The Old Beggar-woman

by Brothers Grimm · from Household Tales

fairy tale cautionary tale solemn Ages 8-14 181 words 1 min read
Original Story 181 words · 1 min read

The old beggar-woman

A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm

There was once an old woman, but thou hast surely seen an old woman go a-begging before now? This woman begged likewise, and when she got anything she said, "May God reward you." The beggar- woman came to a door, and there by the fire a friendly rogue of a boy was standing warming himself. The boy said kindly to the poor old woman as she was standing shivering thus by the door, "Come, old mother, and warm yourself." She came in, but stood too near the fire, so that her old rags began to burn, and she was not aware of it. The boy stood and saw that, but he ought to have put the flames out. Is it not true that he ought to have put them out? And if he had not any water, then should he have wept all the water in his body out of his eyes, and that would have supplied two pretty streams with which to extinguish them.

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Story DNA

Moral

Indifference to suffering, even when unintentional, can lead to tragic consequences and is morally reprehensible.

Plot Summary

An old beggar-woman, shivering from the cold, is invited by a boy to warm herself by his fire. Unaware, she stands too close, and her rags begin to burn. The boy observes this but does nothing to help. The narrator then directly questions the boy's moral failure, emphasizing that he should have extinguished the flames, even suggesting he should have cried enough tears to do so.

Themes

compassionresponsibilityindifferenceconsequences

Emotional Arc

neutral to tragic

Writing Style

Voice: third person omniscient
Pacing: moderate
Descriptive: sparse
Techniques: direct address to reader, rhetorical questions, exaggeration for emphasis

Narrative Elements

Conflict: person vs self
Ending: tragic
fire (danger, destruction)rags (poverty, vulnerability)

Cultural Context

Origin: German
Era: timeless fairy tale

Grimm's tales often reflected the harsh realities and moral expectations of their time, including the plight of the poor and the importance of charity and compassion.

Plot Beats (9)

  1. An old beggar-woman is introduced, a familiar sight.
  2. She arrives at a door where a boy is warming himself by a fire.
  3. The boy, described as a 'friendly rogue,' invites her to warm herself.
  4. The old woman enters and stands too close to the fire.
  5. Her rags catch fire, but she remains unaware.
  6. The boy sees the fire but does not extinguish it.
  7. The narrator directly questions the boy's inaction.
  8. The narrator suggests the boy should have put out the flames.
  9. The narrator hyperbolically states the boy should have cried enough tears to put out the fire if water wasn't available.

Characters

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The Old Beggar-Woman

human elderly female

Frail and shivering, suggesting a gaunt frame due to poverty and exposure.

Attire: Old rags, which are so dry and worn they easily catch fire.

Shivering in tattered rags by a doorway.

Humble, grateful (says 'May God reward you'), unaware of immediate danger.

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The Boy

human child male

A 'friendly rogue' of a boy, implying a mischievous but initially welcoming demeanor.

Attire: Indeterminate, but appropriate for a child warming himself by a fire in a household.

Standing by the fire, watching the old woman's rags burn without intervening.

Initially kind and inviting, but then cruel and neglectful, showing a lack of empathy.

Locations

Doorway of a house

transitional Implied cold weather, causing shivering

The old beggar-woman stands shivering at the door of a house, looking inside.

Mood: Cold, desperate, hopeful

The beggar-woman arrives and is invited inside by the boy.

door threshold shivering old woman

Inside a house by the fire

indoor Warm indoors, contrasting with outside cold

A warm interior with a fire burning, where a boy is standing and warming himself. The old woman comes too close to the fire.

Mood: Initially welcoming, then tense and neglectful

The old woman's rags catch fire, and the boy fails to help her.

fireplace fire boy old woman burning rags