By the side of a wood, in a country a long way off, ran a fine stream of water; and upon the stream there stood a mill. The miller`s house was close by, and the miller, you must know, had a very beautiful daughter. She was, moreover, very shrewd and clever; and the miller was so proud of her, that he one day told the king of the land, who used to come and hunt in the wood, that his daughter could spin gold out of straw. Now this king was very fond of money; and when he heard the

The mother of Hans said: “Whither away, Hans?` Hans answered: “To Gretel.` “Behave well, Hans.` “Oh, I`ll behave well. Goodbye, mother.` “Goodbye, Hans.` Hans comes to Gretel. “Good day, Gretel.` “Good day, Hans. What do you bring that is good?` “I bring nothing, I want to have something given me.` Gretel presents Hans with a needle, Hans says: “Goodbye, Gretel.` “Goodbye, Hans.`
Hans takes the needle, sticks it into a hay-cart, and follows the cart home. “Good evening, mother.` “Good evening, Hans. Where have you been?` “With Gretel.` “What did you take her?` “Took nothing; had something given me.` “What did

A certain father had two sons, the elder of who was smart and sensible, and could do everything, but the younger was stupid and could neither learn nor understand anything, and when people saw him they said: “There`s a fellow who will give his father some trouble!` When anything had to be done, it was always the elder who was forced to do it; but if his father bade him fetch anything when it was late, or in the night-time, and the way led through the churchyard, or any other dismal place, he answered: “Oh, no father, I`ll not go

There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pigsty, closeby the seaside. The fisherman used to go out all day long a-fishing;and one day, as he sat on the shore with his rod, looking at thesparkling waves and watching his line, all on a sudden his float wasdragged away deep into the water: and in drawing it up he pulled out agreat fish. But the fish said, “Pray let me live! I am not a realfish; I am an enchanted prince: put me in the water again, and let mego!` “Oh, ho!` said the man, “you

There was once a cook named Gretel, who wore shoes with red heels, and when she walked out with them on, she turned herself this way and that, was quite happy and thought: “You certainly are a pretty girl!` And when she came home she drank, in her gladness of heart, a draught of wine, and as wine excites a desire to eat, she tasted the best of whatever she was cooking until she was satisfied, and said: “The cook must know what the food is like.`
It came to pass that the master one day said to her: “Gretel, there

An aged count once lived in Switzerland, who had an only son, but he was stupid, and could learn nothing. Then said the father: “Hark you, my son, try as I will I can get nothing into your head. You must go from hence, I will give you into the care of a celebrated master, who shall see what he can do with you.` The youth was sent into a strange town, and remained a whole year with the master. At the end of this time, he came home again, and his father asked: “Now, my son, what have you

A great king of a land far away in the East had a daughter who was very beautiful, but so proud, and haughty, and conceited, that none of the princes who came to ask her in marriage was good enough for her, and she only made sport of them.
Once upon a time the king held a great feast, and asked thither all her suitors; and they all sat in a row, ranged according to their rank kings, and princes, and dukes, and earls, and counts, and barons, and knights. Then the princess came in, and as she passed by them

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 Kingof birds,` said the wolf, “before whom we must bow down.` In realitythe bird was the willow-wren. “IF that`s the case,` said the bear, “Ishould 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; “youmust wait until the Queen comes,` Soon afterwards, the Queen arrivedwith some food in her

There was once a very old man, whose eyes had become dim, his ears dull of hearing, his knees trembled, and when he sat at table he could hardly hold the spoon, and spilt the broth upon the table-cloth or let it run out of his mouth. His son and his son`s wife were disgusted at this, so the old grandfather at last had to sit in the corner behind the stove, and they gave him his food in an earthenware bowl, and not even enough of it. And he used to look towards the table with his eyes full

It happened that the cat met the fox in a forest, and as she thought to herself: “He is clever and full of experience, and much esteemed in the world,` she spoke to him in a friendly way. “Good day, dear Mr Fox, how are you? How is all with you? How are you getting on in these hard times?` The fox, full of all kinds of arrogance, looked at the cat from head to foot, and for a long time did not know whether he would give any answer or not. At last he said: “Oh, you wretched beard-cleaner,