The Willow-Wren (Brothers Grimm)
Short summary
In ancient times when birds spoke their own language, they decided to choose a king. They agreed that whoever could fly highest would rule. The eagle soared above all others and thought he had won. However, a tiny unnamed bird had hidden in the eagle's breast feathers.
'Except me,' screamed the little fellow without a name, who had crept into the breast-feathers of the eagle. And as he was not at all tired, he rose up and mounted so high that he reached heaven itself.
The birds rejected his trickery and held a new contest for who could go lowest. The little bird slipped into a mouse hole and declared himself king again. Angry, the birds posted an owl to guard the hole and starve him out. The owl fell asleep with both eyes shut, allowing the little bird to escape. Since then, the owl only flies at night to avoid other birds' attacks. The little bird, called 'King of the Hedges' mockingly, still hides in hedges and occasionally cries 'I am King!'
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The time of meaningful sounds and the birds decision to choose a king
In ancient times, every sound in the world carried meaning and purpose. The smith's hammer cried out 'Strike away! strike away!' as it worked, while the carpenter's plane declared 'Here goes! here goes!' The mill wheel spoke prayers, calling 'Help, Lord God! help, Lord God!' When dishonest millers left their mills unattended, the wheels would speak in high German, asking slowly 'Who is there?' then answering quickly 'The miller!' before hurriedly declaring 'He steals bravely! three pecks in a bushel.'
At this time the birds also had their own language which everyone understood; now it only sounds like chirping, screeching, and whistling, and to some like music without words.
The great assembly and preparation for the flying contest
The birds decided they needed a ruler and would choose a king from among themselves. Only one bird opposed this decision - the green plover.
He valued his freedom above all else and anxiously flew about crying 'Where shall I go? where shall I go?' before retreating to a solitary marsh. On a fine May morning, all the other birds gathered from woods and fields: eagles and chaffinches, owls and crows, larks and sparrows, even the cuckoo and the hoopoe. A very small bird without a name also joined the assembly. The hen arrived confused about the proceedings.
The cock calmed her and explained the situation. The birds decided that whoever could fly highest would become king. A tree-frog warned against this plan, fearing tears would be shed, but the crow reassured everyone that all would pass peacefully.
The flying competition and the small birds first victory
On the given signal, all birds rose into the air. Dust ascended from the land as tremendous fluttering, whirring, and beating of wings created what looked like a black cloud rising up. The smaller birds quickly fell behind, unable to go farther. The larger birds held out longer, but none could match the eagle.
The eagle mounted so high he could have picked the eyes out of the sun. Seeing that no other bird could reach him, he thought himself the rightful king and began descending. The birds below immediately proclaimed him king, declaring no one had flown so high. But suddenly, the little bird without a name emerged from the eagle's breast-feathers where he had hidden.
Not tired at all, he rose even higher until he reached heaven itself, then called down with his clear voice 'I am King! I am King!' The other birds became angry at this trickery.
The underground competition and the small birds second victory
'Thou, our King?' cried the birds angrily. 'Thou hast compassed it by trick and cunning!' So they made another condition. He should be King who could go down lowest in the ground.
The goose flapped about with its broad breast, the cock quickly scratched a hole, but the duck performed worst of all, leaping into a ditch and spraining her legs before waddling away crying 'Cheating, cheating!' However, the little bird found a mouse-hole and slipped down into it.
The little bird without a name, however, sought out a mouse-hole, slipped down into it, and cried out of it with his small voice, 'I am King! I am King!'
The failed imprisonment and the owls oversight
The birds grew even angrier at this second trick and decided to imprison the little bird in the hole until he starved. They appointed the owl as sentinel to guard the entrance with her life. When evening came, all the birds went to bed with their families, leaving only the owl on duty.
The owl grew tired and decided to close one eye while watching with the other. When the little bird tried to escape, she stopped him. She continued alternating eyes throughout the night, but eventually forgot to open one eye when closing the other.
But when she next shut the one eye, she forgot to open the other, and as soon as both her eyes were shut she fell asleep. The little fellow soon observed that, and slipped away.
The lasting consequences for all involved
From that day forth, the owl never dared show herself in daylight, for the other birds would chase and pluck her feathers. She only flies at night and hates mice because they make ugly holes. The little bird also hides, fearing for his life if caught. He steals about in hedges, and when safe, sometimes cries 'I am King,' earning him the mocking title 'King of the hedges.' The lark remained happiest of all, rejoicing in her freedom from the little king's rule.
No one, however, was so happy as the lark at not having to obey the little King. As soon as the sun appears, she ascends high in the air and cries, 'Ah, how beautiful that is! beautiful that is!'