The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids (Grimm)

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Brothers Grimm

The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids

ger. Der Wolf und die sieben jungen Geißlein · 1812

Summary of a Fairy Tale

The original takes ~6 min to read

Microsummary

A mother goat warned her seven kids about a disguised wolf. He tricked them, ate six, but the youngest hid. She cut open the sleeping wolf, freed them, stuffed his belly with stones and he drowned.

Division into chapters is editorial.

The mother goats departure and warnings about the wolf

An old goat lived with her seven little kids, loving them with all the devotion of a mother. One day, she needed to venture into the forest to gather food for her family. Before departing, she called all seven children to her and issued a stern warning about the dangers that awaited them in her absence.

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The Old Goat (Mother) — mother goat, loving and protective, warns her children about the wolf, goes to forest for food, saves her children by cutting open the wolf's stomach.

Dear children, I have to go into the forest, be on your guard against the wolf; if he come in, he will devour you all—skin, hair, and all.

She explained that the wolf often disguised himself, but they would recognize him by his rough voice and black feet. The kids promised to take good care of themselves, and their mother departed with an easy mind.

The wolfs three attempts to deceive the kids

Soon after the mother's departure, someone knocked at the door, claiming to be their mother returning with gifts. However, the clever kids immediately recognized the deception.

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The Seven Little Kids — young goats, children of the mother goat, initially cautious and clever, six get swallowed by the wolf, all survive and help fill wolf's stomach with stones.

We will not open the door, thou art not our mother. She has a soft, pleasant voice, but thy voice is rough; thou art the wolf!

Frustrated by this failure, the wolf went to a shopkeeper and bought chalk, which he ate to soften his voice.

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The Shopkeeper — merchant who sells chalk to the wolf to soften his voice, helps wolf unknowingly in his deception.

Returning with his disguised voice, the wolf knocked again, but the children saw his black paws against the window and again refused entry. The determined predator then sought help from a baker, who rubbed dough on his feet, and finally from a miller.

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The Baker — baker who rubs dough on wolf's feet, helps wolf disguise his black paws.

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The Miller — miller who initially refuses to help wolf but gives in to threats, strews white meal over wolf's feet, afraid but perceptive.

Though the miller initially refused, sensing deception, he eventually complied when the wolf threatened to devour him. With white meal covering his paws, the wolf made his third attempt at the house.

The wolf devours the children and the mothers return

This time, when the children asked to see his paws, the wolf showed them through the window. Seeing the white paws, they believed his deception and opened the door.

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The Wolf — cunning predator, disguises himself to trick the kids, has rough voice and black feet initially, devours six kids, dies by drowning with stones in stomach.

The terrified children scattered to hide—one under the table, another in the bed, the third in the stove, the fourth in the kitchen, the fifth in the cupboard, the sixth under the washing-bowl, and the seventh in the clock-case. The wolf found all but the youngest and swallowed them whole. Satisfied, he left the house, lay down under a tree in the meadow, and fell asleep.

When the mother goat returned from the forest, she discovered the devastation—the door wide open, furniture overturned, and her children nowhere to be found. She called each by name, but received no answer until she reached the youngest.

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The Youngest Kid — smallest of the seven kids, hides in clock-case, only one not swallowed by wolf, helps mother rescue siblings, accompanies mother to find wolf.

Discovery of the survivor and planning the rescue

A soft voice cried from the clock-case, and the mother freed her youngest child, who explained the wolf's deception and the fate of his siblings. Overwhelmed with grief, the mother wept for her poor children. Eventually, she ventured outside with the youngest kid, and they discovered the wolf sleeping by a tree in the meadow, snoring so loudly that the branches shook. The mother noticed something moving in the wolf's swollen belly and dared to hope her children might still be alive.

Rescue of the children and the wolfs demise

The youngest kid fetched scissors, needle, and thread while the mother carefully cut open the monster's stomach. All six children emerged alive and unharmed, having been swallowed whole in the wolf's greed. After joyful reunions, they filled the wolf's stomach with heavy stones and sewed him up again. When the wolf awoke, thirsty from the stones, he went to drink at a well but fell in and drowned miserably.

The wolf is dead! The wolf is dead! and danced for joy round about the well with their mother.