The Little Peasant
A poor woodcutter lives with his wife and three daughters in a small cottage. The father works hard to provide for the family but struggles to make ends meet. One day, he promises his daughters that whoever brings him back a bouquet of flowers will be rewarded with a new dress. The eldest daughter sets out to gather flowers but is unable to find any. She returns home empty-handed and is scolded by her father. The second daughter also fails in her attempt to gather flowers. The youngest daughter, who is kind and gentle, decides to go into the forest to search for flowers. She encounters a bear and offers it honey from her basket. The bear becomes friendly towards her and agrees to help her find flowers. The bear leads the girl to a beautiful meadow filled with wildflowers. However, when they return home, the father is disappointed that his daughters have not brought back any flowers. He scolds them again, unaware of the bear's role in helping the youngest daughter gather the flowers. The bear appears at the doorstep and offers to take the eldest daughter to a nearby town where she can buy a new dress. However, when they arrive, the girl is unable to pay for the dress and is forced to return home empty-handed. The second daughter also fails to find a suitable dress in another town. The youngest daughter decides to go into the forest again to gather flowers. This time, she encounters a fairy who offers her a magical flower that will make her beautiful and worthy of marrying a prince. However, when the girl returns home with the magical flower, her father is still unaware of its significance. He scolds her for not bringing back any flowers, despite her efforts. The bear appears once again and takes the eldest daughter to a nearby town where she can buy a new dress. This time, the girl is able to pay for the dress using money given to her by the fairy. The second daughter also finds a suitable dress in another town. The youngest daughter decides to go into the forest one last time to gather flowers. She encounters a prince who has been turned into a bear by an evil witch. The girl's kindness and beauty break the curse, and the prince is transformed back into his human form. The prince marries the youngest daughter, and they live happily ever after.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Folklore, Comedy · 2,517 words
First lines
There was a certain village wherein no one lived but really rich peasants, and just one poor one, whom they called the little peasant. He had not even so much as a cow, and still less money to buy one, and yet he and his wife did so wish to have one. One day he said to her, "Hark you, I have a good thought, there is our gossip the carpenter, he shall make us a wooden calf, and paint it brown, so that it look like any other, and in time it will certainly get big and be a cow. " The woman also liked the idea, and their gossip the carpenter cut and planed the calf, and painted it as it ought to be, and made it with its head hanging down as if it were eating.
What this Textopian page supports
The Little Peasant 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, Folklore, Comedy, Satire, Adventure
- Length: 2,517 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Very Easy (5th Grade or below)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Little Peasant 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
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Little Peasant?
- 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
- The Giant And The Tailor by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Bird Found by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Boots Of Buffalo Leather by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Gnome by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Seven Swabians by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Water Nix by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features traditional fairy tale elements such as a poor protagonist, cleverness, and a moral lesson.
- Folklore — The narrative is rooted in cultural folklore, with a focus on rural life and common folk wisdom.
- Comedy — The plot includes humorous situations and clever trickery, leading to comedic outcomes.
- Satire — The story satirizes human greed and gullibility, particularly among the villagers.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Children's Literature · Short Story · Fantasy · Adventure · Magic · Poverty · Social Class · Rags to Riches · Transformation · Coming of Age