The Old Woman in the Wood

Author: Brothers Grimm

Age6–10
Reading time9 min
LevelIntermediate

Introduction

This is a gentle 'breaking-the-spell' fairy tale, catalogued by folklorists as ATU 442. A prince, together with his servants and horses, has been turned into trees by a wicked witch, and the prince may take the form of a white dove for only two hours a day — until a certain ring is recovered and the spell can be broken. Two intriguing old motifs hide inside. The first is the magic tree that opens to give food, a bed, and splendid clothes — you have glimpsed it in this site's 'Cinderella' (the hazel tree on her mother's grave) and 'Allerleirauh' (the treasures in the kitchen). The second is more thought-provoking: the dove tells the girl to leave the dazzling jewelled rings and seek only the plainest one — because the true magic lies precisely in the least eye-catching. This 'choose the plain, refuse the splendid' test rhymes with the scene in Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice,' where the suitor wins his bride only by choosing the humble lead casket over the gold and silver ones. Worth noticing, too: the heroine here is merely a poor servant girl who survived a massacre by robbers — no princess, no warrior; it is her composure, kindness, and judgement that free the prince. In the old tales, a hero never had to be nobly born.

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A poor servant-girl was once travelling with the family with which she was in service, through a great forest, and when they were in the midst of it, robbers came out of the thicket, and murdered all they found.

All perished together except the girl, who had jumped out of the carriage in a fright, and hidden herself behind a tree. When the robbers had gone away with their booty, she came out and beheld the great disaster.

Then she began to weep bitterly, and said, "What can a poor girl like me do now? I do not know how to get out of the forest, no human being lives in it, so I must certainly starve."

She walked about and looked for a road, but could find none. When it was evening she seated herself under a tree, gave herself into God's keeping, and resolved to sit waiting there and not go away, let what might happen.

When, however, she had sat there for a while, a white dove came flying to her with a little golden key in its mouth. It put the little key in her hand, and said, "Dost thou see that great tree, therein is a little lock, it opens with the tiny key, and there thou wilt find food enough, and suffer no more hunger."

Then she went to the tree and opened it, and found milk in a little dish, and white bread to break into it, so that she could eat her fill. When she was satisfied, she said, "It is now the time when the hens at home go to roost, I am so tired I could go to bed too."

Then the dove flew to her again, and brought another golden key in its bill, and said, "Open that tree there, and thou willt find a bed." So she opened it, and found a beautiful white bed, and she prayed God to protect her during the night, and lay down and slept.

In the morning the dove came for the third time, and again brought a little key, and said, "Open that tree there, and thou wilt find clothes." And when she opened it, she found garments beset with gold and with jewels, more splendid than those of any king's daughter.

So she lived there for some time, and the dove came every day and provided her with all she needed, and it was a quiet good life.

Once, however, the dove came and said, "Wilt thou do something for my sake?" - "With all my heart," said the girl.

Then said the little dove, "I will guide thee to a small house; enter it, and inside it, an old woman will be sitting by the fire and will say, 'Good-day.' But on thy life give her no answer, let her do what she will, but pass by her on the right side; further on, there is a door, which open, and thou wilt enter into a room where a quantity of rings of all kinds are lying, amongst which are some magnificent ones with shining stones; leave them, however, where they are, and seek out a plain one, which must likewise be amongst them, and bring it here to me as quickly as thou canst."

The girl went to the little house, and came to the door. There sat an old woman who stared when she saw her, and said, "Good-day my child." The girl gave her no answer, and opened the door.

"Whither away," cried the old woman, and seized her by the gown, and wanted to hold her fast, saying, "That is my house; no one can go in there if I choose not to allow it." But the girl was silent, got away from her, and went straight into the room.

Now there lay on the table an enormous quantity of rings, which gleamed and glittered before her eyes. She turned them over and looked for the plain one, but could not find it. While she was seeking, she saw the old woman and how she was stealing away, and wanting to get off with a bird-cage which she had in her hand.

So she went after her and took the cage out of her hand, and when she raised it up and looked into it, a bird was inside which had the plain ring in its bill.

Then she took the ring, and ran quite joyously home with it, and thought the little white dove would come and get the ring, but it did not. Then she leant against a tree and determined to wait for the dove, and, as she thus stood, it seemed just as if the tree was soft and pliant, and was letting its branches down.

And suddenly the branches twined around her, and were two arms, and when she looked round, the tree was a handsome man, who embraced and kissed her heartily, and said, "Thou hast delivered me from the power of the old woman, who is a wicked witch. She had changed me into a tree, and every day for two hours I was a white dove, and so long as she possessed the ring I could not regain my human form."

Then his servants and his horses, who had likewise been changed into trees, were freed from the enchantment also, and stood beside him. And he led them forth to his kingdom, for he was a King's son, and they married, and lived happily.

Vocabulary from "The Old Woman in the Wood"

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

perished(perish)C1

/ˈperɪʃt/v.

Died, especially in a sudden or violent way.

死亡；丧生（尤指突然或惨烈地）。

All perished together except the girl, who had jumped out of the carriage in a fright.
除了那个受惊跳下马车的女孩，所有人都遇难了。

starveB1

/stɑːv/v.

To suffer or die from lack of food.

挨饿；饿死。

No human being lives in it, so I must certainly starve.
这里没有人居住，我肯定会饿死的。

resolved(resolve)B2

/rɪˈzɒlvd/v.

Decided firmly to do something.

下定决心；决意。

She seated herself under a tree, and resolved to sit waiting there and not go away.
她在一棵树下坐下，决定就坐在那里等待，不再离开。

billB2

/bɪl/n.

A bird's beak.

（鸟的）喙；嘴。

The dove flew to her again, and brought another golden key in its bill.
白鸽又向她飞来，嘴里衔着另一把金钥匙。

splendidB2

/ˈsplendɪd/adj.

Magnificent; very impressive and beautiful.

华丽的；壮丽的；极好的。

She found garments beset with gold and with jewels, more splendid than those of any king's daughter.
她发现镶嵌着金子和宝石的衣服，比任何一位公主的衣服都要华丽。

magnificentB2

/mæɡˈnɪfɪsnt/adj.

Extremely beautiful, grand, or impressive.

宏伟的；壮丽的；华美的。

Amongst which are some magnificent ones with shining stones; leave them, however, where they are.
其中有一些镶着闪亮宝石的华丽戒指；但把它们留在原处。

plainB1

/pleɪn/adj.

Simple and without decoration.

朴素的；不加装饰的；普通的。

Seek out a plain one, which must likewise be amongst them, and bring it here to me.
找一枚朴素的戒指，它肯定也在里面，找到后把它带来给我。

glittered(glitter)B2

/ˈɡlɪtəd/v.

Shone with bright, flashing points of light.

闪闪发光；闪烁。

There lay on the table an enormous quantity of rings, which gleamed and glittered before her eyes.
桌上放着一大堆戒指，在她眼前闪闪发光。

pliantC1

/ˈplaɪənt/adj.

Bending easily; flexible and supple.

柔软易弯的；柔顺的。

It seemed just as if the tree was soft and pliant, and was letting its branches down.
那棵树似乎变得柔软顺从，树枝垂了下来。

twined(twine)C1

/twaɪnd/v.

Wound or wrapped around something.

缠绕；盘绕。

Suddenly the branches twined around her, and were two arms.
突然，树枝缠绕住她，变成了两条手臂。

delivered(deliver)B2

/dɪˈlɪvəd/v.

Set free; rescued from danger or captivity.

解救；拯救（使脱离危险或束缚）。

Thou hast delivered me from the power of the old woman, who is a wicked witch.
你把我从那个邪恶巫婆的魔掌中解救出来了。

enchantmentC1

/ɪnˈtʃɑːntmənt/n.

A magic spell; the state of being under magic.

魔法；魔咒；着魔的状态。

His servants and his horses, who had likewise been changed into trees, were freed from the enchantment also.
他的仆人和马匹——他们同样被变成了树木——也从魔法中解脱出来。

Reading Together & Learning More

The Moral

What is truly precious is not always the most dazzling — the dove tells the girl to pass over a whole table of jewelled rings and seek the plainest one, because the power to break the spell lies hidden in it. Learning to tell surface glitter from real worth is a remarkable kind of wisdom.

Educational Value

Helps children feel the value of staying calm and hopeful in hardship, heeding wise guidance, and not being dazzled by splendour but valuing true worth. The heroine is only an ordinary servant girl, yet frees the prince through courage and judgement — a hero need not be nobly born.

Tips for Parents

Discuss with your child: why does the dove tell her to leave the jewelled rings and take only the plainest one? (What is truly useful is often not what catches the eye.) Why must she stay silent and pass the witch on the right? You might also ask: the heroine is only a poor servant, not a princess — what does that tell us?

Talk About It

The dove has the girl pass over a whole table of jewelled rings and take only the plainest one. Why is the least eye-catching thing sometimes the most useful?
The dove tells her to stay silent and pass the witch on the right. Why do you think 'not engaging' can be a good way to deal with someone bad?
The heroine is only a poor servant who has lost everything, yet she saves a prince. What does that suggest a hero really needs?
When the dove asks the girl for help, she agrees without hesitation. Is it simply right to help someone who has helped you?
The prince says that as long as the witch keeps the ring, he cannot regain human form. What other stories do you know where a small object holds the key to breaking a spell?