Herr Korbes
Introduction
'Herr Korbes' is the 41st tale in Grimm, classed by folklorists as ATU 210, 'The Cock, the Hen, and Their Companions on a Journey' — a 'chain tale': a cock and hen set out, and along the way a millstone, an egg, a duck, a pin, and a needle join one after another, snowballing as they go. This 'one more joins in' structure is close kin to 'The Bremen Town Musicians,' with a brisk, easily memorised rhythm — the kind of tale made for telling by the fireside and making children laugh. But this one leaves a famous puzzle: from start to finish it never says who Korbes is or what wrong he did, until it tosses off a final line — 'Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man!' — as if the author knew readers would ask 'says who?' and simply had to supply a reason. Even Wilhelm Grimm himself was vague about who Korbes really was; some guess he was a real local figure, others that this is purely an absurd, rhythm-driven bit of fun with no moral to it. That is exactly why it makes such fine material for asking a child, 'if someone says he's bad, do you just believe it?' As you read, enjoy the snowballing sing-song — and play detective for a moment, questioning whether that final line really holds up.
Vocabulary from "Herr Korbes"
12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.
An act of travelling from one place to another.
旅行；旅程。
There were once a cock and a hen who wanted to take a journey together.
从前，有一只公鸡和一只母鸡想一起去旅行。
Attached an animal to a vehicle with straps so it can pull it.
给（牲口）套上挽具（以便拉车）。
So the cock built a beautiful carriage, which had four red wheels, and harnessed four mice to it.
于是公鸡造了一辆漂亮的马车，马车有四个红色的轮子，并套了四只老鼠来拉车。
Readily and gladly; without being forced.
乐意地；心甘情愿地。
The cock answered, "Most willingly, get up behind, lest you fall off in front."
公鸡回答："非常乐意，到后面坐好，免得从前面掉下去。"
A large, heavy round stone used to grind grain.
磨盘；磨石。
After this came a millstone, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin, and at last a needle, who all seated themselves in the carriage.
接着来了一块磨盘，然后是一个蛋，一只鸭子，一枚大头针，最后是一根缝衣针，他们都坐进了马车。
A large farm building for storing crops or keeping animals.
谷仓；畜棚。
The mice drew the carriage into the barn, the hen flew with the cock upon a perch.
老鼠们把马车拉进谷仓，母鸡和公鸡飞到了栖木上。
The floor of a fireplace, and the area in front of it.
壁炉；炉边。
The cat sat down by the hearth, the duck on the well-pole.
猫坐在壁炉旁，鸭子等在井杆上。
A soft bag filled with padding, used to sit or lie on.
垫子；坐垫。
The pin stuck itself into the chair-cushion, the needle jumped on to the bed in the middle of the pillow.
大头针扎进椅子垫，缝衣针跳上床钻进枕头中心。
The grey powder left after something has burned.
灰；灰烬。
He was about to light the fire, when the cat threw a quantity of ashes in his face.
他准备生火，这时猫把一大堆灰烬撒到了他脸上。
Made liquid fly about in drops.
泼；溅。
He ran into the kitchen in a great hurry to wash it off, and the duck splashed some water in his face.
他急忙跑到厨房想把脸洗干净，结果鸭子朝他脸上泼了一脸水。
Made a small hole in something, or hurt it, with a sharp point.
刺；扎。
He wanted to rest, and sat down in the chair, and then the pin pricked him.
他想休息一下，就在椅子上坐了下来，结果大头针扎了他一下。
A sudden strong feeling, here of anger; a fit of rage.
（尤指）勃然大怒；一阵强烈的情绪。
He fell in a passion, and threw himself on his bed.
他勃然大怒，猛地摔到床上。
Morally very bad; evil.
邪恶的；坏的。
Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man!
柯贝斯老爷一定是个非常邪恶的人！
Reading Together & Learning More
The Moral
The cleverest thing about this story is hidden in its very last line — 'Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man!' — because from beginning to end, the story never once tells us what Korbes did wrong. A band of hens and cocks and pots and pans gang up and finish him off, and we never even learn who he is. So what it can really teach a child is perhaps not 'bad people get what's coming to them,' but a more important skill: when someone tells you 'he's just a bad guy,' don't rush to believe it — ask, 'Says who? What did he actually do?' Evidence is always worth more than a bare claim.
Educational Value
This is a classic 'chain tale' (a repeating structure where one member after another joins in), with a rhythm as catchy as a nursery rhyme — perfect for taking turns reading aloud and building memory and a feel for language. Rarer still, it comes with a ready-made media-literacy topic: the story's 'narrator' flatly concludes that Korbes was wicked, yet offers no evidence at all. Use that to play 'detective' with your child: who says so? Is there proof? Should I believe it?
Tips for Parents
When reading aloud, give the cock's chant — 'little wheels, roll on; little mice, pipe out' — a strong rhythm, and children will love joining in. The ending, in which Korbes is struck dead by the millstone, comes fast and suddenly, but the whole tale is absurd comedy in tone, not gory. Focus on two fun questions: first, 'what bad thing did Korbes actually do?' (the answer is — the story never says, and even the Brothers Grimm never explained it!); and second, compare it with 'The Bremen Town Musicians,' since both are about 'a band of unlikely companions teaming up to drive off or bring down a single person' — but there the ones chased away are robbers (who deserve it), while here it's far from clear whether Korbes did.
Talk About It
- The story ends by saying, 'Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man.' But can you remember what bad thing Korbes actually did? Did the story ever tell us?
- If there's no evidence at all, just the words 'he's a bad man,' should we believe it — and go punish him? How would you decide?
- This story is a lot like 'The Bremen Town Musicians,' where a band of companions team up against someone. Did the person on the receiving end deserve it equally in both?
- A cock, a hen, an egg, a pin... so many odd companions join one after another. Which is your favourite? If you could add one more, who would it be?
- One after another, the millstone, the duck, and the egg take turns tormenting Korbes. Do you think this is 'justice being done,' or more like a gang prank?
