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Allerleirauh
Allerleirauh Märchen

Allerleirauh - Fairy Tale by the Brothers Grimm

Reading time for children: 16 min

There was once on a time a King who had a wife with golden hair, and she was so beautiful that her equal was not to be found on earth. It came to pass that she lay ill, and as she felt that she must soon die, she called the King and said, „If thou wishest to marry again after my death, take no one who is not quite as beautiful as I am, and who has not just such golden hair as I have: this thou must promise me.“ And after the King had promised her this she closed her eyes and died. For a long time the King could not be comforted, and had no thought of taking another wife. At length his councillors said, „There is no help for it, the King must marry again, that we may have a Queen.“

And now messengers were sent about far and wide, to seek a bride who equalled the late Queen in beauty. In the whole world, however, none was to be found, and even if one had been found, still there would have been no one who had such golden hair. So the messengers came home as they went. Now the King had a daughter, who was just as beautiful as her dead mother, and had the same golden hair. When she was grown up the King looked at her one day, and saw that in every respect she was like his late wife, and suddenly felt a violent love for her. Then he spake to his councillors, „I will marry my daughter, for she is the counterpart of my late wife, otherwise I can find no bride who resembles her.“

When the councillors heard that, they were shocked, and said, „God has forbidden a father to marry his daughter, no good can come from such a crime, and the kingdom will be involved in the ruin.“ The daughter was still more shocked when she became aware of her father’s resolution, but hoped to turn him from his design. Then she said to him, „Before I fulfil your wish, I must have three dresses, one as golden as the sun, one as silvery as the moon, and one as bright as the stars; besides this, I wish for a mantle of a thousand different kinds of fur and hair joined together, and one of every kind of animal in your kingdom must give a piece of his skin for it.“

But she thought, „To get that will be quite impossible, and thus I shall divert my father from his wicked intentions.“ The King, however, did not give it up, and the cleverest maidens in his kingdom had to weave the three dresses, one as golden as the sun, one as silvery as the moon, and one as bright as the stars, and his huntsmen had to catch one of every kind of animal in the whole of his kingdom, and take from it a piece of its skin, and out of these was made a mantle of a thousand different kinds of fur. At length, when all was ready, the King caused the mantle to be brought, spread it out before her, and said, „The wedding shall be to-morrow.“

When, therefore, the King’s daughter saw that there was no longer any hope of turning her father’s heart, she resolved to run away from him. In the night whilst every one was asleep, she got up, and took three different things from her treasures, a golden ring, a golden spinning-wheel, and a golden reel. The three dresses of the sun, moon, and stars she put into a nutshell, put on her mantle of all kinds of fur, and blackened her face and hands with soot. Then she commended herself to God, and went away, and walked the whole night until she reached a great forest. And as she was tired, she got into a hollow tree, and fell asleep.

The sun rose, and she slept on, and she was still sleeping when it was full day. Then it so happened that the King to whom this forest belonged, was hunting in it. When his dogs came to the tree, they sniffed, and ran barking round about it. The King said to the huntsmen, „Just see what kind of wild beast has hidden itself in there.“ The huntsmen obeyed his order, and when they came back they said, „A wondrous beast is lying in the hollow tree. We have never before seen one like it. Its skin is fur of a thousand different kinds, but it is lying asleep.“ Said the King, „See if you can catch it alive, and then fasten it to the carriage, and we will take it with us.“

When the huntsmen laid hold of the maiden, she awoke full of terror, and cried to them, „I am a poor child, deserted by father and mother; have pity on me, and take me with you.“ Then said they, „Allerleirauh, thou wilt be useful in the kitchen, come with us, and thou canst sweep up the ashes.“ So they put her in the carriage, and took her home to the royal palace. There they pointed out to her a closet under the stairs, where no daylight entered, and said, „Hairy animal, there canst thou live and sleep.“ Then she was sent into the kitchen, and there she carried wood and water, swept the hearth, plucked the fowls, picked the vegetables, raked the ashes, and did all the dirty work.

Allerleirauh lived there for a long time in great wretchedness. Alas, fair princess, what is to become of thee now! It happened, however, that one day a feast was held in the palace, and she said to the cook, „May I go up-stairs for a while, and look on? I will place myself outside the door.“ The cook answered, „Yes, go, but you must be back here in half-an-hour to sweep the hearth.“ Then she took her oil-lamp, went into her den, put off her fur-dress, and washed the soot off her face and hands, so that her full beauty once more came to light.

And she opened the nut, and took out her dress which shone like the sun, and when she had done that she went up to the festival, and every one made way for her, for no one knew her, and thought no otherwise than that she was a king’s daughter. The King came to meet her, gave his hand to her, and danced with her, and thought in his heart, „My eyes have never yet seen any one so beautiful!“ When the dance was over she curtsied, and when the King looked round again she had vanished, and none knew whither. The guards who stood outside the palace were called and questioned, but no one had seen her.

She had, however, run into her little den, had quickly taken off her dress, made her face and hands black again, put on the fur-mantle, and again was Allerleirauh. And now when she went into the kitchen, and was about to get to her work and sweep up the ashes, the cook said, „Leave that alone till morning, and make me the soup for the King; I, too, will go upstairs awhile, and take a look; but let no hairs fall in, or in future thou shalt have nothing to eat.“ So the cook went away, and Allerleirauh made the soup for the king, and made bread soup and the best she could, and when it was ready she fetched her golden ring from her little den, and put it in the bowl in which the soup was served.

When the dancing was over, the King had his soup brought and ate it, and he liked it so much that it seemed to him he had never tasted better. But when he came to the bottom of the bowl, he saw a golden ring lying, and could not conceive how it could have got there. Then he ordered the cook to appear before him. The cook was terrified when he heard the order, and said to Allerleirauh, „Thou hast certainly let a hair fall into the soup, and if thou hast, thou shalt be beaten for it.“ When he came before the King the latter asked who had made the soup? The cook replied, „I made it.“ But the King said, „That is not true, for it was much better than usual, and cooked differently.“ He answered, „I must acknowledge that I did not make it, it was made by the rough animal.“ The King said, „Go and bid it come up here.“

When Allerleirauh came, the King said, „Who art thou?“ – „I am a poor girl who no longer has any father or mother.“ He asked further, „Of what use art thou in my palace?“ She answered, „I am good for nothing but to have boots thrown at my head.“ He continued, „Where didst thou get the ring which was in the soup?“ She answered, „I know nothing about the ring.“ So the King could learn nothing, and had to send her away again. After a while, there was another festival, and then, as before, Allerleirauh begged the cook for leave to go and look on. He answered, „Yes, but come back again in half-an-hour, and make the King the bread soup which he so much likes.“ Then she ran into her den, washed herself quickly, and took out of the nut the dress which was as silvery as the moon, and put it on.

Then she went up and was like a princess, and the King stepped forward to meet her, and rejoiced to see her once more, and as the dance was just beginning they danced it together. But when it was ended, she again disappeared so quickly that the King could not observe where she went. She, however, sprang into her den, and once more made herself a hairy animal, and went into the kitchen to prepare the bread soup. When the cook had gone up-stairs, she fetched the little golden spinning-wheel, and put it in the bowl so that the soup covered it. Then it was taken to the King, who ate it, and liked it as much as before, and had the cook brought, who this time likewise was forced to confess that Allerleirauh had prepared the soup. Allerleirauh again came before the King, but she answered that she was good for nothing else but to have boots thrown at her head, and that she knew nothing at all about the little golden spinning-wheel.

When, for the third time, the King held a festival, all happened just as it had done before. The cook said, „Faith rough-skin, thou art a witch, and always puttest something in the soup which makes it so good that the King likes it better than that which I cook,“ but as she begged so hard, he let her go up at the appointed time. And now she put on the dress which shone like the stars, and thus entered the hall. Again the King danced with the beautiful maiden, and thought that she never yet had been so beautiful. And whilst she was dancing, he contrived, without her noticing it, to slip a golden ring on her finger, and he had given orders that the dance should last a very long time.

When it was ended, he wanted to hold her fast by her hands, but she tore herself loose, and sprang away so quickly through the crowd that she vanished from his sight. She ran as fast as she could into her den beneath the stairs, but as she had been too long, and had stayed more than half-an-hour she could not take off her pretty dress, but only threw over it her fur-mantle, and in her haste she did not make herself quite black, but one finger remained white. Then Allerleirauh ran into the kitchen, and cooked the bread soup for the King, and as the cook was away, put her golden reel into it. When the King found the reel at the bottom of it, he caused Allerleirauh to be summoned, and then he espied the white finger, and saw the ring which he had put on it during the dance.

Then he grasped her by the hand, and held her fast, and when she wanted to release herself and run away, her mantle of fur opened a little, and the star-dress shone forth. The King clutched the mantle and tore it off. Then her golden hair shone forth, and she stood there in full splendour, and could no longer hide herself. And when she had washed the soot and ashes from her face, she was more beautiful than anyone who had ever been seen on earth. But the King said, „Thou art my dear bride, and we will never more part from each other.“ Thereupon the marriage was solemnized, and they lived happily until their death.

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Backgrounds to fairy tale „Allerleirauh“

„Allerleirauh,“ also known as „All-Kinds-of-Fur“ or „Thousand Furs,“ is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm in their anthology „Grimms‘ Fairy Tales.“ The story shares similarities with other European tales such as „Cinderella“ and „Donkeyskin.“ The story is also known as „Many-Furred Creature“ in English translations. It is classified as Aarne-Thompson-Uther type 510B, which includes stories of heroines who flee from their fathers‘ unwanted marriages and disguise themselves in animal skins or other coverings. Here are some key background elements of the tale:

The Brothers Grimm: Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were German scholars, linguists, and cultural researchers who collected and published European folktales in the 19th century. Their work aimed to preserve the rich oral tradition of storytelling found throughout Europe. Their collection, „Grimms‘ Fairy Tales,“ is considered one of the most influential works in the field of folklore. The Brothers Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm, were German academics, linguists, and cultural researchers who collected and published folklore during the early 19th century. Their work was part of a larger European interest in preserving oral folk traditions in the face of rapid industrialization and urbanization. Their collection of fairy tales became immensely popular and had a significant impact on the development of the literary fairy tale genre in Europe.

Origins and influences: „Allerleirauh“ is believed to have originated from the German oral tradition, passed down through generations of storytelling. The tale shares themes and motifs with other folktales and fairy tales, such as a young girl overcoming adversity and finding love, as well as the use of disguises and transformations. The story is related to the French tale „Donkeyskin“ by Charles Perrault and the Italian tale „Catskin“ by Giambattista Basile.

Similar fairy tales: „Allerleirauh“ shares similarities with other European fairy tales, such as Charles Perrault’s „Donkeyskin“ and Giambattista Basile’s „The She-Bear“ from his collection „Il Pentamerone.“ These stories feature protagonists escaping from forced marriages, assuming animal disguises, and ultimately revealing their true identities. The tale of „Allerleirauh“ addresses various themes, including resilience, love, identity, and forgiveness, and it has been the subject of numerous adaptations and reinterpretations in literature, theater, and film.

Structure and plot: The story follows a young princess who escapes her father’s kingdom after he decides to marry her following her mother’s death. To avoid this fate, the princess requests three impossible-to-obtain items: dresses as golden as the sun, as silver as the moon, and as bright as the stars, along with a coat made from a thousand furs. When her father surprisingly fulfills these requests, the princess dons the coat of furs, concealing her dresses, and flees the kingdom. She eventually finds work as a kitchen maid in another kingdom, hiding her true identity under her fur coat. During a royal ball, the princess secretly attends wearing her beautiful dresses, catching the eye of the prince. After three encounters at the balls, the prince discovers her true identity when she leaves behind a golden ring. He proposes marriage, and they live happily ever after.

Themes and motifs: „Allerleirauh“ explores several themes and motifs common to many folktales and fairy tales: The story demonstrates the power of resilience and resourcefulness in the face of adversity, as the princess escapes her unwanted marriage and eventually finds happiness. The tale emphasizes the use of disguises and transformations, as the princess hides her true identity and beauty beneath her coat of furs to evade her father and find safety. The story highlights the idea that true love can overcome obstacles and that destiny will lead individuals to their rightful place in life.

Morals and lessons: The tale imparts valuable life lessons about the importance of courage, resilience, and resourcefulness, as well as the power of love and destiny.

In summary, „Allerleirauh“ is a Brothers Grimm fairy tale that focuses on the themes of overcoming adversity, transformation, and the power of true love. The story showcases the power of a young girl to take control of her own destiny and find happiness despite the challenges she faces.

Interpretations to fairy tale „Allerleirauh“

„Allerleirauh“ is a rich and complex fairy tale that offers various interpretations. Here are a few:

Overcoming adversity: The story shows the resilience and determination of the princess, who escapes an impossible situation and eventually finds happiness. Through her resourcefulness and wit, she evades her father’s demands and establishes a new life in a different kingdom. The tale highlights the importance of resilience and resourcefulness in the face of adversity. The princess uses her intelligence and courage to escape an unwanted marriage and ultimately find happiness, demonstrating the power of overcoming challenges and difficult circumstances.

Transformative power of love: The princess’s journey of self-discovery and growth is facilitated by the love of the neighboring king. His genuine affection for her, regardless of her appearance or status, allows her to reclaim her true identity and find happiness. „Allerleirauh“ can be read as a story about the power of true love and the role of destiny in guiding individuals to their rightful place in life. Despite her disguise and the obstacles she faces, the princess ultimately finds true love with the prince, demonstrating that love can overcome barriers and that destiny will lead individuals to where they belong.

Female empowerment: The princess is a strong and resourceful character who takes control of her own destiny. She refuses to submit to her father’s wishes and uses her cleverness to escape his plans. By doing so, she challenges the patriarchal norms of her time and demonstrates the importance of autonomy and self-determination. The story can be seen as a celebration of female empowerment, as the young princess takes control of her own destiny by escaping her father’s kingdom and ultimately finding happiness on her own terms. This interpretation underscores the power of women to make their own choices and overcome societal expectations.

Duality of appearance and identity: The story explores the tension between external appearances and inner identity. The princess’s outer appearance as Allerleirauh conceals her true beauty and status, but her inner qualities shine through, attracting the love of the neighboring king. This theme highlights the importance of looking beyond superficial appearances to discover one’s true self and the true nature of others.

Forgiveness and redemption: The tale shows that despite the hardships the princess faces, she eventually finds happiness and love. This suggests that life’s difficulties can be overcome, and redemption is possible, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.

Transformation and disguise: The story emphasizes the use of disguises and transformations as a means of self-preservation and growth. The princess hides her true identity under the coat of furs, allowing her to evade her father and find safety. This interpretation suggests that transformation can be a necessary and empowering process in one’s journey of self-discovery and personal growth.

Incest and taboo: The tale touches on the theme of incest, as the princess’s father wants to marry her following her mother’s death. The princess’s escape can be seen as a rejection of this taboo, as well as a reminder of the importance of respecting boundaries and societal norms.

Identity and self-discovery: „Allerleirauh“ can also be interpreted as a story about identity and the journey of self-discovery. By assuming a disguise and living a new life, the princess has the opportunity to explore her true self, ultimately leading her to find love and happiness.

In summary, „Allerleirauh“ offers a range of interpretations, each providing a different perspective on the story’s themes and lessons. The tale’s multifaceted nature allows for a rich and engaging reading experience, inviting readers to reflect on its themes and connect them to their own lives. „Allerleirauh“ offers a rich tapestry of themes and interpretations, reflecting the complexities of human nature, love, and the power of resilience.

Adaptions of the fairy tale „Allerleirauh“

„Allerleirauh“ has inspired various adaptations in different forms of media. While it may not be as famous as some other Brothers Grimm fairy tales, it has nonetheless been adapted and reimagined in several ways. Here are some specific examples:

Film and television: „Allerleirauh“ has been adapted into several film and television productions, often as part of anthologies or series featuring other fairy tales. For instance, the German television film „Allerleirauh“ (2012), directed by Christian Theede, is a live-action adaptation of the story. The tale was also adapted as an episode in the German television series „Grimm’s Fairy Tales Classics“ (1987-1988). There have been several film adaptations of the story, including the 1979 West German film „Allerleirauh“ and the 2014 American film „Into the Woods,“ which features a mashup of several different fairy tales, including „Allerleirauh.“

Books and anthologies: The story has been retold and reimagined in various books, anthologies, and collections. One example is the novel „Deerskin“ (1993) by Robin McKinley, which reinterprets the story in a more modern and mature context.

Theater and stage: „Allerleirauh“ has been adapted for stage performances, often as part of a larger production featuring multiple fairy tales. These adaptations can include dance, musical, or theatrical performances that retell the story and emphasize its themes of transformation, resilience, and true love. The story has also been adapted for the stage, with productions such as „Allerleirauh: The Story of the Coat of Many Colors“ by Jennifer Kirkeby and Shirley Mier and „Many Fur“ by Daniel Kitson.

Art and illustrations: Various artists have created artwork inspired by „Allerleirauh,“ either as standalone pieces or as part of larger projects related to Grimm’s fairy tales. These illustrations can help visualize the story’s characters, setting, and key moments, adding an additional dimension to the narrative.

Music: The story has inspired musical compositions and performances, either as standalone pieces or as part of larger works that draw upon the themes and motifs of the tale. These musical adaptations can help to convey the emotional journey of the characters and the story’s underlying themes. The tale has also inspired musical adaptations, such as the 2018 opera „All-Kinds-of-Fur“ by British composer Hannah Kendall.

Literature: The tale has been adapted into various forms of literature, including children’s books such as „Allerleirauh“ by the Grimm brothers and „The Coat of Many Colors“ by Dolly Parton. It has also been adapted into young adult novels, such as „Deerskin“ by Robin McKinley and „Bitter Greens“ by Kate Forsyth.

While „Allerleirauh“ may not have as many adaptations as some of the more famous Grimm tales, these examples demonstrate that the story still holds creative appeal and continues to inspire artists and storytellers. Its themes of transformation, resilience, and the power of true love remain relevant, and its inclusion in various collections ensures that it continues to reach new audiences. Overall, the story of „Allerleirauh“ has proven to be a rich source of inspiration for artists in various media. Its enduring themes of transformation, resilience, and identity continue to captivate audiences of all ages.

Summary of the plot

„Allerleirauh“ is a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm about a beautiful princess who escapes her father’s desire to marry her. The king’s wife, with golden hair, passes away, and he is unable to find a bride as beautiful as her. His daughter grows up to resemble her mother, and the king decides to marry her. The princess tries to stall the marriage by requesting impossible items: three dresses (one as golden as the sun, one as silvery as the moon, and one as bright as the stars) and a fur mantle made from a thousand different animals.

However, the king manages to fulfill her requests, and the princess decides to run away. She takes her three dresses, a golden ring, a golden spinning-wheel, and a golden reel, and disguises herself in the fur mantle, blackening her face and hands with soot. She finds refuge in a hollow tree in a neighboring king’s forest, where she’s discovered and brought to the palace to work as a servant named Allerleirauh.

During three royal feasts, Allerleirauh secretly attends the festivities, wearing one of her beautiful dresses each time. The neighboring king dances with her and becomes enamored, but she disappears before he can learn her identity. To catch her, the king slips a ring on her finger during the third dance, and when Allerleirauh returns to her servant duties, her disguise is partially revealed. Recognizing her true identity, the neighboring king declares her his bride, and they marry, living happily ever after.

Abstract

„Allerleirauh,“ also known as „All-Kinds-of-Fur“ or „Thousand Furs,“ is a fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm. The story follows a young princess who escapes an unwanted marriage to her own father and eventually finds true love. The tale begins with a dying queen making her husband, the king, promise that he will only remarry if he finds a woman as beautiful as her. After some time, the king realizes that his own daughter is the only woman who matches his late wife’s beauty, so he decides to marry her. To avoid this terrible fate, the princess asks her father for three impossible-to-obtain dresses: one as golden as the sun, one as silver as the moon, and one as glittering as the stars.

Additionally, she asks for a coat made of a thousand different types of fur. Surprisingly, her father fulfills these requests. The princess, seeing no other choice, dons the coat of a thousand furs, concealing her beautiful dresses, and escapes the kingdom. She arrives in a distant kingdom, where she takes on the role of a kitchen maid, hiding her true identity and beauty beneath her coat of furs. During her time in the new kingdom, the prince holds a series of three balls. The princess secretly attends each ball wearing her beautiful dresses, catching the eye of the prince. Each time, she returns to her kitchen maid duties before her true identity is discovered.

After the third ball, the prince finds a golden ring the princess left behind, and he searches for the woman whose finger fits the ring. When he finally discovers that the kitchen maid, Allerleirauh, is the mysterious woman from the balls, he proposes to her. They marry, and the princess reveals her true identity as a royal, and they live happily ever after. The story of „Allerleirauh“ emphasizes themes of resilience, transformation, and the power of true love, as the young princess overcomes adversity, disguises herself, and ultimately finds happiness with the prince.


Informations for scientific analysis

Fairy tale statistics
Value
NumberKHM 65
Aarne-Thompson-Uther-IndexATU Typ 510B
TranslationsDE, EN, DA, ES, PT, FI, IT, JA, NL, PL, RO, RU, TR, VI, ZH
Readability Index by Björnsson34.4
Flesch-Reading-Ease Index77.2
Flesch–Kincaid Grade-Level8.7
Gunning Fog Index11.5
Coleman–Liau Index7.4
SMOG Index9.2
Automated Readability Index9.6
Character Count11.282
Letter Count8.641
Sentence Count88
Word Count2.194
Average Words per Sentence24,93
Words with more than 6 letters207
Percentage of long words9.4%
Number of Syllables2.706
Average Syllables per Word1,23
Words with three Syllables94
Percentage Words with three Syllables4.3%
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