Grimm's Fairy Tales | The Raven | The Golden Goose

Enjoy this reading of two of the classic Grimm's Fairy Tales..."The Raven" and "The Golden Goose"!

The Grimm Fairy Tales were originally a collection of over 200 folk tales, collected by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in Germany and published in the early 1800s... There are many different stories in the collection and many of them are indeed quite "grim", yet they form the backbones of so many of our familiar fairy tales today...!

Transcript

Hello there.

Thank you so much for joining me for this reading of another couple of the Grimm's fairy tales.

Maybe you've heard some of the readings of some of the other Grimm's fairy tales.

If not,

And if you'd like to see more,

There is a playlist that you can find with all of the various stories that have been recorded in there together.

So the Grimm's fairy tales was originally a collection of more than 200 different folk and fairy tales.

Those were gathered up by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in Germany,

And they were originally published in the early 1800s.

So many different stories and a lot of familiar themes and characters compared to the modern fairy tales we're familiar with now.

So before we get into these two stories,

The raven and the golden goose,

Let's just take a moment here to have a nice deep exhale.

Letting go of the day.

Letting go of whatever we might be bringing with us into this moment.

For right now,

There's nowhere else that we have to be and nothing else for us to be doing.

So we can just relax,

Get ourselves comfortable,

And enjoy the stories of the raven and the golden goose,

The raven.

There was once a queen who had a little daughter,

Still too young to run alone.

One day,

The child was very troublesome and the mother could not quiet it,

Do what she would.

She grew impatient and seeing the ravens flying around the castle,

She opened the window and said,

I wish you were a raven and would fly away.

Then I should have a little peace.

Scarcely were the words out of her mouth when the child in her arms was turned into a raven and flew away from her through the open window.

The bird took its flight to a dark wood and remained there for a long time.

And meanwhile,

The parents could hear nothing of their child.

Long after this,

A man was making his way through the wood when he heard a raven calling and he followed the sound of the voice.

As he drew near,

The raven said,

I am by birth a king's daughter,

But I'm now under the spell of some enchantment.

You can,

However,

Set me free.

What am I to do?

He asked.

He asked.

She replied,

Go farther into the wood until you come to a house wherein lives an old woman.

She will offer you food and drink,

But you must not take of either.

If you do,

You will fall into a deep sleep and will not be able to help me.

In the garden behind the house is a large tan heap and on that you must stand and watch for me.

I shall drive there in my carriage at two o'clock in the afternoon for three successive days.

The first day it will be drawn by four white,

The second by four chestnut,

And the last by four black horses.

But if you fail to keep awake and I find you sleeping,

I shall not be set free.

The man promised to do all that she wished,

But the raven said,

Alas.

I know even now that you will take something from the woman and be unable to save me.

The man assured her again that he would on no account touch a thing to eat or drink.

When he came to the house and went inside,

The old woman met him and said,

Poor man,

How tired you are.

Come in and rest and let me give you something to eat and drink.

No,

Answered the man.

I will neither eat nor drink.

But she would not leave him alone and urged him,

Saying,

If you will not eat anything,

At least you might take a draught of wine.

One drink counts for nothing.

And at last,

He allowed himself to be persuaded and drank.

As it drew towards the appointed hour,

He went outside into the garden and mounted the tan heap to await the raven.

Suddenly,

A feeling of fatigue came over him and,

Unable to resist it,

He lay down for a little while,

Fully determined,

However,

To keep awake.

But in another minute,

His eyes closed of their own accord and he fell into such a deep sleep that all the noises in the world would not have awakened him.

At two o'clock,

The raven came driving along,

Drawn by her four white horses.

But even before she reached the spot,

She said to herself,

Sighing,

I know,

He has fallen asleep.

Asleep.

When she entered the garden,

There she found him.

As she had feared,

Lying on the tan heap,

Fast asleep.

She got out of her carriage and went to him.

She called him and shook him,

But it was all in vain.

He still continued sleeping.

The next day,

At noon,

The old woman came to him again with food and drink,

Which he at first refused,

At last,

Overcome by her persistent entreaties that he would take something.

He lifted the glass and drank again.

Towards two o'clock,

He went into the garden and onto the tan heap to watch for the raven.

He had not been there long before he began to feel so tired that his limbs seemed hardly able to support him,

And he could not stand upright any longer.

So again,

He lay down and fell fast asleep.

As the raven drove along her four chestnut horses,

She said sorrowfully to herself,

I know,

He has fallen asleep.

She went,

As before,

To look for him,

But he slept,

And it was impossible.

To awaken him.

The following day,

The old woman said to him,

What is this?

You are not eating or drinking anything.

Do you want to kill yourself?

He answered,

I may not and will not either eat or drink.

But she put down the dish of food and the glass of wine in front of him.

And when he smelt the wine,

He was unable to resist the temptation and took a deep draught.

When the hour came round again,

He went,

As usual,

Onto the tan heap in the garden to await the king's daughter.

But he felt even more overcome with weariness than on the two previous days.

And throwing himself down,

He slept like a log.

At two o'clock,

The raven could be seen approaching.

And this time,

Her coachman and everything about her,

As well as her horses,

Were black.

She was sadder than ever as she drove along and said,

Mournfully,

I know,

He has fallen asleep and will not be able to set me free.

She found him sleeping heavily.

Sleeping heavily and all her efforts to awaken him were of no avail.

Then she placed beside him a loaf and some meat and a flask of wine of such a kind that however much he took of them,

They would never grow less.

After that,

She drew a gold ring on which her name was engraved off her finger and put it upon one of his.

Finally,

She laid a letter near him in which,

After giving him particulars of the food and drink she had left for him,

She finished with the following words.

I see that as long as you remain here,

You will never be able to set me free.

If,

However,

You still wish to do so,

Come to the golden castle of Stromberg.

This is well within your power to accomplish.

She then returned to her carriage and drove to the golden castle of Stromberg.

When the man awoke and found that he had been sleeping,

He was grieved at heart and said,

She has no doubt been here and driven away again and it is now too late for me to save her.

To save her.

Then his eyes fell on the things which were lying beside him.

He read the letter and knew from it all that had happened.

He rose up without delay,

Eager to start on his way and to reach the castle of Stromberg.

But he had no idea in which direction he ought to go.

He travelled about a long time in search of it and came at last to a dark forest through which he went on walking for 14 days and still could not find a way out.

Once more the night came on and worn out,

He lay down under a bush and fell asleep.

Again,

The next day he pursued his way through the forest and that evening,

Thinking to rest again,

He lay down as before,

But he heard such a howling and wailing that he found it impossible to sleep.

He waited till it was darker and people had begun to light up their houses and then,

Seeing a little glimmer ahead of him,

He went towards it.

He found that the light came from a house which looked smaller than it really was.

From the contrast of its height with that of an immense giant who stood in front of it.

He thought to himself,

If the giant sees me going in,

My life will not be worth much.

However,

After a while,

He summoned up courage and went forward.

When the giant saw him,

He called out,

It is lucky for that you have come,

For I have not had anything to eat for a long time.

I can have you now for my supper.

I would rather you let that alone,

Said the man,

For I do not willingly give myself up to be eaten.

If you are wanting food,

I have enough to satisfy your hunger.

If that is so,

Replied the giant,

I will leave you in peace.

I only thought of eating you because I had nothing else.

So they went indoors together and sat down,

And the man brought out the bread,

Meat and wine,

Which,

Although he had eaten and drunk of them,

Were still unconsumed.

The giant was pleased with the good cheer and ate and drank to his heart's content.

When he had finished his supper,

The man asked him if he could direct him to the castle of Stromberg.

The giant said,

I will look on my map.

On it are marked all the towns,

Villages and houses.

So he fetched his map and looked for the castle,

But could not find it.

Never mind,

He said,

I have larger maps upstairs in the cupboard.

We will look on those.

But they searched in vain,

For the castle was not marked even on these.

The man now thought he should like to continue his journey,

But the giant begged him to remain for a day or two longer until the return of his brother,

Who was away in search of provisions.

When the brother came home,

They asked him about the castle of Stromberg,

And he told them he would look on his own maps as soon as he had eaten and appeased his hunger.

Accordingly,

When he had finished his supper,

They all went up together to his room and looked through his maps,

But the castle was not to be found.

Then he fetched other older maps and they went on looking for the castle until at last they found it,

But it was many thousand miles away.

How shall I be able to get there,

Asked the man.

I have two hours to spare,

Said the giant,

And I will carry you into the neighbourhood of the castle.

I must then return to look after the child who is in our care.

The giant,

Thereupon,

Carried the man to within about a hundred leagues of the castle.

Where he left him,

Saying,

You will be able to walk the remainder of the way yourself.

The man journeyed on day and night till he reached the golden castle of Stromberg.

He found it situated,

However,

On a glass mountain,

And looking up from the foot he saw the enchanted maiden drive round her castle and then go inside.

He was overjoyed to see her.

And longed to get to the top of the mountain,

But the sides were so slippery that every time he attempted to climb,

He fell back again.

When he saw that it was impossible to reach her,

He was greatly grieved,

And said to himself,

I will remain here and wait for her.

So,

He built himself a little hut,

And there he sat and watched for a whole year.

And every day he saw the king's daughter driving round her castle,

But still was unable to get nearer to her.

Looking out from his hut one day,

He saw three robbers fighting,

And he called out to them,

God be with you.

They stopped when they heard the call.

When they heard the call,

But looking round and seeing nobody,

They went on again with their fighting,

Which now became more furious.

God be with you,

He cried again,

And again they paused and looked about,

But seeing no one,

Went back to their fighting.

A third time he called out,

God be with you,

And then thinking he should like to know the cause of dispute between the three men,

He went out and asked them why they were fighting so angrily with one another.

One of them said that he had found a stick,

And that he had but to strike it against any door through which he wished to pass,

And it immediately flew open.

Another told him that he had found a cloak,

Which rendered its wearer invisible,

And the third had caught a horse,

Which would carry its rider over any obstacle and even up the glass mountain.

They had been unable to decide whether they would keep together and have the things in common,

Or whether they would separate.

On hearing this,

The man said,

I will give you something in exchange for those three things.

Not money,

For that I have not got,

But something that is of far more value.

I must first,

However,

Prove whether all you have told me about your three things is true.

The robbers therefore made him get on the horse,

And handed him the stick and the cloak,

And when he had put this round him,

He was no longer visible.

Then he fell upon them with the stick and beat them,

One after another,

Crying,

Crying,

There,

You idle vagabonds,

You have got what you deserve.

Are you satisfied now?

After this,

He rode up the glass mountain,

When he reached the gate of the castle.

He found it closed,

But he gave it a blow with his stick and it flew wide open at once,

And he passed through.

He mounted the steps and entered the room where the maiden was sitting,

With a golden goblet full of wine in front of her.

She could not see him,

For he still wore his cloak.

He took the ring,

Which she had given him,

Off his finger and threw it into the goblet,

The goblet,

So that it rang as it touched the bottom.

That is my own ring,

She exclaimed,

And if that is so,

The man must also be here who is coming to set me free.

She sought for him about the castle,

But could find him nowhere.

Meanwhile,

He had gone outside again and mounted his horse and thrown off the cloak,

When,

Therefore,

She came to the castle gate,

She saw him and cried aloud for joy.

Then he dismounted and took her in his arms and she kissed him and said,

Now you have indeed set me free,

And tomorrow we will celebrate our marriage.

The Golden Goose There was a man who had three sons,

The youngest of whom was called Dumbling and was despised,

Mocked and sneered at on every occasion.

It happened that the eldest wanted to go into the forest to hew wood,

And before he went,

His mother gave him a beautiful sweet cake and a bottle of wine in order that he might not suffer from hunger or thirst.

When he entered the forest,

He met a little grey-haired old man who bade him good day and said,

Do give me a piece of cake out of your pocket,

And let me have a draught of your wine.

I am so hungry and thirsty.

But the clever son answered,

If I give you my cake and wine,

I shall have none for myself.

Be off with you.

And he left the little man standing and went on.

But when he began to hew down a tree,

It was not long before he made a false stroke and the axe cut him in the arm so that he had to go home and have it bound up.

And this was the little grey man's doing.

After this,

The second son went into the forest,

And his mother gave him,

Like the eldest,

A cake and a bottle of wine.

The little old grey man met him likewise and asked him for a piece of cake and a drink of wine.

But the second son,

Too,

Said sensibly enough,

What I give you will be taken away from myself.

Be off.

And he left the little man standing and went on.

His punishment,

However,

Was not delayed.

When he had made a few blows at the tree,

He struck himself in the leg so that he had to be carried home.

Then Dumling said,

Father,

Do let me go and cut wood.

The father answered,

Your brothers have hurt themselves with it.

Leave it alone.

You do not understand anything about it.

But Dumling begged so long that at last he said,

Just go then.

You will get wiser by hurting yourself.

His mother gave him a cake made with water and baked in the cinders and with it a bottle of sour beer.

When he came to the forest,

The little old grey man met him likewise and greeting him said,

Give me a piece of your cake and a drink out of your bottle.

I am so hungry and thirsty.

Dumling answered,

I have only cinder cake and sour beer.

If that pleases you,

We will sit down and eat.

So they sat down.

And when Dumling pulled out his cinder cake,

It was a fine,

Sweet cake.

And the sour beer had become good wine.

So they ate and drank.

And after that,

The little man said,

Since you have a good heart,

And are willing to divide what you have,

I will give you good luck.

There stands an old tree.

Cut it down and you will find something at the roots.

Then the little man took leave of him.

Dumling went and cut down the tree.

And when it fell,

There was a goose sitting in the roots with feathers of pure gold.

He lifted her up and taking her with him,

Went to an inn where he thought he would stay the night.

Now,

The host had three daughters who saw the goose and were curious to know what such a wonderful bird might be and would have liked to have one of its golden feathers.

The eldest thought,

I shall soon find an opportunity of pulling out a feather.

And as soon as Dumling had gone out,

She seized the goose by the wing.

But her finger and hand remained sticking fast to it.

The second came soon afterwards,

Thinking only of how she might get a feather for herself.

But she had scarcely touched her sister.

Then she was held fast.

At last,

The third also came with the like intent and the others screamed out,

Keep away,

For goodness sake,

Keep away.

But she did not understand why she was to keep away.

The others are there,

She thought.

I may as well be there too.

And ran to them.

But as soon as she had touched her sister,

She remained sticking fast to her.

So they had to spend the night with the goose.

The next morning,

Dumling took the goose under his arm and set out without troubling himself about the three girls who were hanging onto it.

They were obliged to run after him continually,

Now left,

Now right,

Wherever his legs took him.

In the middle of the fields,

The parson met them.

And when he saw the procession,

He said,

For shame,

You good for nothing girls.

Why are you running across the fields after this young man?

Is that seemly?

At the same time,

He seized the youngest by the hand in order to pull her away.

But as soon as he touched her,

He likewise stuck fast and was himself obliged to run behind.

Before long,

The sexton came by and saw his master,

The parson,

Running behind three girls.

He was astonished at this and called out,

Hi,

Your reverence wither away so quickly.

Do not forget that we have a christening today.

And running after him,

He took him by the sleeve,

But was also held fast to it.

Whilst the five were trotting thus,

One behind the other,

Two labourers came with their hoes from the fields.

The parson called out to them and begged that they would set him and the sexton free.

But they had scarcely touched the sexton when they were held fast and now there were seven of them running behind Dumling and the goose.

Soon afterwards,

He came to a city where a king ruled who had a daughter who was so serious serious that no one could make her laugh.

So he had put forth a decree that whosoever should be able to make her laugh should marry her.

When Dumling heard this,

He went with his goose and all her train before the king's daughter.

And as soon as she saw the seven people running on and on,

One behind the other,

She began to laugh quite loudly and as if she would never stop.

Thereupon,

Dumling asked to have her for his wife.

But the king did not like the son-in-law and made all manner of excuses and said he must first produce a man who could drink a cellar full of wine.

Dumling thought of the little grey man who could certainly help him.

So he went into the forest and in the same place where he had felled the tree,

He saw a man sitting who had a very sorrowful face.

Dumling asked him what he was taking to heart so sorely and he answered,

I have such a great thirst and cannot quench it.

Cold water I cannot stand.

A barrel of wine I have just emptied but that to me is like a drop on a hot stone.

There I can help you,

Said Dumling.

Just come with me and you shall be satisfied.

He led him into the king's cellar and the man bent over the huge barrels and drank and drank till his loins hurt and before the day was out,

He had emptied all the barrels.

The barrels.

Then Dumling asked once more for his bride.

But the king was vexed that such an ugly fellow whom everyone called Dumling should take away his daughter.

And he made a new condition.

He must first find a man who could eat a whole mountain of bread.

Dumling did not think long but went straight into the forest where in the same place there sat a man who was tying up his body with a strap and making an awful face and saying,

I have eaten a whole oven full of rolls.

But what good is that when one has such a hunger as I?

My stomach remains empty and I must tie myself up if I am not to die of hunger.

At this Dumling was glad and said,

Get up and come with me.

You shall eat yourself full.

He led him to the king's palace where all the flour in the whole kingdom was collected and from it he caused a huge mountain of bread to be baked.

The man from the forest stood before it,

Began to eat and by the end of one day the whole mountain had vanished.

Then Dumling for the third time asked for his bride.

But the king again sought a way out and ordered a ship which could sail on land and on water.

As soon as you come sailing back in it,

Said he,

You shall have my daughter for wife.

Dumling went straight into the forest and there sat the little grey man to whom he had given his cake.

When he heard what Dumling wanted,

He said,

Since you have given me to eat and to drink,

I will give you the ship and I do all this because you once were kind to me.

Then he gave him the ship which could sail on land and water.

And when the king saw that,

He could no longer prevent him from having his daughter.

The wedding was celebrated and after the king's death,

Dumling inherited his kingdom and lived for a long time contentedly with his wife.