The Death of the Little Hen
A poor widow's only hen dies, leaving her with no means to feed her children. She sends them out into the world, but they are unable to find food and eventually die of starvation. The mother is left alone, mourning the loss of her children.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1815 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fable, Tragedy · 781 words
First lines
Once upon a time the little hen went with the little cock to the nut-hill, and they agreed together that whichsoever of them found a kernel of a nut should share it with the other. Then the hen found a large, large nut, but said nothing about it, intending to eat the kernel herself. The kernel, however, was so large that she could not swallow it, and it remained sticking in her throat, so that she was alarmed lest she should be choked. Then she cried, "Cock, I entreat thee to run as fast thou canst, and fetch me some water, or I shall choke. " The little cock did run as fast as he could to the spring, and said, "Stream, thou art to give me some water; the little hen is lying on the nut-hill, and she has swallowed a large nut, and is choking. " The well answered, "First run to the bride, and get her to give thee some red silk. " The little cock ran to the bride and said, "Bride, you are to give me some red silk; I want to give red silk to the well, the well is to give me some water, I am to take the water to the little hen who is lying on the nut-hill and has swallowed a great nut-kernel, and is choking with it. " The bride answered, "First run and bring me my little wreath which is hanging to a willow. " So the little cock ran to the willow, and drew the wreath from the branch and took it to the bride, and the bride gave him some water for it. Then the little cock took the water to the hen, but when he got there the hen had choked in the meantime, and lay there dead and motionless. Then the cock was so distressed that he cried aloud, and every animal came to lament the little hen, and six mice built a little carriage to carry her to her grave, and when the carriage was ready they harnessed themselves to it, and the cock drove.
What this Textopian page supports
The Death of the Little Hen is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, dated 1815 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: 1815 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fable, Tragedy, Children's Literature, Folklore
- Length: 781 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Death of the Little Hen 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
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Similar titles
- The Fox And The Geese by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Wolf And The Fox by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Hare And The Hedgehog by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Fox And The Cat by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Gods Food Childrens Legends by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Donkey by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features anthropomorphic animals, a moral lesson, and a narrative style typical of traditional fairy tales.
- Fable — The narrative uses animals to convey a moral lesson about greed and the consequences of selfishness.
- Tragedy — The story ends with the death of all characters, highlighting themes of loss and sorrow.
- Children's Literature — The simple language and moral lesson make it suitable for a young audience.
Tags
Fairy Tale · Children's Literature · German Folklore · Animal Story · Death Theme · Mortality · Loss · Grief · Cautionary Tale · Punishment · Consequences · Farm Setting