The Twelve Idle Servants
A king has twelve idle servants who are tasked with fetching a golden apple from the bottom of a well. The first servant takes too long and is replaced by the second, who also fails to complete the task. This pattern continues until all twelve servants have failed, at which point the king decides to fetch the apple himself.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Humor, Satire · 1,288 words
First lines
Twelve servants who had done nothing all the day would not exert themselves at night either, but laid themselves on the grass and boasted of their idleness. The first said, "What is your laziness to me, I have to concern myself about mine own? The care of my body is my principal work, I eat not a little and drink still more. When I have had four meals, I fast a short time until I feel hunger again, and that suits me best. To rise betimes is not for me; when it is getting near mid-day, I already seek out a resting-place for myself. If the master call, I do exactly as if I had not heard him, and if he call for the second time, I wait awhile before I get up, and go to him very slowly. In this way life is endurable."
What this Textopian page supports
The Twelve Idle Servants 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, Humor, Satire, Fable, Children's Literature
- Length: 1,288 words
- Structure: 1 section, 9 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Twelve Idle Servants 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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Similar titles
- The Dog And The Sparrow by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Star Money by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Wise Servant by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Fox And The Geese by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Willow Wren And The Bear by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Money Box by Hans Christian Andersen
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story is a traditional fairy tale with a moral lesson, typical of folklore.
- Humor — The narrative uses exaggerated laziness for comedic effect.
- Satire — The tale critiques idleness and irresponsibility through irony and exaggeration.
- Fable — The story imparts a moral lesson about the consequences of laziness.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Short Story · Fantasy · Adventure · Moral Lesson · Teaching Children · Virtue and Vice · Consequences of Actions · Reward and Punishment · Good vs Evil · Righteousness