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King Grisly-beard
Das bekannte Märchen der Brüder Grimm!Die arrogante Königstochter soll bald heiraten, doch keiner kann es ihr recht machen – kein königlicher Heiratskandidat ist gut genug. Als sie auch noch einen jungen König als Drosselbart beschimpft, reicht es ihrem Er schickt sie mit einem Bettler fort. Für die hochmütge Prinzessin beginnt ein Leben in Sie muss Geschirr auf dem Markt verkaufen und als Küchenmagd im Schloss arbeiten. Und dann trifft sie erneut auf König Drosselbart...Die Kinder- und Hausmärchen der Brüder Grimm sind auf der ganzen Welt bekannt und wurden in zahlreiche Sprachen übersetzt. Zudem wurden sie vielfach verfilmt. Als Vorlage für ihre Märchen dienten den Brüdern Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm vorwiegend mündliche Überlieferungen.
24 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1812
3 people are currently reading
107 people want to read
About the author
Maurice Sendak
401 books2,396 followersMaurice Sendak was a visionary American illustrator and writer best known for transforming the landscape of children's literature through his emotionally resonant stories and distinctive artistic style. He gained international acclaim with Where the Wild Things Are, a groundbreaking picture book that captured the emotional intensity of childhood through its honest portrayal of anger, imagination, and longing. Widely recognized for his ability to blend the whimsical with the profound, Sendak created works that resonated with both children and adults, challenging conventional notions of what children's books could be.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Sendak was a sickly child who spent much of his early life indoors, nurturing a love for books, drawing, and storytelling. The son of Polish-Jewish immigrants, he was deeply affected by the losses of the Holocaust, which shaped the darker emotional undercurrents in his work. His art was influenced by a range of sources, from comic strips and Mickey Mouse to Mozart, Blake, and German Romanticism. Though he began his career illustrating other writers’ books, he soon transitioned to authoring his own, beginning with Kenny’s Window and then The Sign on Rosie’s Door.
It was Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963, that solidified Sendak’s reputation as a master of children’s literature. The book, which won the Caldecott Medal, was initially controversial due to its depiction of unruly behavior and ambiguous emotional tone. However, it was later recognized as a revolutionary work that respected children’s inner lives and psychological complexity. This theme continued in his later works, including In the Night Kitchen and Outside Over There, which formed a loose trilogy exploring the emotional and imaginative experiences of childhood. These books, celebrated for their dreamlike narratives and lush illustrations, often tackled fears, fantasies, and the challenges of growing up.
Throughout his career, Sendak illustrated more than a hundred books, working with authors such as Ruth Krauss and Else Holmelund Minarik. His visual style—characterized by its intricate detail, dynamic line work, and expressive characters—evolved over the decades, but always retained an unmistakable emotional intensity. He also designed sets and costumes for operas and ballets, bringing his imaginative worlds to the stage. Notably, he created productions for works by Mozart and Prokofiev, combining his love of classical music with theatrical design.
Sendak was known for his sharp wit, fierce independence, and deep empathy for children. He openly criticized the sanitized and moralistic tone of much of children's publishing, insisting instead that young readers deserved stories that acknowledged their full emotional range, including fear, grief, anger, and wonder. He was also an openly gay man in a long-term relationship, though he only spoke publicly about his sexuality later in life.
Later in his career, Sendak continued to produce new work, collaborate with artists and institutions, and advocate for intellectual freedom. His final books, including Bumble-Ardy and My Brother’s Book, reflected both a return to his childhood memories and a meditation on aging, love, and mortality. Though his stories often ventured into the dark or surreal, they remained rooted in a deep respect for the emotional reality of children and a belief in the power of imagination to confront life's challenges.
Maurice Sendak’s legacy endures in the countless writers and illustrators he inspired, the cultural impact of his stories, and the enduring affection readers of all ages hold for his wild things, mischievous children, and tender monsters. Through his work, he redefined what children’s literature could be: rich, honest, haunting, and, above all, deeply human.
Born and raised in Brooklyn, Sendak was a sickly child who spent much of his early life indoors, nurturing a love for books, drawing, and storytelling. The son of Polish-Jewish immigrants, he was deeply affected by the losses of the Holocaust, which shaped the darker emotional undercurrents in his work. His art was influenced by a range of sources, from comic strips and Mickey Mouse to Mozart, Blake, and German Romanticism. Though he began his career illustrating other writers’ books, he soon transitioned to authoring his own, beginning with Kenny’s Window and then The Sign on Rosie’s Door.
It was Where the Wild Things Are, published in 1963, that solidified Sendak’s reputation as a master of children’s literature. The book, which won the Caldecott Medal, was initially controversial due to its depiction of unruly behavior and ambiguous emotional tone. However, it was later recognized as a revolutionary work that respected children’s inner lives and psychological complexity. This theme continued in his later works, including In the Night Kitchen and Outside Over There, which formed a loose trilogy exploring the emotional and imaginative experiences of childhood. These books, celebrated for their dreamlike narratives and lush illustrations, often tackled fears, fantasies, and the challenges of growing up.
Throughout his career, Sendak illustrated more than a hundred books, working with authors such as Ruth Krauss and Else Holmelund Minarik. His visual style—characterized by its intricate detail, dynamic line work, and expressive characters—evolved over the decades, but always retained an unmistakable emotional intensity. He also designed sets and costumes for operas and ballets, bringing his imaginative worlds to the stage. Notably, he created productions for works by Mozart and Prokofiev, combining his love of classical music with theatrical design.
Sendak was known for his sharp wit, fierce independence, and deep empathy for children. He openly criticized the sanitized and moralistic tone of much of children's publishing, insisting instead that young readers deserved stories that acknowledged their full emotional range, including fear, grief, anger, and wonder. He was also an openly gay man in a long-term relationship, though he only spoke publicly about his sexuality later in life.
Later in his career, Sendak continued to produce new work, collaborate with artists and institutions, and advocate for intellectual freedom. His final books, including Bumble-Ardy and My Brother’s Book, reflected both a return to his childhood memories and a meditation on aging, love, and mortality. Though his stories often ventured into the dark or surreal, they remained rooted in a deep respect for the emotional reality of children and a belief in the power of imagination to confront life's challenges.
Maurice Sendak’s legacy endures in the countless writers and illustrators he inspired, the cultural impact of his stories, and the enduring affection readers of all ages hold for his wild things, mischievous children, and tender monsters. Through his work, he redefined what children’s literature could be: rich, honest, haunting, and, above all, deeply human.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
April 6, 2019
What a lovely tale! This short story is about a spoiled and conceited princess. No suitor is good enough for her. Her father, the King, marries her off to a grubby fiddler. Then the princess lives in poverty and is forced to work, and gets mocked... I don't want to give the ending away but I really enjoyed this story and how the princess gets taught an important lesson.
December 19, 2022
Whilst I like Maurice Sendak's art a lot, I've never been a fan of this tale. I find the punishment for the conceited princess was excessive given her sin was to be rude. It reflects a time when princesses would be sold into marriage without a right to protest, and this one got given a choice she squanders for being too picky and very rude, which I took to be more a form of protest, but is marrying her off to the first beggar that comes knocking a proportionate punishment? I don't think so. And the fact that this ends happily for the princess doesn't change the fact that her father went overboard with the punishment, which could've as easily backfired.
Besides, how exactly is marriage to a disguised king a fitting lesson on humility? I stuggle to see it. She didn't choose this man, who lied about who he was to her, made her work with things she wasn't prepared for or trained in, and ultimately "rescues" her from her miserable situation that her father and himself are responsible for, so she can feel "grateful" that she wasn't married to a true beggar that'd have kept her working as a a slave and imposed his marital rights on her. No, definitely not a fairy tale I find teaches the right lesson. With all due respect to Sendak's illustration skills, the story itself is disgustingly sexist.
Besides, how exactly is marriage to a disguised king a fitting lesson on humility? I stuggle to see it. She didn't choose this man, who lied about who he was to her, made her work with things she wasn't prepared for or trained in, and ultimately "rescues" her from her miserable situation that her father and himself are responsible for, so she can feel "grateful" that she wasn't married to a true beggar that'd have kept her working as a a slave and imposed his marital rights on her. No, definitely not a fairy tale I find teaches the right lesson. With all due respect to Sendak's illustration skills, the story itself is disgustingly sexist.
April 6, 2019
Cute story with a full-of-herself princess who rejects all her suitors then ends up with a penniless fiddler and must work for a living. An enjoyable little fairy-tale with a lesson to be learned in the end.
May 5, 2023
http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-sto...
I loved this Children's story!
A very mean biotch princess makes funny names of all her suitors and belittles them in front of everyone near her.
She is forced to marry a penniless dirty fiddler that makes her work and clean for a living. It turns out he's the King she calls Grisly-Beard! He teaches her a lesson about being a good person and cures her of her silly pride.
This would only happen to a Princess! The rest of us gotta work... Lol...
I loved this Children's story!
A very mean biotch princess makes funny names of all her suitors and belittles them in front of everyone near her.
She is forced to marry a penniless dirty fiddler that makes her work and clean for a living. It turns out he's the King she calls Grisly-Beard! He teaches her a lesson about being a good person and cures her of her silly pride.
This would only happen to a Princess! The rest of us gotta work... Lol...
June 15, 2019
A lovely short tale. It will boost you up if you're not in a reading mood.
January 31, 2018
I liked the characters in this story and I also enjoyed the plot very much. I liked how the princess learnt her lesson and to ot judge a book by its cover. I thought that the story progressed well and the developement of the princess' character was wel done and it showed well how different events had changed her outlook on her life. The ending is a good one and if I were to read it again from the start the difference between the princess at the end and at the beginning would be strengthened.
December 2, 2017
Just found this on Goodreads!! was one of my favorites when I was 10 :)
October 4, 2012
Prefect fable, wonderful illustrations, and witty side conversations between the characters. A story within a story. All of this in a slim children's book.
February 2, 2017
I loved this. Be humble and graceful. Work hard and be rewarded.
May 24, 2025
این داستان برادران گریم حقیقتا دیستربینگه ولی خوب آرت سنداک ارزششو داره.
March 30, 2019
Good, short fairy tale with a lesson about humility.
March 19, 2022
I had a feeling that the fiddler was King Grisly-Beard and I was proven to be right. The title, the king's decision and the fact that the fiddler took her to King Grisly-Beard's land gave it away.
The princess is quite conceited and made fun of all of the guests and so you feel like she is supposed to deserve being humbled. Arrogance is not an attractive quality on anyone and society would especially detest it on a woman.
Even so, I felt bad for her that she ultimately ended up being forced to marry someone. That is a good reminder that women of that time were very much at their father's mercy. Her life with the fiddler also shows that once women are married they are at their husband's mercy. The princess, herself, did have an advantage in that she seemed to initially have the rare luxury of selecting her own husband and wasted it by mocking all of her suitors. However, I wonder if she mocked them, not just because of her own pride, but because she really did not want to marry any of them and was forced to marry someone of noble birth. She did not want to marry, expressed it in probably the worst way and was then forced to marry by her father.
It's always great to see characters who are arrogant get humbled. The princess was put through this by King Grisly-Beard. Even so, she still ended up marrying someone she did not want to marry. Once we find out the fiddler is King Grisly-Beard the narrative just says that everyone was happy. Honestly, after being put through what she went through, she would be pleased to be done with it and probably just settle for returning to royal life and being grateful for it. Still, by modern standards, she did not want to marry that man and might just eventually grow to dislike him, especially since he did put her through the things she disliked.
The story really overlooks the princess' choice, her father's choice and her husband's choice are given far more importance, as are marriage. She could have simply waited until she met someone she genuinely liked. The king could have found another way to deal with his daughter's arrogance. However, in such a time when a woman has a flaw that is particularly grating on men, she is punished harshly for it.
However, the story is very much of its time. It reminded me of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew which is controversial because of the treatment of women.
The princess is quite conceited and made fun of all of the guests and so you feel like she is supposed to deserve being humbled. Arrogance is not an attractive quality on anyone and society would especially detest it on a woman.
Even so, I felt bad for her that she ultimately ended up being forced to marry someone. That is a good reminder that women of that time were very much at their father's mercy. Her life with the fiddler also shows that once women are married they are at their husband's mercy. The princess, herself, did have an advantage in that she seemed to initially have the rare luxury of selecting her own husband and wasted it by mocking all of her suitors. However, I wonder if she mocked them, not just because of her own pride, but because she really did not want to marry any of them and was forced to marry someone of noble birth. She did not want to marry, expressed it in probably the worst way and was then forced to marry by her father.
It's always great to see characters who are arrogant get humbled. The princess was put through this by King Grisly-Beard. Even so, she still ended up marrying someone she did not want to marry. Once we find out the fiddler is King Grisly-Beard the narrative just says that everyone was happy. Honestly, after being put through what she went through, she would be pleased to be done with it and probably just settle for returning to royal life and being grateful for it. Still, by modern standards, she did not want to marry that man and might just eventually grow to dislike him, especially since he did put her through the things she disliked.
The story really overlooks the princess' choice, her father's choice and her husband's choice are given far more importance, as are marriage. She could have simply waited until she met someone she genuinely liked. The king could have found another way to deal with his daughter's arrogance. However, in such a time when a woman has a flaw that is particularly grating on men, she is punished harshly for it.
However, the story is very much of its time. It reminded me of William Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew which is controversial because of the treatment of women.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2024
Jacob Grimm, alongside his brother Wilhelm, is renowned for compiling "Grimm's Fairy Tales," a collection of German folktales. This book is a captivating journey into the heart of folklore, presenting a mixture of enchanting and sometimes dark stories that have fascinated readers for generations. Grimm's work is not just a mere collection of tales; it's a profound exploration of the human condition, morals, and the cultural heritage of Germany. The stories range from the well-loved "Cinderella" and "Snow White" to the less known but equally intriguing tales. Each story is a masterpiece of fantasy, imbued with timeless themes and moral lessons, making this book a valuable treasure for both young and adult readers. Jacob Grimm's contribution through this compilation has left an indelible mark on literature and continues to inspire the imagination of readers worldwide.
October 2, 2017
I loved this story. A too pompous princess being put in her place by a mere fiddler, only to have the surprise of her life. This was well done and really teaches the life lesson of having too much pride. I love this and will likely read it many times again. I recommend this for sure!
October 27, 2017
When you are too proud, vain & selfish; you learn a lesson for your excess arrogance! Teaching a lesson to a self centered person is best to bring them back into their senses!
Really like the story (Y)
Here's the story http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-sto...
Really like the story (Y)
Here's the story http://www.eastoftheweb.com/short-sto...
January 9, 2025
Overcome one's bias and All's well and ends well.
September 1, 2024
Random, and not in the necessarily good way.
November 3, 2016
I'm still not too sure how I feel about the little boy and girl in the title pages that consent to act out the parts of the characters. I don't know what to make of that. But the story itself is good. It's a little weird at first, but it deals with social classes and gratefulness. It has a happy ending, so that's good. Lessons can be learned from it. Overall, it was a good book.
July 24, 2013
Illustrated by Maurice Sendak. This story is about a very picky princess. It is a Grimm's fairy tale I have never heard before.
November 4, 2014
It's such a sweet story by the Brothers Grimm. Very kid friendly and also a great book for reading aloud.
This short story contains a powerful lesson about life and how it should be approached.
This short story contains a powerful lesson about life and how it should be approached.
December 30, 2014
Considering this is one of the less well known stories this is a short sweet fairy tale and I strongly recommend it.
April 10, 2015
The sly commentary in the illustrations provides a second story at no discernible added cost.
June 24, 2015
Prinsessan är självupptagen och stolt. Så stolt att ingen av hennes friare duger. Kunden gifter då bort henne med förste tiggare som kommer till slottet. Han visar sig vara en kung i förklädnad.
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November 23, 2015Jacob has
February 28, 2025
This rating is for the edition illustrated by Maurice Sendak.
July 13, 2015
I'd be surprised if she'd learned her lesson by the end.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews