THE HUT IN THE FOREST.
“I am a King’s son, and was bewitched by a wicked witch, and made to live in this forest, as an old gray-haired man; no one was allowed to be with me but my three attendants in the form of a cock, a hen, and a brindled cow. The spell was not to be broken until a girl came to us whose heart was so good that she showed herself full of love, not only towards mankind, but towards animals – and that thou hast done, and by thee at midnight we were set free, and the old hut in the forest was changed back again into my royal palace.”
Grimm’s Fairy Tales.
Translated from the German By Margaret Hunt.
Illustrated By John B. Gruelle.
Cupples and Leon Company: New York. Ca 1914.
Elephant's Picture Book 
That old man has an evil look about him. While the girl is quite radiant. Nice picture!
He only looks like an old man – at midnight he turns back into an age appropriate guy with a less creepy look about him! It is nice!
Elephant
I like stories that end well. 🙂 I suppose it’s the child in me.
Girls have a lot of power 🙂 As long as they’re kind and pure 🙂
“Pure” such a great word!
E
what does it really mean, anyway?
Nothing really – she has a clean body and soul – or maybe it means she has an empty head!
E
haha
You can tell it’s enchanted because nothing casts a shadow…
I see shadows – but maybe I only see them because it is enchanted! His sword looks like a giant pencil and what she is shaking looks like a cocktail shaker! She is so happy to be a slave in this weird household!
Elephant
Out of curiosity where do you find your pictures?
They are all from my collection of books. I scan them and restore them in Photoshop. It would be nice if there was a place I could pick them all up, but they are each the product of my own restoration efforts. Heaven help those who steal them!
Hi Ho,
Elephant
I am very glad the old fellow is going to be changed at midnight because his old age face is unpleasant!. The cow, the cock and the hen look very content. And I, too, wondered why he had a pencil for a sword 😉
I am so glad somebody saw that giant pencil! Interesting what the eye sees. The old guy looks very gloomy. I think if they kicked him out of the house they could stay there happily, but they all get a second chance to live the high life so that’s a good ending!
It is always such a pleasure to read your comments!
E
It’s rather encouraging to think that this story is telling us that we all get a second chance! Even though some of us may need a third and a fourth, as well 😀 😀
As many chances at it takes. I hope!
Elephant
🙂
Thank you for liking “On a Grand Scale.” I like both the story and the illustration in this post. I laughed when you pointed out the “pencil sword” and the cocktail shaker jar. I guess the artist decided to have some fun with this illustration. 🙂
I like what I like! I can’t help it as I go through my Reader if I like something I just ding that like button. Should I restrain myself? No, I can’t be suppressed!
Thank you for for your comment – I am always glad to know someone laughed – what a nice thing to add a bit of humor to the world!
Hi Ho,
Elephant