The Nail
by Brothers Grimm · from Household Tales
Original Story
The nail
A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm
A merchant had done good business at the fair; he had sold his wares, and lined his money-bags with gold and silver. Then he wanted to travel homewards, and be in his own house before nightfall. So he packed his trunk with the money on his horse, and rode away.
At noon he rested in a town, and when he wanted to go farther the stable-boy brought out his horse and said, "A nail is wanting, sir, in the shoe of its left hind foot." - "Let it be wanting," answered the merchant; "the shoe will certainly stay on for the six miles I have still to go. I am in a hurry."
In the afternoon, when he once more alighted and had his horse fed, the stable-boy went into the room to him and said, "Sir, a shoe is missing from your horse's left hind foot. Shall I take him to the blacksmith?" - "Let it still be wanting," answered the man; "the horse can very well hold out for the couple of miles which remain. I am in haste."
He rode forth, but before long the horse began to limp. It had not limped long before it began to stumble, and it had not stumbled long before it fell down and broke its leg. The merchant was forced to leave the horse where it was, and unbuckle the trunk, take it on his back, and go home on foot. And there he did not arrive until quite late at night. "And that unlucky nail," said he to himself, "has caused all this disaster."
Hasten slowly.
- * * * *
Story DNA
Moral
Small oversights can lead to significant misfortunes, and haste often leads to delay.
Plot Summary
A merchant, eager to return home with his earnings, repeatedly dismisses warnings from stable-boys about a missing nail, then a missing shoe, on his horse's left hind foot. Due to his haste and negligence, the horse eventually limps, stumbles, and breaks its leg, forcing the merchant to abandon it and carry his heavy trunk home on foot, arriving late and exhausted. He then realizes that the initial small oversight caused all his misfortune.
Themes
Emotional Arc
complacency to regret
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Reflects a pre-industrial society where travel by horse was primary and a broken leg for a horse was a significant, often fatal, problem.
Plot Beats (11)
- A merchant finishes successful business at a fair and packs his gold-filled trunk onto his horse to go home.
- At noon, a stable-boy informs the merchant that a nail is missing from his horse's left hind shoe.
- The merchant, in a hurry, dismisses the warning, stating the shoe will last the remaining six miles.
- In the afternoon, another stable-boy informs the merchant that the entire shoe is now missing from the horse's left hind foot.
- The merchant, still in a hurry, again dismisses the warning, believing the horse can manage the last couple of miles.
- As he rides, the horse begins to limp, then stumble.
- The horse eventually falls down and breaks its leg.
- The merchant is forced to leave the injured horse.
- He unbuckles his heavy trunk, puts it on his back, and continues his journey home on foot.
- He arrives home very late at night, exhausted.
- The merchant realizes and laments that the single missing nail was the root cause of all his troubles.
Characters
The Merchant
None explicitly mentioned, likely a man of average build for his profession.
Attire: Practical traveling clothes suitable for a merchant of the period, likely including a cloak for protection from elements.
Hasty, dismissive, focused on profit and schedule.
The Stable-Boy (first inn)
None explicitly mentioned.
Attire: Simple, functional attire typical for a stable hand of the period, possibly a linen shirt and breeches.
Observant, diligent, helpful.
The Stable-Boy (second inn)
None explicitly mentioned.
Attire: Simple, functional attire typical for a stable hand of the period, possibly a linen shirt and breeches.
Observant, diligent, helpful.
The Horse
A sturdy horse capable of carrying a rider and a heavy trunk.
Attire: A saddle and bridle, with horseshoes on its feet.
Patient, enduring, but ultimately vulnerable to injury.
Locations
The Road Home (Morning)
A road leading homewards, likely well-traveled, with the merchant riding his horse, carrying a trunk full of gold and silver.
Mood: Hopeful, prosperous, urgent
The merchant begins his journey home after a successful fair.
Town Inn (Noon)
A stable attached to an inn in a town, where the merchant stops to rest. A stable-boy inspects the horse.
Mood: Busy, functional, slightly tense due to the merchant's haste
The merchant is informed of the missing nail but dismisses the warning.
Town Inn (Afternoon)
A room in an inn where the merchant is resting, with a stable-boy entering to deliver news.
Mood: Restful but with an underlying sense of urgency from the merchant
The merchant is informed of the missing shoe but again dismisses the warning.
The Road Home (Late Afternoon/Evening)
A road, likely rural, where the horse begins to limp, then stumble, and finally falls, breaking its leg. The merchant is forced to continue on foot.
Mood: Troubled, desolate, frustrating, ultimately disastrous
The consequences of neglecting the nail manifest, leading to the horse's injury and the merchant's delayed, difficult journey home.