The Beam (Grimm)
Division into chapters is editorial.
The enchanters illusion and its exposure
An enchanter stood before a large crowd of people, performing magical wonders to amaze and deceive his audience.
For his grand performance, the enchanter brought forth a cock and commanded it to demonstrate its supernatural strength.
He had a cock brought in, which lifted a heavy beam and carried it as if it were as light as a feather.
The spectators watched in amazement as the bird appeared to effortlessly lift and carry what seemed to be an impossibly heavy wooden beam. However, among the gathered crowd stood a young girl who possessed an extraordinary gift.
But a girl was present who had just found a bit of four-leaved clover, and had thus become so wise that no deception could stand out against her
With her newfound wisdom, the girl could see through the enchanter's elaborate illusion. Where others saw a mighty beam being carried by the cock, she perceived the truth - it was nothing more than a simple piece of straw. Unable to remain silent while witnessing such deception, she called out to warn the crowd of the trickery being performed before their very eyes.
You people, do you not see that it is a straw that the cock is carrying, and no beam? Immediately the enchantment vanished, and the people saw what it was
The moment the girl spoke these words, the magical spell was broken completely. The illusion dissolved before everyone's eyes, revealing the cock carrying nothing but a worthless piece of straw. The crowd, now seeing the truth of the deception that had been played upon them, turned against the enchanter in their anger and humiliation.
Feeling betrayed and foolish for having been so easily deceived, the people drove the magician away in shame and disgrace. The enchanter, however, did not accept this humiliation quietly. Filled with burning anger and wounded pride, he vowed that he would have his revenge against the girl who had exposed his trickery and ruined his reputation. He departed, plotting his retaliation against the one who had seen through his magical deceptions.
The enchanters revenge at the wedding
He, however, full of inward anger, said, 'I will soon revenge myself.' After some time the girl's wedding-day came, and she was decked out
Time passed, and the girl who had exposed the enchanter's deception was preparing for her wedding day. Dressed in her finest wedding attire, she joined a grand procession that made its way across the fields toward the church where the ceremony would take place. The wedding party traveled together in celebration, unaware of the danger that awaited them.
As the procession continued its journey, they suddenly came upon a stream that had become greatly swollen with water. The rushing waters blocked their path completely, and there was no bridge or wooden plank available to help them cross safely to the other side. Faced with this obstacle, the bride made a practical decision to lift her wedding dress and wade through the water.
Then the bride nimbly took her clothes up, and wanted to wade through it. And just as she was thus standing in the water, a man, and it was the enchanter, cried mockingly
Just as the bride stood in what she believed to be the swollen stream, the enchanter appeared beside her and revealed himself. With mocking laughter, he challenged her perception of reality.
Aha! Where are thine eyes that thou takest that for water? Then her eyes were opened, and she saw that she was standing with her clothes lifted up in the middle of a field
The enchanter's words broke his own spell, and the bride suddenly realized the humiliating truth. She was not standing in a stream at all, but rather in the middle of an open field that was blue with the flowers of blue flax, with her wedding dress lifted up for all to see. The enchanter had successfully created an illusion that made her believe she was crossing water when she was actually standing on dry land.
Then all the people saw it likewise, and chased her away with ridicule and laughter.