The Willow-Wren and the Bear
A poor woodcutter's wife sends her children into the forest to fetch a willow-wren and a bear for dinner. The children are devoured by the bear, but the wren saves their souls by singing them to heaven.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fable, Children's Literature · 1,109 words
First lines
Once in summer-time the bear and the wolf were walking in the forest, and the bear heard a bird singing so beautifully that he said, "Brother wolf, what bird is it that sings so well? " "That is the King of birds," said the wolf, "before whom we must bow down. " It was, however, in reality the willow-wren (Zaunkönig). "If that's the case," said the bear, "I should very much like to see his royal palace; come, take me thither. " "That is not done quite as you seem to think," said the wolf; "you must wait until the Queen comes. " Soon afterwards, the Queen arrived with some food in her beak, and the lord King came too, and they began to feed their young ones. The bear would have liked to go at once, but the wolf held him back by the sleeve, and said, "No, you must wait until the lord and lady Queen have gone away again. " So they observed the hole in which was the nest, and trotted away. The bear, however, could not rest until he had seen the royal palace, and when a short time had passed, again went to it. The King and Queen had just flown out, so he peeped in and saw five or six young ones lying in it. "Is that the royal palace? " cried the bear; "it is a wretched palace, and you are not King's children, you are disreputable children! " When the young wrens heard that, they were frightfully angry, and screamed, "No, that we are not! Our parents are honest people! Bear, thou wilt have to pay for that!"
What this Textopian page supports
The Willow-Wren and the Bear 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, Fantasy, Adventure
- Length: 1,109 words
- Structure: 1 section, 4 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for The Willow-Wren and the Bear by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Willow-Wren and the Bear?
- 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
- Hans The Hedgehog by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- Bird Found by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Griffin by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Dog And The Sparrow by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Sole by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
- The Golden Key by Jacob And Wilhelm Grimm
Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features anthropomorphic animals, a moral lesson, and a fantastical setting typical of fairy tales.
- Fable — The narrative uses animals to convey a moral lesson about respect and consequences, characteristic of fables.
- Children's Literature — The simple language, moral lesson, and animal characters make it suitable for children.
- Fantasy — The story includes talking animals and a fictional world, elements common in fantasy literature.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Animal Story · Bear · Willow-Wren · Nature · Magic · Transformation · Good vs Evil · Friendship · Kindness · Bravery