The Three Sons of Fortune (Grimm)
Division into chapters is editorial.
The fathers legacy and the sons quest
A father called his three sons before him, knowing his death was approaching. He gave each son a different gift: the eldest received a cock, the second a scythe, and the third a cat. The father explained his reasoning to his sons.
I am already aged, my death is nigh, and I have wished to take thought for you before my end; money I have not, and what I now give you seems of little worth
He advised them to seek countries where such items were unknown, promising that their fortunes would be made. After their father died, each son set out to find his destiny.
The first sons journey with the cock
The eldest son traveled with his cock but found disappointment everywhere he went.
In every town he visited, cocks were already perched on steeples, turning with the wind. In villages, he heard multiple cocks crowing. No one showed wonder at his creature, and his prospects for fortune seemed dim. However, his persistence eventually paid off when he reached an island where the inhabitants knew nothing about cocks and had no way to tell time during the night. The eldest son presented his cock as a magnificent timekeeper, explaining how it crowed at fixed hours during the night and announced the coming dawn. He also claimed it could predict weather changes when it crowed during daylight. The islanders were fascinated and stayed awake all night listening to the cock announce the time at two, four, and six o'clock. When they asked about purchasing the remarkable creature, he requested as much gold as an ass could carry.
The second sons journey with the scythe
When the eldest son returned home wealthy, his brother was amazed. The second son decided to try his luck with the scythe.
Initially, his journey seemed hopeless as he encountered laborers everywhere carrying scythes just like his own. Eventually, he discovered an island where people had never seen scythes and used an extraordinary method for harvesting grain.
When the corn was ripe there, they took cannon out to the fields and shot it down. Now this was rather an uncertain affair; many shot right over it
Others hit the ears instead of stems, wasting much grain, and the process created terrible noise. The second son demonstrated his scythe, mowing quietly and efficiently. The amazed people opened their mouths in astonishment and agreed to give him what he wanted. He received a horse laden with as much gold as it could carry, matching his brother's success.
The third sons journey with the cat
The third brother wanted to find the right buyer for his cat. Like his brothers, he initially faced the same problem - cats were everywhere on the mainland, and newborn kittens were often drowned in ponds.
Fortune smiled upon him when he sailed to an island that had never seen cats. The mice had completely overrun the place.
The King himself in his palace did not know how to secure himself against them; mice squeaked in every corner, and gnawed whatever they could lay hold of
The people complained bitterly about this plague.
The cat began her hunt immediately, clearing several rooms quickly. The people begged the King to buy this wonderful beast for the country. The King willingly paid what was asked - a mule laden with gold, making the third brother the wealthiest of all. However, after her successful hunt, the cat grew thirsty and began meowing loudly. The strange sound terrified the King and his people, who fled the palace in panic. The councillors preferred dealing with familiar mice rather than risk their lives against such a monster. A noble youth was sent to negotiate with the cat, asking if she would leave peacefully.