This story is about three brothers. The two eldest brothers sailed through school and grew up as easily as you like. But the youngest brother - Jack - found everything a little more difficult. School was hard, he had to have help. There were lots of things his brothers did that he couldn’t do, like climbing trees and swimming in lakes. His brothers often went out into the Big Wide World to explore. Jack really wanted to go too.
“You can’t come with us,” his eldest brother said.
“You’ll slow us down,” the younger brother added and off they went having adventures that Jack could only dream about.
But Jack was a little brother, so he did what little brothers do best - he pestered until he got his way.
“Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please.”
Eventually, his brothers gave in. “Fine!” they said. “Next time we go into the Big Wide World you can come with us.”
The day came. The brothers were given a pack of sandwiches and a big mother hug and off they went into the Big Wide World.
To get to the Big Wide World, they had to go through a forest. Jack had never been in the forest before. His brothers marched ahead, barely looking at the trees and the leaves and the way the light shone through from above.
But Jack took his time. “It’s beautiful,” he said.
Then he saw something he had never seen before. A huge mound filled with busy little ants bustling this way and that. “Brothers, brothers look!” Jack called. The ants crawled over his arms and legs, tickling him and making him laugh. “Look at the little ants marching about. Aren’t they cute?”
Jack’s brothers came to see. One of them had a wicked idea. “I know what we should do,” he said. “Let’s kick this ants’ nest in and watch as all the little ants go scuttling about.”
The other brother laughed. “That would be hilarious.”
Jack was horrified. “Brothers, no! These ants have done nothing to you. You leave them be.” Jack stood between his brothers and the ants. “If you want them, you’ll have to go through me.”
Jack’s brothers scowled and muttered and kicked their feet. They looked inside of themselves and they knew that Jack was right. “Fine!” they said.
And they carried on on their way. Soon, they came to a lake. The two elder brothers jumped in and began to swim and splash around. Poor Jack, couldn’t swim. So he sat on the side of the lake and watched. Then he heard a noise.
‘Quack, quack, quack, quack!’
It was a family of ducks, swimming across the lake towards him. “Oh brothers look!” called Jack. “Look at the little duckies swimming in the water, aren’t they cute?”
His brothers came to see and one of them had a wicked idea.
“I know what we should do. Let’s grab those ducks and eat them for our tea.”
The other brother licked his lips. “That would be delicious.”
Jack was horrified. “Brothers no! These ducks have done nothing to you. You leave them be.” Jack stood between his brothers and the ducks. “If you want them you’ll have to go through me.”
Jack’s brothers scowled and muttered and kicked their feet. They looked inside of themselves and they knew that Jack was right. “Fine!” they said.
And they carried on on their way. Deeper and deeper into the forest they went. The trees got taller and taller and then they heard a buzzzzzzzzzz. High up above them was a beehive, dripping with devine, delicious, delectable honey. Jack reached up and scooped a handful. His brothers did the same. They ate and they ate and they ate until their tummies were full.
Then one of the brothers had a wicked idea. “I know what we should do. Let’s smoke those bees out and eat all the honey for ourselves.”
“Mmmmmm” said the other brother, “that would be sweet.”
But Jack was horrified. “Brothers no! These bees have done nothing to you. You leave these bees be.” He stepped between his brothers and the bees. “If you want them you’ll have to go through me.”
Jack’s brothers scowled and muttered and kicked their feet. They looked inside of themselves and they knew that Jack was right. “Fine!” they said. “You’re really not much fun.” But they carried on on their way.
Soon, they came to the end of the forest. Up ahead, on the other side of a large meadow, they saw a castle. Feeling sleepy, they decided to go to the castle and see if they could stay there for the night.
As the three of them made their way towards the castle, they found themselves walking closer and closer together. There was something strange about the castle. The grass outside was overgrown. The walls were covered in vines. When the brothers walked through the courtyard, they were surrounded by stone statues of young boys, just like them. Inside, the rooms were dusty and deserted.
The brothers called out...“Hello?” But their calls just bounced around the empty chambers, ‘Hello! Hello! Hello!’ and came back to them. The brothers went from room, to room, to room all the way to the very top of the castle. Where they found an old, old man sitting on a creaky rocking chair. He had a long white beard and a crown sitting crooked on his head.
“I am the king of this castle,” the old man said. “We’ve been put under a terrible curse and we need a young, brave and bright boy to break it.”
The eldest brother stepped forward. “I have numerous osophies and ologies,” he said. “I can break this spell, easy peasy.”
“Very well,” the old King said. “Tomorrow, you must find the one thousand pearls of my eldest daughter, they are spread around the grounds of this castle.”
“No problemo,” said the eldest brother.
“But be warned,” said the King, “If you don’t find the one thousand pearls by the time the sun goes down, you will be turned to stone.”
The eldest brother didn’t flinch. “Consider the spell broken.”
In the morning, he got up with the sun and began his search. He did quite well, by lunchtime he had found five pearls. He sat down and ate his sandwiches. In the afternoon he found another five pearls. But the day was nearly done. The eldest brother had only found ten pearls and he needed one thousand. The sun went down and the eldest brother turned to stone.
The next day the second brother had a go. “I was always smarter than my brother anyway,” he said. And he did do better. By lunchtime he had found fifty pearls. He ate his sandwiches and in the afternoon he found another fifty pearls. But the sun was going down and he had only found one hundred pearls, he needed one thousand. The sun went down and the second brother turned to stone.
Then it was Jack’s turn. Jack woke up with the sun and went out into the grounds, just like his brothers had done. But instead of looking for the pearls. He sat down and began to cry. What chance did he have when his brothers, with all their ologies and osophies, couldn’t succeed?
Then he felt something on his leg. It tickled. He looked down and saw one of the ants from earlier in the story. It was carrying a pearl. And behind that one was another one and another one and another one. One thousand ants carrying one thousand pearls! Jack took them to the king, who was delighted.
“The second task,” he said. “Is to find the key of my second daughter. She dropped it into the lake.”
Jack went to the lake, sat down by the side and again began to cry. He couldn’t swim. Then he heard a ‘quack, quack, quack, quack.’ It was the ducks from earlier in the story. The daddy duck dove down into the lake and a few moments later emerged, with the key in his beak.
Jack took it to the king, who was overjoyed.
“The third task is the hardest of all.” The King pointed to an old oak door. “In that room my three daughters are sleeping. You must kiss the youngest, and most beautiful, to break the spell. If you kiss the wrong daughter, you will be turned to stone.”
Jack knew nothing about women. This really was the hardest task of all. He pushed open the door and saw three gorgeous princesses laying on three beds.
“If it helps,” called the king. “My youngest daughter ate some honey just before she fell asleep.”
It didn’t help. The three princesses all looked the same to Jack. There was one in blue, one in red and one in yellow. Jack looked from one to the next to the next. Which was the youngest and most beautiful? Then he heard a buzzzzz zzz zzzz zzzzzz. It was the queen bee, from earlier in the story. She buzzed into the room. Buzzed to each princess in turn. Buzzed around three times and then came to rest on the lips of the girl dressed in yellow.
Jack assumed this was the princess he should kiss. So he puckered up. Stepped up and gave her a big kiss right on the lips.
With a gasp, the princess woke up and the spell was broken. Jack’s brothers turned back from stone. The castle returned to its former glory and the King was very, very grateful. “You will be the next king of this castle,” he said.
Jack was amazed and his brothers were astounded. How had Jack managed to achieve what they couldn’t? Jack and his brothers fetched their mother. Together they lived in the castle and had many adventures. No one ever told Jack he couldn’t join them again. Over time the brothers got to know the princesses. The two elder brothers married the two elder princesses and Jack married the youngest and most beautiful. And they all lived happily, contentedly and kindly ever after.
The End
“You can’t come with us,” his eldest brother said.
“You’ll slow us down,” the younger brother added and off they went having adventures that Jack could only dream about.
But Jack was a little brother, so he did what little brothers do best - he pestered until he got his way.
“Please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please, please.”
Eventually, his brothers gave in. “Fine!” they said. “Next time we go into the Big Wide World you can come with us.”
The day came. The brothers were given a pack of sandwiches and a big mother hug and off they went into the Big Wide World.
To get to the Big Wide World, they had to go through a forest. Jack had never been in the forest before. His brothers marched ahead, barely looking at the trees and the leaves and the way the light shone through from above.
But Jack took his time. “It’s beautiful,” he said.
Then he saw something he had never seen before. A huge mound filled with busy little ants bustling this way and that. “Brothers, brothers look!” Jack called. The ants crawled over his arms and legs, tickling him and making him laugh. “Look at the little ants marching about. Aren’t they cute?”
Jack’s brothers came to see. One of them had a wicked idea. “I know what we should do,” he said. “Let’s kick this ants’ nest in and watch as all the little ants go scuttling about.”
The other brother laughed. “That would be hilarious.”
Jack was horrified. “Brothers, no! These ants have done nothing to you. You leave them be.” Jack stood between his brothers and the ants. “If you want them, you’ll have to go through me.”
Jack’s brothers scowled and muttered and kicked their feet. They looked inside of themselves and they knew that Jack was right. “Fine!” they said.
And they carried on on their way. Soon, they came to a lake. The two elder brothers jumped in and began to swim and splash around. Poor Jack, couldn’t swim. So he sat on the side of the lake and watched. Then he heard a noise.
‘Quack, quack, quack, quack!’
It was a family of ducks, swimming across the lake towards him. “Oh brothers look!” called Jack. “Look at the little duckies swimming in the water, aren’t they cute?”
His brothers came to see and one of them had a wicked idea.
“I know what we should do. Let’s grab those ducks and eat them for our tea.”
The other brother licked his lips. “That would be delicious.”
Jack was horrified. “Brothers no! These ducks have done nothing to you. You leave them be.” Jack stood between his brothers and the ducks. “If you want them you’ll have to go through me.”
Jack’s brothers scowled and muttered and kicked their feet. They looked inside of themselves and they knew that Jack was right. “Fine!” they said.
And they carried on on their way. Deeper and deeper into the forest they went. The trees got taller and taller and then they heard a buzzzzzzzzzz. High up above them was a beehive, dripping with devine, delicious, delectable honey. Jack reached up and scooped a handful. His brothers did the same. They ate and they ate and they ate until their tummies were full.
Then one of the brothers had a wicked idea. “I know what we should do. Let’s smoke those bees out and eat all the honey for ourselves.”
“Mmmmmm” said the other brother, “that would be sweet.”
But Jack was horrified. “Brothers no! These bees have done nothing to you. You leave these bees be.” He stepped between his brothers and the bees. “If you want them you’ll have to go through me.”
Jack’s brothers scowled and muttered and kicked their feet. They looked inside of themselves and they knew that Jack was right. “Fine!” they said. “You’re really not much fun.” But they carried on on their way.
Soon, they came to the end of the forest. Up ahead, on the other side of a large meadow, they saw a castle. Feeling sleepy, they decided to go to the castle and see if they could stay there for the night.
As the three of them made their way towards the castle, they found themselves walking closer and closer together. There was something strange about the castle. The grass outside was overgrown. The walls were covered in vines. When the brothers walked through the courtyard, they were surrounded by stone statues of young boys, just like them. Inside, the rooms were dusty and deserted.
The brothers called out...“Hello?” But their calls just bounced around the empty chambers, ‘Hello! Hello! Hello!’ and came back to them. The brothers went from room, to room, to room all the way to the very top of the castle. Where they found an old, old man sitting on a creaky rocking chair. He had a long white beard and a crown sitting crooked on his head.
“I am the king of this castle,” the old man said. “We’ve been put under a terrible curse and we need a young, brave and bright boy to break it.”
The eldest brother stepped forward. “I have numerous osophies and ologies,” he said. “I can break this spell, easy peasy.”
“Very well,” the old King said. “Tomorrow, you must find the one thousand pearls of my eldest daughter, they are spread around the grounds of this castle.”
“No problemo,” said the eldest brother.
“But be warned,” said the King, “If you don’t find the one thousand pearls by the time the sun goes down, you will be turned to stone.”
The eldest brother didn’t flinch. “Consider the spell broken.”
In the morning, he got up with the sun and began his search. He did quite well, by lunchtime he had found five pearls. He sat down and ate his sandwiches. In the afternoon he found another five pearls. But the day was nearly done. The eldest brother had only found ten pearls and he needed one thousand. The sun went down and the eldest brother turned to stone.
The next day the second brother had a go. “I was always smarter than my brother anyway,” he said. And he did do better. By lunchtime he had found fifty pearls. He ate his sandwiches and in the afternoon he found another fifty pearls. But the sun was going down and he had only found one hundred pearls, he needed one thousand. The sun went down and the second brother turned to stone.
Then it was Jack’s turn. Jack woke up with the sun and went out into the grounds, just like his brothers had done. But instead of looking for the pearls. He sat down and began to cry. What chance did he have when his brothers, with all their ologies and osophies, couldn’t succeed?
Then he felt something on his leg. It tickled. He looked down and saw one of the ants from earlier in the story. It was carrying a pearl. And behind that one was another one and another one and another one. One thousand ants carrying one thousand pearls! Jack took them to the king, who was delighted.
“The second task,” he said. “Is to find the key of my second daughter. She dropped it into the lake.”
Jack went to the lake, sat down by the side and again began to cry. He couldn’t swim. Then he heard a ‘quack, quack, quack, quack.’ It was the ducks from earlier in the story. The daddy duck dove down into the lake and a few moments later emerged, with the key in his beak.
Jack took it to the king, who was overjoyed.
“The third task is the hardest of all.” The King pointed to an old oak door. “In that room my three daughters are sleeping. You must kiss the youngest, and most beautiful, to break the spell. If you kiss the wrong daughter, you will be turned to stone.”
Jack knew nothing about women. This really was the hardest task of all. He pushed open the door and saw three gorgeous princesses laying on three beds.
“If it helps,” called the king. “My youngest daughter ate some honey just before she fell asleep.”
It didn’t help. The three princesses all looked the same to Jack. There was one in blue, one in red and one in yellow. Jack looked from one to the next to the next. Which was the youngest and most beautiful? Then he heard a buzzzzz zzz zzzz zzzzzz. It was the queen bee, from earlier in the story. She buzzed into the room. Buzzed to each princess in turn. Buzzed around three times and then came to rest on the lips of the girl dressed in yellow.
Jack assumed this was the princess he should kiss. So he puckered up. Stepped up and gave her a big kiss right on the lips.
With a gasp, the princess woke up and the spell was broken. Jack’s brothers turned back from stone. The castle returned to its former glory and the King was very, very grateful. “You will be the next king of this castle,” he said.
Jack was amazed and his brothers were astounded. How had Jack managed to achieve what they couldn’t? Jack and his brothers fetched their mother. Together they lived in the castle and had many adventures. No one ever told Jack he couldn’t join them again. Over time the brothers got to know the princesses. The two elder brothers married the two elder princesses and Jack married the youngest and most beautiful. And they all lived happily, contentedly and kindly ever after.
The End
The original story was recorded by Brother's Grimm in their famous collection of fairy tales.
I have been telling this story for many, many years and this version is a slightly amended (for text) version of the tale I tell, which I wrote for open source education, for onebillion.org. If you want to tell this yourself or republish, please link back to this site or credit me. Cheers.
I have been telling this story for many, many years and this version is a slightly amended (for text) version of the tale I tell, which I wrote for open source education, for onebillion.org. If you want to tell this yourself or republish, please link back to this site or credit me. Cheers.
