Herr Korbes
by Brothers Grimm
The Trip to Herr Korbes' House
One day, Cock made a little cart. "Let us go on a trip!" he said. Hen sat in the cart. "Yes!" said Hen. "Let us go!" Off they went. They went down the road. They went to the house of Herr Korbes.
Then they met Cat. "Can I come too?" said Cat. "Yes!" said Cock. So Cat jumped in the cart. Off they went.
Then they met Egg. "Can I come too?" said Egg. "Yes!" said Cock. So Egg rolled into the cart. Off they went. Then they met Duck. "Can I come too?" said Duck. "Yes!" said Cock. So Duck hopped in the cart. Off they went. Then they met Pin. "Can I come too?" said Pin. "Yes!" said Cock. So Pin came too. Then they met Big Stone. Big Stone was very big and round. "Can I come too?" said Big Stone. "Yes!" said Cock. So Big Stone rolled in too.
The cart was very full now! But off they went.
They came to the house of Herr Korbes. But Herr Korbes was not home. "What do we do?" said Hen. "We hide!" said Cock.
Cat sat by the fire. Duck sat by the water. Egg hid in a towel. Pin hid in a chair. Big Stone sat on top of the door. Cock and Hen sat up high. They all sat very still.
Then Herr Korbes came home. He was very tired. He went to the fire.
Cat jumped up. Ashes went POOF in his face! "Oh no!" said Herr Korbes. He could not see! His face was all gray.
He went to wash his face. SPLASH! Duck threw water on him! "What is this!" said Herr Korbes. He was all wet now.
He took the towel. CRACK! Egg broke on his face. What a mess! "Oh no!" said Herr Korbes. He had egg on his nose.
He sat in his chair. OUCH! Pin poked him! He jumped up very fast. "This is not my day!" he said.
He was very, very upset. He ran to the door.
BOOM! Big Stone fell down. It blocked the door. Herr Korbes was so scared! He ran out the back door. He ran far, far away. He never came back.
And Cock and Hen? They were happy. Cat and Duck? They were happy too. Egg, Pin, and Big Stone? All happy! They all lived in the house. And they were very, very happy.
Original Story
Herr Korbes A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm There were once a cock and a hen who wanted to take a journey together. So the cock built a beautiful carriage, which had four red wheels, and harnessed four mice to it. The hen seated herself in it with the cock, and they drove away together. Not long afterwards they met a cat who said, "Where are you going?" The cock replied, "We are going to the house of Herr Korbes." - "Take me with you," said the cat. The cock answered, "Most willingly, get up behind, lest you fall off in front. Take great care not to dirty my little red wheels. And you little wheels, roll on, and you little mice pipe out, as we go forth on our way to the house of Herr Korbes." After this came a millstone, then an egg, then a duck, then a pin, and at last a needle, who all seated themselves in the carriage, and drove with them. When, however, they reached the house of Herr Korbes, Herr Korbes was not there. The mice drew the carriage into the barn, the hen flew with the cock upon a perch. The cat sat down by the hearth, the duck on the well-pole. The egg rolled itself into a towel, the pin stuck itself into the chair-cushion, the needle jumped on to the bed in the middle of the pillow, and the millstone laid itself over the door. Then Herr Korbes came home, went to the hearth, and was about to light the fire, when the cat threw a quantity of ashes in his face. He ran into the kitchen in a great hurry to wash it off, and the duck splashed some water in his face. He wanted to dry it with the towel, but the egg rolled up against him, broke, and glued up his eyes. He wanted to rest, and sat down in the chair, and then the pin pricked him. He fell in a passion, and threw himself on his bed, but as soon as he laid his head on the pillow, the needle pricked him, so that he screamed aloud, and was just going to run out into the wide world in his rage, but when he came to the house-door, the millstone leapt down and struck him dead. Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man! * * * * *
Moral of the Story
Evil deeds will eventually be met with unexpected and collective retribution.
Characters
Cock ★ protagonist
Carries himself with purpose, resourceful
Organized, leader, somewhat bossy
Hen ★ protagonist
Plump, follows the cock's lead
Compliant, trusting, along for the ride
Cat ★ protagonist
Ashen fur
Opportunistic, vengeful
Millstone ★ protagonist
Large, round, heavy
Patient, final
Herr Korbes ⚔ antagonist
Implied to be wicked
Attire: Peasant clothing
Unsuspecting, easily angered, abusive
Locations
Road to Herr Korbes' House
A road suitable for a small carriage pulled by mice.
Mood: Neutral, journey-like
The cock and hen gather companions for their journey.
Barn
A barn large enough to accommodate a small carriage.
Mood: Safe, temporary haven
The animals hide the carriage upon arrival.
Interior of Herr Korbes' House
A house with a hearth, kitchen, well-pole, chair, and bed.
Mood: Initially homey, then chaotic and dangerous
The animals enact their revenge on Herr Korbes.
House Door
The exit of Herr Korbes' house.
Mood: Deadly
Herr Korbes is killed by the millstone.
Story DNA
Moral
Evil deeds will eventually be met with unexpected and collective retribution.
Plot Summary
A cock and hen embark on a journey to Herr Korbes' house, picking up a cat, millstone, egg, duck, pin, and needle along the way. Upon arriving, they find Herr Korbes absent and each hides within his house. When Herr Korbes returns, each hidden traveler successively attacks him – the cat throws ashes, the duck splashes water, the egg glues his eyes, the pin pricks him, and the needle pricks him again. Enraged, he attempts to flee but is killed by the millstone falling on him as he exits, implying he was a wicked man deserving of his fate.
Themes
Emotional Arc
anticipation to surprise to grim satisfaction
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Grimm's fairy tales often reflect a pre-industrial, agrarian society with clear social roles and a strong sense of poetic justice.
Plot Beats (14)
- A cock builds a carriage and sets out with a hen for Herr Korbes' house.
- A cat asks to join them and is allowed, with instructions not to dirty the wheels.
- A millstone, an egg, a duck, a pin, and a needle successively join the journey.
- The group arrives at Herr Korbes' house, but he is not home.
- Each traveler finds a strategic hiding spot: mice in barn, cock/hen on perch, cat by hearth, duck on well-pole, egg in towel, pin in cushion, needle in pillow, millstone over door.
- Herr Korbes returns home and goes to light a fire.
- The cat throws ashes in his face.
- Herr Korbes goes to wash his face, and the duck splashes water on him.
- He tries to dry his face, but the egg rolls out of the towel, breaks, and glues his eyes shut.
- He sits in a chair to rest, and the pin pricks him.
- He throws himself onto his bed, and the needle pricks him.
- Enraged, he runs to leave the house.
- As he exits, the millstone falls from above the door and kills him.
- The narrator concludes that Herr Korbes must have been a very wicked man.
