The Twelve Brothers by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
A king's daughter has twelve brothers who are turned into birds after their stepmother's treachery. The princess must find a way to save them by spinning straw into gold and completing other impossible tasks.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1812 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Adventure · 2,334 words
First lines
There were once on a time a king and a queen who lived happily together and had twelve children, but they were all boys. Then said the King to his wife, "If the thirteenth child which thou art about to bring into the world, is a girl, the twelve boys shall die, in order that her possessions may be great, and that the kingdom may fall to her alone. " He caused likewise twelve coffins to be made, which were already filled with shavings, and in each lay the little pillow for the dead, and he had them taken into a locked-up room, and then he gave the Queen the key of it, and bade her not to speak of this to any one.
Similar titles
- The Old Woman In The Wood by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Two Brothers by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Jorinda And Joringel by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Cunning Little Tailor by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Maid Maleen by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Crystal Ball by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features classic fairy tale elements such as royalty, magical transformations, and moral lessons.
- Fantasy — The narrative includes fantastical elements like magical transformations and enchanted objects.
- Adventure — The plot involves a quest and journey through a forest, with characters facing various challenges.
- Family — The central theme revolves around familial bonds and the lengths siblings go to protect each other.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Sister's Deceit · Brotherly Love · Jealousy · Deception · Magic · Transformation · Animal Transformation · Birds · Forest · Isolation
What this Textopian page supports
The Twelve Brothers is listed on Textopian as a fable by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, dated 1812 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: 1812 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Adventure, Family, Drama
- Length: 2,334 words
- Structure: 1 section, 15 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Twelve Brothers 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