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April's 2025 Reading List
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All of these are from the Grimm Brothers.6. The Crystal Ball. Kind of an odd tale, with a grab-bag of plot lines knitted together in one short story. The mother of three sons turns the two older boys into animals but the youngest of the three runs away to try to find a mysterious castle. There, a beautiful princess is imprisoned there, awaiting rescue. He must complete a series of tasks before he can free the princess. I can see someone taking this, polishing it up a bit and making a nice, more cohesive adaptation.
7. The Bright Sun Brings it to Light. I'm noticing many Grimm Brothers tales don't always have a straightforward moral lesson, but this one certainly does: don't rob and kill someone, or it will come back to haunt you. Also, if you tell a secret to someone it's no longer a secret. A poor tailer kills a man for what little money the poor man had, goes into town and finds prosperity and a wife. However, the tailor is haunted by the man's final words: "The bright sun brings it to light." Eventually, the tailor tells his wife his deep, dark secret. It's not hard to guess what happens next.
8. The Death of the Little Hen. Uhhh.... what. the. heck? Even for the Brothers Grimm this is a weird one that left me scratching my head. Here, a hen dies after choking on a nut (that she was supposed to share with the cock, by the way). The cock mourns her and plans for a nice funeral for her with the other woodland animals but things don't end well. I do wonder if there's some context I'm missing here but as a standalone story I didn't care for it.
9. The Bremen-Town Musicians. I remember reading this tale (at least a version of it) as a child and enjoying it. Still enjoy it years later. Four animals — a donkey, a dog, a cat and a rooster — band together after their respective owners decide to kill them. They want to head to Bremen and perform. However, their fortunes change when they find a cabin in the wood on their journey. A fun, zany tale.
10. The Brave Little Tailor. I remember reading variations of this and enjoying Disney's animated short tale. This is a darker variation than I've read or seen before, with several differences. For starters, the tailor here, rather than being the reluctant hero, is all too eager to face danger and is a bit of a braggart. The giants are more side-stories in a bigger story.
11. The Boots of Buffalo-Leather. I really liked this tale! I'm surprised I'd never heard this one before. I could see this being adapted into a fun adventure movie. Here, a soldier who has been put out of work due to the lack of wars goes to beg alms in the neighboring towns. On his journey, he meets a young man who, the soldier notes, has highly polished boots but considers the footwear inferior to his own buffalo-leather boots. Still, the soldier takes the younger man under his wing and becomes an unlikely hero through some hidden talents. However, the young man has his own secrets.
12. The Blue Light. I think I've read this before, or at least a variation of it. A soldier, who has been unceremoniously discharged from the army because of his wounds, seeks shelter with a witch. The witch asks him to retrieve her blue light, which fell into a well. The soldier is lowered into the well; however, suspecting treachery, he refuses to just pass the blue light to the witch, who drops him back into the well in anger. However, by using the blue light to light his pipe, he finds a sort of genie, described as a dwarf who will grant the soldier any number of wishes. The first wish is to leave the well. Then the soldier sets out to become wealthy ... and to seek his revenge against those who wronged him. The story is an interesting one, but what the soldier did to the princess was distasteful and the soldier was a bit of a jerk.
All but the first are Grimm Brothers tales.13. Iona Iverson's Rules for Commuting, by Claire Pooley. I loved this book! It is so charming and warm. I laughed several times (one time I had to put down the book for a few minutes I was laughing so hard- without giving away any spoilers I will just say it involves the can-can). There were a couple times, including the last chapter, where I got a bit teary-eyed. Yes, the book is a bit predictable, there weren't a lot of major surprises, but this predictability is like having one's favorite sweater or warm blanket. It's escapism, and pure fun watching the lives of the characters unfold.
As the title hints, the story involves several commuters on a train as they go to and from their jobs. They first just have nicknames for each other but never really talk, until one day an errant grape goes down the wrong way and one of the commuters starts choking. Thankfully for him there's a medical professional on board. Slowly, the characters all get to know each other and form their own family which winds up coming together and supporting each other on several instances.
This book does deal with some serious issues (one teen character takes some very unwise photos and gets bullied as a result, for example.)
What's interesting and pertinent are the themes of community and the need to look past the initial impressions. Highly recommend to just about anyone needing an uplifting escape.
14. The Donkey. This is similar to another Grimm Brothers tale I read earlier, although this one is more light-hearted. Here, a king and queen long for a child but when one does arrive, it's a donkey. The queen is horrified but the king embraces him as a son. The donkey thrives in court life and even learns to play the lute but he runs away when he sees his reflection one day. He goes to another kingdom and falls for the princess there. Along the way he reveals an interesting secret. It's a cute tale, not sure how memorable it will be.
15. The Dog and the Sparrow. An interesting tale with an unambiguous moral: wanton violence is never warranted and never underestimate even the smallest of creatures. Here, a dog has run away from its cruel owner. He befriends a sparrow, who helps the dog find food. They journey together until the dog is tired. The sparrow tries to watch over the dog but the poor canine is run over by a cruel and thoughtless wine seller. The sparrow, furious over the wanton slaughter of the dog, enacts a savage level of vengeance.
16. The Ear of Corn. A sort of origin story. Once, far more corn grew on the stalks than it does today but an act of carelessness raises the wrath of the Almighty, who cuts down on the abundance. Mixed feelings on this one. On one hand the lesson of not taking too much for granted is a good one, but the "crime" in this case seemed rather minor.
17. The Ditmarsch Book of Wonders. This mercifully short story read like a fever dream. This is not a compliment. I can't even give a summary because I don't understand what the point was. It's possible that this would have been understood by contemporary audiences but I didn't get it.
18. The Duration of Life. I've read something similar but the ending made me laugh. Here, God is giving the allotted lifespan of the various animals. This is essentially a parable about why creatures live such short lives and mankind lives a comparatively long life — but perhaps not as they would always like.
19. The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs. I can see this adapted for a modern audience. Here, a child is born in a caul, which is a sign of incredible good fortune. It is prophesied that this child, from a poor family, will go on to marry the princess. The king finds out about it and is furious, and he does everything in his power to get rid of this unwanted future son-in-law. Needless to say, the king's attempts only brings the marriage about. But the king, even after the wedding, seeks to get rid of the boy and sets him to accomplish an impossible task: get three hairs from the devil's own head.
20. The Devil's Sooty Brother. I think this may be the first time I've read a story where the devil is almost a friend to the protagonist. Indeed, the devil is more decent and forgiving than most of the characters in the story. Rather unexpected. Here, we have a soldier who (as typical in these stories) has been discharged from service with nothing. He runs across a devil, who makes a bargain with the soldier: serve him faithfully for seven years, and then he will be free. What's more the devil keeps his promise and even aids the soldier when an innkeeper double-crosses him.
21. The Devil and his Grandmother. It's interesting that most portrayals of the devil are negative- but his grandmother is usually much kinder in these tales. Three soldiers have deserted but find themselves trapped and risk being found and hanged. They are rescued by the devil, who gives them a whip which gives them as much gold as they wish for the next seven years. At the end of that time, they must join the devil — unless they can answer his riddles. Two of the soldiers are despondent but the third finds his way to the devil's grandmother.
22. Great Lakes: Shipwrecks and Survivals, by William Ratigan. I don't recall the last time I so looked forward to reading a book and was so disappointed. I'd heard this book referenced a few times by a couple of YouTubers that do documentaries on ships and shipwrecks, so, Great Lakes shipwrecks being an interest of mine, I wanted to check it out. It's not a horrible book — a diehard local historian interested in this topic may find it valuable. All the information as far as I can tell is accurate and many of the stories were interesting. But it needed a firm editor with a steady supply of red ink. The most annoying problem for me was the lack of first names — or even names, period — with stories where I'm reasonably sure the full names were available (there was one story where the name of the person he kept referencing wasn't mentioned until the end, which was irritating). Given the author's journalism background, this is puzzling. This was especially an issue in the first couple chapters. The first chapters also were a bit scattershot, the narration all over the place. These issues became far less prevalent in later chapters. But then there was the copious amount of flowery language, and sometimes it bordered on tacky. The weirdest one was when he adopted the phrase "Sit Down, You're Rocking the Boat" as the running theme/phrase in relating the story of the Eastland. Which... OK. But then I ran across a sentence, something about him not knowing what the songwriter was thinking (he knew it as a popular radio tune), which made me realize that he didn't know this song was written for the musical "Guys and Dolls," and the message is quite clear there. I know this book was written well before the advent of Internet search engines but still.
That said, there were many, many interesting stories I'd never heard of, such as how, on two occasions, there were people who thought it would be fun to send ships full of animals over the Niagra Falls (!!!) for fun. I have the updated version of Ratigan's book, which has a section on the Edmund Fitzgerald, which was good and had information I didn't know before. Also, the final 20 pages or so were dedicated to the efforts when the book was written in trying to extend shipping year-around, and the challenges with that. This was fascinating!
So, final verdict- not sure I'd recommend this for the casual reader with a nominal interest in the Great Lakes and its many, many stories. But for the aficionado with a good deal of patience, reading this could be worthwhile.
23. The Four Skillful Brothers. I've read a variation of this tale, except it was three brothers. I noticed how odd it was to use four brothers here- usually stories like this use odd numbers, especially three, five and seven. All that said, I did like this story. Apart from using four brothers, the ending was a bit unexpected. Here, the titular brothers have left home and headed from their town to learn a trade. They each pick up an unusual trade: one brother becomes a thief, one an astronomer, one an expert huntsman and one a tailor. Three of the brothers receive magical gifts that help them in their trade. Their talents are put to the test when the princess of their kingdom is kidnapped by a dragon.
24. The Fox and His Cousin. A very short story about a wolf who decides to make her cousin the fox godfather of her cub. After an adventure (or misadventure) with a farmer, the reader has to wonder if she regrets her decision at the end. Could lead to an interesting discussion!
25. The Fox and the Cat. I like to think that this story might be a continuation of The Fox and His Cousin but I don't know if it actually is. If it is an epilogue, then the reader sees the fox get his comeuppance. A cat meets an arrogant fox, who brags about all of his gifts and cunning, while the cat admits to only one significant talent. But when they encounter a pack of hunting dogs, the fox learns the hard way that sometimes, less is more.
26. The Flail from Heaven. This is an odd one, especially the title. A farmer exchanges his ox and some seeds with the local butcher, but he loses a seed, which grows into a tree that, when he climbs it, leads him to heaven where he can actually see the angels at work. He is forced to make a hasty climb down when he noticed someone is chopping that tree down, but takes two heavenly tools with him.
27. The Fisherman and His Wife. I've read variations of this tale, most of them shorter. Here, a fisherman spares the life of an enchanted flounder. But when he gets home and tells his wife his fish story, she berates him for not asking this flounder for something in return. Sure enough, the flounder can, indeed, grant wishes-- but problems start when the wife wants more and more.
28. The Drummer. A fun if meandering tale. It feels like a few other stories were mixed into this one. A young drummer goes on a series of adventures to rescue a princess, but forgets who she is when he forgets her warning when he sees his parents. The persistence of the princess restores his memory.
Unless otherwise noted, these are, again, Grimm Brothers stories.29. The Fox's Brush. I'm surprised this one isn't better known, for it's a fun story. Three brothers try to find the thief responsible for the theft of the king's golden apples. Only the youngest is successful but his find sends him on a journey to other kingdoms. Along the way, he is assisted by a smart fox — who often has to bail the young man out of trouble when he doesn't listen to the fox's advice.
30. The Godfather. A man with a large brood of children asks a stranger one day to be godfather to his youngest. The stranger gives the man some water with healing properties — but it should only be used when Death has not marked the person for death. Later, the man finds out some discomforting things about the godfather. A variation on a tale I read earlier.
31. The Giant and the Tailor. A tailor with more bravado than sense runs across a giant who tries to use the young man as a servant. In this case, bravado may be enough for the tailor to deal with the giant, who is far from brave. The ending — and who came out on top — is wonderfully vague.
32. The Frog Prince. A well-known classic. A princess loses her favorite golden ball, and she promises a frog that he can join her at the castle, plus eat and sleep with her, if it can get the ball back. The princess tries to renege on her promise to the amphibian, but the frog follows her to the palace and makes himself known. The king makes the princess honor her promise, to her horror. Of course, we know it sort of ends happily ever after. I say "sort of" because honestly, the princess is a brat.
33. The Golden Key. A young man, looking to warm himself during his long journey home, finds a small golden key while clearing an area to start a fire. Later, he finds a chest the golden key might have been created for. A short, fun story with an open ending.
34. The Fox and the Geese. This was pretty amusing. A fox is determined to have a goose dinner, so a flock of geese must try to outwit him.
35. The Fox and the Horse. A fox offers to assist an old horse who has been set out on his own by his owner since he can no longer work as well as he did. Their plan works. Observation: it seems to be a common theme with a lot of the Grimm stories that it seems almost routine for owners such as the one here to toss out animals that are no longer useful (or, in the case of Hansel and Gretel, for families to throw out children who can't help provide for the family). Wonder how much this colors societal attitudes today?
36. The Bluest Eye, by Toni Morrison. Raw and heartbreaking. Those are the two words that come to mind when reading this book. Morrison delves into several characters, particularly the backstories of the dysfunctional Breedlove family. Their daughter Pecola, regarded as ugly because of her dark skin, shyness and her family's status as outsiders, wishes for blue eyes, which she sees as beautiful. A good deal of the story is told through the eyes of young Claudia, whose family takes in Pecola temporarily after Pecola's father burns down their home in a drunken rage. It's a sad look at the beauty standards of an older time (that still frequently pervade today). The three girls frequently observe who is considered beautiful — from their mixed-race schoolmate Maureen, who is considered pretty and is admired by peers and adults alike — to figures such as Shirley Temple and the Dick and Jane characters. It especially impacts Pecola. Between her desire to be pretty, the assault on her by her father and the resulting pregnancy, she is driven insane.
All are by the Brothers Grimm.37. The Iron Stove. A fairly traditional Grimm Brothers tale. I've never read this particular story but there are elements from other stories included in here (indeed, I feel as if a lot of stories are combinations of three or more stories mixed together, tweaked and published under a new name). A princess gets lost in the forest and runs across an iron stove, who helps her find her way home but makes her promise to come back and start carving away at the iron. The young maid, understandably, is a bit creeped out but ultimately is made to keep up her end of their agreement. But when she makes a hole in the iron stove, she discovers a handsome prince is inside, who immediately declares his love for her. She gets over being creeped out quickly and agrees, but then breaks another (rather arbitrary) agreement and sets off on another journey to find her prince. This one is a bit goofy but the elements are typical of older fairy tales.
38. The Hut in the Forest. This one will make animal rights lovers cheer. Three sisters, over a period of several days, are sent into the forest with a meal for their woodcutter father, but all three get lost and run across the titular hut in the woods. The first two sisters meet a less than ideal fate but the youngest, due to her kind heart, uncovers the secret of the hut and its occupants.
39. The Hazel-Branch. A neat origin story. The Virgin Mary goes to pick some strawberries for her son when she runs across an adder. She quickly seeks refuge in a hazel bush, and states that a branch of hazel is protective against serpents and other poisonous creatures.
40. The Heavenly Wedding. A young boy takes his local pastor's sermon literally and walks in a straight line until he reaches a grand church, which he thinks is heaven. The kindly priest lets the young boy stay inside the church, and the boy agrees to do work. The child also offers food to the statue of the Virigin Mary. The Virgin, in return, invites the child to the Heavenly Wedding.
41. The Hare's Bride. This was a head-scratcher. Didn't care for it, the ending especially didn't make a lot of sense. Here, a young woman is essentially kidnapped by a hare and is forced to marry him.
42. The Hare and the Hedgehog. This is a different and darker take on The Tortoise and The Hare, and parents may wish to know that the moral is rather questionable here. A hedgehog, angry at being belittled by a haughty hare, challenges the hare to a race. The hare laughs at the thought of racing a hedgehog-- but the smaller creature has an idea on how to win.
43. The Griffin. This one is similar to The Devil with the Golden Hairs, except instead of a devil, there's a griffin. A king has a daughter who is ailing, and is told that her cure lies in eating an apple. A peasant just so happened to own a tree that produced fantastic apples but his two older sons make a mess of things when they try to bring some of the delicious fruit to the princess. The youngest son succeeds but the King, reluctant to marry his daughter to a commoner, gives the young man more tasks before he can wed the princess, including getting a feather from a griffin.
44. The Grave-Mound. An interesting and different tale. A selfish lord, shortly before he dies, shows compassion to a poor man but on the condition that the poor man agrees to guard his grave for three days after he is buried. The poor man agrees, and the rich man dies a short time afterwards. On the third night, the poor man befriends a clever traveler, who helps him when another guest arrives that night.
45. The Goose Girl at the Well. Again, another tale I'm surprised isn't better known. A king has banished his daughter for not flattering him enough, but quickly regrets his decision. Meanwhile, a curious young lord runs across an old woman and gets tricked into carrying her parcels for her to her home. There, he briefly meets the old woman's daughter. The old woman gives the young man a gift. Afterwards, the young lord finds the king's domain and is presented before the rulers. He lays the gift he had received from the old woman — which turns out to be a hint as to where their princess could be.
46. The Goose Girl. I can see this updated and adapted. An elderly queen has sent off her daughter with a lady in waiting to another kingdom, where the princess is betrothed to a prince. However, the lady in waiting takes advantage of the kind and naive (even daft) nature of the princess and winds up convincing the prince that she is the bride and the princess a serving girl. The real princess winds up taking care of the geese in the kingdom. The truth does wind up coming out in the end.
47. The Good Bargain. A mess of a story that's really antisemitic to boot. A peasant makes increasingly iffy bargains through the story as he feels he is being challenged by the town's animals. He somehow manages to come out ahead.
48. The Golden Goose. A funny story. A young man comes in possession of a golden goose, but the greed of three sisters at a nearby inn, plus the curiosity of a host of others, winds up leading to an interesting parade of people. This series of events leads the young man to marrying a lovely princess. An interesting theme I see here and in other stories. Often the youngest is portrayed as the most hopeless-- but the youngest often winds up winning whatever the prize is at the end.
49. The Gold-Children. This one feels like a couple of stories mixed together. A poor man and his wife become fortunate-- temporarily. The wife's constant questions cause them to lose their fortune multiple times but, in the end, the couple has a pair of twin boys made of gold. They go adventuring and in the end, one child has to rescue the other.
50. The Gnome. This feels like several stories I've read mixed together. In this story, a king has a favorite apple tree, and declares that anyone who eats the fruit from the tree will be buried in the earth. This winds up including the king's three daughters, who try an apple and disappear beneath the ground. The king sends out people to look for his daughters. Three brothers take on the challenge. Two wind up running afoul of the titular gnome but the third and youngest brother bests the manikin, who tells him how to rescue the three princesses. The youngest brother also has to face the betrayal of his older brothers as well as the obstacles of rescuing the maidens.
51. The Glass Coffin. I can see this adapted into an anime. A young man is taken by a stag to a site where he finds a beautiful maiden in a glass coffin and several other wonders in glass. She was enchanted by an evil wizard, and the man must figure out not only how to rescue her but her kingdom. This one is a bit exposition heavy but otherwise I liked it.
52. The Girl Without Hands. One of the Grimm Brothers grimmer tales. A poor miller makes a bargain with the devil in exchange for wealth, but unwittingly gives up his daughter in exchange. However, the girl is so innocent the devil cannot touch her, even after the father is forced to cut off her hands. The pious girl eventually goes out on her own and comes to another kingdom. With the help of angels, she is able to eat fruit from a king's garden. The king discovers her and treats her kindly, and eventually marries her. They have a child. However, the devil, still bitter about losing his prize, causes confusion which forces the young woman and child to flee for their lives.
All of these are by the Brothers Grimm.53. The Nail. A short and sweet parable that will likely be familiar to many, and a good lesson in the importance of paying attention to the small things. A merchant is eager to get home and ignores the warnings that a nail is missing from his horse's shoe and, later, the shoe is lost. Needless to say, the merchant regrets his haste.
54. The Mouse, The Bird and the Sausage. A good parable about being content with what you have if things are going well. A mouse, a bird and a sausage befriend each other and decide to live together. They split up their duties and prosper together. However, one day the bird runs into a fellow avian, who chastises the bird as a sucker who must work harder than the other two. As a result, the bird asks his roommates to swap around duties. The results do not make for a happy ending. I've read variations on this story before.
55. The Moon. This serves as an origin story for how the moon came to be. I don't think I've ever read a tale about the moon quite like this one! I can see it adapted as a children's picture book. Here, four men steal the moon hanging from another kingdom and hang it from their town's oak tree. Things go well for the town, whose people enjoy the night illumination, but things change after the four men die.
56. The Master Thief. Minor spoilers here. Definitely not a morality tale but a rather entertaining one. I can see this one adapted into a short movie. Here, a son briefly reunites with his parents, but mom and dad aren't happy with his choice of profession — being a master thief. The man's godfather, a wealthy lord, offers forgiveness if he can complete three impossible-seeming tasks. The thief's solution to the third task especially made me laugh out loud.
57. The Little Peasant. This tale takes place in a land where there is a mayor, many "rich peasants" (which seems to me an oxymoron, but moving on...) and one poor peasant and his wife. The little peasant, as he is often called, hatches several schemes to gain wealth. An interesting theme I've noted with a lot of Brother Grimm stories. It's often not the smartest or most moral man who comes out ahead, but the most devious, underhanded and cunning.
58. The Maid of Brakel. The portrayal of religion and piety in Grimms' tales are a mixed bag. Here, a maiden goes to church to pray and gets an unexpected response. Her own reply is, shall we say, rather cheeky.
59. The Louse and the Flea. This story reminds me of The Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly in its setup. A louse and flee live together. One day, the louse burns herself, and the various items and animals react to this. The flea starts weeping, the broom starts sweeping, the cart starts running and so on. It ends about as well as the Old Lady story.
All are Brothers Grimm tales.60. The Old Witch. This one is similar to Mother Hulda, albeit shorter. Here, there's no abusive stepmother and stepsister, and the "old witch," while not necessarily evil, is a bit darker. Here, one of the two sisters goes off in search of work after their father loses his job (doesn't go into why). She meets with an oven, a cow and an apple tree and assists them all. The sister finds the witch, who employs her. Unlike in Mother Hulda, the sister forgets a critical rule. The second sister's fate is similar to the tale of Mother Hulda.
61. The Owl. This is an interesting story if you read it as an allegory for the consequences of stupidity and misunderstanding. A large owl finds shelter in a large barn and decides to stay the day there. But the owner of the barn, and later the village, are terrified of the owl, having never seen a creature like this before, and think she is a monster.
62. The Old Beggar-Woman. A very short story with an odd ending- although the reader can piece together what probably happens. Here, an old woman seeks shelter on the invitation of a boy — who ignores her when she finds herself unexpectedly imperiled.
63. The Old Man and His Grandson. I've read variations of this before but few such incredibly short stories pack such a punch. Here, a grandfather has slowed down- he has a hard time feeding himself and his hands shake. His daughter and son-in-law are ashamed of him and force him to eat elsewhere. However, their young son inadvertently teaches them a lesson about kindness and compassion.
64. The Old Man Made Young Again. Didn't care for the ending of this one. Here, St. Peter and God have been walking the earth. They take shelter with a smith. While they are there, a poor beggar whose infirmities mean he can't work stop by. God instructs the smith how to work his forge so the beggar can be healed. However, after God and St. Peter leave, the smith tries to replicate what happened to the beggar to do the same with his mother-in-law. Obviously, it doesn't work. I guess it's open for interpretation as to whether the smith thought he would succeed... or knew he wouldn't. On reflection, I lean towards the latter.
65. The Nix of the Mill-Pond. A story in the style of "parent makes bargain and inadvertently must surrender their child." Here, a once prosperous man has fallen on hard times. He encounters a water spirit, who promises fortune as long as he gives her what has just been born at his house. The father agrees, thinking this will likely be a puppy or kitten. However, he finds out as he comes onto his property that his wife has just given birth to a son. I've read variations of this but this is still an interesting and winding tale that does have a couple of twists.
66. The Lord's Animals and the Devil's. Not crazy about this one. This is essentially a parable about why goats are associated with the devil and why their eyes look the way they do. At least it is very short.
67. The Little Folks' Presents. Did not like this one. Here, two men happen upon a fairy circle. The friends, after completing some challenges set out by the wee folks, are rewarded. However, one of the friends (who just happens to have a disability, unlike his fairer friend) greedily goes back to where he saw the fae in hopes of getting more riches. He pays a price for his greed. I would have been OK with this one had the story not made such a big deal about the second man's hunched back.
68. The Lambkin and the Little Fish. A brother and a sister are turned into a lamb and a fish by their wicked stepmother. The lamb is about to be slaughtered to feed incoming guests, so the brother fish must find a way to intervene.
69. The Lazy Spinner. A bit misogynistic but I couldn't help chuckling. A woman schemes her way out of getting out of spinning and collecting yarn in some creative ways.
70. The Knapsack The Hat and the Horn. A good tale — even if the ending is rather brutal — with a couple of twists. Three brothers go out to seek their fortune. The first two brothers are quickly satisfied after they find their riches, but the third brother continues on with the journey. Along the way, he manages to secure a worn knapsack, a battered hat and a horn. The brothers ridicule him but these items turn out to be more precious than they first appear, and the third brother teaches those who try to cross him some painful lessons.
71. The King's Son who Feared Nothing. This reads almost like two stories. The king's son decides to go venturing. He encounters a giant whom he winds up assisting. The giant seeks the love of a fair maiden, but she quickly figures out that the giant himself didn't complete the tasks he needed to do. The giant tries to double cross the king's son, but the prince wins out in the end due to his fearlessness and an unexpected ally. I can see this adapted for today.
72. The King of the Golden Mountain. This is one of the longer and more complex Grimm Brothers tales. The reader meets the protagonist as a younger child after his father makes a promise to an evil imp. The father manages to thwart the imp, but the boy sets off on a series of adventures, which includes rescuing an enchanted princess and besting a group of giants. This does have some passages that could be seen as racist.
73. The Juniper-Tree. The beginning threw me because it starts out so similarly to Snow White. However, instead of a white and red girl, this concerns a boy. The mother of this little boy dies shortly after he is born. The father remarries and the second wife has a daughter. Unlike most step-sibling relationships, the boy and girl actually are fond of each other. But, like in every story I've read in fairy tales, the stepmother despises the boy and eventually kills him. Eventually, the truth comes out through a beautiful bird with a lovely song and a sad story.
74. The Poor Miller's Boy and the Cat. This tale has a bit of a twist- it's the princess here who, in a way, rescues her "prince." It's extraordinarily rare to see a story where the fair maiden isn't the one being rescued. In fact, this might be a first in my reading. Here, one of the three apprentices of the Miller, named Stupid Hans, is sent with the two others to find a fine horse for the miller, who wants to retire. Hans, after he is abandoned by the other two, encounters a talking cat, who takes him on as a servant. Mild spoiler- the cat winds up being a princess. Now, it's not clear whether she was under enchantment or if this was a voluntary state of being but I don't mind the ambiguity. In fact, a part of me hopes it was the latter. One interesting details is that the princess cat isn't perfect, either but I won't give away that spoiler. It made me laugh, though.75. The Poor Man and the Rich Man. A variation of the old tale about how God (or, sometimes, gods) go to Earth to travel, and wind up seeking hospitality. As is true to form, the rich man turns God away, but the poor man and his wife greet God with open arms and hearts, providing meals to the best of their abilities and even giving Him their own bed while they sleep on straw. In return, God grants them three wishes. Their wishes are humble, and the Lord even has to prompt them into wishing for a nicer house. When the rich man realizes what is going on, he rues his decision- and his regrets don't stop.
76. The Poor Boy in the Grave. This is the second most disturbing Brothers Grimm story I've read. Here, a poor boy is beaten and abused ceaselessly after various misfortunes until he decides to take his life. That's pretty much the plot. Silver lining is his abusers get their comeuppance. Still, the only story I've read that is even more disturbing is Donkey Skin (it goes by a few names). This story gave me the creeps.
77. The Pink. A queen gives birth to a little prince who has the gift of wishing — whatever he wishes comes true. The castle's jealous old cook realizes this and orchestrates a kidnapping of the child, but then realizes this could get him into trouble. An interesting story with, at best, a bittersweet ending. I did have a bit of an issue with the prince taking a young woman with him in the form of a flower when she was reluctant to join him in a journey back to his kingdom.
78. The Peasant's Wise Daughter. A peasant's daughter has the occasion to meet the king, who gives her a riddle. She answers the complicated riddle and he marries her. He threatens to throw her out, however, after she helps a farmer outsmart him. She manages to outsmart the king though. Mixed feelings about this story. On one hand, I do like how she outsmarted him. On the other hand, the king was an idiot and didn't deserve her.
79. The Peasant in Heaven. A peasant and a rich man go into heaven. The rich man is greeted with song and accolades, while the reception for the peasant is more subdued. The reason will raise some eyebrows. Here, I wonder if this is an allegory for more earthly behavior.
80. The Peasant and the Devil. A devil tries to outsmart a peasant, but the man, known for being clever, outwits the evil being (who isn't all that smart) and receives some wealth. This is a funny tale.
81. The Pack of Ragamuffins. This was funny. A small group of animals and objects travel together and eventually seek shelter at an inn. But they wind up making a nuisance of themselves, causing the innkeeper no small amount of grief and regret.
82. The Old Woman in the Wood. One of the more complex Brothers Grimm tales. Here, a servant girl finds herself stranded when the family she works for is killed by robbers far from their home. A dove provides her with food and shelter, and in exchange asks the girl for a favor, which involves visiting the cottage of an old woman.
All three are by the Brothers Grimm.83. The Riddle. This was an interesting variation on the "solve the riddle to win the hand of the princess" tale. Here, a young prince is traveling through the land and engages in several adventures that wind up connecting towards the end. His final adventure concerns a princess that will only wed someone who can give her a riddle she can't solve. The young prince gives his riddle — based on his own adventures. Naturally the princess can't solve this and tries underhanded means of solving the riddle. No surprise she fails. Interesting, though, that when a male protagonist tries something underhanded, he is usually rewarded. Here, the smart princess is roped into a marriage she probably doesn't want.
84. The Raven. This story opens with a sentiment from the queen whom I'm sure all exhausted mothers can relate to. However, her words to her tiny daughter — a wish that she would turn into a raven, fly away and never return — actually comes to pass. We never see her again so we don't see if she repents her hasty words or not. At any rate, a traveler encounters the raven (who has aged rapidly) and is told how he can set her free. This story is another example of how the protagonist doesn't succeed at first (in fact, he really screws up) but is given another chance and he finally wins.
85. The Queen Bee. Three princes go adventuring, hoping to seek their own fortunes. The two older brothers, described as much smarter (although really they are just much more cruel) barely put up with their "dumb" youngest brother. However, when they are given a chance to save three lovely princesses, the youngest brother (as is typical in Brothers Grimm stories) wins, mostly due to his kindness to a colony of ants, a flock of ducks and a hive of bees, who all come to assist at the opportune time.
86. The Six Servants. I've read variations on this tale (which actually has elements of a couple of different stories). Here, a prince decides to try his luck in winning the hand of a lovely princess, despite the obstacles: three tasks set by the queen. On his way, he encounters six men with special talents — one for eating and drinking, one for exceptional hearing, one for extraordinary eyesight and so on. These six help the prince overcome all obstacles put to him. But the prince himself takes care of the final hurdle — the mind of the princess being poisoned against him. It's an entertaining tale but another story which makes me wonder if the Brothers started mixing and mashing stories together to create new tales for more coin.87. The Singing, Springing Lark. This starts out as a variation of the Beauty and the Beast story. A wealthy merchant agrees to get gifts for his three daughters, the youngest of which asks for a singing, soaring lark. He finds one eventually — but it is owned by a lion, who makes the merchant promise him to send the first being that greets him. As it turns out, the first person is the man's youngest daughter. One interesting point here is the father even suspects this might happen but is convinced by his frightened servant to take the deal. The youngest daughter goes to the enchanted castle, and here is where the story starts to veer in its own direction. The ending is similar to a couple of other tales I've read earlier, with an enchantress princess placing a spell on the lion/prince.
88. The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces. I've read variations of this before. Here, there are 12 princesses whose shoes are mysteriously worn down and full of holes each morning, despite the king's best efforts to try to secure his daughters. Finally, a retired soldier figures out where the maidens are going each night, thanks to a bit of help from an old woman. Each night they have been going to an underground, enchanted kingdom and dancing the night away with 12 handsome princesses. In at least one variation, the princesses are under a spell and are dancing with demons instead of princes, which makes the ending a bit sour. The old soldier (in most variations this is a prince) asks for the hand of the eldest princess, and you get the impression none of the maids see their princes again (indeed, the young men are punished). Yikes. Didn't really like that.
89. The Shroud. A depressing story but an interesting one about dealing with grief. A woman has lost her young son and weeps continuously. Her little boy visits her and implores her to stop weeping because he cannot rest in his grave. She eventually is able to and moves in. I imagine there were all too many parents who could personally related at the time when this was written.
90. The Shepherd Boy. In this short tale, a king finds out about an unusually wise young shepherd boy. The boy is able to answer the three questions the monarch puts to him in a way that pleases the king, and the shepherd is adopted by the king. A nice little story about how intelligence and luck can elevate one's station. Also, I liked the riddles and the answers.
91. The Singing Bone. This story put me a bit in mind of the Bonny Swan song/tale. Here, two brothers go to hunt a terrifying boar that is plaguing the land. The younger brother, because he is kind, is given a special spear and succeeds in killing the monstrous beast. However, the elder brother becomes jealous and kills his brother, taking the dead boar and telling the king that he had slain the beast. So he weds the princess and lives contentedly for a few years. However, a shepherd finds a small bone and uses it as a mouthpiece for his trumpet — and the bone sings a sad tale on its own. This is a interesting story in that there's no real happy ending. The younger brother remains dead, the eldest brother does get his comeuppance, but you have to wonder about the poor princess.
92. The Seven Swabians. Didn't care for this one, and later, on reflection, I have to wonder if this story was meant to be a slur against an ethnic German group. Here, seven rather goofy men go on a series of adventures but ultimately things just don't end well since none of them are particularly bright.
93. The Sea-Hare. I've read at least one variation of this in the past. Here, a proud and independent princess challenges her suitors: they must be able to hide themselves from her sight. However, the princess has an advantage: a series of mirrors that reveals everything. She takes pride in being able to outwit and execute so many. However, of course this is a fairy tale and eventually her independence is reined in by a prince who, through his mercy, is assisted by three animals. One twist in this tale is that two of the animals later have cause to regret helping the prince. Only the fox is able to help the prince succeed, and in a rather clever way. My feelings are mixed on this one. While I like how the prince was able to avoid detection, the misogyny is unsavory, and I felt sorry for the two animals.
94. The Rose. A really odd story that reads like two stories with only a very loose connection. The first involves a young child who befriends... it's not clear who or what, but some magical being who one day gives the child a rosebud. The child dies the day the rose blooms. The second story concerns a prince who wants to know how to get to heaven and undertakes a journey of poverty to get there.
95. The Seven Ravens. I've read variations on this tale but what I liked here is there are really no evil entities involves — just a careless mistake made in anger. A king finally gets a daughter, but he gets frustrated with his sons when he sends them out to get water and they don't return. He makes a wish that they become ravens, which comes true. Later, the princess, when she finds out what has happened, goes off to find and rescue her brothers.
96. The Robber Bridegroom. A creepy tale. A father, eager to marry off his daughter, promises her hand in marriage to a seemingly nice man of some means. However, the young woman's instincts tell her that this man is not who he seems, and she is right. There's a particularly gruesome scene that illustrates how evil this man and his associates are (so... I wouldn't use this as a bedtime story for the littles). Also, there is an issue of having the young woman go off by herself to her betrothed's cabin by herself, unescorted (I know this is a fable but this just would never have happened because it would have been scandalous. Don't know why but that point really bothered me). However, I do like how the woman uncovered what an evil man the bridegroom is.
All of them are from the Brothers Grimm unless otherwise noted.97. The Poison Squad, by Deborah Blum. I read Blum's The Poisoner's Handbook and enjoyed it. This book is just as fascinating a read. Fair warning — make sure to have blood pressure medication, Pepto-Bismal or at the very least a comic chaser near at hand because the history she details is infuriating. What's even more aggravating is how many issues that come up in this well-researched book are still problems even today. The Poison Squad looks at the life of chemist Harvey Wiley and his decades-long effort in creating laws that would help ensure the safety, quality and honesty of food, drink and medicines. The amount of dishonesty outlined is staggering. I read books like this and wonder how the heck humanity survived the Industrial Age? The skullduggery businesses participated in went beyond adding fillers such as shells, chalk and other substances to more costly items such as flour and cinnamon to save money, or mixing dies and alcohol and slapping a "vanilla" label on the bottle (events which, unfortunately, still are a problem today). This included adding formaldehyde to meats, especially canned meats, that were going bad to stop the bacterial growth. I think one of the more horrifying stories is how milk plants would add formaldehyde to souring milk and then selling that milk to orphanages and poor families. What makes it worse is that formadehyde, while it smells terrible, gives substances a sweet taste, so children eagerly lapped up this poisoned milk. Also, let's not forget adding types of lead and arsenic to candies for the pretty colors.
Equally appalling is how much flak Wiley took, not just from businesses but people who should have been his allies. His work and careful research started the foundation of codefying food safety.
This should be in every school library and used in history and civics classes.
98. The Story of the Youth Who Went Forward to Learn What Fear Was. I found this story entertaining and even original in sections (although there is a bit where our hero is in a haunted castle that is similar to at least one other story I've read). Here, the younger of two sons, who is described as the duller son (so you know he's going to succeed in life), goes out into the world after an unfortunate incident in his home town. He is eager and even desperate to know what fear is, and what it's like to shudder at something. The ending is hilarious.
99. The Story of Schlauraffan Land. I really didn't care for this story. Indeed, I thought it read like a verbal acid trip that made no sense. However, I did find out that "Schlaraffia" is a German group known for its humor and satire. The story makes a little more sense in this context. Still, not to my taste. Could be a case of an inside joke that sailed over my head.
100. The Stolen Farthings. Really sad story highlighting a small act of dishonesty can haunt someone even after they have died. Here, a family has taken in a friend as a guest for a few nights. The friend sees a strange figure all in white who comes into the house and goes into a back room. The family doesn't see this unexpected guest so the friend works to solve the mystery on his own. One of the stronger narratives among the really short stories.
All of these are from the Grimm Brothers.101. The Three Army-Surgeons. A rather gruesome if entertaining tale. I can almost see this as a Three Stooges skit. Three surgeons who are traveling together stop at an inn and show off their skill: one removes his heart, one his hand and one his eyes, with the promise that they will be able to make themselves whole the next morning. However, the innkeeper's daughter neglects her duties in making sure these parts come to no harm and is forced to improvise. The result is darkly humorous.
102. The Three Apprentices. I can see an adaptation made of this story. This is one of the more original tales I've heard from the Grimm Brothers. Here, three apprentices are trying to make their way in the world but are down on their luck. However, they meet the Devil, who has an interesting proposition for them. The Devil isn't even interested in their souls, just that they do him a favor, but without wavering. If they succeed, they will never want for money.
103. The Thief and His Master. A father decides to apprentice his son to a master thief after thinking he has heard the word of God on the subject. The son turns out to be an adept thief — even surpassing his master. I liked this tale, it had a couple of unexpected twists. The morals of learning to be a thief aside I can see this adapted into a children's picture book.
104. The Tailor in Heaven. Not sure I liked this one. I don't know why this point hit me so hard but I was struck with how heaven was portrayed in such a materialistic way. Also, it was odd how the gates to heaven were supposed to be shut as God and the angels took a tour of the heavenly gardens. At any rate, one person, a poor tailor, does win the pity of St. Peter, the only one not strolling through the flowers. However, the tailor lets his curiosity get the better of him, even after St. Peter's admonishment to stay behind the gate. The tailor finds God's throne and decides briefly to act like God. Needless to say, this doesn't end well.
105. The Straw, The Coal and the Bean. This is a tale with a few variations. Three beings — a stalk of straw, a hot coal and a bean escape their fate in being a part of making a soup and decide to venture off together. As most of these tales go, it doesn't end well for the party. It does give an interesting origin story on how and why some beans have a black "seam" on them. A cute story with a small twist at the end.
106. The Spirit in the Bottle. I liked this story, didn't expect how it would wrap up. A young man goes back home after spending some time in school, where he exceled. Alas, money ran out before he could complete his studies. While his father takes a break, the student finds a glass bottle and pulls out the cork. A spirit comes out and threatens the young man, who manages to trick the malevolent genie.
107. The Three Brothers. For a Grimm tale, this was surprisingly sweet. Didn't end how I thought it would, but it was a nice surprise. Here, a father decides he will give his home to the son who can give the best artistic presentation. Don't want to say too much more for fear of spoiling the ending.
108. The Three Black Princesses. First thing out of the way, the three princesses are called this because they are dressed in black and their decor in the enchanted castle is black. Part of the story does take place in East India. A father has his son kidnapped and drafted into an enemy army, but he is given money and his standing in his town is swiftly increases. Meanwhile, his son escapes and comes across a mountain which opens up to reveal an enchanted castle. Inside are three princesses who agree to help him, with conditions. The ending is unexpected and rather abrupt. This tale doesn't hang together well, too much is left unanswered. I can see an adaptation but it would have to be worked over a good deal.
109. The Spindle, the Shuttle and the Needle. A sweet girl is raised by her godmother, who teaches her how to spin and sew. After the godmother dies, the girl finds, through her skill and fortune, that she can make a good living spinning thread and sewing. One day, a prince comes along, seeking a girl who is neither rich nor poor. The godmother's old spindle, shuttle and needle have a few tricks, as the girl discovers. A straightforward fairy tale with a happy ending. I found it charming.
110. The Sole. Another short origin-type story, which explains why the sole's mouth is on the side of its face. Here, the fish decide to have a race to see who will lead them. The sole proves to be a sore loser.
111. The Star-Money. This one is weird. Here, a girl has been orphaned and has nothing save the clothes on her back. She gradually even gives these away. The stars fall from the sky nearby, turning into gold, which provides for her. Kind of made me uncomfortable. Giving away a coat or gloves is one thing but when I say the clothes on her back, it's all of her clothing. Yeesh.
112. The Sparrow and His Four Children. I really liked this one. It's short but layered. A father sparrow is in despair after his four children are blown away. He is ecstatic when he finds them, alive and unharmed, a year later. While he wasn't able to give them all the advice he had wanted, father sparrow discovers his children have done OK- and he can still give them some parting words of wisdom. Most surprising is his youngest, who the father feared for most but wound up coming out the best of all. It's a sweet story, and shows that children often do better than we can anticipate, but can still benefit from the words of the older and wiser.
113. The Skillful Huntsman. An interesting and winding tale. A young man decides to switch careers and become a huntsman. At the end of his training, he is given an airgun, which always hits his target. He encounters some giants, who recruit the hunter in helping them break the curse of an enchanted, sleeping princess. He agrees but then betrays the giants. The huntsman leaves the castle to tell his father the good news of all he had done, but shortly after he leaves, the enchantment on the castle is broken and everyone awakens. The king promises his daughter's hand in marriage to whomever had killed the giants and broken the spell. An old captain lies and takes credit for the deeds. The princess refuses to marry him and is instead charged to do menial labor. The story does have a happy ending.
114. The Six Swans. I remember reading a story similar to this this when I was younger. A lost king makes a bargain with a witch to marry her daughter, a beautiful but sinister woman. The king tries to protect his seven children — six sons and a daughter — from his previous marriage but his second wife finds the castle they are hidden in and change the sons into swans. She does not know about the daughter, who is bound and determined to break the enchantment, even at the risk to her own life.
All are Brothers Grimm unless otherwise noted.115. The Hard Way on Purpose, by David Giffels. Anyone with Akron roots should enjoy this collection of essays about growing up and living in Akron. Giffels captures the zeitgeist of this area, its highs, its many lows and everything in between. Akron, known in its heyday as the rubber capital of the world, has fallen on harder times and has struggled since with recapturing an identity outside of the image of perpetual loss. He covers the art scene, abandoned businesses, local figures and elections. This would be a good book to include in a local time capsule.
116. The Three Sons of Fortune. At first glance, this is an odd story, but it may be deeper than seen at first glance. Depends on how deep you want to read into this. Here, a dying father gives each of his three sons a gift: one receives a rooster, one a scythe and the third a cat. He tells each of his sons to make their fortune with these, and tells them to travel the world and find a place where the people are not familiar with the items they own. The sons, one by one, do this, and find places that have never seen a rooster for the first son, a scythe for the second or a cat for the third, and each son comes back with a small fortune. It did cross my mind that, rather than selling their inheritance outright they would have been better off renting out or helping bring the "gifts" to multiple residents (making more scythes, breeding chickens and cats) but I'm not sure that was the intent of the story. It's with the final segment, the cat, where the story gets a bit odd. The residents of the town the cat is in grow fearful of it. I guess a lesson can be taken there as well. I won't spoil what happens.
117. The Three Sluggards. This is one of the funnier, and more light-hearted, Brothers Grimm stories I've read. It's also short and sweet. Here, an aging king with three sons decides to give his kingdom to the laziest prince. The tale has the feel of one of those barroom one-upmanship tales.
118. The Three Snake-Leaves. One of the more original-feeling Brothers Grimm tales. There's a lot of elements at play. A young man from a poor background sees his fortunes change after he saves the day during a war. He is granted permission to wed the princess, who only wanted to marry someone who was willing to abide by her dearest wish — that her husband be confined to her tomb to die when she dies (and she would, supposedly, do the same for him.) She does die but the young man brings her back to life through a strange stroke of fortune. However, he also learns that she is not so honest and true as he is.
119. The Three Little Men in the Wood. A fairly typical Brothers Grimm story. Two stepsisters — a kind, pretty girl and an ugly, selfish girl — both have the opportunity to better themselves through three little men who have magical powers. Their actions are different and they meet different fates through their actions and the enchantments put on them, fairy godmother (or, here, fairy godfather) style.
120. The three little birds. There are a few elements from other Brothers Grimm tales in this one. Three sisters who watch cows attract the attention of a young kind and two of his advisors. However, the two sisters who married the ministers grow jealous of the third, and when she has two sons and a daughter, the wicked sisters throw the babies into the river in order to drown them. However, all three of them are rescued by a fisherman and raised by him and his wife, who have no other children. Of course, the king comes to find out what really happened to his children, good prevails, evil is punished, etc., through birds who tell the truth (hence, the title, I guess).
121. The Three Languages. I really liked this story. Here, a father tries to send his son to different masters to learn skills but is bitterly disappointed when his son "only" picks up the skill to learn how to talk to dogs, to frogs and to doves. However, the young man's talent with these other languages winds up coming in handy and even earns him a fortune and a higher standing. The lesson- the oddest skills can come in handy, and it never hurts to learn other forms of communication.
122. The Three Green Twigs. A hermit learns a hard lesson after he declares a prisoner who has been sent to the gallows deserves his fate. Having fallen from grace, the hermit is forced to beg for food and carry a piece of with him. He will know he has regained favor when the wood sprouts three green twigs. This story has a strong moral about passing judgement and forgiveness.
123. The Three Feathers. An odd if entertaining tale. A king must decide which of his three sons will inherit his crown, and sets out a series of tasks for them. The older two sons are described as clever, but the youngest is known as Simpleton. The king blows on three feathers, which will decide which route the princes must follow to fulfill their quests. One flies to the right, one to the left, and one just falls. Simpleton is given the feather that falls immediately to the ground. The two older brothers laugh at this seeming lack of luck but for Simpleton this winds up being fortuitous. I do find it amusing that, while the two older brothers are painted as being lazy as well as "clever," the youngest really doesn't do much to earn his fortune, he's just luckier (it can be implied it's because he has a kinder heart, perhaps. Or the fact that he is the youngest, and the youngest siblings I've noticed tend to be the victors in such tales.)
All of these are from the Brothers Grimm, unless otherwise noted. 124. Because I Said I Would, by Alex Sheen. I highly recommend this book for anyone who needs a boost (and honestly, who doesn't)? The author started an initiative that encourages people to write down a promise to themselves, give that card to someone, and then the card is returned when the promise is fulfilled. He said the idea came to him through his late father's steadfast insistence of always keeping his word. The inspiration has created numerous chapters — both for youth and for adults — where volunteers and staff count the cards and work together on how to build better communities. This book is a quick read, and full of stories from people who have shared their personal "because I said I would" missions. It's the shot in the arm for anyone depleted of hope and ideas. I can't say enough good things about it.
125. The Two Brothers. There are several elements from other Grimm Brothers tales in this one: two brothers are sent away from home after their uncle pressures their father to exile them. They are trained to be hunters, but spare the lives of several animals, whose cubs and kits go on to serve them. One brother rescues a princess but is cruelly killed by a man who wants to marry the princess himself. The young brother is saved and the truth comes out (eventually). But the brother, now the young king, falls under the spell of a witch, and his twin must come to his rescue. It's an amusing story for what it is. This tale is a good deal longer than most Brothers Grimm stories (around 8,000 words as opposed to the typical 2,000-3,000 words, or shorter).
126. The Twelve Idle Servants. An amusing tale of twelve lazy servants, who are trying to one-up each other on how lazy they can be. It has the feel of a group of friends at a bar telling tall tales. Made me chuckle.
127. The Twelve Huntsmen. This is another story in the category where a young man, here a prince, promises himself to one young lady, only to come thiiiiis close to marrying another. The tale has an interesting twist though: the maiden in question finds eleven other maidens who look like her and they all dress as huntsmen and join the prince — now king — in the hunt. It made me think a bit of Twelfth Night by Shakespeare.
128. The Twelve Brothers. Another tale in the "sister must save her enchanted brothers" story. Here, a king and queen have 12 sons but the king declares that if the next child the queen has is a daughter, the 12 boys must be slaughtered in favor of their sister. He even has coffins made for his sons in advance. The queen warns the youngest son of this, and he tells the others. They all run off, then later escape permanently when they find their mother as, indeed, had a princess. Years later, the princess finds her brothers, and then must rescue them.
129. The Twelve Apostles. An interesting origin story on the twelve Apostles, and how they were selected centuries before to become Apostles.
130. The True Sweethearts. A young woman is given impossible tasks by her cruel stepmother but an old woman helps the maid, fairy godmother style. The maiden eventually has her own castle and falls in love with a young king, but the king leaves and then forgets about her. So, she becomes a cowherd until she finds him. At the festivities, she has saved back three lovely dresses in hopes of getting his love again. There are many familiar elements to this story, but it comes together.
131. The Three Spinners. A young woman who detests spinning finds herself tasked with spinning an impossible amount of flax. However, she is assisted by three women who, together, have an especial talent for spinning. Their only request? Being invited to the wedding and treated like loved relatives. One of the lighter stories.
132. Burning Bright, by Tracy Chevalier. I had mixed feelings about this one. I loved her other books but this one didn't quite reach their level. Burning Bright did offer an interesting point of view of the French Revolution — the London citizenry, who, as can be imagined, were wondering if the same thing could happen in their country. We're introduced to two interesting historical figures that I'd never heard of before: William Blake, a poet and printer with Revolutionary sympathies, and Philip Astley and his circus. (You know the image of the circus showman? Top hat, red coat, shiny boots, etc.? I suspect from a few illustrations I saw of him that Astley is the inspiration for this illustration). The two main characters, Jim and Maggie, are likeable if a bit stereotypical: the somewhat naive country boy versus the street-smart lass with a sketchy family. Still, it just didn't hang together as well as past stories. Some of the characters' actions (I'm especially thinking the Butterworths) didn't follow logically, especially the father and the brother. And the ending was a bit anticlimactic. There was some excitement but no major fallout. The book is a quick read and fairly easy to follow, but if you start thinking about it some things just didn't hold together well.133. The Willful Child. Ugh. The best thing about this story is it was only a few sentences. Didn't care for it, although I actually could see this being adapted in a short, farcical play (something like The Evil Dead- The Musical). Here, the titular willful child is stubborn, even in death(?) Now that I think about it, this is creepier than I first thought if you look at it from the angle that the child may have been buried alive. Yikes!
134. The Wise Servant. This short story is pretty funny. Here, a master has ordered his servant to find a lost cow but the servant, after some time, tells his master he has found something even better. I wonder if this was a contemporary commentary on something. At any rate, it made me chuckle.
135. The Willow-Wren and the Bear. An odd tale. I wonder if there's some story, or cultural significance, in where it originated. Here, a Willow-Wren and other flying creatures go to war with a Bear and other land-bound animals after Bear insults the Wren's children.
136. The White Snake. I think I've read a variation of this tale before. A faithful servant becomes curious about a special dish the king has every day, tries a bit of it, and can suddenly understand the speech of animals. Far from being punished for sampling the royal meal, a white snake, this winds up not only saving his life but earns him a royal bride. An enjoyable story, all in all.
137. The White Bride and the Black Bride. This one really did not age well. The title pretty much says everything you need to know- and yes, the white bride is the virtuous, sweet one and the black bride is the evil one.
138. The Water of Life. Three princes go off, one by one, to retrieve the Water of Life for their father, who is ailing. Only the polite youngest son succeeds, but then he has to overcome the trickery of his two conniving brothers. A good short story, even if it was a bit predictable. I enjoyed it.
139. The Ungrateful Son. A very short story with a very clear moral: don't be neglectful of your parents. Here, a son refuses to share his dinner with his father, who drops in unexpectedly. He learns a painful lesson for his stinginess.
140. The Water-Nix. Two children who fall down a well are kidnapped by a Water-Nix, a malevolent water spirit. However, one day when she is away (in a rather ironic place, given the creature's sinister nature), the children manage to escape. Has elements of a couple of Baba Yaga stories I've read.
141. The Wedding of Mrs. Fox. This one is actually two semi-related stories. In both cases, Mrs. Fox is seeking a new husband, but only someone who can match her first husband's qualities. This was different, although I preferred the second story.
142. The Two Travelers. I really liked this one, it's a bit different from many of the Grimm Brothers Tales. Here, two men, a young and handsome tailor and a miserly, sour shoemaker team up and travel together. The shoemaker becomes jealous of the comely tailor and his success, even though the tailor shares his wealth with his bitter travel mate. When the tailor makes a foolish decision due to his overweening optimism, the shoemaker takes cruel advantage. The tailor does suffer trials but eventually his fortunes return. However, he's forced to confront more duplicity from the shoemaker. While a bit dark, I can see this as a good story for older children to spark conversation on planning carefully and the importance of being generous while being wary of those without the same type of heart.
143. The Two Kings Children. This story is a mashup of a few other stories I've read by the Brothers Grimm. A prince has been led astray by a sorcerer-king (although a bit of a twist here is that the prince does not run foul of a prophecy made against him). He first must stay awake to answer three questions in a row, and when that is completed, he must fulfill three tasks in order to win the hand of the youngest princess. They flee and turn themselves into enchanted things (there's another twist in this section, too, though). Then the prince, upon nearing his kingdom, leaves his intended behind... and forgets all about her. Through three lovely dresses, the princess looks to win her prince back.
144. A Curious Pleasure Excursion, by Mark Twain. This was hilarious and unexpected. Mark Twain takes a jab at products and experiences that promise far more than can be delivered. Here, he gives a pitch about a journey through the galaxy on the tail of a comet (which is fitting given his connection to comets). I have a feeling there were probably references I didn't pick up on, but there was plenty that had me laughing out loud.145. About Smells, by Mark Twain. Twain here takes aim at houses of worship that have forgotten their main mission of helping people no matter how low their means (or how smelly they might be). He does not hold back on the sarcasm.
146. About Play-Acting, by Mark Twain. Twain has a wonderful turn of phrase, which kept me reading for about two-thirds of the way of the story. But it's a bit long for what the story is- about how good a play was, and my attention started to wane towards the end. I concede there might be a story behind this that I am not aware of but as it stands, wasn't as big a fan as other stories he has written.
147. About Barbers, by Mark Twain. I can easily see this adapted into a short play. Here, Twain describes a typical (and somewhat unlucky) stop at a local barbershop. The descriptions are vivid and funny as a man tries to get the shave and cut he wants, and has to fight to get his way.
148. Thumbling as Journeyman, by the Brothers Grimm. There are several Thumbling stories that tell similar stories. Here, a boy no bigger than a thumb decides to explore the world. His adventures include escapes, giving robbers a hand (this Thumbling is a bit of a rascal), getting trapped inside a cow, receiving help from a fox and eventually finding his way home.
149. Thumbling, by the Brothers Grimm. In this Thumbling tale, a couple without children wish for a child-- even if he's no bigger than a thumb. Thumbling comes along and helps his parents through various schemes become more prosperous through unconventional means.
150. The Wonderful Musician, by the Brothers Grimm. The titular musician is a talented with an instrument but a terrible human being. He seeks a companion but when various animals try to join them, he betrays them all in a mean way. Then, when the animals want to seek revenge, they are chased off by a woodcutter who s accompanying the musician. Didn't care for this one.
151. The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids. This tale reminded me a bit of The Three Little Pigs. Here, a mother goat tells her seven children that she is going to the forest for food, but they need to beware the wolf. The wolf comes by and tries to trick the kids, and eventually succeeds, capturing all but one of them. It ends happily (except for the fate of the greedy wolf, of course).
152. "After" Jenkins, by Mark Twain. Interesting snippet about a gala, and the observations on what the women were wearing. Not sure if this actually ran in a paper or if it's a parody of such (either is a possibility).153. A Fashion Item, by Mark Twain. Not sure if this was an actual newspaper article or a parody, but Twain comments on (and occasionally mocks) the garb and accessories of a society woman at a recent event.
154. A Fable, by Mark Twain. This was hilarious. Twain talks, in newspaper column style, about a 104 year old man and his life, but with all the qualifiers it's hard to tell what is accurate and what is, well, fable.
155. Advice to Little Girls. Here, Twain plays the role of ornery uncle as he gives out his "wisdom" to young girls about how to treat their teachers, their brothers and their parents. This was quite funny!
156. The Wishing Table, The Gold Ass and the Cudgel in the Sack, by the Brothers Grimm. Three brothers go off to make their fortune and, as a reward for their hard work, are each given an enchanted item. One receives a table that fills itself with food, one gets a donkey which, on command, coughs up gold coins, and the third gets a cudgel which will beat anyone within an inch of their lives when directed. The brothers all encounter a dishonest innkeeper, who covets the items for his own use.
157. The Wolf and the Fox, by the Brothers Grimm. A greedy wolf forces a fox to do his bidding, so the fox tries to think of ways to use the wolf's avaricious nature against him.
158. The Wolf and the Man, by the Brothers Grimm. A fox tries to warn his friend the wolf about the strength of men. The wolf takes this as a challenge and demands to see a man for himself.
159. The Willow-Wren, by the Brothers Grimm. The birds decide to elect a ruler among their number, but are outraged when the tiny willow-wren defeats everyone in a flying contest due to trickery. The willow-wren is further challenged by the outraged birds.
All by Mark Twain.161. A Memory. I read this one for my online series, and there were a couple of times when I almost cracked up laughing. Here, Twain relates a story (which may be true, not sure) where he writes his non-poetry loving father a poem based on the gift his half brother received. This was hilarious! I can see it adapted as a short 10-minute play.
162. A Medieval Romance. Mark Twain is such a tease. Here, he pens a slightly overwrought (in a comic way) romance story that reminds me a bit of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The ending will either make you laugh, groan, or do a bit of both.
163. A Letter from Santa Claus. This was sweet (although I'm curious whether there's a story within a story here with who I think was the servant?) Twain pens a letter to his little girl, pretending it is from Santa Claus. I'm thinking it may have been used as a means to explain a tardy gift, but it was charming, regardless.
164. A Humane Word from Satan. Obviously a jab at the millionaire class of the day, including and especially Rockefeller. This letter from the chief devil (supposedly) basically outlines that the road to his place is paved by good intentions. Which may not be all that good.
165. A Helpless Situation. I have a feeling this story is likely true, or at least partially true. Twain talks about getting letters, using one as an example, from people who hope he can use his influence to get their books before a publisher. He goes into his response, which may or may not have been sent, in which he points out the flaws in the pleader's logic. A brutal but honest response, and a lesson for any prospective writer.
166. A Dog's Tale. An excellent short story, but a fair warning: it starts out humorous and light, but the ending is dark. I mean, really dark. It was rather abrupt. The first person narrator is, as expected, a family dog. She relates her days with her mother, and then later tells about her new family. The family pup tries to relate to the world around her with her limited comprehension, often with humorous results.
167. After-Dinner Speech. Curious if this is an actual speech, but here, the narrator goes into the improving relations between the United States and Great Britain, and the economic boom that has resulted. There's a bit of a twist at the end.
All are by Mark Twain.168. An Encounter with an Interviewer. The beauty of so many Mark Twain pieces is that much of his fiction feels so real you wonder if it really happened, or at least were inspired by real events. That is the case here. From what I gleaned from the intro here, this is fictional, but I can't help but wonder if Twain at least had dreams of answering a young and naive interviewer much like the narrator here. The story made me laugh because the interviewer walks away, probably thinking his famous quarry isn't as smart as believed, while the narrator and famous person has exposed the younger man's foolishness. It's masterful writing.
169. A Mysterious Visitor. This story made me laugh out loud. A reasonably well-off man encounters a stranger and, in trying to find out more about his work in the Internal Revenue Service, tells a bit about himself, exaggerating some things along the way. Including about his income. The rest of the story is fairly predictable but hilarious (and a great jab about how the wealthy get ahead).
170. A Monument to Adam. A proposal is circulating about creating a monument to Adam. Darwin's work Origin of Species has been published, so a monument is needed of the Father of Mankind so no one forgets about him. So the story goes. Pretty amusing narrative.
171. Among the Spirits. A humorous story, but respectful. The story takes place during a seance, where a group has gathered to try to communicate with the dead. In mid to late Victorian times, and even into the Edwardian era, Spiritualism was common and seances were popular. Civil Wars, the uprooting of many norms during the Industrial Revolution, plus the usual epidemics and disasters left people wondering more about the afterlife and wishing for a salve to their grief. Skepticism runs throughout, but the story ends on a rather sympathetic note.
172. Stiff, by Mary Roach. I've previously read Bonk and Spook by Roach, and she's becoming one of my favorite nonfiction authors. She has a talent for taking unconventional, even risqué, topics and writing about them in a way that is engaging and oftentimes hilarious. Here, she goes into the world of cadavers — the history of medical research using them, the other types of research that use cadavers (forensics, safety tests, etc.). For a book that is 300 pages, she goes into a lot of topics, including information that I didn't know I didn't know. Fair warning: I typically like to read while eating lunch. I do NOT recommend doing that with Stiff. Still, if you are curious about medicine, about unusual history and aren't too faint of heart, give this one a try.173. Answers to Correspondents. Here, Twain goes over the answers to several readers' questions, akin to an advice column format. Most sections don't include the original question but they can be gleaned from his responses — always sharp, always funny.
174. A Royal Compliment. This is hilarious. Twain goes over what he would do, and what he would require, if he is named the king of Spain- an honor he is expecting any time now.
175. A New Crime. Relevant for today's world. Twain goes over the latest trend, where (some) people who have committed murder plead insanity and their lives are spared. Of course, as you can read (and observe in real life) this doesn't work for everyone. Only the wealthy and well-connected.
Stories by Mark Twain unless otherwise noted:176. Mrs. Lincoln's Dressmaker, by Jennifer Chiaverini. This was an interesting and quick read, told from the point of view of Elizabeth Keckley, a Black seamstress and dressmaker who served as Mary Todd Lincoln's modiste and confidante. Most of the story is told right before to through the end of the Civil War, although the book does get into Keckley's past as a slave who was able to buy not just her freedom but her son's liberty as well. I did like this book but not sure I loved it as much as did those who recommended it to me. One thing is a lot of that past felt sugar-coated. A part of this, I admit, is because we are looking at the life of a Black woman with an unusual amount of standing and prestige for that time period. She was a well-known and well-respected businesswoman with several people in her employ. While there were social mores she had to follow as a Black woman of this time, she had extraordinary freedom due to her prestigious clients — most notably the First Lady. Not to say Keckley did not experience hardships — she did for sure. The bulk of the story takes place during Keckley's most prominent days, so the fact that we don't see the uglier side of both the lives of Black people then and the horrors of the war are at least partially understandable.
The book also does go into how both Keckley and the widowed Mrs. Lincoln got taken in a few times by scam artists when the former First Lady, who struggled with spending, was trying to raise money to support herself. It also goes through Keckley's well-intentioned book that she wrote about Mary Todd Lincoln, a narration written with the mind to defend her. It backfired badly and ruined her relationship with the former First Lady and all but destroyed Keckley's business. Keckley would eventually find her footing again as a teacher at Wilberforce University in Ohio, teaching students how to sew.
177. Concerning Chambermaids. I have to wonder how much of this came from Mark Twain's bad experiences. Here, he waxes vitriolic against chamber maids, describing them as capricious creatures out to make his life miserable. A funny read, but I'd pity the maids in his employ after reading this.
178. Christian Science and the book of Mrs. Eddy. When Mark Twain wrote this, Christian Science would have been fairly new, so it was a fascinating view of someone considering the religion when it was in its infancy. Twain is a bit cynical but between the lines of sarcasm and pointing out certain inconsistencies and hypocrisies, he does give credit where he feels it is due (frequently with tongue planted firmly in cheek). This also was written in an era when treatments with conventional medicine for the time was, to put it kindly, hit or miss. Patients were as likely to die as be cured by conventional treatments of the time.
179. Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven. I really liked this short story. Indeed, I think it might be my favorite one that I've read by Twain this year to date. It has the Twain humor — tongue in cheek and sometimes surprising — but this narrative also is incredibly thoughtful and imaginative. In the story, Captain Stormfield is making his journey to heaven and finding the experiences not quite how he thought they would be — but not terrible, either. Indeed, much of what he was taught and had believed doesn't make sense now that he is actually there.
180. The Cannibalism in the Cars. A dark — and I do mean DARK — short story. Here, a young man finds himself traveling with another man, who shares a horrifying story about another journey he took when he was stranded in a train during a blizzard. The clue is in the title. There's a bit of a twist at the end but it's up to the reader whether they want to believe it.
181. Aurelia's Unfortunate Young Man. In this incredibly dark but darkly funny story, Aurelia is trying to marry her sweetheart. However, he keeps meeting up with serious misfortune right before the attempted walks down the aisle.
182. At the Appetite-Cure. The narrator in this amusing short is trying to restore his appetite and his health. He has gone to a sort of resort-style place with extremely unconventional treatments- remedies so bizarre they might actually work. Love Twain's turn of phrase and descriptions.
183. A Telephonic Conversation. A man listens to one part of a conversation between his wife and her friend while they try to talk over the telephone. It's an interesting perspective, given that the telephone would have been new when it was written, even still a bit of a novelty. It reminded me of one of my favorite short operas, The Telephone, by Menotti.
All were written by Mark Twain.184. Edward Mills and George Benton: A Tale. This was a rather dark and cynical take on both the prodigal son and the "benefits of morality" tropes, although there's more than a grain of truth in Twain's short tale. Here, two distant cousins are orphaned as infants and adopted by a loving couple. Edward is a well-behaved and helpful child, but George is a scapegrace. Guess who winds up with more and better life opportunities?
185. Does the Race of Man Love a Lord? Twain's essay on humanity's infatuation with royalty and nobility (or, as he puts it, with power and proximity) is funny and spot-on. He lampoons the "Dollar Princesses," and pokes fun at the near-universal impulse for sharing stories about any close brushes with the rich and famous- as well as some examples dealing with animals.
186. Dick Baker's Cat. A short story, told by a man who works as a miner reminiscing about his cat. It's a sweet and sometimes amusing story, if a bit slow in places.
187. Curing a Cold. Probably one of the funniest Mark Twain stories I've ever read. We've all been there: we've been subjected to upper respiratory infections, and equally subjected to tips, home remedies and "cures." The various treatments are attempted with hilarious results. A warning: this is a product of its time, and does use a word that is really not cool to use in this day and age.
188. Concerning the American Language. This short essay made me laugh out loud. Twain makes his astute observations regarding the English and American languages, which he insists are two different languages and then goes into all the reasons why. And he's not wrong.
1. The Crumbs of the Table. Reminds me a bit of the story of a child who rescues a rattlesnake during a storm. Here, a man encourages some puppies to eat the scraps around a table while the abusive mistress is away. The puppies at first refuse, fearing retribution, but they finally relent. The mistress comes in, catches them, and the puppies are punished. The ending is a somewhat happy one, depending on how you want to read it.
2. The Bittern and the Hoepoo. Both an interesting origin story regarding the call of two types of birds, plus a good moral about moderation. Here, two shepherds treat their flocks very differently: one brings his cows to rick pastures, one to poor. Neither end well.
3. The Beam. This was an interesting short story with a bit of a twist at the end. The moral of this story is a bit questionable but I will say the ending is honest. A magician is performing but a girl exposes his tricks. He plans revenge on her.
4. The Adventures of Aladdin. A well-known tale, with many of the familiar elements. A widow lives with her son, who one day encounters a wizard. Aladdin winds up in possession of both a magic ring as well as the magic lamp (yes, most stories I've read have a genie of the ring, too). Aladdin is able to get it all- riches, a palace, and the sultan's beautiful daughter. All this is jeopardized when the wizard returns.
5. Sweetheart Roland. This story combines several elements of other stories. Fair warning to parents- this is decidedly on the "grimm" side. A young woman flees with her sweetheart Roland after her stepmother tries to kill her. However, when Roland goes to his hometown to arrange their marriage, he falls under an enchantment and is getting ready to marry someone else. The woman is distraught but all ends well.