A knight becomes poor and is sad about this. He catches a viper that had been living in the corner of his room for some time. Then the viper says to him: “Give me milk every day and set it down yourself next to me, and I’ll make you rich.”
So the knight brings milk to the viper every day, and soon he becomes rich again. However, the knight’s dumb wife advises him to kill the viper because of the treasures that they would probably find in its nest. So the knight carries a dish of milk with one hand and a hammer with the other and brings the milk to the viper, which crawls out of its hole to lick the milk. As the viper is drinking the milk, the knight lifts the hammer to kill the viper but misses his mark. Instead he deals the dish a tremendous blow. So the viper immediately scatters away. From that day onward the knight begins to lose weight and to lose his property, in contrast to the way he had previously expanded his wealth and body. He repeatedly asks the viper to forgive him, but the viper says: “Do you think that I’ve forgotten the blow that you dealt the dish that was intended for my head? There will be no peace between us.” So the knight remains impoverished for the rest of his life.
20. The Poor Miller’s Apprentice and the Cat (Der arme Müllerbursch und das Kätzchen). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.
21. The Crows (Die Krähen). Source: August von Haxthausen, who wrote down the tale as told to him by a soldier from Mecklenburg.
The Grimms summarize a similar tale in Johannes Pauli’s Schimpf und Ernst (1522):
A servant is tied to a tree by his master, and during the night wicked ghosts gather there and talk, and as they talk, they reveal that a certain herb growing under the tree has the power to restore sight to blind people. After he restores his own sight, the servant restores the sight of a rich man’s daughter. Consequently, he is given a good deal of property and weds the daughter. His previous master also wants to obtain such wealth. He goes to the tree, but the ghosts peck out his eyes.
The Grimms also draw parallels with “Die wahrsagenden Vögel” in Feen-Mährchdren (1801) and with a tale in Christoph Helwig’s Jüdische Historien oder thalmüdischerabbinische wunderbarliche Legenden (1612).
22. Hans My Hedgehog (Hans mein Igel). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.
The Grimms cite Giovan Francesco Straparola’s “Il re porco,” Le piacevoli notti (1550) as an important source, and they draw parallels with other beast/bridegroom tales in their collection that have donkeys and lions seeking brides. At one point they state: “People who implore God too impetuously to bless them with children are often punished with deformed creatures as animals. When the parents, however, have been humbled, the deformed creatures are transformed into human beings.”
23. The Little Shroud (Das Todtenhemdchen). Source: Ferdinand Grimm.
The Grimms note that the belief that tears wept for a dead person and that fall on the corpse in the grave disturb the dead person’s peace appears in the second “Helgelied” and also in the Danish folk song about the knight Aage and the maiden Else.
24. The Jew in the Thornbush (Der Jud’ im Dorn). Source: Old printed versions mixed with oral stories from Hesse and Paderborn (Von Haxthausen family).
The Grimms cite the following stories as influencing the development of their tale: Albert Dietrich, Historia von einem Bauernknecht und München, welcher in der Dornhecken hat müssen tanzen (1618), and Jakob Ayer’s Shrovetide play, Fritz Dolla mit seiner gewünschten Geige (1620). Interestingly, there is no Jew in these stories. Instead, there is a thieving monk, and the tales are somewhat anti-Catholic. At the same time, there were other seventeenth-century folk versions in Czechoslovakia in which the Jew plays a negative role.
25. The Expert Huntsman (Der gelernte Jager). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.
26. The Fleshing Flail from Heaven (Der Dresschpflegel vom Himmel). Source: Von Haxthausen family.
The Grimms trace this story to the tall tales told by the famous raconteur, 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.
27. The Children of the Two Kings (De beiden Künnigeskinner). Source: Ludowine von Haxthausen.
The Grimms point to similarities in “The Singing, Springing Lark,” “Prince Swan,” “Sweetheart Roland,” and “Okerlo.”
28. The Clever Little Tailor (Vom klugen Schneiderlein). Source: Ferdinand Siebert.
29. The Bright Sun Will Bring It to Light (Die klare Sonne bringt’s an den Tag). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.
The Grimms note that in this story, “a profound, marvelous bourgeois motif is articulated. Nobody saw the murder, no human eye except for the sun (God), the heavenly eye. There are other stories about the sun and how it covers itself and doesn’t want to view a murder is about to take place.” Then they close their note with a remarkable proverb: “Nothing can be so finely woven that the sun can’t eventually expose it.”
30. The Blue Light (Das blaue Licht). Source: Told by a soldier to August von Haxthausen.
31. The Stubborn Child (Von einem eigensinnigen Kinde). Source: From the Hessian oral tradition.
The Grimms state that this is a simple didactic story for children similar to “The Old Grandfather and the Grandson.” Furthermore, they explain that the hand that sticks itself out of the grave was a widespread superstition and pertained to thieves as well as sinners tied to trees. They also recall another similar short version that appeared in Johannes Pauli’s Schimpf und Ernst (1522).
32. The Three Army Surgeons (Die drei Feldscherer). Source: Dorothea Viehmann.
The Grimms summarize a similar tale from the Gesta Romanurum (ca. fourteenth century):
In order to settle an argument, two talented doctors decide to compete with each other and use each other to demonstrate their skills. Whoever loses the competition must serve as the assistant to the other. The first doctor takes out the eyes of the other doctor with the help of an ointment and without causing any damage or pain. After he lays the eyes out on a table, he puts them easily back into the other doctor’s sockets. Now the second doctor wants to perform the same trick. He uses his ointment to take out the eyes of the first doctor and lays them out on a table. However, as he is preparing to put the eyes back into the sockets, a raven comes flying through a window, carries away one of the eyes, and eats it. The doctor who performed this operation is desperate because if he can’t replace the eye, he will have to become the other doctor’s assistant. So he looks around himself and notices a goat. Quickly he cuts out one of the goat’s eyes and places it into the socket of his companion as the missing eye. Afterward he asks his companion how he feels, the other doctor says that he didn’t experience any pain or damage, but one of his eyes constantly looks over to the bushes and trees (just as goats generally search for leaves) and the other eye keeps looking down.
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 witc
h 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 Stillin
gs 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 Original Folk and Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm Page 60
