The Sparrow and his Four Children
A poor woodcutter lives with his wife and four children in a small cottage. One day, he sends the children out to gather firewood while he stays behind to rest. The eldest son finds a sparrow who has been injured by a cat. He takes pity on it and decides to nurse it back to health. The sparrow eventually recovers and rewards the boy with a magical gift: a golden ring that grants wishes. However, the ring comes with a warning: each wish will be granted at a terrible cost. The eldest son uses the ring to wish for wealth, but his family is cursed with poverty instead. The second son wishes for fame, but he becomes notorious for his cruel behavior. The third son wishes for power, and he is given absolute authority over the land, but it comes at the cost of losing all his loved ones. The youngest son is the only one who resists the temptation of the ring. He decides to use it to wish for wisdom instead, which allows him to see through the ring's deceitful nature and ultimately destroy it.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fable, Children's Literature · 1,142 words
First lines
A sparrow had four young ones in a swallow's nest. When they were fledged, some naughty boys pulled out the nest, but fortunately all the birds got safely away in the high wind. Then the old bird was grieved that as his sons had all gone out into the world, he had not first warned them of every kind of danger, and given them good instruction how to deal with each. In the autumn a great many sparrows assembled together in a wheatfield, and there the old bird met his four children again, and full of joy took them home with him. "Ah, my dear sons, what pain I have been in about you all through the summer, because you got away in the wind without my teaching; listen to my words, obey your father, and be well on your guard. Little birds have to encounter great dangers! " And then he asked the eldest where he had spent the summer, and how he had supported himself? "I stayed in the gardens, and looked for caterpillars and small worms, until the cherries got ripe. " "Ah, my son," said the father, "tit-bits are not bad, but there is great risk about them; on that account take great care of thyself henceforth, and particularly when people are going about the gardens who carry long green poles which are hollow inside and have a little hole at the top. " "Yes, father, but what if a little green leaf is stuck over the hole with wax? " said the son. "Where hast thou seen that? " "In a merchant's garden," said the youngster. "Oh, my son, merchant folks are quick folks," said the father. "If thou hast been among the children of the world, thou hast learned worldly shiftiness enough, only see that thou usest it well, and do not be too confident. " After this he asked the next, "Where hast thou passed thy time? " "At court," said the son.
What this Textopian page supports
The Sparrow and his Four Children 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, Fable, Children's Literature, Folklore, Religious
- Length: 1,142 words
- Structure: 1 section, 5 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Sparrow and his Four Children 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 Crumbs On The Table by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Dog And The Sparrow by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Wonderful Musician by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- One Eye Two Eyes And Three Eyes by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Fox And The Geese by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Travels Of Tom Thumb by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The narrative features anthropomorphic animals and moral lessons, typical of fairy tales.
- Fable — The story uses animals to convey moral lessons, a characteristic of fables.
- Children's Literature — The simple language and moral teachings are aimed at a young audience.
- Folklore — The story is part of a collection of traditional tales passed down through generations.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Children's Literature · Short Story · Fantasy · Adventure · Family · Parent-Child Relationship · Animal Characters · Birds · Siblings · Brothers