Cinderella and Other Tales by the Brothers Grimm by Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm

Author:Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollins
Published: 2010-02-15T00:00:00+00:00

THE TWO BROTHERS

THERE were once upon a time two brothers, one rich and the other poor. The rich one was a goldsmith and evil-hearted. The poor one supported himself by making brooms, and was good and honorable. The poor one had two children, who were twin brothers and as like each other as two drops of water. Once in a while, the two boys were allowed to go to their rich uncle’s house and get some of the scraps to eat.

One day, when the poor man was going into the forest to fetch brushwood, he saw a bird which was quite golden and more beautiful than any he had ever chanced to meet with. He picked up a small stone, threw it at him, and was lucky enough to hit him, but only one golden feather fell down, and the bird flew away. The man took the feather and carried it to his brother, who looked at it and said, “It is pure gold!” and gave him a great deal of money for it.

The next day the man climbed into a birch tree, and was about to cut off a couple of branches when the same bird flew out. When the man searched he found a nest, and inside it lay an egg of gold. He took the egg home with him and carried it to his brother, who again said, “It is pure gold,” and gave him what it was worth.

At last the goldsmith said, “I should indeed like to have the bird itself.” The poor man went into the forest for the third time, and again saw the golden bird sitting on the tree, so he took a stone, knocked it down, and carried it to his brother, who gave him a great heap of gold for it. Now I can provide for my sons, thought he, and went contentedly home.

The goldsmith was crafty and cunning, and knew very well what kind of a bird it was. He called his wife and said, “Roast me the gold bird, and take care that none of it is lost. I have a fancy to eat it all myself.”

The bird was no common one, but of so wondrous a kind that whosoever ate its heart and liver found every morning a piece of gold beneath his pillow.

The woman made the bird ready, put it upon the spit, and let it roast. Now it happened that while it was at the fire, and the woman was forced to go out of the kitchen on account of some other work, the two children of the poor broom maker ran in, stood by the spit, and turned it around once or twice.

At that very moment two little bits of the bird fell down into the dripping tin, one of the boys said, “Let us eat these two little bits. I am so hungry, and no one will ever miss them.”

Then the two ate the pieces. Just then the woman came into the kitchen, saw

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