Grimms' Fairy Tales Summary

Plot overview

Grimms' Fairy Tales, first published in 1812 and revised through seven editions by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, gathers more than two hundred folk and fairy tales from German oral tradition and neighboring cultures. The collection runs from stories everyone knows, like Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, and Hansel and Gretel, to tales that are strange and barely remembered. Together they make up the most widely read anthology of fairy tales in Western literature.

The Grimms presented their work as folklore preservation, though scholars have since shown that they shaped the stories heavily across editions, softening some details and sharpening others. The atmosphere stayed constant: a world where the forest is genuinely dangerous, where stepmothers mean harm, where wishes come at a price, and where the youngest and most overlooked child is often the one who survives. Violence and sudden transformation run through the tales without apology.

These stories were not originally meant for children, and in their collected form they are not gentle. They carry a premodern picture of the world, arbitrary and moralized and thick with the uncanny, that still shapes how Western culture tells its stories and imagines the line between the human and the enchanted.

Chapter summaries

1. THE GOLDEN BIRD: Quest for the Golden BirdA gardener's youngest son, guided by a fox, seeks a golden bird, a swift horse, and a princess after his boastful brothers fail.
2. Hans in LuckA journeyman named Hans trades a lump of silver for a horse, then repeatedly swaps possessions down to a grindstone and is delighted when it falls into a stream.
3. Jorinda and Jorindel: Enchanted Castle and RescueA shape-shifting fairy traps Jorinda as a nightingale; Jorindel finds a magic flower to break the spell and frees her and other girls.
4. The Travelling Musicians: Four Animal MusiciansFour aging domestic animals flee cruel masters, form a travelling band, scare away robbers with a noisy concert, and take over their house.
5. Old Sultan: A Loyal Dog's RuseAn old, toothless dog saves his master's child through a staged wolf-attack, earns care, and later outwits the wolf with a clever cat.
6. THE STRAW, THE COAL, AND THE BEAN: Straw, Coal, BeanA straw, a coal, and a bean escape a woman's hearth, travel together, and meet fate at a brook; only the bean survives by being sewn by a tailor.
7. BRIAR ROSE: Briar Rose (Sleeping Beauty)A princess is cursed to sleep for a hundred years after pricking her finger; a prince later awakens her with a kiss and they marry.
8. THE DOG AND THE SPARROW: Dog, Sparrow, RevengeA starving shepherd's dog and a helpful sparrow find food, the dog is run over, and the sparrow wreaks revenge on the carter and his household.
9. The Twelve Dancing Princesses: Secret Nightly DancesA king's twelve daughters wear out their shoes each night; a disguised soldier discovers they escape to dance with princes in an underground castle.
10. The Fisherman and His Wife: Greed and Escalating WishesA poor fisherman obeys his wife's endless demands after a magical fish grants increasingly grand wishes until the sea returns them to their original state.
11. The Willow-Wren and the Bear: Willow-wren and BearA bear insults a nest of willow-wren chicks, provoking the tiny bird’s kingdom to wage and win a war against the four-footed animals and force the bear to beg pardon.
12. The Frog-PrinceA princess loses her golden ball in a spring; a frog recovers it in exchange for promises, and after three nights the frog becomes a prince and they marry.
13. Cat and Mouse in PartnershipA cat tricks a trusting mouse into letting her guard their winter fat, eats it in secret, and finally devours the mouse when discovered.
14. The Goose-GirlA princess is betrayed by her waiting-maid, forced to tend geese, and revealed by a speaking horse and her silver hair.
15. THE ADVENTURES OF CHANTICLEER AND PARTLET: Chanticleer and Partlet's MisadventuresA rooster and hen go nutting, pick up odd companions, trick an innkeeper, visit Mr. Korbes, and suffer tragic losses ending in mutual death.
16. RAPUNZEL: Girl in the TowerA girl stolen at birth is raised in a tower; a prince finds her, they fall in love, she is banished, and they are reunited years later.
17. FUNDEVOGEL: Fundevogel and LinaA forester rescues a baby carried away by a bird; the found child (Fundevogel) and Lina flee a cook's plot and use metamorphoses to escape pursuers.
18. The Valiant Little TailorA confident tailor kills seven flies at once, wins respect by tricking and outwitting giants and beasts, and becomes king through a mix of luck and bluffing.
19. HANSEL AND GRETEL: Children Lost and RescuedAbandoned by their stepmother, Hansel and Gretel find a house of sweets, are captured by a witch, and escape with treasure to reunite with their father.
20. The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage: Domestic Partnership FailsA mouse, a bird, and a sausage live together, swap duties after a boast, and the resulting role changes lead to the sausage's death and the others' demise.
21. Mother Holle: Reward and PunishmentA dutiful stepdaughter falls into a magical realm, serves Mother Holle, is rewarded with gold; her lazy sister tries and is punished with pitch.
22. Little Red-Cap: Little Red Riding HoodA girl disobeys her mother's warning, is tricked and eaten by a wolf, then rescued when a huntsman cuts the wolf open; she learns to stay on the path.
23. Story 1: The Robber BridegroomA miller’s daughter uncovers her betrothed’s murderous band and proves their crimes by producing a severed finger with a ring.
24. Tom Thumb: Thumb-sized AdventuresA thumb-sized boy is born to a woodcutter, is sold, escapes many dangers, and ultimately returns home after being swallowed and rescued.
25. RUMPELSTILTSKIN: RumpelstiltskinA miller’s boast forces his daughter to appear before a greedy king who demands she spin straw into gold; a mysterious little man helps twice for payment and then claims her future child unless she ca
26. Clever Gretel: Gretel the CookA vain cook named Gretel eats two guest fowls herself and tricks both guest and master with a false warning.
27. The Old Man and His Grandson: Aged Care and CompassionAn elderly grandfather is neglected by his son and daughter‑in‑law until his four‑year‑old grandson’s innocent play prompts them to change their behavior.
28. THE LITTLE PEASANT: Wooden Calf and FortuneA poor peasant tricks his way into wealth with a wooden calf, a prophetic raven, and a staged miracle that kills the whole village.
29. Frederick and Catherine: A foolish but lucky coupleA newlywed couple's bungled domestic efforts accidentally recover buried gold when the wife's clumsiness scares thieves away.
30. Sweetheart Roland: Jealous Stepmother and MagicA witch tries to kill her stepdaughter; the girl flees with Roland, uses magic to evade the witch, is abandoned, becomes enchanted as a flower, then is recognized by her song.
31. Snowdrop: Snowdrop (Snow White)A jealous queen tries repeatedly to kill the king’s beautiful daughter Snowdrop; seven dwarfs shelter her until a prince restores her.
32. The Pink: Wished Companion and False CookA queen's child, gifted with the power to make wishes, is stolen by a cook; years later the son uses his gift to expose the cook and free his mother.
33. Clever Elsie: Simple-minded clevernessElsie earnestly misapplies careful thinking, causing everyone to weep over a far-off, improbable danger and ultimately to lose her place in the village.
34. THE MISER IN THE BUSH: Fiddle, Bow, and JusticeA servant gains magical gifts, tricks a grasping miser into dancing until he pays a ransom, and forces a public confession in court.
35. ASHPUTTEL: Ashputtel (Cinderella)A mistreated daughter aided by a magical hazel tree and bird attends three royal balls, wins a prince, and is revealed as the true bride.
36. The White Snake: Servant who understands animalsA curious servant eats a white snake, gains the power to understand animals, saves creatures who later help him win a princess.
37. THE WOLF AND THE SEVEN LITTLE KIDS: Wolf and the Seven KidsA wolf deceives seven young goats, eats six, and is undone when their mother rescues them and fills him with stones.
38. The Queen Bee: Dwarf's Kindness RewardedA kind little dwarf spares ants, ducks, and bees and later their aid frees him from tasks that rescue a castle and win him a princess.
39. THE ELVES AND THE SHOEMAKER: Elves help the shoemakerA poor, honest shoemaker finds his cut leather fashioned into finished shoes overnight by two mysterious little elves, who return only after being clothed by the grateful couple.
40. The Juniper-Tree: Mother, Child, JuniperA boy is murdered by his stepmother, becomes a magical bird, and returns justice beneath the juniper-tree.
41. The Turnip: Giant Turnip and SackA poor ex-soldier grows a monstrous turnip, gains the king's favor, and outwits hired murderers by tricking a curious student into a 'sack of wisdom.'
42. Clever Hans: Hans Brings Gifts PoorlyHans repeatedly visits Gretel, receives gifts, mishandles them in literal and foolish ways, and finally harms Gretel, losing her as a bride.
43. The Three Languages: Learning animal languagesA slow-witted count's son learns the languages of dogs, birds, and frogs, uses them to lift curses and becomes Pope aided by two doves.
44. The Fox and the Cat: single trick versus manyA proud fox boasts of many skills to a modest cat, but when hounds appear the cat climbs a tree and the fox is caught.
45. The Four Clever Brothers: Four Brothers, Four TradesFour brothers learn complementary crafts and together rescue the king's daughter from a dragon, then divide rewards fairly.
46. LILY AND THE LION: Lily and the LionLily keeps her father's promise to a lion, marries an enchanted prince, loses him to enchantment, then pursues him for seven years and wins him back.
47. The Fox and the HorseAn old horse is cast out by his master until a clever fox tricks a lion into being led back so the horse regains favor.
48. The Blue LightA discharged soldier obtains a magical blue light that summons a dwarf, uses it to avenge himself, is imprisoned, and wins the king and princess by force of the dwarf's power.
49. The Raven: Enchanted Princess RavenA queen's careless wish turns her child into a raven; a traveling man must resist temptations to free her and wins her at last.
50. The Golden Goose: The Simpleton and GooseDummling shares his meagre food, gains a golden goose, unwittingly creates a laughing procession and wins a princess.
51. The Water of Life: Quest for the WaterA king’s three sons seek the healing Water of Life; the youngest, aided by a dwarf, succeeds but is betrayed by his brothers before being vindicated.
52. THE TWELVE HUNTSMEN: Disguised Bride and TestsA king’s son marries as promised but his first beloved disguises herself and eleven look-alikes become twelve huntsmen to win him back.
53. The King of the Golden MountainHeinel, sold by his father to a dwarf, endures enchantments, frees an imprisoned princess, becomes king, loses and regains his wife and realm.
54. DOCTOR KNOWALL: Doctor KnowallA poor peasant adopts the title Doctor Knowall, is summoned to find stolen money, and by luck and bluff uncovers the thieves and their hiding place.
55. The Seven Ravens: Rescue of Seven BrothersA father's angry wish turns his seven sons into ravens; their youngest sister travels to the stars and frees them from a glass-mountain prison.
56. The Wedding of Mrs Fox: Widowhood and SuitorsAn old fox feigns death to test his wife's fidelity; various suitors are rejected until the dead husband's trick is revealed and he punishes them.
57. The Salad: Wishing Cloak and SaladA huntsman receives a wishing-cloak and a magical bird's heart, is betrayed, turned home by enchanted salad, and finally wins the woman who wronged him.
58. The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was: Youth Seeks to Learn FearA simple-minded youth travels to haunted places to learn how to shudder, endures spirits and tests, and finally learns fear the hard way.
59. KING GRISLY-BEARD: Pride and PunishmentA proud princess scorns suitors, is forced by her father to marry the first comer (a fiddler), who teaches her humility through hardship before revealing himself as King Grisly-beard.
60. Iron Hans: The Wild Man and the Golden-Headed PrinceA wild, iron-coloured man is freed by a prince boy, who grows golden hair, learns humility, wins glory in disguise, and regains his father and riches.
61. Cat-skin: Cat-skin's Disguise and RevelationA princess, escaping an incestuous marriage proposal, disguises herself in a thousand-fur mantle, serves as scullion, visits three balls in sun, moon, star gowns, and is finally revealed and married t
62. SNOW-WHITE AND ROSE-RED: Two Sisters and a BearTwo kind sisters befriend a bear and a greedy dwarf; the bear is freed from a curse when the dwarf is killed and becomes a prince.

Characters

• The KingMajor character
• TThe QueenMajor character
• tthe king's daughterMajor character
• The WolfAntagonist
• mmotherMajor character
• tthe cookMinor character
• tthe foxMajor character
• The HuntsmanMajor character
• tthe princessMajor character
• The WitchAntagonist
• hhis wifeMinor character
• tthe parsonMinor character

All 34 characters ›