The Wise Servant by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
A young servant girl discovers a magical ring that allows her to see the future and gain wealth and power. She uses this knowledge to manipulate those around her, but ultimately loses everything due to her own greed and foolishness.
By Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm · First published 1819 · Genre: Fairy Tale, Fable, Humor · 314 words
First lines
How fortunate is the master, and how well all goes in his house, when he has a wise servant who listens to his orders and does not obey them, but prefers following his own wisdom. A clever John of this kind was once sent out by his master to seek a lost cow. He stayed away a long time, and the master thought, "Faithful John does not spare any pains over his work! " As, however, he did not come back at all, the master was afraid lest some misfortune had befallen him, and set out himself to look for him. He had to search a long time, but at last he perceived the boy who was running up and down a large field. "Now, dear John," said the master when he had got up to him, "hast thou found the cow which I sent thee to seek? " "No, master," he answered, "I have not found the cow, but then I have not looked for it. " "Then what hast thou looked for, John? " "Something better, and that luckily I have found. " "What is that, John? " "Three blackbirds," answered the boy. "And where are they? " asked the master. "I see one of them, I hear the other, and I am running after the third," answered the wise boy.
What this Textopian page supports
The Wise Servant 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, Humor, Satire, Children's Literature
- Length: 314 words
- Structure: 1 section, 2 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Wise Servant 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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Genres
- Fairy Tale — The story features fantastical elements and moral lessons typical of fairy tales.
- Fable — The narrative conveys a moral lesson through the actions of its characters, similar to a fable.
- Humor — The story uses irony and wit, particularly in the servant's unexpected actions, to create humor.
- Satire — The tale critiques societal norms and authority through the servant's disobedience and cleverness.
Tags
Fairy Tale · German Folklore · Servant · Wisdom · Morality · Teaching Story · Allegory · Symbolism · Coming of Age · Self-Discovery · Moral Lesson · Reward and Punishment