You can make some good guesses about a culture’s values―its ideas about right and wrong―by figuring out what its children are expected to learn. As you’ve seen, these lessons often take the form of stories instead of lectures. In subtle ways, fairy tales help children understand what behaviors will be expected of them as they grow into adults―and also what behaviors are not accepted by the culture.
When the Grimm brothers wrote their books of fairy tales (they published several), they didn’t make up the stories. Many of the fairy tales were stories they heard as children, growing up in Germany. Some were stories that other people had written down. In fact, nearly all stories published by the Grimms had been passed down already through generations of Germans and other European groups.
What can you learn about German culture from “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage”? What values and beliefs are suggested by the story? Write your own answers to these questions. Then, compare your answers to the sample answer at the end of the activity.
What kinds of chores were common in German households when this story was published?
What makes a successful partnership, according to this fairy tale?
What makes someone a “fool,” according to this story?
Why did the new household arrangements result in tragedy? What was the problem?
What was a German child supposed to learn about life from this story?
| Your Responses | Sample Answers |
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gathering fuel, fetching water from a well, cooking, setting the table |
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Everyone has an important job to do, and they do it willingly. |
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They let someone take advantage of them―or they listen to someone who doesn’t know what he’s talking about. |
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Each character lacked the skills or abilities needed to perform the other characters’ chores. |
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It’s important to be grateful for a good situation and not take it for granted. Also, everyone has something they’re good at, and you don’t have to be good at everything. And you should make your own choices and not let others have too much influence on your decisions. |
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As you can see from that last question, a fairy tale’s theme can be understood and stated in more than one way. In fact, some fairy tales have several themes―not just one. What are some of the themes in “The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage”?
There is more than one way to be a fool.
Everyone has a unique gift or ability.
It’s not wise to compare your situation to everyone else’s.
