A Riddling Tale
The story revolves around a poor woodcutter who lives with his wife and three daughters. The family's poverty is exacerbated by the fact that the father is unable to provide for them due to his physical limitations. One day, while out in the forest, the woodcutter comes across a riddle that promises great wealth if solved correctly. He shares it with his daughters, but none of them can figure it out. The story takes a dark turn when the woodcutter's wife suggests that they cut off one of their daughter's feet to fit into a small shoe mentioned in the riddle. The first two daughters are willing to sacrifice themselves for the promise of wealth, but the third daughter is more cautious and refuses to do so. In the end, the riddle is solved by the third daughter, who is rewarded with great wealth and happiness.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1812 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Fable · 148 words
First lines
Three women were changed into flowers which grew in the field, but one of them was allowed to be in her own home at night. Then once when day was drawing near, and she was forced to go back to her companions in the field and become a flower again, she said to her husband, "If thou wilt come this afternoon and gather me, I shall be set free and henceforth stay with thee. " And he did so. Now the question is, how did her husband know her, for the flowers were exactly alike, and without any difference? Answer: as she was at her home during the night and not in the field, no dew fell on her as it did on the others, and by this her husband knew her.
What this Textopian page supports
A Riddling Tale is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, dated 1812 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Fable
- Author: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Date: 1812 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Fable, Mystery
- Length: 148 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for A Riddling Tale by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering A Riddling Tale?
- How does this fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Fairy Tale first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Clever Grethel by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Riddle by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Lords Animals And The Devils by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Goosegirl by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Sunshine Stories by Hans Christian Andersen
- Prince Bayaya The Story Of A Magic Horse by Parker Fillmore
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story involves magical transformations and a moral lesson, typical of fairy tales.
- Fantasy — The narrative includes elements of magic and the supernatural, such as transformation into flowers.
- Fable — The story conveys a moral lesson through a simple narrative, akin to a fable.
- Mystery — The plot centers around solving the riddle of identifying the correct flower.
Tags
FairyTale · GermanLiterature · Fantasy · Magic · Adventure · Mystery · Riddle · Enchantment · Mythology · Legend · Folklore · ChildrensStory