Der Wolf Und Die Sieben Geißlein
by Unknown · from Märchen-Sammlung
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, in a small house, lived Mama Goat and her seven little kids. Mama Goat went to the forest. 'Be careful, my dears,' she said. 'The Big Bad Wolf is bad. Do not open the door. Stay inside.'
The Big Bad Wolf came. He knocked. He used a rough voice. 'Open the door!' he said. The Little Kids heard. 'Not Mama Goat!' they cried. 'Her voice is rough.' They did not open.
The Big Bad Wolf tried. He used a soft voice. 'Open the door!' he said. The Little Kids looked. They saw his black feet. 'Not Mama Goat!' they cried. 'Her feet are black.' They did not open.
The Big Bad Wolf went away. He went to the miller. He put his feet in flour. His feet became white. He wanted to trick them.
The Big Bad Wolf came back. His feet were white. He used a soft voice. 'Open the door!' he said. The Little Kids saw white feet. They thought it was Mama. They opened the door.
The Big Bad Wolf jumped inside. The Little Kids were scared. They ran to hide. One hid under the bed. One hid behind stove. One hid in the clock. The Big Bad Wolf found six. He put them in his tummy. One kid was safe.
Mama Goat came home. The door was open. The house was empty. She felt very sad. 'Where are my kids?' she thought. She looked for them. She called their names. No one answered.
Mama Goat went outside. The Big Bad Wolf slept. He slept under a tree. He snored loud. Mama Goat saw his tummy. Something moved. Mama Goat felt hope. 'My kids are alive!' she thought.
Mama Goat ran inside. She got her scissors. She went to the wolf. She carefully opened his tummy. She was very quick. She wanted her kids back.
The Little Kids jumped out! All seven kids were there. They were safe and well. Mama Goat was so happy. The kids were happy too.
Mama Goat found big stones. She put stones in the tummy. She closed the wolf's tummy. She sewed it up tight.
The Big Bad Wolf woke up. He felt very thirsty. He wanted a drink. He went to the well.
The stones were very heavy. The Big Bad Wolf walked. He fell into the well. He could not get out. The water was deep. He disappeared.
Mama Goat and her kids danced. They danced around the well. They were safe now. They were very happy.
It is good to listen to Mama. Be careful of strangers. Love makes everything right. Mama Goat and her kids were safe and happy. They danced and played. They were very, very happy!
Original Story
Der Wolf und die sieben Geißlein.
s ist einmal eine alte Geiß gewesen, die hatte sieben junge Zicklein, und wie sie einmal fort in den Wald wollte, hat sie gesagt: „Ihr lieben Zicklein, nehmt euch in acht vor dem Wolf und laßt ihn nicht herein, sonst seid ihr alle verloren.“ Darnach ist sie fortgegangen.
In einer Weile rappelt was an der Haustüre und ruft: „Macht auf, macht auf, liebe Kinder! Euer Mütterlein ist aus dem Walde gekommen!“ Aber die sieben Geißlein erkannten’s gleich an der groben Stimme, daß das ihr Mütterlein nicht war, und haben gerufen: „Unser Mütterlein hat keine so grobe Stimme!“ Und haben nicht aufgemacht.
Nach einer Weile rappelt’s wieder an der Türe und ruft ganz fein und leise: „Macht auf, macht auf, ihr lieben Kinder! Euer Mütterlein ist aus dem Walde gekommen!“
Aber die jungen Geißlein guckten durch die Türspalte und haben ein Paar schwarze Füße gesehen und gerufen: „Unser Mütterlein hat keine so schwarzen Füße!“ Und haben nicht aufgemacht.
Wie das der Wolf, denn er war es, gehört hat, ist er geschwind hin in die Mühle gelaufen und hat die Füße ins Mehl gesteckt, daß sie ganz weiß worden sind. Darnach ist er wieder vor die Türe gekommen, hat die Füße zur Spalte hineingesteckt und hat wieder ganz leise gerufen: „Macht auf, macht auf, ihr lieben Kinder! Euer Mütterlein ist aus dem Walde gekommen!“
Und wie die Geißlein die weißen Füße gesehen haben und die leise Stimme gehört, da haben sie ja gemeint, ihr Mütterlein sei’s, und haben geschwind aufgemacht, so ist der Wolf hereingesprungen. Ach, wie sind da die armen Geißlein erschrocken und haben sich verstecken wollen! Eines ist unters Bett, eins unter den Tisch, eines hinter den Ofen, eins hinter einen Stuhl, eins hinter einen großen Milchtopf und eins in den Uhrkasten gesprungen. Aber der Wolf hat sie alle gefunden und hinabgeschluckt. Hernach ist er fortgegangen, hat sich in den Garten unter einen Baum gelegt und hat angefangen zu schlafen.
Wie hernach die alte Geiß aus dem Walde zurückgekommen ist, hat sie das Haus offen gefunden und die Stube leer, da hat sie gleich gedacht: „Jetzt ist’s nicht geheuer“, und hat angefangen, ihre lieben Zicklein zu suchen. Sie hat sie aber nicht finden können, wo sie auch gesucht hat, und so laut sie auch gerufen hat, es hat keins Antwort gegeben. Endlich ist sie in den Garten gegangen, da hat der Wolf noch gelegen unterm Baum und hat geschlafen und hat geschnarcht, daß alle Äste gezittert haben; und wie sie näher zu ihm gekommen ist, hat sie gesehen, daß etwas in seinem Bauche gezappelt hat. Da hatte sie eine Freude und dachte, ihre Geißlein leben wohl noch. Jetzt ist sie geschwind hinein ins Häuslein gesprungen, hat eine Schere geholt, und hat dem Wolf den Bauch aufgeschnitten; da sind ihre sieben Geißlein eins nach dem andern herausgesprungen und haben alle noch gelebt. Darnach hat die Alte geschwind sieben Wackersteine dem Wolf in seinen Bauch gesteckt und hat den wieder zugenäht.
Wie der Wolf munter wurde, hatte er Durst und ist an den Brunnen gegangen, um zu trinken; aber wie er einen Schritt gegangen ist, da haben die Wackersteine in seinem Bauch angefangen zusammenzuschlagen, und da hat er gesagt:
Und wie nun der Wolf an den Brunnen gekommen ist und hat trinken wollen, so haben ihn die Wackersteine hineingezogen, und er ist ertrunken. Und die alte Geiß ist mit ihren Zicklein vor Freude um den Brunnen herumgetanzt.
Story DNA
Moral
Always obey your parents' warnings, as disobedience can lead to grave danger, but cleverness and maternal love can overcome evil.
Plot Summary
A mother goat warns her seven kids about the wolf before leaving for the forest. The cunning wolf attempts to trick the kids twice, first with his coarse voice, then with his black paws. After whitening his paws with flour, he successfully deceives the kids, enters their home, and devours six of them. The mother goat returns, finds the wolf sleeping with a moving belly, cuts him open to rescue her kids, and replaces them with stones. When the wolf goes to drink, the weight of the stones pulls him into the well, where he drowns, and the family rejoices.
Themes
Emotional Arc
innocence to terror to relief and triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This tale is part of the Brothers Grimm collection, reflecting oral traditions and cautionary themes prevalent in 19th-century German folklore.
Plot Beats (14)
- The mother goat warns her seven kids to beware of the wolf while she is away in the forest.
- The wolf first tries to trick the kids with a coarse voice, but they recognize it and refuse to open the door.
- The wolf then tries with a soft voice, but the kids see his black feet through the door crack and refuse again.
- The wolf goes to the miller, gets his paws covered in flour to make them white, and returns.
- With white paws and a soft voice, the wolf successfully deceives the kids, who open the door.
- The wolf enters and devours six of the seven kids, who try to hide in various places, but one hides successfully in the clock case.
- The mother goat returns to find the house open and empty, and searches for her children.
- She finds the wolf sleeping under a tree in the garden, snoring loudly, and notices something moving in his belly.
- Realizing her kids might be inside, she quickly fetches scissors and cuts open the wolf's belly.
- All seven kids emerge alive and well from the wolf's stomach.
- The mother goat fills the wolf's belly with heavy stones and sews him back up.
- When the wolf awakens, he feels thirsty and goes to the well to drink.
- The weight of the stones pulls him into the well, and he drowns.
- The mother goat and her kids dance around the well in celebration.
Characters
The Mother Goat
A sturdy, mature goat with a thick, shaggy coat of white fur. She is of average height for a goat, with strong legs and a broad chest, indicating a protective nature. Her hooves are dark and well-worn from foraging.
Attire: None, as she is an animal, but her natural white fur coat is her defining 'attire'.
Wants: To keep her children safe and to provide for them. After the attack, her motivation is to rescue her children.
Flaw: Her trust in her children's ability to follow instructions, which is sometimes tested by their naivety.
Starts as a vigilant mother, experiences profound grief and fear, then transforms into a determined rescuer, ultimately achieving triumphant joy.
Protective, vigilant, resourceful, loving, determined.
The Wolf
A large, imposing wolf with a lean, muscular build. His fur is coarse and dark grey, almost black in places, with a lighter belly. He has powerful jaws and sharp claws. His feet are naturally dark, but he temporarily whitens them with flour.
Attire: None, as he is an animal, but his dark, coarse fur is his defining 'attire'.
Wants: To satisfy his hunger by tricking and devouring the young goats.
Flaw: His gluttony and overconfidence, which lead him to underestimate the Mother Goat and his own vulnerability after eating the stones.
Starts as a successful predator, achieves his goal through trickery, but his gluttony and carelessness lead to his downfall and death.
Cunning, deceitful, gluttonous, cruel, overconfident.
The Seven Little Kids
Seven small, agile young goats, each with soft, white fur. They are slender and nimble, typical of young kids, with small, developing horns and delicate hooves.
Attire: None, as they are animals, but their natural soft white fur is their defining 'attire'.
Wants: To obey their mother and stay safe, but also driven by curiosity and a desire for comfort.
Flaw: Their naivety and inability to fully discern deception, especially when the Wolf mimics their mother's voice and whitens his feet.
Start as obedient children, fall victim to deception, experience terror and near-death, and are then rescued, ending the story with joyful relief.
Innocent, curious, easily frightened, somewhat naive, playful.
Locations
The Geißlein's Cottage Interior
A cozy, rustic German cottage interior, likely a single main room, with simple wooden furniture. It features a bed, a table, a traditional ceramic or stone oven (Kachelofen), chairs, a large milk pot, and a grandfather clock (Uhrkasten). The door has a visible crack or 'Spalte' through which feet can be seen. The overall impression is one of domestic warmth that is violently disrupted.
Mood: Initially safe and warm, then terrifying and chaotic, finally relieved and joyful.
The wolf tricks and devours the seven young goats; later, the mother goat finds the empty house and realizes what happened.
The Cottage Garden
A simple, unkempt garden directly outside the cottage, featuring at least one prominent tree under which the wolf takes a nap. The garden is likely surrounded by a low fence or hedge, typical of a rural German setting.
Mood: Initially peaceful and deceptively calm, then tense with discovery, finally triumphant.
The wolf sleeps off his meal; the mother goat discovers him and realizes her kids are inside his belly.
The Village Well
A traditional stone well, likely in a communal area or at the edge of the garden, where villagers would draw water. The well is deep enough for the wolf to drown in.
Mood: Foreboding and ultimately triumphant.
The wolf, heavy with stones, goes to drink and falls into the well, drowning. The mother goat and her kids celebrate.