Dapplegrim facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dapplegrim |
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Boots, the knight, chooses the best horse in the harras. Illustration by Henry Justice Ford for Andrew Lang's The Red Fairy Book (1890).
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| Folk tale | |
| Name | Dapplegrim |
| Also known as | Grimsborken |
| Data | |
| Aarne–Thompson grouping | ATU 531 (The Clever Horse) |
| Region | Norway |
| Published in | Norske Folkeeventyr, by Asbjørnsen and Moe |
| Related |
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Dapplegrim is a famous fairy tale from Norway. It was first written down by two well-known collectors, Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. They put it in their book called Norske Folkeeventyr. Later, Andrew Lang also included this exciting story in his popular The Red Fairy Book.
Contents
The Story of Dapplegrim
This fairy tale is about a brave young hero, often called "Boots," and his amazing magical horse, Dapplegrim. It's a story of adventure, cleverness, and winning against big challenges.
Boots and the Magical Horse
The story usually begins with a poor young man named Boots. He is often the youngest of three brothers. His older brothers are usually not very kind or smart. Boots is often seen as simple, but he is actually very kind and brave.
One day, Boots finds a special horse. This horse is not just any horse; it is Dapplegrim, a magical creature. Dapplegrim can talk and has incredible powers. He helps Boots with many difficult tasks.
Facing the Challenges
Boots and Dapplegrim often go on a journey to a faraway castle. There, a princess is usually held captive by a troll or a giant. To rescue the princess, Boots must complete several impossible tasks. These tasks are set by the troll or the king.
Dapplegrim uses his magic to help Boots. For example, the horse might help Boots:
- Collect rare items.
- Build a grand bridge in one night.
- Defeat powerful enemies.
Boots often has to disguise himself to get close to the princess. He might appear as a simple stable boy or a poor traveler.
Winning the Princess
After completing the tasks, Boots usually reveals his true identity. He shows everyone that he is the brave hero who saved the day. The princess, who has often fallen in love with him, is then free to marry him.
The story teaches us that kindness, bravery, and a little bit of magic can help you overcome anything. It also shows that even the most unlikely heroes can achieve great things.
Who Collected the Tale?
The story of Dapplegrim was first written down by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe. They were two friends from Norway. They traveled all over their country in the 1840s. They listened to old people tell traditional stories. They wrote down these stories so they would not be forgotten. Their collection, Norske Folkeeventyr, is very famous. It helped preserve many wonderful Norwegian fairy tales.
Other Versions of the Story
The story of Dapplegrim is a type of fairy tale known as "The Clever Horse." This means there are many similar stories from different parts of the world. In these tales, a hero gets help from a magical animal, often a horse, to win a princess or overcome a villain.
Some other tales that are similar to Dapplegrim include:
- The Story of Pretty Goldilocks
- Ferdinand the Faithful and Ferdinand the Unfaithful
- The Firebird and Princess Vasilisa
These stories share common themes. They often feature magical helpers and brave heroes.
