Published: 1 July 2023
Over two centuries ago, the world was introduced to a collection of fairy tales by brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm titled “Kinder und Hausmärchen”. The two mild-mannered German linguists would eventually become some of the most influential figures in international literature.
Seven distinct editions of “Kinder und Hausmärchen” (which literally translates into “Children’s and Household Tales”) were published between 1812 and 1857. According to Alison Flood from The Guardian, every new edition was an opportunity to polish the stories, “making them more child-friendly, adding in Christian references and removing mentions of fairies.”
That being said, Jacob and Wilhelm weren’t the actual authors of these stories. Rather, they were collectors and editors of traditional oral tales that they had gathered all over Germany.
“The stories the Brothers Grimm first collected are brusque, blunt, absurd, comical, and tragic, and are not, strictly speaking, ‘fairy tales'”, explains Jack Zipes, Professor Emeritus of German and Comparative Literature at the University of Minnesota.
“In fact, the Grimms never intended the tales to be read by children. The tales are about children and families and how they reacted to the difficult conditions under which they lived. The Grimms thought the stories and their morals emanated naturally from the German people in an oral tradition, and they wanted to preserve them before the tales were lost forever.”
In 2012, an English version of “Kinder und Hausmärchen” titled “Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm” was published. In it, gifted storyteller and New York Times bestseller Philip Pullman retells fifty-three of the most beloved fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm based on the seventh edition published by Wilhelm Goldmann Verlag.
Swift, magical and gruesomely disturbing, the stories include classics such as “Rapunzel”, “Hansel & Gretel”, “Rumpelstiltskin”, “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Cinderella”, and “Snow White”.
In many of these dark tales, food ends up playing a pivotal role in the development of the narrative. But what sort of grim and alluring foods can we expect in these far-away lands of once upon a time? What’s cooking in the land of fairy tales?
Join me as we feed our imagination in search of the fantasy foods of friends and foes! Without further ado, here are the foods references in “Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm: A New English Version” by Philip Pullman.
Did you know? In 2005, “Kinder und Hausmärchen” was listed by UNESCO in its “Memory of the World Registry“.
The Poisoned Apple
Let’s start with the most infamous of them all…the poisoned apple prepared by the wicked queen in “Snow White”.
In the Grimm’s version, only half of the apple is poisoned. This ruse allows the wicked queen to bite into half of the apple without harm before offering the other half to Snow White. The Assassin’s Teapot of the Grimm world if you will…
“Then, with the help of a book of spells and several little dark bottles, she set about making a poisoned apple. It was white on one side and rosy red on the other; anyone who saw it would want to take a bite; but if they did, even just the tiniest nibble, they would fall down dead at once. “Then the queen disguised herself a third time, put the apple in her pocket, and set off for the dwarfs’ cottage.– Twenty-Six: Snow White
“She had made the apple so cunningly that only the red half was poisoned. Of course she took a bite from the white half, and then held it out to Snow White. It looked so delicious that the poor girl couldn’t resist. She reached out through the window, took the apple, and bit deeply into the red part, and she’d hardly bitten off a piece when she fell to the floor, dead.“– Twenty-Six: Snow White
But good always conquers in the end and Snow White is eventually awoken from a sleeping death as she is transported by the prince’s servants back to his kingdom.
“But as they were going down the mountainside, one of the servants tripped and stumbled, and shook the coffin; and that dislodged the piece of apple from Snow White’s throat, for she had never quite swallowed it.”– Twenty-Six: Snow White
A Pot Of Fat
In “The Cat And The Mouse Set Up House”, a pot of fat is used as the main provision for the cat and the mouse during wintertime.
“The mouse thought this advice was excellent, and they put their money together and bought a pot of fat“– Two: The Cat And The Mouse Set Up House
But the cat eventually gets greedy and decides to eat the entire pot of fat all by himself.
“Meanwhile, the cat was in the church, busily licking out the pot of fat. He had to scoop the very last of it out with his paws, and then he sat there admiring his reflection in the bottom of the pot. ‘Emptying the pot is such sweet sorrow,’ he thought. It was late at night by the time he waddled home.”– Two: The Cat And The Mouse Set Up House
Alas, by the time the mouse finally discovers the truth, it’s already too late for the poor little creature.
“‘-gone!’ said the mouse, but it was too late: the cat sprang on her and gobbled her up in a moment. Well, what else did you expect? That’s just the sort of thing that happens in this world.”– Two: The Cat And The Mouse Set Up House
Roasting Ox
Fat is also mentioned while ox meat is being roasted in the castle kitchen in the tale of “Briar Rose”.
“A drop of fat that was about to fall from the sizzling carcass stayed where it was and didn’t move.”– Twenty-Five: Briar Rose
But when the princess pricks her finger on the enchanted spindle and the kingdom falls into a slumber, even the ox meat stops roasting.
“Down in the kitchen the very flames under the roasting ox fell asleep.“– Twenty-Five: Briar Rose
“He came to the courtyard and saw the pigeons asleep, the dog still with its paw behind its neck, the flies asleep on the wall; he went down into the kitchen and saw the kitchen boy’s face still screwed up waiting for the clout from the cook’s hand, the flames standing quite still in the hearth, the drop of fat still to drop from the roasting ox;”– Twenty-Five: Briar Rose
Bread Crumbs
In the famous tale of “Hansel And Gretel”, Hansel leaves a trail of bread crumbs behind him to mark the way back home after the step-mother convinces the father to abandon his children in the forest.
“Early next morning the woman came and woke the children as she’d done before, and gave them each a piece of bread, though it was even smaller this time. As they went into the forest, Hansel crumbled his bread up and dropped the crumbs on the path, stopping every so often to make sure he could see them.”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
“Hansel didn’t look back again, but he kept crumbling up the bread in his pocket and dropping it on the path. The woman made them all walk fast, and they went deeper into the forest than they’d ever gone in al their lives.”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
Unfortunately, the bread crumbs don’t last very long in the bustling forest.
“The moon came up, and they began to look for the crumbs, but they couldn’t find any. The thousands of birds that fly about in the woods and the fields had packed them all up.”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
Crumbs are also brought up in “The Cat And The Mouse Set Up House” when the cat is confronted about the offbeat names of his godchildren.
“‘I cant see anything strange about it,’ said the cat. ‘It’s no odder than Crumb Thief, which is what each of your godchildren is called.'”– Two: The Cat And The Mouse Set Up House
Greasy Stew, Toast Crumbs, Burnt Pastry, Cabbage Water & Burnt Porridge
In “One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes”, Two Eyes is tormented by her mother and sisters and given no more than burnt food and pitiful leftovers for sustenance.
“My mother and my sisters hate me, and they push me around and give me nothing but worn-out old clothes to wear and make me eat the scraps they leave on the table. Today I only had the porridge saucepan to lick out, and it was burnt, too.‘”– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
However, Two Eyes stops eating the food scraps left by her evil sisters after finding an enchanted goat that blesses her with lavish feasts.
“When she got home with the goat that evening, she found an old clay pot with a bit of cold greasy stew in the bottom that her sisters had left for her, but she didn’t touch it. And in the morning all there was for her were the crumbs from the toast they’d made, but she didn’t eat those either.”– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
“They went home, and once again Two Eyes left her scraps of food untouched. This time it was a few crusty bits of burnt pastry.”– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
“When they got back to the house, Two Eyes again refused the food they gave her. It was the water some cabbage had been boiled in.”– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
Casseroles, Roast Meat, Vegetables & Apple Pie
When asked, the enchanted goat provides all sorts of delicious food to Two Eyes. We’re talking casseroles, roast meat, veggies and a big apple pie!
“There were hot dishes and cold dishes, casseroles and roast meat, vegetables of all kinds, and a great big apple pie, all freshly cooked and steaming hot.”– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
Leek Soup, Roast Chicken, Strawberries & Cream
On another occasion, Two Eyes is served a magical table with roast chicken, leek soup, strawberries and cream.
“And at once the magic table appeared, and on it there was leek soup, roast chicken and strawberries and cream“– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
A Bucketful Of Minnows
At the end of the tale “The Boy Who Left Home To Find Out About The Shivers”, a bucketful of minnows is poured on the young king during his slumber. What a delight for someone who was chasing the shivers all his life!
“The maid went down to the brook and caught a bucketful of minnows. That night when the young king was sleeping, the maid told the queen to pull the covers off and pour the bucket over him. So that was what she did. The young king felt first the cold water and then the little fish wriggling and flipping about all over him. “– Three: The Boy Who Left Home To Find Out About The Shivers
Golden Apples
Golden apples are a recurring element in several folklore and fairy tales all around the globe. They are first mentioned in “The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs” during a conversation between the devil and his grandmother.
“‘There was a tree in the park, and it didn’t even produce leaves any more. Years ago it used to given golden apples.’ ‘They don’t know anything in that town. They should dig around the roots, and they’ll find a mouse gnawing at them. Kill the mouse and they’ll get their golden apples again.’“– Nineteen: The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs
There is also mention of stolen golden apples in “The Golden Bird”. Fun fact: In several European fairy tales, the thief of the golden apples turns out to be a bird. The Brothers Grimm made no exception here.
“In the old days there was a king who had a beautiful pleasure garden behind his palace, and in this garden there was a tree that bore golden apples. Every year, once the apples were ripe, the king had them counted and numbered, but one year, the very morning after the count was taken, one was found to be missing. The head gardener reported this to the king, and as a result the king ordered the tree to be guarded every night.“– Twenty-Eight: The Golden Bird
“The young prince watched carefully, taking aim with his bow and arrow, and as the bird pecked off an apple he shot an arrow up into the tree.“- Twenty-Eight: The Golden Bird
In “One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes”, a tree bearing golden fruits appears after Two Eyes buries the entrails of the enchanted goat.
“Next morning there was a beautiful tree standing there. Its leaves were made of silver, and among them there were dozens of fruits the size of apples, made of solid gold.“– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
“Two Eyes climbed the tree, and instead of pulling themselves out of her reach the apples positively dropped into her hands. She gathered more and more until she had a whole apron full. When she climbed down, her mother took them away, and instead of treating her better because she was the only one who could reach the fruit, One Eye and Three Eyes grew envious and spiteful, and treated her even worse than before.”– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
And in “Iron Hans”, the princess’ hand in marriage is promised to the valiant knight who can catch the golden apple.
“The king said to his daughter, ‘I’m going to announce a great tournament. It’s going to last for three days, and you can throw a golden apple for the knights to catch.”– Forty-Four: Iron Hans
Plain & Sparkling Water
A sparkling water well?! We discover this naturally-occurring water in the tale of “Faithful Johannes” as the king’s loyal servant meets a beautiful girl at the courtyard.
“In the courtyard he found a beautiful girl drawing water from two wells with two golden buckets, one for plain water and one for sparkling. She was about to turn and go in when she way Faithful Johannes and asked who he was.”– Four: Faithful Johannes
Water is also mentioned in “Little Brother And Little Sister” when the siblings go searching for a spring to quench their thirst. Did I mention the water is bewitched?
“Soon Little Brother and Little Sister found the spring they’d heard, and saw the fresh cold water glistening as it ran over the stones. It looked so inviting that they both knelt down to drink. But Little Sister had learned how to listen to what running water was saying, and she could hear the spring talking. Just as little brother was raising his cupped hands to his dry mouth she cried out, ‘Don’t drink! The spring is bewitched. Anyone who drinks from it will become a tiger. Put it down, put it down! You’ll tear me to pieces!'”– Six: Little Brother And Little Sister
“Little Brother did as she said, thirsty as he was. They walked on and soon found another spring. This time she knelt first and put her head close to the water. ‘No, not this one either!’ she said. ‘It says, “Whoever drink from me will become a wolf.” I think the stepmother must have put a spell on it.'”– Six: Little Brother And Little Sister
“This time Little Sister bent over and listened carefully and heard the water say, ‘Whoever drinks me will be turned into a deer. Whoever drinks me will be turned into a deer.‘ She turned to tell her brother – but it was too late. He was so thirsty that he’d thrown himself full length and plunged his face into the water.“– Six: Little Brother And Little Sister
In “Hansel And Gretel”, impending death awaits Hansel, as Gretel is ordered by the witch to bring water from the well.
“Then the witch shook Gretel awake saying, ‘Get up, you lump! Go and fetch some water from the well and cook something for your brother. He’s in the shed, and I want him fattened up. When he’s fat enough, I’m going to eat him.'”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
“But then she thought of his nice red cheeks, and she shouted to Gretel: ‘Hey! Girl! Go and fetch lots of water. Fill the cauldron and set it on to boil. Fat or thin, skinny or plump, I’m going to slaughter that brother of yours tomorrow and boil him up for a stew.‘ Poor Gretel! She wept and wept, but she had to fetch the water as the witch ordered.”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
And water (or rather lack thereof) is also mentioned in “The Girl With No Hands” when the miller’s daughter is left thirsty.
“‘Don’t let her have any water, not a drop, or else I won’t be able to touch her.’ The miller was terrified. He did as the Devil told him, and didn’t let his daughter have a drop of water, no matter how thirsty she was.”– Twenty: The Girl With No Hands
In “The Golden Bird”, a water well is used to imprison the prince. The deceitful brothers eventually head back home with the golden bird, the golden horse and the golden princess. This story is very reminiscent of the religious story of Joseph and, likewise, ends with the abandoned brother coming out victorious.
“The sun was hot, and since it was pleasantly cool under the trees, the brothers said, ‘Let’s rest here a little. Look, we can get some water from the well.“– Twenty-Eight: The Golden Bird
In “Six Who Made Their Way In The World”, a competition using water-filled jugs is organised between the king’s daughter and the soldier’s servant.
“They agreed on the terms: each runner was to be given a jug in which to bring some water from a spring that was a long way off, and the first one back would win.”– Thirty-Two: Six Who Made Their Way In The World
And, finally, in “The Goose Girl”, the princess and her defiant maidservant stop for a drink on their way to the new kingdom. Too bad the princess lost her handkerchief. Hope it wasn’t important…
“When they had ridden for an hour the princess felt a burning thirst and said to her maidservant, ‘Could you get down and bring me some water from the brook in the golden goblet you’re carrying? I’m so thirsty I must have something to drink.‘”– Thirty-Five: The Goose Girl
“When they came to another stream she said to the maidservant, ‘Could you bring me some water in the golden goblet?'”– Thirty-Five: The Goose Girl
“And as the princess leaned over the stream and sipped the water, the handkerchief fell out of her bodice and floated away.”– Thirty-Five: The Goose Girl
Wild Berries, Nuts & Sweet-Tasting Roots
In “Little Brother And Little Sister”, the little sister and her deer brother settle down at a little house in the forest before foraging for wild berries, nuts and roots from the surrounding area.
“Every morning she went out and gathered food for herself: wild berries, or nuts, or sweet-tasting roots.“– Six: Little Brother And Little Sister
Wild berries are also a life-saving in the tale of “Hansel And Gretel”, as the siblings walk through the dense forest, looking for their way back home.
“They were hungry, too, terribly hungry, because all they’d had to eat was a few berries that they’d found.“– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
And wild fruits appear once more in “The Goose Girl At The Spring” when the old woman heads into the woods to pick some fresh fruit.
“Every morning she took her crutch and hobbled off into the woods, where she kept herself busy gathering grass for her geese and picking any wild fruit she could reach.”– Forty-Nine: The Goose Girl At The Spring
Cake, Bread & Sugar (The Wicked Witch’s House)
Famished or not, what child could resist the sight of a sweet, edible house with a roof made of cake, walls made of bread and windows made of sugar? Poor Hansel and Gretel…
“The bird perched on the roof, and there was something strange about the look of that roof. In fact – ‘It’s made of cake!’ said Hansel. And as for the walls – ‘They’re made of bread!’ said Gretel. And as for the windows, they were made of sugar.”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
“But the old woman shook her head said, ‘Don’t be frightened, my little dears! Who brought you here? Just come inside, my darlings, come and rest your poor selves in my little box of treats. It’s as safe as houses!’“– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
Cake is also the ultimate wish for the child in “The Stolen Pennies”.
“They lifted the floorboards and found two pennies that the mother had given the child to give to a poor man. However, the child had thought, ‘I can buy myself a cake with that,‘ and hidden the pennies under the floor.”– Forty: The Stolen Pennies
Crayfish Shells
In “Hansel and Gretel”, Gretel is stuck eating seafood shells while Hansel is fattened up on mouth-watering meals. That being said, Hansel is also scheduled to BECOME the meal at some point…
“Gretel began to cry, but it was no good: she had to do everything the witch ordered. Hansel was given delicious food every day, while she had to live on crayfish shells.”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
Milk, Apples, Nuts & Pancakes With Sugar And Spices
Most things that are too good to be true are, in fact, too good to be true.
In “Hansel and Gretel”, the wicked witch effortlessly lures Hansel and Gretel into her cottage with an abundance of sugar, spice and everything nice.
“As if she’d known they were coming, there was a table laid with two places, and she served them a delicious meal of milk and pancakes with sugar and spices, and apples and nuts.”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
Rabbit, Deer, Wild Boar & Bird Meats
In the tale of “The Twelve Brothers”, the siblings survive off of rabbit, deer and bird meat after leaving their kingdom.
“So the older older brothers went out into the forest every day and shot rabbits, deer, birds, whatever they could eat. They took it home to Benjamin, who cooked it and laid it on the table for them. They spent ten years in the little cottage, where they were safe, and the time passed quickly.”– Five: The Twelve Brothers
“The eleven older brothers went out into the forest every day and shot game, deer and pigeons and wild boar, and the sister and Benjamin prepared it all for the table.”– Five: The Twelve Brothers
In “Jorinda and Joringel”, there is talk of a witch who turns herself into a cat or an owl in order to hunt for bird meat.
“She knew how to capture birds and other game, which she would slaughter and then roast and eat.“– Thirty-One: Jorinda And Joringel
And in “The Donkey Cabbage”, the hunter sets out to capture a bird and eat its heart as recommended by the wise woman.
“And you should take the heart from the dead bird, too. Cut it out and then swallow it whole.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
“The hunter did just as the old woman had advised. He cut the bird open with his knife, took out the heart and swallowed it, and went home with the cloak.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
Bird meat is also hinted at in “The Musicians of Bremen”, when the cockerel is threatened by uncertainty.
“They’ve got guests coming tomorrow, and they want to eat me, so the farmer’s wife has told the cook that this evening she’s going to chop my head off.”– Seventeen: The Musicians of Bremen
And, in “Strong Hans”, wild boar is consumed by the traveling trio: Hans, Rock Smasher and Pine Twister.
“As he was looking around, a wild boar charged out of a bush and made straight for him, but Hans struck him a blow on the head with his staff, and the beast fell dead on the spot. Hans hoisted it up on his shoulders and carried it into the castle, where the companions put it on a spit and roasted it over the fire, and had a fine breakfast.”– Forty-Seven: Strong Hans
Bacon
In “Hans-My-Hedgehog”, a fatty feast awaits the villagers as Hans heads back to visit his father with a large herd of pigs.
“He sent a message to his father, saying that they should empty all the pigsties in the village, because he was coming with such a large herd of pigs that anyone who wanted some pork or bacon could join in and help themselves.“– Thirty-Eight: Hans-My-Hedgehog
Stork Meat
Storks are usually a symbol of peace, fertility and birth. But in “The Two Travelling Companions”, the stork almost becomes lunch when he crosses paths with the famished tailor.
“It was a stork, and it stepped daintily over the meadow towards him. The tailor leaped on it at once and seized it by one leg. ‘I don’t know what you’ll taste like,’ he said, ‘but I’m going to find out. Now stand still while I cut your head off, and then I’ll roast you.'”– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
A Pot Of Stock
In “Strong Hans”, Hans feeds the little man some meat while skimming a big pot of stock.
“He was standing by the fire skimming off the fat from a big pot of stock when the little man came in and asked for a piece of meat.”– Forty-Seven: Strong Hans
Beetroot Soup, Meat Pie & Cake
In “One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes”, beetroot soup is served with meat pie and cake (courtesy of the enchanted goat). Beetroots are the main ingredients in German Borscht, a traditional soup from Eastern Europe that is usually prepared using beets, tomatoes, carrots and potatoes.
“The table appeared at once. This time there was a beetroot soup, a big meat pie and a delicious cake.”– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
Fresh Strawberries
Gathering fresh strawberries in the snow is the impossible mission set by the wicked stepmother in “The Three Little Men In The Woods”.
“She called her stepdaughter and said, ‘Here, put this on. Then go into the woods and gather some strawberries for me. I want some and nothing else will do.’ ‘But strawberries don’t grow in the winter,’ said the girl. ‘Everything’s covered in snow, and the ground’s as hard as iron.'”– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
“‘Be on your way, and don’t come back till you’ve filled the basket with strawberries.‘”– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
“Of course there was snow everywhere, with not a green leaf to be seen, far less a strawberry.“– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
Turns out finding strawberries in cold weather is actually feasible thanks to the perennial nature of these red berries (and a little bit of magic).
“Meanwhile, the girl was brushing away the snow from the path, and what did she find there but strawberries, dozens of them, as red and ripe as if it were summer.“– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
Parsley & Other Herbs
In the tale of “The Twelve Brothers”, Benjamin and his sister gather herbs for the evening meal while their siblings hunt for some meat.
“They gathered wood for the fire and herbs for the pot so that supper was always ready as soon as the others came home, they kept the house in order and swept the floors and made the beds, and the sister always did the washing and hung up their shirts, each one slightly smaller than the next, to dry in the sunshine.”– Five: The Twelve Brothers
This includes some parsley from the little garden near the cottage to garnish the stew of the day.
“One day they had prepared a fine meal, and they were all sitting down to eat when the sister thought that some parsley would taste very good sprinkled over the stew. So she went outside and gathered a bunch from their little herb garden, and then she saw twelve fine lilies growing by the window, and thought she would please the brothers by bringing them in to decorate the table.”– Five: The Twelve Brothers
Bread (Usually Stale)
Bread is, by far, one of the most common foods found in folklore. “Bread’s role as a staple food has paradoxically made it both sacred and banal, holding a place in our myths, folklore, and fairy tales as securely as it holds a place on our tables,” writes Rose Williamson for Feast Journal. “It is holy, and yet humble.”
For the less fortunate in fairy tales, the bread is oftentimes stale. For example, in “Little Brother And Little Sister”, the siblings are given stale bread crusts to eat by their wicked stepmother.
“The stepmother beats us every day, and her one-eyed daughter kicks us away whenever we try to go near her. What’s more, stale bread crusts are all we get to eat.”– Six: Little Brother And Little Sister
Stale bread also makes an appearance in “The Three Little Men In The Woods” when the envious stepmother sends her stepdaughter to gather strawberries in the middle of winter with a flimsy paper dress and little to no food.
“Then she gave the girl a piece of bread as hard as wood. ‘Here’s your food,’ she said. ‘You’ll have to make it last all day, we’re not made of money.'”– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
And despite her limited resources, the stepdaughter does not hesitate one second to share her rock-hard bread with three little men, as she continues to search for fresh strawberries.
“She felt hungry, so she took out her piece of bread. ‘Do you mind if I eat my breakfast?’ she said. ‘What is it?’ ‘Just a piece of bread.’ ‘Can we have a bit?’ ‘Of course,’ she said, and broke it in two. It was so hard she had to knock it on the edge of the little table. She gave the little men the bigger bit, and started to gnaw the smaller one.” – Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
In fairy tales, acts of kindness never go unnoticed. Having shared her stale bread with the three little men, the girl is eventually blessed with the unexpected.
“‘Such a polite girl. Shared her bread with us, and it was all she had! Gave us the biggest bit! Kindly as well as polite. What shall we giver her?'”– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
In the tale of “Hansel and Gretel”, the horror of unfit parents is in full display as the stepmother suggests abandoning the children in the woods with a bit of bread and a fire to get rid of the extra mouths to feed.
“‘I tell you what,’ she said. ‘This is what we’ll do. Early tomorrow morning we’ll take them into the thickest part of the forest, make them comfortable, light a fire to keep them warm, give them a little bit of bread, and then leave them there by themselves.‘”– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
“She gave them a slice of dry bread. ‘That’s your lunch,’ she said, ‘and don’t gobble it up too soon, because there’s nothing else.’ Gretel put the bread in her apron, because Hansel’s pockets were full of pebbles.“– Nine: Hansel And Gretel
Similarly, in “Cinderella”, bread is Cinderella’s reward for slaving away in the kitchen.
“‘Why should that stupid goose sit in the parlour with us?’ the sisters would say. ‘If she wants to eat bread, she must earn it. The kitchen’s the place for her.'”– Thirteen: Cinderella
And, in “The Elves (first story)” and “Mount Simeli”, bread is the only affordable food for the poor.
“Next morning he woke up, had a bite of dry bread, and sat down at his bench, only to find the shoes completed already.”– Twenty-One: The Elves (First Story)
“There were once two brothers, one rich, the other poor. The first brother, rich as he was, gave no help to the poor one, who barely scraped a living as a corn merchant. Things went badly for him, and quite often he had hardly a crust of bread to feed his wife and children with.“– Forty-Five: Mount Simeli
On some occasions, fresh bread is mentioned like in “Gambling Hans” when Hans is tasked with the mission of buying a fresh loaf from the bakery.
“St Peter gave Hans three groschen and asked him to go to the baker’s and buy a loaf of bread.”– Thirty-Three: Gambling Hans
As for “The Two Travelling Companions”, things turn gruesome when the tailor’s small bread provision runs out.
“‘Always prepare for the worst,’ said the shoemaker. ‘I’m going to carry enough bread for a week.’ ‘What?’ said the tailor. ‘Lug all that bread about like a beast of burden, and not be able to enjoy the scenery? Not me. I shall trust in God as I always do. My money’s as good in summer as in winter, but bread isn’t – in the hot weather it dries out and goes mouldy all the quicker. Why shouldn’t we find the right way? A one-in-two chance is pretty good, when you think about it. No, I’ll take bread for two days, that’s quite enough.’ So they each bought the bread they wanted to carry, and set off into the forest.”– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
“On the third day, though, they were still deep in the forest, and the tailor had eaten all his bread.“– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
“‘I tell you what – I’ll give you a piece of bread. But in return, I’ll put out your right eye.'”– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
“He wept with both eyes while he still had them, and then held up his head so the stony-hearted shoemaker could put out his right eye with the breadknife. The tailor remembered what his mother had said when she found him gobbling up a pie in the pantry: ‘Eat all you can, and suffer what you must.’ He ate the thin slice of bread the shoemaker gave him, and felt a little better, and was able to stand up; and he walked on thinking that he could still see well enough with his left eye, after all.”– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
“The shoemaker said, ‘I’ll be merciful. I can see the state you’re in, and I’ll give you another slice of bread. But you’re not getting it for nothing. You’ve got one eye left, and I’ll have that one like the first.'”– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
“He took his knife and put out the tailor’s other eye, and then gave him a small piece of bread, held out his stick for the tailor to hold on to, and led him along.”– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
At last, in “One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes”, the act of giving bread is a merciful one when the mean sisters are greeted into Two Eyes’ kingdom.
“One day many years later, two poor women came knocking at the castle gate to beg for something to eat, because they had been stricken with poverty and had to wander the world begging for bread from door to door.”– Forty-Two: One Eye, Two Eyes And Three Eyes
Bed Of Lamb’s Lettuce (a.k.a Rapunzel)
In “Rapunzel”, the pregnant woman expresses an unbearable craving for Rapunzel Lettuce.
“One day the woman was standing at that window, and she saw a bed of lamb’s lettuce, or rapunzel. It looked so fresh and so green that she longed to taste some, and this longing grew stronger every day, so that eventually she became really ill.”– Seven: Rapunzel
“‘Oh,’ she said, ‘if I can’t have any of that rapunzel in the garden behind our house, I’ll die.’ The man loved his wife dearly, and he thought, ‘Rather than let her die, I must get her some of that rapunzel. I don’t care what it costs.'”– Seven: Rapunzel
Left in a conundrum, the husband is eventually forced to steal Rapunzel lettuce from the witch’s garden. Could leafy greens be the secret behind Rapunzel’s long locks?
“So as night was falling he climbed over the high wall and got into the witch’s garden, where he pulled up a handful of rapunzel. He scrambled back hastily and took it to his wife, who made it into a salad at once, and ate it hungrily.”– Seven: Rapunzel
After getting caught stealing, the husband ends up making a deal with the witch: a child in exchange for an endless supply of lettuce. Verily, the absurdity of this situation is profound…
“But when he set foot on the ground and turned to go to the bed of rapunzel, he had a shock, for there was the witch standing in front of him. ‘So you’re the wretch who’s been stealing my rapunzel!’ she said, glaring at him. ‘You’ll pay for this, let me tell you.'”– Seven: Rapunzel
“‘My wife saw your rapunzel from our window up there, and she felt a craving – you know how it is; it was so strong she thought she might die if she couldn’t have some. So I had no choice'”– Seven: Rapunzel
“‘I see,’ she said. ‘Well, if that’s the case, you can have as much rapunzel as you want. But there’s a condition: the child your wife is bearing shall belong to me.”– Seven: Rapunzel
Vegetable stew (Kind Of…)
In “The Mouse, The Bird And The Sausage”, we are introduced to a sausage preparing a vegetable stew. Can it get any weirder?
“The sausage stayed by the pot most of the time, keeping an eye on the vegetables, and from time to time he’d slither through the water to give it a bit of flavouring. If it needed seasoning, he’d swim more slowly. That was more or less all he did.”– Fifteen: The Mouse, The Bird And The Sausage
However, later on, the trio switches things up, leaving the mouse with the task of making the veggie stew.
“The bird laid the table while the mouse put the finishing touches to the stew.”– Fifteen: The Mouse, The Bird And The Sausage
Unfortunately, in a turn of events, the mouse ends up falling into the boiling stew. Moral of the story? Don’t change something that works well…
“When the bird saw the vegetable stew coming to the boil with a dead mouse in it, he panicked.”– Fifteen: The Mouse, The Bird And The Sausage
Honey
In “The Two Travelling Companions”, the hungry tailor discovers an old hollow tree filled with honey and in “Lazy Heinz”, honey is mentioned when lazy Heinz and his wife ponder swapping their goats for the neighbour’s beehive.
“‘And I tell you something else’, he said, almost enthusiastically, ‘honey tastes a lot nicer than what goats’ milk does.‘”– Forty-Six: Lazy Heinz
“He took the goats and carried the beehive over to Heinz and Trina’s back garden, and put it in the sunny corner; and from then on the bees did their work tirelessly, flying in and out from early morning till late in the evening, gathering nectar and filling the hive with fine sweet honey. And late in the year, Heinz was able to take out a whole jugful.“– Forty-Six: Lazy Heinz
However, the lazy duo accidentally ends up breaking the honey jug and working extra hard to mop leftover honey off the walls with toast. Ironic, isn’t it?
“And she whacked the bed again and again with such hearty blows that dust and feathers and breadcrumbs flew high into the air. Unfortunately, as she raised her stick for the last time, she hit the jug of honey on the shelf above. It broke into several pieces, and honey dripped down the wall and on to the floor”– Forty-Six: Lazy Heinz
Wine, Apple Tart & Cream
In “The Buffalo-Hide Boots”, the soldier and the hunter happily feast on wine and tarts while the robbers are frozen in time. Let’s hope there’s no bad blood…
“The old woman brought them another bottle of the best, and a fine apple tart, what’s more, and a jug of cream.“– Fifty-Two: The Buffalo-Hide Boots
The Great Big Flounder
Appearances are deceiving in the tale of “The Fisherman And His Wife”. Turns out the great big flounder that was caught is an enchanted prince. That’s some fishy royalty!
“The flounder said, ‘Now look, fisherman – what about letting me live, eh? I’m no ordinary flounder. I’m an enchanted prince. What good would it do you to kill me? I wouldn’t taste nice at all. Put me back in the water, there’s a good fellow.'”– Eleven: The Fisherman And His Wife
Cheese
Ever thought of cream cheese as a travel snack? No bread, no crackers, just a scoop of cream cheese. What a messy choice for the tailor in “The Brave Little Tailor”!
“Before he set off to show the world, he looked around for something to take with him, but he could find only a bowl of cream cheese. He scooped that up and put it in his pocket, and ran downstairs and off through the streets.”– Twelve: The Brave Little Tailor
“And he took the cream cheese out of his pocket and squeezed that. Of course the cheese was full of whey, and it was soon dripping down all over the tailor’s hand and on to the ground.“– Twelve: The Brave Little Tailor
Can eating cheese make you dream more? That’s the impression we get while reading “The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs”.
“‘There, there,’ she said. ‘It was that cheese I had for supper. It’s making me dream again.’“– Nineteen: The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs
Cheese, with bread, is also referenced in “Farmerkin” when Farmerkin is sheltered by the miller’s wife.
“She pointed to a big heap in the corner, and when Farmerkin was comfortable she brought him some bread and cheese.“– Twenty-Nine: Farmerkin
And in “The Shoes That Were Danced To Pieces”, a poor soldier shares his meagre provisions with an old woman.
“On the way he met an old woman begging for alms, and feeling sorry for her he sat down and shared his last bit of bread and cheese with her.“– Forty-Three: The Shoes That Were Danced To Pieces
Cherries
In Japan culture, cherry trees are representative of good fortune and new beginnings. But in the tale of “The Brave Little Tailor”, the focus seems a bit more on the bendy nature of these sweet-scented woody perennials.
“They walked on a little way until they came to a cherry tree. The giant took hold of the topmost branches and pulled them down low, showing the tailor the ripest fruit.“– Twelve: The Brave Little Tailor
Cherries are also mentioned in a metaphor in “The Two Travelling Companions” comparing the king’s difficult task to the harvesting of fruits grown high up.
“The tailor thought, ‘She’d be a prize worth winning. I’d do a lot to marry her, but those cherries are growing too high for me. If I tried to climb that high, the brand would break. What am I going to do now?'”– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
Carrots, Beans, Cabbages & Onions
In “Little Brother And Little Sister”, a vegetable garden packed with carrots, beans and cabbages serves as sustenance for little sister and her deer brother during their stay in the well-kept little house in the woods.
“There were carrots and beans and cabbages in the vegetable garden, and she always gathered plenty of fresh sweet grass for the deer, who ate it from her hand. “– Six: Little Brother And Little Sister
Cabbage also reappears in “The Donkey Cabbage” when the hunter is transported by a cloud to a cabbage and onion garden.
“The cloud floated up again and left him standing between the cabbages and the onions.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
“‘Pity there’s no fruit,’ he said to himself. ‘I wouldn’t mind a nice apple or a pear, and I’m so hungry. Still, I can always have a mouthful of cabbage. It doesn’t taste wonderful, but it’ll keep me going.’ There were two kinds of cabbages growing in the garden, pointed ones and round ones, and to begin with the hunter pulled a few leaves off a pointed one and started to chew.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
“So he picked a head of a the pointed cabbage and a head of the round one, put them safely in his knapsack, and climbed the wall and got away.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
The donkey cabbage ends up being of great use for the hunter, who sneakily exacts his revenge on the witch and her daughters, turning them into donkeys! (I mean, it’s not called donkey cabbage for nothing…)
“‘I’m a royal messenger, and the king sent me specially to look for the most delicious cabbage in the world. I was lucky enough to find it, and it really is delicious, but the weather’s been so hot that it’s beginning to wilt. I don’t think I’ll get it back in time.’ When the witch heard about this delicious cabbage, she couldn’t wait to try it herself. ‘Have you got a little bit my daughter and I could taste?’ she said. ‘I brought two heads of it. I don’t see why you shouldn’t have one of them, since you’re being kind enough to let me stay the night.’ He opened his knapsack and gave her the donkey cabbage.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
“She put some water on to boil and chopped the cabbage up daintily, and boiled it for just a few minutes with some salt and a little butter. It smelt so good that she couldn’t resist, and before she brought it to the table she nibbled at one of the leaves, and then another, and of course as soon as she swallowed them she started to change.“– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
“Next the serving girl came in, and smelling the buttery cabbage she couldn’t help having a bite herself.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
“‘He scooped up the cabbage that had fallen to the floor, put it in the bowl and brought it to the girl. She had some at once, and she too became a donkey and ran outside.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
After some time has passed, the hunter eventually returns to visit the surviving daughters, offering them some round cabbage leaves to turn them back into human form.
“He told the miller to drive the other two donkeys back to the castle, where he spread some of the round cabbage leaves on the ground and let them eat, so they became human beings again.”– Forty-One: The Donkey Cabbage
Bread, Meat & Wine
The combination of bread, meat and wine is mentioned in “Mount Simeli” as the corn merchant continues to grow his fortune thanks to the treasures hidden in the mountain.
“For some time after he was happy, because he had enough gold to buy bread for his family, and meat and wine as well.“– Forty-Five: Mount Simeli
The luxury of meat is also brought up in the tale of “Little Brother And Little Sister” as little brother recalls the meagre food that his stepmother used to give him.
“The dog under the table eats better than we do; he often gets a tasty bit of meat. God knows, if our mother could see how we have to live!”– Six: Little Brother And Little Sister
And in “Strong Hans”, meat and bread are served by the chief robber to the woman and her child in exchange for housekeeping.
“‘Stop crying,’ he said. ‘You’ve got nothing to fear as long as you do the housekeeping for us. You sweep the floor and keep everything neat and tidy, and we’ll treat you well enough.’ When he’d said this, he gave them some bread and meat, and showed her a bed where she and the child could sleep.”– Forty-Seven: Strong Hans
Bread and wine are also the only source of sustenance for the young soldier and the princess buried in the royal vault in “The Three Snake Leaves”.
“They had put some provisions in there: on a table there were four candles, four loaves of bread and four bottles of wine. The soldier sat there beside the princess’s body day after day, taking only a mouthful of bread and a sip of wine, making them last as long as possible.”– Ten: The Three Snake Leaves
“He gave her the very last mouthful of bread and the very last sip of wine, and then they banged on the door and shouted so loudly that the sentries outside heard them and went running to the king.”– Ten: The Three Snake Leaves
In “The Robber Bridegroom”, wine is used to commit a crime…
“They forced her to drink a glass of red wine, then one of white, and then one of yellow, and the third one was too much for her; her heart burst apart. Then they tore off her fine clothes and laid her on the table before chopping her in pieces and sprinkling her with salt.”– Twenty-Two: The Robber Bridegroom
…but is also used to save the bride-to-be by sending her captives into a deep slumber.
“The old woman poured a sleeping-draught in their wine, so that before they’d even finished eating they all slumped to the floor and feel asleep.”– Twenty-Two: The Robber Bridegroom
And in “The Singing Bone”, wine is used as a bravery potion by one of the brothers.
“Among them was his elder brother. That scoundrel hadn’t been brave enough to go into the forest, and reckoning that the boar wasn’t going anywhere else in a hurry, he’d decided to drink some wine to give himself a bit of courage.“– Eighteen: The Singing Bone
Sleep-inducing wine is also referenced in “The Shoes That Were Danced To Pieces” when the old woman warns the soldier about the princesses.
“‘They’ll bring you a glass of wine when you go to bed, but don’t drink it whatever you do‘“– Forty-Three: The Shoes That Were Danced To Pieces
“And at bedtime, the oldest princess brought him a goblet of wine. He’d made plans for that, and tied a sponge under his chin. He let the wine run into that, and didn’t let a single drop pass his lips.“– Forty-Three: The Shoes That Were Danced To Pieces
In “The Buffalo-Hide Boots”, a wine bottle is even used to hypnotize and freeze the robbers.
“When the wine arrived, the soldier pulled the cork with a loud pop and said quietly to the hunter, ‘Now watch. I bet you’ve never seen this before.'”– Fifty-Two: The Buffalo-Hide Boots
And in “Bearskin”, a glass of wine is used to secretly ask a woman’s hand in marriage.
“As soon as he was alone with his bride-to-be, the visitor brought out his half of the broken ring and dropped it into a glass of wine, which he handed to her across the table. She took the wine and drank it, and when she found the half-ring in the bottom of the glass, her heart beat faster; and she took the other half which she wore on a ribbon around her neck, and put them together.”– Thirty-Six: Bearskin
Last but not least, a wine fountain is mentioned in a conversation between the devil and his grandmother in “The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs”. I heard there’s one of those in Italy.
“‘A fountain,’ she said. ‘It was in the market square. Years ago it ran with wine, and everyone could help themselves, but now it won’t even give water.’ ‘Stupid people,’ muttered the Devil, settling his head on her lap again. ‘All they have to do is dig out the toad under the stone in the fountain. If they kill that, the wine will flow again.”“– Nineteen: The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs
Sweet Red Christening Wine
In “The Cat And The Mouse Set Up House”, the mouse reveals his craving for sweet red christening wine as the cat continues to lie about being the godfather of a newborn kitten.
“‘There’s sure to be some nice food afterwards. If you get a tasty mouthful, think of me. I’d love to taste that sweet red christening wine.’“– Two: The Cat And The Mouse Set Up House
Chicken-Liver Pâté Sandwiches & Chocolate Cake
In “The Three Little Men In The Woods”, the ill-willed stepmother packs pâté and cake for her own daughter before sending her off to the woods.
“Finally the mother gave in. She took her best fur coat and altered it so it fitted the girl, and gave her chicken-liver pâté sandwiches and a big piece of chocolate cake for the journey.”– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
Unsurprisingly, the greedy girl ends up eating her entire lunch all by herself.
“The three little men sat on their bench and watched as she took out her chicken-liver pâté sandwiches. ‘What’s that?’ they said. ‘My lunch,’ she said with her mouth full. ‘Can we have some?’ ‘Certainly not.’ ‘What about that cake? It’s a big piece. Do you want all of it?’ ‘There’s hardly enough for me. Get your own cake.'”– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
Raven stew
In “The Riddle”, raven meat is used to prepare a stew for the famished servant and the prince.
“As night fell they came to an inn, and the servant gave the raven to the innkeeper and told him to prepare it for their supper.“– Fourteen: The Riddle
Luckily for them, the poisoned meal ends up being stolen.
“It was the last meal they ever had, for they hadn’t swallowed more than a mouthful of the raven stew when they all fell dead.“– Fourteen: The Riddle
“He answered, ‘Twelve murderers ate a stew made from the raven, and died of it’“– Fourteen: The Riddle
Stew (with bread) is also mentioned in “Snow White” as the main meal garnishing the table of the seven dwarves.
“There was a pot of stew beside the fire, and a little table covered with a snowy-white tablecloth, on which stood seven little bowls, with a slice of bread beside each one, and seven little knives and forks and spoons and seven little mugs.”– Twenty-Six: Snow White
“Snow White was very hungry and thirsty, so she ate some stew from the pot and took a bite of each slice of bread and a sip of wine from each mug.”– Twenty-Six: Snow White
Bread soup
In “Thousandfurs”, leftover stale bread is used to make bread soup for the king. (did you know that bread soup dates all the way back to the Middle Ages?)
“‘I’ve got another job for you: make some soup for the king while I go and have a look upstairs. But mind you don’t let a hair fall into it, or there’ll be no food for you from now on.’ The cook went upstairs, and Thousandfurs set about making some bread soup, as well as she knew how.“– Thirty: Thousandfurs
“After the ball was over the king called for his soup, and it tasted so good that he thought he’d never tasted better.”– Thirty: Thousandfurs
Steak & Rolls
In “Hans-My-Hedgehog”, the farmer sets out to the town fair in search of some meat and rolls for his wife.
“One day there happened to be a fair in the town, and the farmer wanted to go. He asked his wife what she’d like him to bring back for her. ‘A bit of steak and a half a dozen rolls,’ she said.”– Thirty-Eight: Hans-My-Hedgehog
Juniper Berries
These small, purple-brown berries become a pregnant woman’s craving in the tale of “The Juniper Tree”. Wait… aren’t juniper berries supposed to be avoided during pregnancy?
“Six months went by, and the fruit grew firm and heavy, and the woman fell still. When seven months had gone by, she plucked the juniper berries and ate so many that she felt sick and sorrowful. After the eighth month had gone, she called her husband and said to him, weeping, ‘If I die, bury me under the juniper tree.'”– Twenty-Four: The Juniper Tree
Milk, Water & Wine
In “The Three Little Men In The Woods”, the trio milk-water-wine appears in a promise made by a woman to her future stepdaughter. Amongst the three drink, only water and wine are served as drinks, while milk is used as a beauty treatment for skin complexion. Hey, if it worked for Cleopatra…
“‘If he says yes, I promise you’ll have milk to wash your face in every day, it’s very good for your complexion, and wine to drink. And my daughter will only have water. That’s how much I’d like to marry him.'”– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
“Next morning when the two girls got up, the man’s daughter found there was milk for her to wash her face in and wine for her to drink. The woman’s daughter only had water. On the second morning, both girls had water for washing and water to drink. On the third morning, the man’s daughter had water, but the woman’s daughter had milk to wash in and wine to drink, and so it was on every morning after that.”– Eight: The Three Little Men In The Woods
Apples, Pears, Oranges, Lemons & Limes
In the Grimm’s fairy tales, an abundance of fruits usually appears in bountiful gardens belonging to royalty.
In “The Fisherman And His Wife”, the flounder grants the wife’s wish of a palace with a garden filled with “fruit trees laden with apples and pears and oranges and lemons”.
“Beyond the courtyard was a garden of indescribable loveliness, with flowers whose scent perfumed the air for miles around, and fruit trees laden with apples and pears and oranges and lemons, and beyond the garden was a park half a mile long at least, with elk and deer and hares and every kind of decorative wild beast.”– Eleven: The Fisherman And His Wife
Pears are also mentioned in the tale of “The Girl With No Hands” when the girl with no hands discovers fruit trees in the royal garden.
“She saw a tree covered in beautiful ripe pears, which had all been numbered so that none could be stolen, but she couldn’t help that: she stepped up to the tree and ate from it, just one pear, enough to satisfy her hunger, but no more.”– Twenty: The Girl With No Hands
“They sat down nearby and waited, and sure enough, at midnight the girl came out from hiding, stepped up to the tree, and ate a pear just with her mouth.“– Twenty: The Girl With No Hands
And in “Cinderella”, Cinderella uses a pear tree to attempt to hide from the prince.
“In the garden there was a beautiful pear tree, covered in heavy fruit.“– Thirteen: Cinderella
As for apple trees, these seem to be linked with rather unfortunate events.
In “The Girl With No Hands”, an apple tree creates confusion as an old man and his wife discover that they were tricked into giving away their daughter to the Devil.
“There was once a miller who sank little by little into poverty, until all he had left was his mill and a fine apple tree standing behind it.“– Twenty: The Girl With No Hands
“‘What’s behind the mill?’ thought the miller. ‘It can only be the apple tree.’“– Twenty: The Girl With No Hands
“‘All I had to do was sign over whatever is standing behind the mill. This treasure’s worth an apple tree, isn’t it?’ ‘Oh, husband! You don’t know what you’ve done! That must have been the Devil! He didn’t mean the apple tree. He meant our daughter! She was out there sweeping the path!'”– Twenty: The Girl With No Hands
And in “The Juniper Tree”, the price for eating apples is deadly for the little boy returning from school.
“And it was as if the Devil himself entered her head, because she seized the apple from the girl and said, ‘You’re not going to have one before your brother.’ She threw the apple into the chest and shut it, and Marleenken went up to her room. Then the little boy came in, and the Devil made the woman say sweetly, ‘My son, would you like an apple?’ But her eyes were fierce. ‘Mama,’ said the little boy, ‘you look so angry! Yes, I’d like an apple.’“– Twenty-Four: The Juniper Tree
“‘Come with me,’ she said, opening the lid of the chest. ‘Choose an apple for yourself. Lean right in – that’s it – the best ones are at the back…’“– Twenty-Four: The Juniper Tree
“She slammed down the lid, and his head fell off and rolled in among the red apples.“– Twenty-Four: The Juniper Tree
Wild pears and apples are also briefly mentioned in “The Goose Girl At The Spring”.
“There was already a big load of grass neatly cut, and beside it two baskets filled with wild apples and pears.“– Forty-Nine: The Goose Girl At The Spring
And, finally, in the tale of “The Frog King, Or Iron Heinrich”, a lime tree is strategically located right next to a well where the beautiful princess meets the frog king.
“Not far away from the king’s palace there was a deep dark forest, and under a lime tree in the forest there was a well. In the heat of the day the princess used to go into the forest and sit by the edge of the well, from which a marvellous coolness seemed to flow.”– One : The Frog King, Or Iron Heinrich
Bread And Jam
In “The Brave Little Tailor”, the tailor buys strawberry jam from an old woman selling sweet jams in the street.
“When she got there the tailor made her unpack every single jar, and examined each one closely, weighing it in his hand, holding it up to the light, sniffing the jam, and so forth. Finally he said, ‘This looks like a good ‘un, this jar of strawberry.’“– Twelve: The Brave Little Tailor
“‘Well, God bless this jam, and may it give health and strength to all who eat it!’ said the tailor, and fetched a loaf of bread and a knife. He cut himself a hearty slice and spread it with jam.“– Twelve: The Brave Little Tailor
But things get sticky when a squadron of flies decide to join in…
“Meanwhile the sweet scent of the jam rose in the air, and floated round the room, and drifted out of the window. A squadron of flies who had been feasting on the corpse of a dog in the street outside caught the scent, and rose at once and flew up to look for it. They came in through the window and settled on the bread.“– Twelve: The Brave Little Tailor
“‘Hey! Who invited you?’ said the little tailor, and flapped his hand to drive them away. But they didn’t understand a word, and besides they were already busy with the jam, and they took no notice.”– Twelve: The Brave Little Tailor
Roast Sheep
In “The Brave Little Tailor”, carnivorous giants are seen chomping on some roast sheep.
“Each of them had a whole roast sheep in his hands, and was gnawing at it vigorously, with horrible grinding sucking noises.”– Twelve: The Brave Little Tailor
Human meat
Speaking of carnivorous, cannibals are fairly common in these dark German fairy tales. The Brothers Grimm definitely don’t hold back when it comes to gruesome and unsettling circumstances… The first reference to cannibals is found in the tale of “The Robber Bridegroom”.
“See this big pot of water on the fire? They made me set it there to boil. When they turn up, they’re going to chop you into pieces and throw you in the pot, cook you till you’re tender, and eat you all up. They’re a pack of cannibals.”– Twenty-Two: The Robber Bridegroom
Cannibalism is also featured in “The Juniper Tree” when the jealous mother cooks the son’s body in the evening stew.
“‘Oh, Marleenken, you bad girl,’ said her mother, ‘what have you done? But be quiet, hush, don’t say a word about it. It can’t be helped. We won’t tell anyone. We’ll put him in the stew.’“– Twenty-Four: The Juniper Tree
“The woman put a large dish of stew on the table. Marleenken was crying and crying helplessly.”– Twenty-Four: The Juniper Tree
Unaware of this, the father even asks for seconds…
“And he ate some more stew, and then he said, ‘Wife, this is the best stew I’ve ever tasted. It’s delicious! Give me some more.“– Twenty-Four: The Juniper Tree
And in “The Golden Bird”, the prince is warned not “to buy gallows meat”, the latter referring to the practice of purchasing those who are about to be executed on the gallows for meat.
“Don’t buy any gallows meat, and don’t sit on the edge of a well.“– Twenty-Eight: The Golden Bird
“The prince thought: ‘What a strange animal, to have such ideas! Who’d buy gallows meat?“– Twenty-Eight: The Golden Bird
Brandy
In “Snow White”, the seven dwarfs desperately try to wake Snow White up by pouring a little bit of brandy on her lips.
“They looked around for whatever might have killed her, and found nothing, they unfastened her laces in case she couldn’t breathe; they looked through her hair for a poisoned comb; they warmed her by the fire, they put a drop of brandy on her lips, they laid her on a bed and they sat her up in a chair, but nothing helped.”– Twenty-Six: Snow White
Schnapps
In “The Two Travelling Companions”, the shoemaker gets his hands on a bottle of Schnapps, a strong alcoholic drink flavored with fruit or herbs and spices.
“The tailor laughed and handed over his bottle of schnapps.”– Thirty-Seven: The Two Travelling Companions
Tea
Tea culture in high society is emphasized in “Cinderella” when she arrives at the ball.
“She had no mirror, so she couldn’t see how lovely she looked, and when she arrived at the ball she was surprised to find how well she was treated, how everyone made way for her, how the ladies invited her to sit and take tea with them, how the lords asked her to dance.”– Thirteen: Cinderella
And in “Godfather Death”, a mysterious plant with healing properties is used to heal the sick king.
“‘Then give him a little of this herb, any way you like – give him a leaf to chew, make some tea from the flowers, grind the roots up into a paste and make pills, doesn’t make any difference: in a day or so he’ll be perfectly well again.'”– Twenty-Three: Godfather Death
“So he turned the patient round so that Death was standing at his head, and gave him a decoction of the leaves to drink, and pretty soon the king was sitting up and feeling much better.”– Twenty-Three: Godfather Death
Roast Pork, Salad, Fruit Cake & Wine
In “Farmerkin”, a feast involving roast pork and fruit cake is prepared for the priest by the miller’s wife.
“Farmerkin thought: ‘A feast, eh? Then why did she fob me off with bread and cheese?’ He watched through half-closed eyes as the miller’s wife sat the priest down at the table, fluttering her eyelashes and talking sweetly, and proceeded to serve him a joint of roast pork, a big dish of salad, a fruit cake just out of the oven, and a bottle of wine.”– Twenty-Nine: Farmerkin
Boar Lungs & Liver
Some people might be repulsed by the thought of eating animal organs but it remains a fairly common practice all over the world.
In “Snow White”, the huntsman brings back wild swine organs to the wicked queen after taking pity on Snow White. Snow White really dodged an arrow there…literally.
“Just then a young boar came running through the bushes. The huntsman killed it and cut out its lungs and liver, and took them back to the queen as proof of Snow White’s death. The cook was ordered to season them well, dredge them in flour and fry them, and the wicked queen ate them all up. And that, she thought, was the end of Snow White.“– Twenty-Six: Snow White
Salted Cow Meat
In “Farmerkin”, Farmerkin heads into town to sell salted cow meat and tanned hide in order to afford a calf.
“They salted the meat and tanned the hide, and it was a nice hide too, so Farmerkin set off for town with it, intending to sell it and buy a calf.“– Twenty-Nine: Farmerkin
Sausage
In an unfortunate series of events, the sausage in “The Mouse, The Bird And The Sausage” eventually becomes a dog’s lunch.
“Not far from the house he came across a dog licking his lips. ‘You haven’t seen a sausage, have you?’ ‘Yeah, I just ate him. Delicious.'”– Fifteen: The Mouse, The Bird And The Sausage
Cake & Wine
In Grimm’s version of “Little Red Riding Hood”, the little girl brings a care package with cake and wine to her sick grandmother.
“‘And what’s in that basket of yours?’ ‘Granny’s not very well, so I’m taking her come cake and some wine. We baked the cake yesterday, and it’s full of good things like flour and eggs, and it’ll be good for her and make her feel better.’“– Sixteen: Little Red Riding Hood
“The hunter skinned the wolf and went home with the pelt. Granny ate the cake and drank the wine, and Little Red Riding Hood thought, ‘What a narrow escape!‘”– Sixteen: Little Red Riding Hood
Roast Beef
In “The Buffalo-Hide Boots”, a huge joint of roast beef is served to the robbers. The hungry hunter and the soldier eventually join in on the feast.
“‘You can have some roast beef. When you’ve had your supper, though, that’s it. We’ll make you wish you’d kept away and stayed hungry.‘ ‘All in good time,’ said the soldier, and helped himself to a large slice of meat. ‘Hey, Shiny Boots!’ he called. ‘Come and join us. You must be as hungry as I am, and I don’t care where you come from, you won’t find a better roast than this.‘”– Fifty-Two: The Buffalo-Hide Boots
“The robbers watched the soldier sharing their food, and their amazement grew as he sat there so calmly finishing his slice of beef and helping himself to another.”– Fifty-Two: The Buffalo-Hide Boots
Dried Peas & Lentils
Dried legumes are used by the stepmother and stepsisters in “Cinderella” to torment Cinderella.
“They mocked her, they made fun of her to their silly friends, and they had a special torment that never failed to amuse them: they would scatter dried peas or lentils in among the ashes, so she had to sit on the floor and pick them all out again.“– Thirteen: Cinderella
“But Cinderella persisted, and her stepmother finally lost her patience, and threw a bowl of lentils into the ashes.”– Thirteen: Cinderella
And in “The Robber Bridegroom”, peas are used by the miller’s daughter to mark a trail as she heads to the bridegroom’s house.
“She filled her pockets with peas, to mark the trail in case anything happened. At the edge of the forest she found the trail of ashes, and after every step she threw a couple of peas to left and right.”– Twenty-Two: The Robber Bridegroom
“It was as well that the girl had brought peas to throw on the ground, because the ashes that showed the path had all blown away. The peas had sprouted, though, and in the moonlight they could see them, and followed the trail all the way to the mill, where they arrived just as the sun was rising.”– Twenty-Two: The Robber Bridegroom
Dried peas are also used by the lion in “The Twelve Huntsmen” to prove to the king that the huntsmen are actually women.
“‘Very well,’ said the lion. ‘Get some dried peas and scatter them over the floor of your antechamber. If they’re men, they’ll walk over them with a firm step; but if they’re girls, they’ll go on tiptoe and skitter and shuffle them out of the way.”– Fifty-One: The Twelve Huntsmen
Note-Worthy Food expressions
No pickles are consumed in any of these Grimm fairy tales. However, the expression “being in a pickle” is used in “The Musicians of Bremen”.
“‘Dear oh dear,’ said the cat. ‘I’m in a dreadful pickle. I’m getting on a bit – I don’t expect you noticed, but I’m not as young as I was, and my teeth are getting blunt.”– Seventeen: The Musicians of Bremen
In “The Goose Girl At The Spring”, the third daughter compares her love for her father to salt. (Spoiler alert: the king didn’t take it too well…)
“‘But he kept on and on demanding an answer until she found something to compare her love to, and she said, ‘No matter how good the food, it won’t taste of anything without salt. So I love my father as much as I love salt.‘”– Forty-Nine: The Goose Girl At The Spring
“‘And he divided his kingdom between the two eldest daughters, and he ordered the youngest to have a sack of salt bound to her back, and then two servants were to lead her out into the depths of the forest.”– Forty-Nine: The Goose Girl At The Spring
The oldest daughter, however, uses sugar to compare her love to her dad which, of course, turns out to be a much more appreciated expression of love.
“‘The oldest daughter said, ‘I love you as much as the sweetest sugar.”– Forty-Nine: The Goose Girl At The Spring
Last, but certainly not least, in “The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs”, eggs are mentioned by the old woman living with the robbers in a rather old-fashioned British expression.
“”They’re out at the moment doing a job, but when they come back they’ll kill you, as sure as eggs.’“– Nineteen: The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs
