Eve's Various Children
The story revolves around a woman who gives birth to three children: two boys and one girl. The mother dies shortly after childbirth, leaving the father to care for the children. He marries again, but his new wife is cruel and mistreats the children. The stepmother orders her husband to kill the children, but he refuses. Instead, she tricks him into believing that they have been killed by a wolf. The stepmother then forces the father to marry another woman, who is even more cruel than the first. The story takes a dark turn as the stepmother's cruelty escalates, and the children are eventually forced to flee their home in search of safety. Along the way, they encounter various challenges and obstacles that test their courage and resilience. Ultimately, the children are able to outsmart their stepmother and find happiness with a kind old woman who takes them in. The story concludes on a hopeful note, with the children living happily ever after.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1812 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Religious Fiction, Parable · 863 words
First lines
When Adam and Eve were driven out of Paradise, they were compelled to build a house for themselves on unfruitful ground, and eat their bread in the sweat of their brow. Adam dug up the land, and Eve span. Every year Eve brought a child into the world; but the children were unlike each other, some pretty, and some ugly. After a considerable time had gone by, God sent an angel to them, to announce that he was coming to inspect their household. Eve, delighted that the Lord should be so gracious, cleaned her house diligently, decked it with flowers, and strewed reeds on the floor. Then she brought in her children, but only the beautiful ones. She washed and bathed them, combed their hair, put clean raiment on them, and cautioned them to conduct themselves decorously and modestly in the presence of the Lord. They were to bow down before him civilly, hold out their hands, and to answer his questions modestly and sensibly. The ugly children were, however, not to let themselves be seen. One hid himself beneath the hay, another under the roof, a third in the straw, the fourth in the stove, the fifth in the cellar, the sixth under a tub, the seventh beneath the wine-cask, the eighth under an old fur cloak, the ninth and tenth beneath the cloth out of which she always made their clothes, and the eleventh and twelfth under the leather out of which she cut their shoes. She had scarcely got ready, before there was a knock at the house-door. Adam looked through a chink, and saw that it was the Lord. Adam opened the door respectfully, and the Heavenly Father entered.
What this Textopian page supports
Eve's Various Children 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, Religious Fiction, Parable, Folklore, Children's Literature
- Length: 863 words
- Structure: 1 section, 3 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for Eve's Various Children by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
- The Duration Of Life by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Peasant In Heaven by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Story Of The Year by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Girl Who Trod Upon Bread by Hans Christian Andersen
- The Crumbs On The Table by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Four Clever Brothers by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The narrative features mythical elements, moral lessons, and a simplistic style typical of fairy tales.
- Religious Fiction — The story incorporates biblical characters and themes, exploring divine intervention and moral teachings.
- Parable — The tale conveys a moral lesson about the necessity of diverse roles in society, akin to a parable.
- Folklore — The story reflects traditional folklore elements, including a moral message and archetypal characters.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Short Story Collection · Fantasy · Mythology · Magic Realism · Literary Fiction · Classic Literature · 19th Century Literature · European Folklore · Female Protagonist · Coming of Age