Brides on Their Trial (Grimm)
Division into sections is editorial.
The mothers advice and the cheese test
A young shepherd found himself in a difficult situation when he wished to marry but could not decide between three equally beautiful sisters.
There was once a young shepherd who wished much to marry, and was acquainted with three sisters who were all equally pretty, so that it was difficult to him to make a choice
Unable to make this important decision on his own, the shepherd turned to his mother for guidance. She provided him with wise counsel that would reveal the true character of each potential bride through a simple but telling test.
Then he asked his mother for advice, and she said, 'Invite all three, and set some cheese before them, and watch how they eat it.'
Following his mother's instructions, the shepherd invited all three sisters to his home and presented them with cheese, carefully observing how each one approached the simple meal. The first sister displayed carelessness in her eating habits.
She swallowed the cheese without bothering to remove the rind, demonstrating a lack of attention to detail and proper preparation. The second sister showed a different but equally problematic approach to the task.
She hastily cut away the rind from her cheese, but in her rush and impatience, she removed far too much of the good cheese along with the rind and threw it all away. This wastefulness revealed her impulsive nature and poor judgment. The third sister, however, demonstrated entirely different qualities in her approach to the simple test.
She carefully and methodically peeled the rind from her cheese, taking care to remove neither too much nor too little of the good cheese beneath. Her measured approach showed wisdom, patience, and consideration for avoiding waste. She demonstrated the kind of thoughtful behavior that would serve well in managing a household and making important decisions throughout married life. The shepherd observed all three sisters closely during this revealing test, noting the stark differences in their approaches to such a simple task. When the test was complete, he reported his observations to his mother, describing in detail how each sister had handled the cheese. The first had been careless and thoughtless, the second wasteful and hasty, while the third had shown careful judgment and proper consideration. His mother listened to his account and considered the implications of what each sister's behavior revealed about her character and suitability as a wife for her son.
The shepherds choice and happy marriage
After hearing her son's detailed account of how each sister had approached the cheese test, the mother gave her clear recommendation. She advised him to choose the third sister, whose careful and thoughtful behavior demonstrated the qualities that would make her an excellent wife. The shepherd trusted his mother's wisdom and followed her counsel.
The shepherd told all this to his mother, who said, 'Take the third for thy wife.' This he did, and lived contentedly and happily with her.
The shepherd married the third sister, and their union proved to be everything his mother had predicted. The careful judgment and thoughtful nature that the young woman had displayed during the simple cheese test translated into the qualities that made her an ideal partner. The couple lived together in contentment and happiness, validating the wisdom of the mother's advice and the effectiveness of her simple but revealing test. The tale demonstrated how small actions and everyday behaviors can reveal important truths about a person's character, and how wise counsel from elders can guide young people toward making good decisions in matters of the heart.