The next fairy tale you’ll read was written down by two German brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. Their book, Grimms’ Fairy Tales, includes a story titled “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage.” It’s an odd little story―not only do the animals talk . . . but so does the sausage!
Click the button below to read “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage.” As you read, try to notice when you are able to identify the story’s “lesson” or theme.
The Grimms’ fairy tale about the division of household chores has several possible themes. While none of them is directly stated, you probably could infer them, based on the details in the story and how the story ends. Use these questions to make sure your inferences are accurate.
Once upon a time, a mouse, a bird, and a sausage set up house together. For a long time, all went well. They lived comfortably and did quite well for themselves. The bird’s job was to fly into the woods each day and bring back fuel, the mouse was in charge of fetching the water, and the sausage saw to the cooking.
When people are too well off, though, they start to long for something new. One day, while out gathering twigs for fuel, the bird met another bird and began to brag about his situation. The other bird made fun of him and called him a fool. “Ha―you do all the hard work,” the other bird said, “while the other two stay at home and have a good time!”
The bird who lived with the mouse and the sausage thought about this for the rest of the day. He decided that the other bird might have been right. After all, when the mouse had made the fire and fetched the water from the well, she could retire to her little room and rest until it was time to set the table. And when it was near dinner-time, the sausage simply threw himself into the broth and rolled around in the vegetables three or four times―until the meal was buttered, and salted, and ready to be served. After dinner, the mouse and the sausage could sleep till the following morning―and then continue to rest or take their leisure till dinner-time the next day. It was true, the bird thought, the mouse and the sausage really did have a more delightful life.
The next morning, the bird refused to bring in the wood. Instead, he told the mouse and the sausage that he had been their servant long enough, and that it was now time to try some other way of arranging the work. The mouse and the sausage tried to argue, and they begged and pleaded too, but it was of no use―the bird insisted that changes be made. Eventually, the three agreed to draw lots, and it fell to the sausage to bring in the wood. The mouse would now cook, and the bird would fetch the water.
As agreed, the sausage set out in search of wood the next morning while the bird made the fire and the mouse put the pot on to boil. However, the sausage was gone so long that the other two became worried, and the bird decided to fly out to meet the sausage and hurry him along.
The bird had not flown far, however, when he came across a dog who, having met the sausage, had seen him as an easy meal, and thus had grabbed him and gobbled him up. The bird complained to the dog of this bare-faced robbery, but nothing he said made any difference. He picked up the twigs the sausage had collected and flew sadly home, where he told the mouse all he had seen and heard.
Both the bird and the mouse were very unhappy, but they agreed to make the best of things. While the bird set the table, the mouse looked after the food. Wishing to prepare the meal in the same way as the sausage, she jumped into the pot. However, the poor mouse stopped short long before she reached the bottom, having already parted not only with her skin and hair, but also with her life.
Presently the bird came in, hungry for dinner, but he couldn’t see the cook anywhere. He threw the wood on the floor and searched for the mouse all throughout the house, finding no sign of her. Then, some of the wood that the bird had carelessly thrown about caught fire and began to blaze. The bird tried to fetch water, but his pail fell into the well, and he after it. Since he was unable to swim or to fly out with his wings so drenched, the bird was drowned. There was no one left to gather wood, to set the pot, or to cook the meal.
What future event is implied by the first sentence of this paragraph?
- The household will grow dangerously low on supplies.
- One of the story’s characters will “start to long for something new.”
- The mouse, the bird, and the sausage will live happily ever after.
The first part of the sentence suggests that the bird is ungrateful―and that it did not have a good reason for wanting a change.
The first part of the sentence suggests that the bird is ungrateful―and that it did not have a good reason for wanting a change.
The first part of the sentence suggests that the bird is ungrateful―and that it did not have a good reason for wanting a change.
What phrase from this paragraph provides another good clue about the story’s lesson?
- out gathering twigs
- all the hard work
- called him a fool
Most characters don’t like being called a fool―they’re likely to feel embarrassed and then react in some way.
Most characters don’t like being called a fool―they’re likely to feel embarrassed and then react in some way.
Most characters don’t like being called a fool―they’re likely to feel embarrassed and then react in some way.
What important detail do readers learn in this paragraph?
- how the mouse and the sausage do their jobs
- how the three friends decided to share a house
- what kind of fuel the bird brought back each day
The paragraph hints at the problems that will be created if the three characters switch jobs.
The paragraph hints at the problems that will be created if the three characters switch jobs.
The paragraph hints at the problems that will be created if the three characters switch jobs.
The last three paragraphs of the story show the outcome of the changes in chore assignments. In general, what went wrong?
- The characters were doomed by their greed and dishonesty.
- None of the characters tried hard enough to change.
- Each character was unable to do its new job―and survive.
Each character has the ability to do his or her own job because of who or what he or she is. In other words, each character’s identity helps it complete its chore.
Each character has the ability to do his or her own job because of who or what he or she is. In other words, each character’s identity helps it complete its chore.
Each character has the ability to do his or her own job because of who or what he or she is. In other words, each character’s identity helps it complete its chore.
Summary
Questions answered correctly:
Questions answered incorrectly:
