The Hazel-Branch (Children's Legends)
A young girl named Hazel-Branch lives with her stepmother and stepsisters. She is mistreated by them and forced to do all the household chores. One day, while out gathering firewood, she meets a man who turns out to be a prince under a witch's curse. He asks for her help in breaking the curse, which requires her to gather a series of magical objects.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1816 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Religious Fiction · 238 words
First lines
One afternoon the Christ-child had laid himself in his cradle-bed and had fallen asleep. Then his mother came to him, looked at him full of gladness, and said, "Hast thou laid thyself down to sleep, my child? Sleep sweetly, and in the meantime I will go into the wood, and fetch thee a handful of strawberries, for I know that thou wilt be pleased with them when thou awakest. " In the wood outside, she found a spot with the most beautiful strawberries; but as she was stooping down to gather one, an adder sprang up out of the grass. She was alarmed, left the strawberries where they were, and hastened away. The adder darted after her; but Our Lady, as you can readily understand, knew what it was best to do. She hid herself behind a hazel-bush, and stood there until the adder had crept away again. Then she gathered the strawberries, and as she set out on her way home she said, "As the hazel-bush has been my protection this time, it shall in future protect others also. " Therefore, from the most remote times, a green hazel-branch has been the safest protection against adders, snakes, and everything else which creeps on the earth.
What this Textopian page supports
The Hazel-Branch (Children's Legends) is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, dated 1816 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: 1816 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Children's Literature, Religious Fiction, Legend
- Length: 238 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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Discussion starters
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Fairy Tale — The narrative features mythical elements, a moral lesson, and a simple plot typical of fairy tales.
- Children's Literature — The story is designed for a young audience, with simple language and a focus on moral instruction.
- Religious Fiction — The presence of the Christ-child and Our Lady indicates religious themes and characters.
- Legend — The story explains the origin of a belief about hazel-branches, characteristic of legends.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Children's Literature · Mythology · Legend · Fantasy · Magic · Nature · Animal Story · Coming of Age · Adventure · Quest