The Owl by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
A young girl marries a prince who turns out to be an owl. She discovers this when she sees him transform into the bird at night. The next morning, he reverts back to his human form.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1815 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Humor · 983 words
First lines
Two or three hundred years ago, when people were far from being so crafty and cunning as they are now-a-day, an extraordinary event took place in a little town. By some mischance one of the great owls, called horned owls, had come from the neighboring woods into the barn of one of the townsfolk in the night-time, and when day broke did not dare to venture forth again from her retreat, for fear of the other birds, which raised a terrible outcry whenever she appeared. In the morning when the man-servant went into the barn to fetch some straw, he was so mightily alarmed at the sight of the owl sitting there in a corner, that he ran away and announced to his master that a monster, the like of which he had never set eyes on in his life, and which could devour a man without the slightest difficulty, was sitting in the barn, rolling its eyes about in its head. "I know you already," said the master, "you have courage enough to chase a blackbird about the fields, but when you see a dead hen lying, you have to get a stick before you go near it. I must go and see for myself what kind of a monster it is," added the master, and went quite boldly into the granary and looked round him.
What this Textopian page supports
The Owl 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, Fantasy, Humor, Satire, Adventure
- Length: 983 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Owl 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
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Owl?
- 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 Two Travellers by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Bird Found by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Crystal Ball by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Six Servants by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Griffin by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Flail From Heaven by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story is a traditional fairy tale with fantastical elements and moral lessons, typical of folklore.
- Fantasy — The presence of a 'monster' owl and the exaggerated reactions of the townspeople contribute to a fantastical atmosphere.
- Humor — The exaggerated fear and actions of the townspeople create a comedic effect.
- Satire — The story satirizes human nature and societal reactions to perceived threats.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Mythology · Fantasy · Magic · Animal Story · Owl Symbolism · Wisdom · Knowledge · Mystery · Adventure · Coming of Age