The Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (79 page)

33. The Lazy One and the Industrious One (Der Faule und der Fleißige). Source: Ferdinand Siebert.

34. The Three Journeymen (Die drei Handwerksburschen). Source: Dorothea Viehmann and Georg August Friedrich Goldmann.

35. The Heavenly Wedding (Die himmlische Hochzeit). Source: An anonymous tale from Mecklenburg combined with a tale from Ludowine von Haxthausen.

The Grimms comment that this tale borders on being a legend and yet retains a childlike quality. The innocent belief in the words of God leads to a misunderstanding and yet to salvation.

36. The Long Nose (Die lange Nase). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.

The Grimms note that this tale can be traced back to the sixteenth century, and in particular, to
Fortunatus
(ca. 1509). They also allude to the
Gesta Romanorum
(1473) as a possible source.

37. The Old Woman in the Forest (Die Alte im Wald). Source: Von Haxthausen family.

The Grimms state that this tale is similar to “Jorinda and Jorungel” and that the old woman is like the witch in “Hansel and Gretel.”

38. The Three Brothers (Die drei Brüder). Source: Ferdinand Siebert.

The Grimms explain that this preposterous or tall tale is old and widespread. One of the first examples of this story can be found in
La nouvelle Fabrique des excellens traicts de vérités
(1579) by Philippe d'Alcripe (Picard).

39. The Devil and His Grandmother (Der Teufel und seine Großmutter). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.

The Grimms point to similarities with “The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs” and “Rumpelstiltskin.” They also state that “the entire tale has something Nordic in its essence. The devil appears as an awkward, outwitted idiot. The riddle is clearly Nordic. In addition the motif of the old woman's hiding the human creature who has just arrived at the devil's home is an old motif.

40. Faithful Ferdinand and Unfaithful Ferdinand (Ferenand getrü und Ferenand ungetrü). Source: Von Haxthausen family.

The Grimms think that this tale seems to be incomplete and that it would have been more convincing if the horse would have turned into a prince at the end. They also point to a similarity with “Godfather Death.”

41. The Iron Stove (Der Eisen-Ofen). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.

This tale is clearly related to other stories in the beast/bridegroom cycle, and the Grimms point to the similarities with “Prince Swan,” “The Singing, Springing Lark,” and “The Two King's Children” in their own collection and to Giambattista Basile's “Pintosmauto” in
Il Pentamerone
(1634). In addition the Grimms explain that the dark and fiery oven in which the prince is confined is undoubtedly hell or the underworld where Death dwells. In addition the word
Eisenofern
means “ancient and antiquated” and does not have so much to do with iron but is related more with the word
Eitofan
, or place of fire or fireplace.

42. The Lazy Spinner (Die faule Spinnerin). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.

The Grimms point to similarities with “Nasty Flax Spinning” in the first volume of their collection and to Giambattista Basile's “Le sette cotennine,”
Il Pentamerone
(1634), as well as to a tale in Johannes Pauli's
Schimpf und Ernst
(1535).

43. The Lion and the Frog (Der Löwe und der Frosch). Source: Ludovica Jordis-Brentano.

44. The Soldier and the Carpenter (Der Soldat und der Schreiner). Source: Von Haxthausen family.

The Grimms comment that there are many good and marvelous things in this tale, but the tale as a whole seems to have suffered somewhat partly because of gaps and partly because of confusion.

45. Pretty Katrinelya and Pif-Paf-Poltree (Die schöne Katrinelje und Pif, Paf, Poltrie). Source: Von Haxthausen family.

46. The Fox and the Horse (Der Fuchs und das Pferd). Source: Maria Anna (“Jenny”) von Droste-Hülshoff.

The Grimms note that this tale is related to the medieval cycle of Renard the Fox and similar to “Old Sultan” in the first volume of their collection.

47. The Worn-out Dancing Shoes (Die zertanzten Schuhe). Source: Maria Anna (“Jenny”) von Droste-Hülshoff.

The Grimms remark that the penalty for not discovering what the princesses do during the evening is death, as in the story about Turandot.

48. The Six Servants (Die sechs Diener). Source: Von Haxthausen family.

The Grimms note that there is a similar tale written by Hieronymous Karl Friederich Baron von Münchhausen (1720–97). Some of his preposterous tales were printed in the
Vademeum für lustige Leute
(1781–83), and in 1885, Rudolf Erich Raspe published an English edition of Münchhausen's tales under the title
Baron Munchausen's Narrative of His Marvelous Travels and Campaigns in Russia
. They also mention Thor and his servant Thialfi, Giambattista Basile's tales “Lo 'gnorante” and “Lo Polece,”
Il Pentamerone
(1634), as well as an anonymous Hessian version that they consider insignificant.

49. The White Bride and the Black Bride (Die weiße und schwarze Braut). Source: Von Haxthausen family and an anonymous tale from Mecklenburg.

The basis for this tale is “Die goldene Ente. Ein Nationalmärchen des Altertums,” which appeared in
Sagen der böhmischen Vorzeit
(1808), and which Jacob Grimm had written down in an abbreviated form. It was included in the Ölenberg Manuscript of 1810.

50. The Wild Man (De wilde Mann). Source: A dialect tale written down by Maria Anna (“Jenny”) von Droste-Hülshoff.

The Grimms interpret this version as a kind of male “Cinderella” tale.

51. The Three Black Princesses (De drei schwatten Princessinnen). Source: A dialect tale written down by Maria Anna (“Jenny”) von Droste-Hülshoff.

The Grimms note that the magic in this particular tale leads to ruin and destruction and not to the expected salvation.

52. Knoist and His Three Sons (Knoist un sine dre Sühne). Source: A dialect tale provided by one of August von Haxthausen's sisters.

The Grimms note that Werrel and Soist were destinations for pilgrimages in Westphalia.

53. The Maiden from Brakel (Dat Mäken von Brakel). Source: A dialect tale provided by the von Haxthausen family.

The Grimms explain that St. Anne is the patron saint of Brakel, and her church right outside the city of Brakel.

54. The Domestic Servants (Das Hausgesinde). Source: Von Haxthausen family.

Although the Grimms classify this nonsense story a tale, it is more a children's game that can be traced back to the early eighteenth century. There is a very similar version of the Grimms' story in
Alle Arten von Scherz- und Pfänderspielen
(1750).

55. Little Lamb and Little Fish (Das Lämmchen und Fischchcn). Source: Marianne von Haxthausen.

56. Sesame Mountain (Simeliberg). Source: Ludowine von Haxthausen.

The Grimms found it remarkable that this tale, told in the regions near Münster and the Harz forest and based on “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” from
The Thousand
and One Nights
, had made its way in one form or another to Germany. They cite a version from Johann Karl Christoph Nachtigal's
Volcks-Sagen. Nacherzählt von Otmar
(1800) that might have been a source. It was reproduced in Johann Gustav Gottlieb Büsching's
Volks-Sagen, Märchen und Legenden
(1812). What was also unusual, according to the Grimms, is that the name of the mountain,
Sesame
, was similar to the names of German mountains Semsi, Semeli, and Simeli.

57. The Children of Famine (Die Kinder in Hungersnoth). Source: Johannes Praetorius,
Der abentheuerliche Glückstopf
(1669).

58. The Little Donkey (Das Eselein). Source: Jacob Grimm's translation of a medieval Latin text, “Asinarius,” in a Strasbourg manuscript.

The Grimms draw parallels with other tales dealing with donkeys in their collection as well as beast/bridegroom stories such as “Hans My Hedgehog.”

59. The Ungrateful Son (Der undankbare Sohn). Source: Johannes Pauli,
Schimpf und Ernst
(1552).

The Grimms indicate that this tale was widespread in the medieval period, and they refer to a version by Thomas of Cantimpré from the thirteenth century, probably
Bonum universale de Apibus
(1257–63).

60. The Turnip (Die Rube). Source: Jacob Grimm's translation of a medieval Latin poem, “Raparius,” in a Strasbourg fifteenth-century manuscript.

The Grimms believe that the poem was probably written down in the fourteenth century and was based on an oral tale from Alsace.

61. The Rejuvenated Little Old Man (Das junggeglühte Männlein). Source: Based on a farce in verse by Hans Sachs, “Der affen ursprung,” (1536).

The Grimms note that the tale reminded them of Greek stories about Medea, Aeson, and Pelias.

62. The Animals of the Lord and the Devil (Des Herrn und des Teufels Gethier). Source: Based on a 1557 tale by Hans Sachs.

The wolves as God's dogs have a remarkable similarity to Nordic gods' dogs that were also wolves.

63. The Beam (Der Hahnenbalken). Source: Based on a poem, “Der Hanenbalken” (1812), written by Friedrich Kind and published in the magazine
Taschenbuch zum geselligen Vergnügen
.

64. The Old Beggar Woman (Die alte Bettelfrau). Source: Johann Heinrich Jung-Stilling,
Heinrich Stillings Jugend
(1777).

The Grimms draw a parallel with the fiery death of Odin.

65. The Three Lazy Sons (Die drei Faulen). Source:
Gesta Romanorum
(thirteenth/ fourteenth century) and Johannes Pauli,
Schimpf und Ernst
(1522).

66. Saint Solicitous (Die heilige Frau Kummerniß). Source: A legend by Andreas Strobl,
Ovum paschale oder Neugefärbte Oster-Ayr
(1700).

Strobl's version was based on an exemplar in Benignus Kybler's
Wunder-Spiegel
(1678).

67. The Tale about the Land of Cockaigne (Das Märchen vom Schlauaffenland). Source: A medieval tale in verse, “Sô ist diz von lügenen,” transcribed by Wilhelm Grimm from a fourteenth-century collection of old German poems.

The Grimms draw parallels to other similar tales such as a farce in Hans Sachs's poems and to Johann Fischart's translation of
Gargantua
(1575).

68. The Tall Tale from Ditmarsh (Das Dietmarsische Lügen-Märchen). Source: A dancing song, “Von eiteln unmöglichen Dingen,” in Anton Viethen's and Johann Albert Fabricius's
Beschreibung und Geschichte des Landes Dithmarschen
(1733).

69. A Tale with a Riddle (Räthsel-Märchen). Source:
Rätersch-Büchlein
(sixteenth century),
Straßburger Rätselbuch
(sixteenth century, and
Rätersch-Büchlein
(seventeenth century).

70. The Golden Key (Der goldene Schlüssel). Source: Marie Hassenpflug.

This tale was slightly modified over the years, but it always remained the last story throughout the Grimms' seven editions. Its placement was significant for the Grimms. Just as some version of “The Frog King” always opened the Grimms' collection, “The Golden Key” was always the final tale because it signified the never-ending quality of folk tales that, they believed, would continue to evolve and change throughout time.

INDEX OF TALES

All Fur,
216

The Animals of the Lord and the Devil,
466

The Beam,
467

The Bird Phoenix,
241

The Blacksmith and the Devil,
248

Bluebeard,
202

The Blue Light,
383

Briar Rose,
162

The Bright Sun Will Bring It to Light,
380

The Carnation,
242

The Carpenter and the Turner,
244

The Castle of Murder,
236

The Children of Famine,
456

The Children of the Two Kings,
369

Cinderella,
69

The Clever Farmer's Daughter,
313

Clever Hans,
103

The Clever Little Tailor,
377

The Companionship of the Cat and Mouse,
16

The Crows,
351

Death and the Goose Boy,
88

The Death of Little Hen,
246

The Devil and His Grandmother,
405

The Devil in the Green Coat,
337

The Devil's Sooty Brother,
333

The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs,
92

Doctor Know-It-All,
329

The Domestic Servants,
451

The Elves:

About a Servant Girl Who Acted as Godmother,
133

About a Woman Whose Child They Had Exchanged,
133

About the Shoemaker for Whom They Did the Work,
132

The Expert Huntsman,
363

The Faithful Animals,
343

Faithful Ferdinand and Unfaithful Ferdinand,
408

The Fisherman and His Wife,
56

Fitcher's Bird,
146

The Fleshing Flail from Heaven,
368

The Foundling,
165

The Fox and the Geese,
265

The Fox and the Horse,
430

Fragments:

The Good Cloth,
265

Prince Johannes,
265

The Princess with the Louse,
264

Snowflower,
264

The Frog King, or Iron Henry,
13

The Frog Prince,
331

The Genie in the Glass,
316

The Gnome,
297

The Godfather,
138

Godfather Death,
142

The Golden Bird,
185

The Golden Children,
205

The Golden Egg,
197

The Golden Key,
471

Good Bowling and Card Playing,
21

The Goose Girl,
283

The Hand with the Knife,
26