THE BROTHER and HIS SISTERS
by Unknown · from Popular Tales from the Norse
Adapted Version
Lily was a fancy girl. Her little brother, Leo, was messy. Lily did not listen to Leo. Leo said the man was bad. Lily did not believe Leo.
Lily went with Mr. Tricky. Rose, her sister, went with Lily. They went to Mr. Tricky's home. It was far away.
Mr. Tricky found a comb. He gave it to Lily. The comb changed. It became Leo! Leo wanted to help his sisters. He was very brave.
Mr. Tricky had bad plans. He wanted Leo to disappear. He sent Leo to a cold, dark room. It was not a nice place.
Mr. Tricky had bad plans. He came for Leo. Leo was not asleep. Leo asked for a soft bed. Mr. Tricky brought it. Leo snored. The snoring stopped. Leo jumped up. Leo asked for warm blankets. Mr. Tricky brought them. Leo snored. The snoring stopped. Leo jumped up. Leo asked for yummy food. Mr. Tricky brought it. Leo snored. The snoring stopped. Leo jumped up. Leo kept Mr. Tricky busy.
Leo asked for water. He asked for a basket with holes. Mr. Tricky said, "I will go." Mr. Tricky told his Rooster, "Crow if you see movement." The Rooster said yes.
Mr. Tricky went away. Leo gave the Rooster corn. The Rooster ate the corn. It was very busy. Leo woke his sisters. Lily and Rose saw old, empty clothes. The sisters were very scared.
Leo took shiny things. He put them on his back. Leo and his sisters went to the boat. They got in. They left.
The Rooster ate much corn. It crowed too late. Mr. Tricky came home. He saw no one. His boat was gone. He was very angry.
Leo and his sisters landed. They were safe. Leo made the boat not work. Mr. Tricky could not follow.
They went home to Mama. Leo told Mama the story. Lily and Rose loved Leo. They were all happy together. They lived happily ever after.
Always listen to your family. Do not judge people by how they look.
Original Story
THE BROTHER AND HIS SISTERS
There were once upon a time three sisters and a brother. The sisters were all proud, and one was very beautiful, and she did not like her little brother, “because”, she said, “he was dirty”. Now, this beautiful sister was to be married, and the brother begged their mother not to let her marry, as he was sure the man would kill her, for he knew his house was full of bones. So the mother told her daughter, but she would not believe it, and said, “she wouldn’t listen to anything that such a dirty little scrub said”, and so she was married.
Now, it was agreed that one sister was to remain with their mother and the other was to go with the bride, and so they set out on their way. When they got to the beach, the husband picked up a beautiful tortoise-shell comb, which he gave to his bride. Then they got into his boat and rowed away over the sea, and when they reached their home, they were so surprised to see their little brother, for the comb had turned into their brother. They were not at all glad to see him, and the husband thought to himself he would kill him without telling his wife. When night came the boy told the husband that at home his mother always put him to sleep in the blacksmith’s shop, and so the husband said he should sleep in the smithy.
In the middle of the night the man got up, intending to kill them all, and went to his shop to get his irons ready, but the boy jumped up as soon as he went in, and he said, “Boy, what is the matter with you?” So the boy said, when he was at home his mother always gave him two bags of gold to put his head on. Then the man said, he should have them, and went and fetched him two bags of gold, and told him to go to sleep.
But the boy said, “Now mind, when you hear me snore I’m not asleep, but when I am not snoring, then I’m asleep.” Then the boy went to sleep and began to snore, and as long as the man heard the snoring, he blew his bellows; but as soon as the snoring stopped, the man took his irons out of the fire, and the boy jumped up.
Then the man said, “Why, what’s the matter? why, can’t you sleep?”
The boy said “No; for at home my mother always gave me four bags of money to lie upon.
Well, the man said he should have them, and brought him four bags of money. Then the boy told him again the same thing about his snoring and the man bade him go to sleep, and he began to snore, and the man to blow his bellows until the snoring stopped. Then the man took out his irons again, and the boy jumped up, and the man dropped the irons, saying, “Why, what’s the matter now that you can’t sleep?”
The boy said, “At home my mother always gave me two bushels of corn.”
So the man said he should have the corn, and went and brought it, and told him to go to sleep. Then the boy snored, and the man blew his bellows till the snoring stopped, when he again took out his irons, and the boy jumped up, and the man said, “Why, what’s it now?”
The boy said, “At home my mother always goes to the river with a sieve to bring me some water.”
So the man said “Very well, I will go, but I have a cock here, and before I go, I must speak to it.”
Then the man told the cock if he saw any one moving in the house, he must crow; that the cock promised to do, and the man set off.
Now when the boy thought the man was gone far away, he got up, and gave the cock some of the corn; then he woke up his sisters and showed them all the bones the man had in the house, and they were very frightened. Then he took the two bags of gold on his shoulders, and told his sisters to follow him. He took them to the bay, and put them into the boat with the bags of gold, and left them whilst he went back for the four bags of money. When he was leaving the house he emptied the bags of corn to the cock, who was so busy eating, he forget to crow, until they had got quite away.
When the man returned home and could not find them in the house, he went to the river, where he found his boat gone, and so he had no way of going after them. When they landed at their own place, the boy turned the boat over and stove it in, so that it was of no use any more; and he took his sisters home, and told their mother all that had happened, and his sisters loved him, and they lived very happily together ever afterwards, and do so still if they are not dead.
Story DNA
Moral
Listen to the warnings of those who care for you, and never underestimate the seemingly weak.
Plot Summary
A proud, beautiful sister ignores her younger brother's warning that her suitor is a murderer and marries him. The brother magically appears at the husband's house and, through a series of clever demands for sleeping comforts, repeatedly delays the husband's attempts to kill him. He eventually tricks the husband into leaving, feeds a talking cock to prevent it from crowing, reveals the husband's collection of bones to his terrified sisters, and they escape by boat. They return home, where the sisters finally appreciate their brother's wisdom and courage, living happily ever after.
Themes
Emotional Arc
disdain to fear to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
The story reflects common folk tale motifs of a clever underdog, a dangerous suitor, and magical elements without specific historical anchoring.
Plot Beats (11)
- A proud, beautiful sister scorns her 'dirty' little brother and dismisses his warning that her suitor is a murderer.
- The sister marries the man, and one other sister accompanies them to the husband's home.
- The husband finds a tortoise-shell comb, gives it to his bride, and it transforms into the little brother upon arrival at their home.
- The husband plans to kill the brother and sends him to sleep in the smithy.
- The brother repeatedly delays the husband's murderous attempts by demanding more comfortable sleeping arrangements (two bags of gold, then four bags of money, then two bushels of corn), each time using a snoring trick to keep the husband occupied.
- The brother's final demand is for the husband to fetch water with a sieve, which the husband agrees to after instructing his cock to crow if anyone moves.
- The brother feeds the cock corn to distract it, then wakes his sisters and shows them the house full of bones.
- The brother and his sisters escape in the husband's boat, taking the gold and money he acquired.
- The cock crows too late, and the husband returns to find them gone and his boat missing.
- The brother and sisters land safely, and the brother destroys the boat to prevent pursuit.
- They return home, tell their mother everything, and the sisters now love and appreciate their clever brother, living happily ever after.
Characters
The Little Brother
Small in stature, likely slender build as he is a child. His sisters describe him as 'dirty', suggesting a disheveled appearance, perhaps with smudges of dirt on his skin or clothes, but not inherently unhealthy or weak. His small size allows him to be overlooked and underestimated.
Attire: Simple, worn, and likely ill-fitting peasant clothes, perhaps a tunic and trousers made of coarse linen or wool, stained and patched from play or work. The 'dirty' description suggests his clothes are not well-maintained.
Wants: To protect his sisters and mother from harm, especially from the dangerous husband. He desires recognition and love from his family.
Flaw: Initially, his perceived 'dirtiness' and youth make him an easy target for dismissal and scorn, particularly from his beautiful sister.
He transforms from a despised, 'dirty little scrub' into the heroic savior of his sisters, earning their love and respect. He proves his worth through his actions, demonstrating that true value lies beyond superficial appearances.
Intelligent, observant, cunning, brave, and protective. He is underestimated by others due to his appearance and age, but he uses this to his advantage. He is persistent and resourceful.
The Beautiful Sister
Tall and graceful, with a slender figure. Her beauty is her defining physical characteristic, making her proud and vain. She likely has delicate features and a fair complexion, typical of European fairy tale heroines.
Attire: Before marriage, she would wear the finest clothes her family could afford, perhaps a well-made linen or wool gown in a flattering color, possibly with some simple embroidery. After marriage, she would wear a more elaborate gown, perhaps of finer fabric like silk or brocade, reflecting her new status, though the story doesn't detail it. She would wear a wedding gown for her marriage.
Wants: To marry well and maintain her beautiful image and social standing. She desires a life of comfort and admiration.
Flaw: Her pride and vanity make her blind to danger and dismissive of valuable advice. She is easily swayed by superficial charm and appearance.
She begins as a proud and dismissive sister who scorns her brother. Through the terrifying experience with her murderous husband, she learns to trust and appreciate her brother, transforming into a grateful and loving sibling.
Proud, vain, dismissive, stubborn, and initially ungrateful. She judges others based on superficial appearances and refuses to believe warnings from those she deems beneath her. Later, she becomes frightened and grateful.
The Husband
Likely appears charming and respectable on the surface to attract brides, but possesses an underlying sinister quality. He is strong enough to carry out his murderous intentions. His true nature is revealed by the bones in his house.
Attire: Dresses in fine, respectable clothing to appear trustworthy and wealthy, perhaps a dark wool tunic and trousers, or a doublet, appropriate for a man of some standing in a European setting. His clothes would be clean and well-maintained.
Wants: To kill his brides, presumably for their possessions or simply for the thrill of it, as indicated by the house full of bones.
Flaw: His impatience and gullibility. He is easily tricked by the boy's clever lies and becomes increasingly frustrated, leading him to make mistakes.
He remains a static character in his villainy, but his plans are thwarted by the boy. He is ultimately outsmarted and left stranded, unable to pursue his victims.
Deceptive, murderous, cunning, impatient, and easily frustrated. He is a serial killer who preys on unsuspecting women. He is also somewhat gullible, falling for the boy's delaying tactics.
The Mother
Likely a woman of mature age, perhaps showing signs of wear from raising children. She is caring and attentive to her youngest son, contrasting with her daughters' disdain.
Attire: Simple, practical peasant clothing, such as a long linen dress and a practical apron, perhaps in muted colors, reflecting her status and role as a homemaker. Her clothes would be clean but worn.
Wants: To protect her children and ensure their well-being. She wants her children to be safe and happy.
Flaw: Her inability to assert authority over her proud daughter, allowing her to marry a dangerous man. She is also somewhat naive about the true nature of the husband.
She remains a static character, primarily serving as a point of origin and return for the children. Her arc is one of worry turning to relief and joy.
Caring, concerned, and somewhat helpless. She listens to her son's warnings but is unable to convince her proud daughter. She is relieved and loving when her children return.
The Cock
A robust and colorful rooster, with bright red comb and wattles, and iridescent feathers. Its size is typical for a farmyard rooster, making it a noticeable presence.
Attire: Its natural plumage: iridescent green, red, gold, and black feathers, with a proud, fanned tail.
Wants: To crow when it sees movement, as instructed by its master. Later, its primary motivation becomes eating the corn.
Flaw: Its love for corn makes it forget its duties and allows the children to escape.
It starts as a loyal guard for the husband but is bribed with corn by the boy, leading to its failure to alert the husband. It remains an animal, but its actions are pivotal.
Loyal (initially), easily distracted by food, forgetful. It is obedient to its master but can be swayed by a more immediate gratification.
Locations
The Family Home
A modest home where the mother and her children live, likely with a simple, functional interior. The blacksmith's shop is implied to be a separate structure or an attached workshop.
Mood: Initially tense due to the sisters' disdain for their brother, later becomes a place of safety and happiness.
The initial conflict between the brother and his sisters, and their eventual safe return.
The Beach/Shoreline
The sandy edge where land meets the sea, a point of departure and arrival for sea travel. A tortoise-shell comb is found here.
Mood: Initially hopeful for the bride, later a place of escape and urgency.
The husband finds the comb; the sisters and brother embark and later disembark from the boat.
The Husband's House and Smithy
A house with a hidden room full of bones, suggesting a sinister secret. It has an attached or nearby blacksmith's shop where the husband works and the brother is made to sleep. A cock is kept here.
Mood: Eerie, dangerous, suspenseful, filled with dread.
The brother's clever stalling tactics, the discovery of the bones, and the escape.