The Ungrateful Son
A young man returns home after many years abroad, seeking to reclaim his inheritance from his father. However, the father refuses to give him anything, and instead demands that he prove himself worthy by completing a series of impossible tasks. The son's attempts are thwarted at every turn, leading to a tragic confrontation with his father.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fable, Fantasy · 187 words
First lines
A man and his wife were once sitting by the door of their house, and they had a roasted chicken set before them, and were about to eat it together. Then the man saw that his aged father was coming, and hastily took the chicken and hid it, for he would not permit him to have any of it. The old man came, took a drink, and went away. Now the son wanted to put the roasted chicken on the table again, but when he took it up, it had become a great toad, which jumped into his face and sat there and never went away again, and if any one wanted to take it off, it looked venomously at him as if it would jump in his face, so that no one would venture to touch it. And the ungrateful son was forced to feed the toad every day, or else it fed itself on his face; and thus he went about the world without knowing rest.
What this Textopian page supports
The Ungrateful Son 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, Fantasy, Parable, Folklore
- Length: 187 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Ungrateful Son by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Ungrateful Son?
- 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 Poor Man And The Rich Man by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Hares Bride by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Fox And His Cousin by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Gold Children by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Three Brothers by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Queen Bee by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features magical elements, moral lessons, and a simple narrative structure typical of fairy tales.
- Fable — The narrative conveys a moral lesson about gratitude and consequences, akin to traditional fables.
- Fantasy — The transformation of the chicken into a toad introduces fantastical elements.
- Parable — The story serves as a didactic tale with a clear moral message, similar to parables.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Short Story · Coming-of-Age · Family Conflict · Sibling Rivalry · Jealousy · Envy · Revenge · Tragic Ending · Morality Tale · Social Commentary