The Godfather

Author: Brothers Grimm

Age8–12
Reading time6 min
LevelIntermediate

Introduction

This tale, 'The Godfather' (Grimm no. 42, in German 'Der Herr Gevatter'), is often treated as the twin sister of the more famous 'Godfather Death' (no. 44): both open with a poor man who has so many children he can find no one left to be godfather, and both give the hero the power to see whether Death stands at a patient's head or feet, making him a celebrated doctor. But this one goes stranger still — the mysterious godfather keeps a house full of fish frying themselves, heaps of dead fingers, and a horned shadow, all but declaring him the devil himself. Tellingly, the word 'devil' is never spoken: in German folk speech 'Gevatter' (godfather) was a polite way to address dangerous figures like Death or the devil — a bit like naming something you dare not name 'that one,' a taboo of 'don't call its true name, lest you summon it.' So this piece has almost no plot or moral in the usual sense; it is more like a nightmare or a riddle preserved intact, the most 'dreamlike' and least logical tale in all of Grimm. Read it not to find a lesson, but to feel that peculiar mood in which every explanation makes things worse — and to guess, together with your child: who is the godfather, really?

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A poor man had so many children that he had already asked every one in the world to be godfather, and when still another child was born, no one else was left whom he could invite. He knew not what to do, and, in his perplexity, he lay down and fell asleep. Then he dreamt that he was to go outside the gate, and ask the first person who met him to be godfather.

When he awoke, he determined to obey his dream, and went outside the gate, and asked the first person who came up to him to be godfather. The stranger presented him with a little glass of water, and said, "This is a wonderful water, with it thou canst heal the sick, only thou must see where Death is standing. If he is standing by the patient's head, give the patient some of the water and he will be healed, but if Death is standing by his feet, all trouble will be in vain, for the sick man must die."

From this time forth, the man could always say whether a patient could be saved or not, and became famous for his skill, and earned a great deal of money.

Once he was called in to the child of the King, and when he entered, he saw death standing by the child's head and cured it with the water, and he did the same a second time, but the third time Death was standing by its feet, and then he knew the child was forced to die.

Once the man thought he would visit the godfather, and tell him how he had succeeded with the water. But when he entered the house, it was such a strange establishment! On the first flight of stairs, the broom and shovel were disputing, and knocking each other about violently. He asked them, "Where does the godfather live?" The broom replied, "One flight of stairs higher up."

When he came to the second flight, he saw a heap of dead fingers lying. He asked, "Where does the godfather live?" One of the fingers replied, "One flight of stairs higher."

On the third flight lay a heap of dead heads, which again directed him to the flight beyond.

On the fourth flight, he saw fishes on the fire, which frizzled in the pans and baked themselves. They, too, said, "One flight of stairs higher."

And when he had ascended the fifth, he came to the door of a room and peeped through the keyhole, and there he saw the godfather who had a pair of long horns. When he opened the door and went in, the godfather got into bed in a great hurry and covered himself up. Then said the man, "Sir godfather, what a strange household you have! When I came to your first flight of stairs, the shovel and broom were quarreling, and beating each other violently."

"How stupid you are!" said the godfather. "That was the boy and the maid talking to each other." - "But on the second flight I saw dead fingers lying." - "Oh, how silly you are! Those were some roots of scorzonera." - "On the third flight lay a heap of dead men's heads." - "Foolish man, those were cabbages." - "On the fourth flight, I saw fishes in a pan, which were hissing and baking themselves." When he had said that, the fishes came and served themselves up.

"And when I got to the fifth flight, I peeped through the keyhole of a door, and there, godfather, I saw you, and you had long, long horns." - "Oh, that is a lie!" The man became alarmed, and ran out, and if he had not, who knows what the godfather would have done to him.

Vocabulary from "The Godfather"

12 key words from this story with definitions and original context sentences for language learners.

perplexityC1

/pəˈpleksɪti/n.

A state of being confused and unable to understand what to do.

困惑；不知所措。

He knew not what to do, and, in his perplexity, he lay down and fell asleep.
他不知道该怎么办，在困惑中躺下睡着了。

healB1

/hiːl/v.

To make a sick or injured person well again.

治愈；使康复。

This is a wonderful water, with it thou canst heal the sick, only thou must see where Death is standing.
这是一种奇妙的水，有了它你可以治愈病人，但你必须看清死神站在哪里。

in vainB2

/ɪn ˈveɪn/phr.

Without success; producing no result despite the effort.

徒劳；白费力气。

But if Death is standing by his feet, all trouble will be in vain, for the sick man must die.
但如果死神站在脚头，一切努力都是徒劳，病人必死无疑。

establishmentC1

/ɪˈstæblɪʃmənt/n.

A household or place that is set up and run in a particular way.

住所；一套（陈设、家当）。

But when he entered the house, it was such a strange establishment!
可当他走进那房子时，发现里面的陈设太奇怪了！

disputing(dispute)C1

/dɪˈspjuːtɪŋ/v.

Arguing or quarrelling about something.

争吵；争辩。

On the first flight of stairs, the broom and shovel were disputing, and knocking each other about violently.
在一楼楼梯上，扫帚和铲子正在争吵，在那儿打得不可开交。

flightB2

/flaɪt/n.

A set of stairs between two floors or landings.

一段楼梯（两个楼层之间）。

When he came to the second flight, he saw a heap of dead fingers lying.
当他来到二楼楼梯时，看见一堆死手指躺在那里。

heapB2

/hiːp/n.

An untidy pile of things.

一堆；一大堆。

On the third flight lay a heap of dead men's heads.
第三层楼梯上躺着一堆死人头。

keyholeB1

/ˈkiːhəʊl/n.

The hole in a lock into which a key is put.

锁孔；钥匙孔。

He came to the door of a room and peeped through the keyhole, and there he saw the godfather who had a pair of long horns.
他来到一扇房门前，从锁孔往里偷看，只见教父长着一对长长的犄角。

peeped(peep)B2

/piːpt/v.

Looked quickly or secretly, especially through a small opening.

偷看；窥视。

"And when I got to the fifth flight, I peeped through the keyhole of a door, and there, godfather, I saw you, and you had long, long horns."
"当我上到五楼，从锁孔偷看时，教父，我看见了您，您长着长长的犄角。"

horns(horn)B1

/hɔːnz/n.

Hard, pointed growths on the head of some animals — and, in stories, of the devil.

（动物或魔鬼头上的）角；犄角。

There he saw the godfather who had a pair of long horns.
他看见教父长着一对长长的犄角。

alarmed(alarm)B2

/əˈlɑːmd/v.

Made suddenly afraid or worried.

使惊恐；使警觉。

The man became alarmed, and ran out, and if he had not, who knows what the godfather would have done to him.
那人吓坏了，拔腿就跑。要是他不跑，谁知道教父会对他做什么呢。

famousB1

/ˈfeɪməs/adj.

Known about by very many people.

著名的；出名的。

The man could always say whether a patient could be saved or not, and became famous for his skill.
这个人总是能断定病人能否得救，他因医术高明而闻名。

Reading Together & Learning More

The Moral

This is not a tale with a tidy lesson; it is more like a strange, shimmering nightmare. If it teaches anything, it is this: when a place feels 'wrong' in every corner, and someone strains to pass off plainly horrifying things as ordinary, that inner voice telling you to 'leave now' is worth trusting. In the end the poor man does not press for answers or linger — he simply runs. Sometimes 'if it feels wrong, leave' is itself the most important wisdom of all.

Educational Value

Good for talking with older children about atmosphere and gut feeling: this story has almost no plot conflict — it works entirely by piling up ever-stranger images that push you toward dread. Use it to discuss why some explanations make us more afraid, not less: every one of the godfather's excuses tries to force something horrifying into looking ordinary. You can also talk about the balance between politeness and safety: walking away from an adult who makes you deeply uncomfortable is not rude.

Tips for Parents

The imagery here is eerie (fish frying themselves, a heap of dead fingers, a horned godfather), so it suits children over 8 who enjoy things that are 'a bit spooky but not gory.' It is not actually violent — the horror comes entirely from surreal imagination, and it reads more like a dream. Guide your child to treat it as a puzzle: who really is the godfather, and why does he explain away every frightening thing as something else? (Hint: the story never once says outright that he is the devil — and that is the cleverest part.) Afterwards, talk about why the poor man runs at the end, landing on the idea of trusting your own unease.

Talk About It

The poor man follows a dream to ask the first person he meets to be godfather. Do you think 'deciding by a dream' is a reliable way to choose? What would you have done?
The godfather calls dead fingers plant-roots and dead heads cabbages. Why does he explain them this way? Do the explanations make you feel calmer, or more afraid?
The story never says outright that the godfather is the devil — it only gives him horns. Isn't leaving it unsaid actually scarier? Why?
The doctor can only cure a patient when Death stands at the head of the bed. If you had a power like that — to 'see the ending' — would you want it?
In the end the poor man says almost nothing and just runs. Do you think he was right to run? When is 'get out quickly' more important than 'find out what's going on'?