The Old Man and his Grandson

The old grandfather and the grandson is a moral parable (ATU 980 (1)). It is in the Children's and Household Tales of the Brothers Grimm in place 78 (KHM 78) and comes from Johann Heinrich Jung- Stilling's autobiography Heinrich Stilling Adolescent Years ( 1778), but is already testified earlier. Jung- Stilling's version is based on Johann Michael Moscherosch Mahngedicht children mirror of 1643 in Insomnis cura parentum.

Content

The old grandfather can no longer eat his soup right, he spilled it, and it runs him over and over again from the mouth. As disgusted with his son and daughter-in before he has to sit at in the corner. When he plus breaks his bowl, he gets only a wooden bowl from which he must eat. Shortly afterwards, the four year-old grandson carries some bits of wood together and explained to parents that he wanted to make a little trough, to eat from the father and mother, if it is large and they are then old. Then catch the parents to cry and get the grandfather back to the dining table.

Origin

The from the 1st edition of Grimm Children 's and Household Tales (1812 ) as No. 78 reproduced text belongs to the not so small number of stories that have taken printed materials, the brothers Grimm. Grimm Note names the source, Johann Heinrich Jung- Stilling Heinrich Stilling youth years, yet additional oral and written versions.

In Heinrich Stilling youth years, the story is told from the beginning of a boy in the Latin school and adapts to the changing domestic conditions after the death of his grandfather: "Yes", Heinrich Stilling replied the boy, " I've stood by how it happened. " But laughed not, he stood and looked down before him; the story Drung him through and through, to the depths of his soul; At last he began: "This should have happened to my grandfather ...! "

The Brothers Grimm took over the text unchanged, only the name (the old spring ) and time-bound formulations ( ehgestern be broken earthenware bowl ) had them away. In their version of the story has become world famous, what would have happened either by the reproduction of Jung-Stilling nor by the long and well-documented history of tradition.

Comments

The tale is completely atypical for the collection of the Brothers Grimm, it 's more of a short didactic narrative. In addition, it contains neither magical nor improbable elements, the story could just as it is written, be done. Completely natural and appropriate for children is also the child's behavior to try to mimic the playful with their parents experienced. Whether the child wants his parents to shame with intention does not appear from the fairy tale. The tale is, due to its brevity, its violence and its catchy morality often found in textbooks for primary schools. A similar issue has Grimm's Fairy Tales # 145 The ungrateful son.