The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack

Author: A Brothers Grimm Tale · Retold as a Fable by DozyStories

Age5–10
Reading time13 min
LevelAdvanced

Introduction

This tale — known in German as "Tischlein deck dich" — is one of the Brothers Grimm's best-loved "magic gifts" stories, and folklorists number it among tale type ATU 563. We have retold it as a fable because it is really a story about lessons: a lying goat, a father who believes one side too quickly, and an innkeeper who wants everything for himself are all portraits of familiar human faults. Its wisdom runs close to old sayings children may know — "the greedy snake is never full" and "seeing is believing." What makes the tale worth rereading is the way each brother earns his gift through honest years of apprenticeship, while the greedy innkeeper loses everything through his own tricks. The three gifts themselves carry a small lesson: a table that feeds and an ass that gives gold can both be stolen in one night, yet a cudgel that protects what you own wins everything back. As you read, ask your child to guess why the goat lies, whether the innkeeper will be caught a third time, and which of the three gifts they would choose for themselves. Then talk about how the ending answers each guess. A fable rewards careful listening, and so does the lesson hidden inside it.

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The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack - A goat that says one thing to the sons and another to the father makes the tailor drive his three sons out of the house one by one. - Scene Illustration 1 — A goat that says one thing to the sons and another to the father makes the tailor drive his three sons out of the house one by one.

Long ago, a tailor lived in a small town. He had three sons and only one goat. The goat's milk fed the whole family, so the sons had to keep her fat and happy. Each day, one son took the goat out to eat grass, and they took turns.

On the first day, the eldest son took her to the churchyard, where the grass was green and thick. In the evening, he asked, "Goat, are you full?" The goat said, "I am full, I am full! One more leaf, and I shall burst! Meh, meh!" The son was glad, so he led her home and told his father, "She has eaten her fill." But the tailor was a careful man. He would not take his son's word alone, so he went down to the stable and asked, "Goat, are you full?" The goat changed her story at once. "I am hungry, I am hungry! I jumped over the graves all day, and I ate no leaf at all! Meh, meh!" The tailor flew into a rage. His beard shook with anger, and he shouted, "You liar!" Then he beat the eldest son out of the house with his yard measure.

On the second day, the second son took the goat to the fine grass by the garden fence. On the third day, the third son found a bush with the softest leaves. But both boys fell into the same trap. The goat said, "I am full," to their faces, and then said, "I am hungry," to the tailor. The tailor believed the goat every time. "One is as careless as the next," he shouted, "and every one of you is a liar!" Then he beat the second son and the third son out of the house as well. Soon the tailor was all alone with his goat, and his three sons were gone.

The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack - The tailor sees through the goat's lies and drives it away; the eldest son brings home a magic table, but a greedy innkeeper swaps it for an old one. - Scene Illustration 2 — The tailor sees through the goat's lies and drives it away; the eldest son brings home a magic table, but a greedy innkeeper swaps it for an old one.

The next morning, the tailor took the goat out himself. He led her to green hedges and sweet herbs and let her eat all she wanted. In the evening, he asked, "Goat, are you full?" The goat said sweetly, "I am full, I am full!" The tailor was pleased and led her home. But as he left the stable, he turned and asked once more, "Are you really full this time?" The goat changed her story again. "I am hungry, I am hungry! I jumped over the graves all day, and I ate no leaf at all!" Then the tailor saw the truth at last. His three sons had been driven away for nothing! He was full of shame and anger. He shaved the goat's head bare and beat her with his whip, and she ran away crying, never to return. The tailor sat alone in his empty house and wept for his sons.

Now for the eldest son. After he left home, he became a joiner's apprentice and learned his trade well. When his years were done, his master gave him a small wooden table. "This table looks plain," said the master, "but it has one fine gift. Say, 'Table, set yourself!' and a clean cloth, plates, and dishes of meat will cover it at once, with a glass of red wine that gladdens the heart." The young man thanked his master and wandered across the world with his little table. Whenever he felt hungry, he set it down in a quiet place and said the words, and a hot meal appeared before his eyes. Sometimes he did not stop at an inn at all. He set the table down by the road, in a wood, or in a meadow, wherever he pleased, and ate like a king. With this table, he never worried about food again.

One evening, he came to an inn full of guests. The innkeeper served only plain food. The joiner smiled and said, "Friends, tonight the meal is my gift." The guests thought he was joking, but he put the table in the middle of the room and said, "Table, set yourself!" In a blink, the table was covered with the finest dishes, and the smell filled the air. The guests looked at one another and did not know what to say. When the joiner said, "Fall to, dear friends," they needed no second word. They took out their knives and ate with joy, and what amazed them most was that when a dish stood empty, a full one took its place all by itself. The greedy innkeeper stood in the corner and watched. He had no words for what he saw, but he thought, "If that table were mine, I would never need to cook again!"

Late that night, the guests went to sleep, and the joiner leaned his magic table against the wall and slept too. But the innkeeper could not sleep. He thought of the magic table all night long. He crept to the store-room, took out an old table that looked just like the magic one, and set it in the magic table's place. He stood the old table in the corner and dusted it off, as if nothing had happened. The next morning, the joiner paid his bill, picked up the table, and went on his way without a thought.

At noon, he reached his father's house and said happily, "Father, I have brought home a treasure!" The tailor looked the table over and frowned. "This is no masterpiece," he said. "It is only a poor old table." "But it sets itself!" said the son. "Call all the relations, and I will give them a good meal." The tailor did not quite believe him, but he called the relations together. The joiner set the table down and cried, "Table, set yourself!" But the table did not move. It stood as bare as any common table. The relations laughed and went home hungry. The joiner's face turned red with shame, and he knew that his table had been stolen. The tailor sighed and took up his needle again, and the son went to work for another master.

The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack - The second son comes home with a gold-ass, stops at the same inn, and his treasure is stolen by the same greedy innkeeper. - Scene Illustration 3 — The second son comes home with a gold-ass, stops at the same inn, and his treasure is stolen by the same greedy innkeeper.

Now for the second son. He became a miller's apprentice and worked hard for several years. When his years were done, his master gave him a grey ass. "This ass pulls no cart and carries no sack," said the miller, "but it has one fine gift. Spread a cloth under it and say 'Bricklebrit,' and gold pieces will fall from its mouth. It opens its mouth and drops a whole sheetful at one time." The young man was overjoyed. He thanked his master and walked the world with his gold-ass. Whenever he needed money, he spoke the word, and gold rained down like drops of water. He bought the best food and the best clothes, and his purse was never empty.

One evening, he came to the very inn where his brother's table had been stolen. The innkeeper saw that he had money and charged him two gold pieces for one plain meal. The miller felt in his pocket, but the gold was gone. "Wait, landlord," he said, "I will fetch some money." He carried a cloth into the stable and cried, "Bricklebrit!" Gold pieces fell to the ground like rain. The innkeeper peeped through a hole in the wall and saw everything. "Well, upon my word," he said to himself, "ducats are quickly coined in there! A purse of that sort is not to be sneezed at." He thought, "This ass is worth more than a hundred tables!"

That night, the innkeeper could not sleep either. He crept into the stable, led the gold-ass away, and tied an ordinary grey ass in its place. The miller slept soundly and knew nothing. Early next morning, he set off with his "gold-ass" and did not suspect a thing.

At noon, he reached his father's house and boasted, "Father, I have brought a gold-ass!" He called all the relations together and promised to make them all rich. When the relations came, the miller spread the cloth and cried, "Bricklebrit!" He waited and waited, but not one gold piece fell. He stared at the ass's mouth for a long time, but the ass only brayed and dropped nothing at all. It was plain that the animal knew nothing of the art. Then he knew that the ass had been stolen too. His face burned with shame, and he begged the relations to forgive him. They went home as poor as they had come. The tailor shook his head and took up his needle again, and the son hired himself out to a miller.

The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack - The third son arrives at the inn with a magic cudgel, sees through the innkeeper's trick, and forces him to give back the stolen treasures. - Scene Illustration 4 — The third son arrives at the inn with a magic cudgel, sees through the innkeeper's trick, and forces him to give back the stolen treasures.

Now for the third son. He became a turner's apprentice — a craftsman who shapes wood on a lathe. This trade is the finest of all, so he learned the longest. His brothers wrote to him and told him how a wicked innkeeper had cheated them out of their treasures. At the end of the letter, they wrote, "Beware of that greedy man, or he will cheat you too." The young man kept the words in his heart. When his years were done, his master gave him a sack. "There is a cudgel inside," said the master. "If anyone hurts you, say, 'Out of the sack, Cudgel!' and it will leap out and dance on his back until he begs for mercy. It will not stop until you say, 'Back into the sack, Cudgel!'" The young man thanked his master and carried the sack on his shoulder.

On the road, some wicked men saw him alone and tried to harm him. The turner cried, "Out of the sack, Cudgel!" and the cudgel sprang out and beat them without pity. The cudgel danced so fast that no one could see how it moved, and the wicked men cried out in pain and fled. After that, no one dared to trouble him.

One evening, he came to the very inn where his brothers had been cheated. He put his sack on the table and said, "I have heard of tables that set themselves and asses that drop gold. They are fine things, but the treasure in my sack is the finest of all." The innkeeper's eyes grew wide. He thought, "Good things come in threes. That treasure shall be mine!" That night, the turner lay down and used the sack as his pillow, and he only pretended to sleep. The innkeeper crept close, took hold of the sack, and pulled.

In a flash, the turner cried, "Out of the sack, Cudgel!" The cudgel sprang out and beat the innkeeper without mercy. The louder the innkeeper cried for mercy, the harder the cudgel beat, until he lay on the floor and could hardly breathe. "Where are the table and the gold-ass?" asked the turner. "Give them back, or the dance will go on!" "I will give them back! They are in the cellar!" cried the innkeeper. "Only make the stick stop!" The turner said, "Back into the sack, Cudgel!" and the beating stopped. The innkeeper crawled to the cellar and brought out the table and the gold-ass.

The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack - The three brothers reunite at their father's house, the table spreads a feast, the ass rains gold, and the family lives happily ever after. - Scene Illustration 5 — The three brothers reunite at their father's house, the table spreads a feast, the ass rains gold, and the family lives happily ever after.

The next morning, the turner went home to his father with the sack on his back, the gold-ass at his side, and the magic table on his shoulder. The old tailor looked at the three treasures and could not speak for a while. "Father," said the turner, "I have won back my brothers' treasures! Call them home and invite all the relations. Tonight we shall have a feast!"

The relations came. The turner spread a cloth on the floor and led in the gold-ass. His brother the miller cried, "Bricklebrit!" and gold pieces fell like rain until no one could carry any more. Then the joiner said, "Table, set yourself!" and the table was covered with fine food and wine at once. It was the greatest feast the tailor's house had ever seen. Everyone ate and laughed until late at night. The tailor laughed and said, "From now on, I need not prick myself with the needle any more!" Then he locked his needle and thread in a cupboard and lived with his three sons in joy and plenty from that day on.

But what about the goat that had broken the family apart? She was ashamed of her bald head, so she crept into a fox's den. When the fox came home, he saw a pair of bright eyes in the dark, and he ran away in fear. Halfway along, the fox met a bear. "Brother Fox, what frightens you so?" asked the bear. "A fierce beast sits in my den, with two fiery eyes!" said the fox. The bear went to look, but one glance inside was enough, and he ran away too. At last, a little bee flew into the den and stung the goat's bare head. The goat cried "Meh, meh!" and ran out like a mad thing. To this day, no one knows where she went. The tale tells us: seeing is believing, and those who grasp at everything will one day pay for their greed.

Vocabulary from "The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack"

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

cudgelC1

/ˈkʌdʒəl/n.

A short, thick stick used as a weapon.

短粗的木棍，可作武器。

The cudgel sprang out and beat the innkeeper without mercy.
木棍立刻蹦了出来，把店主打得毫无还手之力。

apprenticeB2

/əˈprentɪs/n.

A young person who learns a trade from an experienced master.

学徒，向师傅学习手艺的年轻人。

After he left home, he became a joiner's apprentice and learned his trade well.
他离家之后，拜了一位木匠为师，学得一手好手艺。

boasted(boast)B2

/ˈbəʊstɪd/v.

To talk about yourself with too much pride.

吹嘘、夸口，骄傲地谈论自己。

At noon, he reached his father's house and boasted, "Father, I have brought a gold-ass!"
晌午他到了家，向父亲夸下海口：“爹，我带回一头金驴！”

greedyB1

/ˈɡriːdi/adj.

Wanting more than you really need.

贪婪的，总想要更多。

The greedy innkeeper stood in the corner and watched.
贪心的店主站在墙角，看得眼珠子都快掉出来。

mercyB2

/ˈmɜːsi/n.

Kindness shown to someone you could punish.

慈悲、宽恕，对犯错的人手下留情。

If anyone hurts you, say, 'Out of the sack, Cudgel!' and it will leap out and dance on his back until he begs for mercy.
谁若欺你害你，你只消喊一声“棍子，出袋！”，它便跳出来，在坏人背上跳一场舞，跳到那人求饶才肯停。

treasureB2

/ˈtreʒə/n.

Valuable things, such as gold and jewels.

宝物、财宝，如金子、珠宝。

They are fine things, but the treasure in my sack is the finest of all.
可都算不得稀奇，我袋里这件宝贝，才叫天下无双。

ashamedB1

/əˈʃeɪmd/adj.

Feeling bad about something you did or how you look.

羞愧的，因做错事或出丑而感到难为情。

She was ashamed of her bald head, so she crept into a fox's den.
它顶着光秃秃的脑袋，自觉没脸见人，一头钻进狐狸洞里。

feastB2

/fiːst/n.

A large and special meal for many people.

盛宴，为许多人准备的大餐。

It was the greatest feast the tailor's house had ever seen.
这一顿盛宴，老裁缝家从来没有过。

wandered(wander)B2

/ˈwɒndəd/v.

To walk from place to place without a clear plan.

漫步、游荡，漫无目的地走。

The young man thanked his master and wandered across the world with his little table.
大儿子千恩万谢，背着桌子走遍四方。

burstB2

/bɜːst/v.

To break open suddenly, often from too much pressure.

爆裂、撑破，突然裂开。

"I am full, I am full! One more leaf, and I shall burst! Meh, meh!"
“饱啦，饱啦！再吃一片叶子，肚子就要撑破啦！咩！咩！”

shaved(shave)B2

/ʃeɪvd/v.

To cut hair off very close to the skin.

剃，把毛发剃到贴近皮肤。

He shaved the goat's head bare and beat her with his whip, and she ran away crying, never to return.
他取来剃刀把羊头剃得光溜溜，又抡起马鞭狠狠抽了一顿。

cheated(cheat)B2

/ˈtʃiːtɪd/v.

To trick someone in order to take something from them.

欺骗、骗取，用不正当手段拿走别人的东西。

One evening, he came to the very inn where his brothers had been cheated.
这一日傍晚，三儿子来到两个哥哥受骗的那家客店。

Reading Together & Learning More

The Moral

Do not trust one side of a story alone, or you may wrong the people closest to you. And those who grasp at everything will one day be ruined by their own greed.

Educational Value

Children learn to look and listen before they judge, and to understand that guarding what you have with skill and wisdom is better than showing it off to everyone.

Tips for Parents

After reading, act out the lying goat and the dancing cudgel with your child, and ask: what did the tailor do wrong? Would you steal another person's treasure like the innkeeper? Then ask your child how they can be sure of the truth before they speak.

Talk About It

How did the goat tell one story to the sons and another to the tailor? What could the tailor have done to find out the truth?
The table and the ass only "give," while the cudgel can "protect." Why is it the cudgel that wins everything back in the end?
The innkeeper stole twice, and on the third night he got beaten. Was it his own fault? What might have happened if he had stopped after the first theft?
Each brother received his gift from his master after years of honest work. Were the treasures free gifts, or were they earned?
If you could choose one treasure — the table that sets itself, the ass that drops gold, or the cudgel that beats wrongdoers — which would you pick, and why?

The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack

Introduction

Vocabulary from "The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack"

Reading Together & Learning More

The Moral

Educational Value

Tips for Parents

Talk About It

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