Lean Lisa by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
The story revolves around a young woman who is forced to marry an old man due to her family's financial situation. She is mistreated by him and his daughters, but she finds solace in the kindness of a servant girl. The old man discovers their relationship and punishes them severely.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Comedy, Satire · 558 words
First lines
Lean Lisa was of a very different way of thinking from lazy Harry and fat Trina, who never let anything disturb their peace. She scoured everything with ashes, from morning till evening, and burdened her husband, Long Laurence, with so much work that he had heavier weights to carry than an ass with three sacks. It was, however, all to no purpose, they had nothing and came to nothing. One night as she lay in bed, and could hardly move one limb for weariness, she still did not allow her thoughts to go to sleep. She thrust her elbows into her husband's side, and said, "Listen, Lenz, to what I have been thinking: if I were to find one florin and one was given to me, I would borrow another to put to them, and thou too shouldst give me another, and then as soon as I had got the four florins together, I would buy a young cow. " This pleased the husband right well. "It is true," said he, "that I do not know where I am to get the florin which thou wantest as a gift from me; but, if thou canst get the money together, and canst buy a cow with it, thou wilt do well to carry out thy project. I shall be glad," he added, "if the cow has a calf, and then I shall often get a drink of milk to refresh me. " "The milk is not for thee," said the woman, "we must let the calf suck that it may become big and fat, and we may be able to sell it well."
What this Textopian page supports
Lean Lisa is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, dated 1819 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: 1819 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Comedy, Satire, Domestic Fiction, Moral Tale
- Length: 558 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
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- Work identity for Lean Lisa by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Lean Lisa?
- 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
- Oh If I Could But Shiver by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Little Peasant by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- King Thrushbeard by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Our Ladys Child by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Thumbling by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Wonderful Musician by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story is a traditional folk tale with moral lessons, typical of fairy tales.
- Comedy — The narrative includes humorous elements and absurd situations, characteristic of comedic stories.
- Satire — The story uses exaggeration and irony to critique human behavior and societal norms.
- Domestic Fiction — The plot revolves around the everyday life and domestic issues of a married couple.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Short Story · Fantasy · Adventure · Magic · Transformation · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · Identity Crisis · Social Hierarchy · Class Struggle