The Shepherd Boy by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
A poor boy is left to care for his flock of sheep. He lies about seeing a wolf attacking the sheep to get attention from the villagers. The villagers come and chase the wolf away, but it's actually just a harmless dog. The boy continues to lie, and eventually, a real wolf appears.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1815 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Folk Tale, Children's Literature · 422 words
First lines
There was once on a time a shepherd boy whose fame spread far and wide because of the wise answers which he gave to every question. The King of the country heard of it likewise, but did not believe it, and sent for the boy. Then he said to him, "If thou canst give me an answer to three questions which I will ask thee, I will look on thee as my own child, and thou shalt dwell with me in my royal palace. " The boy said, "What are the three questions? " The King said, "The first is, how many drops of water are there in the ocean? " The shepherd boy answered, "Lord King, if you will have all the rivers on earth dammed up so that not a single drop runs from them into the sea until I have counted it, I will tell you how many drops there are in the sea. " The King said, "The next question is, how many stars are there in the sky? " The shepherd boy said, "Give me a great sheet of white paper," and then he made so many fine points on it with a pen that they could scarcely be seen, and it was all but impossible to count them; any one who looked at them would have lost his sight. Then he said, "There are as many stars in the sky as there are points on the paper; just count them. " But no one was able to do it. The King said, "The third question is, how many seconds of time are there in eternity. " Then said the shepherd boy, "In Lower Pomerania is the Diamond Mountain, which is two miles and a half high, two miles and a half wide, and two miles and a half in depth; every hundred years a little bird comes and sharpens its beak on it, and when the whole mountain is worn away by this, then the first second of eternity will be over."
What this Textopian page supports
The Shepherd Boy 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, Folk Tale, Children's Literature, Fantasy, Moral Story
- Length: 422 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Shepherd Boy 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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Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features fantastical elements, a moral lesson, and a young protagonist who uses wit to overcome challenges, typical of fairy tales.
- Folk Tale — The narrative is rooted in oral tradition, with a simple structure and universal themes, characteristic of folk tales.
- Children's Literature — The story is suitable for children, with a straightforward plot and a young hero, aligning with children's literature.
- Fantasy — The inclusion of impossible tasks and mythical elements, such as counting stars and measuring eternity, aligns with fantasy.
Tags
Fairy Tale · Children's Literature · German Folklore · Shepherd Boy · Liar · Deception · Consequences · Moral Lesson · Cautionary Tale · Animal Story · Boyhood · Coming of Age