Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm Quotes

“You must be very careful, however, to make my bed in the right way, for I wish you always to shake it thoroughly, so that the feathers fly about; then they say, down there in the world, that it is snowing; for I am Mother Holle.”

“Some men are born to good luck: all they do or try to do comes right—all that falls to them is so much gain— all their geese are swans— all their cards are trumps— toss them which way you will, they will always, like poor puss, alight upon their legs, and only move on so much the faster. The world may very likely not always think of them as they think of themselves, but what care they for the world? what can it know about the matter?”

“Once upon a time there was a dear little girl who was loved by everyone who looked at her, but most of all by her grandmother, and there was nothing that she would not have given to the child. Once she gave her a little cap of red velvet, which suited her so well that she would never wear anything else; so she was always called ‘Little Red-Cap.‘”

“Thus it is with proud silly people, who think themselves above everyone else, and are too proud to ask or take advice.”

What a place for you to come to! This is a murderers’ den. You think yourself a promised bride, and that your marriage will soon take place, but it is with death that you will keep your marriage feast. Look, do you see that large cauldron of water which I am obliged to keep on the fire! As soon as they have you in their power they will kill you without mercy, and cook and eat you, for they are eaters of men. If I did not take pity on you and save you, you would be lost.”

“When people are too well off they always begin to long for something new.”

“The bean, who had prudently stayed behind on the shore, could not but laugh at the event, was unable to stop, and laughed so heartily that she burst.”

“Unlucky wretch that I am!”

“My tale is done, there runs a mouse; whosoever catches it, may make himself a big fur cap out of it.”

“Someone who had just found an old key did not require a new one.”

“A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. These apples were always counted, and about the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one of them was gone. The king became very angry at this, and ordered the gardener to keep watch all night under the tree. The gardener set his eldest son to watch; but about twelve o’clock he fell asleep, and in the morning another of the apples was missing.”

“The robbers never dared to go back to the house; but the musicians were so pleased with their quarters that they took up their abode there; and there they are, I dare say, at this very day.”

“Little men have sharp wits; he shall part the goods between us.”

“You see now what has happened on account of your not listening to my counsel.”

“There was once an old castle, that stood in the middle of a deep gloomy wood, and in the castle lived an old fairy.”

“The merchant began to call to mind his bond, and became very sad and thoughtful; so that care and sorrow were written upon his face.”

“No care and no sorrow, A fig for the morrow! We’ll laugh and be merry, Sing neigh down derry!”

“An honest farmer had once an ass that had been a faithful servant to him a great many years, but was now growing old and every day more and more unfit for work.”

“The old king was very angry, and wanted to punish his wicked sons; but they made their escape , and got into a ship and sailed away over the wide sea, and where they went to nobody knew and nobody cared.”

“The king, however, had a lion which was a wondrous animal, for he knew all concealed and secret things.”

“Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child under the sun. When she was twelve years old, the enchantress shut her into a tower, which lay in the forest, and had neither stairs nor door, but quite at the top was a little window.”

“the girl...swept away the snow behind the little house with the broom, and what did she find but real ripe strawberries, which came up quite dark-red out of the snow! In her joy she hastily gathered her basket full, thanked the little men, shook hands with each of them, and ran home to take her step-mother what she had longed for so much.”

“Everything which she has about her is of gold - tables, chairs, dishes, glasses, bowls, and household furniture. Among your treasures are five tons of gold; let one of the goldsmiths fo the kingdom fashion these into all manner of vessels and utensils, into all kinds of birds, wild beasts and strange animals, such as may please her, and we will go there with them and try our luck.”

“They walked the whole day over the meadows, fields, and stony places; and when it rained the little sister said: ‘Heaven and our hearts are weeping together.’ In the evening they came to a large forest, and they were so weary with sorrow and hunger and the long walk, that they lay down in the hollow tree and fell asleep.”

“Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold, and when she heard the voice of the enchantress she unfastened her braided tresses, wound them round one of the hooks of the window above, and then the hair fell twenty ells down, and the enchantress climbed up by it.”

″ ‘I’ll tell you what, husband,’ answered the woman, ‘early-to-morrow morning we will take the children out into the forest to where it is the thickest; there we will light a fire for them, and give each of them one more piece of bread, and then we will go to our work and leave them alone. They will not find the way home again, and we shall be rid of them.’ ”

″...when they approached the little house they saw that it was built of bread and covered with cakes, but that the windows were of clear sugar.”

“Princess! youngest princess! Open the door for me! Do you not know what you said to me yesterday by the cool waters of the well? Princess, youngest princess! Open the door for me!”

“The old woman had only pretended to be so kind; she was in reality, a wicked witch, who lay in wait for children, and had only built the little house of bread in order to entice them there.”

“Dear children, I have to go into the forest, be on your guard against the wolf; if he comes in, he will devour you all - skin, hair, and everything, The wretch often disguises himself, but you will know him at once by his rough voice and black feet.”