep watch, but the king did not trust him and thought he would not be any better than his brothers. At last, however, he let him go.

The youth lay down beneath the tree, but he did not fall asleep. When midnight came, something rustled through the air. And he saw one of the golden birds that came every night and plucked an apple from the tree. The youth sprang up and shot an arrow at it. The arrow did not hit the bird, but one of its golden feathers fell down. He picked it up, and the next morning he gave it to the king.

The king assembled his council, who declared that a feather like this was worth more than the whole kingdom. “If the feather is so valuable,” said the king, “one alone will not do for me. I must and will have the whole bird.”

So the eldest son set out. He was gay and confident, thinking the golden bird would be easily found. After he had ridden for a while, he saw a fox sitting at the edge of a wood. The fox cried to him, “Good day, dear brother prince. Where are you going?”

“Stupid beast,” said the prince proudly, “you need not concern yourself.” And he rode away.

Then he came to a village, where he spent the night at an inn. When he left the next morning, he found that everything had gone wrong for him. His horse would not go, and he had to continue his journey on foot. After some time he arrived at a castle where merrymaking was going on. He could not resist entering, and there he forgot the golden bird and his mission.

After a time, the second son set out to find the golden bird. He met the same fox, who asked him where he was going. But the second prince also disdained the fox and rode away. He too came to the village, stayed in the same inn, and everything went well for him only at first. But then he, like his brother, arrived at the castle where merrymaking was going on. He could not resist the pleasures offered to him and stayed there.

At last the youngest son wished to go. The king hesitated, for he feared he would never return. But finally he let him go.

Again the fox was sitting at the edge of the wood. The youth was soft-hearted and friendly. He dismounted and listened to the fox. “I will help you,” said the fox, “because you act kindly. If you ride straight ahead, you will come to a village. Do not stay at the inn. Go on to the castle, for the golden bird is kept there in a wooden cage. Near it hangs a splendid golden cage. But beware of changing the bird from its humble cage into the fine one; for if you do, misfortune will follow.”

The fox stretched out its tail, and the prince sat upon it. It sped over the moss and stones so fast that the youth scarcely knew how it happened.

At length they came to the village and to the castle. The prince found the golden bird in a wooden cage. Beside it hung a golden cage that glittered. At the sight of it he forgot the fox’s warning and put the bird into the gorgeous cage. At once the bird uttered a loud cry. The guards awoke, and the prince was seized and taken before the king.

The king said, “You shall not have the golden bird unless you bring me the golden horse that runs faster than the wind.”

The youth set out, but soon he met his old friend the fox. “Did I not warn you?” said the fox. “Why did you not heed me? But now listen. Ride straight forward, and you will come to a castle where the golden horse stands in the stable. The groom will offer you a splendid saddle, but do not accept it. Put on the plain saddle or you will bring misfortune upon yourself.”

The prince reached the castle and found the golden horse with a plain saddle. But when he saw the fine saddle offered by the groom, he forgot the fox’s warning. Scarcely had he put the golden saddle on the horse than it began to neigh loudly. The grooms ran in, seized him, and brought him to the king.

The king said, “You shall have the golden horse if you bring me the beautiful princess who lives in the golden castle.”

The youth once more set out. Again he met the fox and again was warned. “Go straight ahead,” the fox said, “and you will reach a castle. The princess will come out to greet you. Do not allow her to go and take leave of her father. Seize her instantly and carry her off.”

The prince reached the golden castle. The princess came out, so beautiful that he felt his heart leap. He gave her his hand and helped her down the steps. She asked permission to say farewell to her father. But he remembered the fox’s warning and led her to the horse. They rode off hastily.

The fox came once more to meet them. “Now you have the princess,” it said. “Put her on the horse, and ride on. I will arrange matters.”

They reached the king who demanded the princess. But the fox had disguised himself and played tricks by changing his shape so cleverly that the king willingly let the real princess go.

With the princess the youth returned to the king who wanted the golden horse. The fox arranged matters there also. Finally the fox helped him win the golden bird.

When the prince returned home with the bird, the horse, and the princess, the king rejoiced. But the two elder brothers were jealous. They seized him as they rode through the forest, killed him, and took horse, bird, and princess to their father, pretending they had won them.

Fortunately, the fox found the body of the youth. He laid it on his tail and revived him with the water of life. “Now beware of your brothers,” he said.

The youth arrived at the castle in time for the celebration. The princess recognized him, and the truth came out. The wicked brothers were punished, and the youngest son inherited the kingdom.

The faithful fox came and asked him to cut off its head and feet. At first he refused. But at last he did it, and behold, the fox changed into a handsome man. He had been enchanted and was rescued by the prince’s loyalty.

They lived in happiness until their deaths.

20. “The Crystal Ball” by the Brothers Grimm

A woman had three sons who loved each other dearly. But the mother had a secret. She was a witch. One day the eldest son went into the forest to hunt, and as he did not return, the second went to look for him. When neither returned, the youngest said, “Mother, I must go and find my brothers.”

“Stay here,” said the witch. “If you go, misfortune will befall you.”

But he would not be stopped. So he set out into the forest. After a while he met a small, bent old man who asked him where he was going.

“I am looking for my brothers,” he said.

The old man said, “I know where they are. They have been turned into stone. Their mother is a witch and has done this to them. But I will tell you how you can save them. Do you see that mountain over there? On the top stands a castle, and in the castle is a princess enchanted by a sorcerer. If you can free her, she will tell you how to break the spell that holds your brothers. But it will not be easy.

“You must cross the mountain, and when you reach the castle gate, lions will come rushing at you. But throw them each a loaf of bread and they will let you pass. Then a great iron door will bar your way. Strike it three times with the iron rod I give you, and it will open.”

The youth thanked the old man and set out. He carried loaves of bread and the iron rod.

When he reached the mountain, he saw lions coming toward him, roaring and baring their teeth. He threw each lion a loaf of bread, and they let him pass. At the castle gate he struck the iron door three times. It swung open.

Inside he found an empty hall. At the back of it stood an old woman. It was the sorceress.

She said, “What do you want?”

“I want to free the princess.”

“You will never succeed,” said the old woman. “Many have tried and failed. But if you insist, you must climb the stair that leads to a chamber where a bull fights a lion. You must separate them. If you fail, they will tear you to pieces.”

He climbed the stairs and entered the chamber. A bull and a lion were locked in fierce combat. The youth struck them with the iron rod. They sprang apart and ran away.

Then he went into another room where he saw a great eagle and a great griffin fighting high in the air. The youth struck them with the rod, and they separated and flew away.

Now the sorceress appeared again. “You have done well. But the hardest task remains. Down there in the courtyard is a wild boar. You must kill it and bring its heart to me.”

The youth went into the courtyard. The boar rushed toward him, but he leaped aside and struck it with the rod. It fell dead. He cut out its heart and took it to the sorceress.

She said, “Now take this key and go to the well in the garden. A crystal ball lies at the bottom. Bring it to me.”

He took the key and went to the well. But when he unlocked the cover and leaned over, he saw the crystal ball shining far below. As he reached for it, he heard a great rushing noise. A giant appeared and began to climb out of the well.

“You shall not take the crystal ball,” the giant cried.

The youth struck him on the head with the rod. The giant fell backward and disappeared into the depths of the well. The youth climbed down, found the crystal ball, and climbed out again.

As he brought the crystal ball to the sorceress, she screamed, and smoke rose from her. The enchantment was broken, and she vanished.

The princess appeared, freed from the spell. She said, “You have saved me. Now come with me. The crystal ball has the power to free your brothers.”

They went to the mountain where he had met the old man. At the foot of the cliff he saw two stone figures. They were his brothers. He touched them with the crystal ball, and at once they came back to life.

They embraced him joyfully.

Then the princess said, “Now you must choose which of us three shall have the kingdom.”

The eldest said, “It belongs to me. I am the firstborn.”

The second said, “But the middle should not be left out. It should be mine.”

But the youngest said nothing.

The princess looked at him and said, “You have freed me. You have freed your brothers. You shall rule the kingdom.”

So the brothers agreed. The youngest married the princess, and together they reigned wisely and well.

AUTHOR’S AFTERNOTE

The Grimm stories were revised many times between the first edition in 1812 and the final edition in 1857. These are the 1857 edition.

The Brothers Grimm intended their stories to be complete tales, but not “just stories.” They were created specifically to teach children (and adults) about honesty, deception, danger, justice, and moral consequence through memorable, symbolic narratives. In other words, the stories stand alone as complete works, but they were also designed to spark reflection, warnings, and conversations.

Here is how the Grimms themselves understood the purpose of their tales:

They were complete stories, meant to be told as-is

The Grimms carefully revised their tales through seven editions to make them flow as proper narratives with structure, beginning, conflict, and resolution. Their intention was for the stories to be whole, not sketches.

They were moral instructions disguised as entertainment

The brothers openly stated that the tales should help children learn:

• to recognize danger
• to be cautious with strangers
• to understand that lies have consequences
• to see that good judgment protects a person
• to grasp that evil eventually destroys itself

Stories like The Goose Girl, Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and Gretel, and Rumpelstiltskin were all crafted as symbolic lessons about deception, betrayal, and justice.

They were psychological safety lessons

The Grimms believed children should learn difficult truths through symbolic fear, not real trauma. So the wolf, the witch, the deceiving maid, and the trickster spirit become safe containers for concepts like:

• predatory behavior
• manipulation
• dishonesty
• danger beyond the safe “path”
• misuse of power

This function is extremely close to modern teachings on grooming, fraud, and coercive deception.

They were meant to provoke discussion

Historically, families told these stories around firesides, not to frighten children for entertainment, but to spark conversations about:

• whom to trust
• how to behave outside the home
• why obedience can protect you
• what to do when you sense something is wrong
• why justice must be carried out
• how deception works

Parents often paused mid-story to unpack lessons, ask questions, or emphasize warnings.

They addressed the real social dangers of their era

The Grimms lived in a time when:

• child abduction was common
• fraud was widespread
• forests were genuinely dangerous
• strangers posed real threats
• legal protection was inconsistent

So the stories functioned almost as early safety training, using metaphor to encode survival strategies.

They also carried community values about justice

The harsh punishments in Grimm tales were not cruelty for its own sake. They illustrated the core message that:
dishonesty, exploitation, and deception destroy the deceiver, not the innocent. This principle is mirrored almost exactly in modern victimology and fraud-prevention teachings.

In short

The Grimm tales were complete narratives, yes, but they were designed to be powerful moral and psychological teaching tools. They were stories that taught children, in symbolic form, how to recognize and survive deception.

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