The Rabbit's Bride
by Brothers Grimm · from Household Tales
Original Story
The rabbit's bride
A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm
There was once a woman who lived with her daughter in a beautiful cabbage-garden; and there came a rabbit and ate up all the cabbages. At last said the woman to her daughter, "Go into the garden, and drive out the rabbit." - "Shoo! shoo!" said the maiden; "don't eat up all our cabbages, little rabbit!" - "Come, maiden," said the rabbit, "sit on my tail and go with me to my rabbit-hutch." But the maiden would not. Another day, back came the rabbit, and ate away at the cabbages, until the woman said to her daughter, "Go into the garden, and drive away the rabbit." - "Shoo! shoo!" said the maiden; "don't eat up all our cabbages, little rabbit!" - "Come, maiden," said the rabbit, "sit on my tail and go with me to my rabbit-hutch." But the maiden would not. Again, a third time back came the rabbit, and ate away at the cabbages, until the woman said to her daughter, "Go into the garden, and drive away the rabbit." - "Shoo! shoo!" said the maiden; "don't eat up all our cabbages, little rabbit!" - "Come, maiden," said the rabbit, "sit on my tail and go with me to my rabbit-hutch." And then the girl seated herself on the rabbit's tail, and the rabbit took her to his hutch. "Now," said he, "set to work and cook some bran and cabbage; I am going to bid the wedding guests." And soon they were all collected. Would you like to know who they were? Well, I can only tell you what was told to me; all the hares came, and the crow who was to be the parson to marry them, and the fox for the clerk, and the altar was under the rainbow.
But the maiden was sad, because she was so lonely. "Get up! get up!" said the rabbit, "the wedding folk are all merry." But the bride wept and said nothing, and the rabbit went away, but very soon came back again. "Get up! get up!" said he, "the wedding folk are waiting." But the bride said nothing, and the rabbit went away. Then she made a figure of straw, and dressed it in her own clothes, and gave it a red mouth, and set it to watch the kettle of bran, and then she went home to her mother. Back again came the rabbit, saying, "Get up! get up!" and he went up and hit the straw figure on the head, so that it tumbled down.
And the rabbit thought that he had killed his bride, and he went away and was very sad.
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Story DNA
Plot Summary
A rabbit repeatedly eats a woman's cabbages, and on the third encounter, convinces her daughter to come to his hutch. The rabbit intends to marry the maiden and instructs her to cook for their wedding guests. Sad and alone, the resourceful maiden creates a straw figure dressed in her clothes, places it by the cooking pot, and escapes back to her mother. The rabbit returns, hits the straw figure, and mistakenly believes he has killed his bride, leaving him saddened.
Themes
Emotional Arc
reluctance to fear to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Grimm's fairy tales often reflect rural German life and beliefs, where animals could be both helpful and dangerous, and young women were vulnerable.
Plot Beats (11)
- A woman and her daughter live by a cabbage garden.
- A rabbit repeatedly eats their cabbages, prompting the mother to send the daughter to shoo it away.
- Each time, the rabbit invites the daughter to sit on its tail and come to its hutch.
- On the third invitation, the daughter agrees and is taken to the rabbit's hutch.
- The rabbit instructs the maiden to cook bran and cabbage for their wedding guests, while he goes to invite them.
- The maiden is sad and lonely, weeping while the rabbit is away.
- The rabbit returns twice, urging her to get up, but she remains silent.
- The maiden creates a straw figure, dresses it in her clothes, gives it a red mouth, and places it by the cooking pot.
- The maiden then escapes and returns to her mother's home.
- The rabbit returns, finds the figure, and hits it, causing it to tumble down.
- The rabbit believes he has killed his bride and becomes very sad.
Characters
The Maiden
Implied to be young and capable of household tasks.
Attire: Simple peasant dress, likely a smock or gown, which she uses to dress the straw figure.
Obedient, resourceful, sad, clever.
The Rabbit
A typical rabbit, capable of speech and human-like actions.
Attire: None, as an animal.
Persistent, manipulative, somewhat naive, easily deceived.
The Woman
Not specified, but implied to be a mother and gardener.
Attire: Simple, practical clothing suitable for a woman tending a garden.
Practical, concerned about her garden, somewhat demanding.
The Crow
A black bird, typical of a crow.
Attire: None, as an animal, but implied to be dressed as a parson.
Observant, fulfilling a ceremonial role.
The Fox
A red-brown canine, typical of a fox.
Attire: None, as an animal, but implied to be dressed as a clerk.
Observant, fulfilling a ceremonial role.
The Straw Figure
Made of straw, dressed in the Maiden's clothes, with a red mouth.
Attire: The Maiden's own clothes.
Inanimate, serves as a decoy.
Locations
Cabbage Garden
A beautiful garden filled with cabbages, where a woman lives with her daughter.
Mood: Initially peaceful and domestic, then slightly tense due to the rabbit's intrusions.
The rabbit repeatedly visits and eats cabbages, leading to the maiden's eventual departure with the rabbit.
Rabbit Hutch
The rabbit's home, where the maiden is brought to prepare for a wedding. It contains a kettle for cooking.
Mood: Initially expectant and busy with wedding preparations, then sad and lonely for the maiden, and ultimately deceptive.
The maiden is brought here, prepares food, creates a straw decoy, and escapes.
Wedding Gathering Place
An open area where various animals gather for the wedding, with an altar under a rainbow.
Mood: Festive and merry for the wedding guests, but a place of dread for the maiden.
The wedding guests gather, waiting for the bride, who never appears.