Domestic Servants

by Brothers Grimm · from Household Tales

folk tale cumulative tale whimsical Ages 3-6 173 words 1 min read

Original Story 173 words · 1 min read

Domestic servants

A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm

"Whither goest thou?" - "To Walpe." - "I to Walpe, thou to Walpe, so, so, together we'll go."

"Hast thou a man? What is his name?" - "Cham." - "My man Cham, thy man Cham; I to Walpe, thou to Walpe; so, so, together we'll go."

"Hast thou a child? How is he styled?" - "Wild." - "My child Wild, thy child Wild; my man Cham, thy man Cham; I to Walpe, thou to Walpe, so, so, together we'll go."

"Hast thou a cradle? How callest thou thy cradle?" - "Hippodadle." - "My cradle Hippodadle, my child Wild, thy child Wild, my man Cham, thy man Cham; I to Walpe, thou to Walpe, so, so, together we'll go."

"Hast thou also a drudge? What name has thy drudge?" - "From-thy-work- do-not-budge." - "My drudge, From-thy-work-do-not-budge; my child Wild, thy child Wild; my man Cham, thy man Cham; I to Walpe, thou to Walpe; so, so, together we'll go."

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Story DNA

Plot Summary

Two travelers meet on a road, both heading to Walpe. One traveler repeatedly asks the other about their family and possessions, each time receiving a peculiar name for the person or item. With each answer, the previous information is reiterated in a growing, cumulative refrain, emphasizing their shared destination and the increasingly odd details of the second traveler's life, until the story abruptly concludes.

Themes

Emotional Arc

neutral to slightly humorous

Writing Style

Voice: third person omniscient

Pacing: brisk

Descriptive: sparse

Techniques: repetition, cumulative structure, call and response

Narrative Elements

Conflict: none

Ending: cyclical

Cultural Context

Origin: German

Era: timeless fairy tale

This is a very short, almost riddle-like or nursery rhyme-like folk tale, characteristic of oral traditions where memorability through repetition was key.

Plot Beats (7)

Two individuals meet on a road.
The first asks the second where they are going, and both are going to Walpe.
The first asks about the second's man, who is named Cham.
The first asks about the second's child, who is named Wild.
The first asks about the second's cradle, which is named Hippodadle.
The first asks about the second's drudge, who is named From-thy-work-do-not-budge.
Each new piece of information is added to a growing, repetitive refrain about their shared journey to Walpe.

Implied to be a hardworking servant

Locations

Road to Walpe

outdoor

A road leading to the town of Walpe

Mood: neutral

Characters meet and decide to travel together.

road footprints dust trees