A poor woodcutter lives with his wife and children in a small cottage on the edge of a forest. One day, while out gathering firewood, he comes across a beautiful child lying in the snow. He takes her home and raises her as one of his own. As she grows older, it becomes clear that this child is not like the others. She has magical powers and can communicate with animals. The woodcutter's wife is suspicious of the child and treats her poorly. The child eventually runs away into the forest, where she meets a talking bird who helps her find her way back home. However, when they arrive, the woodcutter's wife has died, and the child is left alone in the world. The child uses her magical powers to take care of herself and eventually finds happiness with a group of animals in the forest.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Religious Fiction