Description

A rash bargain between a mean dwarf and a miller’s daughter forms the basis for this fairy tale, made famous by the Brothers Grimm. When the miller wants to impress the king, he lies, telling the king that his daughter can spin straw into gold. The king is incredulous, and summons the girl to a tower filled with nothing but straw and a spinning wheel. He demands that she spin all the straw to gold or be executed. As the miller’s daughter sinks into despair, a curious dwarf appears before her, offering to spin the straw into gold—for a price. The girl is ecstatic, and promises the dwarf all that he asks for if he will only help her with this impossible task. She gives him a necklace, then a ring, and finally promises him her first-born child. When the king arrives and finds a room full of gold, he is so astounded that he arranges for the girl to marry his son, the prince. The two live happily for years, until one day the strange dwarf appears to the miller’s daughter—who is now queen—demanding that she fulfill her promise and give up her child. After listening to her pleas, the dwarf finally agrees that if she can guess his real name in three days’ time, she can keep her child—but discovering the dwarf’s real name proves even more difficult than spinning straw into gold.

About the Author

Jakob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) Grimm were born into a comfortable German family, enjoying a genteel rural lifestyle in their earliest years. When their father suddenly died, however, the Grimm children and their mother were forced to leave their home and move into a smaller house in the city. Overcoming their family's hardships, the brothers went on to attend the University of Marlburg, where both studied law. It was during this phase of their lives that the Grimms began a project to amass ancient folk legends and stories of Germany. This singular endeavor would become the Grimms' beloved multi-volume set of Fairy Tales. Having established a solid reputation with these collected tales, both brothers became university professors, pursuing work in the field of linguistics. In addition to their most famous work, the brothers Grimm were also well known in their day for their passionate interest in politics and loyal devotion to the German democratic movement.

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Opening Lines (Experimental)

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 ...