The Three Brothers

Author: Brothers Grimm

Age5–9
Reading time8 min
LevelIntermediate

Introduction

This is a short, warm little story that folklorists place in the ATU 654 type, 'The Three Skilful Brothers.' Its skeleton appears the world over: a father sets a hard problem, his children each learn a craft, and a contest of 'whose feat is the most astonishing' decides the winner. Here the three brothers' displays grow ever more extravagant — shaving a running hare, catching a speeding coach to re-shoe its horse, swinging a sword so fast that not a raindrop lands on him — and this ever-taller 'tall-tale contest' is just what makes such folk stories so much fun. But the Grimm version's charm is its ending: it does not let the brothers come to blows over a single house; instead it turns aside to tell us they 'loved one another very much,' live together, grow old together, and are finally buried in the same grave. For all that it is a 'three brothers compete' tale, this one puts the stress on love. As you read, ask your child: would you rather win that house, or keep brothers like these?

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There was once a man who had three sons, and nothing else in the world but the house in which he lived. Now each of the sons wished to have the house after his father's death; but the father loved them all alike, and did not know what to do; he did not wish to sell the house, because it had belonged to his forefathers, else he might have divided the money amongst them.

At last a plan came into his head, and he said to his sons, "Go into the world, and try each of you to learn a trade, and, when you all come back, he who makes the best masterpiece shall have the house."

The sons were well content with this, and the eldest determined to be a blacksmith, the second a barber, and the third a fencing-master. They fixed a time when they should all come home again, and then each went his way.

It chanced that they all found skilful masters, who taught them their trades well. The blacksmith had to shoe the King's horses, and he thought to himself, "The house is mine, without doubt."

The barber only shaved great people, and he too already looked upon the house as his own. The fencing-master got many a blow, but he only bit his lip, and let nothing vex him; "for," said he to himself, "If you are afraid of a blow, you'll never win the house."

When the appointed time had gone by, the three brothers came back home to their father; but they did not know how to find the best opportunity for showing their skill, so they sat down and consulted together.

As they were sitting thus, all at once a hare came running across the field. "Ah, ha, just in time!" said the barber. So he took his basin and soap, and lathered away until the hare came up;

then he soaped and shaved off the hare's whiskers whilst he was running at the top of his speed, and did not even cut his skin or injure a hair on his body. "Well done!" said the old man. "your brothers will have to exert themselves wonderfully, or the house will be yours."

Soon after, up came a nobleman in his coach, dashing along at full speed. "Now you shall see what I can do, father," said the blacksmith;

so away he ran after the coach, took all four shoes off the feet of one of the horses whilst he was galloping, and put him on four new shoes without stopping him. "You are a fine fellow, and as clever as your brother," said his father; "I do not know to which I ought to give the house."

Then the third son said, "Father, let me have my turn, if you please;" and, as it was beginning to rain, he drew his sword, and flourished it backwards and forwards above his head so fast that not a drop fell upon him.

It rained still harder and harder, till at last it came down in torrents; but he only flourished his sword faster and faster, and remained as dry as if he were sitting in a house. When his father saw this he was amazed, and said, "This is the master-piece, the house is yours!"

His brothers were satisfied with this, as was agreed beforehand; and, as they loved one another very much, they all three stayed together in the house, followed their trades, and, as they had learnt them so well and were so clever, they earned a great deal of money.

Thus they lived together happily until they grew old; and at last, when one of them fell sick and died, the two others grieved so sorely about it that they also fell ill, and soon after died. And because they had been so clever, and had loved one another so much, they were all laid in the same grave.

Vocabulary from "The Three Brothers"

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

forefathers(forefather)C1

/ˈfɔːfɑːðəz/n.

People from whom one is descended; ancestors.

祖先；先辈。

He did not wish to sell the house, because it had belonged to his forefathers.
他不想卖掉房子，因为那是祖上传下来的。

masterpieceB2

/ˈmɑːstəpiːs/n.

A work done with outstanding skill; one's finest piece of work.

杰作；代表作。

He who makes the best masterpiece shall have the house.
谁能做出最好的杰作，房子就归谁。

barberB1

/ˈbɑːbə/n.

A person whose job is cutting men's hair and shaving beards.

理发师（尤指为男子理发、刮胡子）。

The eldest determined to be a blacksmith, the second a barber, and the third a fencing-master.
大儿子决定做铁匠，二儿子想做理发师，小儿子想成为剑术大师。

shoeB2

/ʃuː/v.

To fit a horse with horseshoes.

给（马）钉蹄铁。

The blacksmith had to shoe the King's horses.
铁匠负责给国王的马钉掌。

whiskers(whisker)B2

/ˈwɪskəz/n.

The long stiff hairs growing near an animal's mouth.

（动物的）胡须；触须。

He soaped and shaved off the hare's whiskers whilst he was running at the top of his speed.
他在野兔全速奔跑的时候，给它涂上肥皂并剃掉了胡须。

consulted(consult)B2

/kənˈsʌltɪd/v.

Discussed something together to decide what to do.

商议；商量。

They did not know how to find the best opportunity, so they sat down and consulted together.
他们不知道该如何找到最好的机会，于是坐下来一起商量。

lathered(lather)C1

/ˈlɑːðəd/v.

Rubbed up a foam of soap and water.

打出肥皂泡沫；涂上皂沫。

He took his basin and soap, and lathered away until the hare came up.
他拿起脸盆和肥皂，搓出泡沫，直到野兔跑近。

exertC1

/ɪɡˈzɜːt/v.

To make a great effort; to push oneself hard.

尽力；努力；使出（力气）。

Your brothers will have to exert themselves wonderfully, or the house will be yours.
你的兄弟们得拿出点惊人的本事才行，否则这房子就是你的了。

coachB1

/kəʊtʃ/n.

A large closed carriage pulled by horses.

（四轮）马车。

Up came a nobleman in his coach, dashing along at full speed.
一位贵族坐着马车飞驰而来，速度极快。

flourished(flourish)C1

/ˈflʌrɪʃt/v.

Waved something around in a bold, sweeping way.

挥舞；舞动。

He drew his sword, and flourished it backwards and forwards above his head.
他拔出剑，在头顶上方前后挥舞。

torrents(torrent)C1

/ˈtɒrənts/n.

Large, fast-flowing streams of water; a heavy downpour.

急流；倾盆（大雨）。

It rained still harder and harder, till at last it came down in torrents.
雨下得越来越大，最后变成了倾盆大雨。

grieved(grieve)B2

/ɡriːvd/v.

Felt very sad, especially because someone had died.

悲伤；哀悼。

The two others grieved so sorely about it that they also fell ill.
另外两个悲伤过度，也病倒了。

Reading Together & Learning More

The Moral

Mastering a craft to its very peak takes hard practice and focus (remember the fencer's line, 'If you are afraid of a blow, you'll never win the house'). But the warmest thing about the story is its ending: a contest that was meant to pick one winner and divide a house does not turn the brothers against each other — instead it draws them closer, to live together into old age. The real winners, it turns out, are the family who know how to treasure one another.

Educational Value

Good for talking about striving for excellence and everyone having their own strengths: the three brothers learn utterly different trades, yet each masters his own. More importantly, it models a healthy view of competition — a contest can have a winner and a loser without damaging the bond between people.

Tips for Parents

Play a game with your child: which of the brothers' feats (shoeing a galloping horse, shaving a running hare, deflecting rain with a sword) is the most impressive? Why does the fencer win? You might also talk about how it feels to lose a contest against a sibling or friend — and why these brothers do not sulk even when they lose.

Talk About It

Of the brothers' feats — shaving a running hare, re-shoeing a galloping horse, keeping dry with a sword — which do you think is the greatest? Why does the fencer win?
The fencer says, 'If you are afraid of a blow, you'll never win the house.' Why does mastering a skill so often mean going through some hardship first?
At the start the father frets because he 'loves them all alike and doesn't know which to choose.' Do you think the contest he invents is fair?
Only one brother can win, yet the others don't sulk and even live on together. Could you keep from being upset if you lost to your own brother or sister?
The story ends by telling us the brothers were so close they were finally buried in the same grave. Why do you think the author chose to end it this way?