King Thrushbeard
Encyclopedia
King Thrushbeard is a fairy tale
collected by the Brothers Grimm
, tale number 52.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 900.
criticizes all her suitors because she is too proud. She is impressed with the last of her suitors, but her pride will not let her accept him. He is a young king with such a thick beard
that she dubs him King Thrushbeard. The young king
leaves in anger. Her father, exasperated and angry that she has scorned all her suitors, vows that the first man who comes to the palace the next day will become her husband. Meanwhile, an unknown stranger overhears the conversation.
When a young minstrel
with a clean shaven face appears in the palace the next day, the king offers his daughter's hand in marriage
. The minstrel disapproves of marrying the princess immediately as she does not look strong nor does she appear to be capable of any practical work. However, he notes the poor cannot be choosy and agrees to marry her. The princess opposes vehemently because he is a commoner, but the king has given his word. She marries the minstrel, who takes her away from the palace to his home.
As they travel to the minstrel's home, they pass by the fine lands and properties that belong to King Thrushbeard, and the princess begins to regret scorning him. They arrive at the minstrel's home, a house fit only for swine. The minstrel treats her as though she was a commoner and the princess is upset that she must now work for a living. The minstrel has her doing practical chores and selling pottery
, at which she is completely inept. Thoroughly annoyed at his new wife, he tells her the only job left her is to work as a servant at the nearby castle
of a young king: King Thrushbeard.
The princess is initially ashamed that she must work in the palace of a suitor she so harshly scorned and deeply regrets doing so, but puts her pride aside when she realizes that her husband is depending on her to help out with the household. Eventually, she swallows the last of her pride and becomes so compassionate that she will throw scraps of food to the mice
who live in their home because she realizes they are hungry too.
Just as her life is going smoothly, the princess discovers one day King Thrushbeard is getting married. She is forced into the great hall for a dance. The dance bursts her pockets open, in which she kept table scraps the servants gave her. They spill all over the floor and everybody laughs. She is so embarrassed she flees the hall and begins to cry.
However, much to the princess' surprise, someone helps her up. Dressed in finery is the minstrel, who smiles and asks why she is crying on her wedding day. The princess is shocked to discover the minstrel is really King Thrushbeard. He fell in love with her despite her scorn and secretly married her through her father's vow. Her ordeals were meant to cure her of her proud, spoiled ways. She thanks him for teaching her to be compassionate to others and asks before the whole court that he grow his beard once again. Her husband, from then on, is known by no other name but King Thrushbeard.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
collected by the Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
, tale number 52.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 900.
Synopsis
A beautiful, but spoiled, rude, and shallow princessPrincess
Princess is the feminine form of prince . Most often, the term has been used for the consort of a prince, or his daughters....
criticizes all her suitors because she is too proud. She is impressed with the last of her suitors, but her pride will not let her accept him. He is a young king with such a thick beard
Beard
A beard is the collection of hair that grows on the chin, cheeks and neck of human beings. Usually, only pubescent or adult males are able to grow beards. However, women with hirsutism may develop a beard...
that she dubs him King Thrushbeard. The young king
Monarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
leaves in anger. Her father, exasperated and angry that she has scorned all her suitors, vows that the first man who comes to the palace the next day will become her husband. Meanwhile, an unknown stranger overhears the conversation.
When a young minstrel
Minstrel
A minstrel was a medieval European bard who performed songs whose lyrics told stories of distant places or of existing or imaginary historical events. Although minstrels created their own tales, often they would memorize and embellish the works of others. Frequently they were retained by royalty...
with a clean shaven face appears in the palace the next day, the king offers his daughter's hand in marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
. The minstrel disapproves of marrying the princess immediately as she does not look strong nor does she appear to be capable of any practical work. However, he notes the poor cannot be choosy and agrees to marry her. The princess opposes vehemently because he is a commoner, but the king has given his word. She marries the minstrel, who takes her away from the palace to his home.
As they travel to the minstrel's home, they pass by the fine lands and properties that belong to King Thrushbeard, and the princess begins to regret scorning him. They arrive at the minstrel's home, a house fit only for swine. The minstrel treats her as though she was a commoner and the princess is upset that she must now work for a living. The minstrel has her doing practical chores and selling pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
, at which she is completely inept. Thoroughly annoyed at his new wife, he tells her the only job left her is to work as a servant at the nearby castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
of a young king: King Thrushbeard.
The princess is initially ashamed that she must work in the palace of a suitor she so harshly scorned and deeply regrets doing so, but puts her pride aside when she realizes that her husband is depending on her to help out with the household. Eventually, she swallows the last of her pride and becomes so compassionate that she will throw scraps of food to the mice
Mouse
A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...
who live in their home because she realizes they are hungry too.
Just as her life is going smoothly, the princess discovers one day King Thrushbeard is getting married. She is forced into the great hall for a dance. The dance bursts her pockets open, in which she kept table scraps the servants gave her. They spill all over the floor and everybody laughs. She is so embarrassed she flees the hall and begins to cry.
However, much to the princess' surprise, someone helps her up. Dressed in finery is the minstrel, who smiles and asks why she is crying on her wedding day. The princess is shocked to discover the minstrel is really King Thrushbeard. He fell in love with her despite her scorn and secretly married her through her father's vow. Her ordeals were meant to cure her of her proud, spoiled ways. She thanks him for teaching her to be compassionate to others and asks before the whole court that he grow his beard once again. Her husband, from then on, is known by no other name but King Thrushbeard.
Appearances in other media
- Thrushbeard makes a cameo appearance in Bill Willingham's Fables comic book.
- The tale is retold in an episode of Grimm's Fairy Tale ClassicsGrimm's Fairy Tale Classicsis a Japanese animated anthology series by Nippon Animation. The episodes are adaptations of a variety of folk and fairy tales, and not limited to Grimm's Fairy Tales....
under the title King Grizzlebeard. - It appeared as a storybook and cassette as part of the Once Upon a TimeOnce Upon a Time (Fabbri Publishing)Fabbri's Once Upon a Time series was based on the popular Story Teller series. Like its predecessor, it was a collection of storybooks that came with cassette tapes...
Fairy Tale Series under the title King Rough-Beard. - A version is told in the book Servant of the DragonServant of the DragonServant of the Dragon is a fantasy novel in the series, Lord of the Isles by author David Drake.-Plot Summary:In the introduction, seven wizards use a mummified reptilian creature to cast a spell to raise Yole from the depths. Meanwhile, the main characters are in Valles, where a magical blue...
by David DrakeDavid DrakeDavid Drake is an American author of science fiction and fantasy literature. A Vietnam War veteran who has worked as a lawyer, he is now one of the premier authors of the military science fiction subgenre.-Biography:...
. - A version of the story also appears as an episode of the cartoon seires Simssala-Grimm.